REUTERS AMERICA NEWS PLAN FOR SUNDAY AUGUST 28

08/28/2016 14:15

REUTERS AMERICA AFTERNOON NEWS PLAN FOR SUNDAY AUGUST 28

LATEST AND PLANNED U.S. NEWS COVERAGE (ALL TIMES ET)

TOP STORIES

More bodies located beneath rubble in Italy quake zone

AMATRICE, Italy - Rescuers believe they have found more bodies buried deep in the rubble of the ruined town of Amatrice, five days after a devastating earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least 290 people. Residents of the hill town estimated that up to 10 people were still missing. (ITALY-QUAKE/ (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved at 12:36 p.m., 558 words)

L'Aquila is grim reminder of struggle facing Italy's quake-hit towns

L'AQUILA, Italy - Seven years after being devastated by an earthquake that killed more than 300 people, L'Aquila's abandoned city center is a stark reminder of the struggle facing Italian towns hit by a quake last week. (ITALY-QUAKE/RECONSTRUCTION (PIX), moved at 5:40 a.m., 930 words)

Turkish army thrusts deeper into Syria, 35 villagers killed

KARKAMIS, Turkey - Turkey's army and its allies thrust deeper into Syria on Sunday, seizing territory controlled by Kurdish-aligned forces on the fifth day of a cross-border campaign that a monitoring group said had killed at least 35 villagers. Turkish warplanes roared into northern Syria at daybreak and its artillery pounded what security sources said were sites held by Kurdish YPG militia. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA (UPDATE 3, PIX, TV), moved at 1:25 p.m., 620 words)

France presses for UN resolution on Syrian use of chemical weapons

WEIMAR, Germany - French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was pressing members of the U.N. Security Council, including Russia, to condemn the Syrian regime after a report that Syrian government troops used chemical weapons. (FRANCE-SYRIA/RUSSIA (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved at 1:30 p.m., 300 words) See also: Germany, Poland and France call for more efforts to end Ukraine crisis (UKRAINE-CRISIS/GERMANY, moved at 10:48 a.m., 80 words)

WASHINGTON

As Obama heads to Laos, signs of a tilt away from China

VIENTIANE - The secretive communist government of Laos, a country with a population of less than 7 million, rarely causes a ripple on the diplomatic circuit. And yet its sleepy capital will spring to life next week when global leaders arrive for an Asian summit. Barack Obama will be among them, making the last push of his presidency to 'rebalance' Washington's foreign policy towards Asia. (LAOS-CHINA/VIETNAM (PIX), moved, 940 words)

OTHER U.S. NEWS

Two Chicago brothers charged in murder of Dwyane Wade's cousin

CHICAGO - Two brothers have been arrested and charged in the shooting death of basketball superstar Dwyane Wade's cousin in Chicago, a case that emerged as a talking point in the U.S. presidential race, police said on Sunday. Both brothers were on parole. Wade described his cousin's killing as "another act of senseless gun violence" on Twitter. (CHICAGO-CRIME/WADE (UPDATE 1, PIX), moving shortly, 350 words)

Divas, disruptors set to dominate MTV Video Music Awards

NEW YORK - The divas of pop and R&B look set to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden with Beyonce leading all nominations with her testament to female empowerment "Lemonade" and excitement building over performances by Rihanna and Britney Spears. But don't count out Kanye West. (AWARDS-MTVVMA/ (PIX, TV), moved at 10 a.m., by Kill Serjeant, 407 words, will be led from event)

'Birth of a Nation' film maker reflects on his 2001 rape trial, acquittal

LOS ANGELES - Actor-director Nate Parker says he had never given another thought to his trial and acquittal on rape charges in 2001 until forced to confront the issue again as the promotion for his blockbuster film "Birth of a Nation" was gaining steam this month. In an interview with Ebony magazine, his first since learning in recent weeks that the women who accused him of rape in 1999 had committed suicide, Parker said his previous comments to the media about the case were "insensitive." (FILM-BIRTHOFANATION/ (PIX), moved at 10:30 a.m., by Steve Gorman, 395 words)

MIDDLE EAST

Houthis say ready for fresh Yemen talks if attacks stop

SANAA - Yemen's Houthi-run governing council said on Sunday it was ready to restart peace talks with the country's exiled government provided a Saudi-led coalition stopped attacking and besieging Houthi-held territories. (YEMEN-SECURITY/HOUTHIS (UPDATE 1), moved at 11:42 a.m., 280 words)

Russia lifts ban on charter flights to Turkey

MOSCOW - Russia on Sunday lifted its ban on charter flights to Turkey, the government said on its website. Russia banned charter flights to Turkey, a popular holiday destination for Russians, after the shoot-down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military last November. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/RUSSIA TURKEY), moved at 8:30 a.m., 46 words)

Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to replace envoy who riled Shi'ite militias

BAGHDAD - Iraq asked Saudi Arabia on Sunday to replace its ambassador in Baghdad after his comments about Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs and the alleged persecution of Sunni Muslims angered local Shi'ite Muslim politicians and militia leaders. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/IRAQ-SAUDI (UPDATE 1), moved at 8:26 a.m., 325 words)

Former Israeli defense minister Ben-Eliezer dies at 80

(ISRAEL-BENELIEZER/ (TV, PIX), moved, 196 words)

WORLD

Poll shows half of Germans against Merkel serving 4th term

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has declined, a poll showed on Sunday, with 50 percent of Germans against her serving a fourth term in office after a federal election next year. (GERMANY-MERKEL/ (UPDATE 1), moved at 12:54 p.m., 280 words) See also: German vice chancellor says Merkel underestimated migrant integration challenge (EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GERMANY-GABRIEL (UPDATE 1), moved at 9 a.m., 450 words)

Hurricane packing sustained winds of 105 mph east of Bermuda

MIAMI - Hurricane Gaston is producing maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour and stronger gusts as it churns through the Atlantic Ocean east of Bermuda, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday. The system, which is not yet threatening any land mass, was located about 600 miles east of Bermuda and moving northwest at about 5 mph. (STORM-GASTON/ (UPDATE 2), moved at 11:45 a.m., 142 words)

Long-time leader and rival both claim victory in oil-rich Gabon, vote fraud cited

LIBREVILLE - Supporters of Gabon's President Ali Bongo and his chief rival both said on Sunday they were set to win an election that has proved to be the most serious challenge yet to the Bongo family's half-century rule over the tiny, oil-rich nation. (GABON-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 2, PIX), moved at 12:30 p.m., 400 words)

China names new chief for Tibet in party reshuffle

BEIJING - China's ruling Communist Party appointed a new senior official on Sunday to run Tibet, considered one of the country's most politically sensitive positions due to stubborn anti-Chinese unrest in the devoutly Buddhist Himalayan region. (CHINA-POLITICS/, moved at 9 a.m., 300 words)

Bangladesh police identify dead militants linked to Dhaka cafe attack

DHAKA - One of the three militants killed by Bangladeshi security forces on Saturday in connection with July's Dhaka cafe attack came from a posh area of the city like some of the attackers and went to a prestigious foreign university, police said on Sunday. (BANGLADESH-MILITANT/, moved at 6:35 a.m., 320 words)

HEALTH AND SCIENCE

Singapore confirms 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus

SINGAPORE - Singapore has confirmed 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus, mostly among foreign construction workers, and said it expected more cases to be identified. All but seven of those infected have fully recovered. (HEALTH-ZIKA/SINGAPORE (UPDATE 2, PIX, GRAPHICS), moved at 10:28 a.m., 600 words)

ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE

Box Office: 'Don't Breathe' Scares Up $26.1 Million As Hot Summer for Horror Continues

LOS ANGELES - "Don't Breathe," a twisty story of a group of teenage delinquents who pick the wrong house to burglarize, dominated the late summer box office, debuting to a potent $26.1 million and topping charts. It joins a long list of recent horror films that have all found success with audiences. (USA-BOXOFFICE/ (UPDATE 1), moved at 12:42 p.m., 948 words)

New York City more a distraction than tennis top ranking for Muguruza

NEW YORK - For most women at the U.S. Open, overcoming Serena Williams is the biggest challenge. But for Garbine Muguruza, coping with the unique demands of New York City outstrips any worries over the 22-time grand slam champion. (TENNIS-USOPEN/MUGURUZA, expect by 2:30 p.m., 400 words)

Confident Nishikori has good feeling about another Open run

NEW YORK - Kei Nishikori is brimming with confidence heading into the men's U.S. Open on Monday despite acknowledging the presence of a flock of title contenders at Flushing Meadows. (TENNIS-USOPEN/, moved at 11 a.m., 468 words)

Hollywood stars pose for 2017 Pirelli Calendar

(PIRELLI-CALENDAR/ (TV), moved, 150 words)

Charles Osgood To Retire From CBS 'Sunday Morning'

(VARIETY-ENTERTAINMENT-TV/NEWS (ENTERTAINMENT), moved, 407 words)

BUSINESS AND MARKETS

Two United Airlines pilots held on alcohol charge in Scotland

LONDON - Two United Airlines pilots were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol in Scotland on Saturday as they were about to fly to the United States, police and the airline said. (UAL-PILOTS/ARRESTED, moved at 12:13 p.m., 177 words)

German minister says poorly handled Brexit would see Europe go down the drain

BERLIN - German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that if Britain's exit from the European Union was badly handled and other member countries followed its lead, Europe would go "down the drain." (BRITAIN-EU/GERMANY (UPDATE 2), moved at 12:48 p.m., 390 words)

Wall Street Week Ahead - Jobs data in crosshairs for record-high stocks

SAN FRANCISCO - Wall Street will focus on a wave of U.S. economic data next week culminating in monthly payrolls data on Friday that could sway expectations about the timing of future interest rate hikes and spark more volatility in sky-high stock prices. (USA-STOCKS/WEEKAHEAD (SCHEDULED COLUMN), moved, 480 words)

*****************

For story queries, please contact us.general- news@thomsonreuters.com

For photo queries use USCanada-Pictures-Editors@thomsonreuters.com) *****************

08/28/2016 14:15