REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 6 a.m. GMT/1 a.m. ET

Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6 a.m. GMT/1 a.m. ET. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning or on Media Express http://mediaexpress.reuters.com/planning-tools/calendar.

TOP STORIES

GLOBAL

USA-CHINA-SANCTIONS/

Biden administration calls China sanctions on Trump officials 'unproductive and cynical'

China's move to sanction former Trump administration officials was "unproductive and cynical", a spokeswoman for President Joe Biden's National Security Council said on Wednesday, urging Americans from both parties to condemn the action.

CHINA-TWITTER/

Twitter says it locked account of China's U.S. embassy over Xinjiang-related tweet

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Twitter has locked the account of China's U.S. embassy for a tweet that defended China's policies in the Xinjiang region, which the U.S. social media platform said violated the firm's policy against "dehumanization".

U.S.

USA-BIDEN-EXECUTIVEACTIONS/

Biden rolls back Trump policies on wall, climate, health, Muslims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden signed 15 executive actions shortly after being sworn on Wednesday, undoing policies put in place by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, and making his first moves on the pandemic and climate change.

USA-BIDEN-INAUGURATION/

'We must end this uncivil war,' Biden says, taking over a U.S. in crisis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Joe Biden was sworn in as president of the United States on Wednesday, offering a message of unity and restoration to a deeply divided country reeling from a battered economy and a raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans.

BUSINESS

USA-BIDEN-CORONAVIRUS/

White House says $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal based on specific needs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's proposal for a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package was based on an assessment of specific needs, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday, when asked about Republican objections about the total cost.

USA-BIDEN-KEYSTONE/

Biden revokes KXL permit in blow to Canada's oil sector, Ottawa disappointed

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday formally revoked the permit needed to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline (KXL), dashing Ottawa's hopes of salvaging the $8 billion project that the struggling Canadian crude sector has long supported.

ENTERTAINMENT

USA-BIDEN/INAUGURATION-HOLLYWOOD/

Lady Gaga, Tom Hanks bring star power to emotional, multicultural Biden inauguration

An emotional Lady Gaga performed a dramatic version of the U.S. national anthem, Garth Brooks sang a cappella, and Tom Hanks hosted a star-studded nighttime celebration to cap President Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday.

USA-BIDEN/

'No plan, no Q, nothing': QAnon followers reel as Biden inaugurated

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - For three years, adherents of the sprawling QAnon conspiracy theory awaited a so-called Great Awakening, scouring anonymous web postings from a shadowy "Q" figure and parsing statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they believed to be their champion.

SPORTS

SOCCER-ENGLAND-MCI-AVA/

Man City make it six wins in a row, briefly go top

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester City claimed a sixth successive Premier League win as they beat Aston Villa 2-0 in a pulsating clash at the Etihad Stadium, moving top of the table for a couple of hours before Manchester United reclaimed the summit later on Wednesday.

OLYMPICS-2020/

Senior IOC official says spectators not 'must-have' in Tokyo – Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Spectators at the beleaguered Tokyo Games are not a "must have", senior International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound said in an interview with Kyodo News on Wednesday.

UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

THAILAND-POLITICS/ (PIX) (TV)

Thai banned opposition politician holds newser on royal company's role in vaccine strategy

Thailand's banned opposition politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit holds a news conference after the Digital Ministry filed a criminal complaint against him for defaming the monarchy by questioning the credentials of a royally owned company tasked to make 200 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses each year for Thailand and other nations.

21 Jan 05:00 ET, 10:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/PARDONS-LEGAL (PIX)

EXPLAINER - With no self-pardon in hand, private citizen Trump faces uncertain legal future

Donald Trump issued a list of pardons during his final hours as U.S. president but did not include himself, his children, or personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, even though advisers said he had privately debated the extraordinary step of a self-pardon. There are ways the decision could impact his potential civil and criminal liability as a private citizen:

21 Jan 06:00 ET, 11:00 GMT

UGANDA-ELECTION/ (PIX) (TV)

Uganda opposition leader's lawyers to seek his release from house arrest

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine's lawyer to appear in court to seek a lifting of his house arrest. The military surrounded the home of the pop star-turned-legislator, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, shortly after he cast his ballot in Thursday's presidential elections that incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won.

21 Jan 07:00 ET, 12:00 GMT

USA-BIDEN/IMMIGRATION-FAMILIES (PIX)

Still separated: COVID-19 order keeps families apart after Biden lifts 'Muslim ban'

Since December 2017, after a revised version of the original travel ban was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, some 40,000 people have been barred from entering the United States under the ban, according to State Department data. But for many families separated by the travel ban a reunion isn't on the cards anytime soon due to layers of pandemic-related travel and visa restrictions.

21 Jan 11:00 ET, 16:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/PORTUGAL-ELECTION (PIX)

Ahead of Portugal's election, COVID-19 positive voters cast ballots at home

With Portugal's presidential election just around the corner, those stuck home after testing positive for the coronavirus were worried, they wouldn't be able to vote. But municipal volunteers across the country stepped in to help. They braved the pandemic to collect the ballots straight from people's doorstep.

21 Jan 12:30 ET, 17:30 GMT

RUSSIA-POLITICS/NAVALNY-EU

Vote by EU parliament on Russia's opposition figure Navalny

EU parliament votes on a resolution calling for release of Russia's pro-democracy campaigner Alexei Navalny, who was arrested on his return from Germany to Moscow on Sunday.

21 Jan 15:30 ET, 20:30 GMT

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BRITAIN-HOSPITAL (PIX) (TV)

Reuters reports from intensive care unit of British hospital

Reuters reports from the intensive care unit of a British hospital grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

21 Jan 07:00 ET, 12:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/FRANCE-SKI-SNOWSHOE (PIX) (TV)

People turn to snowshoe as French ski lifts remain closed due to COVID-19 measures

French company TSL, one of the biggest snowshoe supplier in Europe has seen its orders increased as ski lifts remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, forcing people to turn to other winter sport activities.

21 Jan 09:00 ET, 14:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/WHO (TV)

WHO Executive Board to open meeting through Jan 26, review pandemic response

World Health Organization's Executive Board due to meet; independent panels expected to report to the 34-member state forum.

21 Jan 09:00 ET, 14:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/GERMANY MERKEL (PIX) (TV)

Germany's Merkel holds news conference on the current situation

German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a news conference in Berlin on the current situation. The news conference is likely to focus on the coronavirus pandemic.

21 Jan 10:00 ET, 15:00 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

TRAVELERS-RESULTS/

U.S. insurer Travelers set to report Q4 2020 results

The Travelers Companies Inc is set to report fourth quarter 2020 earnings results on Thursday before markets open, followed by a call with analysts. Investors are awaiting details about COVID-19 losses incurred during the quarter and whether the insurer will boost reserves in its commercial auto business.

21 Jan 13:30 ET, 18:30 GMT

UNITED ARLNS-RESULTS/

United Airlines Q4 conference call

United Airlines hold a conference call the morning after releasing fourth-quarter results.

21 Jan 15:30 ET, 20:30 GMT

INTEL-RESULTS/

Intel to report earnings, announce manufacturing plans

Intel Corp is expected to report a decline in fourth-quarter revenue but also announce whether it will outsource manufacturing of its 2023 product lineup. The Silicon Valley company, which recently hired VMware's Pat Gelsinger as CEO to guide it out of crisis, has lost its chipmaking lead to manufacturing specialists in Taiwan and Korea, calling into question its half-century insistence on designing and fabricating its own chips.

21 Jan 21:00 ET