REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 6 a.m. GMT/2 p.m. SGT

Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6 a.m. GMT/2 p.m. SGT. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning.

TOP STORIES

GLOBAL

USA-IRAN-SANCTIONS

U.S. imposes new Iran sanctions over human rights violations

The United States on Thursday blacklisted several Iranian officials and entities over alleged gross violations of human rights, including slapping sanctions on a judge it said was involved in the case of an Iranian wrestler sentenced to death.

HONGKONG-SECURITY/JOSHUAWONG

Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong arrested for 2019 illegal assembly

Hong Kong police arrested prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong on Thursday for participating in an unauthorised assembly in October 2019 and violating the city's anti-mask law, according to a post on his official Twitter account.

U.S.

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-USA-CASES

U.S. coronavirus cases surpass seven million as Midwest outbreak flares up

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States topped 7 million on Thursday - more than 20% of the world's total - as Midwest states reported spikes in COVID-19 infections in September, according to a Reuters tally.

USA-COURT-TERMLIMITS

Democrats prepare bill limiting U.S. Supreme Court justice terms to 18 years

Democrats in of the House of Representatives will introduce a bill next week to limit the tenure of U.S. Supreme Court justices to 18 years from current lifetime appointments, in a bid to reduce partisan warring over vacancies and preserve the court's legitimacy.

BUSINESS

APPLE-ANTITRUST

Apple critics form coalition to challenge App Store fees

A group of Apple Inc's critics - including Spotify Technology SA, Match Group Inc and "Fortnite" creator Epic Games - have joined a nonprofit group that plans to advocate for legal and regulatory action to challenge the iPhone maker's App Store practices.

USA-WECHAT

Justice Department asks judge to allow U.S. to bar WeChat from U.S. app stores

The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal judge in San Francisco early on Friday to allow the government to bar Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google from offering WeChat for download in U.S. app stores pending an appeal.

ENTERTAINMENT

BTS-BIG HIT/IPO

Fans of boy band BTS join swarm of Ants chasing S.Korea's hit IPO

Kim Eun-hee wants to complete her collection of memorabilia of Korean boy band BTS by bidding more than $120,000 to buy shares in the group's music label Big Hit Entertainment in South Korea's hottest IPO, which could even shake money-markets.

MEXICO-MARIJUANA

'Smoke with freedom': Mexicans get high in marijuana garden outside Senate

A cannabis 'garden' sprouting next to Mexico's Senate building has become a smoker's paradise, with Mexican stoners lighting up joints without fear of arrest.

SPORTS

SPORTS-AUCTION/KOBE BRYANT

Kobe Bryant autograph on last game court piece hits auction block

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant's autograph, on a hardwood section of the court where he played his last game, is on the auction block online and expected to fetch at least $500,000 next week.

SOCCER-SUPER-BAY-SEV/REPORT

Bayern stay strong to complete quadruple with Super Cup win

Bayern Munich beat Sevilla 2-1 after extra time on Thursday to lift the UEFA Super Cup and complete a quadruple under coach Hansi Flick, in the first European game played with fans in the stands since the sport returned amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPCOMING

SPORTS

OLYMPICS-WEIGHTLIFTING/KENYA (PIX) (TV)

Weightlifting Olympic granny trains daughter and granddaughter in Kenya

Olympian Mercy Obiero was the first Kenyan woman weightlifter at the Olympics and the second from Africa. Her daughter and granddaughter both followed into her footsteps and have embarked on intense training with her and hope to replicate her Olympic success.

25 Sep 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

OLYMPICS-2020/ (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC)

IOC, Tokyo 2020 officials hold joint news conference

International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials and Tokyo 2020 organisers hold a joint news conference following an IOC coordination commission meeting to discuss coronavirus counter-measures for the Tokyo Games. The news conference will be followed by a briefing by a Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee official.

25 Sep 05:30 ET / 09:30 GMT

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH–CORONAVIRUS/CHINA-VACCINE (TV)

China government departments give briefing on COVID-19 vaccine development

Various Chinese government departments will give brief the media on progress in the COVID-19 vaccine's development. Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, National Health Commission, National Medical Products Administration, and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention will attend.

25 Sep 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BRAZIL-CORRUPTION (PIX)

The ventilators never came: How graft hampered Brazil's COVID-19 response

Latin America's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been hobbled by various factors, including widespread poverty and urban crowding. Greed has also played a role, government watchdogs say, as some leaders have scrambled to line their own pockets from COVID-related public contracts. To understand how graft has affected the region's coronavirus response, Reuters focused on one case: Rio de Janeiro.

25 Sep 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/CANADA-EDUCATION

Runny nose, stay home: Common cold symptoms up for debate in Canada schools

Just four days into the new school year, Trevor Boutilier's five-year-old son was sent home from his Ottawa kindergarten with a runny nose and slight cough, and told to stay away until he'd had a COVID-19 test and was symptom free.

25 Sep 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/WHO BRIEFING (TV)

WHO regular press briefing with DG on coronavirus pandemic

Top officials from the World Health Organization (WHO), including director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, give a press conference on the latest developments in the COVID-19 pandemic

25 Sep 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

SWISS-WOLVES/ (PIX) (TV)

Guns versus dogs: Swiss decide Sunday on law to ease curbs on wolf shooting

Rival sides are squaring up over a resurgent Swiss wolf population, ahead of a vote on Sunday which could make it easier to shoot the predators whose global comeback has also inflamed passions in the United States, Germany and France.

25 Sep 03:30 ET / 07:30 GMT

IRAN-NUCLEAR/IAEA (TV)

Annual meeting of IAEA member states

The U.N. nuclear watchdog holds its week-long General Conference, an annual meeting of its member states and its biggest decision-making body. Iran's nuclear programme and the agency's potential return to North Korea are likely to be among the issues discussed.

25 Sep 04:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

UN-ASSEMBLY/ (PIX) (TV)

World leaders speak in the 75th session of UNGA debate

World leaders deliver speeches during the United Nations General Assembly on a wide array of issues concerning development, peace, security and international law. The theme of the debate for 2020 is - 'The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism.'

25 Sep 05:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/LEGAL-BALLOTS

EXPLAINER-'Naked' ballots loom over U.S. election, as Trump blasts mail-in voting

As Republican President Donald Trump assails the use of mail-in voting, a Pennsylvania court decision over the use of envelopes for hiding the identity of mail-in voters could have major ramifications for the Nov. 3 election between Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

25 Sep 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/POLL

Roundup of the latest state and national polling from Reuters/Ipsos

This will be a summary of the latest trends in U.S. public opinion ahead of the 2020 election, driven by the latest Reuters/Ipsos state polling in six battleground states (AZ, FL, PA, WI, MI, NC), as well as Reuters/Ipsos national polling.

25 Sep 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/ABSENTEE BALLOTS

SPECIAL REPORT - Will your mail ballot count in the U.S. presidential election? It may depend on who's counting and where

A Reuters review of 2020 primary election data and documents reveals how unevenly mail-in voting rules have been enforced by poll workers in some of the most competitive states that will decide November's election.

25 Sep 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

NEWZEALAND-ELECTION/CANNABIS (PIX) (TV)

Marijuana vote divides New Zealand New Zealand is divided over which way it should vote on a cannabis referendum next month which, if passed, would make only the third country in the world to legalise the adult use and sale of cannabis and the first in the Asia Pacific. Jacinda Ardern has refused to say which way she will vote on it, while her opponent Judith Collins has said she and her party will vote against it.

25 Sep 06:30 ET / 10:30 GMT

CLIMATE-CHANGE/YOUTH-UGANDA (PIX)

Uganda activist Vanessa Nakate leads protests against climate change

When she's not leading protests, 23-year-old Ugandan climate change activist Vanessa Nakate, is helping schools switch to greener energy. She's part of a generation of younger activists emerging around the world inspired by Greta Thunberg, who say time is running out to save the planet.

25 Sep 08:00 ET / 12:00 GMT

GLOBAL-RACE/USA-KENOSHA (TV)

Kyle Rittenhouse, teenager charged in protest shootings in Wisconsin, faces extradition hearing in Illinois

Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old shooter charged with killing two protesters and wounding another during demonstrations on the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is scheduled to face a status of extradition hearing in Lake County, Illinois. Last month a judge had postponed Rittenhouse's the status of hearing so he could arrange for a private legal team. He is being held without bond and is facing extradition to Kenosha to face charges.

25 Sep 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/VANCE (PIX) (TV)

Trump, Manhattan prosecutor to argue appeal over subpoena for U.S. president's tax returns

A U.S. appeals court in Manhattan is expected to hear oral arguments on U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to prevent Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance from enforcing a grand jury subpoena for eight years of his personal and corporate tax returns, in connection with a criminal probe of the president's business practices.

25 Sep 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/TRUMP (PIX) (TV)

Trump campaigns in Georgia and Virginia, delivers online remarks to Values Voter Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump campaigns in Georgia and Virginia, delivers online remarks later to Values Voter Summit.

25 Sep 13:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

USA-COURT/VOTES

Trump Supreme Court pick would slash odds of surprise liberal victories

The past year has brought some surprises on the Supreme Court on decisions related to gay rights, immigration and Native American tribal lands, as it took just one member of the court's 5-4 majority to tip the balance. Surprises are less likely going forward as Chief Justice John Roberts loses his central position, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and President Donald Trump's plan to make the conservative majority 6-3.

25 Sep 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-COURT/GINSBURG (TV)

Justice Ginsburg honored at Capitol

Body of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week at 87, lies in state at U.S. Capitol.

25 Sep 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

USA-EDUCATION/CHEATING

Exam administrator to plead guilty in U.S. college admissions scandal

A former college entrance exam administrator is expected to plead guilty to charges arising from the U.S. college admissions scandal. Federal prosecutors in Boston say that Niki Williams, a former employee of the Houston Independent School District, accepted bribes to allow for cheating on the ACT and SAT exams at a test center she oversaw.

25 Sep 15:30 ET / 19:30 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

USA-FED/WILLIAMS

New York Federal Reserve Bank President Williams participates in conference call with leaders from Rochester, N.Y.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams participates in conference call with community development and nonprofit leaders to discuss the support of social and neighborhood services in the city of Rochester.

25 Sep 09:00 ET / 13:00 GMT

USA-FED/GEORGE

Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President George speaks before bankers group

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George speaks on "Community Banks: Stability in Crisis and Catalysts for Recovery" before a virtual meeting of the Independent Bankers of Colorado.

25 Sep 12:15 ET / 16:15 GMT

COLOMBIA-RATES/

Colombia central bank to vote on rate, with market split on potential decision

Colombia's seven-member central bank board will vote on the interest rate on Friday, though the market is split on whether it will hold the rate after months of cuts or continue trimming borrowing costs.

25 Sep 14:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

USA-FED/WILLIAMS

New York Federal Reserve Bank President Williams participates in videoconference with University of Rochester

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams participates in "Young Adult Perspectives on COVID-19 Job Market" videoconference coordinated by the University of Rochester Warner School of Education.

25 Sep 15:10 ET / 19:10 GMT

ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT

FASHION-MILAN/ (PIX) (TV)

Versace presents latest lines at Milan Fashion Week (Spring/Summer)

Versace presents its latest collection at Milan Fashion Week (spring/summer 2021).

25 Sep 12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT