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

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS

France and Germany thrust into lockdown as second COVID-19 wave sweeps Europe

BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel ordered their countries back into lockdown on Wednesday, as a massive second wave of coronavirus infections threatened to overwhelm Europe before the winter.

ASIA-STORM-VIETNAM

At least 25 dead, scores missing after typhoon lashes Vietnam

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam deployed hundreds of soldiers and heavy machinery on Thursday to search for survivors after landslides triggered by torrential rains from Typhoon Molave, one of the strongest typhoons in the region in decades.

U.S.

USA-ELECTION

Sunshine State showdown: Trump, Biden to take campaign battle to Florida

With Election Day looming, President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden will both rally supporters on Thursday in the critical battleground state of Florida – campaigning in the same city hours apart and putting their differing approaches to the resurgent coronavirus pandemic on full display.

USA-ELECTION-COURT-PENNSYLVANIA

U.S. Supreme Court deals blow to Republicans in Pennsylvania, North Carolina vote-by-mail fights

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday dealt setbacks to Republicans by allowing extended deadlines for receiving mail-in ballots in next Tuesday's election in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, states pivotal to President Donald Trump's re-election chances.

BUSINESS

USA-ECONOMY

Record U.S. third-quarter growth expected; healing from COVID-19 still a long way

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy likely experienced record growth in the third quarter as more than $3 trillion in federal pandemic relief spending fueled historic consumer spending, but the deep scars from the COVID-19 recession could take a year or more to heal.

ASIA-ECONOMY-ANALYSIS

Analysis: As COVID persists and U.S. election nears, China growth lifts Asia

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - Asia is starting to see signs of economic recovery as it rides on the back of an upturn in China, which is entering a new expansion phase less than a year after it recorded the world's first cases of COVID-19.

ENTERTAINMENT

EGYPT-VINTAGE-CARS

Egypt collector accumulated over 100 vintage cars

CAIRO (Reuters) - Sayed Sima says he was around 25 years old when he began collecting vintage cars, attracted by their beauty and rarity. They were also relatively cheap.

MUSIC-TECH-HOLOGRAMS

Victorian hologram keeps music in touch with lockdown audience

LONDON (Reuters) - Musicians are using an interactive hologram based on Victorian technology to reach fans in the locked down world of the coronavirus pandemic.

SPORTS

BASEBALL-MLB-WORLDSERIES-TB

Rays left to wonder what might have been after World Series loss

The Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday began the first day of an offseason sure to be haunted by thoughts of what might have been after a controversial decision to pull their ace pitcher from a do-or-die World Series game backfired.

FOOTBALL-NFL-OBIT-ORR

Jimmy Orr, 1958 NFL Rookie of Year, dies at 85

Two-time Pro Bowl receiver and 1958 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jimmy Orr died Tuesday at age 85.

UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

USA-ELECTION/PROTESTS

Millions poised to hit the streets if U.S. election compromised, anti-Trump activists say

U.S. activist groups, from Planned Parenthood to Republicans for Rule of Law, who claim to represent tens of millions of Americans, are banding together to protest across the country if it appears the Trump administration is trying to steal the election.

29 Oct 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

IVORYCOAST-ELECTION/ECONOMY (PIX)

A post-election crisis could scupper Ivory Coast's economic gains

As sleek highway overpasses and shopping malls sprouted in Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan following the 2010-11 civil war, investors often pointed to 2020 as the year that could unleash the country's full economic potential.

29 Oct 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

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

Merkel delivers speech on coronavirus response in parliament

German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers a speech before the country's parliament, the Bundestag, on efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Merkel has urged the nation of 83 million to reduce contacts and travel as new infections are reaching record numbers.

29 Oct 04:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/EARLY VOTE

INSIGHT-How the U.S. early vote surge is shaping Trump, Biden endgames

Democrats say their advantage in early voting has allowed Joe Biden's presidential campaign to sharpen its get-out-the-vote operation by targeting a smaller universe of potential supporters, while Republicans brace for an all-or-nothing scramble to turn out votes for President Donald Trump on Nov. 3.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/SENATE-COLLINS

End of the road for Maine's Susan Collins?

Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins raised some Democrats' hopes early in President Donald Trump's term that her history as a four-term moderate would position her to check some of the new president's efforts.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/TURKEY (PIX)

Biden presidency for Turkey would mean tougher U.S. stance but chance to repair ties

Top security officials in the Trump administration was in full agreement that Turkey should be punished for taking delivery of Russian missile defense systems, but the president never did align with his advisers and crack down on Ankara.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/RACE

FACTBOX - Trump and Biden on race, policing and criminal justice

Republican President Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, have contrasting records on race and criminal justice, issues that have risen in prominence in the 2020 election.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

BRITAIN-POLITICS/LABOUR-ANTISEMITISM

UK equality watchdog to publish report into anti-Semitism in the opposition Labour Party

The Equality and Human Rights Commission will publish a report into alleged anti-Semtism in Britain's main opposition Labour party under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/POLLS

Why 2020 election polls are different from four years ago

An EXPLAINER on how the election polls are different from four years ago when most pollsters failed to predict Donald Trump's stunning upset victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/LITIGATION-WINS (FACTBOX)

U.S. Supreme Court rules against Trump as legal battles over election continue

WASHINGTON - With both sides in the U.S. presidential election dueling in court ahead of Tuesday's vote, Democrats scored two significant victories on Wednesday when the U.S. Supreme Court left in place extensions of North Carolina and Pennsylvania's deadlines for receiving mail-in ballots.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/GIULIANI

Giuliani associate changes plea in conspiracy case

A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for David Correia, charged with conspiring with a former associate of U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

29 Oct 10:30 ET / 14:30 GMT

USA-ELECTION/TRUMP (PIX) (TV)

Trump to campaign in Florida, North Carolina

President Donald Trump will hold campaign rallies on Thursday in Tampa, Florida, and Fayetteville, North Carolina.

29 Oct 13:30 ET / 17:30 GMT

IVORYCOAST-ELECTION/GBAGBO

Ivory Coast's former president Gbagbo speaks for the first time since war crimes acquittal

Ivory Coast former president Gbagbo is expected to speak to the media for the first time since his acquittal in Janurary 2019. Gbagbo was tried by the International Criminal Court for war crimes related to the 2010-2011 post-election civil war in Ivory Coast.

29 Oct 14:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

LLOYDS-RESULTS/

Lloyds Banking Group reports Q3 results

Britain's biggest domestic bank Lloyds reports third quarter results amid further economic damage from a second wave of COVID-19, with investors focused on whether banks need to make further hefty provisions for bad loans.

29 Oct 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

WORLD-WORK/MANDARIN (PIX)

For this world traveler, life experiences shape leadership choices

James Riley, group chief executive of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, speaks to Reuters about the life experiences that shaped his leadership choices in 2020.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

CANNABIS-DRINKS/ (PIX)

Canada dry? Cannabis-infused drinks fizzle due to production, distribution challenges

Investors pinning hopes on cannabis-infused products to propel growth of weed industry may have to wait longer, as most companies are finding a way to produce and distribute the highly-sought drinks in a profitable way.

29 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

SAFRICA-BUDGET/ (PIX)

South African finance minister briefs lawmakers after presenting medium term budget

South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni briefs a parliamentary committee on finance a day after he tabled his medium term budget. Mboweni pledged deep cuts to public sector wages to close a yawing deficit worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, a move likely to be challenged by government aligned trade unions.

29 Oct 06:30 ET / 10:30 GMT

ICE-RESULTS/

Q3 2020 Intercontinental Exchange Inc Earnings Release

Intercontinental Exchange Inc is expected to report a drop in third-quarter earnings as higher trading revenue is offset by a rise in expenses, due in part to recent acquisitions by the global exchange operator and data provider.

29 Oct 08:30 ET / 12:30 GMT

SUGAR-FUNDS/

Big speculative bet on raw sugar seen spurring production

A huge bullish position held by hedge funds and money managers in raw sugar futures is convincing global producers to boost production, a move analysts say could be produce a glut befroe long due to persistently weak demand.

29 Oct 12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

APPLE-RESULTS/ (PIX) (TV)

Apple to report fourth-quarter earnings

Apple Inc will report fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes.

29 Oct 16:00 ET / 20:00 GMT

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

USA-ELECTION/SCIENCE

INSIGHT-Make Science Great Again: U.S. researchers dream of life after Trump

A dozen renowned U.S.-based climate scientists shifted their research to France after Republican Donald Trump, a climate skeptic, was elected president. Others fled government jobs in academia or in left-leaning states like California.

29 Oct 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/SPAIN (PIX) (TV)

Monitoring coronavirus situation in Spain as parliament votes on state of emergency

Monitoring coronavirus situation in Spain parliament is set to vote on the government's state of emergency proposal.

29 Oct 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BIODIVERSITY

Scientists publish report on links between destruction of nature and infectious diseases

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, a group of scientists, publishes a report on the links between the destruction of nature and the emergence of new infections diseases, such as the coronavirus.

29 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/EU-LEADERS (PIX) (TV)

EU leaders hold video conference on COVID-19 health crisis

European Union leaders hold the first of a planned series of video conferences to better coordinate EU governments' health measures against the coronavirus epidemic in the continent.

29 Oct 13:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BRAZIL

Brazil health regulator chief speaks on race to secure COVID-19 vaccine

The head of Brazil's health regulator Anvisa, Antônio Barra Torres, speaks to Reuters about the conditions for approving vaccines that are being tested in the South American nation, which has the world's second most deadly coronavirus outbreak outside of the United States.

29 Oct 13:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

BRITAIN-ROYALS-MEGHAN/

UK judge to rule on Meghan Markle's bid to delay court battle with newspaper

A British judge on Thursday will rule whether Meghan, the wife of Britain's Prince Harry, can strike out or delay the trial of her privacy action against a British tabloid

29 Oct 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

EBAY-CYBERSTALKING/

Two former eBay employees to plead guilty to cyberstalking campaign

Two former members of eBay's intelligence team are expected to pleaded guilty to participating in an extensive cyberstalking campaign against a Massachusetts couple whose online newsletter was viewed by top executives as critical of the e-commerce company.

29 Oct 15:00 ET / 19:00 GMT