Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters
text service as of 11:00 a.m. GMT/06:00 a.m. ET. 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-CYBER-TREASURY-EXCLSUIVE/

Suspected Russian hackers spied on U.S. Treasury emails –
sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hackers believed to be working for
Russia have been monitoring internal email traffic at the U.S.
Treasury and Commerce departments, according to people familiar
with the matter, adding they feared the hacks uncovered so far
may be the tip of the iceberg.

PEOPLE-JOHN-LE-CARRE/

John le Carre, author of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, dies
aged 89

LONDON (Reuters) – “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” author John
le Carre, who cast flawed spies on to the bleak chessboard of
Cold War rivalry, has died aged 89.

U.S.

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-USA-CONGRESS/

U.S. lawmakers plan to split $908 billion COVID-19 plan into
two parts: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A $908 billion bipartisan COVID-19
relief plan set to be introduced in the U.S. Congress as early
as Monday will be split into two packages in a bid to win
approval, a person briefed on the matter said.

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-VACCINES-DISTRIBUT/

U.S. vaccine campaign launches with first shipments
‘delivering hope’ to millions

Cargo planes and trucks with the first U.S. shipments of
coronavirus vaccine fanned out from FedEx and UPS hubs in
Tennessee and Kentucky on Sunday en route to distribution points
around the country, launching an immunization project of
unprecedented scope and complexity.

BUSINESS

ALEXION-PHARMS-M-A-ASTRAZENECA-STOCKS/

AstraZeneca shares fall on $39-billion Alexion bill

AstraZeneca shares fell 9% on Monday, as investors moved to
price in the British drugmaker’s $39 billion deal for U.S.
biotech firm Alexion Pharmaceuticals, the company’s largest ever
and one of this year’s biggest mergers globally.

USA-TIKTOK/

U.S. court to hear appeal challenging order blocking TikTok
app store ban

A U.S. appeals court on Monday will hear arguments in the
Trump administration’s appeal of a judge’s order that blocked a
ban on Chinese-owned TikTok from domestic app stores.

ENTERTAINMENT

CORONAVIRUS-JAPAN-BUZZWORD/

Japan picks the kanji character for “dense” to define
coronavirus year

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan on Monday selected a kanji character
used to encourage social distancing as its defining symbol for
2020, highlighting a catchphrase used extensively during the
coronavirus pandemic that even inspired its own computer game.

SPORTS

TENNIS-FEDERER/

Tennis-Federer still not 100% fit, a doubt for Australian
Open

Roger Federer said his recovery from two surgeries on his
left knee earlier this year has taken longer than expected and
he is unsure whether he will be ready for the Australian Open.

FOOTBALL-NCAA-CAL-ARI-CANCELLATION/

Arizona-Cal season finale canceled due to COVID-19 issues

Saturday’s game between Arizona and host California has been
canceled because neither team has enough scholarship players
available due to COVID-19 issues, the Pac-12 announced Sunday
night.

UPCOMING

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

NETHERLANDS-ECONOMY/GDP

Outlook for Dutch economy updated by central bank

Dutch central bank DNB is expected to upgrade its outlook
for economic growth in the Netherlands in 2021 and beyond, after
forecasting growth of 2.9% for next year following an
unprecedented contraction of 6.4% in 2020 in June

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

GREAT-REBOOT/DATA

Couch or cubicle? Vaccine may not lure Americans back to the
office

Zoom fatigue? Isolation from colleagues? A craving for lamb
shawarma from the downtown food truck? Nah. Months into a
pandemic that has changed work-life balance into a work-life
M.C. Escher drawing – with the end of one and the beginning of
the other now indistinguishable – Americans say they’ve actually
adapted fine to home offices and dining room tables, and most
want it to continue after the pandemic.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEATH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-BANKS-FACTBOX

FACTBOX – Here’s the bank relief that expires on Dec. 31 –
YEAR END

With waivers on accounting rules, exemptions a requirement
to designate modified loans as troubled debt, and looser
liquidity leverage rules, the U.S. banking industry has been
operating under a slew of temporary relief which is due to run
out on Dec. 31. Here’s what those waivers do and what losing
them could mean.

15 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

HEATH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-BANKS

Facing year-end regulatory “cliff,” banks scramble for more
COVID relief – YEAR END

U.S. bank lobbyists are scrambling to get Washington
policymakers and regulators to extend regulatory relief that has
allowed lenders to give struggling borrowers more leeway when
paying back mortgages, credit card debt and auto-loans before it
expires on Dec. 31, according to multiple lobbyists and bank
group executives.

15 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT

CHRISTMAS-SEASON/SANTAS-GLOBAL (PIX) (TV)

WIDER IMAGE – Santas around the world

Santas are photographed in their hometowns around the world.

15 Dec

USA-FED/FOMC

Federal Open Market Committee begins two-day meeting on
interest rate policy

Federal Open Market Committee begins two-day meeting on
interest rate policy, in Washington.

15 Dec

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/SAFRICA-VACCINE

South Africa’s pharmaceutical regulator to update on COVID
vaccines

South Africa’s pharmaceutical regulator, SAHPRA, will
provide an update on the registration of COVID-19 vaccines.
South Africa has the continent’s highest number of coronavirus
infections and deaths.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

SOLAR-ECLIPSE/CHILE (PIX) (TV)

People observe total solar eclipse in Chile

People witness a total solar eclipse in Southern Chile.

14 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/NETHERLANDS

Dutch PM Rutte speaks to the nation as COVID-19 cases spike

With COVID-19 cases in the Netherlands again near record
highs, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks to the nation in a
rare televised address. His government will discuss tighter
lockdown measures over the Christmas and New year’s holidays at
an emergency meeting Monday.

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

CLIMATE-CHANGE/AGRICULTURE (TV)

Drip irrigation emerges to solve the rice paddy problem

The creeping dribble of drip irrigation is for the first
time replacing flooded paddies that have supplied the world with
rice for generations but caused a surprising level of damage to
the environment.

15 Dec

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/SINOVAC-BRAZIL (TV)

Brazilian biomedical center announces preliminary efficacy
results for Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine

Brazil’ Sao Paulo state government and biomedical center
Butantan Institute announce preliminary efficacy results from
late stage trials for CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine developed
by China’s Sinovac Biotech .

15 Dec

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

USA-ELECTION/STATES

FACTBOX-When and how electors in contested states cast their
votes for U.S. president

Democrat Joe Biden’s journey to the White House is set to
cross an important threshold on Monday when the U.S. Electoral
College formally picks the winner of November’s presidential
election amid an effort by President Donald Trump to reverse his
loss. Electors will gather in state capitols across the country
on Monday to formally confirm Biden’s win.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-CONGRESS

U.S. Congress faces deadline for year-end spending, COVID-19
votes

The U.S. Congress on Monday enters a final year-end sprint
to pass measures funding the government for a new year and
providing more aid to a nation struggling to control the
coronavirus pandemic. After kicking the can down the road last
week with a one-week spending extension, Republicans and
Democrats face a Friday deadline to enact a broader, $1.4
trillion “omnibus” spending measure for all government agencies
from the Pentagon to national parks.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/CANADA-VACCINE

Canada’s first COVID-19 vaccinations set to start on Monday

Canada’s first COVID-19 inoculations are likely to begin on
Monday after some of the 30,000 doses of Pfizer Inc’s vaccine
arrived over the weekend, making Canada one of the few Western
nations to start vaccinations.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/ELECTORAL COLLEGE (PIX)

EXPLAINER- What happens when the U.S. Electoral College
meets on Monday?

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take a major
step toward cementing his victory over President Donald Trump on
Monday, when the 538 members of the U.S. Electoral College will
gather to cast their official ballots for president.

14 Dec 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/TURKEY (PIX)

Turkey’s Erdogan chairs cabinet meeting likely to focus on
coronavirus, EU, U.S.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan chairs a cabinet meeting,
with topics on the agenda likely to include the response to the
coronavirus pandemic and relations with the European Union and
United States. He is expected to hold a news conference
afterwards.

14 Dec 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT

USA-TIKTOK/ (PIX)

U.S. appeals court holds hearing on TikTok new user ban

Federal appeals court hears oral arguments on government’s
appeal of order that blocked ban on Apple and Alphabet’s Google
offering TikTok for download in U.S. app stores.

14 Dec 09:30 ET / 14:30 GMT

USA-HUAWEI TECH/CANADA

Witness testimony enters final scheduled days in Huawei
CFO’s U.S. extradition case

Witness testimony in the case to extradite Huawei Chief
Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou to the United States enters its
fourth week on Monday in a Canadian courtroom. Meng, 48, was
arrested in December 2018 at the Vancouver International Airport
on charges of bank fraud from the United States, alleging that
she misrepresented Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s business
dealings in Iran to its lender, HSBC Holdings PLC, causing the
bank to break U.S. sanctions.

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/SAFRICA (PIX)

South Africa’s President Ramaphosa to give COVID-19 update

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the
nation on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

GERMANY-POLITICS/CDU CANDIDATES (PIX) (TV)

Candidates to lead Merkel’s Christian Democrats go
head-to-head in debate

The three candidates running to lead German Chancellor
Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) into next year’s
national election, Friedrich Merz, Armin Laschet and Norbert
Roettgen go head to head in live debate.

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

USA-MEXICO/BIDEN

Lopez Obrador expected to finally recognize Biden win

Lopez Obrador is likely to recognize Biden’s win after the
Dec. 14 electoral college vote.

15 Dec

GERMANY-POLITICS/MERKEL

Merkel holds videoconference with overseas troops

German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a videoconference with
German troops and police deployed overseas.

15 Dec

USA-ELECTION/GEORGIA (TV)

Biden to throw weight behind Democrats in critical Georgia
U.S. Senate races

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday will jump into the
fiery U.S. Senate campaigns in Georgia, two contests that could
help push his legislative agenda through Congress if Democrats
win both seats.

15 Dec

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/JERUSALEM-EVICTION (TV)

Palestinians risk losing East Jerusalem homes after Israeli
settler lawsuits

Palestinians living in a sensitive part of Arab East
Jerusalem are facing eviction after an Israeli court ruled in
multiple cases that the land their homes are built on belongs to
Jewish settlers.

15 Dec

SOUTHKOREA-NORTHKOREA/LEAFLETS (PIX) (TV)

S.Korea parliament expected to pass law banning leaflets
into North Korea

South Korea’s parliament is expected to pass a bill that
officially bans sending leaflets into North Korea, a highly
contentious issue that was at the center of an inter-Korean
dustup earlier this year, and this bill has drawn sharp
condemnation from international human rights groups.

15 Dec

CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE

TAIWAN-SECURITY/ (PIX)

Taiwan president commissions new minelaying navy ship

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen commissions a new minelaying
ship, part of her strategy to boost the island’s defences.

15 Dec 22:00 ET / 03:00 GMT

ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT

FILM-CHADWICK BOSEMAN/ (PIX) (TV)

Legendary and terrifying: ‘Ma Rainey’ cast recall Chadwick
Boseman’s final role

Chadwick Boseman’s final performance , in drama “Ma Rainey’s
Black Bottom,” is praised by fellow actors and movie reviewers
and is expected to garner multiple award nominations

15 Dec

SPORTS

SPORT-YEARENDER/NBA

YEARENDER: Lakers emerge victorious in turbulent NBA season

LeBron James and the Lakers overcame the death of Kobe
Bryant, nationwide social unrest and the isolation of the
Orlando bubble to emerge victorious in an NBA season marked by
tragedy and triumph.

15 Dec

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

TURKEY-SECURITY/KAVALA

Turkey’s constitutional court reviews case against detained
activist Osman Kavala

Turkey’s constitutional court reviews case of activist and
philanthropist Osman Kavala, in jail for three years after being
charged with financing protests, for which he was acquitted, and
helping organise a 2016 coup attempt, in a trial resuming Dec
18.

15 Dec

FACEBOOK-PRIVACY/

Irish court to hear Facebook challenge on EU-US data
transfers

15 Dec

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