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TOP STORIES

FBI's Comey says no evidence of Trump wiretap claim, confirms probe

WASHINGTON - Head of FBI publicly challenges U.S. President Donald Trump, denying Republican's claim that former president Barack Obama wiretapped his 2016 election campaign and confirming his agency launched criminal investigation of any collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. (USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA (UPDATE 8, PIX, TV), moving shortly, by Patricia Zengerle and Warren Strobel, 400 words)

+ See also:

- USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA (FACTBOX), moved, 437 words

Democrats raise doubts about Trump's high court nominee Gorsuch

WASHINGTON - Democrats raise questions about whether Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's U.S. Supreme Court nominee, would rule against abortion rights and gun control while favoring corporations as his Senate confirmation hearing begins, with court's ideological balance at stake. (USA-COURT/GORSUCH (UPDATE 5, PIX, GRAPHIC, TV), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung, 800 words)

Britain's May to launch EU divorce proceedings on March 29

LONDON/BRUSSELS - Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger Britain's divorce proceedings with European Union on March 29, launching two years of negotiations that will reshape future of country and Europe. (BRITAIN-EU/ARTICLE50 (UPDATE 3, PIX, TV), moved, by William James, Elizabeth Piper and Gabriela Baczynska, 863 words)

North Korea engine test may be prelude to partial ICBM flight

SEOUL - North Korea likely masters technology to power different stages of intercontinental ballistic missile and may show it off soon, analysts say, but is likely still long way from being able to hit mainland United States. (NORTHKOREA-MISSILES/ (UPDATE 3, PIX), moved, by Ju-min Park, 716 words)

G20 ministers give Mnuchin space to define Trump trade agenda

BADEN BADEN, Germany - Wary of their first official encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump's blustery trade agenda, world's top finance officials are relieved to find new Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin polite and business-like. But they yield ground to newcomer's push for Group of 20 major economies to abandon decade-old pledge to resist protectionism and to delete communique language on financing fight against climate change. (G20-GERMANY/USA (ANALYSIS, PIX), moved, by David Lawder, 685 words)

UNITED STATES

Billionaire banker, philanthropist David Rockefeller dies at 101

NEW YORK - Billionaire David Rockefeller, former head of Chase Manhattan and patriarch of one of the more famous and influential American families, dies at age 101. (PEOPLE-ROCKEFELLER/ (UPDATE 2, PIX), moved, 793 words)

AMERICAS

EXCLUSIVE-Almost half of Canadians want illegal border crossers deported - Reuters poll

WINNIPEG, Manitoba/OTTAWA - Nearly half of Canadians want to deport people who are illegally crossing into Canada from United States, and similar number disapprove of how Prime Minister Trudeau is handling influx, according to Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll. (CANADA-IMMIGRATION/POLL (UPDATE 2, EXCLUSIVE, PIX, GRAPHIC, TV), expect by 1930 GMT/3:30 PM ET, by Rod Nickel and David Ljunggren, 800 words)

EXCLUSIVE-Venezuela taps small banks to handle dollar deals

CARACAS/MEXICO CITY - Venezuela's government is using little-known banks, including small Puerto Rican lender, as intermediaries for some international trade operations after Citigroup stopped providing such services, according to owner of one of the banks and government officials. (VENEZUELA-BANKS/ (EXCLUSIVE, PIX), moved, by Corina Pons and Ana Isabel Martinez, 726 words)

MIDDLE EAST

EXCLUSIVE-Syrian Kurdish YPG aims to expand force to over 100,000

BEIRUT - Syrian Kurdish YPG militia aims to expand its force by about two-thirds to more than 100,000 fighters this year, it tells Reuters, plan that would strengthen autonomous Kurdish enclaves that are of deep concern to neighboring Turkey. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-YPG (EXCLUSIVE, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Tom Perry, 763 words)

U.S.-allied Kurds strike deal with Russia in Syria-Kurdish militia

BEIRUT - Russia is setting up military base in northwestern Syria in agreement with Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and will help train its fighters, YPG says, step likely to anger Turkey as it tries to block Kurdish gains in north of country. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-RUSSIA (UPDATE 2, PIX), moved, by Tom Perry, 626 words)

EUROPE

France's Macron, Le Pen aim to consolidate poll lead in French TV debate

PARIS - Top candidates in France's volatile presidential election go head-to-head in televised debate as polls show centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen pulling away from pack five weeks before first round. (FRANCE-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 2, TV, PIX), expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, by Adrian Croft, 500 words)

Anger and frustration in Kurdish southeast to shape Turkey's referendum

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey - How voters across largely Kurdish southeast view 33-year-old conflict between Kurdish militants and security forces could shape outcome of April referendum intended to give President Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers. In close race, pollsters say Kurdish voters, about fifth of electorate, could tip balance. (TURKEY-REFERENDUM/KURDS (PIX, TV), moved, by Humeyra Pamuk, 1,020 words)

Norwegians crowned world's happiest, runner-up Danes say it's just oil money

OSLO/COPENHAGEN - Norwegians smile as United Nations' 2017 World Happiness report crowns Nordic country world's happiest country, leaving its Danish neighbors, last year's winners and this year's runners-ups, just a tad bitter. (LIFE-HAPPINESS/SCANDINAVIA (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moving shortly, by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos and Stine Jacobsen, 500 words)

$60 million 'Pink Star' diamond goes back on sale next month

LONDON - A 59.60-carat diamond known as "The Pink Star" is returning to auction next month and could fetch record $60 million, three years since it was sold for even more - only for buyer to pull out of deal. (BRITAIN-DIAMOND/ (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), moved, by Alistair Smout, 328 words)

ASIA

Japan PM to visit Russia for summit with Putin next month

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Russia next month for summit with President Vladimir Putin, his foreign minister says, with aim of advancing his effort to end territorial spat and conclude peace treaty. (JAPAN-RUSSIA/ (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), moved, by Kiyoshi Takenaka, 431 words)

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)