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TOP STORIES

U.S. NSA domestic phone spying program illegal -appeals court

NEW YORK - U.S. spying program that collects data about millions of Americans' phone calls is illegal, federal appeals court rules, adding pressure on lawmakers to decide quickly whether to end or replace program, which was intended to help fight terrorism. (USA-SECURITY/NSA (UPDATE 3, PIX), expect by 1830 GMT/2.30 PM ET, by Jonathan Stempel, 800 words)

Gridlock looms in Britain; last election poll sees no clear winner

LONDON - Britons vote in tightest election in decades; one that could cause government gridlock, push world's fifth-largest economy closer to leaving European Union and stoke second attempt by Scotland to break away. (BRITAIN-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 5, PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, by Guy Faulconbridge and Andrew Osborn, 1,000 words)

+ See also:

- BRITAIN-ELECTION/MARKETS (UPDATE 3), moved, by Anirban Nag, 521 words

U.S. jobless claims hover near 15-year low, boost growth outlook

WASHINGTON - Number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits holds near 15-year low in sign that labor market strengthens despite moderate economic growth. USA-ECONOMY/ (WRAPUP 2, PIX), moved, by Lucia Mutikani, 657 words)

Greece defies euro zone on pension, labor reform

ATHENS/BRUSSELS - Greece defies its international creditors, refusing to cut pensions or ease layoffs to meet their demands, dimming prospects of progress next week toward securing desperately needed financial aid. (EUROZONE-GREECE/ (WRAPUP 2, TV, PIX), moved, by Renee Maltezou and Alastair Macdonald, 898 words)

Saudi Arabia offers five-day Yemen ceasefire

RIYADH/CAIRO - Saudi Arabia offers five-day humanitarian truce to Houthi militia it hits with weeks of air strikes in neighboring Yemen, on condition that fighting across Yemen stops. (YEMEN-SECURITY/SAUDI-OPERATIONS (UPDATE 2), moved, by Lesley Wroughton and Mohammed Ghobari, 767 words)

SPECIAL REPORTS

Survivors battle for helicopters near Nepal village that vanished

DHUNCHE, Nepal - When first rescue helicopter touches down in Nepal's quake-devastated Langtang valley, it triggers chaotic scene that sums up sometimes uneasy relationship between wealthy foreign trekkers and their poor Nepalese hosts. Some trekkers use their satellite telephone to call for helicopter and fully expect to climb aboard as it descends into valley. Dozens of villagers, some of them seriously injured, have other ideas. (QUAKE-NEPAL/LANGTANG (SPECIAL REPORT, PIX, TV, GRAPHICS), moved, by Andrew MacAskill and Douglas Busvine, 1,948 words)

Why gold threatens Ivory Coast's peace

GAMINA, Ivory Coast - Nestled among cocoa plantations of western Ivory Coast is gold mine that does not feature on any official maps. It is not run by industrial mining company, nor does it pay taxes to central government. (IVORYCOAST-GOLD/ARMY (SPECIAL REPORT, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Joe Bavier, 1,897 words)

UNITED STATES

Wary of bond 'cliff,' Fed plans cautious cuts to portfolio

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO - Federal Reserve sketches out plans to prevent abrupt contraction in its massive balance sheet next year, when as much as $500 billion in bonds expire and risk disrupting markets and U.S. economic recovery. (USA-FED/PORTFOLIO (UPDATE 1, GRAPHIC), moved, by Jonathan Spicer and Ann Saphir, 850 words)

Lawmaker questions Deutsche's petition following criminal case

WASHINGTON - Key Democrat in U.S. House of Representatives calls for public hearing to vet request by Deutsche Bank to continue managing retirement accounts, after one of its units pleads guilty to manipulating interest rates. (DEUTSCHE BANK-EXEMPTION/, moved, By Sarah N. Lynch, 537 words)

MIDDLE EAST

U.S. military starts training Syria fighters to combat Islamic State -sources

ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON - U.S. military starts training Syrian fighters to combat Islamic State militants, U.S. and Middle East sources tell Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding program begins in Jordan and will soon launch in Turkey. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-USA (UPDATE 2), moving shortly, by Dasha Afanasieva and Phil Stewart, 400 words)

UAE envoy seeks U.S. security guarantee on Iran at summit

WASHINGTON - United Arab Emirates seeks some form of U.S. security guarantee from President Obama's Camp David meeting with six Gulf Cooperation Council nations, UAE ambassador to Washington says. (USA-EMIRATES/SUMMIT (UPDATE 2), moving shortly, by Arshad Mohammed, 300 words)

Egyptian army forces free Ethiopians held in Libya-Sisi

CAIRO - Group of Ethiopians who were kidnapped in Libya arrive at Cairo airport after Egyptian army forces rescue them, state media quote Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as saying. (EGYPT-LIBYA/ETHIOPIA (UPDATE 3), moved, by Mahmoud Mourad, 432 words)

AFRICA

Man burned alive in Burundi protest against presidential bid

BUJUMBURA - Protesters burn man alive in Burundi's capital, saying he was member of ruling party's youth wing which attacked them during their demonstrations against president's bid for third term, witness says. (BURUNDI-POLITICS/ (UPDATE 4, PIX, TV), moving shortly, by Patrick Njuwimana and Njuwa Maina, 500 words)

EUROPE

Spain's ruling PP retains poll lead but hung parliament looms

MADRID - Spain's ruling People's Party is seen winning year-end election with socialists coming close second, opinion poll shows, though most disputed vote in 40 years is likely to lead to hung parliament. (SPAIN-POLITICS/ (UPDATE 1), moved, by Julien Toyer, 343 words)

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Study finds measles vaccine thwarts other infectious diseases

WASHINGTON - Measles vaccine provides benefits beyond merely protecting against that highly contagious viral respiratory disease that remains leading childhood killer in parts of world, scientists say. (HEALTH-MEASLES/ (PIX), moving shortly, by Will Dunham, 400 words)

Safety switches may redeem potent blood cancer therapies

NEW YORK - New therapies that clinical data show can eliminate blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma in 40 percent to 90 percent of patients may have to be genetically modified to include switch that shields healthy cells from attack. (CANCER-SWITCHES/ (INSIGHT, GRAPHIC, TV), moved, by Ransdell Pierson, 1,134 words)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Fonda, Tomlin bare septuagenarian souls in 'Grace and Frankie'

LOS ANGELES - Tripping on muscle relaxants and peyote on beach, two discarded wives portrayed by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin work through their anger and heartbreak and then ask "now what?" (TELEVISION-GRACEANDFRANKIE/ (TV, PIX), moved, by Mary Milliken, 404 words)