Jan 27 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in

the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories

and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Activist investor Ancora Holdings has built a stake in

U.S. Steel and wants the steelmaker to drop its merger

agreement with Japan's Nippon Steel ( NISTF ).

- Building-products distributor QXO is preparing to

take its all-cash offer to acquire Beacon Roofing Supply ( BECN )

directly to shareholders after being rebuffed on

several occasions.

- Diversified Energy ( DEC ) is in advanced talks to buy

private-equity-owned Maverick Natural Resources in what would be

its largest acquisition ever.

- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday night backed off a

threat he had made earlier in the day to impose 25% tariffs and

economic sanctions on Colombia, which the White House said had

met its demands to repatriate migrants into the South American

country.

- Late-stage trial data for Roche's drug against

muscle-wasting Elevidys showed positive results after two years

of treatment for male patients aged 4 or older with Duchenne

muscular dystrophy.

- SGS and Bureau Veritas said they ended merger

talks that would have created a European safety-testing giant

with a combined market value of more than $30 billion.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)