March 5 (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.
- Donald Trump administration officials on Sunday defended the president's plan to levy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and played down the likelihood the U.S. would allow for many exclusions from the proposals. on.wsj.com/2I2J9YD
- The world's biggest technology investor SoftBank Group Corp has poured some $20 billion into ride-sharing companies around the globe, including Uber Technologies Inc . Now, those companies are spending at least some of SoftBank's money to battle each other. on.wsj.com/2I4cv99
- "The Shape of Water", a fantastical love story directed by Guillermo del Toro about a mute woman and an amphibious creature, won best picture at the 90th Academy Awards on Sunday. on.wsj.com/2I0TDYm
- South Korea said it would send its top national security adviser to Pyongyang this week to discuss ways to facilitate dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea on denuclearization, pushing forward engagement even as the U.S. remains wary of talking to the nuclear-armed state. on.wsj.com/2I2UZ53 (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)