The following were the top stories in The Wall Street Journal on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. * U.S. President Barack Obama will lay out his plan for reducing the nation's deficit Wednesday, belatedly entering a fight over the nation's long-term financial future. But in addition to suggesting cuts - the current focus of debate - the White House looks set to aim its firepower on a more divisive topic: taxes. * As BP PLC struggles this week to save its historic Arctic drilling deal with Russia's state oil company, OAO Rosneft , one thing is apparent: BP should have heeded a gentle warning from Vladimir Putin. Putin had in January warned that it is simplistic to believe that the Kremlin controls everything in Russia. * Big U.S. businesses are coming out of their crouch and hunting for fresh management talent that can help them grow faster. * The board of NYSE Euronext issued a harsh rejection of the $11.3 billion unsolicited takeover bid led by Nasdaq OMX Group Inc , setting up a potentially awkward showdown between the Big Board and its own shareholders. The NYSE reaffirmed its commitment to a $9.7 billion merger with Deutsche Boerse (DB1Gn.DE) announced in February, itself fraught with political and antitrust issues in both Europe and the U.S.
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