Dec 24 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Headlines

- UK government forced into climbdown on inheritance tax for farmers

- Panama Canal ports deal at risk after China's Cosco demands majority stake

- Trump administration to overhaul lottery system for H-1B visas

- Trump administration accuses China of unfair chip trade practices

Overview

- Fewer British farmers will start paying inheritance tax from April after UK ministers were forced into a 130 million pound($175.88 million) climbdown by a fierce backlash against the policy from rural communities and some Labour Party members.

- A BlackRock BLK.N backed $23 billion acquisition of dozens of global ports, including key assets in the Panama Canal, is at risk of collapsing after China's state-owned shipping giant Cosco 1199.HK demanded a majority stake in the deal.

- The U.S. government on Tuesday announced it would replace the lottery programme used to grant H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers with a system that prioritises higher-paid individuals.

- The Trump administration has accused China of using unfair trade practices to try and dominate the global chip industry, but said it will not increase tariffs on Chinese imports until mid-2027.

($1 = 0.7392 pounds)

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)

((globalnewsmonitoring@thomsonreuters.com))