- Tables turn: Syria asks the United Nations to stop U.S. strike (Reuters)
- More tables: Putin sees chance to turn tables on Obama at G20 (Reuters)
- Obama’s Decision Stirs Doubts About America’s Resolve (BBG)
- Kerry says US tests prove sarin used in Syria attacks (FT) - is this based on more YouTube or Vine this time?
- Italy Coalition Reels as Berlusconi Threatens to Sink Letta (BBG)
- Steinbrueck’s Jabs Fail to Knock Out Merkel in Election Debate (BBG)
- India's crisis within a crisis; finance minister fights on two fronts (Reuters)
- Ikea signals slower expansion (FT)
- US spied on Brazil, Mexico presidents (AFP) - since it spies on its people, is this a surprise?
- What's the Difference Between U.S., Chinese Corruption? (BBG)
- First Strut Default Jolts High-Yield Market: South Africa Credit (BBG)
- Vodafone, Verizon Agree on $130 Billion Deal (BBG)
- China probes regulator of state companies (FT)
- Activist Storms Microsoft's Board (WSJ)
Overnight Media Digest:
FT:
Vodafone Group Plc is set to announce on Monday plans to sell its 45 percent stake in the Verizon Wireless joint venture to U.S. telecom giant Verizon Communications Inc for $130 billion, after the British mobile carrier's board met on Sunday to approve the deal.
Peter Agnefjäll, the new chief executive of Ikea, said he was hoping to increase the annual number of store openings from a "record low" of five this year, a distinct slow down from his predecessor's promises to open 20-25 stores a year.
British software company The Sage Group Plc would focus on selling payments services to existing customers, unlike rivals that look at attracting new customers, in an attempt to double organic growth within three years, Chief Executive Guy Berruyer said.
State-owned China General Nuclear Power Group, which is in talks to form a partnership to build nuclear power plants in Britain, wants greater operational control of any new plants it finances, people familiar with the talks said.
Output and orders in manufacturing have increased to their highest level in three years, a survey showed, suggesting a revival from a deep decline in the sector.
The value of property transaction in Europe's most beleaguered economies - Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain - rose sharply during the quarter to July, highlighting increasing international investor confidence in markets that have been considered as too risky in the past six years.
Hong Kong
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
-- The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has held a board meeting to discuss how to accommodate a listing by mainland internet giant Alibaba. The regulator has ruled out any change that could be seen as giving Alibaba exemptions from existing listing conditions, sources said. (link.reuters.com/ben72v)
-- Finland's flagship airline, Finnair, plans to add a destination in Asia every year to its flight schedule in an ambitious bid to double its revenue from Europe-Asia traffic by 2020, its chief operations officer said. (link.reuters.com/cen72v)
-- Bank of Singapore, the private banking arm of OCBC Bank, said it will step up efforts to grow its discretionary business, as part of efforts to nearly double its assets under management by 2016. (link.reuters.com/den72v)
THE STANDARD
-- Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group is a late contender for billionaire Li Ka-shing's supermarket chain ParknShop, which has been put on sale. By a deadline for taking preliminary bids, Hutchison Whampoa Ltd had received eight offers for the second-largest grocery chain in Hong Kong. (link.reuters.com/fen72v)
HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES
-- Lifestyle Properties Development Ltd, a subsidiary of the Sogo department stores operator Lifestyle International Holdings Ltd, opens the retail book on Monday for its HK$203 million ($26.18 million) float. Trading debut is expected on September 12.
MING PAO DAILY NEWS
-- SOHO China Ltd said it has acquired a commercial site in Changning District of Shanghai for about HK$4 billion.
SING TAO DAILY
-- Property developer Fantasia Holdings Group Co Ltd chairman Pan Jun said the company will open 8-10 micro-credit companies in the mainland in the second half of this year
Russia
VEDOMOSTI
- Russia's United Aircraft Corporation signed $7.5 billion worth of contracts during the MAKS airshow last week, the daily writes.
- The daily runs an interview with Alexei Navaly, a protest leader and candidate for the post of Moscow mayor, who argues for requiring visas of migrants from the Caucasus and Central Asia.
- Russian Otkritie Bank plans to open some 10 offices together with Starbucks coffee shops in Moscow and St Petersburg in 2013-2014, the paper reports.
- Sales of YotaPhone, Russia's first smartphone, will begin in Russia this November, and the device will cost 20,000-25,000 roubles ($600-750), the paper writes.
KOMMERSANT
- A group of some 50 civil activists will be watching a live feed from the polling stations during Moscow mayor elections on Sept. 8, the daily reports.
NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to think about how to cut federal budgetary spending, the daily writes.