Compare: S&P 500 Futures Advance After U.S. Stocks Ignored Global Rally (BBG) And contrast: Global Stock Rally Grinds to a Halt (BBG) And before very confused: Global Stocks Lower on U.S. Interest Rate Uncertainty (WSJ) Hilsenrath: Fed Wavers on September Rate Rise (WSJ) Time for more QE: Abe Adviser Says Next Month Good Opportunity for BOJ Easing (BBG) Brazil downgraded to junk rating by S&P, deepening woes (Reuters) Kiwi dollar tumbles after New Zealand cuts interest rates (Reuters) Russian troops join combat in Syria - sources (Reuters) BOE Says Global Turmoil Hasn’t Shaken Its Economic Outlook (BBG) Sue Your Bank, Keep Your Home, Repeat (BBG) China says Apple unit underpaid $71 million in tax in 2013 (Reuters) Trump slights rival Fiorina's looks: 'Look at that face' (Reuters) Apple Takes Aim at Wireless Phone Companies (WSJ) In test for Biden, frustrated cops line up against prison reform (Reuters) Remains of Humanlike Ancestors Found in South Africa (WSJ) Energy Pipeline Boom Ebbs (WSJ) Overnight Media Digest WSJ - U.S. Federal Reserve officials are not near an agreement to begin raising short-term interest rates heading into a crucial week of private discussions before their Sept. 16-17 policy meeting, according to their recent comments. (http://on.wsj.com/1Nj6Ych) - Despite controversies, the National Football League expects its national revenues this season to rise 15 percent, to $1.3 billion, a sign media and corporate sponsors remain ready to spend for an affiliation with the league. (http://on.wsj.com/1Llq7pu) - Apple Inc launched a broadside Wednesday against wireless phone companies, saying it will for the first time finance iPhone sales directly to customers without requiring them to be tied to any particular carrier. (http://on.wsj.com/1UCEGiO) - The U.S. investigation that led to the ouster of United Continental Holdings Inc Chief Executive Jeff Smisek, spotlights the often thorny relationship between airlines and airport authorities that, while little-noticed by fliers, is critical to how carriers run their businesses. (http://on.wsj.com/1JVVlDO) FT Monitise Plc Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Buse has quit after just over a year in the post, the mobile banking software maker said on Wednesday, as it posted an increased yearly loss and forecast flat revenue in the current year. GlaxoSmithKline Plc's inhaled medicine Breo failed to prolong life in patients with chronic respiratory disease in a high-stakes clinical trial of 16,500 people, torpedoing hopes of a sales boost for the drug. A German court has ruled that Lufthansa pilots must halt a strike that led to the cancellation of about 1,000 flights, in an increasingly bitter row over cost cuts and pay at the airline. NYT - The U.S. Department of Justice issued new policies on Wednesday that prioritize the prosecution of individual employees - not just their companies - and put pressure on corporations to turn over evidence against their executives. (http://nyti.ms/1FyRLxx) - Bloomberg LP's data terminals, which have generated billions of dollars for the company, are in the cross hairs of new rivals, while Wall Street is looking to shave costs. (http://nyti.ms/1ieXHa1) - Puerto Rico laid out a five-year plan for restructuring its debts that requires either concessions negotiated from creditors or legislation enacted in San Juan or Washington, suggesting a difficult road ahead. (http://nyti.ms/1gaQk1o) - Broadcast Music Inc, one of the two big agencies in the United States that handle the licensing when songs are played on the radio or streamed online, plans to announce on Thursday that it exceeded $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time, led by rapid growth in digital music. (http://nyti.ms/1Q2zhLd) Canada THE GLOBE AND MAIL ** One in five Canadian renters face an affordable housing crisis, spending more than half their income on shelter costs, according to a new study by a coalition of affordable housing groups in six provinces of Canada and the Vancouver City Savings Credit Union. (http://bit.ly/1UIJmi1) ** Canada's unimpressive response to resettling Syrian refuges is a sign the country is shrinking into a smaller role on the world stage. A new research paper by Robert Greenhill and Megan McQuillan suggests that decline has been going on for a generation, under both Conservative and Liberal governments. (http://bit.ly/1Qq9KfY) ** Canada's Federal Liberals are threatening to pull out of a leaders debate on foreign policy later this month over concerns that it won't be bilingual as promised. In a letter sent to the organizers of the Munk Debate on Wednesday, the co-chairs of Trudeau's campaign team said they were reviewing whether to take part in the debate on Sept. 28. (http://bit.ly/1gbijhC) NATIONAL POST ** Suncor Energy Inc's top executive, Steve Williams, blasted the "stupidity" of pipeline politics in the United States and Canada, and also hinted that his company's C$5-billion ($3.78 billion) worth of cash could be used to buy up "distressed assets" in "fire sales". He made these comments in a speech at an energy conference in New York on Wednesday. (http://bit.ly/1JWxnIn) ** Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not deviate on the Syrian refugees issue. At a rally on Wednesday, Harper offered a riposte to the accusation from Justin Trudeau that he has been using security as an excuse not to act. (http://bit.ly/1JWzlsj) ** The anti-sex education protest centered on Thorncliffe Park's Muslim community may be fizzling. On Tuesday, there were roughly 700 absentees at Thorncliffe Park Public School, or about half of projected enrolment; on Wednesday that was down to "only" 432, or about 30 percent. (http://bit.ly/1L42OEW) Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST - Analysts see lower visitor numbers and tough times ahead for Hong Kong Disneyland as a sluggish economy, strong local currency and rival attractions weigh heavily on the park. The attraction celebrates 10 years in business this weekend and its managing director, Andrew Kam Min-ho, is optimistic about its prospects. (bit.ly/1XNhldo) - Hong Kong's tourism and retail operators are steeling themselves for a lengthy downturn that businessman and lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun says is worse than that during the 2003 deadly outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Tien, who ran local clothing chain G2000, expressed caution over looming lease renewals for his outlets amid the fall in tourist numbers. (bit.ly/1UI5Mjl) - Chinese stocks are attractively priced after the market rout, says Oaktree Capital, the world's largest distressed-asset manager, pinning long-term hopes on the A-share market shrugging off slowing economic growth. It was less attractively priced when the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was at 5,200 points, but there were good buys at the 3,100-point level, chairman Howard Marks said. (bit.ly/1XNl5vn) THE STANDARD - The Hong Kong Jockey Club has agreed to act in an advisory capacity to assist the Chinese Equestrian Association with the development of racing as a sport in China. Under the agreement, the club will work with the association to enhance all aspects of racing control and regulations, including the training of jockeys, stewards, and judges. (bit.ly/1NqGbMJ) - SFK Construction Holdings Ltd, controlled by the family of Great Eagle founder Lo Ying-shek, filed for a local listing on Wednesday. The general building contractor earlier launched an initial public offering in 2008 but suspended the exercise due to the global financial crisis. The Hong Kong government is its largest customer. (bit.ly/1JWZLfG) HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL - Shirble Department Store Holdings China Ltd saw low-single-digit growth in its same store sales for July and August, in line with the management's expectation, said chief executive officer Yang Tiwei. The company will take a prudent approach in network expansion and no new store is planned to open in the second half-year, Yang said. Britain The Times Britain will be asked to become part of a permanent system of European Union migrant quotas to replace existing asylum rules under proposals for a Europe-wide immigration system tabled by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, today. (http://thetim.es/1O0Nzi1) Britain's factories suffered a sharp setback in July as exports fell sharply in a move that is likely to dampen the recovery and reinforce concerns about the UK's two-speed economy, official figures show. (http://thetim.es/1LY2INS) The Guardian HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is winding down its inquiries into hundreds of British customers who used HSBC Holdings Plc Swiss bank to evade tax, a senior official has admitted. (http://bit.ly/1FyvZKk) Sports Direct International Plc has insisted it is "not operating Dickensian practices", in the face of growing shareholder unrest at Mike Ashley's sportswear retailer. (http://bit.ly/1LkVwbR) The Telegraph Jean Claude-Juncker, president of the European Commission, has warned that Greece's third government in four years will have no flexibility over its new 86 billion euro bail-out plan and could still face the prospect of a disorderly exit from the eurozone. (http://bit.ly/1Npyu9G) Morrisons has agreed a deal to sell-off 140 shops of its M Local in a 25 million pound deal that brings about the end of the supermarket chain's convenience market ambitions. (http://bit.ly/1iew3Ks) Sky News Ingenico Group SA, a French payments processing company, has raised the stakes in the battle to win control of Worldpay Ltd <IPO-WORLD.L> , its UK-based rival, by tabling a higher bid in an effort to derail a 6 billion pound-plus stock market listing. (http://bit.ly/1FxRVVV) UK exports fell by 9 percent in July and manufacturing output tumbled, renewing fears about the pound's strength in a shaky global economic recovery. (http://bit.ly/1JUWBXG) The Independent A German regional labour court issued a temporary injunction against the pilot's union Vereinigung Cockpit on Wednesday, calling time on a two-day strike that had grounded more than 1000 Lufthansa AG planes. (http://ind.pn/1VOlprR)