What the Sunday papers said

The Independent on Sunday: Outsider threat to Network Rail man’s tilt for top job

Network Rail veteran Simon Kirby faces an uphill struggle to replace Sir David Higgins in the top job at the state-backed track and station operator, as an external candidate is said to have emerged as a heavy favourite. Mr Kirby has strong support among several non-executive directors, but chairman Richard Parry-Jones, an ex-Ford executive, is believed to have identified a strong, unnamed candidate from the car industry.

The Sunday Times: Twitter eyes $15bn flotation

Twitter has begun laying the ground for a stock market float next year in which the tech phenomenon could be valued at up to $15bn (£9.6bn). Bosses at the micro-blogging site are expected to select several investment banks in the coming weeks to handle a bumper listing. Dick Costolo, Twitter’s chief executive, has met potential advisers from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.

The Mail on Sunday: Former Co-op chief faces MPs’ calls to cut £4.6m pay packet

Ex-Co-operative Bank chief Neville Richardson is expected to face calls from MPs to hand back part of a £4.6million pay package earned in his final year at the crisis-struck bank. The appearance before the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday will be Richardson’s first public outing since he left the bank in 2011 amid rumours of a fallout over strategy. Insiders expect him to defend his role.

The Sunday Telegraph: Airlines in emergency Syria plan

Global airlines are drawing up emergency plans to re-route planes and absorb higher fuel costs in the event of a military attack on Syria. Major carriers including Emirates, the world’s biggest airline by international passenger traffic, rival Gulf carrier Etihad and British Airways are on alert as the US threatens a potential strike on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s regime. A number of long-haul airlines fly through or close to Syrian air space to other major destinations worldwide and link to key air traffic hubs in Europe such as Heathrow.