Aug 19 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in

the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories

and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Seven & I ( SVNDF ), the Japanese operator of 7-Eleven

convenience stores and other retail chains, is studying a

takeover offer from Canadian convenience store operator

Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ) and that it has set up a

special committee of outside directors to examine the offer.

- AMD on Monday said it plans to acquire server

maker ZT Systems for $4.9 billion as the company seeks to expand

its portfolio of artificial intelligence chips and hardware and

battle Nvidia ( NVDA ) .

- Venture-capital firm General Catalyst hired Blackstone's

global head of marketing, Arielle Gross Samuels, as its

chief marketing and communications officer.

- U.S. President Joe Biden will exit the stage at the

Democratic National Convention Monday, pointing to his joint

accomplishments with Vice President Kamala Harris and warning of

the ramifications of a second term under former President Donald

Trump.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)