9am Briefing: Airport staff strike averted

STRIKE plans that would have closed six of Britain's major airports were averted last night after nine hours of talks to resolve a bitter pay dispute.

Union leaders called off the threat of industrial action later this month after a "much improved" offer was tabled.

A pay rise of up to 1.5 per cent had earlier been rejected by engineers, security staff and firefighters.

Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports would have been affected by the action, which was announced last week.

Cairn investors to share windfall

INVESTORS in Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy will share in a multi-billion dollar windfall from the Indian oil fields it bought more than a decade ago for a fraction of the price.

The oil explorer, led by former Scottish rugby international Sir Bill Gammell, has sold most of its 62.4 per cent stake in Cairn India for up to $8.5 billion (5.5bn) to invest in drilling in Greenland.

Five more weeks of work

AT LEAST five weeks of extra work is expected to be carried out on a new 4 million "arts quarter" outside the Usher Hall, after a last-minute patch-up job was ordered just hours before the gala opening concert of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Work will now restart in front of the main entrance to the hall from early September after contractors carrying out landscaping work ran out of time last week and had to finish using tarmac instead of concrete setts..