UK news: New chapter for Waterstone's in £53m sell-off

EMBATTLED retailer HMV Group today said it had agreed a deal to sell book chain Waterstone's to Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut for £53 million.

The high street chain said the agreement to sell the business to A&NN Capital Fund Management was still subject to conditions.

Race is on for sprint seats

LONDON 2012 organisers have received more than one million ticket requests for the men's 100 metres final, according to reports.

The demand to watch the coveted event on August 5 next year has been so great that the capital's Olympic Stadium could be filled at least 20 times over.

Unions join forces to fight 'vicious' cutbacks

LEADERS of two of the biggest trade unions in the UK were today set to sign a "landmark" agreement to work together to fight the government's "vicious" spending cuts.

Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) general secretary Mark Serwotka and Unite leader Len McCluskey were to sign the accord, raising the prospect of coordinated action.

The move commits PCS and Unite to establishing a joint campaign against cuts.

Call to make jobless work

MORE than three-quarters of voters think long-term benefit claimants should have to do community work in return for the dole, according to a survey.

And more than two-thirds think claimants should lose their benefits if they turn down the offer of a job - even if it pays the same or less than welfare payouts. The Mori survey was conducted for think tank Policy Exchange.

Plan B clinches three awards

CHART star Plan B was a triple winner at the esteemed Ivor Novello Awards. The rapper-turned-soul singer - real name Ben Drew - was named songwriter of the year. The Defamation Of Strickland Banks was named best album and his single She Said was the most-performed track.

Bradford: A pest control manager sought to reassure the public after thousands of caterpillars invaded a popular park, stripping some trees of all their leaves. The ermine moth larvae have formed large communal webs covering railings and tree trunks at the park in Shipley Fields Road.

Blackpool: Stunned aquarium staff discovered that a shark they did not know they had has been living undetected in their ocean tank for years. Staff at Blackpool Sea Life Centre were baffled when two shark eggs were discovered in a tank occupied by resident sharks which give birth only to live young.