PRESS DIGEST- Financial Times - Feb 17

Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - Strauss Zelnick's private equity group ZMC is in talks to buy U.S. comedy group Second City. - UK's Serco Group Plc said it would buy U.S. military business Whitney, Bradley & Brown Inc for $295 million.

The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines

- EU prepares research funding boost as it confronts virus variants https://on.ft.com/3aoToGL - US comedy group Second City set to be bought by private equity https://on.ft.com/2NCL8dC

- Serco to buy US military business in boost to defence revenues https://on.ft.com/3pspDJE Overview

- The European Union will announce plans to announce 150 million euros in funding for research on new coronavirus variants, in a bid to boost its response to the outbreak. - Strauss Zelnick's private equity group ZMC is in talks to buy U.S. comedy group Second City.

- UK's Serco Group Plc said it would buy U.S. military business Whitney, Bradley & Brown Inc for $295 million. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)