Jan 16 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in

the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories, and

does not vouch for their accuracy.

Headlines

-Observer newspaper deal attracts government scrutiny

-Lloyds to cut 500 jobs and close two offices

-Airbus chief urges closer ties between Europe's rival

fighter jet projects

-Gucci owner to sell stakes in glitzy Paris properties to

private equity firm Ardian

Overview

-British government officials have sent letters to the

Guardian Media Group and Tortoise Media requesting information

about the proposed buyout of The Observer newspaper, to help

judge whether the deal needs further scrutiny.

-Lloyds Banking Group ( LYG ) is cutting hundreds of jobs

and closing two offices as the high-street bank enters the final

stretch of a 4 billion pounds ($4.89 billion) growth and

digitisation plan.

-Airbus chief Guillaume Faury has urged Europe and

Britain to consider working more closely together on their rival

programmes to develop the next generation of fighter jets and

combat air systems.

-The luxury group Kering that owns brands Gucci

and Saint Laurent has struck a deal to sell majority stakes in

three of its high-profile Parisian real estate properties to

French private equity group Ardian.

($1 = 0.8181 pounds)

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)