Debenhams record Christmas sales.

Business correspondent,London(wp/es):
Debenhams has withstood the warm winter that plagued the High Street in recent weeks and revealed record Christmas sales.
It outshone the likes of Marks & Spencer and Next with a 1.9% rise in like-for-like sales in the 19 weeks to January 9 and 1.8% increase over its seven-week Christmas period.
The department store added that it instigated a planned reduction in stock levels of "weather-sensitive" clothing, which allowed it to avoid the deep discounts some other retailers resorted to.
Sales of full price goods were up 5%.
Online was also a bright spot, with sales up 12.1% and click & collect accounting for 31% of orders.

Chief executive Michael Sharp, who will step down this year, said: "This performance is evidence that our strategy is working with our customers finding our mix of products and brands both compelling and great value for money."
Debenhams shares rose 15.1%, or 10p, to 76.47p on the back of the performance.
Liberum, which upgraded the stock to "Hold" from "Sell", said it was a "solid" trading update albeit against soft comparisons of a year earlier.

2016 Tube strike:Unions and LU set for fresh talks to avert crippling walkout

staff reporter,London(wp/es):
Union bosses and London Underground are to enter fresh talks in a bid to avert the latest planned strikes over the Night Tube proposals.
Three 24-hour strikes are scheduled to take place over the next five weeks as the bitter dispute over the all-night Underground service rumbles on.
However, London Underground will sit down with leaders of the Aslef, RMT and Unite unions on Friday in the hope of reaching a deal and staving off the industrial action, under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas.
The latest series of strikes announced on Monday by Aslef and RMT are scheduled to take place for 24 hours from 9pm on Tuesday, January 26; Monday, February 15; and Wednesday, February 17.

Finn Brennan, Aslef's organiser on London Underground, said: "We'll be back at Acas on Friday aiming, and hoping, to do a deal. I only hope that TfL will turn up with the same attitude.
"A world class capital city like London deserves a 24-hour service but it needs to work for those of who provide that public service, as well as for the passengers who use it, and the management at TfL.
“London Underground needs to stop bullying and start negotiating."
An RMT spokesman said the union will attend the fresh talks in the hope of breaking the deadlock.
Boris Johnson on Monday criticised the unions’ latest plans for industrial action as “a disgrace”.
The long-running dispute centres on pay and proposed shift patterns for affected Underground workers.