Department store chain Debenhams has launched its first homewares catalogue in a move that will heap further pressure on ailing Argos.

The 68-page catalogue, which has been sent out to the chain's 195,000 store card holders, is designed to draw shoppers to its website and boost sales of electrical goods and furniture, which are not stocked in all of its stores.

It marks a step-up in the chain's competition with Argos, which last week revealed underlying profits fell 94% to £3.4 million in the 26 weeks to August 27 as customers cut-back on electrical items, such as TVs and computer game consoles.

Meanwhile, Debenhams reported a bullish performance, with pre-tax profits up 10% to £166.1 million in the 53 weeks to September 3, as it benefited from selling more of its higher margin exclusive ranges.

The chain's new chief executive Michael Sharp insisted the UK high street was "alive and well" and announced plans to modernise a further 25 stores and open nine new outlets over the next four years.

Published: 24 October 2011

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Anti-capitalist protesters in London are continuing their demonstration after the movement that began with Occupy Wall Street spread worldwide.

Thousands descended on the area around the London Stock Exchange on Saturday in a bid to replicate the huge demonstrations taking place in New York.

As night fell, protesters had pitched tents at the foot of the steps of St Paul's Cathedral after police cordoned off Paternoster Square where the Stock Exchange is located.

Scotland Yard had said it would be "illegal and disrespectful" to camp in front of the cathedral, but a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police later said: "We are not going to move anyone at this time."

The force said it had made efforts to ensure the protest was largely peaceful. Five arrests were made throughout the day - three for assault on police and two for public order offences.

Published: 16 October 2011

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Stores giant Debenhams has announced it will recruit 6,500 temporary workers to deal with the busy Christmas period.

The jobs will run from mid-November until the beginning of January, averaging 40 in each of the company's 163 stores.

Michael Sharp, chief executive of Debenhams, said: "These jobs are sure to be welcomed by local economies during the most financially challenging part of the year.

"Approximately a quarter of staff that work with us over the festive season will stay on in permanent roles, making this a crucial period in our employment calendar."

Published: 10 October 2011

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Phone maker BlackBerry is investigating a problem which has affected users in Britain, elsewhere in Europe, across the Middle East and in Africa.

Blackberry developer Research in Motion gave few further details, but phone companies whose customers use the smartphones said that internet access and BlackBerry's popular messenger service appeared to be affected.

Published: 10 October 2011

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Environmental campaigners have accused the Government of pushing forward with new nuclear power plants before lessons could be learned from the Fukushima disaster, ahead of the publication of a report on the crisis.

This week the Department of Energy and Climate Change is expected to publish the final report into the implications for the UK nuclear industry of the disaster at the tsunami-hit Fukushima reactor in Japan.

But Greenpeace is concerned that the inquiry has been conducted too fast to learn the lessons from the crisis which began when the nuclear plant was hit by a tsunami following the magnitude 9 earthquake in March, with information still emerging.

And the green group said the Government had not even waited for the final report, conducted by nuclear chief inspector Dr Mike Weightman, before signalling the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power plants this summer.

Published: 09 October 2011

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The Duchess of Cornwall has marked the 10th anniversary of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Camilla attended the DecAid Light for Life Ceremony - marking the end of the DecAid charity appeal to raise money for British armed forces charities.

During the service, held at Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, a candle was lit for every serviceman and woman that lost their life in Afghanistan.

An avenue of young trees, with poppy wreaths at their base, also lined the path to the cathedral with each one representing a regiment who has lost someone over the past decade.

This week marks 10 years since the US and UK launched the campaign known as Operation Enduring Freedom in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Camilla's arrival was marked with a parade by the Somerset Army Cadet Force Band on the green in front of the cathedral.

Published: 02 October 2011

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The Duchess of Cornwall has marked the 10th anniversary of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Camilla attended the DecAid Light for Life Ceremony - marking the end of the DecAid charity appeal to raise money for British armed forces charities.

During the service, held at Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, a candle was lit for every serviceman and woman that lost their life in Afghanistan.

An avenue of young trees, with poppy wreaths at their base, also lined the path to the cathedral with each one representing a regiment who has lost someone over the past decade.

This week marks 10 years since the US and UK launched the campaign known as Operation Enduring Freedom in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Camilla's arrival was marked with a parade by the Somerset Army Cadet Force Band on the green in front of the cathedral.

Published: 02 October 2011

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Energy giant E.ON is to cut 500 jobs in its UK support functions to reflect the "changed nature of the business" following the sale of its distribution arm earlier this year.

The company said it is seeking up to 500 voluntary redundancies, likely to impact mainly at its head office in Coventry and other sites near Nottingham.

The announcement follows the sale of E.ON's distribution arm, Central Networks, in March and the subsequent concentration on the customer-facing business.

Chief executive Paul Golby said: "We had to undertake a deep and rigorous review of how much money we spend in order to ensure we keep costs as low as possible for our customers, become a more agile organisation and build a sustainable business in the UK.

Published: 22 September 2011

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The prison population in England and Wales has reached a record high for the second week in a row.

The total number of prisoners hit 87,120 - 278 higher than last week's record high of 86,842 and about 1,600 short of the usable operational capacity of 88,747, Ministry of Justice figures showed.

The rising prison population has been fuelled by tough sentences for those involved in last month's riots, with more offenders than usual being held on remand, but the Government has insisted there will be enough jail places for anyone sentenced to custody as a result of the violence and looting.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are managing an unprecedented situation and all the staff involved should be commended for their dedication and hard work during this difficult time.

"We currently have enough prison places for those being remanded and sentenced to custody as a result of public disorder. We are developing contingencies to increase usable capacity should further pressure be placed on the prison estate."

No places are currently activated under Operation Safeguard, which would involve using cells at police stations as accommodation for prisoners.

Other contingency plans could involve bringing on new accommodation early, using extra places in the public and private estate, or reopening mothballed accommodation.

Published: 16 September 2011

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Parts of England are facing dangerously high shortages of midwives as Britain's birthrate rockets, according to a professional body.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said that while there are shortfalls across the country, some areas are worse than others, putting mothers and babies at risk.

Midwife numbers have not kept pace with the birthrate in England, which has risen 22% in the past two decades, an RCM report has claimed.

Prime Minister David Cameron has been urged by the RCM to honour his pre-election pledge to recruit more midwives.

The report said 4,700 more midwives are needed across England to keep up with added pressures, such as growing numbers of obese and older pregnant women.

Their figures showed the North East and North West had a shortfall of less than 10% while the East Midlands and East of England needed 41% more midwives, it was reported. Meanwhile, the South East was said to be more than a third short of staff.

Published: 15 September 2011

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