UNITED KINGDOM - SHOPPING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shoppers carrying large sale bags walk along Oxford Street on December 26, 2011 in London during the first day of the post Christmas Sales. London Underground drivers on Monday walked out in a row over pay, threatening disruption for shoppers at the start of the post-Christmas sales and football fans hoping to catch a festive fixture. London's underground train service was virtually halted by a strike over pay on Monday, disrupting the start of the post-Christmas sales and sporting fixtures. Most lines were shut or operating a vastly reduced service, with people forced to use buses or taxis to reach shops which are desperate for business after disappointing sales in recent months.