The 10 biggest business stories on Friday December 18

Christine Lagarde, IMF chief, to face trial over £290m payout; Npower to pay £26m after Ofgem probe; Amazon reportedly in talks to lease 20 jets to launch air cargo business

Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF, is accused of negligence in allowing a €400m legal settlement (AFP/Getty)

1. The closure of Britain's last coal mine on Friday in a misty corner of Yorkshire brings to an end a proud history of industrial boom and social struggle.

2. Energy firm Npower is to pay £26 million after sending out inaccurate bills and failing to deal with complaints correctly, Ofgem has said.

3. Power generation outsourcer Aggreko scrapped its plans to bid for Rio Olympics contracts.

4. Sports Direct to review all agency worker terms and conditions after criticism, board says.

5. The Force Awakens worldwide - except for China. The seventh film of the Star Wars saga, and the first produced by Disney, is expected to earn a record $220 million in US box office sales. In China, the world’s second-largest movie market, the franchise is mostly unknown, and won’t premiere until Jan. 9.

6. Amazon is negotiating to lease 20 Boeing 767 jets for its own air-delivery service, cargo-industry executives have told The Seattle Times.

7. John Lewis, Britain's biggest department store chain, said on Friday its sales rose 3.0 per cent year-on-year in the week to Dec. 12, driven by strong demand for technology items. The employee-owned firm said sales totalled £155.2 million.

8. A French court has ordered Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to face trial over her role in a pay-out of some €400 million ($434 million) to businessman Bernard Tapie, French media said on Thursday.

9. Apple announced on Thursday that Jeff Williams had been promoted to chief operating officer. Williams previously oversaw the company's supply chain, the same job Apple CEO Tim Cook used to do under Steve Jobs.

10. Uber drivers in the UK sue to become employees. An employment tribunal case brought by Uber drivers against the cab-hailing app kicks off in London on Friday. Drivers are arguing they should be granted “worker status” which would entitled them to holiday pay and maternity leave.