Friday other news items: Bleak outlook for UK jobs, says MPC dove

From Wall Street

* The Dow Jones fell 226.44-points to 8149.01, the Nasdaq lost 50.50-points to 1507.84, while the S&P declined 28.95-points to close at 845.14

War, Strife, Conflict and Terrorism

* Communist North Korea has said it is scrapping all military and political agreements signed with the South, accusing Seoul of hostile intent. South Korea's government had pushed relations "to the brink of a war", the North's cross-border relations body said on state media. South Korea expressed regret at the announcement and called for dialogue. Relations have deteriorated since South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak took a harder line approach to the North.

Credit Crisis Fallout

* Bleak outlook for jobs is underlined by MPC dove, David Blanchflower

* Job losses in US send markets tumbling

* Honda is to close its UK base for four months after Friday's shifts are over.

The halt will affect just over 3,000 of the 4,000 employees, who will receive their full basic pay for the first two months, but around 60% thereafter. The shutdown is thought to be one of the longest in Britain's recent industrial history.

Oil, Energy, Utilities, Commodities and Food