Saturday papers: other news items - US GDP decline at its sharpest since 1982

From Wall Street

* The Dow Jones closed down 119.15-points at 7062.93, the Nasdaq fell 13.63-points to 1377.84, while the S&P lost 17.74-points to close at 735.09.

The S&P's close was its worst since the 731.54 recorded on 18^th December 1996, with its percentage decline in February registering the second-worst on record following the 18.4% fall that came in 1933.

War, Strife, Conflict and Terrorism

* President Barack Obama has announced the withdrawal of most US troops in Iraq by the end of August 2010. In a speech at a Marine Corps base, he said the US "combat mission" in Iraq would officially end by that time. But up to 50,000 of 142,000 troops now there will stay into 2011 to advise Iraqi forces and protect US interests, leaving by the end of 2011, he said.

* A second mass grave has been found in Bangladesh at the scene of a mutiny by border guards this week which left scores of people dead and missing. The army made the discovery in the border guards' compound in the capital, Dhaka, as they continued the search for dozens of missing officers. They had found the first grave, thought to hold the bodies of 58 officers killed by the mutineers, on Friday.

Credit Crisis Fallout

* The US economy has contracted 6.2%, with its GDP decline at its sharpest since 1982

* US government agrees to take biggest single stake in Citigroup (36%)

* €urozone inflation set to undershoot ECB target