On the streets of north London, the global credit crunch is reflected in the gloomy faces of market traders facing dwindling custom, compounded by a major local employer cutting jobs.

`It`s looking grim,` said Steve Johnson, selling household goods on Borehamwood`s main thoroughfare Shenley Road, on one of the town`s twice-weekly market days.

LONDON, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Britain's local authorities appealed to the government Wednesday to guarantee hundreds of millions of pounds (euros, dollars) of their savings invested in moribund Icelandic banks.

NEW DELHI, Feb 5, 2008 (AFP) - India's golfing heroes are confident of claiming big name scalps at the inaugural Indian Masters this week, knowing a win would spark huge interest in a sport that lags behind cricket.

FREETOWN, Jan 25, 2008 (AFP) - Six of Sierra Leone's seven political parties, including the two largest ones, face a ban on fielding candidates in July's local government polls, a national commission warned Friday.