News In Brief

Roche, one of the world's largest makers of vitamins and pharmaceuticals, may announce as many as 8,000 layoffs in the next few days, the Financial Times reported. Citing sources close to the group, the newspaper's online edition said the decision on job cuts awaited completion of the second of two operational reviews - one of them on its US division, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. of Nutley, N.J. A spokes-man for Roche Holding Ltd., the Basel, Switzerland-based parent company, said it was "too soon" to comment on The Financial Times report.

Comair, the No. 2 US regional carrier, said it will lay off 2,000 employees, blaming a loss of revenue caused by the month-long strike by its pilots over wages and benefits. Comair, owned by Delta Air Lines, said layoffs would start May 13 and would affect about half its 4,000 employees who are not on strike. Executives said Delta has been losing as much as $3 million a day in revenues because all flights have been canceled since the strike began March 26. Cincinnati-based Comair has resumed mediated contract negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association.

(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor