News In Brief

Brisk demand for new cars pushed US retail sales up strongly in December, the Commerce Department said. Nonetheless, there were no signs of a holiday rush at clothing and department stores, where business weakened from November. Total retail sales increased a stronger-than-expected 0.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted $231.35 billion, after a 0.6 percent gain in November. Eight thousand jobs, or 1/10th of its work force, will be eliminated over the next three years, Northern Telecom announced. Canada's largest high-tech company said it plans to shift its focus from standard telephone equipment to voice-and-data networks using Internet technology. Last year, in a $7 billion deal, Nortel acquired California-based Bay Networks. Lawsuits seeking more than $1 billion in damages were filed by Asian garment workers on Saipan against 18 US retailers. The class-action suits - alleging beatings, forced abortions, rat-infested living quarters, and 84-hour work-weeks - target such high-profile chains or brands as Wal-Mart, Sears, J. Crew, Oshkosh B'Gosh, Lane Bryant, The Gap, and The Limited. Factories cited by the plaintiffs are subcontractors and most are owned by Chinese, Japanese, or South Koreans. Saipan is a Central Pacific island in the Northern Marianas, a chain that has US commonwealth status. The lawsuits were filed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Saipan.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to News In Brief
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1999/0115/p24s5.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe