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Briefs

Only GM avoids a slow start in U.S. car sales

By Times wires
Published February 2, 2008

DETROIT - All major automakers except for General Motors Corp. saw their U.S. sales drop in January to start what industry analysts have predicted will be the worst auto sales year in the United States in more than a decade. GM, led by strong crossover vehicle sales, reported an increase of 2.6 percent in January when compared with the same month last year. But Toyota Motor Corp., which had seen strong growth last year, said Friday its January light-vehicle sales dropped 2.3 percent, to 171,849 in January from 175,850 in January 2006. Its performance still was strong enough to beat Ford for the No. 2 U.S. sales spot.

Dell's job cuts stretch to Canada
AUSTIN, Texas - Dell Inc. is cutting more than 1,200 jobs, about 900 of them at a call center in Canada, as the computer maker reduces its sales and support work force. It's one of the biggest rounds of layoffs at Dell since May, when the company announced it would reduce its work force by 10 percent. The company had 88,500 employees worldwide at the end of October. Dell said Thursday it would close its call center in Edmonton, Alberta, by the end of July. It will make smaller reductions in Oklahoma City and Ottawa.

Disney hands CEO a new 5-year deal
LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. said on Friday it signed chief executive Robert Iger to a new five-year contract that will pay him an annual salary of $2-million plus bonuses and stock awards that could be worth millions more. Under the deal, Iger could receive an annual incentive bonus of $10-million or more, along with an annual long-term incentive compensation equity award valued at $9-million or more, if Disney meets certain performance goals, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Costco developing its own beer brand
ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Costco Wholesale Corp., the largest U.S. warehouse-club chain, may start selling its own brand of beer along with bulk packs of toilet paper and cereal. Label applications for pale ale, amber ale, hefeweizen and a "German-style" lager under the Kirkland name were approved last week by federal officials. The beer is in development now and still needs management approval, Costco spokesman Bob Nelson said.

Ex-Wal-Mart exec won't go to prison
FORT SMITH, Ark. - Tom Coughlin, a former Wal-Mart executive, avoided a prison term Friday when a federal judge resentenced him for tax evasion and fraud convictions. The judge added only 1,500 hours of community service to Coughlin's punishment.

Man's pickup nears 1M miles
MEDFORD, Wis. - Frank Oresnik is on the verge of making history driving his old standby - the pickup he says is about to pass the 1-million mile mark. He said the truck, a 1991 Chevrolet Silverado that he uses to deliver seafood to three states, is 1,200 miles from a million. Once he hits the mark, Oresnik said he will retire the vehicle.

[Last modified February 1, 2008, 23:17:12]