January 25, 2001

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column discusses possible pitfalls regarding New York Governor George Pataki's reform of state's tough anti-drug laws; says main problem could finding money to be used to finance drug treatment programs that would be necessary in lieu of prison terms (M)

The lawmakers who have paraded to the White House for meetings with President Bush, including Democrats like Senator Edward M. Kennedy, are beginning to get a taste of Mr. Bush's legendary charm. The meetings are often punctuated by Bush-conferred nicknames. Article, Page A21.

Clorox Co will pay $200 million to acquire 50 percent of new joint venture with cleaning products manufacturer Bombril; new venture, to be called Detergentes Bombril, will assume control of three of Bombril's plants to manufacture detergents and other household products under Bom Bril brand; Bombril is controlled by Italian company Cirio (S)

Sega is considering halting production of its Dreamcast game console, move that would signal major defeat for company but allow it to focus on more lucrative lines of business, like software; photo (M)

Lucent Technologies, one of the world's biggest makers of communications equipment, announced a broad reorganization that includes eliminating 10,000 jobs, about 9.4 percent of its workers. Fifteen hundred of those are to be in New Jersey, where the company employs 17,000 people. Throughout Lucent, many cuts will come in overlapping sales and marketing groups. The plan, which includes a charge of at least $1.2 billion, is meant to help the company climb back to the top of the digital economy after a series of damaging missteps.