November 7, 2002

Starbucks Coffee Japan expects full-year loss of 500 million yen ($4.1 million); will pay no dividend in 2002; reduces its sales target by nearly 10 percent (S)

Virgin Blue Airlines wins access to more gates at Sydney Airport; photo (S)

Norm Coleman, Republican candidate who looked like 'political toast' ten days ago, just after Sen Paul Wellstone's death in plane crash, celebrates win over Walter Mondale, last-minute Democratic replacement in Minnesota Senate race; photos; Coleman continues future-oriented message, vowing to carry on 'torch of his legacy'; political career of Coleman, who was former mayor of Minneapolis, traced (M)

International Accounting Standards Board, along with regulators in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, will propose rule that would force companies to record value of stock options issued to executives and employees as expenses; US Financial Accounting Standards Board is expected to seek comment on proposed international rule, with a view toward adopting it; international trend toward expensing options grows (M)

Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Harvey L Pitt's resignation is expected to set back by months efforts of agency to clean up Wall Street, provide vigorous oversight of accounting profession and impose tougher regulations on company directors; William H Webster, Pitt's choice to head new accounting board, said he is reconsidering whether to head that board in light of disclosure that he headed audit committee of virtually insolvent company facing accusations of fraud; should Webster step down, vacancy would not be filled until after commission gets new permanent chairman, process that will take months; Georgetown University Prof Donald C Langevoort says SEC's agenda is in shambles; timing of SEC's growing problems could hardly be worse; investors have been looking to Washington all year for leadership to calm markets and take steps to avert more corporate scandals; photo (M)