======================== THE MOTLEY FOOL ========================
                   B R E A K F A S T   N E W S
                    Thursday, September 20, 2001
benjamin.rogers@enron.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
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- TOP STORY: Government Accelerates Aid to Airlines
  http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499856

- NEWS TO GO: Knight-Ridder, 3Com, Tenet Healthcare
  http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499857

- POST OF THE DAY: Biotech Stocks Anyone?
  http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499858

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"Troubled times produce heroes."
-- Chinese proverb

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TOP STORY
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GOVERNMENT ACCELERATES AID TO AIRLINES
While Congress works on legislation that will provide financial aid to airlines,
President Bush will ask lawmakers to hand over $5 billion in immediate cash
to the shell-shocked industry. The Associated Press, quoting an anonymous administration
official, says the cash would be coupled with help for the airlines' insurance
liabilities.

The House of Representatives hopes to rush through a $24 billion aid package
that will be quickly sent to the Senate, and could possibly reach the president's
desk before next week. That package would include loans as well as some cash
that would not have to be repaid. Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) CEO Gordon
Bethune says the industry is currently losing $15 million per hour, and the
package is needed to restore some stability to the situation.

In the meantime, more airlines announced staff reductions after the market closed
yesterday. First, Mesa Air (Nasdaq: MESA) said it would cut 700 jobs and implement
a temporary 10% pay reduction for most employees. Senior management's pay has
already been reduced by 20%, and both the CEO and the company's president took
a 50% cut.

Later, heavyweights American Airlines parent AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) and United
Airlines parent UAL (NYSE: UAL) announced layoffs of some 20,000 employees
each. That represents 14% of American's staff, and 20% of United's. Following
Boeing's (NYSE: BA) actions Wednesday, job cuts now total almost 100,000
people industry wide.
http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499860

One company bucking the layoff trend, however, is SkyWest Airlines (Nasdaq:
SKYW). COO Ron Reber says no layoffs are in the works. The company's "plans
for growth are still intact," he says, and it still plans to take delivery of
the 106 Canadair Regional Jets it ordered from manufacturer Bombardier. SkyWest
operates as United Express and Delta Connection in 74 cities.

>>FULL STORY:
http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499861

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NEWS TO GO
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Media companies have also been adversely affected by the terrorist attacks.
Knight-Ridder (NYSE: KRI) and Tribune Co. (NYSE: TRB), which teamed up
in August to acquire online job recruitment site Headhunter.NET (Nasdaq: HHNT),
both came out with bad news after the bell yesterday. Knight-Ridder CEO Tony
Ridder says many advertisers pulled ads after the attacks, and, combined with
the increased expenses due to extended coverage of the tragedy, he expects about
a 25% year-over-year drop in earnings per share. Citing the same reasons, Tribune
expects third-quarter and full-year earnings to come in below expectations.
http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499862

The Securities and Exchange Commission says it doesn't yet know if those associated
with last Tuesday's hijackings also exploited the markets in order to profit
from the attacks. The agency says it's "vigorously pursuing all credible leads,"
but wouldn't release any other details.

Networking equipment maker 3Com (Nasdaq: COMS) reported fiscal first-quarter
results that saw revenue fall 58% from the same period last year. The company
also "found opportunities" to reduce staffing by another 1,000 people and expects
to end the quarter with 6,000 workers. It employed 12,000 last November.

The nation's number-two hospital operator, Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC), says
it will top estimates when it releases fiscal first-quarter earnings on Oct.
3. Its expected earnings per share of $0.65 - $0.67 would represent 35-40% growth
over last year.

Rex Moore's mental acuity has shown a 3%-5% year-over-year decrease, though
it's up inconsequentially sequentially. At press time he held no positions in
any of the companies mentioned in this article. The Motley Fool is investors
writing for investors.
http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499863

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POST OF THE DAY
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BIOTECH STOCKS ANYONE?
"I think the safest long term Biotech offerings are the larger pharmaceutical
manufacturers who are very active in R&D and or acquisitions AND are diverse
in their product markets."

>>FULL POST:
http://www.fool.com/m.asp?i=499864

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Make dollar-based investments in the stocks and index
shares you choose for just $3 per transaction.
Or, pay $8 per month for unlimited stock buys.
http://www.lnksrv.com/m.asp?i=499865

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