Also. . .

* Northwest Airlines said it plans to reduce the ground-handling operations it provides for other carriers at Los Angeles International Airport and will eliminate up to 194 jobs. The affected workers include baggage handlers, other ramp workers, customer service agents and aircraft cleaners. They were given the option of relocating to Northwest’s hubs in Minneapolis-St. Paul or Detroit. Northwest employs 730 ground workers at LAX. The ground workers are represented by the International Assn. of Machinists, one of five unions with open contracts at Northwest.

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* Santa Barbara-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. said its $345-million bid for eight bankrupt Philadelphia-area hospitals is in jeopardy after Drexel University decided not to manage an affiliated medical school. Tenet said it will probably petition U.S. Bankruptcy Court to extend the Oct. 21 deadline to complete the purchase of Allegheny Health Education & Research Foundation.