Also

* The Justice Department reaffirmed its earlier recommendation that Qwest Communications International Inc. be allowed to sell long-distance services to customers in nine Western states.

* WorldCom Inc. continues to lose money as it struggles to reorganize in Bankruptcy Court. WorldCom reported that it lost $429 million on revenue of $4.46 billion in July and August even as competitor AT&T; Corp. said it’s picking off some of WorldCom’s customers.

* A proposal by the owner of Vlasic pickles to acquire the Claussen brand from Kraft Foods Inc. hit a sour note with the Federal Trade Commission, which voted 5 to 0 to authorize staff to seek a court order against the merger.

* Pfizer Inc. filed patent infringement lawsuits against five rivals -- including Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline and Eli Lilly & Co. -- that are trying to develop drugs that would compete with its impotence drug Viagra.