ANGLO-Dutch steelmaker, Corus, yesterday announced a futher 136 jobs are to go as it reorganises its UK Construction and Industrial business. The West Midlands will be worst hit under the latest round of redundancies. A total of 102 people will lose their jobs at the Fir Steel plant at Tipton in the West Midlands.

WAITING GAME: ITV pair Granada and Carlton must wait another two months to discover if their £2.8bn merger can overcome regulatory concerns. Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt has given the Competition Commission a new deadline of August 26 to report on the proposed deal. The extension will allow the body to consider two further remedies that could be implemented if the tie-up is deemed to be against the public interest. Rival broadcasters and advertisers are concerned the pair, who control 52 per cent of the ITV advertising market, would hold too much power if they were allowed to merge their sales operations.

PRODUCT LAUNCH: Computer firm Intellect has launched a product to encourage small and medium enterprises to make greater use of broadband technology. The Hartlepool firm, which re-sells Sage accountancy packages, has designed its Managed Broadband Service to provide Internet and e-mail connection to all PCs within a business. Intellect is giving two presentations discussing Internet security at a seminar being run this week by Middlesbrough-based Internet service provider (ISP) Onyx Internet, at noon and 6pm, at Gisborough Hall, Guisborough, tomorrow.

IIP WIN: A vending machine company is serving up a healthy future for its employees and customers across the North-East after securing Investor In People status. North East Vending Ltd, which has its headquarters at Sunderland and also has a second depot at Middlesbrough, supplies hot and cold drinks and snacks to organisations across the region. The company supplies more than 500 machines to 300 large and small businesses locally.

OFFICE MOVE: One of the world's largest research and solutions groups in health informatics, The Sowerby Centre for Health Informatics (SCHIN), is moving into 10,000sqft offices in Bede House, Newcastle.