BRIEFCASE GAME FIRM SCORES A DEAL WITH NHL.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

CALABASAS - Video-game manufacturer THQ Inc. on Friday said it has reached an agreement with the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players Association to develop content for wireless devices.

The content will include games and screen savers of NHL players including Steve Yzerman, Mats Sundin and Martin Brodeur.

Calabasas-based THQ said the content will be available by fall 2004.

Shell asked to put off plant closure

In an effort to prevent the closure of Shell Oil Co.'s Bakersfield refinery, Attorney General Bill Lockyer sent a letter to the company Friday, asking it to explore other options.

The refinery, slated for a Sept. 30 closure, produces 2 percent of the state's gasoline and 6 percent of its diesel. In the letter, addressed to Shell President Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, Lockyer asked the company to delay closure until at least Dec. 31, aggressively seek a buyer and pledge to fill any supply gap.

Both Lockyer and the Federal Trade Commission have been looking into Shell's plans to shut down the 72-year-old site.

``Shell is committed to maintain diesel fuel to our contracted parties through the harvest season and beyond,'' said Cameron Smyth, a Shell spokesman. ``But unless we receive a credible offer, the plan remains to close it Sept. 30.''

Lawyers attack investor's case

WILMINGTON, Del. - Lawyers for billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian have failed to prove he was deceived about the merger of DaimlerBenz and Chrysler, DaimlerChrysler attorneys argued in post-trial briefs filed Friday in Kerkorian's lawsuit.

Kerkorian is suing DaimlerChrysler for more than $1 billion, saying DaimlerBenz engineered a takeover of Chrysler Corp. in 1998, then cheated him out of an acquisition fee by saying it was a merger of equals. U.S. District Judge Joseph Farnan Jr., who presided over a bench trial that concluded in February, has given no indication when he will rule.

$1 billion verdict vs. Tyson tossed

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A federal judge threw out a jury's $1.28 billion verdict against the nation's largest beef packer, Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., ruling Friday that it did not illegally manipulate cattle prices.

U.S. Senior District Judge Lyle Strom said the cattlemen who sued the beef division of Tyson Foods failed to produce evidence at trial to support the verdict ``with respect to both liability and damages.''

An attorney for cattlemen said the judge's ruling would be appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

$58 million loss at AT&T Wireless

ATLANTA - AT&T Wireless, which is being sold to rival Cingular Wireless, lost $58 million in the first quarter, blaming high customer turnover and deep discounts offered to new customers.

The results reported Friday amounted to a loss of 2 cents a share for the three months ending March 31, and fell short of Wall Street expectations. It was the second straight quarterly loss.