NATION

NATION

Chrysler announces it will cut 1,000 jobs

DETROIT — Chrysler LLC said Wednesday it will cut 1,000 salaried jobs worldwide by Sept. 30 as it tries to return to profitability amid a severe downturn in U.S. sales.

The automaker announced the cuts in a letter to employees. Chrysler spokesman David Elshoff said the company hopes most of the cuts will be accomplished through early retirements, attrition and voluntary separation programs, but he said involuntary layoffs will be considered if the company fails to meet its targets.

The cuts come on top of 3,000 white-collar cuts made in 2007.

OHIO

American Greetings to sell rights to kids’ icons

CLEVELAND — Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears are moving to Canada.

Greeting card maker American Greetings Corp. announced Wednesday that it will sell the properties to Cookie Jar Entertainment of Toronto for $195 million. Cookie Jar produces children’s entertainment and educational materials.

American Greetings will have greeting card licensing rights to Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears for 10 years. Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears were reintroduced in 2002 and have since generated more than $5 billion in combined licensed retail sales.

Associated Press