ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines Inc. is considering making a cash infusion of a couple hundred million dollars to aid struggling Japan Airlines, a person briefed on the talks said yesterday.

In exchange for the infusion, the world's biggest airline operator could get a stake in Japan Airlines, an expanded presence in Japan and coveted access to the closest airport to the Tokyo business center.

The talks between the two carriers were in their preliminary stage, and it was unclear what form a partnership between Delta and Japan Airlines might take, said the person, who asked not to be identified by name because of the sensitivity of the discussions.

A Delta spokesman would not comment. A JAL spokesman said the airline was considering various tie-ups with a variety of potential partners but nothing had been decided.

Japan Airlines already has a codeshare agreement with American Airlines as part of its participation in the oneworld alliance. Delta's SkyTeam alliance currently doesn't have a Japanese partner.

FEDS SEIZE MAJOR CONDO, HOTEL LENDER

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Federal regulators yesterday said they seized Corus Bancshares Inc., a major Chicago-based lender to condominium, office and hotel projects, adding it to the long list of banks that have succumbed this year to the recession and waves of loan defaults.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took over Corus Bank, which had $7 billion in total assets, and its deposits.

The deposits will be assumed by MB Financial Inc., which is also based in Chicago.

The closure of Corus Bank, one of the largest banks to fail this year, will cost the FDIC $1.7 billion.

FEDERAL DEFICIT AT $1.38T AND COUNTING

WASHINGTON — The federal deficit surged higher into record territory in August, hitting $1.38 trillion with one month left in the budget year.

The soaring deficits have raised worries about the willingness of foreigners to keep purchasing Treasury debt. The Chinese, now the largest foreign owners of U.S. Treasury securities, have expressed concerns about runaway deficits.

Administration officials have sought to address those concerns by insisting that once the recession is over and the financial system is stabilized, the administration will move to get the deficits under control.