NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are drifting lower in afternoon trading on Wall Street. Investors are looking at a mix of reports suggesting that the U.S. economy is gaining strength along with a batch of disappointing quarterly earnings and forecasts from companies including Rite Aid, Pier 1 Imports and Coach.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New crime data show Apple’s addition of a “kill switch” to its iPhones last September has sharply reduced robberies and thefts. At the same time, authorities say crimes have surged against people carrying phones without switches intended to make them useless to thieves. A report today says Google and Microsoft will incorporate a kill switch into the next version of their operating systems on smartphones. The three systems — Android, iOS, and Windows Phone — are used in 97 percent of smartphones in the U.S.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A conservation group is challenging a new federal rule that allows wind-energy companies to seek approval to kill or injure eagles for 30 years. The rule extends by 25 years the length of time companies may kill or injure eagles without fear of prosecution. The American Bird Conservancy contends the rule is illegal because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to evaluate the consequences and ensure it would not damage eagle populations. The Obama administration classified it as an administrative change, excluding it from a full environmental review.
NEW YORK (AP) — Kraft is recalling Velveeta cheese from Walmart stores in as many as 12 states, mostly in the Midwest, because the cheese lacks the proper amount of preservatives. Insufficient levels of sorbic acid prompted the recall of 260 cases of Velveeta original pasteurized recipe cheese product. Kraft Foods Group says the cheese was sent to three Walmart distribution centers and could have been shipped to Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Harley-Davidson will unveil its first electric motorcycle next week. It plans to show handmade demonstration models Monday at an invitation-only event in New York. The company will then take several dozen riders on a 30-city tour to test drive the bikes and provide feedback. Harley will use the information it gathers to refine the bike, which might not hit the market for several more years.
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