(Image Courtesy: MGN Online / U.S. Navy)

NEW YORK (AP) — The cruise industry is announcing the adoption of a passenger bill of rights.

The Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 25 major cruise companies, says the bill of rights demonstrates the industry’s commitment to “the safety, comfort and care of guests in a number of important areas.”

The announcement was made in the aftermath of the Carnival Triumph debacle. The ship drifted for several days earlier this year without power as passengers endured filthy conditions.

The bill guarantees among other things passengers’ rights to “an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure” on a ship, and “the right to transportation” to the ship’s last scheduled port or the passenger’s home city if a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

WEST SPRINGFIELD (WGGB) — Another push against texting and driving tonight – as major wireless companies announce a collaborative advertising campaign called ‘It Can Wait’.

Locally, West Springfield High School has a weeklong push against distracted driving, especially with the prom this Friday night.

A demonstration car was parked outside all day with about 150 students waiting to get behind the wheel.   The vehicle is outfitted with a virtual simulator to show students the dangers of distracted driving without actually driving.

“I think it really can give them that feeling of – in a safe way – of knowing what it’s like,” said West Springfield High School teacher, Karen Cousland. “You really do feel like you’re driving off the road and you’re losing control.”

The simulator isn’t anything new and neither are TV spots warning against texting and driving.

But starting this summer, the big 4 wireless carriers: AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile are teaming up to back a multi-million dollar ad campaign against texting and driving – and that is new.

Not only because they’re all rivals, but because the companies are urging people ‘not’ to use their products.

It’s called, “It Can Wait”, but can it work?

Many of the students we spoke to say the danger of distracted driving was driven home for them when they got behind the wheel, not necessarily by anything they read or watched.

It’s a physical experience – something these students don’t just see, they feel – and that’s just not possible in an ad.

“Some people don’t take posters serious or a commercials serious but if you get in there and you actually crash and see how it can really affect you, it’s more realistic,” said senior Riyadh Asad.

That’s why Cousland says the phone company’s efforts are good… but for her students – the demonstrations are better.

“I think that they need to go thru and see what it really is like.”

Cousland says they’re also trying to cut down on texting and driving amongst students by offering some of the same advice  given to fight drinking and driving.

She says she tells students to make one person in the car the designated texter.

NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft says a planned update to its Windows 8 operating system will be made available for free later this year.

The update is meant to address complaints and confusion that have been blamed for deepening a slump in personal computer sales. Microsoft isn’t saying what kind of changes will be introduced with the release of the new system, though Microsoft plans to make a preview version available next month. The release of the final version is expected in time for the holiday season.

Microsoft Corp. announced the update last week, but wouldn’t say at the time whether consumers would have to pay for it.

Codenamed Blue, the update now has an official moniker: Windows 8.1.

Microsoft made the announcement at an investors conference in Boston on Tuesday.

(WGGB) — Here comes the bride…and the bills. It’s not just the happy couple that has to worry about the cost of weddings.

Guests are often asked to shell out big bucks just for the honor of attending.

When wedding guests receive an invitation, they’re excited for the happy couple, but might be concerned about the costs.

The latest American Express spending and saving tracker survey found 30 percent of adults will be attending one or more weddings this year. That means one or more occasions for celebrating and spending.

Wedding guests are planning to spend an average of $539 per wedding.

That’s up 59% from last year.

A majority of out of pocket costs will go towards travel, attire, and of course, a gift, but there are a few things you can do to cut down on the cost of being a guest.

Consider driving to the destination, rather than flying. It may cost you more time, but could save you some cash.
If you have friends of family in the area, skip the hotel and crash on a couch.
When travel busts your budget, don’t be afraid to give a less-expensive or possibly even homemade gift. Keep in mind, you don’t have to give a gift right away.

The etiquette experts at Emily Post say while before or on the big day is best, late is better than never.

Others, including TheKnot.com, say it’s okay to send a gift up to a year later.

And don’t be afraid to say “no”. If attending a wedding is going to be too much of a financial burden, just send a thoughtful gift along with your regrets.

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that the engines in three Chrysler models can stall without warning.

The probe covers more than 192,000 Chrysler 300C luxury cars, Dodge Charger muscle cars and Dodge Magnum wagons from the 2006 model year. The cars have 5.7-liter or 6.1-liter V-8 engines.

The agency says it has 54 complaints from owners that engines stalled while the cars were being driven. In all cases the stalling happened after the cars were refueled. Forty-eight of the owners said they had several stalling incidents, and seven said they had trouble restarting the cars.

The agency says the number of complaints has increased, with half coming in the last eight months.

Investigators will check how often the problem happens and determine if a recall is needed.

By BRETT BARROUQUERE, Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge approved a $40 million class-action settlement Monday between Skechers USA Inc. and consumers who bought toning shoes after ads made unfounded claims that the footwear would help people lose weight and strengthen muscles.

U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell in Louisville approved the deal, which covers more than 520,000 claims. About 1,000 people eligible for coverage by the settlement opted not to take part.

Those with approved claims will be able to get a maximum repayment for their purchase — up to $80 per pair of Shape-Ups; $84 per pair of Resistance Runner shoes; up to $54 per pair of Podded Sole Shoes; and $40 per pair of Tone-Ups.

Russell also awarded $5 million for the attorneys in the case to split. Russell ordered that the money cannot come from the $40 million settlement fund set aside for consumers.

Two people that served as the lead plaintiffs in the case will receive payments of $2,500 each.

Russell considered multiple factors in deciding to approve the settlement and found it provides just compensation to the plaintiffs.

“Accordingly, the court finds that the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate,” Russell wrote.

The approval comes a year after Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Skechers reached a deal with the Federal Trade Commission over the ads. The settlement covers more than 70 lawsuits from across the country. The lawsuits were consolidated in federal court in Louisville. Skechers denied the allegations but said it settled to avoid long litigation.

The settlement grew out of a series of ads Skechers aired featuring celebrity endorsers such as Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke, with claims that the shoes could help people lose weight and strengthen their butt, leg and stomach muscles.

Skechers billed its Shape-ups as a fitness tool designed to promote weight loss and tone muscles with the shoe’s curved “rocker” or rolling bottom — saying it provides natural instability and causes the consumer to “use more energy with every step.” Shape-ups cost about $100 and are sold at retailers nationwide.

Ads for the Resistance Runner shoes claimed people who wear them could increase “muscle activation” by up to 85 percent for posture-related muscles and 71 percent for one of the muscles in the buttocks.

Eleven people filed objections to the settlement, ranging from people seeking the full purchase price of their shoes in return to one person saying the settlement would preclude him from seeking damages on his own.

The judge rejected those arguments.

Should claims not consume the entire $40 million settlement, Russell ordered the remaining money to go to the Federal Trade Commission.

A settlement with the FTC bars Skechers from running the ads in the future.

The agency settled similar charges with Reebok last year over its EasyTone walking shoes and RunTone running shoes. That $25 million agreement also provided customer refunds.

——

Follow Associated Press reporter Brett Barrouquere on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBarrouquereAP

LITTLE CHUTE, Wis. (WGGB/AP) — Nestle Pizza Co. of Little Chute is recalling four frozen-pizza products that might be contaminated with plastic fragments.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the following products are subject to recall:

• California Pizza Kitchen Limited Edition Grilled Chicken with Cabernet Sauce: UPC 71921-00781; production code of 3059525952.
• DiGiorno Crispy Flatbread Pizza Tuscan Style Chicken: UPC 71921-02663; production codes of 3057525922 and 3058525921.
• DiGiorno pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza: UPC 71921-91484; production code of 3068525951.
• California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust White: UPC 71921-98745; production codes of 3062525951, 3062525952 and 3063525951.

The USDA says one consumer reported a chipped tooth after biting into one of the California Pizza Kitchen products. The problem was apparently related to the spinach in the pizza, so the company is recalling other pizza products that used the same lot of spinach.

All the pizzas were made in February and March of this year.

The fragments are of clear, brittle plastic with sharp edges.

Consumers can contact Nestlé USA Consumer Services at 800-456-4394 Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET and Sat. May 4 from 12:00 to 8:00 p.m., or e-mail.

Nestle says that they will provide a replacement coupon to reporting customers and may make arrangements to retrieve the pizza for further examination.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

(CNN) — Whether you are headed to the beach, the mountains, or maybe a national park, if you are renting a house or a condo, instead of staying at a hotel, experts say that doing so can be a big budget saver if you are going with a group.

However, how and where you find that rental can be the most important decision.

CNN’s Elizabeth Corridan has more in today’s Consumer Watch.

by PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are saying goodbye to text messaging, a wireless industry group says, as Internet-based applications such as Apple’s Messages are starting to taking over from what was once a cash cow for phone companies.

CTIA — The Wireless Association says Americans sent 2.2 trillion text messages last year, down 5 percent from 2011. That’s still 19 text messages per person per day.

Text messages vaulted into the mainstream in 2007, despite often costing 10 cents each. Costs came down quickly as phone companies started selling monthly “bundles” of texts.

Now, many phone companies give text messaging away for free as part of a plan that mainly meters data used.

That has helped stave off mass migration to Internet chat applications and Facebook messaging, but texting is still declining in popularity.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

(CNN) — Memorial day is a month away. Millions of Americans will be taking to the skies for the long weekend, but you may not get the deals you’ve been looking for this season.

Your flight to Miami this Memorial Day weekend won’t be much cheaper than last year.

New data from Travelocity shows the average domestic round trip flight between May 23 and 28 is about $341, down only two percent from last year.

That works out to just a $6 difference.

It may not seem like much of a drop in price, but analysts say any decline should be a welcome sign for travelers.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer travel season, so fares usually start to rise around that time.

But this year, experts say demand has been weak, so carriers have cut their prices.

Even though you may not find the amazing airfare deals you were hoping for, airline experts still have some tips to save you some money.

Analysts say you should book your trip ahead of time.

History shows that prices tend to go up $10 to $25 each week leading up to Memorial Day, but if you wait up until the week before you travel to buy your ticket, experts recommend taking advantage of last minute deals, or even bundling your flight and hotel together.

Also consider the days you travel. Extending your trip may cost you a little less than going on the typical Friday to Sunday vacation.

Leaving Tuesday or Wednesday, instead of Thursday or Friday, could lower your ticket by 15 percent, and if you still haven’t figured out your Memorial Day destination yet, here are some options to consider: Flights to D.C. and chicago have seen the biggest drops in the last year. Airfares to D.C. are down 6 percent while Chicago’s has dropped by 3 percent.

By JOSHUA FREED, AP Airlines Writer

Frontier Airlines is adding a fee for carry-on bags, and plans to start charging $2 for soda and coffee.

The new carry-on fee announced Wednesday will be $25 if paid in advance, and $100 if paid at the gate. It applies to bags in the overhead bin, so small bags under the seat will still be free.

Passengers who buy their tickets on the airline’s website won’t have to pay.

Frontier says the new fee will take effect this summer, and it will announce a specific date later.

The new drink fee begins July 1. Water will still be free.

Spirit Airlines Inc. began charging a carry-on fee three years ago.

Frontier’s parent, Republic Airways Holdings Inc., is trying to fix Frontier’s finances and sell it.

(WGGB) — The maker of Orville Redenbacher popcorn has issued a voluntary recall after some packages of ready-to-eat kettle corn may have an undeclared allergen.

ConAgra Foods says that certain bags of their “Orville Redenbacher Classic Kettle Korn Ready-to-Eat Popcorn” may have been inadvertently filled with white cheddar popcorn, which contains milk, an allergen that is not declared on the kettle corn packaging.

The problem was discovered when a customer found white cheddar flavored popcorn in a kettle corn package and contacted the company.

Those who have an allergy or sensitivity to milk may have a serious or life-threatening reaction if they were to eat the white cheddar popcorn.

No illnesses have been reported.

The product was sold in 5 ounce and 1.5 ounce red bags, and is limited to the following UPC’s and item codes below:

• Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn 5.0-ounce packages

Case UPC: 27000 52321
Unit UPC: 0 27000 52321 6
Lot Codes: 5486234100, 5486234200, 5486234300
Best By Dates: SEP 02 2013, SEP 03 2013, SEP 04 2013

• Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn 1.5-ounce packages
  Case UPC: 27000 52325
  Unit UPC: 0 27000 52325 4
  Lot Codes: 5486234200, 5486234300
  Best By Dates: SEP 03 2013, SEP 04 2013

If you have some of the product, you are urged to just toss it in the trash. Customers who may have questions about the recall or would like to receive a replacement product may call (866) 518-4177, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Complete information on the recall can be found here.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is trying to upstage Siri, the sometimes droll assistant that answers questions and helps people manage their lives on Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

The duel begins Monday with the release of a free iPhone and iPad app that features Google Now, a technology that performs many of the same functions as Siri.

It’s the first time that Google Now has been available on devices that aren’t running on the latest version of Google Inc.’s Android software. The 9-month-old technology is part of an upgrade to Google’s search application for iOS, the Apple Inc. software that powers the iPhone and iPad.

Google Now’s invasion of Siri’s turf marks Google Inc.’s latest attempt to lure iPhone and iPad users away from a service that Apple built into its own devices.

DETROIT (AP) — Subaru is recalling just over 10,000 of its 2014 Forester wagons because the floor mats can interfere with the clutch, brake or gas pedals.

The recall affects Foresters made from January 2013 through March. The company says the floor mats can curl when exposed to heat.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the mats could distract the driver or interfere with operation of the car.

Subaru traced the problem to improperly manufactured backing on the mats.

Dealers will replace all four mats free of charge. It will begin notifying owners in April.

Nissan Motor Co. is recalling 123,308 Altima sedans because their spare tires may be over- or under-inflated.

Altimas from the 2013 model year that were made between March 21 and March 26 are affected.

Tires that are significantly over- or underinflated can increase the risk of a crash. Nissan says it has no reports of accidents or injuries related to the defect, which was discovered by a dealer.

Nissan blamed the issue on a malfunctioning pressure regulator at its Canton, Miss., plant. That equipment has since been repaired.

The company will notify owners starting May 3. Dealers will inspect spare tires and adjust the tire pressure for free.

Honda is recalling nearly 46,000 Fit Sport small cars in the U.S. and Canada to fix a problem with the electronic stability control system.

The recall affects cars from the 2012 and 2013 model years. Honda says the stability control system can let the car tilt too far before it applies the brakes to prevent a crash.

The defect was discovered in government testing of models with a particular type of tires. Honda says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries from the problem.

Honda dealers will update the system’s software free of charge. Owners will be notified starting in mid-May.

(CNN) — Is your Facebook password the same as the one for your Twitter account? You could be asking for trouble. Some recent high-profile Twitter hacks serve as good reminders that both prominent and everyday social media users have to take precautions.

Not everyone has millions of Twitter followers, and not everyone’s tweets or hacked Twitter accounts can move markets.

Still, any user can take basic precautions to protect social media passwords, to avoid ugly hacks and stolen personal information, not to mention sparing followers and friends from spam.

First, don’t be lazy about passwords. Have a different one for each social media account. That way, if hackers get into one platform, they can’t get access to all of them.

If it’s too tough to memorize all of those number, letter and symbol combinations, consider an app that can manage them like “One Password” for Apple, Android and Windows, or “One Safe” for Apple products.

One of the sneakiest hacker tricks of late: those direct messages or Twitter mentions that appear to be from a connection, and ask things like, “Hey, is this you in this picture?”

It’s not, but it’s tempting to click on the accompanying link and when users do, suddenly, a hacker can have entry.

And if you’ve simply stopped using an online platform, account or service, delete it completely. Fewer passwords mean fewer opportunities to get hacked.

(CNN) — Spring has sprung across much of the country and the ground is beginning to thaw. That means it’s time to get outdoors and start thinking about your lawn and garden.

However, before you start digging and planting, get a “green” plan. It will be better for the environment and your wallet.

Going green in your yard or garden isn’t just good for the environment. It can be good for your household budget too.

Try some of these tips from the experts at the EPA and the National Gardening Association.

• Start a compost pile – Food scraps can breakdown into an organic nutrient-rich matter that will turn ordinary soil into a gardener’s dream. You won’t need to buy as much fertilizer, cutting down on your costs and the chemicals you introduce into the environment.
• Be a conscientious waterer – You don’t want to drench your lawn and garden. It’s not good for the plants, and it’s not good for your water bill. Water early in the morning to prevent too much evaporation. You can collect rain water runoff, or redirect downspouts into your garden or a retaining area.
• Grow your own food – Homegrown fruits, veggies and herbs won’t just save you money on your grocery bill. They will also cut down on your carbon footprint because you won’t be buying goods that took a long gasoline-fueled trip to your local grocery store.
• Make it a community project – Getting neighbors involved to beautify and landscape communal areas will make for a more pleasant living environment and could boost your home’s curb appeal to prospective buyers.

So roll up your sleeves and grab a shovel. Make this the year you earn your green thumb.

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — When Apple launched its iTunes music store a decade ago amid the ashes of Napster, the music industry – reeling from the effects of online piracy – was anxious to see how the new music service would shake out.

“The sky was falling, and iTunes provided a place where we were going to monetize music and in theory stem the tide of piracy. So, it was certainly a solution for the time,” said Michael McDonald, who co-founded ATO Records with Dave Matthews and whose Mick Management roster includes John Mayer and Ray LaMontagne.

The iTunes music store became much more than a solution; it changed how we consume music and access entertainment. It’s not only music’s biggest retailer, it also dominates the digital video market, capturing 67 percent of the TV show sale market and 65 percent of the movie sale market, according to information company NPD group. Its apps are the most profitable, it has expanded to books and magazines, and it is now available in 119 countries. This week, iTunes posted a record $2.4 billion in revenue in first-quarter earnings.

“They revolutionized the retail landscape by making a truly interactive and very user-friendly space and platform, and they managed to do it by keeping a great music experience attached to what was very difficult technology,” said Scott Borchetta, head of Big Machine Records, home to Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts. “They made it very easy to buy music digitally, and that’s why I think they’ve run so quickly in the lead for that space and continue to dominate the space.”

But as iTunes celebrates its 10-year mark Sunday, it faces renewed scrutiny on how it will continue to dominate in the next decade – or whether it can. With competition from subscription services like Spotify and other services like Amazon.com, Netflix, Hulu and others, iTunes will likely need to reinvent itself to remain at the top of the digital entertainment perch.

Apple Inc.’s Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Internet software and services, refused to comment on reports that the company will launch a radio service or some other service to compete with Spotify.

“We’ve been able to add and expand and do a lot of things to make the product even that much better,” said Cue, who was integral to the creation of iTunes. “Why it’s going to be great for the next 10 years is because people still want access and want more of what’s available today.”

At first only available to Mac users, iTunes debuted two years after Apple’s groundbreaking iPod. With a catalog of 200,000 songs – compared with tens and tens of millions of songs available today – iTunes entered an industry being upended by illegal downloading yet still skeptical of the new music store.

There were more than grumbles when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs set parameters making all songs available at a cap of 99 cents (today, songs can cost up to $1.29) and giving listeners more control of what they could do with music collection in terms of portability and ownership.

“In the case of the labels, we felt and we were able to convince them that we had a business proposition that would be better for them in the long term, and gave them an opportunity to compete with piracy,” Cue recalled.

“So our message to them was the only way to beat piracy wasn’t lawsuits or TV ads or anything, but to actually offer what was available through piracy and people would actually pay for it if you did that. So we had to get them to all agree. As part of that, you had to get them to agree to all of the same rights.”

Some in the industry grumbled about having to accept Jobs’ rules; some still do (while digital sales rise, album sales have decreased and the industry’s profits have continued to drop over the decade).

“To me, it’s been one of the biggest assets to the music business in the last 10 years, but you’ll hear from the labels that Steve Jobs ruined the music business,” McDonald said.

“But to me, it’s allowed a place to expose artists who are gaining popularity in all genres, and although it has impacted the album sales, I think it has become a real barometer of what’s good and what’s popular,” he said. “Singles artists aren’t selling albums. Well, they never should have. But album artists continue to sell albums. If anything, it’s given a revenue stream to what would have been the Wild West.”

Lady Antebellum’s entire career has been in the iTunes era, and it’s a key part of their sales. “We found out that … just around 20 percent of our sales is iTunes,” said Charles Kelley. “iTunes is just something we’ve always embraced.”

iTunes “changed the music industry completely” and “gave people the power as opposed to record companies the power, in a way,” said singer-actress Jennifer Lopez.

“It has its pros and cons, I think, for artists,” she said. “I’m an artist, so I look at it from an artist point of view. But we’re in a new age. It’s like anything else. You’ve got to accept it.”

That new age includes the growing popularity of services like Spotify and Rdio, where listeners can stream music for free and can pay a set price to listen and collect songs. Industry watchers have heard rumors that an iRadio could be launched that would be something like Pandora, the popular Internet radio site.

“We don’t know all the specifics of what it might be and when it might come, but what we’ve heard so far, it will compete with those other online services,” Borchetta said.

Cue refused to comment on the speculation. He said users still favor the iTunes model compared with subscription services.

“(A premium subscription) costs $10 a month, that’s $120 a year, and most average music customers don’t spend that kind of money,” he said. “If you buy it on ownership, you own it, and a subscription model, your subscription never ends if you want to keep listening to it, so you’re paying that $10 or more for life.

“If you’re starting your music collection from existing songs, which a lot of us already have from that standpoint, you’re looking to acquire new songs, even today, at 99 cents or $1.29, or $9.99 or $7.99 for an album, it is very economical and a better value for subscription music.”

McDonald believes subscription services may become the standard.

“My generation and probably the generation after me still have this idea of ownership and pride in what we own in a record collection, and I think we always thought it spoke to who we are. I think the younger generations, and certainly the ones coming up, the idea of ownership in the way that we thought about it is irrelevant, and I think they’re just consuming content, and that’s not better or worse,” he said. “So in that way, the subscription models are going to make more sense.”

But he doesn’t count Apple out in that future: “It may be that Apple and iTunes are going to create the best user space to own that space as well.”

—

AP Entertainment Writer Lynn Elber contributed to this report.

—

Follow Nekesa Mumbi Moody at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi

© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

(CNN) — Chances are it’s the most expensive thing you own: your home, and if you’ve purchased or renewed homeowners insurance recently, you’ve probably noticed a few changes when it comes to cost and coverage.

It now costs an average of $1,000 a year to insure your home. That’s up 69% over the past decade.

Mother Nature’s unpredictability is partially to blame for your higher bill and deductible. Insurance companies say their average payouts have doubled and that’s squeezing profits.

So to bridge the gap in some cases, they’re changing the fine print in policies.

If you’re not careful, you could end up paying more for less coverage than you think.

If you haven’t reviewed your policy recently, pull it out, or get your agent on the phone.

The key is being informed.

• Know how much your home is worth. You can’t buy the right amount of coverage, if you don’t know the value of what you’re insuring.
• Know exactly what you’re buying, what it covers and what the restrictions are. Keep in mind some basic policies won’t entirely replace a home. More importantly, you don’t want any surprises if the time comes to make a claim.
• Don’t buy based solely on a quote. The lowest priced policy may not be worth it if the company doesn’t have a good track record with clients.
• Remember to ask for discounts for anything you’ve done to reduce your risk.

If you decide you’re not satisfied, shop around.

Don’t wait until disaster leaves you with a huge home headache before you realize your homeowners insurance policy isn’t the right fit.

NEW YORK (AP) — Google’s mail and application services are unavailable to some users. The company says it’s investigating the problems, but doesn’t know their cause.

Google’s apps status dashboard shows that its Mail, Drive file storage service and office-application services are “disrupted.” Its administrator control panel, which lets companies manage their Google applications, is completely down.

The disruptions started affecting people worldwide around 8 a.m. Eastern time.

Google Inc. says it’s “working hard to restore normal operation.”

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler is recalling about 30,000 small SUVs because a faulty hose inside the gas tank can cause them to run out of fuel.

The recall affects Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass four-wheel-drive vehicles from the 2012 model year. If they run out of gas, the engines can stall.

Chrysler says it’s aware of one crash but no injuries or fires due to the problem.

The company says the SUVs have saddle-style gas tanks that go around the rear drive shaft. Fuel is pumped from one side of the tank to the other through a hose. But Chrysler says some of the hoses weren’t formed right in manufacturing, and they can stop the flow of gas.

Dealers will replace the hoses free of charge. Owners will be notified starting next month.