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2.1 million drop-side cribs are recalled
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2.1 million drop-side cribs are recalled
More than 2.1 million drop-side cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing are being recalled, the biggest crib recall in U.S. history, after reports of four infant suffocations. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the recall involves 1.2 million cribs in the United States and almost 1 million in Canada, where Stork Craft is based. Sales of the cribs being recalled go back to 1993. Nearly 150,000 of the cribs carry the Fisher-Price logo. The commission is urging parents to stop using the cribs until getting a free repair kit -- available at 1-877-274-0277 or www.cpsc.gov.
GM sues, saying supplier steered it wrongGeneral Motors Co. sued a supplier, saying it has spent more than $30 million fixing problems in the steering systems of the Chevrolet Cobalt, its bestselling small car, and other vehicles. GM said customers have complained about unusual rattles, "clunks" and other noises. It pinpointed the flaw to "excessive gear backlash," which causes problems in the steering column when driving on rough roads. The lawsuit names JTEKT North America Inc., based in Plymouth, Mich., and an affiliated company, JTEKT Automotive Virginia Inc. of Daleville, Va. GM said it wants to be paid for replacing thousands of parts under customer warranty claims on the Cobalt, Pursuit, G5, HHR and other cars, starting with 2005 model year. The steering systems are in tens of thousands of GM cars. It is not considered a safety issue, said Alan Adler, a GM spokesman.
Peet's increases offer for Diedrich CoffeePeet's Coffee & Tea Inc. raised its offer to buy Diedrich Coffee Inc. by 24 percent to about $265 million after Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. made a competing bid. Peet's increased its bid to $32 a share in cash and stock from a Nov. 2 offer of $26, according to a statement Monday by the Emeryville, Calif.-based company. Green Mountain, based in Waterbury, Vt., confirmed in a separate statement its offer for $30 a share in cash. The acquisition would give Peet's access to Diedrich's license to make K-Cup brand coffee packets, single servings used with Green Mountain's Keurig brewing equipment.
Corrosion linked to Chinese-made drywallThe federal government said Monday that it has found a "strong association" between problematic imported Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and wires, a conclusion that supports complaints by thousands of homeowners over the past year. In its second report on the potentially defective building materials, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said its investigation also has found a "possible" link between health problems reported by homeowners and higher-than-normal levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the wallboard, coupled with formaldehyde, which is commonly found in new houses. The commission, along with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continues to study potential health effects and long-term implications of the corrosion.
Europe's McDonald's to change color schemeMcDonald's is going green -- swapping its traditional red backdrop for a deep hunter green -- to promote a more eco-friendly image in Europe. About 100 German McDonald's restaurants will make the change by the end of 2009, the company said in a statement Monday. Some franchises in Great Britain and France have already started using the new color scheme behind their Golden Arches. The Oak Brook, Illinois-based burger behemoth has more than 32,000 restaurants in 118 countries.
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