IN BRIEF

Groups start petition drives to push for gambling in Michigan

Add Michigan to the growing list of states looking at gaming expansion as a means to grow statewide revenues.

Two groups -- "Michigan is Yours" and "Racing to Save Michigan" -- have launched petition drives to place initiatives on November's ballot that would allow new casinos in the state.

Each group needs to collect 386,000 signatures by July 5.

Michigan already has three casinos in Detroit and several Indian casinos.

"Racing to Save Michigan" proposes to add three new casinos around the state and add casino gaming to Michigan's five licensed racetracks.

The competing "Michigan is Yours" seeks to put seven casinos in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Benton Harbor, Muskegon, Port Huron and at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The group also wants to allow sports betting at all new casinos.

The racetrack proposal calls for a 30 percent gaming tax. The "Michigan is Yours" proposal is asking for a 19 percent gaming tax on the new casinos.

SAN FRANCISCO

New iPhone will have thinner body, hardier battery life

The next iPhone comes out June 24 and will have a higher-resolution screen, longer battery life and thinner design.

CEO Steve Jobs opened Apple Inc.'s annual conference for software developers Monday by demonstrating the iPhone 4, which will cost $199 or $299 in the U.S. with a two-year AT&T contract, depending on the capacity. The iPhone 3GS, which debuted last year, will still be available, for $99.

The iPhone 4 is sleeker and more advanced than the original iPhone that came out in 2007.

It is about three-eighths of an inch thick; the iPhone 3GS is nearly half an inch. It can shoot high-definition video, catching up to some other smart phones. It has a gyroscope in addition to other sensors, to enable more advanced motion-sensing applications, such as games and mapping services.

The display on the iPhone remains 3.5 inches diagonally.

One of the most noticeable changes is the iPhone's new camera on the front that can be used for videoconferencing, in addition to a five-megapixel camera and a flash on the back.

NEW YORK

Walgreen to cut ties with rival's benefits-management business

Drugstore chain Walgreen Co. said Monday it will end its relationship with competitor CVS Caremark's pharmacy benefits-management business because of complaints about prices and policies designed to drive customers toward CVS stores.

The decision doesn't affect current Caremark plans, but if Walgreen stands by its decision, it won't handle any Caremark-managed prescriptions in about three years. Walgreen said it will not participate in plans that are awarded to Caremark or contracts renewed with Caremark starting Monday.

Walgreen said it gets about 7 percent of its annual sales from Caremark plans. That share amounted to about $4.5 billion in fiscal 2009.

CVS said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the decision.

WASHINGTON

Bank of America will pay
$108 million to settle charges

Bank of America will pay $108 million to settle federal charges that Countrywide Financial Corp., which it acquired nearly two years ago, collected outsized fees from borrowers facing foreclosure.

The settlement, which seeks to refund money to about 200,000 borrowers, was announced Monday by the Federal Trade Commission. It is the largest mortgage industry settlement for the agency, which oversees nonbanking functions such as debt collection.

The FTC's chairman, Jon Leibowitz, accused Countrywide of "callous conduct, which took advantage of consumers already at the end of their financial rope."

Bank of America bought Countrywide in July 2008. The actions in the case took place before the acquisition.

With new antenna system, CityCenter goes big-time Wi-Fi

A Texas company has deployed North America's largest distributed antenna system at CityCenter, which gives the Strip development more than 13.5 million square feet of wireless technology.

InnerWireless of Richardson, Texas, said the system ensures wireless connectivity for public safety personnel, as well as unlimited wireless coverage for its guests in hotel rooms, hotel hallways and in public areas such as lobbies and showrooms.

The $8.5 billion CityCenter, which opened in December, is operated by MGM Mirage and includes the 4,004-room Aria, the nongaming Mandarin Oriental and Vdara hotels, the all-residential Veer Towers and the Crystals retail, entertainment and dining district.