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MERCK SPENDS $11.5B FOR ACCELERON, POSSIBLE BLOCKBUSTER DRUG

Merck will spend about $11.5 billion to buy Acceleron Pharma and its potential treatment for high blood pressure in vessels that connect the lungs and heart.

BAN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS GOES INTO EFFECT ON FRIDAY

A ban on single-use plastic bags that was originally scheduled to begin on the first of this year will go into effect Friday across Washington state.

AT&T TO REQUIRE VACCINES FOR 90,000 OF ITS UNION WORKERS

AT&T has become one of the largest employers in the U.S. to mandate vaccines for a significant number of frontline workers.

CHINA SAYS ALL CRYPTO TRANSACTIONS ILLEGAL; BITCOIN TUMBLES

China’s central bank declared all transactions involving Bitcoin and other virtual currencies illegal, stepping up a campaign to block use of unofficial digital money.

AMAZON UNVEILS ‘JETSONS'-LIKE ROAMING ROBOT FOR THE HOME

Amazon’s new robot can hear, see and follow you around the home, but its no Rosey the Robot.

Apple, Google Raise New Concerns by Yanking Russian App

Big Tech companies that operate around the globe have long promised to obey local laws and to protect civil rights while doing business.

California 1st to Set Quota Limits for Retailers like Amazon

California became the first state to bar megaretailers from firing warehouse workers for missing quotas that interfere with bathroom and rest breaks under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that grew from Amazon’s drive to speed goods to consumers more quickly.

Apple Won't Let Fortnite Back Until Case Ends

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Fortnite maker Epic Games Inc., said Wednesday it’s been told by Apple that the game will be “blacklisted from the Apple ecosystem” until the companies’ legal case is resolved and all appeals are exhausted, which could take as long as five years.

AT LONG LAST, BALLMER, CLIPPERS BREAK GROUND ON NEW HOME

The design meetings have been going on for years.

DON'T LET SOCIAL SECURITY STEER YOU WRONG

Few retirement decisions are as critical, or as easy to get wrong, as when and how to take your Social Security benefits.

ONE TO CHARGE THEM ALL: EU DEMANDS SINGLE PLUG FOR PHONES

The European Union unveiled plans Thursday to require smartphone makers to adopt a single charging method for mobile devices.

CHINA SETS UP PLATFORM TO POLICE GAMING FIRM VIOLATIONS

Chinese regulators have set up a platform that allows the public to report on gaming companies they believe are violating restrictions on online game times for children.

NETFLIX BUYS WONKA AUTHOR DAHL'S CATALOG

Netflix has acquired the works of Roald Dahl, the late British author of celebrated children’s books such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

CHINA'S ANT GROUP TO SHARE CREDIT DATA WITH CENTRAL BANK

China’s central bank will soon have access to the private credit information of hundreds of millions of users of Ant Group’s online credit service, in a move signaling more regulatory oversight of the financial technology sector.

FACEBOOK OVERSIGHT BOARD REVIEWING ‘XCHECK' SYSTEM FOR VIPS

Facebook’s semi-independent oversight board says it will review the company’s “XCheck,” or cross check, system following an investigation by The Wall Street Journal into the use of this internal system that has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules.

DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats Sue NYC Over Pandemic Fee Caps

Three of the nation’s largest food delivery companies are suing New York City over a limit on fees it put in place during the pandemic to protect restaurants devastated by the forced closure of their dining rooms.

IRELAND INVESTIGATES TIKTOK OVER CHILD, CHINA DATA CONCERNS

TikTok is facing two EU data privacy investigations, one into its handling of children’s personal data and another over its data transfers to China.

TESLA BUILDS 1ST STORE ON TRIBAL LAND, DODGES STATE CAR LAWS

Carmaker Tesla has opened a store and repair shop on Native American land for the first time, marking a new approach to its years-long fight to sell cars directly to consumers and cut car dealerships out of the process.

NUCLEAR SUBMARINE DEAL WILL RESHAPE INDO-PACIFIC RELATIONS

The U.S., Britain and Australia have announced they’re forming a new security alliance that will help equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The alliance will see a reshaping of relations in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Here’s what it might mean for various players:

INTERNET FUNDING RULE COULD FAVOR RURAL AREAS OVER CITIES

Cities and urban counties across the U.S. are raising concerns that a recent rule from President Joe Biden’s administration could preclude them from tapping into $350 billion of coronavirus relief aid to expand high-speed internet connections.

EPIC GAMES APPEALS RULING IN LAWSUIT ALLEGING APPLE MONOPOLY

Epic Games filed notice that is appealing a federal judge’s decision in a lawsuit alleging that Apple has been running an illegal monopoly that stifles competition.

COURT REJECTS LAWSUIT AGAINST NSA ON “STATE SECRETS” GROUNDS

A divided federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of an ACLU lawsuit challenging a portion of the National Security Agency’s warrantless surveillance of Americans’ international email and phone communications.

BLOWERS, MOWERS AND MORE: AMERICAN YARDS QUIETLY GO ELECTRIC

For Jared Anderman, of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, switching from gasoline-powered tools to electric ones for lawn care was a no-brainer.

AMERICANS HAVE LITTLE TRUST IN ONLINE SECURITY

Most Americans don’t believe their personal information is secure online and aren’t satisfied with the federal government’s efforts to protect it, according to a poll.

3 FORMER US OFFICIALS CHARGED IN UAE HACKING SCHEME

Three former U.S. intelligence and military officials have admitted providing sophisticated computer hacking technology to the United Arab Emirates and agreed to pay nearly $1.7 million to resolve criminal charges in an agreement that the Justice Department described as the first of its kind.

WHAT IS APPLE DOING WITH ITS APP STORE?

Over the past week or so, Apple has eased some longstanding restrictions that helped make its App Store into a big moneymaker for the company. The company has long required app developers to pay high commissions to Apple on the sales of paid apps as well as purchases of subscriptions or digital items inside their apps.

DO WE NEED HUMANS FOR THAT JOB? AUTOMATION BOOMS AFTER COVID

Ask for a roast beef sandwich at an Arby’s drive-thru east of Los Angeles and you may be talking to Tori — an artificially intelligent voice assistant that will take your order and send it to the line cooks.

FORD HIRES EXEC FORMERLY IN CHARGE OF APPLE'S CAR PROJECT

Ford Motor Co. has hired a former executive from Apple and Tesla to be the company’s head of advanced technology and new embedded systems, a critical post as the auto industry moves to adopt vehicles powered by electricity and guided by computers.

COLLECTIBLE PRICES SKYROCKET, TO THE DISMAY OF HOBBYISTS

Americans have become obsessed with collectibles, bidding up prices for trading cards, video games and other mementos of their youth. The frenzy has brought small fortunes to some, but a deep frustration for those who still love to play games or trade cards as a hobby.

UNTIL 2023? PARTS SHORTAGE WILL KEEP AUTO PRICES SKY-HIGHMONEY

Back in the spring, a shortage of computer chips that had sent auto prices soaring appeared, finally, to be easing. Some relief for consumers seemed to be in sight.