Business

Politico reports: Airbnb announced Wednesday that it would cancel all reservations in the Washington, D.C., area during the week of Joe Biden’s inauguration to discourage guests from traveling to the nation’s capital. The popular home rental company said in a statement that it would also take action to block any new reservations from being made in the area. Guests who …

The Associated Press reports: New York City will terminate business contracts with President Donald Trump after last week’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. The Trump Organization is under city contract to operate the two ice rinks and a carousel in Central Park as well as a golf course in the Bronx. The Trump Organization …

Deadline reports: CNN will cease its Airport Network, which provided news feeds to airport monitors across the country. CNN President Jeff Zucker wrote in a memo that the network would cease as of March 31. “The steep decline in airport traffic because of COVID-19, coupled with all the new ways that people are consuming content on their personal devices, has …

From Yelp’s corporate blog: As consumers look for ways to continue supporting their favorite local businesses, their personal health and safety remains a critical part of the decision making process. And for businesses, we know it’s especially important to efficiently communicate their current service offerings and health and safety practices to customers — in fact, we saw consumer interest increase …

From the Orange County Board of Supervisors: In a vital step to help battle the spread of COVID-19, the County of Orange has established the first large Point-of-Dispensing (POD) site to provide COVID-19 vaccines to residents at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. “The Disneyland Resort, the largest employer in the heart of Orange County, has stepped up to host the county’s …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. is expected to announce Gina M. Raimondo, the governor of Rhode Island, as his commerce secretary, a key economic position given the agency’s critical role in everything from technology policy to climate change to promoting American industry, according to a person familiar with the decision. Ms. Raimondo, a moderate Democrat …

The Verge reports: Boston Dynamics’ Atlas and Spot robots can do a lot of things: sprinting, gymnastic routines, parkour, backflips, open doors to let in an army of their friends, wash dishes, and (poorly) get actual jobs. But the company’s latest video adds another impressive trick to our future robotic overlords’ repertoire: busting sick dance moves. The video sees Boston …

The New York Times reports: For more than half a century, New Yorkers have trudged through the crammed platforms, dark hallways and oppressively low ceilings of Pennsylvania Station, the busiest and perhaps most miserable train hub in North America. Entombed beneath Madison Square Garden, the station served 650,000 riders each weekday before the pandemic, or three times the number it …

The New York Times reports: Pierre Cardin, the visionary designer and licensing pioneer who invented the business of fashion as it is conducted today, has died. He was 98. His death was confirmed on Tuesday by the French Academy of Fine Arts. He died at the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, just outside Paris, his family said. He clothed the famous …

Via press release from the DOJ: In a civil complaint filed today, the Department of Justice has alleged that Walmart Inc. unlawfully dispensed controlled substances from pharmacies it operated across the country and unlawfully distributed controlled substances to those pharmacies throughout the height of the prescription opioid crisis. The complaint alleges that this unlawful conduct resulted in hundreds of thousands …

The Washington Post reports: Companies across America — from Amazon and Uber to railroads and meatpacking plants — are lobbying states and the federal government to prioritize their workers for early immunization against the coronavirus amid limited supplies of the vaccine. After front-line health-care workers and elderly people in nursing homes and assisted-living centers are immunized, the government within two …

CNBC reports: Apple has temporarily closed all 53 of its retail stores in California after the number of coronavirus cases reached new daily records in its home state this week. A listing of stores on the phone maker’s website reflects the change, which does not affect bordering states Arizona and Nevada. The move shows how a major technology company is …

The Verge reports: This week, United Airlines pledged to completely eliminate its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To make good on that promise, the company says it will invest in emerging technologies that capture planet-heating carbon dioxide from the air. It also plans to continue powering its flights with sustainable aviation fuel. United is the latest airline to respond to …

USA Today reports: Disney World will no longer be digitally adding face masks onto guests’ faces in ride photos, the company said. Florida’s Disney World reopened with new COVID-19 restrictions in July, one of which included wearing a face covering at all times except while eating or swimming. Park visitors who chose to not wear a mask while riding on …

The Associated Press reports: A number of retailers, including J.C. Penney, Lowe’s and Kohl’s, are telling shoppers they need to place their online orders soon or else pay expedited shipping fees if they want to get their packages delivered in time for the holidays. The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating a …

The Texas Tribune reports: Las Vegas Sands, among the world’s largest gaming companies, has set its sights on legalizing casinos in the state with a stable of high-powered lobbyists for the upcoming legislative session — and on Tuesday, a public acknowledgment of its ambitions. “Texas is considered the biggest plum still waiting to be out there in the history of …

The Verge reports: Uber sent letters today to every US governor asking that their drivers and delivery people be classified as essential workers and given prioritized access to COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC has recommended the first batch of vaccines go to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, with essential workers — including those in transportation — following …

Reuters reports: Walmart Inc said on Thursday it was entering into agreements with U.S. states to administer COVID-19 vaccine to the public once it was approved for use. The retailer said it was preparing over 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies with freezers and dry ice to handle storage requirements for the vaccine doses. Walmart is preparing its 5,000 pharmacies …

The Wall Street Journal reports: The Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general sued Facebook Inc. on Wednesday, bringing broad antitrust allegations that the social-media giant engaged in a yearslong campaign to buy up or freeze out nascent tech firms that one day might have become rivals. CNBC reports: The FTC alleges that Facebook engaged in …

The Verge reports: American Airlines is about to start offering at-home COVID-19 tests to domestic fliers in order to help them meet various state travel restriction requirements, the company announced Tuesday. The airline is partnering with direct-to-consumer home testing company LetsGetChecked, which will sell the tests for $129 on top of the cost of travel. The at-home tests help travelers …