Business

The Verge reports: The robot is called Stretch and looks relatively dull for a Boston Dynamics creation. It’s not modeled after humans or animals, and instead aims to be as practical as possible. It has a square mobile base containing a set of wheels, a “perception mast” with cameras and other sensors, and a huge robotic arm with seven degrees …

USA Today reports: Volkswagen’s American division appears poised to change its name to “Voltswagen,” switching the “k” to a “t” in a nod toward the automaker’s investment in electric vehicles. The German automaker’s announcement on the change appeared briefly on its media site Monday before it was removed, having apparently been released before it was ready for an official rollout. …

The Wall Street Journal reports: The vast container ship that has been blocking the Suez Canal for six days has now been freed and is moving north to an anchor point, paving the way to open the critical waterway and end days of global supply delays. Engineers raced throughout Monday to finish the job of freeing the Ever Given after …

The New York Times reports: The mammoth cargo ship blocking one of the world’s most vital maritime arteries was wrenched from the shoreline and set partially afloat again early Monday, raising hopes that traffic could soon resume in the Suez Canal and limit the economic fallout of the disruption. Salvage teams, working on both land and water for five days …

NBC News reports: A little more than a year after COVID-19 began wrecking the economy and infecting and killing Floridians, state lawmakers on Friday gave final approval to a bill that will shield from coronavirus-related lawsuits businesses ranging from nursing homes to grocery stores to restaurants. The measure, which the House passed in an 83-31 vote, was a top priority …

CNN reports: The US Navy in the Middle East plans to send an assessment team of dredging experts to the Suez Canal as soon as Saturday to advise local authorities attempting to free the gigantic container ship which has been stuck there since Tuesday, according to two defense officials. The Ever Given, a container ship almost as long as the …

The Hill reports: National office supply store chains are offering free lamination services to customers for their coronavirus vaccine record cards issued by the CDC. Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples this week announced plans to allow customers with a vaccine card to get it laminated free of charge to protect the document from getting damaged. Through at least July 25, …

The Week reports: A massive container ship is still stuck in the Suez Canal — and the situation could possibly take “weeks” to resolve. On Tuesday morning, the Ever Given, a cargo ship that’s about a quarter mile long, became stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal, blocking shipping traffic. By Friday, it had yet to be successfully moved, and according to …

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports: While Tammy McCoy was outside taking a break, according to the complaint, assistant general manager Kerri Ann Show said she was Christian and then asked McCoy, “what religion are you?” McCoy, who was surprised by the question but answered because Show was her supervisor, responded, “I’m Pagan,” the lawsuit said. “Show made a face and immediately …

Reuters reports: A container ship blocking the Suez Canal like a “beached whale” sent new shockwaves through global trade on Thursday as officials stopped all ships entering the channel and the salvage company said it may take weeks to free. The 400 m (430 yard) Ever Given, almost as long as the Empire State Building is high, is blocking transit …

Vice News reports: The Suez Canal has been blocked and a big backlog of ships is building up after a huge container ship ran aground during bad weather. At least eight tug boats and a digger are working to dislodge and refloat the 400m long and 59m wide Ever Given. The container ship, registered in Panama and operated by Taiwanese …

Via press release from Hasbro: Hasbro announced today that for the first time in its 85+ years, Monopoly will be changing all 16 of its Community Chest Cards. True to its longstanding history of inviting its fans to help make changes to the game, and during a time when community means more than ever before, Monopoly is asking consumers worldwide …

CBS News reports: Krispy Kreme will you give you a free doughnut every day this year — if you’ve been vaccinated. In case you needed another reason to get your COVID-19 vaccination, Krispy Kreme is sweetening the deal — it’s giving free doughnuts to anyone with proof of vaccination, all year long. Starting Monday, any customer with a valid COVID-19 …

Louisville’s ABC News affiliate reports: Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor died Thursday, according to a post on the restaurant chain’s Facebook page. He was 65. The statement said Taylor died by suicide after a battle with COVID-19-related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, and his suffering had increased in recent days. Taylor had funded a …

The Washington Post reports: Abdul Muktadir, the chief executive of Bangladeshi pharmaceutical maker Incepta, has emailed executives of Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax offering his company’s help. He said he has enough capacity to fill vials for 600 million to 800 million doses of coronavirus vaccine a year to distribute throughout Asia. He never heard back from any of …

The Dallas News reports: Customers at Legends Diner in Denton are met with a new pink sign on the door when they visit the breakfast spot: “Our new surcharge,” the sign says: “$50 if I have to explain why masks are mandatory” and “$75 if I have to hear why you disagree…” Co-owners Wayne and Kat LaCombe are asking their …

The Hill reports: Amazon has surpassed Walmart as the top apparel retailer in the U.S, according to an analysis released by Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo estimated that Amazon’s apparel and footwear sales in the U.S. jumped by 15 percent in 2020, raking in $41 billion in sales, according to a report by CNBC. This placed the tech giant 20 to …

Via press release from the Walt Disney Company: After being closed for more than one year, magic is finally returning to the Disneyland Resort theme parks! Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park are planning to officially reopen to the public on April 30, with limited capacity. You’ll soon be welcomed back to enjoy unforgettable attractions, see beloved Disney friends, …

Reuters reports: Tesla Inc added “Technoking of Tesla” to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk’s list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing that also named finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn “Master of Coin”. The electric-car maker did not elaborate on the reasons for the cryptic new titles in a pair of statements that also said President of Automotive …

The Washington Post reports: Tesla’s Bay Area production plant recorded hundreds of covid-19 cases following CEO Elon Musk’s defiant reopening of the plant in May, according to county-level data obtained by a legal transparency website. Musk fought vigorously against the county-mandated shutdown, arguing Tesla should be allowed to continue producing cars despite the stay-at-home orders. In late April, he railed …