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Thermo Fisher to buy Qiagen for $10.1 billion

Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images

Thermo Fisher is acquiring Qiagen, a company that makes lab equipment and diagnostic tests, for $10.1 billion plus the assumption of $1.4 billion of debt.

Why it matters: This is the largest health care transaction so far in 2020. It's also especially relevant because Qiagen makes a testing kit that detects the new coronavirus strain.

Go deeper

Ina Fried, author of Login
10 mins ago - Technology

Google's parent shuts down effort to deliver internet via balloons

Image: Loon

Alphabet is shutting down Loon, one of its "moonshots," which aimed to deliver internet service via high-altitude balloons.

Why it matters: The effort was one of several approaches designed to get high-speed connectivity to some of the world's most remote spots and proved useful in the aftermath of disasters that shut down traditional infrastructure.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Dave Lawler, author of World
26 mins ago - World

What has and hasn't changed as Biden takes over U.S. foreign policy

Photo Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President Biden swiftly recommitted the U.S. to the Paris climate pact and the World Health Organization, but America's broader foreign policy is in a state of flux between the Trump and Biden eras.

Driving the news: One of the most striking moves from the Biden administration thus far was a show of continuity — concurring with the Trump administration's last-minute determination that China had committed "genocide" against Uyghur Muslims.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Health: New coronavirus cases down, but more bad news ahead — Fighting COVID-19's effects on gender equality.
  2. Politics: Biden unveils "wartime" COVID strategy — Biden's COVID-19 bubble.
  3. Vaccine: NYC postpones vaccine appointments following shipment delays — Private companies step in to fill vaccine logistics vacuum.
  4. World: Biden will order U.S. to rejoin World Health Organization — Biden to bring U.S. into global COVAX initiative for equitable vaccine access.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow