Johnson & Johnson has signed a deal to buy Swiss medical device-maker Synthes for $21.3 billion.

In so doing, J&J is making "all the right moves" (as CNN recently put it) to rise from the ashes of a very bad period since early last year, plagued by more than 50 drug and device recalls, lawsuits and enforced government supervision of its McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant in Fort Washington.

The announcement from the pharma giant of its intention to purchase Synthes, the #1 maker of devices that treat bone fractures and trauma, is J&J’s biggest deal in twenty years.Continue reading...

BMW and Mercedes outpace rivals in China, as Shanghai auto show opens and a new report shows the most popular brands in China are predominately foreign. Ford's China JV execs mull own brand, while Volkswagen reveals the new Beetle at events in Shanghai, New York and Berlin today. The Volkswagen Group also saw record first quarter sales as China deliveries boom.

VH1 woos female viewers with new programming, while siblings BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, and Spike remain holdouts on Time Warner Cable's iPad app due to Viacom lawsuit, although Cablevision's iPad app gets only grumbles.

Toyota resumes production at all Japan plants for first time since tsunami, as its Lexus brand slips behind rivals in the US. TEPCO also laid out a plan for shutting down nuclear reactor.Continue reading...

US attorney shuts down online poker sites, while FTC goes after fake news sites hawking acai berry and other diets.

President Obama calls for secure online ID system, as VP Joe Biden calls piracy "outright theft."

Cablevision brings Hulu, iTunes and web video to TV.

John Galliano fired by his namesake fashion label.

Google frustrated by music label talks.

J&J eyes buying Swiss firm, Synthes, for $20B.Continue reading...