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TALKING POINTS

Malware attack hits computer system affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital

HEALTH CARE

Malware attack hits computer system affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital

A malware attack brought down computer systems Tuesday at a large physician network affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital. The hospital itself was not affected, a spokeswoman said. The “system outage” was at the Pediatric Physicians’ Organization at Children’s, a network of 500 doctors and other providers across the state who are affiliated with the hospital. “As soon as they learned about the incident . . . IT teams worked swiftly to quarantine the affected PPOC systems, and secured the unaffected ones to ensure no further impact,” Children’s Hospital spokeswoman Kristen Dattoli said in an e-mail. The problem was discovered Monday afternoon and had not been resolved by Tuesday evening. Children’s Hospital officials said they were still investigating whether the attack exposed private patient information. The Pediatric Physicians’ Organization includes more than 100 practice locations statewide, with more than 350,000 patients. The practices use an Epic Systems electronic health record program. Dattoli said most of the physician offices did not cancel appointments but allowed families to reschedule. They used paper to record patient visits while the computers were down. — PRIYANKA DAYAL MCCLUSKEY

ENERGY

Vineyard Wind project delayed

Vineyard Wind confirmed the bad news on Tuesday: The developer will not be able to start commercial operation of its wind farm south of Martha’s Vineyard in 2022 as it once planned because the US Interior Department just published a new timeline that shows Vineyard Wind not getting a final federal permit until December, more than a year after the developer initially expected. The 800-megawatt project could provide enough power for more than 450,000 homes once complete. Vineyard Wind, a joint venture owned by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, had planned to be the first major offshore wind farm in the United States. But the Interior Department put the brakes on its review last year, to conduct a broader study of the cumulative impact of all the wind farms proposed along the East Coast. — JON CHESTO

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INTERNATIONAL

China denies involvement in Equifax hack

The Chinese government has flatly denied — again — any suggestion that its operatives are conducting cyberattacks or espionage in the United States, following the Justice Department’s move to charge four members of the Chinese military with a 2017 hack of the Equifax credit reporting agency. The massive data breach compromised the personal information, including Social Security numbers and birth dates, of about 145 million people — or nearly half of all Americans. Prosecutors alleged in a nine-count indictment filed Monday in federal court in Atlanta that four members of the People’s Liberation Army hacked into Equifax’s systems. — WASHINGTON POST

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TOYS

Hasbro’s earnings rise on sales of ‘Frozen 2,’ ‘Star Wars’ toys

Hasbro posted earnings that topped analysts’ estimates as toys based on “Frozen 2” and “Star Wars” helped it overcome the fallout from President Trump’s trade war with China. The shares jumped in early trading. Excluding some items, profit of $1.24 a share far outpaced the 88-cent average projection. Hasbro has bounced back after the threat of tariffs weighed on the third quarter, disrupting the company’s supply chain and leading some retailers to cancel shipments. It has been working to diversify its supply chain to reduce its reliance on sourcing in China. — BLOOMBERG NEWS

GOVERNMENT

Powell warns that coronavirus could create broader economic risks

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned lawmakers on Tuesday that the coronavirus epidemic sweeping China could pose broader economic risks, even as he signaled that the central bank is comfortable holding interest rates steady for now. The central bank chief is also set to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday. The Fed is treading cautiously as the economy continues to add jobs but inflation remains low. An initial trade deal with China has eased one major source of economic uncertainty, but tariffs remain on Chinese goods and tensions with other nations could reignite. And the new virus — which has killed more than 1,000 people and sickened tens of thousands — has emerged as an economic wild card. — NEW YORK TIMES

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GAMBLING

Bill to legalize sports betting in Maine dies

A proposal in the Maine Legislature to legalize sports betting died Tuesday when it failed to win enough support to override the governor’s veto. The 85-57 vote in the Maine House fell short of a two-thirds majority needed to become law over the objection of Democratic Governor Janet Mills. Mills vetoed the bill last month, saying she was “unconvinced” that the majority of Mainers were ready to ‘‘legalize, support, endorse, and promote betting on competitive athletic events.” — ASSOCIATED PRESS

THEME PARKS

SeaWorld to pay $65m to settle lawsuit over impact of ‘Blackfish’

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. on Tuesday agreed to pay $65 million to settle a lawsuit in which the theme park company was accused of misleading investors over the impact the documentary “Blackfish” was having on its bottom line. SeaWorld did not admit to any wrongdoing under the terms of the settlement filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said it would pay for the settlement using about $45.5 million in insurance proceeds and $19.5 million in cash. Attendance and revenue declined after the release of the 2013 documentary about the life of Tilikum, an orca that killed a SeaWorld trainer during a performance in Orlando in 2010. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

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ATHLETIC WEAR

Under Armour stock drops nearly 19 percent

Under Armour plunged Tuesday with the company anticipating a big financial hit from the viral outbreak in China and saying separately that it may need to restructure this year at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. It also said Tuesday that it may scuttle the opening of its flagship store on Manhattan’s 5th Avenue and shares tumbled 16 percent. The athletic gear company anticipates the virus outbreak in China will drag first-quarter sales down by $50 million to $60 million. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

STREAMING

Spotify to pay nearly $200m upfront for the Ringer

Spotify Technology is paying close to $200 million upfront for the Ringer, the growing online sports and pop-culture outlet, as part of its push into podcasting, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The previously undisclosed price of 180 million euros will be followed by more than $50 million later, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the terms aren’t public. Spotify, the world’s largest streaming audio service, is expected to detail the costs in a regulatory filing soon. — BLOOMBERG NEWS

AVIATION

Boeing sold no planes in January

Boeing Co. failed to sell any commercial planes in January, extending a slump that has strained the company’s finances since two deadly crashes grounded the best-selling 737 Max last year. Last month was Boeing’s second with no orders since the Max flying ban began in March, according to data posted Tuesday on the company’s website. The Chicago-based manufacturer also came up empty in May of last year. — BLOOMBERG NEWS

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