Google offers a digital subscription serviceGoogle on Wednesday announced a payment service for online digital subscriptions that aims to be more publisher-friendly than one unveiled by Apple a day earlier. Google's service, called Google One Pass, is a way for online publishers to sell digital content on the Web and through mobile apps using Google's existing payment service, Google Checkout, and for readers to access that content on many devices with their Google e-mail address and password. Under Apple's digital subscription service, Apple will keep 30 percent of any sale of digital content, like books, music and magazines, within an iPhone or iPad app. When publishers use One Pass, which for now is limited to online newspapers and magazines, Google will keep 10 percent of the sale price and share the customer's name, ZIP code and e-mail address, unless the customer asks Google not to.

Disney DVDs to cost Redbox, Netflix moreThe Walt Disney Co. has quietly decided to raise its wholesale prices on new-release DVDs for Redbox and Netflix, according to people familiar with the matter. The move marks a subtle shift in Disney's relationship with Netflix and Redbox. Other studios have refused to supply DVDs to the rental giants until 28 days after they're released out of concern that low-cost rentals will undercut DVD sales. Disney has been supplying Netflix and Redbox with DVDs at the same time they go on sale, albeit at a lower price. Disney will now charge Redbox Automated Retail, which is owned by Coinstar Inc., and Netflix Inc. the full wholesale rate -- as much as $17.99 -- for its DVDs, the people said. Disney believes that its family-friendly fare, particularly animated films, is the type that consumers want to own for repeated viewing and therefore is not likely to be hurt by rentals, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

United completes FAA-ordered software testsUnited Airlines operations are returning to normal after the carrier canceled 15 flights and voluntarily grounded its fleet of 96 Boeing 757s Tuesday to ensure the planes' air-data computer software complied with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive. The Chicago-based carrier was able to quickly carry out the software checks needed to meet federal guidelines, and most of the aircraft were back in service by midday Wednesday.

Merkel chooses new head of BundesbankChancellor Angela Merkel named economics adviser Jens Weidmann to be the next head of Bundesbank, Germany's central bank in Frankfurt. He'll succeed Axel Weber, 53, who abruptly announced his resignation last week and will leave April 30. Weidmann, 42, will be the youngest ever Bundesbank chief, a post that in recent years has ceded much power and status to the European Central Bank.

Rain may come 'too late' for China's wheatDrought in wheat-growing regions in China, the world's largest producer, may persist for a further month and rain may come "too late" to avert damage to crops, pushing prices higher, British Weather Services says. Wheat in Chicago climbed to the highest level since 2008 this week and touched a record in China on concern the worst drought in 60 years in the wheat-growing areas will tighten supplies. Global food prices have surged to "dangerous levels," pushing 44 million people into extreme poverty since June, the World Bank said Tuesday.

FROM NEWS SERVICES