Uber gets dealt multiple blows in Waymo lawsuit; Cigna may finally be able to walk away from Anthem, and more news

Also: Candymakers band together to cut down on calories, and a new study shows just when you should book your next vacation. Read on...

A federal judge has ruled that Uber cannot handle its lawsuit with Waymo through private arbitration. The lawsuit alleges that former Waymo engineer Anthony Lewandowski stole intellectual property before launching Uber-acquired self-driving startup Otto. The same judge also referred the case to the Justice Department, which may lead to a criminal investigation, and has “blocked a limited part of Uber’s driverless-car program.”

A Delaware judge turned down Anthem's 60-day extension request to save a $54 billion merger with Cigna, ultimately allowing Cigna to walk away from a merger deemed anticompetitive. The ruling is stayed until Monday to give Anthem a chance to appeal the decision. Cigna may be entitled to a $1.85 billion breakup fee and $13 billion in damages if it’s freed from the deal.

Five major chocolate and candy companies have announced a joint commitment to make candies with fewer calories in "a rare example of cooperation in a competitive industry and testament to a rising consumer distaste for sugar," Reuters writes. The companies, including Mars, Nestle and Lindt, have pledged to ensure half of their individually wrapped products will be 200 calories or less by 2022.

A "massive" new study by CheapAir.com reviewed more than 350 million airfares to find the best time to book both US domestic and international flights. If flying domestic, buying a ticket about 59 days in advance is best, while flights to the Middle East and Africa need the most advanced booking at about 119 days.

Fitness guru to the stars Jillian Michaels won a $5.7 million arbitration that could have big "implications for the future of free videos on YouTube," Business Insider writes. Michaels had sued entertainment company Lionsgate for posting her content for free on YouTube without consulting her, saying that fans would be less likely to pay for her videos.

Millennials are ready to take the plunge and buy their first homes "after a decade on the sidelines, promising to kick a housing market already flush with luxury sales into higher gear," says The Wall Street Journal. As a result, home builders are shifting towards homes with lower price points to cater to the "burgeoning millennial clientele."

Cover Photo: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick speaks onstage at TechCrunch Discrupt at Pier 48 on September 8, 2014 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch)