Also. . .

* Johnson & Johnson, one of the world’s largest medical devices makers, agreed to sell its Irish hip-and-knee implant businesses to gain European Union approval of its $3.5-billion purchase of DePuy Inc. Under the deal, the buyer of the unit must be a Johnson & Johnson competitor.

* U.S. regulators proposed their second-largest “slamming” fine ever--$1.12 million--against Brittan Communications International Corp., accusing the Houston company of switching people to its long-distance service without permission.