Apps

Jana Partners Presses Cooper to Replace CEO — 1dJana Partners on September 18, 2026 pressed Cooper Companies to launch an immediate external CEO search and explore sales of CooperVision and CooperSurgical assets.

Dana Whitfield Cooper should seriously consider selling those divisions to unlock real value for shareholders.

TotalEnergies Partners With GIP on $1.8 Billion African Infrastructure Deal — 1dTotalEnergies and Global Infrastructure Partners, a BlackRock affiliate, have agreed to a US$1.8 billion investment into TotalEnergies’ African oil and gas midstream assets in exchange for a throughput-based tariff lasting up to 15 years, allowing monetization while preserving operational control. The deal signals a broader strategy to unlock value from midstream infrastructure and attract major investors to Africa’s energy sector.

Priya Raman BlackRock's affiliate backing African oil infrastructure at this level should draw more serious money into the sector.

Serbia Opens Israeli Combat Drone Factory — 2d“Our plans are huge,” Vučić said after opening the Elbit-majority drone plant, predicting at least three more factories across Serbia with Israeli partners.

Tom Gallagher Vučić's push for three more plants shows big ambitions, yet foreign majority ownership might limit local control long term.

Australia plans to bar international students from bringing spouses and children — 3dAustralia plans to bar international students from bringing spouses, partners and dependent children while studying, targeting net migration of 225,000 by 2028.

Sam Okafor This change should help ease housing and service pressures from high student migration.

Trump Signs Russia Sanctions and Tariff Bill — 4dUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the US House’s passage of the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, linking it to Russia’s overnight missile and drone strikes that damaged energy infrastructure and injured civilians across eight regions. He urged that sanctions remain strong and not be eased, calling the bill a powerful tool to pressure Moscow toward peace amid ongoing attacks and renewed diplomacy efforts with partners.

Coca-Cola and Bottlers Plan $10 Billion U.S. Investment by 2030 — 4dCoca-Cola and its 61 bottling partners plan $10 billion in U.S. investment through 2030; company capex alone is about $2.2 billion for 2026. Announced Tuesday.

Chris Dalton I wonder if the money will go mostly to new plants or just upgrades at existing bottling sites.

CVC Capital Partners to Name Sisitsky and Rutland Co-CEOs in 2028 — Sep 9, 2026CVC Capital Partners will appoint TPG's Todd Sisitsky as co-CEO alongside Peter Rutland, with the duo slated to take over from CEO Rob Lucas by Q1 2028 as the firm broadens beyond traditional private equity. Sisitsky will also chair the partner board, marking a notable external leadership change as CVC pursues a broader private-markets platform.

Host Digital Prices $17.5 Million Stock OfferingBusiness — 1dHost Digital Inc., formerly Healthy Choice Wellness Corp., announced a proposed underwritten public offering of Class A common stock priced at $8.00 per share for 2,187,500 shares (about $17.5 million gross) with a 30-day option for up to 328,125 additional shares, and the offering is expected to close around Sept. 21, 2026. Proceeds are earmarked for data center investments, general corporate purposes, capital expenditures and working capital, with Cantor Fitzgerald and partners serving as underwriters.

DoorDash, Uber Expand Costco Delivery Nationwide — 4dCostco is expanding its delivery partnership ecosystem, with DoorDash offering same-day delivery from all US Costco warehouses and Uber Eats rolling out nationwide delivery to 47 states, expanding access to Costco’s member savings. Additionally, Costco.com has reintroduced discounted Uber/Uber Eats and DoorDash gift cards, signaling continued integration of Costco with its delivery partners.

Rapta Raises $8M to Expand AI Defense Manufacturing PlatformTech — 2dRapta raised $8 million to scale its AI-powered Manufacturing Intelligence Platform for defense, aerospace, and other precision manufacturing, unifying siloed production data with computer vision to deliver real-time work instructions and traceability across lines. The round, co-led by Voyager Capital and Access Venture Partners, adds new board members and positions Rapta to expand deployment among top defense primes, improving quality, documentation, and operational efficiency.

Saudi-Houthi Strikes Escalate, Displace Over 100,000 — 2dThe Yemen-Houthi conflict and Iranian actions are hobbling Red Sea shipping and threatening global oil supplies, with civilian displacement rising and the region’s oil flow at risk as airstrikes, blockades, and cross-border attacks intensify. At the same time, U.S. policy moves and energy-security concerns—ranging from potential tariffs on Russian crude affecting partners like India to regional reactions—underscore a shifting, fragile energy landscape.

Netanyahu Reportedly Warned Before October 7 Attack — 5dIsrael signs a €3.035 billion Achilles Shield deal with Greece to integrate David’s Sling, SPYDER, BARAK MX, and Israeli-made command-and-control systems, reinforcing Netanyahu’s strategy of expanding alliances and tech leadership to counter isolation. Across opinion pieces, commentators question his durability and judgment ahead of the Oct. 27 elections, citing alleged warnings from regional partners and the influence of media narratives on perceptions of Israel’s leadership.

Stoller Foundation expands support for nonprofits through adoption of Mi AcademyGood News — Sep 8, 2026The Stoller Foundation has partnered with Mission Increase to give its grantees access to Mi Academy training in fundraising and leadership.

Novo Nordisk Partners With Anthropic to Accelerate Drug Discovery — 3dNovo Nordisk and Anthropic announced a collaboration to deploy Claude Science and other frontier AI models to speed up drug discovery and strengthen AI-driven software development, with initial testing on specific R&D workflows and a focus on robust data governance and human oversight. Executives emphasized productivity gains, shorter development timelines, and new scientific opportunities enabled by AI, including assurances from Anthropic’s leadership about safe, capable AI to advance medical breakthroughs.

Chris Dalton Testing these tools on specific workflows first makes sense before claiming big productivity gains.

Brookfield Agrees to Acquire Reliance Worldwide for US$2.9 Billion — 3dBrookfield Capital Partners will acquire Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) for US$3.38 per share, valuing the company at about US$2.9 billion, with a scheme of arrangement and a Go Shop period through 15 October 2026. The RWC board unanimously supports the deal, which offers USD or AUD payment options, carries premiums to recent trading levels, and is subject to shareholder, court, and regulatory approvals as well as an independent expert’s report.

Tom Gallagher Brookfield's offer at a premium looks decent for RWC shareholders but the long timeline to close could bring risks.

Endangered Salmon Return to California Rivers in Large NumbersGood News — Sep 7, 2026A record 30,000 coho salmon returned to central California rivers last season after years of habitat work by NOAA and partners.

Axelera AI Launches Europa, Secures AI Factory Contracts — 4dAxelera AI unveiled Europa, its second-generation AI Processing Unit aimed at enterprise servers and AI factories, and has already secured tens of millions in contracts while building a broad ecosystem with partners like Dell and Supermicro. The company touts a growing 600-plus customer base, strong performance-per-watt, and a strategy to enable production AI in controlled, secure environments amid rising cloud costs and the demand for secure data sovereignty.

Nicole Hardy Tens of millions in contracts plus ties to Dell and Supermicro should help them scale Europa beyond the 600 customers they already have.

AI Risks Expand Across Cybersecurity and BiologyTech — 6dCrowdStrike is pushing its frontier-AI initiative QuiltWorks down to small and mid-sized businesses via distributors and MSPs, monetizing existing Falcon subscriptions while the SMB deployment is handled by partners. Meanwhile, a stream of articles and opinion pieces warn of Open Source AI facing regulatory crackdowns or “cartel” dynamics, recount malware concerns from Anthropic research, and suggest government overreach or false-flag anxieties behind proposals to ban or tightly regulate AI technologies.

DeepSeek Plans First CFO Ahead of Possible IPO — 5dDeepSeek plans to appoint Yan Wentao as its first CFO as it prepares for a potential STAR Market IPO, with CITIC Securities lined up to support the listing and a company valuation around 500 billion yuan amid ongoing fundraising and investment in chips, computing infrastructure, and talent. Yan, born in 1991 and a GL Ventures partner, will handle investor relations and financial management as the startup transitions toward conventional financing and public-market readiness.

Sam Okafor DeepSeek's 500 billion yuan valuation before IPO looks aggressive given the chip spending, but the CFO hire should help steady investor talks.

US adds seventh moment of silence for 25th 9/11 anniversary — Sep 11, 2026On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the U.S. and its missions worldwide honored the 2,977 victims, first responders, and the resilience that followed with ceremonies from Tirana to New York and Suva. Officials highlighted global solidarity, paying tribute to the heroes who acted that day and reaffirming commitment to survivors and international partners.

Cindi Wimberly Where's the story about Mamdami?

Waymo and Tokyo Partners Target Japan’s First Driverless Taxi Service in 2027 — 4dWaymo, GO, and Nihon Kotsu plan Japan’s first fully driverless commercial taxi service in Tokyo by 2027, with a phased rollout of up to about 100 Level 4 autonomous vehicles accessible via the GO and Waymo apps, pending safety verifications and regulatory approvals. The initiative follows extensive testing since 2025 and involves Nihon Kotsu on-site operations while Waymo provides the autonomous system and fleet management, illustrating a coordinated push toward wider autonomous mobility in Japan.

Nicole Hardy Starting with just 100 vehicles seems like a smart way to test the waters before scaling up.

Niger Appoints Military Chief After Mutiny — Sep 12, 2026Niger’s military government led by General Abdourahamane Tiani has appointed Brigadier General Mamane Sani Kiaou as chief of staff of the armed forces, replacing General Moussa Salaou Barmou, in a reshuffle following the August mutiny. The changes also elevate Abdourahmane Abou Zataka to army chief and reflect a shift toward closer ties with Russia while moving away from Western partners.

Maya Lindstrom Appointing a new chief after the mutiny is a logical move to tighten control, though leaning toward Russia risks losing Western support that could aid development.

Markel Partners With Midwest on California Workers’ Comp — Sep 4, 2026Markel is partnering with Midwest General Insurance Agency, an Acrisure subsidiary, to expand its small-business workers’ compensation offerings in California by leveraging Midwest’s data-driven risk selection, regulatory navigation, and scalable MGA operations. The collaboration aims to grow Markel’s California presence while maintaining profitability through disciplined underwriting and long-standing MGA expertise in the market.

State Museum Shifts Programs to Harrisburg Library During Renovations — 5dWhile The State Museum of Pennsylvania remains closed for a major renovation through early 2029, it is extending access to its programs by partnering with the Dauphin County Library System to bring hands-on history, art, and science sessions to the George & Hettie Love Memorial Library for pre-K through second graders this fall. The 45-minute, noon sessions cover daily life in Revolutionary Pennsylvania, William Penn’s birthday celebrations, the Eastern wild turkey, and the Eastern hemlock, with pre-registration available for each program at 530 S. 29th Street in Harrisburg.