Theme news

Redmond, Wash. – September 16, 2026 -- XKL LLC has begun global shipments of its MediaLight Xponder and Muxponder systems, a 1RU optical transport platform offering 100G and 400G capacity with zero recurring software licensing fees, the company announced. The systems started shipping to customers in August 2026, targeting enterprise, cloud, and regional service provider networks facing hardware lead times of 20 to 60-plus weeks industry-wide.

Compact chassis packs 24 license-free transceiver ports into a single rack unit

The MediaLight platform consolidates high-density optical transport into a 1RU form factor, eliminating multi-linecard chassis complexity. Each unit supports 24 license-free QSFP-DD/QSFP28 transceiver ports with soft-configurable 100G and 400G transport, reducing rack space and power consumption compared to legacy multi-card systems.

Providence, R.I. – September 16, 2026 -- Havoc, a U.S. collaborative autonomy company, and CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, the island's largest shipbuilder, have signed a partnership to pursue licensed co-production of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) for Taiwan's maritime security.

Partnership pairs U.S. autonomy software with Taiwan-built hulls

Under the agreement, Havoc's collaborative autonomy software will be integrated onto ASV platforms built by CSBC in Taiwan, with production and lifecycle sustainment handled locally. The deal targets Taiwan's domestic shipbuilding capacity, headquartered in Kaohsiung with shipyards in Kaohsiung and Keelung, founded in 1973.

Indianapolis – September 16, 2026 -- Crystal Risotti, Senior Manager of Validation in Quality Assurance at CTI, has been named a Pinnacle Professional of the Year by The Inner Circle for her three-decade career in information technology quality assurance and regulatory compliance across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and clinical laboratories.

Risotti built her career from clinical trial lab work in 1990 to enterprise-wide compliance leadership

Risotti entered the pharmaceutical industry in 1990 as a clinical trials laboratory worker before moving through customer service, project management, training and Tier 4 help desk roles. She later specialized in software development life cycle consultation, 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, and electronic quality management system implementation, working remotely from Indianapolis, Indiana while based at CTI's Covington, Kentucky office.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- A three-phase study of more than 5,000 registered U.S. voters has found that while affordability is the single most persuasive argument for clean energy, most Americans do not believe solar and wind power are actually inexpensive. The research, commissioned by Heatmap News from Embold Research and published as "Communicating about Climate and Clean Energy in an Age of Affordability," found that 55% of voters believe solar and wind are cost-competitive only because of government subsidies, and 57% say clean energy advocates exaggerate how cheap the technologies have become.

Chicago – September 16, 2026 -- Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, has appointed Michele Saunders as Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for its Senior Housing & Care Finance Practice, bringing more than 20 years of healthcare and senior living experience to the firm.

Saunders joins with a track record spanning growth, sales and marketing leadership in senior living and healthcare

Prior to Ziegler, Saunders served as Chief Growth Officer at Go Icon, an engagement software company, and spent nearly 11 years with HealthPRO Heritage, a former Link-age Fund portfolio company. A trained physical therapist, she also has AgeTech experience, most recently with AI startup Meela.

Vancouver – September 16, 2026 -- Lode Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: LOD) (OTCQB: LODFF) has expanded its drill program at the 100%-owned Fremont Gold Mine in Mariposa County, California, adding four new drill pads through an amendment to its existing Authorized Use Permit rather than seeking a new regulatory approval.

Four new pads target metallurgy, hydrogeology and untested ground

The expanded scope adds pads PT-J 011, PT-J 012, HGD-002 and HGD-003. Pads PT-J 011 and PT-J 012 will collect PQ-diameter metallurgical core samples to refine recovery mapping and geometallurgical domain modeling ahead of future feasibility work. Pads HGD-002 and HGD-003 are vertical hydrogeological holes designed for in-situ permeability testing and baseline hydrological monitoring required for mine planning.

Houston – September 16, 2026 -- Shell Energy North America (US), L.P. (SENA), a subsidiary of Shell plc, has agreed to sell its interests in RISEC Holdings, LLC to Constellation Energy Generation, LLC for $715 million while simultaneously acquiring 100% equity in Hunlock Creek Generating LLC, a 169-megawatt gas-fired generation asset in Pennsylvania.

Shell exits New England plant to lock in accelerated gains

RISEC owns a 609-MW, two-unit combined cycle gas turbine power plant serving the New England power market. SENA has held an energy conversion agreement for the plant's full electricity output since 2019, an arrangement that will terminate once the Constellation sale closes. The company said the transaction brings forward returns it had expected to realize through longer-term ownership, delivering a significant gain on the sale.

Clearwater, Fla. – September 16, 2026 -- US Federal Contractor Registration (USFCR) has been named Federal Contracting Services of the Year 2026 by the Editorial Board of Gov Business Review, a recognition dated August 2026 that credits the firm's model for preparing businesses to compete in the federal marketplace.

Gov Business Review ties the award to a structured index of contractor performance

The publication determined the recognition through its Government Business Performance and Value Index, combined with independent editorial research, subscriber nominations and industry input. Evaluation criteria included government use-case alignment, execution in regulated contracting environments, measurable public sector impact and institutional confidence.

Orem, Utah – September 16, 2026 -- Agilix Labs said its BusyBee AI assistant has now graded 6 million K-12 student submissions, returning roughly 150,000 hours of grading time to teachers, with monthly volume already running near 1 million submissions and a seventh million expected within weeks.

Written feedback rates nearly triple when BusyBee assists grading

Across more than 2.5 million submissions processed on the Buzz platform over the past two weeks, only 29% of assignments graded without BusyBee received a written comment from teachers. Of those graded with BusyBee's assistance, 84% received one. Agilix framed the gap as evidence that teachers already want to give feedback on every submission but lack the time to do so manually.

London – September 16, 2026 -- Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC said regulators in the United States, Europe, and the UK have accepted for review its investigational epinephrine nasal spray, a needle-free treatment for anaphylaxis, with an additional filing lodged in Canada.

FDA accepts 505(b)(2) application for non-injectable anaphylaxis treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration has taken up a New Drug Application submitted under the 505(b)(2) pathway, which includes the required non-clinical and clinical data package supporting approval of the nasal spray for emergency anaphylaxis treatment.

Baton Rouge, La. – September 16, 2026 -- APTIM has been selected for a $145 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Multiple Award Contract with the US Department of the Navy to provide Architect-Engineer services for Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POL) systems worldwide, with work scheduled through August 2031.

NAVFAC EXWC awards APTIM engineering role covering global fuel infrastructure

The contract, administered by the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC), covers engineering and design services for POL systems and supporting facilities at Navy and Marine Corps installations globally.

Whippany, N.J. – September 16, 2026 -- Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH) delivered NASCAR-themed Speedy Bears to pediatric patients at St. Joseph's University Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey, on September 10, part of a two-day community engagement effort tied to its SuburbanCares corporate social responsibility platform.

Hospital visit follows National Teddy Bear Day and taps a national NASCAR Foundation program

The delivery came one day after National Teddy Bear Day on September 9 and forms part of The NASCAR Foundation's Speediatrics Children's Fund Speedy Bear Program, which distributes more than 5,000 Speedy Bears annually to roughly 135 hospitals across all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico.

Paris – September 16, 2026 -- Cuprum Metals has won the Grand Prix Scale-Up Award at the World Materials Forum, recognizing technology designed to unlock copper from chalcopyrite ores that have historically constrained global supply.

Cuprum's technology targets copper locked in hard-to-process sulfide ores

The award, presented September 4 in Paris, singles out Cuprum's approach to copper recovery from primary and secondary sulfides, including chalcopyrite, a mineral form that has long limited extraction efficiency across the mining industry.

Wixom, Mich. – September 16, 2026 -- ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions USA has appointed two new vice presidents and restructured its service organization after three consecutive years of double-digit growth, expanding its field service technician network by more than 30 percent to meet rising nationwide demand.

ZEISS Names Daniel Tagscherer VP of Finance & Business Operations

Tagscherer, a 20-year ZEISS veteran and most recently Global Head of Finance & Controlling for ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions, will now lead finance, operations and strategic initiatives aimed at operational performance and organizational scalability. Hendrie Viktor, President of ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions North America, said Tagscherer's financial and transformational leadership would help the company build for future growth.

Milwaukee – September 16, 2026 -- The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has released a whitepaper mapping how artificial intelligence is being embedded into agricultural machinery to help farmers manage rising operational pressures. The report, titled "AI in Agriculture Equipment: Supporting Productivity, Efficiency, and Decision-Making Through Technology," is now available on AEM's Insights & Resources page.

AEM defines three tiers of AI integration in farm machinery

The whitepaper categorizes AI deployment into Assist-Level AI, which supports operators through guidance systems, implement control and automated equipment functions while keeping humans in control; Advise-Level AI, which processes machine and operational data to generate recommendations; and Act-Level AI, which enables machines to execute tasks autonomously, including targeted spray applications and unmanned field operations.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- U.S. Latinos now generate $4.4 trillion in economic output, ranking as the world's fifth-largest GDP and growing 2.7 times faster than the non-Latino economy, according to figures released ahead of the sixth annual We Are All Human and Hispanic Star Gala.

Latino GDP set to overtake Germany and Japan by 2051

Organizers project the Hispanic economic bloc will surpass Germany's and Japan's national GDP within 25 years, positioning the community as a central driver of U.S. workforce, housing, and consumer spending growth. The data underpins the Gala's framing of what organizers call "The Hispanic Opportunity" tied to the nation's 250th anniversary.

Irving, Texas – September 16, 2026 -- Michaels plans to hire more than 10,000 seasonal Team Members across the U.S. and Canada, with National Hiring Day events set for Saturday, September 12, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time at all store locations.

Nearly half of last year's seasonal hires converted to permanent roles

Michaels reported that nearly 50% of seasonal in-store positions transitioned into regular roles following the 2025 holiday season, creating pathways into store leadership and Support Center teams. The company operates over 1,300 stores across 49 U.S. states and Canada.

Candidates can apply online or interview in person during the hiring event

Applicants may submit applications in advance through Careers.Michaels.com or attend in-store events on September 12, where qualified candidates will be interviewed on the spot.

Chattanooga, Tenn. – September 16, 2026 -- Fenix24 has been named a Cool Vendor in the Gartner Coolest Vendor Innovations in Cyber Resilience report for its Argos99 Cyber Resilience and Recovery Intelligence Platform.

Gartner projects 30% of large enterprises will deploy dedicated cyber resilience platforms by 2029

Gartner's report, authored by Arthur Sivanathan, Wayne Hankins and Niyati Daftary and published September 7, 2026, forecasts that by 2029, 30% of large enterprises will deploy dedicated cyber resilience platforms that continuously validate recovery readiness and orchestrate business-led incident response.

Indianapolis – September 16, 2026 -- Picklr Keystone Crossing will host Special Olympics Indiana's inaugural pickleball state tournament on Sunday, September 13, with 82 athletes from across the state competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals starting at 9:15 a.m.

Tournament follows 2025 training clinic that drew 36 athletes and 27 coaches

Picklr Keystone Crossing hosted Special Olympics Indiana's first pickleball training clinic in 2025, attracting 36 athletes from 12 counties and 27 coaches from 14 counties as participants prepared for the sport's debut competitive season in 2026.

Cary, N.C. – September 16, 2026 -- Mattamy Homes, North America's largest family-owned homebuilder, has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Raleigh/Durham by Triangle Business Journal for the sixth consecutive year, placing it among 50 total honourees.

Independent survey drives the recognition

The award is based on an independent employee survey administered by Quantum Workplace, evaluating factors including employee engagement, workplace culture, trust and leadership effectiveness across Mattamy's Raleigh Division.

Leadership ties the win to workforce retention strategy

Bob Wiggins, President of Mattamy's Raleigh Division, said the recognition reflects contributions from staff across the division rather than any single team. He said the company remains focused on maintaining a supportive, collaborative culture as it continues to grow, aiming to help employees build long-term careers within the organization.