Featured Stories
Residence Halls at Merrimack College Now Open for Students
WATERTOWN, Massachusetts, Sept. 9 [Category: BizEngineering] -- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., a provider of transportation planning, engineering, design, land development and environmental services, posted the following news:
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New Residence Halls at Merrimack College Now Open for Students
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This week, a ceremony marked the opening of Shawsheen and Essex Halls at Merrimack College, two new residential buildings that reflect a significant investment in Merrimack's future. Creating an open hub for collaboration, learning, and wellness, this addition will enhance the overall campus experience
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WATERTOWN, Massachusetts, Sept. 9 [Category: BizEngineering] -- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., a provider of transportation planning, engineering, design, land development and environmental services, posted the following news:
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New Residence Halls at Merrimack College Now Open for Students
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This week, a ceremony marked the opening of Shawsheen and Essex Halls at Merrimack College, two new residential buildings that reflect a significant investment in Merrimack's future. Creating an open hub for collaboration, learning, and wellness, this addition will enhance the overall campus experiencefor current and upcoming students.
Along with the recently completed Lecture Hall, this new development represents a major milestone in Merrimack's ambitious Agenda for the Future. Building upon the preceding Agenda for Distinction, the Agenda for the Future represents a community effort to advance the college's mission, expand upon the school's recent growth, and further enhance the student experience.
In alignment with this vision, Merrimack is advancing a comprehensive campus plan that prioritizes new academic, residential, and student life facilities, as well as infrastructure upgrades, to create a more cohesive, modern, and future-ready campus environment. VHB has been a key contributor in fulfilling Merrimack's strategic vision for the campus, supporting more than 30 projects with our integrated services approach.
Seamless coordination between multiple public and private organizations was crucial to the development of Shawsheen and Essex Halls. VHB worked closely with Greystar Development East, LLC and Merrimack College to advance the P3 development. Working across disciplines, the VHB team leveraged our integrated services approach to deliver site/civil, landscape architecture, traffic engineering, transportation planning, survey, stormwater design, environmental, and permitting services.
The Project approvals required close review and coordination with various departments from the Town of North Andover including the Planning Department, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission and the Department of Public Works. Additionally, the team worked closely with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to coordinate overlap between the Merrimack project's frontage along Route 114/125 and Andover Street with MassDOT's concurrent corridor improvement project.
With approximately 12,600 square feet of ground-floor academic and classroom space and 540 beds of residential space on its upper floors, this project represents the most significant upgrade to the College's on-campus housing stock in nearly a decade. The new buildings are designed to frame the Collegiate Church of Christ, the Teacher and Student Union building and incorporate inviting outdoor open spaces and plazas.
"This opening is a critical achievement in our long history of collaboration with Merrimack College," said Senior Project Manager Jeff Koetteritz. "The strong relationships and teamwork between all organizations involved is what pushed this development over the finish line. We're proud to be part of Merrimack's investment in their students' learning, connection, and well-being, as well as supporting the Greystar and Cube 3 Architecture team in successfully delivering a high-quality project to support the College's mission."
Learn how VHB works with a full array of private and public institutions to address their growth and development challenges.
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Original text here: https://www.vhb.com/news/merrimack-college-residential-buildings-opening/
Ropes & Gray Advises Partners Group on Its Investment in AtNorth's Next Phase of Growth
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advises Partners Group on its Investment in atNorth's Next Phase of Growth
Ropes & Gray has advised Partners Group (acting on behalf of its clients), one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, on its investment in the next phase of growth for atNorth, a leading pan-Nordic data center platform. Partners Group's infrastructure secondaries strategy will acquire around 10% of atNorth.
Partners Group originally acquired atNorth in 2022 through its infrastructure directs
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advises Partners Group on its Investment in atNorth's Next Phase of Growth
Ropes & Gray has advised Partners Group (acting on behalf of its clients), one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, on its investment in the next phase of growth for atNorth, a leading pan-Nordic data center platform. Partners Group's infrastructure secondaries strategy will acquire around 10% of atNorth.
Partners Group originally acquired atNorth in 2022 through its infrastructure directsstrategy, transforming it into a leading next-generation platform with eight operational data centers alongside several sites under development across the Nordics. atNorth has over 1.5 GW of secured power with a considerable amount of planned additional future capacity and a robust demand pipeline that is set to benefit from continued AI-driven growth.
Partners Group's infrastructure secondaries strategy has a track record of investing in data centers. In 2024, the strategy acquired a minority stake in eStruxture, a leading data center platform in Canada, which the Ropes & Gray team also advised on.
Partners Group recently held the final close of its infrastructure secondaries program at over $5.5 billion, which represented one of the largest dedicated infrastructure secondaries fundraises in the industry at the time.
The Ropes & Gray team was led by asset management partners Tom Alabaster and Chris Townsend with support from tax partner Andrew Howard, asset management associates Madalina Asandului and August Jones-Loiacono, and tax associate Tim Waters.
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/09/ropes-gray-advises-partners-group-investment-atnorth-next-phase-of-growth
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Ropes & Gray Advised Bain Capital in Strategic Growth Investment in RQD* Clearing
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Bain Capital in Strategic Growth Investment in RQD* Clearing
Ropes & Gray represented Bain Capital Tech Opportunities as the lead investor in RQD* Clearing's $74 million minority growth investment. RQD/* is a clearing and custody firm providing the infrastructure that broker-dealers, RIAs, and foreign financial institutions need to access U.S. markets.
The investment was announced on Aug. 27.
Founded in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firms
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Bain Capital in Strategic Growth Investment in RQD* Clearing
Ropes & Gray represented Bain Capital Tech Opportunities as the lead investor in RQD* Clearing's $74 million minority growth investment. RQD/* is a clearing and custody firm providing the infrastructure that broker-dealers, RIAs, and foreign financial institutions need to access U.S. markets.
The investment was announced on Aug. 27.
Founded in 1984, Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firmswith 24 offices on four continents, more than 1,950 employees, and approximately $225 billion in assets under management.
Bain Capital's Tech Opportunities business aims to help growing technology companies reach their full potential.
The team was led by private capital transactions partner Elizabeth Gallucci and associate Andrea Daley and included private capital transactions partner Charlie Boer, asset management partner Brynn Rail, employment, executive compensation & benefits partner Renata Ferrari, IP transactions counsel Giancarlo Lee, and asset management associate Nathan McGuire.
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/09/ropes-gray-advised-bain-capital-in-strategic-growth-investment-in-rqd-clearing
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Pillsbury Secures Unanimous First Department Victory in Beach vs. Touradji Capital Management
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 -- Pillsbury, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Pillsbury Secures Unanimous First Department Victory in Beach v. Touradji Capital Management
Pillsbury secured a significant victory in the Appellate Division, First Department, in Beach v. Touradji Capital Management, LP, a nearly two-decade dispute arising from former employees' claims for compensation from a commodities hedge fund.
In a unanimous decision, the First Department reversed the trial court's post-trial order, denied the defendants' motion under CPLR 4404(a) and reinstated the jury's verdict rejecting
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 -- Pillsbury, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Pillsbury Secures Unanimous First Department Victory in Beach v. Touradji Capital Management
Pillsbury secured a significant victory in the Appellate Division, First Department, in Beach v. Touradji Capital Management, LP, a nearly two-decade dispute arising from former employees' claims for compensation from a commodities hedge fund.
In a unanimous decision, the First Department reversed the trial court's post-trial order, denied the defendants' motion under CPLR 4404(a) and reinstated the jury's verdict rejectingall five of their counterclaims: breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets and defamation.
The First Department agreed with the plaintiffs that there was no legally sufficient basis to disturb the jury's verdict. The court concluded that the defendants' "inextricably interwoven" theory lacked support under the CPLR and governing case law, and that overlapping facts alone did not entitle them to retry counterclaims the jury had unequivocally rejected. It further held that the possibility of inconsistent findings in a future trial was merely theoretical and did not justify depriving the plaintiffs of the benefit of their favorable verdict.
Additionally, the court agreed that the jury was entitled to credit Gentry Beach's testimony that he did not publish the report at issue and held that the trial court improperly overturned the jury's rejection of the defamation counterclaim against him.
The Pillsbury team representing the plaintiffs and counterclaim defendants included Litigation partner Rolando T. Acosta, associate Dante Apuzzo and senior law clerk Samyuktha Seth.
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Original text here: https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/news-and-insights/pillsbury-unanimous-first-department-victory-beach-v-touradji-capital-management.html
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP AND HACHETTE UK PARTNERS WITH BARNES & NOBLE AND WATERSTONES TO LAUNCH RAISING READERS STORYTIMES
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 -- Hachette Book Group issued the following news release:
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HACHETTE BOOK GROUP AND HACHETTE UK PARTNERS WITH BARNES & NOBLE AND WATERSTONES TO LAUNCH RAISING READERS STORYTIMES
A major three-day #RaisingReaders collaboration to promote the joys and benefits of reading with children.
NEW YORK & LONDON -- In an exclusive partnership, global publishing powerhouses Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK are joining forces with Barnes & Noble and Waterstones to launch Raising Readers Storytimes, an extension of the #ReadingisGolden Campaign.
Storytime is a trusted tool in
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Sept. 5 -- Hachette Book Group issued the following news release:
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HACHETTE BOOK GROUP AND HACHETTE UK PARTNERS WITH BARNES & NOBLE AND WATERSTONES TO LAUNCH RAISING READERS STORYTIMES
A major three-day #RaisingReaders collaboration to promote the joys and benefits of reading with children.
NEW YORK & LONDON -- In an exclusive partnership, global publishing powerhouses Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK are joining forces with Barnes & Noble and Waterstones to launch Raising Readers Storytimes, an extension of the #ReadingisGolden Campaign.
Storytime is a trusted tool inthe repertoire of most children's booksellers, using the power of reading aloud to enchant even the youngest children with a good story. Taking place from September 18-20, this massive three-day event will amplify this magic and ignite a passion for books in young children across both sides of the Atlantic.
Designed for children ages 3 to 8, the weekend will celebrate the crucial role reading picture books aloud can play in child development. From listening skills and visual interpretation to building children's imagination, storytime is a truly joyful way of learning.
In more than 720 locations across the U.S., Barnes & Noble booksellers will bring Caldecott Honor-winner Christopher Denise's beloved Knight Owl to life. Meanwhile, in the UK, Waterstones will host events featuring Rachel Bright and Jim Field, the acclaimed creators behind Hachette Children's Group's bestselling picture book series whose nine titles include The Lion Inside, The Squirrels Who Squabbled, The Koala Who Could and The Turtle Who Turned the Tide.
"Reading together is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to spark a lifelong love of books in children," said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble & Waterstones. "Every day in our bookstores we see the joy that a great story can bring to families. We are delighted to join Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK in this wonderful initiative to celebrate the power of storytime."
The campaign centers on a simple yet transformative habit: encouraging parents and caregivers to spend just 10 minutes a day reading with their children.
"We know from research that reading for fun as a child is the greatest predicter of future success - more than education, social background or anything else. And being read to is the best way to inculcate this love of reading," said David Shelley, CEO of Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK. "So, we're really thrilled to be partnering with Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Christopher Denise, Rachel Bright, and Jim Field to bring the magic of reading to thousands of young people."
The festivities kick off on Friday, September 18, with targeted school outreach:
* US: Barnes & Noble and HBG will bring special Knight Owl storytimes to up to 1,000 elementary schools as kids gear up for the new school year.
* UK: Bestselling duo Rachel Bright and Jim Field will host their first-ever national, free Virtual School Event on Friday, September 18 (10:30 AM-11:15 AM BST).
These exclusive school sessions will launch a weekend packed with interactive in-store events, expert tips for parents, and free Raising Readers resources across participating Barnes & Noble and Waterstones bookstores. Contact your local Barnes & Noble or Waterstones to discover when your store's storytime will take place.
The partnership builds on Barnes & Noble and Waterstones' support of Hachette's Raising Readers campaign, including their role in helping launch the official Raising Readers public service announcement (PSA), which highlights the joys and benefits of reading with your child even for just 10 minutes a day.
To join the movement, follow and share using #RaisingReaders and #ReadingIsGolden.
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About WATERSTONES AND BARNES & NOBLE
WATERSTONES is the UK and Ireland's leading high street bookseller with 320 bookshops, including Foyles, Hatchards, Hodges Figgis, Blackwell's and branches in Ireland, Brussels and Amsterdam. It is the only national specialist book retailer of scale in the UK, with the average sized shop carrying a range of around 30,000 individual books and with over 200,000 titles in the largest shop.
BARNES & NOBLE, INC. is the largest retail bookseller in the United States. The Company has 720 bookstores across the United States, as well as its online bookstore at bn.com, the NOOK digital business which offers both eBooks and audiobooks, including the B&N Audiobooks subscription, the SparkNotes educational service, and stationery and gift retailer Paper Source. General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be found on the Company's website at www.bn.com.
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About RAISING READERS
Raising Readers was launched by UK and US CEO David Shelley in 2024, with the campaign's core engine utilising the power of Hachette's creative and consumer network. Back-of-book letters advocating for family reading time are included across adult fiction and nonfiction print, ebook and audiobooks. By the end of 2026, the Raising Readers call to action will reach an estimated 25 million print and digital copies worldwide. To reach multi-format audiences, the initiative features dedicated audio messages recorded by high-profile spokespersons, including Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon (US) and author and broadcaster Lorraine Kelly (UK).
Studies show that reading for enjoyment has seen a steep, rapid decline for more than a decade. Reading for fun among 13-year-olds has declined by nearly half since 2012 in the U.S., according to survey data published in June 2026 by the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics. Meanwhile, the portion of 9-year-olds who read for fun has declined 16 percentage points in the past 13 years. Other studies have shown that the percentage of children who read for fun fell from 53% in 2012 to 39% in 2022.
Recent data from the National Literacy Trust highlights a stark reality: only 36.1% of 8-18-year-olds read for pleasure, with the gap widening between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Because reading for fun is the single biggest predictor of a child's future life chances, outranking family income or parental education, Hachette is leveraging its massive global footprint to reverse this trend and encourage parents and carers to read with their child for 10 minutes a day.
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About HACHETTE BOOK GROUP
Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading U.S. general-interest book publisher made up of dozens of esteemed imprints within the publishing groups Basic Books Group, Grand Central Publishing Group, Hachette Audio, Little, Brown and Company, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Orbit, Workman Publishing, and Running Press Group. We also provide custom distribution, fulfillment, and sales services to several publishing companies.
Our books and authors have received the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, Booker Prize, Nobel Prize, James Beard Award, and other major honors.
We are committed to diversity in our company and our publishing programs, and to fostering a culture of inclusion for all our employees and authors. We are proud to be part of Hachette Livre, the world's third-largest trade and educational publisher.
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About HACHETTE UK
Our mission at Hachette UK is to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity.
We are the UK's second-largest publishing group with 10 autonomous divisions and over 50 imprints with a rich and diverse history. We are the market leader in e-books and publish a range of bestsellers in audio format, the fastest-growing part of our business.
We publish thousands of new books across the group every year and our authors include Rebecca Yarros, Stephen King, Alice Oseman, John Grisham, Adam Kay, Val McDermid, David Nicholls, J.K. Rowling, Ian Rankin, and Malala Yousafzai. We are the proud publishers of Jane Austen, Charles Darwin, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Lord Byron.
Our award-winning adult publishing divisions are Little, Brown, Orion, John Murray Press, Hodder & Stoughton, Headline, Bookouture and Octopus. Hachette Children's Group publishes a diverse range of books for children of all ages and Hachette Learning is a market leader in high-quality educational materials and services. In 2022, we welcomed Paperblanks, the second-largest premium stationery brand in the world, to our group.
We have eight offices around the UK, including our headquarters in London and the Hely Hutchinson Centre (HHC) for distribution in Didcot. We have subsidiaries in several other regions, including Australia, India, Ireland, Jamaica and New Zealand.
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About Christopher Denise:
Christopher Denise is the award-winning creator of Knight Owl, which was a Caldecott Honor Award winner, a #1 New York Times bestseller, and an ALA-ALSC Notable Book for Children, among many other honors. Christopher is also the illustrator of many critically acclaimed books for young readers, including Groundhug Day and Firefly Hollow. He invites you to visit him online at christopherdenise.com.
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About Rachel Bright:
Rachel Bright is a wordsmith, illustrator and professional thinker of happy thoughts. A prolific creator, she has written countless bestselling books for children, including Love Monster, The Lion Inside, The Koala Who Could and The Worrysaurus and has won many prestigious awards including The Lollies, The Evening Standard Oscar's Book Prize and The Sainsbury's Book Award. Her books have been translated into 47 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is also the creator of award-winning stationery and homewares range, The Brightside. Rachel lives in a forest clearing near the seaside, with her partner, their two young daughters and numerous animals.
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About Jim Field:
Jim Field is an award-winning illustrator, character designer and animation director. He has won multiple awards including the BookTrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Oscar's Book Prize, Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards and The Lollies Book Award. He regularly collaborates with Rachel Bright (THE LION INSIDE), and Kes Gray (OI FROG!) as well as writing and illustrating his own bilingual books in the MONSIEUR ROSCOE series.
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About HACHETTE CHILDREN'S GROUP
Hachette Children's Group is one of the largest children's publishers in the UK, with an outstanding track record in creating bestselling and award-winning books for children and young people. The Group is committed to raising readers whatever their age, stage or interest, with vibrant lists offering a book for every child, including baby and pre-school books, picture books, gift, fiction, non-fiction, books for the school and library market and licensed publishing.
HCG comprises the imprints Orchard Books, Starboard, Tempest; Blyton Books, Wren & Rook, Welbeck Children's Books, Laurence King, Franklin Watts and Wayland.
The Group publishes a wide range of authors, illustrators, series and licences including: A.B. Hamilton, Adiba Jaigirdar, Alex T. Smith, Alex Wheatle, Alexandra Bracken, Alice Oseman, Cariad Lloyd, Chris Chatterton, Chris Smith, Cressida Cowell, David Almond, Dean Atta, Dermot O'Leary, Forest Xiao, Francesca Simon, Gabby's Dollhouse, Giles Andreae, Guy Parker-Rees, Jacqueline Wilson, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Jessica Townsend, Jim Field, J.J. Arcanjo, J.K. Rowling, Julian Gough, Kes Gray, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, L. D. Lapinski, Laini Taylor, Lauren Child, Lauren St John, Leigh Bardugo, Matt Goodfellow, Matt Oldfield, Matthew Syed, Mike Brownlow, Neil Coslett, Official Mr Bean, Onjali Q. Rauf, Piers Torday, Rachel Bright, Rainbow Magic, Ramzee, Rev. Richard Coles, Robert Muchamore, Simon Mugford, Simon Rickerty, Siobhan McDermott, The Magic Pet Shop, Tom Tinn Disbury and Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
Hachette Children's Group is also the owner of Enid Blyton Entertainment.
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Original text here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/articles/hachette-book-group-and-hachette-uk-partners-with-barnes-noble-and-waterstones-to-launch-raising-readers-storytimes/
Fujifilm Introduces FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR Lens
VALHALLA, New York, Sept. 5 -- Fujifilm North America issued the following news on Sept. 4, 2026:
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Fujifilm Introduces FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR Lens
Compact, lightweight super-telephoto lens design supports powerful handheld mobility and reach in challenging outdoor scenarios
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FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Electronic Imaging Division, today announced the launch of its FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR (hereafter XF400mm) super-telephoto prime lens, featuring a focal length of 400mm (equivalent to 609mm in the 35mm format) and a bright maximum aperture of F4.5 - delivering
... Show Full Article
VALHALLA, New York, Sept. 5 -- Fujifilm North America issued the following news on Sept. 4, 2026:
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Fujifilm Introduces FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR Lens
Compact, lightweight super-telephoto lens design supports powerful handheld mobility and reach in challenging outdoor scenarios
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FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Electronic Imaging Division, today announced the launch of its FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR (hereafter XF400mm) super-telephoto prime lens, featuring a focal length of 400mm (equivalent to 609mm in the 35mm format) and a bright maximum aperture of F4.5 - deliveringsome of the highest optical performance in the XF lens lineup.
"When you're making images outdoors, reach matters," said Victor Ha, vice president and general manager, Electronic Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. "You need a lens that gets you close to the action without disturbing the scene or wearing you down over a long day. XF400mm lets photographers stay mobile and react to what's in front of them, and they don't have to trade image quality to do it. With super telephoto lenses, the balance of size and performance is the creative advantage, and XF400mm is exactly that. Lightweight, compact, powerful."
With the addition of XF400mm to the lineup, the range of super-telephoto prime lenses in the FUJINON X Mount family now covers 35mm equivalent focal lengths from 305mm to approximately 762mm. This comprehensive lineup enables photographers to choose the ideal lens for virtually any super-telephoto application, providing exceptional versatility for wildlife, sports, aviation, and more.
Product Features
Optical Performance
* XF400mm features a 400mm super-telephoto focal length (35mm equivalent: 609mm) and an aperture of F4.5. It is ideal for photographing subjects that are far away and moving at high speeds, including birds, vehicles used in motorsports, and aircraft.
* When used in combination with a teleconverter, the lens' focal length is further extended. The "FUJINON Teleconverter XF1.4X TC WR" (purchased separately) expands the lens' maximum focal length to 560mm (35mm format equivalent: 853mm), while the "FUJINON Teleconverter XF2X TC WR" (purchased separately) expands the lens' maximum focal length to 800mm (35mm format equivalent: 1,219mm).
* XF400mm features a sophisticated 21-element, 14-group lens configuration that includes 2 Super ED elements and 4 ED elements. This design effectively minimizes chromatic aberration--a common issue with super-telephoto lenses--and delivers exceptional resolution. It captures even distant subjects with high-definition detail, enabling the powerful visual impact unique to super-telephoto photography.
Exceptional mobility and resolution performance in a compact, lightweight design
* Leveraging the 1.5x crop factor of the APS-C format, the lens delivers a 609mm full-frame equivalent field of view in a compact body weighing approximately 2.74 pounds (1,245g)[1]. Its lightweight design and compact portability make it ideal for extended image making sessions and travel.
* Front-heavy balance is a common challenge with super-telephoto lenses, but XF400mm features an optimized optical design that positions the center of gravity closer to the camera body. This improves handling and helps reduce fatigue during extended handheld shooting sessions.
* The lens barrel features 20 sealed points, providing dust and weather-resistance as well as reliable operation in temperatures as low as 14 F (-10 C). In addition, the front lens element is coated with fluorine, offering water-repellent and anti-smudge properties.
Powerful 5.5-Stop Image Stabilization
* Optimized stabilization mechanism provides up to 5.5 stops[2] of image stabilization performance. This enables stable handheld shooting even at super-telephoto focal lengths, where camera shake can be particularly noticeable.
Fast, Quiet and Highly Accurate Autofocus with Outstanding Handling
* The use of an internal focusing system drives the focusing group with a high-speed linear motor, allowing the lens to achieve fast and near silent autofocus. Even during demanding super-telephoto photography, the lens enables fast and highly accurate autofocus.
* XF400mm features a focus preset function that allows users to instantly shift the focus to a position preset using the "SET" button. Since there's no need to refocus on the intended subject, users can achieve focus instantly.
* A Focus Control Button positioned near the front of the lens barrel provides instant access to the function selected via the Focus Select Switch (AF-L / PRESET / AF), enabling smooth and efficient autofocus operation.
* Equipped with a focus limiter function[3] that reduces focus acquisition time when photographing subjects at distances greater than 15ft/5 meters and enabling faster autofocus performance.
Pricing and Availability
FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR will be available mid-September 2026 at a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $3,199.95 USD and $3,899.99 CAD. For more information, visit https://www.fujifilm-x.com/en-us/products/lenses/xf400mmf45-r-lm-ois-wr/.
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[1]Lens cap and hood not included
[2]Compliant with CIPA standards. Pitch/Yaw correction performance.
[3]The focus limiter function can be activated using the shooting distance range selector switch.
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About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, consists of five operating divisions. The Imaging Division provides consumer and commercial photographic products and services, including silver halide consumables; inkjet consumables; digital printing equipment, along with service and support; personalized photo products fulfillment; film; one-time-use cameras; and the popular instax(TM) line of instant cameras, smartphone printers, instant film, and accessories. The Electronic Imaging Division markets its GFX System and X Series lines of mirrorless digital cameras, lenses, and accessories to provide a variety of content creation solutions for both still and moving imagery. The Optical Devices Division provides optical lenses for the broadcast, cinematography, closed circuit television, videography, and industrial markets, and also markets binoculars and other optical imaging solutions. The Business Innovation Division offers a full lineup of digital print and toner technologies focused on enabling the digital transformation of businesses and print shops with its offerings of multifunction printers, digital inkjet presses, production toner printers, software, and more. The Industrial Products Division delivers new products derived from Fujifilm technologies including data storage tape products, including OEM and FUJIFILM Ultrium LTO cartridges, desalination solutions, microfilters and gas separation membranes.
For more information, please visit https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/about/region, go to https://x.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on X, or go to https://www.facebook.com/FujifilmAmerica to Like Fujifilm on Facebook.
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FUJIFILM Corporation is a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation. FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver innovative products and services across the globe through the four key business segments of healthcare, electronics, business innovation, and imaging with over 70,000 employees. Guided and united by our Group Purpose of "giving our world more smiles," we address social challenges and create a positive impact on society through our products, services, and business operations. Under its medium-term management plan, VISION2030, which ends in FY2030, we aspire to continue our evolution into a company that creates value and smiles for various stakeholders as a collection of global leading businesses and achieve a global revenue of 4 trillion yen (29 billion USD at an exchange rate of 140 JPY/USD). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com.
For further details about our commitment to sustainability and Fujifilm's Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here.
FUJIFILM, FUJINON, and instax are registered trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation and its affiliates.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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Original text here: https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/news/fujifilm-introduces-fujinon-xf400mm-lens
[Category: BizPhotography/Optical Equipment]
Clark Hill: CARB Releases New Resources and Reporting Guidance for California SB 253 Compliance
BIRMINGHAM, Michigan, Sept. 5 -- Clark Hill, a law firm, issued the following legal update:
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CARB Releases New Resources and Reporting Guidance for California SB 253 Compliance
Author: Maram T. Salaheldin
The California Air Resources Board ("CARB") recently released several resources to assist companies preparing for the first reporting cycle under California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act ("SB 253"). The new materials include a voluntary reporting intake platform, plus a video tutorial, that gives reporting entities an opportunity to voluntarily provide CARB with entity information,
... Show Full Article
BIRMINGHAM, Michigan, Sept. 5 -- Clark Hill, a law firm, issued the following legal update:
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CARB Releases New Resources and Reporting Guidance for California SB 253 Compliance
Author: Maram T. Salaheldin
The California Air Resources Board ("CARB") recently released several resources to assist companies preparing for the first reporting cycle under California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act ("SB 253"). The new materials include a voluntary reporting intake platform, plus a video tutorial, that gives reporting entities an opportunity to voluntarily provide CARB with entity information,including regarding in-scope subsidiaries and contact information for fee invoicing for 2026. The materials also include a new guidance document for SB 253 2026 reporting submittals. These updates provide additional insight into CARB's expectations for the inaugural reporting year, but uncertainty remains as CARB's resubmitted Initial Regulation awaits approval by the Office of Administrative Law ("OAL") and litigation continues.
Anticipated Timeline
Although the Initial Regulation remains subject to final approval by the OAL, CARB continues to move forward with implementation efforts and has begun providing operational guidance to affected companies. Under CARB's proposed Initial Regulation, as reiterated by CARB through its recent guidance materials, companies expect the following timeline:
Reporting entities will be required to submit Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions data by November 10, 2026.
CARB will send fee invoices on or before December 10, 2026.
Payment will be due within 60 calendar days from the date of CARB's invoice.
The Voluntary Reporting Intake Platform
CARB's 2026 Voluntary Reporting Intake Platform allows reporting entities to provide contact and billing information to CARB in advance of reporting deadlines and, if desired, submit Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reports directly through the platform. Use of the platform is entirely voluntary, and CARB indicates that entities may also submit data by emailing climatedisclosure@arb.ca.gov. CARB's video tutorial provides a full walk-through of the platform.
CARB indicates that the platform is intended to streamline first-year reporting and fee administration. Besides contact information for fee invoicing purposes, the platform also enables companies to submit information on their different entities (e.g., subsidiaries) that have been determined to be in the scope of SB 253 and to indicate whether they will report on a consolidated basis and whether they wish to receive one invoice for all applicable fees. For example, one in-scope parent company may opt to pay one invoice covering three sets of fees for itself and its two in-scope subsidiaries.
Companies considering use of the platform should note an important practical consideration, however: the platform states that uploaded emissions reports and statements of non-reporting (for entities not reporting based on the December 2024 Enforcement Notice) will be made public. Therefore, reporting entities should carefully evaluate any information they intend to submit through the system and consider whether a different approach may be more appropriate in certain circumstances.
CARB's New Reporting Guidance Document
CARB's new guidance document reiterates the guidance in its prior Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ") and the enforcement discretion first announced in its December 2024 Enforcement Notice. For the initial 2026 reporting cycle, CARB will accept Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions data based on information that entities were already collecting, or were planning to collect, at the time of the notice. CARB also confirms that limited assurance will not be required for first-year submissions, notwithstanding SB 253's statutory assurance requirements.
The guidance document also addresses applicability criteria and key definitions, acceptable formats for 2026 reporting, Scope 2 emission factor options, reporting requirements for 2027 and beyond.
Looking Ahead
CARB's latest guidance provides some clarity for companies preparing for the first year of SB 253 reporting, but significant questions remain. Companies that may be subject to SB 253 should continue evaluating applicability based on the proposed Initial Regulation and, if in-scope, make a plan for how to approach the expected November 10, 2026 reporting deadline, including whether to begin voluntarily submitting entity information to CARB to streamline consolidated reporting and fee invoicing if applicable. At the same time, it is important to continue monitoring related developments, including the pending litigation, and maintain an adaptable and strategic approach to compliance planning.
Clark Hill's ESG & Sustainability team consists of attorneys and professionals throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Ireland representing a range of primary practice areas intersecting with ESG and sustainability issues. If you have questions or would like to discuss this alert, please contact the authors directly or your usual Clark Hill contact.
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