Bars close and hundreds lose jobs as US firm buys Brewdog in £33m deal

 

Hundreds of people have been made redundant and dozens of bars have closed after craft beer firm Brewdog went into administration.

US beverage and medical cannabis company Tilray has bought the company's UK brewing operations, brand and 11 pubs in a £33m deal.

Administrators said the sale had preserved 733 jobs - but that 484 jobs had been lost and 38 bars had closed after they were not included in the rescue deal.

Tilray, which already owns several US craft beer brands, described the deal as a significant opportunity for growth in the UK and international markets.

The two firms are still negotiating for a deal on Brewdog's assets in the United States and Australia.

A very sad day. We always have a selection of Brewdog beers in our fridge. I really feel for those folks whose jobs are lost or at risk. Also for all those peeps who invested in the company.

www.bbc.co.uk

10 great chain lubes to avoid unsightly rust and extend the life of your bike's vital components

Chain lube is an essential maintenance spray for any motorcycle that uses a drive chain (which is the vast majority). Chain cleaning and lubrication is an important step in chain care and should be part of your life as a motorcycle owner.

Modern X-ring or O-ring chains have built-in lubricant on the inside of the rollers but you still need to make sure the outside of the chain stays lubricated, too.

You will have likely been told by someone, possibly in the social comments below the promotion of this article, possibly by an influencer, maybe even a mate down the pub that you can just use gear oil and that chain lube is a con.

And the truth is, they’re right. You can put gear oil on your chain and then enjoy it flinging off all over your bike and clothing when you ride. You can opt for not lubing at all and either wipe your chain down with non-penetrating oil every single day or put up with an unsightly orange-brown finish.

Or for the cost of a couple of pints you can buy a formulated spray that’ll potentially last you months and get on with enjoying your motorbike. It’s up to you, but I know what I’m choosing!

This is my secret: Constand central Stand, ChainMate, Chain Brush, S100 Chain Cleaner & S100 White Chain Lube Spray. A perfect chain: cleaned & lubed - with no "fling" all over the back wheel / bike / me!

www.motorcyclenews.com

World's tallest church is practically complete after 144 years under construction

 

Almost a century and a half after construction began on La Sagrada Familia, the exterior structure of the tallest church in the world was finally completed last Friday in Barcelona, Spain.

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, as it's officially named and the only way I refer to it in casual conversation, has now had its tallest tower, the tower of Jesus Christ, reach its maximum height. It's been topped with the upper arm of a three-dimensional four-armed cross that's clad in glass and white enameled ceramic.

Last week saw the upper arm of this roughly 56-ft (17-m) tall cross fitted with the help of a giant crane. That final piece, which is nearly 15 ft (4.5 m) tall, completes the grouping of the six central towers of the church – and brings the basilica's height to a dizzying 566 ft (172.5 m). READ MORE...

Kim & I have been to the Sagrada Família twice - and it's amazing! Outside it's vast & the detail is so intricate. Inside it's breathtaking. Some folks claimed that it would never be finished - but now amazingly - it's almost finished!  Antoni Gaudí's vision was incredible & to the Glory of God: "One metre less than Barcelona’s tallest hill Montjuic, as Gaudi thought it improper that a mere mortal’s construction should overshadow anything made by the Creator". If you haven't been yet - do go - you won't be disappointed! 

www.newatlas.com

Oxford Products is reviewing whether or not to continue as a sponsor of the British Superbike Championship

Major BSB sponsor Oxford Products is considering leaving the championship due to the series’ partnership with title sponsor Zyn. 

BSB struck a deal with the nicotine pouch manufacturer in June 2025, however, Oxford Products is concerned about the impact it could have on racing fans and motorcyclists in general. 

Zyn took over the role of title sponsor earlier this year when long-time partner Bennetts ended its partnership with the British series. The company is a subsidiary of tobacco giant Philip Morris International, with its nicotine pouches advertised as ‘smoke-free’ alternatives to cigarettes.

However, studies have suggested that the pouches are “highly addictive”, which Oxford Products says “is not compatible with our philosophy of making life on bikes better”.

Oxford Products has been a mainstay in the world of two-wheel racing since the mid-1970s, and in recent years it has backed riders and teams in BSB. Oxford Products was previously the title sponsor of the Moto Rapido Ducati team.

Well done Oxford Products - good to see a company with decent ethics. Now if only big tech could learn how to behave...

www.visordown.com

A Meta AI security researcher said an OpenClaw agent ran amok on her inbox

The now-viral X post from Meta AI security researcher Summer Yue reads, at first, like satire. She told her OpenClaw AI agent to check her overstuffed email inbox and suggest what to delete or archive.  

The agent proceeded to run amok. It started deleting all her email in a “speed run” while ignoring her commands from her phone telling it to stop. 

“I had to RUN to my Mac mini like I was defusing a bomb,” she wrote, posting images of the ignored stop prompts as receipts.

Rookie mistake: NEVER allow software to delete your data. When it all goes horribly wrong (one day it will) - you'll only have yourself to blame! Back in the early 2000s - I allowed an early version of Apple iTunes for PC to "manage" my MP3 music library. I'm still living with the fallout of that disaster now... Never again! Learning experience #2 - always backup!

www.techcrunch.com

Microsoft says bug in classic Outlook hides the mouse pointer

 

Microsoft is investigating a known issue that causes the mouse pointer to disappear in the classic Outlook desktop email client for some users.

This bug has been acknowledged almost two months after the first reports started surfacing online, with users saying that Outlook became unusable after the mouse pointer vanished while using the app.

"My mouse just stopped being visible while I am using Outlook, and this is very, very, frustrating because my permission wasn't given to make these changes, and now I can't find anything, can't open emails, can't copy and paste, and the list goes on and on," one customer noted.

Microsoft explained in a recent support document that the mouse pointer (and in some cases the cursor) will suddenly vanish as users move it across Outlook's interface, and noted that this bug also affects some users of other Microsoft 365 apps.

www.bleepingcomputer.com

Reading for today: Jeremiah tells of God's love & Grace

 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Read Jeremiah 29 at Bible Gateway