BUSINESS HEADLINES

Warhound Set To Create Genetically Modified Military Dogs

(Undated) — A new company aims to provide genetically modified war dogs for the U.S. military and law enforcement, outfitted with cutting edge technology. Warhound, as the Texas-based company is known, was thought up by Ben Lamm, CEO of genetic-engineering company Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey, founder of defense-technology company Anduril. Warhound is starting out with 200-million-dollars from investors to clone dogs engineered for health, speed, agility and other factors. The first batch of cloned dogs is expected next year and the plan is to outfit them with advanced body armor and sensors to help perform tasks like bomb detection, searches and other activities. The two men conceived of the idea after learning that the U.S. faces a shortage of working dogs and that many fail training because of genetic dispositions like bad eyesight or hip dysplasia.

>>Alabama Bankruptcy Rate More Than Doubles U.S. Average

(Montgomery, AL) — Alabama holds the highest bankruptcy filing rate in the country, leading the U.S. for ten straight years. According to a study out this week by independent financial research group American Default Research, the state’s bankruptcy rate sits at over twice the national average. Over 20-thousand Alabamians filed last year, with over seven in ten opting for Chapter 13 repayment plans. A federal judge notes filers often pick Chapter 13 over Chapter-seven because it lets them pay legal fees over time instead of upfront.

>>Initial Jobless Claims Fall

(Washington, DC) — First time unemployment claims are down, having dropped by six-thousand last week. Some 194-thousand people applied for benefits, below market expectations of 200-thousand, according to the Labor Department. It’s the lowest level since mid-July.

>>Taco Bell Sticks With PepsiCo After KFC Switches To Coke

(Irvine, CA) — Taco Bell is sticking with PepsiCo for another decade, just days after sister chain KFC switched to Coca-Cola. The new agreement runs through 2036 and includes plans for new drinks and food like the Doritos Locos Tacos flavors. PepsiCo says Taco Bell’s exclusive Baja Blast has grown into a billion-dollar brand, with more varieties on the way. The deal is a major win for PepsiCo as its North American beverage business struggles with declining sales. Taco Bell is aiming to grow its beverage business to five-billion dollars by 2030.