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Arrafund, a San Francisco-based startup, today announced the launch of its social commerce platform designed to help users earn commission-based income through purchases made within their trusted personal networks.

The company says its platform introduces a new model for monetizing social trust by enabling users to share products with close friends and autonomously earn commissions when purchases are made through their network. They developed the platform in response to growing demand for alternative income streams and more self-directed earning opportunities in an increasingly uncertain labor market.

Co-founder and CEO Joe Champness said, “The platform allows your closest friends to instantly shop their every purchase through you. By effortlessly earning commissions from your several friend’s daily purchases — the closest people in your life become your multiple streams of income.”

Arrafund enters the market at a time when concerns around automation, workforce disruption, and income security are becoming more prominent across industries. The company believes its platform can support consumers seeking greater flexibility, autonomy, and resilience in how they earn.

For Champness, the mission behind Arrafund is also shaped by personal experience. Earlier in his career, while playing professional football in Turkey’s top division, circumstances outside his control forced him away from the field and affected his earning ability. Champness says he emerged from that period with a renewed sense of purpose, prevailing through that uncertainty with a stronger belief that individuals need more control over how they generate income.

“Our mission ensures humanity as a whole will never lose their leverage of self. In the modern day and into the future our platform will best serve society’s increasing need for self-sufficiency. With as little as only two or more friends on the platform shopping loyally through you, meaningful income is inevitable,” says Champness.

Arrafund says its broader vision is to provide people with a practical way to participate in commerce through the strength of their existing relationships. As part of that vision, the company is developing infrastructure for fintech and AI integrations to support the platform’s continued growth. By combining digital shopping behavior with peer-to-peer trust, Arrafund aims to build a model centered on accessibility, self-sufficiency, and long-term economic participation.

About Arrafund

Arrafund is a San Francisco-based startup focused on building social commerce technology that helps users earn through trusted personal networks. The company’s platform is designed to enable commission-based earning opportunities by connecting everyday shopping activity with relationship-driven product sharing.

Media Contact

Arrafund Support Team
partners@arrafund.com

The URKL (Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend), recently initiated and hosted by EngineAI, has officially launched global registration.

As a premier humanoid robot combat competition open to universities, enterprises, and research institutions worldwide, URKL adopts EngineAI humanoid robots as the standardized competition platform. The league is guided by its core principles of open-source collaboration, joint technological development, fair competition, and safe, non-violent engagement.

The competition focuses on key technological capabilities of humanoid robots, including motion control, balance algorithms, perception and decision-making, power systems, and structural protection. Destructive or excessively aggressive modifications are strictly prohibited. Instead, participating teams are encouraged to enhance robot performance through self-developed protective solutions, algorithm innovation, and engineering optimization, with the goal of building a global platform that combines both competitive excitement and scientific value.

To ensure fairness and professionalism, URKL adopts the T800 full-size humanoid robot, independently developed by EngineAI, as the unified competition platform. Equipped with EngineAI’s proprietary embodied intelligence algorithms and high-performance power systems, the T800 demonstrates exceptional dynamic balance and precise motion control, providing teams with a stable and reliable technological foundation.

The competition follows a core model of “standardized hardware + differentiated algorithms,” shifting the focus of competition toward algorithm optimization, motion control, and strategic decision-making. This approach truly embodies the philosophy of “validating technology through competition and advancing research through competition,” accelerating the transition of humanoid robotics from laboratory research to real-world application.

In terms of competition structure, URKL features a carefully designed format combining preliminary screening, group-stage round-robin matches, and single-elimination playoffs, ensuring both competitiveness and entertainment value while maintaining fairness and order.

Following registration and qualification, 16 teams will advance to the main competition. These teams will be divided into four groups for round-robin matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Top 8. The Top 8 teams will compete in a cross-bracket single-elimination format to determine the Top 4. The final stage will include the semi-finals, third-place match, and grand final, ultimately determining the champion, runner-up, and second runner-up.

To encourage global participation and innovation in robotics, the competition offers a comprehensive and highly rewarding incentive system, covering honor, financial rewards, and development opportunities.

All Top 4 teams will receive substantial prize money, with the championship team awarded an exclusive gold championship belt weighing 10 kilograms and valued at approximately $1,450,000 (RMB 10 million). All teams reaching the Top 16 will receive an EngineAI T800 humanoid robot to support further research and development. In addition, all members of the Top 8 teams will receive a limited-edition EngineAI T800 humanoid robot, along with access to a priority recruitment channel (fast-track offers) from EngineAI, supporting their continued growth in both technology and career development.

The high-intensity and highly realistic combat scenarios created by URKL will serve as a true “proving ground” for core humanoid robotics technologies. Real-world competitive testing will drive continuous breakthroughs in motion control, perception and decision-making, human-robot interaction, and structural protection, accelerating the engineering and practical deployment of embodied intelligence technologies.

At the same time, URKL will bring together top global talent, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative ideas in the humanoid robotics field, establishing an efficient industry–academia–research–application collaboration platform. This will promote resource integration across the value chain, address key industry challenges such as technological bottlenecks and ecosystem fragmentation, and foster a virtuous cycle of “technology development to competition validation to commercialization to industrial upgrading.”

As the world’s first commercialized humanoid robot competitive league, URKL is expected to significantly enhance public awareness and industry influence in the humanoid robotics and embodied intelligence sectors. It will attract greater investment, talent, and high-quality resources, helping the industry move beyond a “concept-driven” phase toward real-world applications, and accelerating the transition from concept demonstration to practical deployment. Ultimately, URKL aims to build an open, collaborative, and win-win global ecosystem, injecting sustained momentum into the development of the industry.

The global registration for URKL is now officially open. Interested teams may see detailed registration information and apply on EngineAI's official website.

About EngineAI

EngineAI is a robotics company focused on developing next-generation embodied AI systems and high-performance robotic platforms. Through continuous innovation in hardware and software integration, EngineAI aims to build an open, intelligent ecosystem that accelerates the adoption of robotics across industries. EngineAI's URKL (Ultimate Robot Knock-out Legend), a humanoid robot combat competition, is open to teams worldwide. The event aims to bring together innovators in robotics to showcase technological capabilities, promote knowledge exchange, and explore new possibilities in the development of humanoid robot competitions and the broader robotics industry. For more information, visit en.engineai.com.cn.

Media Contact

Zibin Cen
URKL@engineai.com.cn

ADI Foundation today announced that ADI Predictstreet, the dynamic forecasting platform, has been named the Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, marking FIFA's first-ever global partner in the prediction market category.

Through this partnership, ADI Predictstreet will leverage the global stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 — set to be the largest tournament in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches competing across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States — to introduce interactive forecasting to billions of football fans worldwide.

Thanks to this collaboration, football fans will be able to participate in dynamic prediction-based experiences on ADI Predictstreet’s platform, which will leverage FIFA’s official historical data. Supporters will have the opportunity to forecast match outcomes, tournament statistics, standout players and key moments, enhancing their connection to the FIFA World Cup™ through informed interaction. 

ADI Predictstreet’s activities related to the FIFA World Cup will operate in alignment with FIFA’s regulatory and integrity frameworks, incorporating a comprehensive integrity monitoring framework which includes real time monitoring of suspicious trading activity and structured information sharing and reporting systems. These safeguards will ensure transparency, fairness and the protection of participants. Similarly, as ADI Predictstreet is rolled out globally through a phased approach, with expansion guided by market readiness and regulatory alignment, the platform is committed to operating within the legal frameworks of each jurisdiction. 

ADI Predictstreet will be available via desktop application, offering a seamless and immersive experience throughout the FIFA World Cup. 

First Ecosystem Project on ADI Chain

ADI Chain is the first institutional Layer 2 blockchain for stablecoins and real-world assets in the MENA region, providing settlement infrastructure for a dirham-backed stablecoin initiated by IHC and FAB, licensed by the UAE Central Bank. The network operates on three pillars — compliance, efficiency, and security — serving governments implementing blockchain infrastructure across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

ADI Predictstreet is the first consumer-facing application deployed on ADI Chain's institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure, proving ADI Chain can support consumer applications at global scale. $ADI functions as the gas token powering on-chain transactions across the ADI Chain ecosystem, including ADI Predictstreet activity.

Built on ADI Chain's compliance-ready infrastructure — which uses ZKsync's Airbender zero-knowledge proof technology and has been audited by OpenZeppelin and Hacken — ADI Predictstreet delivers real-time market signals, performance tracking, and embedded safeguards to ensure fairness, integrity, and participant protection.

“The FIFA World Cup is where billions of people share one moment at the same time. With this historic announcement of the first consumer-facing ecosystem project on ADI Chain, ADI Predictstreet gives fans a way to partake in the history of football at a scale nobody has done before — all powered by ADI Chain's infrastructure," said Andrey Lazorenko CEO, ADI Foundation.

A New Model for Fan Engagement

Rather than simply watching events unfold, ADI Predictstreet gives fans the ability to test their knowledge, read the pulse of the market, and participate in the tournament's momentum as it evolves - turning global football into a real-time forecasting arena. Beyond football, ADI Predictstreet will expand to prediction markets across politics, economics, technology, and popular culture, functioning as a real-time sentiment engine where market activity reflects collective expectations about future events.

About ADI Foundation

ADI Foundation is an Abu Dhabi-based non-profit founded by Sirius International Holding, a subsidiary of IHC, dedicated to empowering governments and institutions in emerging markets through blockchain infrastructure. The foundation's mission is to bring one billion people into the digital economy by 2030, building on a foundation of over 500 million people already within its ecosystem reach. For more information, visit the www.adi.foundation and follow on LinkedIn and X.

About ADI Predictstreet

ADI Predictstreet, a subsidiary of Finstreet Limited an (IHC Subsidiary), is the exclusive Official FIFA Partner for Prediction Markets for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, licensed and operating from Gibraltar. The platform that enables users to forecast the outcomes of real-world events across sports, global news, technology, and cultural moments. By aggregating insights and expectations from a global community, the platform transforms collective sentiment into measurable probabilities, creating a new model of digital participation. Launching first through football, built on ADI Chain, Predictstreet is designed to scale into thousands of prediction markets worldwide, positioning itself as a platform where individuals and communities engage with and anticipate what happens next. For more information visit www.adipredictstreet.com, follow on X, or email contact@adipredictstreet.com.

Disclaimer

ADI Foundation is an Abu Dhabi-based not-for-profit DLT Foundation registered with ADGM under commercial license number 20599. ADI Chain and tokens developed by ADI are not subject to registration with ADGM's FSRA. ADI issues only utility tokens which are not regulated digital assets under FSRA's regulatory framework. All features, token utilities, timelines, and launch details are subject to change without notice. No guarantees are made regarding future performance or token value. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, nor an offer to buy or sell any digital assets. Investment capital is at risk.

Joseph S. Smith, chief executive officer of HITvision, has announced a new governance handbook, “Board Governance Guidance: A Practical Framework for Corporate Directors,” designed to help directors and executive leaders address complex oversight responsibilities. The book distills more than 40 years of leadership in health care technology into a concise reference for active governance decision-making.

Mr. Smith developed the handbook after serving both as a senior executive presenting to boards and as a director serving on health care boards.

Governance Insights From Both Sides

Mr. Smith spent 36 years participating in board meetings while working within the Blue Cross and Blue Shield system. During that period, he presented strategy proposals, answered questions from directors and worked with oversight committees for finance and audit.

He later served on the boards of three health care organizations. Moving from executive presenter to director allowed him to observe governance dynamics from both sides of the board table.

“This experience provided the credentials to create the book’s framework, content and structure,” Mr. Smith says. The 103-page handbook helps directors think through governance challenges rather than providing predetermined answers. The book presents eight governance scenarios covering issues such as chief executive officer performance concerns, financial irregularities, strategic disputes and risk oversight.

Additionally, the publication serves as a desktop quick reference for leaders, supporting board discussions and complementing training from governance firms, universities and director associations. “It offers a quick, structured guide to help address issues and make informed decisions,” Mr. Smith says.

New Guidance for Corporate Boards 

Corporate boards today face a broader range of oversight responsibilities, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risk management and enterprise risk governance. Although directors often receive extensive training, they lack a clear framework to organize decisions during active board discussions.

Mr. Smith’s handbook offers a structured, easily accessible tool for directors to apply when addressing governance decisions. His core goal is to pass on actionable governance knowledge to new generations of directors and executives.

Specifically, Mr. Smith aims to equip them to lead organizations amid increasing operational and technological complexity. It is a mission fueled by his mindset of “earning credibility through sustained excellence.”

A Career Built on Digital Transformation

Mr. Smith's career began in the early 1970s, when the health care industry accounted for roughly 7% of the U.S. economy and relied heavily on paper-based processes. While working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations, he questioned the prevailing approach to administrative claims management, asking why paper needed to move through the system at all.

“Previously, paper exchanges were cumbersome, often resulting in lost documents and claims,” Mr. Smith says. In response, he contributed to the development of large-scale health care digitization efforts, helping build the Blue Cross and Blue Shield InterPlan claims communication system. This platform connected dozens of regional plans and supported growth in membership across the United States.

In the 1990s, Mr. Smith helped lead the development of one of the nation's earliest operational health information exchange (HIE) systems in Arkansas. Working with Arkansas Providers, his team designed, built and implemented its HIE in 2000. This technology enabled hospitals, physicians, insurance providers and other health care organizations to exchange administrative, clinical and financial data electronically.

In 2014, Mr. Smith founded HITvision after his retirement as senior vice president and chief information officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Through the firm, he advises organizations and governments on health care information technology strategy.

Mr. Smith earned a bachelor of science in industrial management from Illinois Institute of Technology and a master of business administration in finance from Loyola University Chicago. His work in health care technology earned numerous industry recognitions, including recognition by Marquis Who’s Who. Most notably, his chief information officer peers across North America selected him as one of the Elite 8 CIO Award recipients in 2011.

About Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith is the chief executive officer of HITvision in Philadelphia, specializing in health care IT consulting. He previously spent two decades at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield as chief information officer and senior vice president. His work and impact have also been featured by Apple News and the Associated Press. 

Media Contact

Marquis Who’s Who
info@marquiswhoswho.com

OJO Group of Companies, the Kuwait-based holding company, is expanding its strategic advisory arm, ARC Advisory, into Saudi Arabia, deepening a platform and network that has been active across the region for years. The move extends ARC Advisory’s footprint further into the Gulf and puts the platform squarely inside one of the region’s most consequential economic transformations.

Connecting Capital to Regional Institutions

ARC Advisory works at the pressure points where international money meets Gulf-region institutions, facilitating deals and navigating regulatory complexity to ensure successful market entry. Its clients include ultra-high-net-worth individuals, major corporations, and sovereign entities seeking to establish or expand a meaningful presence across the GCC.

The platform’s leadership team brings over 35 years of combined experience and a transaction history totaling more than $10 billion facilitated, including $5 billion in structured contracts, $3 billion in capital raised, and $1 billion in preserved asset value. The client roster includes multinationals, royal family offices, and sovereign stakeholders requiring a trusted intermediary and execution partner.

Strategic Partnership with Sarat Investment Holdings

ARC Advisory is entering the Kingdom alongside Sarat Investment Holdings, a boutique firm aligned with Vision 2030 with a diversified portfolio spanning healthcare, hospitality, innovation platforms, and sovereign fund management. Sarat manages upward of $20 billion in assets.

The expansion comes as the Saudi market experiences rapid regulatory shifts under Vision 2030, requiring the specialized local fluency ARC Advisory provides. The two firms are jointly overseeing projects worth $350 million, all of which are expected to wrap up by the end of 2026. ARC Advisory’s role covers high-level engagement management, capital alignment, and hands-on project coordination across the Kingdom.

Navigating the Complexities of Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has opened sectors that were closed a decade ago and drawn in capital from every corner of the world. However, the pace of reform has created a more complex environment, characterized by evolving regulations, shifting priorities, and layered stakeholder dynamics. The primary challenge for international players is often alignment with sovereign priorities and the ability to execute within those systems. ARC Advisory is designed to bridge this gap, reducing the friction that typically slows market entry and opening access to sovereign decision-making channels.

OJO Group’s Strategic Vision

OJO Group actively develops and scales businesses across the GCC in strategic advisory, contracting, real estate, consumer ventures, and strategic communications. ARC Advisory’s Saudi expansion reflects the group’s commitment to identifying high-growth markets and providing genuine execution capability.

Leadership Perspective

Omar Jamal Al-Omar, OJO Group’s chairman and the founder of ARC Advisory, has spent years executing multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and contracting projects across the region.

“In Saudi Arabia, we have maintained collaborative relationships with investment platforms and local partners working across sectors aligned with Vision 2030, including infrastructure, sustainability, and strategic capital projects,” Al-Omar said. “This foundation makes the formal expansion a natural next step in our regional growth strategy.”

About OJO Group of Companies

OJO Group is headquartered in Kuwait and operates across the GCC through subsidiaries in strategic advisory, contracting, consumer ventures, real estate, and strategic communications. For more information, visit ojogroup.net.

Media Contact

Yasmeen Mohamed
yasmeen@theproffice.net

The Surrogacy Foundation (TSF), an Atlanta-based nonprofit, partnered with LA-based surrogacy agency, Hatch Egg Donation & Surrogacy (Hatch), to fund and award its first-ever national surrogacy grant to Brittany and Tyler Luskin of Lexington, South Carolina, covering the cost of their journey to parenthood after years of infertility.

The grant marks a significant milestone in addressing the growing financial barriers to fertility care in the United States, where gestational surrogacy can cost over $150,000, placing it out of reach for many families. Through grants and partnerships, The Surrogacy Foundation works to reduce that barrier while promoting ethical surrogacy practices.

The Luskins, a married couple from South Carolina, have spent more than five years navigating infertility, undergoing multiple IVF cycles and embryo transfers while spending tens of thousands of dollars to build their family. Their most devastating moment came after joyfully announcing a twin pregnancy on Christmas, only to learn during a New Year’s Eve scan that both babies had passed. Brittany’s diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis ultimately led them to turn to surrogacy as the only path to having a biological child.

“We are so accustomed to receiving bad news that when we were told we were the winners of the [Hatch Full Journey] grant, we were in disbelief,” said Brittany Luskin. “We are so thankful for this renewed hope for us to start our family.”

“Partnering with Hatch on this grant allowed us to do something we haven’t done before, fund an entire surrogacy journey from start to finish,” said Zach French, Executive Director of the Surrogacy Foundation. “For most families, this isn’t out of reach because they don’t want it. It’s out of reach because they can’t afford it. This gives Brittany and Tyler a real path forward, and it shows what’s possible when the right partners step up. We see this as a blueprint for how we expand access moving forward.”

“Partnering with The Surrogacy Foundation is a natural extension of our commitment to leading surrogacy with care and integrity,” said Kristie Dolan, CEO of Hatch Fertility. “At Hatch, we believe how you do surrogacy matters just as much as the outcome. That means protecting and supporting surrogates and intended parents every step of the way, emotionally, medically, financially and legally, through trust, transparency and consent. Together, we’re not only helping make parenthood possible, we’re also celebrating the humanity of these journeys and strengthening the community that makes them possible.”

The Luskins were selected through TSF’s robust multi-step grant application and review process, designed to identify families with both financial and medical needs to parenthood but also to ensure fairness and transparency.

The Surrogacy Foundation and Hatch both hope that this grant will spark broader awareness and support for expanding access to fertility care nationwide and deepen public understanding of surrogacy as a beautiful and necessary path to parenthood.

As they begin their surrogacy journey, the Luskins are sharing their story to offer hope to others facing infertility. Brittany and Tyler Luskin are available for interviews and open to sharing their journey, including photos and updates throughout the process. 

About The Surrogacy Foundation

The Surrogacy Foundation is an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to making surrogacy more accessible through financial grants, education, and advocacy. By partnering with medical, legal, and mental health professionals, the Foundation supports intended parents and gestational carriers throughout their journeys. To date, the organization has raised more than $1 million to help families pursue surrogacy and continues to work toward normalizing ethical surrogacy and expanding access to family building. For more information, visit www.thesurrogacyfoundation.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About Hatch Egg Donation & Surrogacy

Hatch is a full-service surrogacy and egg donation agency dedicated to making parenthood accessible, ethical, and inclusive for all families. For more than 35 years, Hatch has guided intended parents and surrogates through every step of the family-building journey with expert care, personalized support, and a commitment to transparency, integrity, and informed choice. Grounded in thoughtful matching, mutual consent, trusted medical oversight, and clear, accountable processes, Hatch prioritizes the safety, dignity, and well-being of everyone involved while providing fair, ethical support throughout the journey. Through education, advocacy, and responsible industry stewardship, Hatch works to strengthen surrogacy practices and help turn hope into families. For more information, visit www.hatch.us and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Meagan Luevano
mluevano@ka-pow.com

Signals Group, a media and research firm operating at the intersection of kidney health, innovation, and policy, today announced its membership in the Coalition for Kidney Health (C4KH), a multistakeholder initiative convened by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to advance early detection and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

“In the United States, 37 million people are living with chronic kidney disease, yet most remain undiagnosed,” said Miriam Godwin, Vice President of Health Policy at the National Kidney Foundation. “Addressing this gap requires better alignment across clinicians, patients, policymakers, and innovators. The Coalition for Kidney Health is bringing those voices together to drive earlier detection and more coordinated care, and partners like Signals Group play an important role in translating complex science and policy into insights that can improve care at scale.”

A Mission Aligned with Urgent Need

CKD is deeply intertwined with diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, together forming what the medical community calls cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. These risk factors affect nearly 90% of U.S. adults. Medicare alone spends over $50 billion annually managing kidney failure, much of which could be avoided through earlier intervention.

The C4KH is working to shift the paradigm from reactive treatment of kidney failure to proactive prevention, screening, and coordinated care across the continuum. Recent actions include a white paper calling on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to embed early CKD detection into its value-based care portfolio, and a letter to CMMI urging the inclusion of guideline-concordant kidney disease screening in the upcoming ACCESS Model.

Signals’ work, spanning original research, editorial coverage, and engagement with innovators across kidney and cardiometabolic health, is uniquely positioned to amplify these goals and accelerate the stakeholder alignment the coalition seeks. Last fall, Signals convened members of the Coalition to share their white paper and policy priorities, sparking a multidisciplinary conversation about bringing these strategies from the policy page into daily care.

“We built Signals Group around a simple conviction: that kidney disease does not get the attention it deserves, and that closing that gap requires better communication across every part of the ecosystem,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, founder of Signals Group. “The Coalition is shaping what the next decade of CKM care looks like. We're proud to be part of that work.”

Contributing Across the Coalition's 2026 Agenda

The Coalition for Kidney Health enters 2026 with an ambitious agenda: securing a USPSTF screening recommendation for CKD, expanding the Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients With Diabetes (KED) measure to include patients with hypertension, advancing a next-generation kidney care model within CMMI's specialty care strategy, and pressing for policy changes that expand access to Medical Nutrition Therapy and Kidney Disease Education.

Signals intends to contribute to these efforts through its editorial and research platforms, its engaged audience of clinicians, advocates, innovators, and policymakers, and its deep knowledge of the emerging landscape of kidney and cardiometabolic therapeutics, diagnostics, and care delivery. The coalition’s strength lies in the breadth of its membership, clinicians, patient advocates, health plans, and industry partners, all aligned around the shared conviction that preventing kidney failure before it starts is both the right clinical strategy and the most powerful path to controlling costs. Signals is proud to add its voice to that effort.

About Signals Group

Signals Group is a media, research, and advisory platform advancing the kidney health ecosystem. Through its flagship publication, Signals reaches more than 15,000 professionals across 60+ countries, including clinicians, policymakers, researchers, advocates, and industry leaders shaping the future of care. Learn more at signalsfs.com.

About Coalition for Kidney Health

The Coalition for Kidney Health (C4KH) is a multistakeholder group convened by the National Kidney Foundation with a shared interest in early detection and management of chronic kidney disease. The coalition advances legislation and regulatory policies that improve awareness and screening of at-risk patients, and drive high-quality, coordinated care focused on delaying CKD progression, managing comorbidities, and empowering patients. C4KH members include clinicians, patient advocates, health plans, life sciences companies, and other partners committed to transforming the care landscape for the 37 million Americans living with CKD.

About National Kidney Foundation

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the United States. For more information, visit kidney.org.

Media Contact

Haile McGill
Signals Group
haile@signalsfs.com

Brighterly, an online learning platform offering math and ELA 1:1 tutoring sessions to K-12 students, has launched the beta version of AI Lesson Summaries. The goal of this feature is to address the “forgotten lesson” problem in which students who don’t revisit material immediately can lose up to 70% of newly learned information, according to studies on the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve and memory decay. 

AI Lesson Summaries automatically create a brief recap of what was learned in class right after it ends. Already live for some Brighterly families, the feature is expected to roll out to all users by the end of 2026. 

Eugene Kashuk, CEO and founder of Brighterly, sees this as a big step towards fulfilling the company’s core mission:

"We built Brighterly on the belief that great teachers and smart technology are most powerful when they work together. AI Lesson Summaries is that belief in action. It takes what a tutor creates in a session and extends its impact far beyond the hour, helping kids build knowledge that lasts."

How AI Lesson Summaries Work

The AI Lesson Summaries is an AI assistant that analyzes the lesson recording to extract key points and learning milestones after one-on-one classes between students and their tutors conclude. Instead of providing a full, unedited transcript of the class, this feature generates a child-friendly lesson recap. It highlights the most important concepts the student has learned and practiced and pays close attention to areas that need more work. Overall, the summary includes: 

• A clear summary of the math or ELA concepts covered in class
• Key takeaways and insights from the topic
• Simple real-life activities to practice the knowledge

Maxim Galiiov, head of product at Brighterly, says the feature was built to solve a common parent pain point:

"Parents told us they loved the results of our tutoring but felt disconnected from the process. Feedback sessions shouldn't be a luxury — they should be instant. We created AI Lesson Summaries to give parents a clear recap of every session, the second it finishes."

AI use for school-related purposes in the United States rose over the past year, increasing by 26% among students and 21% among educators, according to Microsoft’s "2025 AI in Education" report. The way people use these tools is also changing. Brighterly is actively gathering information and feedback from early adopters of AI Lesson Summaries. Based on it, the feature will evolve over time, and the summaries will include even more personalized content, helping families:

• Understand what their child knows and where they stand
• Spot potential knowledge gaps before they become blockers
• Reduce the stress of keeping up with a child's academic progress

The Problem AI Lesson Summaries Solve

One of the biggest obstacles to academic growth isn't the quality of teaching, but what happens once the class ends. The gap is driven by the forgetting curve — a pattern that shows how quickly new information fades without reinforcement, affecting effectiveness and academic success.

Without a timely recap, students forget much of what they have learned during the class in just one day. Outside of school and tutoring sessions, helping children with subjects they struggle with often falls to the parents, who often don’t have time nor enough in-depth knowledge on a particular subject. 

Availability and Roadmap

Brighterly is currently rolling out the AI Lesson Summaries beta, aiming to make it available to all users by the end of 2026. Looking ahead, the company plans to add built-in self-practice functionality to AI Lesson Summaries, based on each student's individual takeaways and key learnings. These custom summaries will not only recap the lesson but also focus on key areas students struggle with to help fill knowledge gaps as well as redirect students to personalized practice materials.

About Brighterly

Brighterly is a K–12 learning platform helping students build strong foundations in core disciplines — math and reading. By blending personalized one-on-one lessons with adaptive AI, Brighterly creates a tailored learning path that helps every child close gaps, build confidence, and develop study habits that last well beyond the classroom. Founded in 2022 in Kyiv, the company has already supported over 300,000 families across the United States. In 2025, Brighterly was recognized as a finalist in the EdTech Digest Awards in two categories — Math Solution and Tutoring Solution.

Media Contact

Yana Sobetska
Brand & Communications Manager, Brighterly
yana.sobetska@brighterly.com

The "Confluence of Minds — 2026 Academic Summit on Frontiers in Neurodevelopment and Mental Health & Second Annual Meeting of the Feihe–Harvard BCH Brain Development Foundation" was held March 30–31 at the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. The two-day summit was jointly organized by the BCH-Feihe Pediatric Brain Development Initiative, the Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme at Duke-NUS Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School.

The gathering brought together leading scientists from nearly 20 institutions worldwide, including Harvard, Yale, Tsinghua, Fudan, and Duke-NUS Medical School. Attendees included members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the editor-in-chief of "Nature Neuroscience."

The summit reflects Feihe's role as a long-term supporter and active organizer of international scientific dialogue on early brain development and mental health — areas the company views as central to human wellbeing across the lifecycle.

"Feihe is willing to share its development achievements with the world and bring scientific nutrition to all humanity," said Leng Youbin, Chairman of Feihe, at the summit.

One attending member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences noted that the collaboration extends beyond funding: "Feihe is not only a supporter of scientific research — it is a driver of the global innovation chain. Our collaboration will create immeasurable value for human health."

A Global Research Ecosystem Built Over Decades

Feihe's engagement with the international scientific community is the product of sustained, long-term investment. Over the past decade, the company has established research partnerships with more than 40 leading institutions across seven countries, building a network that spans basic research, process innovation, product development, and clinical validation.

That commitment extends to proprietary technology. Feihe's "Fresh Milk Protein Extraction Technology" enables the direct extraction of active proteins — including casein, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin — from fresh milk sourced from the company's own farms. Feihe has achieved full in-house production capability for 11 core ingredients, a foundation that is enabling the company to extend infant-grade nutritional standards across the full human lifecycle.

Having led China's infant formula market in sales for seven consecutive years, Feihe is actively broadening its portfolio — from new infant formula lines to children's nutrition products such as Supernova Cheese, to small-molecule milk protein powders designed for middle-aged and elderly consumers.

Expanding Internationally

Feihe's research investments are translating into commercial expansion. In North America, the company established Canada's first infant formula manufacturing facility, with products now carried by more than 1,600 major retailers across the region. In Southeast Asia, Feihe entered the Philippines with its AceKid Activegro pure fresh milk formula — now available in nearly 500 stores and covering approximately 80% of the country's high-end retail network. The AceKid Activegro line recently received regulatory approval in Indonesia, making Feihe the first Chinese infant formula brand to enter that market.

Amsterdam & Partners LLP, acting as international counsel for technology entrepreneur Maxim Poletaev and SOLFY, an international finance firm operating in Uzbekistan, expresses grave concern regarding recent actions by the Government of Uzbekistan and the National Bank of Uzbekistan.

While discussions between SOLFY and the National Bank of Uzbekistan were ongoing, Xasanov Uktam Nasullotevich, CEO of SOLFY Uzbekistan, was detained under highly irregular circumstances, in a manner that appears intended to exert undue pressure on SOLFY's commercial position.

Robert Amsterdam, founder and managing partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, stated that such actions represent "a significant departure from the investor protection principles advocated by the President of Uzbekistan."

"These developments suggest a concerning use of state authority that may impact fundamental rights. Such conduct risks undermining investor confidence in Uzbekistan and raises questions regarding the state's commitment to transparent and lawful dispute resolution."

"Our clients remain committed to defending their rights and call for immediate adherence to international legal standards. We are confident that the local legal team in Uzbekistan will demonstrate that the charges against Mr. Xasanov lack legal merit. His continued detention during high-level settlement discussions contrasts sharply with Uzbekistan’s stated goal of maintaining a business-friendly environment."

Despite these procedural challenges, Maxim Poletaev, represented by Amsterdam & Partners LLP, intends to pursue all available legal remedies, including the transition of the matter to binding international arbitration.

About Amsterdam & Partners LLP

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in London and Washington, DC, specialising in political advocacy and human rights. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com.

Media Contact

Amsterdam & Partners Media
contact@amsterdamandpartners.com

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival (Bravo! Vail), a top U.S. classical music festival and the only festival in North America to host four orchestras each summer, announces composer Chris Rogerson as its next Artistic Director.

Selected from an applicant pool of internationally renowned musicians and arts leaders, Rogerson assumes the Artistic Director Designate role immediately and the Artistic Director title on September 1, 2026, for an initial three-year term.

“We are thrilled that Chris will lead Bravo! Vail in its next era — his commitment to artistic excellence, sophisticated and innovative programming, and approach to community engagement all align perfectly with Bravo! Vail’s mission and goals for the future. It will be an exciting new chapter for Bravo! Vail,” said Caitlin Murray, Bravo! Vail’s President and CEO. 

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we welcome Chris and look to the future with excitement and inspiration. We are honored to embark on the exciting journey ahead with Chris Rogerson as our next Artistic Director for our beloved festival," said Hank Gutman, Board Chair of Bravo! Vail. "This collaboration promises to elevate our mission and enrich the cultural tapestry of Vail for years to come."
 
Rogerson becomes the fourth Artistic Director in the Festival’s history, succeeding Anne-Marie McDermott after her 16-year tenure. His appointment underscores the Festival's continued commitment to new works and education, alongside core orchestral and chamber music programming.

“Bravo! Vail represents the highest level of music-making in an incomparable natural setting. From its founding in 1987, it has served as a beacon of artistic integrity and a place of limitless artistic possibility,” stated Chris Rogerson, incoming Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Designate. “I have the deepest admiration for the artistic directors who have shaped this festival and am honored to carry forward that legacy. I have been fortunate to have contributed to the festival as a composer and have seen firsthand how magical it is: a place where excellence and collaborative joy are inseparable, and where decisions serve the music and the artists who bring it to life. The opportunity to lead the festival into its next chapter alongside the incredible team is profoundly meaningful and tremendously exciting.”

Rogerson is an accomplished American-born composer. His music has been performed by artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill, J’Nai Bridges, and Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, as well as leading orchestras and ensembles across the country. For the past decade, he has served as a member of the faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music. In 2023, Rogerson received the prestigious Elise L. Stoeger Prize from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Rogerson’s relationship with Bravo! Vail spans multiple commissions, including "Samaa’" for piano, gongs, and strings, premiered in 2022 by Anne-Marie McDermott and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Commissioned in honor of McDermott’s 10th anniversary as Artistic Director, the work was the first premiered as part of Bravo! Vail’s Symphonic Commissioning Project, an ongoing initiative supporting the creation and premiere of new orchestral works.

Prior to his appointment with Bravo! Vail, Rogerson served as Composer-in-Residence of Young Concert Artists and as Composer-in-Residence and Artistic Advisor for both the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and the Amarillo Symphony. He has also received awards and fellowships from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Chamber Music America, the Theodore Presser Foundation, the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and Copland House.

In addition to being a member of the faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he also studied, he is an alumnus of the Yale School of Music and Princeton University. His advisors have included Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Jay Kernis, Martin Bresnick, and Steve Mackey.

Bravo! Vail will announce its 40th anniversary season — Rogerson’s first as Artistic Director — in December of 2026.

Chris Rogerson is available for press interviews. Download press photos of Chris Rogerson.

About Bravo! Vail Music Festival

Consistently cited as one of the top 10 classical music festivals in the country, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival brings world-renowned musicians to picturesque venues throughout the Vail and Eagle River Valley region for six weeks, drawing music lovers from around the world. The only festival in North America to host four of the world’s finest orchestras in a single season, Bravo! Vail celebrates its 39th season from June 25-August 6, 2026, with approximately 60 concerts — almost half of which are presented for free. Beyond its summer programming, Bravo! Vail serves the community by providing year-round low-cost music education through Music Makers "Haciendo Música," a piano, violin, guitar, cello, and ensemble instruction program to help develop new generations of musicians and music lovers. "[Bravo! Vail] is the most high-profile — and high altitude — mountain music festival in America." — The Times (UK). For more information, visit www.bravovail.org.

About Chris Rogerson

Chris Rogerson is a composer praised as a “confident new musical voice” (The New York Times), with music noted for its lyricism, “haunting beauty,” and “virtuosic exuberance.” His works have been performed at leading venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, and Wigmore Hall. Recent highlights include Of Simple Grace for Yo-Yo Ma, a violin concerto for Benjamin Beilman and the Kansas City Symphony, and Dream Sequence for Anne-Marie McDermott and the Dover Quartet. He has received commissions from major orchestras nationwide and was awarded the 2022 Elise L. Stoeger Prize from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Rogerson is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale School of Music, and Princeton University, and serves on the faculty of Curtis. For more information, visit www.chrisrogerson.com.

Media Contact

Christy Pierce
christy@8vamusicconsultancy.com

Parker Owens
powens@bravovail.org

Proner & Proner announced that a Bronx County jury has returned a verdict of $36,398,000 in favor of plaintiff Honorio Rosario-Silverio in the matter of Honorio Rosario-Silverio v. PPC Commercial, LLC, et al., tried before the Honorable Wilma Guzman in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County. The verdict was rendered on February 4, 2026.

The jury awarded a total of $36,398,000, including $5,000,000 for past pain and suffering, $20,000,000 for future pain and suffering, $10,000,000 for future medical expenses, $468,000 for past lost earnings, and $930,000 for future loss of earnings.

The case arose from a serious workplace accident on October 14, 2017, at a Foodtown supermarket in the Parkchester section of the Bronx. Mr. Rosario-Silverio was working for his employer, a non-party to the lawsuit, installing a commercial rack refrigeration system in the store’s basement. A metal plate had been placed over the basement stairway to create a makeshift ramp so the heavy refrigeration components could be moved downstairs.

According to the evidence presented at trial, ordinary cooking oil was applied to the ramp so the equipment would slide more easily into the basement. Plaintiff contended that the oil was supplied at the direction of the supermarket owner to speed up the work. While positioned at the top of the ramp to guide the equipment, Mr. Rosario-Silverio slipped due to oil on his shoes and fell down the incline, suffering serious injuries.

Liability was sharply contested. The defense denied that the supermarket owner was present when the work was performed and insisted that all means and methods were controlled solely by plaintiff’s employer. The defense also offered testimony that Mr. Rosario-Silverio was injured because he chose to walk up the ramp instead of using the adjacent staircase.

What initially appeared to be a minor injury — Mr. Rosario-Silverio was treated and discharged from Jacobi Hospital with four stitches to his forearm — developed into a complex catastrophic injury case. Over time, he was diagnosed with significant shoulder and cervical spine injuries requiring surgery and a mild traumatic brain injury.

The defense presented a neurologist and neuroradiologist who claimed that Mr. Rosario-Silverio had sustained no brain or neck injury, that his examinations were normal, and that he was capable of returning to work.

The case was further complicated by a subsequent accident in 2020, which the defense argued caused overlapping injuries and showed that plaintiff was seeking double recovery. Defendants called the treating orthopedic surgeon from the 2020 accident, who testified that before that incident, Mr. Rosario-Silverio had reported doing well and having returned to work.

Despite these challenges, the plaintiff’s team presented extensive expert medical evidence linking Mr. Rosario-Silverio’s traumatic brain and orthopedic injuries to the 2017 fall in the Foodtown basement. Plaintiff’s brain-injury expert testified that advanced DTI MRI imaging and NeuroQuant analysis objectively confirmed brain trauma and placed Mr. Rosario-Silverio at increased risk for early dementia. A neuroradiologist corroborated those findings, and plaintiff’s treating cervical spine and shoulder surgeons testified that the surgeries were necessitated by injuries sustained in the 2017 accident, not the later event.

Throughout the trial, the defense repeatedly attacked Mr. Rosario-Silverio’s credibility, emphasizing that he was undocumented, paid off the books, and had not accurately reported all of his earnings for tax purposes. The defense also argued that any serious injury was limited to the initial laceration to his forearm. Nevertheless, the jury returned the largest premises-accident personal injury verdicts in Bronx County in more than seven years. It is the largest personal injury verdict in New York on record ever for an individual undocumented immigrant worker.

The case was tried by Mitchell Proner and Daisy Koch of Proner & Proner.

“This verdict reflects the jury’s recognition that serious brain and orthopedic injuries are real and life-altering, even when defendants try to dismiss them as minor, unrelated, or the product of a later incident,” said Mitchell Proner, trial counsel for the plaintiff. “The defense highlighted his immigration status, his off-the-books earnings, and a subsequent accident, but the evidence showed that what happened in that supermarket basement permanently changed Mr. Rosario-Silverio’s life.”

Proner & Proner continues to represent victims of catastrophic personal injury, traumatic brain injury, construction and workplace accidents, premises liability, and motor vehicle negligence throughout New York.

Case Information

Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County
Honorio Rosario-Silverio v. PPC Commercial, LLC, and 1489 Food Corp., d/b/a Foodtown Supermarket
Case No. 31210/2017E

About Proner & Proner

Mitchell Proner is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and owner of Proner & Proner in Manhattan. A past president of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, he has secured multimillion-dollar results for more than 25 years and represented clients in over 30 jurisdictions. He frequently lectures on trial strategy to bar associations and attorney groups across the United States, Canada, and Europe, and is licensed in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Michigan.

He focuses on representing accident victims worldwide and served as lead counsel for victims of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, the largest maritime disaster since the Titanic. He has been named a Super Lawyer for 23 consecutive years, is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and has been recognized among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian and enjoys travel, motorcycles, and motorcycling.

Media Contact

Mitchell Proner
Proner & Proner
mproner@prolaw1.com
+1 917-751-4926

The FREELANDER brand was officially introduced in Shanghai, marking a new phase in the collaboration between Chery Automobile and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The debut included the unveiling of a concept vehicle, referred to as “Concept 97,” which offers an early look at the design direction for future models.

FREELANDER is being developed as part of the long-standing Chery JLR joint venture, combining Chery’s manufacturing and technology capabilities with JLR’s design and engineering experience. The brand is expected to focus on electrified SUV models, with initial activity centered in the Chinese market.

Senior representatives from both companies attended the launch event, including executives from JLR and Chery, alongside partners and dealers.

Brand and Development Plans

FREELANDER will operate with dedicated teams across design, research and development, and manufacturing within China. Production is expected to take place at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover facility in Changshu, which has undergone recent investment to support electrified vehicle production.

The brand’s early strategy is focused on developing a range of electrified SUVs over the coming years. Initial rollout plans are concentrated in China, including the gradual expansion of a retail and service network.

Concept 97 Preview

The Concept 97 vehicle presented at the launch is a design study that reflects FREELANDER’s intended styling and technology direction. The concept incorporates design cues inspired by the original Freelander model, alongside updated elements such as simplified exterior surfaces and a modern lighting signature.

Inside, the concept emphasizes space, visibility, and a technology-focused cabin environment, combining digital interfaces with a minimalist layout. As a concept vehicle, these features are indicative and may evolve in future production models.

Phil Simmons, Director of the FREELANDER Design Hub, said the concept is intended to explore a balance between urban usability and the brand’s SUV heritage.

Technology and Partnerships

FREELANDER indicated it is working with a range of technology and supply partners in areas such as battery systems, connectivity, and in-vehicle computing. Specific configurations and partnerships may vary by market and model.

Retail and Production

Vehicles are expected to be manufactured at the Changshu facility, with additional investment supporting new energy vehicle production lines. The brand also outlined plans to establish a retail and service presence across major Chinese cities over time.

FREELANDER’s debut represents an early step in the development of a new electrified SUV brand under the Chery JLR partnership, with further details on production models expected at a later stage.

Planet VPN announced a significant update to its proprietary StarGuard protocol, introducing enhanced adaptive capabilities designed to maintain reliable connections in environments with increasingly sophisticated, AI-driven censorship systems.

The company said the updated protocol dynamically adjusts how encrypted traffic is transmitted, reducing identifiable patterns in packet size, timing, and connection behavior. This adaptive approach is intended to improve resilience against modern detection systems that rely on machine learning to identify and disrupt VPN traffic in real time.

“Our focus is on adaptability,” Planet VPN said in a statement. “As censorship systems evolve, VPN technology must be able to respond continuously to maintain performance and reliability.”

According to the company, the StarGuard update is informed by ongoing analysis of filtering systems observed across multiple regions. This allows Planet VPN to respond more quickly to emerging detection techniques and shifting network conditions.

The update comes as artificial intelligence plays an increasingly central role in internet censorship. In several countries, filtering systems now use AI models trained to analyze encrypted traffic patterns — including packet size, timing, and behavioral signatures — enabling them to classify and block VPN connections even when traffic is obfuscated.

Industry analysts say this has accelerated a broader shift away from static VPN protocols toward adaptive systems capable of evolving over time.

“We’re seeing a transition from fixed protocol design to systems that need to adapt continuously,” said a cybersecurity researcher familiar with traffic analysis technologies. “In many ways, it’s becoming an AI-versus-AI environment.”

Planet VPN said its updated StarGuard protocol is designed to maintain stable, high-speed connections under these conditions, addressing a common challenge for users in regions with advanced filtering and deep packet inspection.

The announcement comes amid a continued decline in global internet freedom. Freedom House reports that internet freedom has fallen for the 15th consecutive year, with countries such as China, Iran, and Russia investing heavily in systems capable of classifying and blocking encrypted traffic at scale.

Planet VPN said it will continue updating StarGuard in response to evolving censorship technologies, emphasizing adaptability as a core component of its development strategy.

About Planet VPN

Planet VPN is a VPN service designed to protect user privacy and bypass internet censorship. Available across multiple platforms, Planet VPN provides secure, encrypted connections with its proprietary StarGuard protocol — engineered to maintain stable access in regions with advanced filtering and deep packet inspection. Learn more at freevpnplanet.com.

Media Contact

Planet VPN
links@planetfreevpn.com

Botanicals for Better Health and Wellness (BBHW), a leading botanical wellness and public health organization, today commended Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway for taking decisive action against manufacturers and retailers engaged in the deceptive marketing and unlawful sale of the synthetic drug 7-hydroxymitragynine — known as 7-OH. Attorney General Hanaway made it clear that the focus of the lawsuit is on the lab-made drug 7-OH, not natural kratom. 

Attorney General Hanaway issued Civil Investigation Demands (CIDs) against CBD American Shaman and connected companies over the manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of 7-OH products, alleging the company markets products without the safety testing and regulatory approvals required by state and federal law. AG Hanaway also issued CIDs against companies distributing and selling 7-OH. BBHW applauds these actions as a model for how law enforcement should approach the growing problem of dangerous lab-made drugs being sold to unsuspecting consumers as safe, natural products. 

“The Missouri Attorney General is doing exactly what consumer protection demands — holding bad actors accountable for marketing dangerous lab-made drugs without proper safety testing, regulatory approval, or honest labeling,” said Meghan DiMuzio, Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs at BBHW. “This is the kind of enforcement action that protects consumers and distinguishes responsible botanical wellness companies from those willing to put profit above public safety.” 

BBHW has long maintained what the FDA’s own research increasingly supports: synthetic and highly concentrated 7-OH is a dangerous lab-made drug that bears no meaningful resemblance to the natural botanical kratom. The FDA reports that it is three times more likely that 7-OH will result in respiratory depression compared to morphine — a risk profile that is categorically different from that of the natural kratom. 

The FDA’s own pilot study on natural botanical kratom tells a very different story about the botanical. The study concluded that “at the doses tested, using the specific botanical kratom sourced for the study, and under carefully controlled clinical conditions, kratom was well tolerated.” No serious adverse events were observed across the entire study — a finding that stands in sharp contrast to the documented risks of lab-made synthetic 7-OH. In 2025, the FDA recommended that the DEA place 7-hydroxymitragynine — but not the botanical kratom — on its list of Schedule I controlled substances, drawing precisely the distinction that enforcement actions like Missouri’s should reflect. 

The distinction matters. Enforcement actions and regulatory frameworks that target dangerous lab-made 7-OH while preserving responsible adult access to natural botanical kratom reflect the science. Blanket approaches that treat the two as equivalent do not. 

BBHW calls on attorneys general and law enforcement agencies across the country to follow Missouri’s lead in pursuing manufacturers and retailers who sell dangerous lab-made drugs without proper safety testing, regulatory approval, or honest consumer disclosure. The companies profiting from the deceptive marketing of synthetic 7-OH are the problem. Responsible botanical wellness companies committed to science, safety, and transparency are the solution. 

“The FDA’s own research makes clear that natural botanical kratom and lab-made synthetic 7-OH are not the same substance and should not be treated as such,” said DiMuzio. “We welcome enforcement that targets the real threat — and we will continue to advocate for regulatory frameworks grounded in science that protect consumers without eliminating responsible adult access to natural botanical products.”

About Botanicals for Better Health and Wellness (BBHW)

Botanicals for Better Health and Wellness (BBHW) is a national trade organization formed to support the development of robust regulatory frameworks governing botanical products in the United States. For more information, visit www.bbhw.org.

Media Contact

Press Team
paloma@bbhwco.com

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (Nasdaq: FFAI) (“FF,” “Faraday Future,” or the “Company”), a California-based global Embodied AI (“EAI”) ecosystem company, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025, and provided key operational and strategic updates.

During the fourth quarter, FF achieved an important production milestone with the roll-off of the first FX Super One pre-production vehicle at its Hanford, California AI-Factory, marking progress toward engineering validation, homologation, and production system refinement. The Company also formally launched its FF EAI Ecosystem Strategy, a three-in-one framework integrating EAI hardware, the EAI Brain and Open-Source Platform, and a Centralized & Decentralized Data Factory to support a scalable intelligent ecosystem.

Fourth Quarter 2025 Highlights and Subsequent Updates

During the fourth quarter of 2025 and into early 2026, FF continued advancing execution across both its EAI EV and EAI Robotics businesses.

On the EV side, the Company continued progressing toward U.S. production readiness for the FX Super One, including FMVSS-related certification work, supply chain development, and strategic procurement and engineering agreements to support the next phase of mass-production preparation. FF 91 remains the Company’s ultra-luxury flagship, while the Company also continued expanding its FX product roadmap, including FX 4, positioned as the “RAV 4 Disruptor in the AIEV Era.” Development of 800V high-voltage drive systems is also underway.

Commercially, FF continued expanding its Co-Creation Ecosystem B2B2C model. By the end of 2025, cumulative non-binding, non-refundable paid pre-orders for the FX Super One exceeded 11,000 units across multiple U.S. states and industries. The Company also continued building its Four-Pillar Sales Architecture, including community sales, partner sales, B2B sales, and third-party e-commerce. In early 2026, FF further strengthened its operating capabilities by expanding its dealership network, broadening its sales system to support both EAI EVs and EAI robots, and exploring diversified sales models such as customized leasing programs. Following its participation in the NADA Dealer Summit, FF signed memorandums of understanding with several major U.S. mainstream dealerships covering both the Super One and EAI robots.

FF also continued advancing its global co-creation strategy. Following the FX Super One launch on October 28, football legend Andrés Iniesta joined in November as the world’s first owner and Co-Creation Officer. Deliveries are being prioritized for key co-creation partners, including local government entities, with operations taking shape in Ras Al Khaimah. To support diversified financing solutions, Faraday Finance Inc. was established in October, and an application has been filed for the relevant California auto finance license.

In robotics, FF formally launched three series of Embodied AI robotics products, Futurist, Master, and Aegis, on February 4, 2026, initially targeting education, home security, and entertainment/performance use cases. At launch, total non-binding, non-refundable paid pre-orders exceeded 1,200 units. Deliveries began in late February, making FF the earliest U.S. company to begin scaled delivery of both humanoid and bionic EAI robotic devices. By the end of March 2026, cumulative shipments reached 22 units, exceeding the preset target. FF also began recognizing robot sales revenue and achieved positive product gross margin in the first quarter, supporting near-term cash flow while reinforcing its long-term ecosystem strategy.

FF also continued upgrading its FFAI technology stack. The system now supports more than 50 languages and includes real-time web search, voice synthesis, and RAG knowledge base support. Additional improvements include AEC upgrades for seamless conversation interruption, migration of an end-to-end autonomous driving model, vision-based 3D object detection, scalable automated labeling algorithms, and gesture-controlled door entry using the DinoV3 vision model. FF has also submitted a patent related to a blockchain and Web3-based vehicle-sharing system enabling one-click sharing, automated credit verification, and revenue distribution.

Governance, compliance, and organizational capabilities were further strengthened during the quarter. FF introduced and implemented its PPTIA governance methodology across the Company. FF and FX executives also held meetings in Washington, D.C. with U.S. lawmakers and officials regarding manufacturing, policy, and industry priorities. In March 2026, the SEC investigation concluded with no enforcement or other action taken against the Company or related parties, removing a significant regulatory overhang and supporting FF’s continued re-engagement with capital markets. During the same month, the Company relocated its headquarters to Silicon Beach in El Segundo, California to strengthen talent attraction and support the next phase of growth.

FF also continued advancing its broader ecosystem strategy through its investment in Qualigen Therapeutics, later renamed AIxCrypto Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AIXC), and through a February 2026 share purchase agreement involving $10 million in pure equity financing. The transaction has not yet closed because the Company currently lacks a sufficient number of authorized but unissued and unreserved shares to consummate the purchase agreement.

Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025

For full year 2025, revenue was essentially flat year-over-year, reflecting early-stage commercialization and continued market engagement. Loss from operations was $32.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, and $331 million for the full year, primarily reflecting asset impairments, cost of revenue, and G&A. Excluding one-time impairments or losses, operating loss was $185 million, reflecting cost-optimization efforts. The one-time impairment primarily resulted from the strategic shift from the FF 91 program to the planned FF 92 upgrade, as well as reorganization and retooling for FX Super One commercial production. These impaired assets are expected to be redeployed with limited additional investment.

Operating cash outflow for 2025 was $107.5 million, primarily driven by working capital changes and the operational ramp-up of the FX platform. Financing cash inflow was $161.4 million for the year, compared to $80.7 million in 2024. Stockholders’ equity was $7.7 million at year-end 2025. Due to the Company’s capital structure and equity-linked instruments, reported figures may experience meaningful non-cash volatility from period to period.

Capital Financing

In 2025, FF generated $161.4 million in net financing inflow, demonstrating continued access to capital in a challenging EV financing environment. The Company remains focused on securing additional external financing, including from strategic investors in 2026, to support both its EAI Automotive and Robotics businesses. During Q4, FF also entered agreements to cancel approximately 44.6 million outstanding warrants, reducing potential future dilution.

On March 20, 2026, FF received a Nasdaq deficiency notice related to the minimum bid price requirement and was granted 180 days to regain compliance. The Company plans to take all necessary actions within the prescribed period. FF also initiated action regarding potential illegal short selling and market manipulation while continuing evidence collection. Separately, it launched a collective stock purchase plan for executives and employees to acquire approximately $500,000 of FFAI common stock around May 2026, subject to regulatory requirements.

2026 Outlook

Looking ahead, FF is focused on deepening execution, scaling deliveries, and broadening commercialization. The EAI Robotics division is targeting cumulative shipments of more than 1,000 units by the end of 2026 while maintaining positive product gross margin. At the same time, FF remains focused on phased delivery of the FX Super One, with product competitiveness and stable cash flow as priorities.

FF is also advancing the build-out of its EAI Brain and open-source developer platform through joint development initiatives with research labs at leading U.S. universities and plans to establish a centralized data training center at its headquarters by the third quarter of 2026. The Company expects to generate software-related revenue beyond device sales within 2026.

With robotics requiring considerably less investment than EAI EVs, FF believes this differentiated growth model can support near-term cash flow generation while expanding the broader ecosystem over the long term. On the capital and regulatory front, FF’s 2026 priorities include regaining compliance with Nasdaq’s bid price requirement, improving financing efficiency and dilution, strengthening operational fundamentals, enhancing transparency, and actively protecting stockholders’ interests.

“We achieved important milestones across our EV and robotics businesses that further strengthened our foundation for growth, including progress toward FX Super One production, expanded commercial engagement, and the launch of our EAI Robotics products,” said Matthias Aydt, Global Co-CEO of Faraday Future. “We are entering 2026 with clear execution priorities and strong conviction in our dual-track strategy, as we work to scale deliveries, broaden commercialization, and position the Company for long-term value creation.”

About Faraday Future

Faraday Future is a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company. Founded in 2014, the company’s mission is to disrupt the automotive industry by creating a user-centric, technology-first, and smart driving experience. Faraday Future’s flagship model, the FF 91, exemplifies its vision for luxury, innovation, and performance. The FX strategy aims to introduce mass production models equipped with state-of-the-art luxury technology similar to the FF 91, targeting a broader market with middle-to-low price range offerings. FF is committed to redefining mobility through AI innovation. Join us in shaping the future of intelligent transportation. For more information, please visit www.ff.com.

Media Contact

John Schilling
john.schilling@ff.com

The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) today commended the office of Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway for filing a new lawsuit against CBD American Shaman and its affiliated companies aimed at cracking down on their manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of dangerous, lab-made novel products like concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Attorney General Hanaway was clear that her office’s focus is on concentrated synthetic 7-OH, not natural kratom leaf.

The petition, filed in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, accuses CBD American Shaman of marketing its drugs in violation of state and federal law and failing to disclose their risks. 

This lawsuit comes after the Missouri Attorney General’s office launched an investigation last year into concentrated synthetic 7-OH and issued civil investigative demands to CBD American Shaman.

In November 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) targeted two facilities in western Missouri owned by Vince Sanders, CBD American Shaman’s founder and president, and confiscated thousands of concentrated synthetic 7-OH opioid products. 

In a separate raid in December 2025, the FDA coordinated with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to seize roughly 73,000 units of lab-made opioid products from three Missouri warehouses, including facilities operated by Sanders.

Through his Shaman Botanicals, LLC and its affiliate, CBD American Shaman, Sanders sits atop a sprawling, multimillion-dollar manufacturing and distribution network specializing in concentrated synthetic 7-OH products. 

The widespread availability of concentrated synthetic 7-OH prompted the FDA in July 2025 to recommend it for classification as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. 

At the time of the agency’s announcement, FDA officials repeatedly clarified that their recommendation did not apply to natural kratom leaf — which contains only trace amounts (less than 0.04 percent by weight) of the 7-OH alkaloid, presents minimal health concerns, and is consumed by 23 million Americans. Attorney General Hanaway’s focus on CBD American Shaman and concentrated synthetic 7-OH aligns with this important federal distinction.

Unlike natural kratom leaf, concentrated synthetic 7-OH products act like powerful prescription opioids, posing significant risks of dependence, overdose, and respiratory suppression. Researchers have found them to be up to 13 times more potent than morphine.

About Global Kratom Coalition

The Global Kratom Coalition is an alliance of natural kratom consumers, experts, and industry leaders dedicated to protecting access to natural leaf kratom while advancing scientific research, driving consumer education, and developing robust regulations to protect consumers. To learn more about the Global Kratom Coalition and its mission, visit globalkratomcoalition.org.

Media Contact

Media Contact
info@globalkratomcoalition.org

The Global Kratom Coalition today reiterated its strong support for the END 7-OH Act (H.R. 8000), warning that misleading narratives around the safety of natural kratom leaf are obscuring the real driver behind a recent spike in poison center calls: mislabeled, synthetic products being misleadingly sold as natural kratom. The Coalition emphasized that protecting consumers and preserving access to natural kratom leaf requires urgent, targeted action against these deceptive products.

News reports citing a 1,200% rise in kratom-related poison center calls since 2015 are missing the most important variable: what kind of product is actually driving the surge.

The data tells a clear story. From 2018 through 2024, annual poison center calls involving kratom-labeled products held essentially flat, ranging from 1,146 to 1,540 calls per year over six consecutive years according to the National Poison Data System (NPDS). That is not the profile of a worsening public health crisis. Then came 2025: 3,434 calls — more than double the highest prior year, and a number that spikes the trend line.

What changed? Concentrated synthetic 7-OH products entered the market. These products are falsely marketed as kratom, deceiving consumers who had no way of knowing they were buying a semi-synthetic opioid — a deception that led the FDA to issue a formal warning and recommend federal scheduling for 7-OH as a dangerous controlled substance. The Global Kratom Coalition has consistently warned that failure to distinguish between natural kratom leaf and these engineered compounds puts consumers at risk and undermines evidence-based policymaking.

In July 2025, the FDA recommended scheduling concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), while explicitly stating that its action is not on natural kratom leaf. That recommendation has since gained legislative momentum: Rep. Gus Bilirakis introduced the END 7-OH Act (H.R. 8000), cosponsored by Reps. Laurel Lee (R-FL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) — both also from Florida, which moved to emergency-schedule concentrated synthetic 7-OH at the state level. This bill would schedule concentrated synthetic 7-OH while explicitly leaving natural kratom leaf untouched. The Coalition strongly supports this approach as a science-driven solution that targets the real source of harm without penalizing responsible consumers.

In June 2024, University of Florida and Johns Hopkins researchers issued a scientific statement on natural 7-OH, noting that it is found in minuscule amounts as an oxidative byproduct of drying kratom leaves, meaning products with high concentrations of 7-OH are semi-synthetic drugs that are masquerading as natural kratom, and companies calling such products "kratom" are making claims that are not scientifically credible and are false.

The March 2026 CDC's MMWR Report on Kratom-Related Reports calls for surveillance to distinguish product types in order to properly assess risk. This is an implicit acknowledgment that lumping concentrated synthetic 7-OH under the "kratom" label distorts the data and causes perverse outcomes for the 23 million natural kratom consumers in the U.S. The Global Kratom Coalition urges regulators and public health officials to adopt clearer definitions and reporting standards to prevent further confusion and protect consumers.

To put the numbers prior to 2025 into context: data from America's Poison Centers data on Kratom vs. caffeine and CBD shows that between 2017 and 2023, kratom-related calls were lower than cannabis, lower than caffeine, energy drinks and CBD. The 2025 surge is alarming precisely because it breaks from that established baseline, not because natural kratom has historically been a major driver of poison center volume.

The data shows a stable six-year baseline followed by a sharp break in 2025. What it does not show is a long-term trend driven by natural kratom leaf. Blaming natural kratom leaf for a crisis driven by a lab-made synthetic opioid isn't just scientifically inaccurate, it directs public health attention away from the actual problem. The Coalition continues to call for targeted enforcement against bad actors and greater transparency in product labeling to ensure consumers know exactly what they are purchasing.

About Global Kratom Coalition

The Global Kratom Coalition is an alliance of natural kratom consumers, experts, and industry leaders dedicated to protecting access to natural leaf kratom while advancing scientific research, driving consumer education, and developing robust regulations to protect consumers. To learn more about the Global Kratom Coalition and its mission, visit globalkratomcoalition.org.

Media Contact

Media Contact
info@globalkratomcoalition.org

Shelly Leeke Law Firm today announced a significant expansion of its trucking accident litigation team, alongside the implementation of a new, standardized evidence preservation and investigation protocol designed specifically for complex commercial vehicle cases across South Carolina.

The development comes in direct response to a measurable rise in high-stakes trucking litigation throughout the state, as well as increased demand from clients seeking representation in cases involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death linked to commercial carriers.

Strategic Team Expansion to Meet Growing Case Complexity

Over the past 12 months, the firm has expanded its internal litigation capacity by onboarding additional attorneys and case investigators with experience in commercial vehicle regulations, accident reconstruction, and federal transportation compliance.

According to the firm, this expansion enables faster case intake, earlier evidence capture, and more comprehensive pre-litigation preparation — key factors in trucking-related claims where critical data can be lost or overwritten within days of an incident.

“Our team is seeing a clear shift in both the volume and complexity of trucking accident cases,” said a spokesperson for the firm. “This expansion ensures we are equipped to act immediately and preserve the evidence needed to build strong claims from day one.”

Focus on Early Intervention and Client Outcomes

The updated approach places a strong emphasis on early-stage intervention, with legal teams engaging within hours or days of an incident where possible. This shift is intended to strengthen case positioning before formal litigation begins and to support more informed settlement discussions, reflecting a broader evolution in how a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina approaches complex trucking litigation.

Shelly Leeke Law Firm noted that early investigative action is increasingly critical in trucking cases, where corporate defendants often deploy rapid-response teams immediately following an accident.

New Evidence Preservation Protocol for Trucking Cases

In conjunction with the team expansion, the firm has introduced a formalized evidence protocol tailored to commercial trucking incidents. The process includes:

• Immediate issuance of spoliation letters to preserve onboard data
• Early retrieval of electronic logging device (ELD) records
• Coordination with independent accident reconstruction specialists
• Review of carrier safety histories and compliance records

The firm stated that standardizing this process reduces delays and helps ensure consistency across cases, particularly in situations involving multiple liable parties such as drivers, logistics companies, and insurers.

Continued Commitment to South Carolina Clients

Based in North Charleston, the firm continues to represent clients across South Carolina in personal injury matters, including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. The latest expansion reflects an ongoing investment in infrastructure and processes aimed at supporting clients in complex, high-impact cases.

Media Contact

Shelly Leeke
shelly@leekelaw.com

Sunway Medical Centre Penang Sdn Bhd has been named the "Emerging Tertiary Medical Hub – Malaysia, 2025" by the Global Brand Frontier Awards 2025, conducted by Boston Brand Research & Media. The recognition celebrates the hospital's accelerating rise as a world-class healthcare destination and its pivotal role in positioning Malaysia as a competitive hub for tertiary medical care across Southeast Asia.

As Southeast Asia's healthcare sector undergoes rapid transformation, Malaysia is increasingly positioning itself as a regional leader in tertiary care, with institutions like Sunway Medical Centre Penang at the forefront of that shift.

“Sunway Medical Centre Penang has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to advancing tertiary healthcare services with a strong emphasis on innovation, patient-centric care, and international standards. This recognition reflects not only their clinical capabilities but also their vision to position Malaysia as a competitive global healthcare hub,” said Shivakumar, President and CEO of Boston Brand Research & Media.

“Our ambition to become a leading tertiary medical hub is anchored in one belief: the lives we touch every day define our success. At Sunway Medical Centre Penang, we don’t just deliver care, we transform patient experiences,” said Ms. Christine Lee, CEO of Sunway Medical Centre Penang.

About Boston Brand Research & Media

Boston Brand Research & Media is a leading global consulting and media firm specializing in brand intelligence, strategic recognition, and corporate storytelling across industries including finance, technology, healthcare, and energy. Through its data-driven research, editorial platforms, and high-impact global award programs, the firm highlights organizations demonstrating excellence in leadership, customer experience, innovation, and sustainability. Recognized worldwide as one of the most reputed evaluators of corporate excellence, Boston Brand Research & Media empowers brands to gain global visibility and credibility through its flagship Global Brand Frontier Awards program. For more information, visit www.bostonbrandmedia.com.

About Global Brand Frontier Awards

Founded by Boston Brand Research & Media, the Global Brand Frontier Awards honor outstanding companies and leaders who are reshaping industries and setting new standards across global markets. Known for its rigorous selection process, the awards celebrate innovation, leadership, and a bold commitment to excellence. The 2025 awards recognized top-tier organizations, including AXA IM Select, STC Bank, Tawuniya, ADIB Egypt, Access Bank Tanzania, Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance, and many more innovators. To learn more or to nominate your organization for the Global Brand Frontier Awards 2026, visit www.bostonbrandmedia.com/register-for-the-global-brand-frontier-awards.

About Sunway Medical Centre Penang (SMCP)

Sunway Medical Centre Penang (SMCP) is a premier tertiary care hospital within the renowned Sunway Healthcare Group, strategically positioned as the leading medical hub of Northern Malaysia. Dedicated to delivering world-class, compassionate healthcare, SMCP is powered by an elite team of experienced physicians and specialists. The hospital seamlessly blends clinical expertise with a patient-centric philosophy, ensuring that every individual receives the highest standard of care tailored to their unique needs.

With a robust infrastructure featuring 312 beds and 10 operating theatres, the hospital offers over 50 medical specialties and a comprehensive range of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services. SMCP is a leader in medical innovation, utilizing cutting-edge technology to support its seven specialized Centres of Excellence, including the Cancer, Heart & Lung, Orthopaedic, Stroke, Digestive, Women & Children, Robotic Assisted Surgery and Wellness Centres. This multidisciplinary approach ensures a seamless journey for patients, from early-stage diagnosis through to complex treatment and long-term recovery.

Beyond clinical care, SMCP is a key destination for international medical tourism, providing dedicated support services such as travel coordination and specialized accommodation to ensure a frictionless experience for global patients. By integrating modern facilities with a focus on holistic well-being, Sunway Medical Centre Penang remains at the forefront of healthcare excellence, setting new benchmarks for quality and medical innovation in the region.

Media Contact

Boston Brand Research & Media
Awards Team
awards@bostonbrandmedia.com
+1 617-935-8890