ATHENS, GA, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Beauty Health Index (BHI) launched publicly on September 15, 2026, entering the market with a peer-reviewed framework, a patent-pending measurement method, and a professional network spanning six cities across three continents. 

The company's proposition is narrower than most consumer health launches and, if it holds, considerably more durable. It is not offering a better face-scanning app. It is proposing that facial aesthetic health become a measurable category, with a defined standard behind it, in a market that has operated without one.

The Founder Built the Measure Instead of Another Practice

BHI was founded by Dr. Korina Alevrogianni, a plastic surgery resident based in Athens who trained in France, Brazil and the United States. She is 29.

The choice she made is the commercially interesting one. A surgeon with that training has an obvious route available, which is to build a practice and compete for patients inside the existing market. Alevrogianni went after the instrument the market uses to judge itself instead, which is a slower business to build and a harder one to displace once it is established.

Behind her is a clinical leadership team drawn from plastic surgery and from the aesthetics technology industry, and the distinction matters for a company making a standards claim. A measurement framework proposed by a single practitioner is a proposal. One carried by a clinical bench with commercialisation experience is a candidate for adoption.

The Method Went to Reviewers Before Anything Went on Sale

The sequence is the company's central credibility argument, and it is unusual in consumer health technology.

Alevrogianni published the framework in Cureus, a peer-reviewed medical journal, where it is indexed on PubMed. The paper constructs the index from a structured review of existing research across aesthetic surgery, dermatology, psychophysiology, regenerative biology and lifestyle medicine.

The framework reads a face across five domains: morphologic harmony, skin quality, expression dynamics, regenerative performance and lifestyle influence. Those resolve into forty evidence-based subsystems, weighted so that no single component dominates the composite score. A 60-second smartphone scan produces a single reading, tracked over time against the user's own prior scans.

The company holds patent-pending status on the underlying method. Validation studies are underway.

The paper is explicit that this is a proposed framework rather than a validated clinical instrument, and the company has been consistent in repeating that distinction. In a category where certainty is routinely asserted and rarely evidenced, publishing the methodology openly and naming what remains unproven is a defensible commercial position rather than a hedge.

That order of operations follows from the argument the company is making. Sleep has a standard. Metabolic health has a standard. Aesthetic medicine has trained practitioners making consequential judgments with no instrument to measure the result, and a standard that outside parties cannot examine does not function as a standard. Publication came first because the framework has to survive inspection before it can ask anyone to adopt it.

An Industry Where Nobody, Not Even the Doctor, Can Prove What Worked

The commercial reasoning behind the category claim rests on a structural gap rather than on consumer demand for another app.

Aesthetic medicine and the consumer skincare market operate at significant scale, and neither has a shared measure of outcomes. Dermatologists grade skin using subjective scales. Surgeons assess proportion in isolation. The before-and-after photograph remains the industry's default evidence, and it varies with lighting, camera angle and the condition of the subject on the day.

What that produces is an industry running on faith at scale. Money moves, treatments are performed, and neither the person paying nor the professional performing the procedure can demonstrate what actually changed. Every other market that reached this size eventually built a measure, because at some point the absence of one becomes the constraint on growth. This one has not been built yet.

BHI is positioned to occupy that gap. The strategic parallel the company draws is to establish measurement standards in other sectors, where the entity that defines the measure occupies a different competitive position from the entities that compete within it.

Why Six Clinics Say More Than a Million Downloads

The company launches with a professional network already established across Beverly Hills, New York, Athens, London, Paris, and Sydney.

For a business readership, this is the more informative signal than user numbers at launch. Consumer adoption can be purchased. Clinical adoption cannot, and practitioners who put a measurement framework in front of their own patients are staking their professional judgment on it.

The network also indicates the intended commercial route. A standard adopted by clinics generates institutional demand rather than consumer demand alone, and institutional adoption is considerably harder to displace.

Free Today, Priced Later, Funded After That

BHI is available on a freemium model. A premium tier is planned to follow the completion of a funding round.

The company has not disclosed pricing for the premium tier or the size of the round it is pursuing.

The Real Test Is Whether Other Companies Start Using the Score

The company's stated ambition is category definition rather than market share, and that ambition carries a specific risk profile.

If the framework achieves adoption by clinicians and by other companies operating in the space, BHI occupies the position of the entity that defined the measure. If it does not, the company has built a consumer application in a crowded category with a peer-reviewed paper behind it, which is a stronger position than most competitors hold but a materially smaller one than the ambition implies.

The determining factors over the next twelve months are the outcome of the validation studies, whether the professional network expands beyond its founding six cities, and whether any third party adopts the framework independently. That last measure is the clearest signal of a standard taking hold, and it is the one worth watching.

About Beauty Health Index

Beauty Health Index (BHI) is a facial aesthetic health measurement company founded by Dr. Korina Alevrogianni, a plastic surgery resident trained in France, Brazil, and the United States and a former elite rhythmic gymnast who won more than 30 Greek national titles and two bronze medals at the 2013 World School Championships. The company's framework was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cureus and is indexed on PubMed. BHI maintains a professional network across Beverly Hills, New York, Athens, London, Paris, and Sydney. Learn more at beautyhealthindex.com, or follow Dr. Korina Alevrogianni and Beauty Health Index on Instagram.

Disclaimer

The Beauty Health Index (BHI) framework and smartphone scanning application are intended solely for general aesthetic, wellness, and informational purposes and do not constitute a validated clinical diagnostic instrument or medical advice. The underlying methodology and ongoing validation studies have not been evaluated or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other health regulatory authorities for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease or medical condition. Individuals and medical practitioners should not rely on BHI scores as a substitute for professional clinical judgment, formal medical diagnosis, or personalized treatment planning.

Media Contact

Ana Gilvani
ana@beautyhealthindex.com

SHANGHAI, China, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- From September 26 to 30, PrimeBOT is exhibiting at the 2026 World Design Cities Conference (WDCC), showcasing its Q1 and T1 personal robots. This marks the first time the "Personal Robot" category enters WDCC through the lens of green design.

For people, unlike people

PrimeBOT is the world's first brand to define the Personal Robot category. Its core design philosophy — "for people, unlike people" — deliberately steps away from the industry's fixation on human-like replication. The humanoid form is never the goal; it is a means to serve people.

Aligned with green design principles. PrimeBOT's design approach resonates with multiple green design directions. Starting from real home-use scenarios, PrimeBOT systematically evaluates exposed materials and surface coatings, conducting targeted testing in compliance with RoHS and related standards — covering odor, substance migration, and contact safety. Coatings balance surface texture, adhesion, and everyday durability, ensuring stable quality throughout long-term companionship. The modular architecture supports shell replacement and functional expansion, while open-source structural components enable 3D-printed customization, reducing material waste. For PrimeBOT, sustainability means growing alongside the user — not one-time consumption.

Q1 and T1 on display

Q1 is an 88 cm, human-centric robot that fits into a backpack, featuring full-body force control. T1 is the world's first transformable personal robot, autonomously switching between bipedal and quadrupedal forms to adapt across indoor and outdoor scenarios. During the exhibition, visitors can experience both products firsthand. On the evening of September 28, Q1 and T1 will engage with guests at the "Design Night" session.

From Milan to Shanghai

From its Gold at the A' Design Award in Milan, to the United Nations AI for Good Summit in Geneva, and now to WDCC's green design exhibition, PrimeBOT is engaging with global audiences through design. When a personal robot enters the home, its value lies not only in what it can do — but in how long it can accompany, and how much it can grow. This is green design's "longevity and circularity" put into practice in consumer robotics.

PALO ALTO, CA, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- As China rapidly develops its artificial intelligence capabilities while changing the regulatory environment surrounding technology, data, and talent, U.S. businesses face a growing need to understand developments beyond individual products and companies.

SINOTALKS LLC, a China-focused think tank and consultancy founded by former Stanford “China Law and Business” professor Dr. Mei Gechlik, is addressing that need through China law and policy analysis that connects technological developments with the regulatory and geopolitical environment in which they are taking place.

The organization’s work focuses on helping businesses and policymakers make sense of developments that can be difficult to evaluate when viewed separately, including China’s AI models, domestic chip development, data infrastructure, technology regulations, and policies affecting scientific and technological talent.

Connecting China’s AI Development to Business Decisions

China’s growing AI capabilities are creating questions for companies that operate in China, compete with Chinese businesses, evaluate Chinese technology, or depend on global technology and talent networks.

SINOTALKS examines the legal and policy developments underlying these changes, giving decision-makers context for assessing how China’s approach to AI could affect international markets and business strategy.

A particular area of focus is the relationship between AI development and data. China is pursuing large-scale systems for collecting, connecting, and using data across sectors while simultaneously strengthening rules governing the protection and movement of data.

For U.S. businesses, these developments raise practical questions about how China’s data environment could affect technology partnerships, market participation, cross-border operations, and competition in AI.

Understanding the Role of Talent and Technology Policy

China’s technology ambitions are also closely connected to its ability to retain and manage scientific and technological talent.

Recent changes to China’s rules governing the movement of people and technology illustrate the increasingly important relationship between national security, technology policy, and talent mobility. These developments can create considerations for both Chinese professionals and foreign talent working in or considering opportunities in China.

SINOTALKS analyzes these regulatory changes in the context of broader technology and business trends, helping companies understand how policy developments can influence the people, information, and expertise needed to compete in advanced industries.

“Businesses cannot fully understand China’s technology development by merely looking at technology,” said Dr. Mei Gechlik, founder and CEO of SINOTALKS. “The laws and policies governing data, talent, technology, and national security are part of the same picture. Understanding those connections can help decision-makers evaluate China-related developments more carefully.”

China’s Homegrown Chips Add Another Dimension

The development of China’s domestic semiconductor capabilities is another area with implications extending well beyond China’s technology sector.

China’s efforts to develop homegrown AI chips are taking place alongside changes to intellectual-property protections and technical requirements for AI-accelerating chips. As Chinese technology companies seek to advance chip capabilities despite restrictions on access to certain advanced manufacturing equipment, the resulting developments could influence how businesses and governments assess China’s position in the international AI ecosystem.

SINOTALKS’ analysis connects these technological developments with China’s regulatory framework and the potential implications for foreign businesses and governments considering Chinese technology.

Building Understanding in a Changing China Market

SINOTALKS was established in 2021 with a focus on demystifying China law, policy, and business for governments, businesses, and professionals. Its approach is to examine complicated China-related developments through their legal and policy context rather than treating individual events as isolated technology stories.

That approach has become increasingly relevant as AI development intersects with trade, regulation, national security, data governance, and talent mobility.

More than 250,000 users from over 180 countries have visited the SINOTALKS website. The organization’s expertise has also supported consulting projects, including Dr. Gechlik’s work as an expert witness in U.S. litigation and arbitration matters.

For U.S. businesses, the objective is not simply to follow China’s technological progress, but to understand the regulatory and policy forces that may shape how that progress affects international commerce.

“China’s AI development is connected to questions about chips, data, talent, and law,” said Dr. Gechlik. “Our role is to help businesses and policymakers see those connections clearly and use reliable information when addressing China-related challenges.”

About SINOTALKS

SINOTALKS LLC is a Palo Alto, California-based think tank and consultancy focused on China law, policy, and business. Founded by Dr. Mei Gechlik, the company helps governments, businesses, and professionals understand complex China-related developments and develop evidence-based strategies through research, analysis, consultation, training, and speaking services. For more information, visit sinotalks.com or follow on LinkedIn. 

Media Contact

contact@sinotalks.com

HANGZHOU, China, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Deep Principle, a global leader in AI for materials, has completed its Series A round, bringing its cumulative funding to over $100 million. 

The company will use the proceeds to advance the AI Scientist platform, scale the in-house AI Materials Factory lab, accelerate the commercialization of key materials pipelines, and deepen collaboration with partners along the industry chain.

"We built strong models, data and our own lab, a closed loop that keeps refining the models, and a business that turns them into real materials for real customers," said Dr. Haojun Jia, CEO of Deep Principle.

Generative AI Models Keep Evolving Toward State of the Art

Deep Principle keeps pushing technical boundaries, releasing multiple models that achieve state-of-the-art (SOTA) results. In property prediction, the company launched the MPA model, which reached SOTA levels on 40 experimental property-prediction tasks. In materials generation, it developed SAGA, a model that can autonomously adapt within complex materials-generation tasks and demonstrates stronger multi-objective optimization than models developed by major global tech companies. In chemical reaction generation, the company released the OA-ReactDiff and React-OT models, opening up the black box of AI-driven predictions and shrinking transition-state generation from days or even months down to 0.4 seconds, making AI genuinely usable in industrial practice. 

Building on this full-stack SOTA model portfolio, the company built its AI scientist platform, Mira, which autonomously handles the design, execution, review, and dynamic optimization of end-to-end research workflows.

The Company's In-House Lab and Its Dry-Wet Closed Loop

Guided by "AI for Science, Science for AI," Deep Principle built AI Materials Factory, an L4 high-throughput lab — a self-driving lab where experiments run with minimal manual intervention — to bridge the "last mile" between AI prediction and experimental validation. Inside the lab, Mira designs experiments, operates equipment, and collects data on its own, forming a complete dry-wet closed loop: AI prediction in the 'dry' lab, high-throughput validation in the 'wet' lab, and results flowing back into knowledge accumulation and model iteration. The company focuses on computing-infrastructure materials, renewable energy, and superconductors, and will keep adding R&D pipelines this year to speed up the commercialization of frontier materials.

Repeat Business From Existing Clients, Expansion Into New Industries

Deep Principle has signed a number of leading clients around the world, including large multinational companies, many of which keep returning with repeat orders. The company's business models include providing platform services, co-developing material pipelines with partners, and developing its own pipelines in-house. It is now building proprietary pipelines in frontier areas such as liquid coolants for data centers. Its business now covers fine chemicals, nutrition and personal care, renewable energy, electronic materials, and other key new-materials sectors. In 2025, the Deep Principle secured orders totaling about US$1.4 million as it began scaling commercial deployments.

"Materials discovery has always relied on human experience and trial and error. AI is changing that. We are moving the field from experience-driven to intelligence-driven, and that shift is happening faster than most people realize," said Dr. Jia.

About Deep Principle

Founded in 2024 by Dr. Haojun Jia and Dr. Chenru Duan, both PhD graduates of MIT, Deep Principle focuses on applying AI to materials research and development. The company's mission is to "unlock breakthrough materials with AI." It combines generative AI with first-principles calculations to build a self-developed technology system spanning the entire materials R&D lifecycle, forming an end-to-end closed loop for materials development. Deep Principle is working to transform conventional experience-driven, trial-and-error-based materials chemistry R&D into an AI-powered precision design paradigm, aiming to compress the R&D cycle for new materials from 5-10 years to months. Its business spans renewable energy, electronic materials, and nutrition and personal care, with strategic positions in frontier areas such as superconductivity and data centers.

Media Contact

info@deepprinciple.com

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The International Spiritual Council for Transforming Humanity (ISCTH) coordinated public events in over 135 cities across 41 countries on the International Day of Peace, under the campaign theme "The World Moves for #IAmPeace." More than 20,000 people took part worldwide.

The events, held Sept. 20–21, 2026, included peace walks, human chains, and community dialogues. Participants were invited to make a personal commitment summed up in three words: "I Choose Peace."

A campaign built on individual commitment

The campaign is based on the premise that peace begins with individual choices. The aim was to move the conversation about peace from an abstract ideal to something people can act on in daily life, through how they treat others, resolve disagreements and take part in their local communities, building bridges of human connection, and a united resolve towards peace. "The World Moves for #IAmPeace" draws on the teachings of Maitreya Dadashreeji, visionary and inspiration of ISCTH. Dadashreeji's central teaching is that true lasting change in the world begins with transformation in the individual.

"Our first agenda must be global peace. When we realize 'I am peace' and let the collective spiritual strength of humanity unite with a singular purpose, it becomes an unstoppable force for peace, transforming every individual, uplifting every society, and ultimately harmonizing our entire world." — Maitreya Dadashreeji, visionary and inspiration of ISCTH

Three formats, one theme

Events in participating cities followed three main formats:

• Global peace walks: Participants walked together in public spaces as a visible expression of their commitment to peace.
• Global human chains: Participants joined hands to represent the interconnectedness of people across communities and borders.
• Peace dialogues: Facilitated conversations gave participants a space to discuss harmony, coexistence, and ways to build more peaceful communities.

Each city organised its own programme within this shared framework, so events reflected local cultures, languages, and community priorities.

Focus on children and young people

Children and young people were a central audience for the campaign. Through creative activities like a letter to humanity for a peaceful future, reflection, art and dialogue, they were encouraged to consider their own role in building a culture of peace. The message used across these activities was "IAmPeace — Peace Begins with Me."

Participation across five global regions

Events took place in the following 41 countries:

• Europe (21): Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
• Asia and the Middle East (10): Armenia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Turkey, U.A.E.
• Africa (4): Kenya, Mauritius, Senegal, South Africa
• The Americas (4): Brazil, Canada, Mexico, United States
• Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand

About International Spiritual Council for Transforming Humanity (ISCTH)

The International Spiritual Council for Transforming Humanity (ISCTH) is a Geneva-based foundation dedicated to advancing global peace through inner transformation, values-based leadership, and collective action. It combines ancient wisdom with contemporary practice and works across sectors to build ecosystems that support a more harmonious world. For more information, visit iscth.org.

Media Contact

Aarti Mehta
aarti.mehta@iscth.org

WASHINGTON, DC, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The American Kratom Association today sent a letter to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch urging her to amend her call for a statewide ban on all kratom and instead support legislation specifically prohibiting dangerous synthetic and chemically manipulated opioid products.

The request follows an important clarification from the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit, the agency investigating the recent deaths of two University of Mississippi students.

The unit emphasized that its initial warning about kratom “was not a declaration that kratom or any specific substance caused either death” and that investigators are awaiting autopsy and toxicology findings before determining what substances, if any, contributed to the deaths.

More importantly, Lafayette County investigators are now calling on the Mississippi Legislature to address synthetic kratom-related products, specifically citing the federal government’s Schedule I action against mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), MGM-15, and MGM-16. Investigators acknowledged that the federal action targeted those manufactured compounds rather than imposing Schedule I control on traditional botanical kratom.

“We strongly support the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit’s call for immediate legislative action against these dangerous synthetic opioid products,” said Mac Haddow, Senior Fellow on Public Policy for the American Kratom Association. “We are asking Attorney General Fitch to refine her recommendation so Mississippi targets the substances that actually present this emerging public-safety threat rather than banning natural kratom leaf.”

Court documents in the Ole Miss investigations have identified SMAX Pseudo-DHM pills, described by investigators as a chemically manipulated product, as the product reportedly purchased by both students before their deaths. The causes of death have not been determined, and investigators continue to await complete toxicology and autopsy findings.

“This investigation demonstrates exactly why precision matters,” Haddow said. “The answer to synthetic opioids being marketed under the kratom name is not to ban the natural botanical. Ban the synthetic opioids. Give law enforcement the authority to remove them from store shelves. Punish those who illegally manufacture and sell them. And responsibly regulate natural kratom.”

The AKA letter urges Attorney General Fitch to align Mississippi policy with the distinctions already made by the FDA, HHS, and the DEA between natural botanical kratom and enhanced, chemically manipulated, or synthetic compounds.

The AKA also pledged its full support for the legislative hearings requested by the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit and offered Mississippi officials scientific expertise, laboratory standards, testing protocols, and model statutory language.

“Attorney General Fitch and the American Kratom Association share the same fundamental objective — protecting Mississippi consumers from dangerous products,” Haddow said. “The emerging evidence gives us an opportunity to work together on legislation that precisely targets the threat.”

“Mississippi should separate the natural botanical from the synthetic opioids,” Haddow added. “Regulate natural kratom products responsibly. Prohibit and aggressively enforce against the chemically manipulated and synthetic opioids.”

Read the full text of the AKA’s letter to Attorney General Fitch.

Watch the video of the AKA’s September 30 press conference in Oxford, Mississippi.

About American Kratom Association (AKA)

The American Kratom Association is a consumer advocacy organization committed to protecting access to safe, natural kratom leaf products and advancing science-based consumer protection standards. AKA supports age restrictions, accurate labeling, contaminant testing, good manufacturing practices, and strong enforcement against adulterated, mislabeled, synthetic, semi-synthetic, concentrated, fortified, or chemically manipulated products falsely marketed as kratom.

Disclaimer

The American Kratom Association (AKA) is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization. This press release is provided for informational and public policy purposes only. Information contained herein reflects the policy analysis of the issuing party regarding federal administrative actions and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Statements made regarding natural kratom have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Readers should consult qualified medical professionals before using any botanical products.

Media Contact

Mac Haddow
Senior Fellow on Public Policy
press@americankratom.org
+1 571-294-5978

NEW YORK, NY, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- IcyBox launched in April with a simple premise: buying a luxury watch should feel as exciting as owning one. Months later, the app has reached hundreds of thousands of downloads on the U.S. Apple App Store, and the company is expanding into handbags, its most significant move to date and the first step toward a much larger ambition: turning IcyBox from a watch app into a destination for discovering, buying, and experiencing luxury goods.

For all the innovation in how people discover products, buying luxury online still largely means scrolling through listings, comparing sellers, worrying about authenticity, and hoping the piece that arrives lives up to what was promised. IcyBox was built on the belief that luxury shopping should feel better than that.

“Watches were always the beginning, not the destination,” said Jian Lu, founder of IcyBox. “They gave us a chance to prove that people wanted a completely different way to shop for luxury. Handbags are where we start showing how much bigger this can become.”

A Different Kind of Transaction

IcyBox is built around a reveal rather than a search. Users open curated collections in the app, each drawing from a pool of authentic timepieces from brands including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Cartier. Each collection is organized into six bands, ranging from Grail, where the luxury watches sit, down to Common. The odds for each band are published before a collection is opened, and once an item is revealed, it is shipped straight to the user’s door.

Growth in Months, Not Years

The numbers moved quickly. IcyBox reached hundreds of thousands of downloads on the U.S. Apple App Store within months of its April launch, driven in large part by users sharing their reveals. Clips of big pulls and near misses spread across TikTok and X, and each one brought a new wave of users into the app. It is the same dynamic that turned sneaker drops, trading card breaks, and unboxing videos into entertainment in their own right, now applied to luxury.

“The best marketing we have is someone pulling a watch they have wanted for years and filming their reaction,” Lu said. “Those moments travel. Our job has been to make sure the experience behind them holds up: the odds are displayed transparently before every purchase, and every piece ships on time.”

IcyBox sees this as part of a broader shift. Shopping and entertainment are increasingly intertwined, and people discover products through creators before they ever visit a retailer. Luxury is already part of that world, but the transaction itself has barely changed. IcyBox wants to change that.

Next Up: Android

IcyBox’s growth so far has come entirely through the U.S. Apple App Store. The company is now preparing its release on the Google Play Store, opening the app to Android users for the first time. For a product that grows through shared moments, Android users who have been watching reveals on TikTok and X will be able to open collections themselves, widening the circle of reveals, reactions, and stories worth sharing.

From Watches to Handbags

The move into handbags is IcyBox’s biggest expansion to date. Handbags share the traits that made watches the right place to start: iconic brands, a global collector base, and pieces that can become collectibles in their own right. The category also reaches a far broader cultural audience, giving IcyBox room to grow well beyond its origins as a watch platform.

Every handbag opened on IcyBox creates a reveal, and every reveal creates anticipation, a reaction, and potentially a piece of content worth sharing. Handbags are the first step in a plan to bring that same dynamic to other luxury categories where scarcity, collectibility, and authentication shape the purchase.

“Reaching hundreds of thousands of downloads showed us there was real demand for a new way to shop,” Lu said. “Now the question is how many other categories we can reinvent.”

Built for Discovery, Not Search

Traditional marketplaces are built for intent. A shopper knows the exact bag or watch they want, searches for it, and checks out. The goal is not to become another place to buy a luxury handbag. It is to build a place people open because shopping itself is entertaining.

“Luxury has always been about desire,” Lu said. “We think the next generation of luxury shopping will be about creating that desire in the moment. You should be able to open an app without knowing exactly what you want and leave having discovered something you love.”

IcyBox’s first chapter was written with watches. Handbags are the beginning of what comes next. The company’s bigger bet is that the future of luxury shopping will not be built around searching for products. It will be built around discovering them.

About IcyBox

Operated by InfiniteEdge Inc., IcyBox is a mobile luxury marketplace platform that merges digital discovery with physical commerce. Designed to transform how consumers discover, collect, and experience luxury goods, IcyBox offers interactive digital collection openings featuring high-end accessories with pre-published odds and insured direct shipping. For more information, visit www.icybox.io.

Disclaimer

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice, nor an endorsement by the distribution service. All featured third-party brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners, and no official endorsement or affiliation is implied. Odds of receiving specific items across tier bands, availability, and app features are published directly in the IcyBox application and governed by platform terms and conditions. IcyBox is intended for users aged 18 and older.

Media Contact

Myriadhaus Press
PR@myriadhaus.com

NEW YORK, NY, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Lucra, the leading social competition platform, today announced a mini-games partnership with Rabbet, the free-to-play, peer-to-peer sports picks app where players set their own lines and odds, challenge friends, and compete for real cash prizes. Through the integration, Rabbet will embed Lucra's library of skill-based mini-games directly into the Rabbet app, giving its community a new way to compete, win, and stay engaged between games.

Rabbet was built to flip the traditional sports picks model on its head. There's no deposit, no credit card, and no house taking a cut. Instead, players create their own offers on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, esports, and more, then post them to an open marketplace or challenge friends directly. Winners collect Rabbet Cash, redeemable one-to-one for U.S. dollars. Available today in 39 states, Rabbet has built a platform where the competition is between real people, not against an algorithm.

But sports picks follow the sports calendar, and the hours between kickoffs, tip-offs, and first pitches are where engagement is hardest to hold. Lucra's mini-games close that gap. Each game plays out in roughly 90 seconds, giving Rabbet players a fast, skill-based way to compete any time of day, whether there's a game on or not. Lucra handles all compliance, fraud prevention, and settlement out of the box, allowing Rabbet to extend its competitive experience with minimal technical lift.

"Rabbet has already built an audience of people who love to compete and a peer-to-peer model that puts players in control," said Dylan Robbins, CEO and Founder of Lucra. "What they didn't have was a reason for users to open the app when there isn't a game on. Our mini-games give Rabbet players something to compete in every day of the week, and because the competitive behavior is already there, the value shows up immediately. That's exactly the kind of partner where our mini-games do their best work and we’re excited to build together."

For Rabbet, the integration deepens the core loop that drives its platform. Players who come to set lines and challenge friends now have a second way to compete and a direct reason to return between matchups, turning a schedule-driven product into a daily habit. The mini-games also create new surfaces for Rabbet's sponsored brand offers and promotions, extending the value it can deliver to brand partners.

"We built Rabbet on a simple idea: the competition should be between players, not against the house," said Mark Parise, co-founder and CEO of Rabbet. "Our community already loves setting their own lines and going head-to-head with friends, but sports have off days, and we wanted to give players something to compete in every day. Lucra's mini-games are fast, skill-based, and a natural fit for how our users already play. Now, whether there's a game on or not, Rabbet players have another way to challenge each other, win, and keep coming back.

The partnership extends Lucra's mini-games momentum across sports media and digital platforms. As Rabbet expands into new states, Lucra's games scale with it, and the two companies are working together to develop new competition formats that connect mini-game play with Rabbet's sports picks experience.

Lucra's mini-games will be available in the Rabbet app this October. Download Rabbet on the App Store or Google Play, or learn more at rabbetgaming.com.

About Lucra

Lucra powers competitive loyalty through a plug-and-play SDK, which integrates into apps or websites and enables tournaments, mini-games, and peer-vs-peer competitions, with real-money or rewards. It handles compliance, payments, fraud prevention, and settlement out of the box, so partners can instantly offer gamified experiences without building or managing complex infrastructure themselves. Top entertainment, hospitality, and consumer brands, including Five Iron Golf, Backyard Sports, ChessKings, TouchTunes, and more, use Lucra's white-label technology to power tournaments and challenges, build loyalty, and drive new revenue. Learn more at playlucra.com.

About Rabbet Gaming

Rabbet is the free-to-play, peer-to-peer sports picks app where players set the lines and odds, challenge friends, and compete for real cash prizes. With no deposit required and no house edge, Rabbet lets players create custom offers across professional sports, college sports, and esports, then match with friends or the open marketplace. Winners earn Rabbet Cash, redeemable one-to-one for U.S. dollars. Rabbet is currently available in 39 U.S. states. Learn more at rabbetgaming.com.

Disclaimer

Rabbet Cash and real-money competitions are intended solely for users who meet the minimum age requirements (18+, or 19+/21+ depending on state law) residing in eligible U.S. states where permitted; no purchase is necessary for free-to-play features, and void where prohibited. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding planned feature releases, geographical expansion, and future developments, which are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially. All third-party trademarks, product names, and company logos referenced herein — including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and mentioned brand partners — belong to their respective owners and do not imply any affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement.

Media Contact

press@playlucra.com

MIAMI, FL, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Smartify Media (“Smartify”), a premium digital out-of-home (DOOH) and retail media network operating across more than 40 U.S. markets, launched a new partnership with The Agency, the global luxury real estate brokerage founded in Beverly Hills. 

Through the partnership, select offices of The Agency will join Smartify’s national digital out-of-home advertising network, transforming brokerage storefronts into connected digital environments where listings, brand content, and synergistic premium brand advertising can be managed dynamically. Smartify has launched in The Agency offices in La Jolla, Malibu, Berkeley, and Healdsburg, CA with more locations coming soon.

“At The Agency, we've built our reputation on representing extraordinary properties and delivering best-in-class marketing to our agents and clients," said Rainy Hake Austin, President of The Agency. "Our partnership with Smartify allows us to bring that standard to life inside our offices, where digital environments showcase our listings and corporate campaigns with the sophistication our brand demands. This partnership reflects our continued investment in the tools and technology that set our agents apart, allowing them to better market their business and connect with clients."

Digital screens deployed at participating The Agency locations will enable agents and teams to update listings and brand content in real time, replacing traditional static signage with dynamic, always-current messaging. The same infrastructure can also create new advertising inventory within premium brokerage environments, providing participating offices with an opportunity to generate synergistic premium media revenue from their physical locations.

For agents, Smartify also extends visibility beyond the brokerage office across the entire Smartify network through Smartify REAL™ — Real Estate. Real World.™, a program that brings real estate marketing into the physical environments where consumers spend their everyday lives. Content marketed on a brokerage screen can also be distributed across Smartify’s broader network, including retail and lifestyle destinations, shopping centers, EV charging displays, kiosks, neighborhood storefronts, and other high-traffic environments — giving agents the ability to extend their presence and reach defined audiences in the real world.

“The Agency has built one of the most distinctive and globally recognized brands in luxury real estate, with a sophisticated digital presence and a footprint in many of America’s most important markets,” said Inna Finkelstein, SVP of Partnerships at Smartify. “Our partnership creates an opportunity to extend that brand beyond the digital experience and the brokerage office, connecting The Agency with consumers across a broader network of premium physical touch points where they live, shop, and move throughout their day.”

Smartify’s digital media platform serves both commercial and residential real estate, creating new opportunities for property owners and operators to enhance their environments, engage audiences, and unlock the media value of their real estate assets. Brokerages leveraging Smartify’s platform include First Team Real Estate, Seven Gables Real Estate, West + Main, The Keyes Company, Compass, and The Corcoran Group. 

About Smartify Media

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Smartify Media Inc. (Smartify) is a premium digital out-of-home and retail media company connecting brands with consumers where they live, work, shop, and transact. Its third-party audited and verified network provides access to premium audiences within brand-safe Smartify MainStreet™, Smartify Marketplaces™, and Smartify Everyday Commerce™ environments through programmatic, direct, and hyperlocal advertising. Smartify’s AI-enabled technology integrates financial and operational data with historical performance insights and real-time signals to scale and standardize operations, enhance advertising precision, and optimize media monetization — increasing audience reach and campaign effectiveness for brands while driving recurring revenue for its partners. Learn more at smartifymedia.com.

About The Agency

The Agency is a global, luxury real estate brokerage representing clients across residential, new development, resort, and vacation rental markets worldwide. Since its founding in 2011 by Mauricio Umansky, The Agency has closed more than $104 billion in real estate transactions and grown to more than 190 offices across 17 countries. Consistently ranked among the top brokerages in the industry, The Agency is recognized as one of the fastest-growing boutique luxury real estate brands in the world. Redefining the traditional brokerage model, The Agency fosters a culture of true collaboration, where every client and listing is represented in a shared environment of partnership. Clients and agents alike benefit from the power of a global network and access to a full suite of in-house services, including creative, public relations, relocation, development, core services, and industry-leading technology.

Media Contact

Debbie Williams
SVP of Marketing, Smartify
debbie@smartifymedia.com

Andrea Delgado
VP of PR and Communications, The Agency
andrea.delgado@theagencyre.com

NEW YORK, NY, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Unhinged, the new protein + caffeine bar built for people who are always on the go, officially launches today with its debut brand campaign, an open casting call for anyone unhinged enough to audition.

The campaign marks the brand's first official work and its launch into the market. The bar is available now on Amazon, on TikTok Shop, and at alwaysunhinged.com.

Casting the Customer

"The Unhinged Casting Call" invites real people to submit the ways life asks them to keep going: a backflip, a job quit on a whim, a HYROX finished before 5pm on a workday. No models, athletes, or influencers required. The prize is the chance to become the face of Unhinged.

The twist: everyone who's unhinged enough to audition gets cast. Shot in a deliberately raw, anti-advertising studio style, the campaign becomes a rolling series called Portraits of the Unhinged, featuring individual films and stills of real, and really Unhinged, brand ambassadors. New content will drop throughout the year, culminating in a launch film that brings the entire roster together for the first time.

The Slash

Running through the campaign is a visual device pulled from the product's packaging: the slash. It's a nod to the brand's ethos of keep going, doing it all, being it all. In the work, the slash strings together the full range of who someone is: a Libra / an aspiring sommelier / works in finance / a skateboarder. It also appears in the submissions themselves: a backflip / a job quit on a whim / a HYROX finished before 5pm on a workday. One small mark holds together everyone's whole, unhinged self.

Unhinged Co-Founder Byron Sorrells said, “This campaign was possible because we set out to build a brand that reflects how our days actually look and feel. We're all spinning a lot of plates, unhinged in our own ways. That's what the slash is. You're a lot of things at once and you don't have to pick one. The Circle brought it to life and we can all see ourselves in the work.”

"The worst thing you could do for a brand literally called 'Unhinged' is go the traditional route," said Jeph Burton, Creative Director and co-founder of The Circle. "So we channeled the energy of a bar that itself had to be two things at once, both protein and caffeine, just to keep up in today's world, and held a casting call for everyone who was also asked to be more than one thing, too."

"The Unhinged Casting Call was stripped all the way back, avoiding layers that felt contrived, to make it about the reality of the cast, the humor in the relatable awkwardness, and treated the product less like product, and more like an accessory to the crime," said Hunter Hampton, Creative Director and Co-Founder of The Circle.

A Challenger Brand Introduces Itself

Instead of casting a spokesperson, Unhinged is casting its actual customer base, and treating the willingness to show up for the whole audition as a statement in its own right. The campaign ladders directly into the launch product: an 11g+ protein, 75mg natural caffeine bar chef-crafted by CIA-trained Chief Product Officer Chef Matt Paine, and into the brand's broader positioning around fueling people going after big things, in whatever form that takes.

Creative Debut for The Circle

The campaign is the creative debut of Jeph Burton and Hunter Hampton as Co-Founders of The Circle, the agency the former Johannes Leonardo executive creative directors launched after a decade behind some of adidas' most awarded work, including collaborations with Oasis, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jude Bellingham. The Circle is built around what Burton and Hampton call "cultural gravity," the idea that advertising should draw audiences in rather than interrupt them. With Unhinged, as with the rest of their early work, the goal is a brand with a voice and momentum entirely its own.

For more on the campaign, visit the campaign site.

About Unhinged

Unhinged is a protein + caffeine bar built for people who don't separate their gym life from their grind life. Each bar delivers 11g of protein and 75mg of natural caffeine and was chef-crafted by CIA-trained Chief Product Officer Chef Matt Paine. Unhinged is available on Amazon, TikTok Shop, and at alwaysunhinged.com.

About The Circle

The Circle is an agency focused on lifestyle, fashion, sport, and entertainment, co-founded in 2026 by Jeph Burton and Hunter Hampton, former executive creative directors at Johannes Leonardo. The agency is built around the idea of "cultural gravity."

Media Contact

hello@alwaysunhinged.com

HONG KONG, October 1, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- LumiMind has launched its first consumer neurotechnology product, LumiSleep D1, on Kickstarter in the United States. LumiSleep D1 is now in mass production and marks a new milestone in the company’s effort to translate non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) research into everyday consumer technology. The crowdfunding campaign runs through October 28, 2026, with initial backer shipments scheduled for December 2026.

LumiMind’s engineering draws on research in neural-signal processing, EEG decoding, and non-invasive BCI. LumiSleep D1 applies these principles to real-time EEG sensing and adaptive audio during evening relaxation. While most consumer sleep wearables focus solely on recording and logging historical data for next-day review, LumiSleep D1 explores how real-time neural activity can dynamically shape a device's immediate audio response.

Beyond Tracking: Real-Time EEG in Consumer Wearables

Traditional sleep-tracking wearables center on passive data logging. LumiMind takes a different approach: real-time forehead EEG readings directly inform how the device’s soundscape adjusts while the user winds down for the night.

LumiSleep D1 utilizes soft dry electrodes across the headband to capture EEG signals without requiring conductive gel or single-use parts. On-device processing connects EEG monitoring with real-time sound generation, allowing changes in detected signal activity to modify the audio in real time.

Inside the Technology: Closed-Loop EEG and Sound Modulation

At the center of LumiSleep D1 is Real-Time Neural Coupling Modulation (RTNCM), LumiMind’s closed-loop EEG software architecture. RTNCM processes ongoing EEG signals and generates matching audio locally on the device. As new neural signals are detected, the system adjusts its sound parameters, creating a continuous feedback loop based on the wearer's real-time brainwave activity.

RTNCM monitors changes in ongoing neural activity and alters audio parameters in response to shifting signal patterns during bedtime relaxation.

Its flagship SleepGuide features two sound layers:

• AuthenticBeats: Low-frequency rhythmic audio pulses that dynamically adjust to ongoing brainwave readings
• SubTone: User-selected ambient soundscapes or background music

All output is strictly acoustic. The device contains no electrical, magnetic, or physical stimulation components.

Designed for Nighttime Comfort and Everyday Usability

Engineered for all-night wearability, the headband features a cushioned over-ear structure, a soft band, and flexible dry electrodes tailored for side sleepers. Near-ear air conduction speakers keep audio targeted close to the ears without requiring in-ear buds.

Users can wear the headband during evening relaxation or keep it on overnight. If awakened during the night, pressing the physical button twice activates the ReSleep feature, which restarts the adaptive sound experience according to current EEG activity—without requiring a smartphone screen or app interaction.

Translating Research into Consumer Hardware

LumiSleep D1 made its global showcase at CES 2026, marking an early step in LumiMind’s move from BCI research toward commercial hardware. The product has since entered full mass production.

The launch on Kickstarter represents the next phase, introducing LumiSleep D1 to consumer backers and real-world daily use. LumiMind views the headband as an initial step toward exploring non-invasive BCI applications across consumer electronics.

About LumiMind

LumiMind is a consumer neurotechnology company developing smart devices built on neural-signal decoding research. The company draws on foundational research from the INSIDE Institute for NeuroAI to create adaptive consumer hardware. For more information, visit lumimind.com.

Disclaimer

This press release is provided for general informational and promotional purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell securities or products. The LumiSleep D1 is an everyday consumer wellness and audio device intended solely for personal relaxation, audio entertainment, and sleep hygiene support. It is not a medical device, has not been evaluated or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other health authority, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any medical condition, disease, or sleep disorder. Readers should consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns. References to research institutions do not imply official clinical certification or medical endorsement. Statements regarding crowdfunding timelines, mass production, shipping dates, and hardware capabilities are forward-looking statements involving inherent commercial risks, uncertainties, and potential delays; actual results or delivery schedules may differ materially from those projected.

Media Contact

Monica Zhuang
Global PR Manager, LumiMind
pr_global@lumimind.com

FRIENDSWOOD, TX, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Bruce F. E. Brownson, the president, founder and chief executive officer of B. Brownson & Associates, L.P., has been honored by Marquis Who’s Who for his expertise in talent acquisition across the energy and chemical sectors. With more than three decades of experience, Mr. Brownson has demonstrated unique leadership and service in his field. Moving forward, his legacy will continue to be informed by his unwavering dedication to quality.

Before B. Brownson & Associates, L.P., Mr. Brownson completed a bachelor’s degree in political science and government at The University of Tulsa in 1971. After briefly considering a career in law, he accepted a position at Korn Ferry as an associate consultant in 1976. He became a senior associate within the year and was appointed managing associate by 1979.

Founding B. Brownson & Associates, L.P.

Mr. Brownson briefly joined Paul Ray & Company as the organization’s vice president in 1981, before accepting a similar position as vice president and director of energy and chemical practice a year later. By 1984, he rose to the position of senior vice president and managing director at the company. By 1990, he joined A.T. Kearney (now Kearney) as senior vice president, managing director, and partner of the company’s energy, chemical, and service industry practice.

In 1992, Mr. Brownson founded his own venture, B. Brownson & Associates L.P., as its president and chief executive officer. He established the firm based on two key principles: first, he and his team commit to every assignment they take on; second, they provide highly responsive and customized service. Mr. Brownson personally answers calls until at least 11 p.m. CT each night.

A Proud Reputation in Talent Acquisition

On the B. Brownson & Associates L.P. company website, it is stated that clients may terminate and receive a full refund of professional fees if they are unhappy within the first 75 days of the relationship. Mr. Brownson is proud to say he has never had to issue such a refund, although he has occasionally turned down work that did not align with his experience.

“I prioritize a 100% completion rate, rely heavily on references, and back up statements with names,” Mr. Brownson shared. “I value that level of service and trust more than the income from any one assignment. I am certain no other firm can claim this, nor would they typically offer refunds if clients are dissatisfied.”

As reflected in Mr. Brownson’s track record, he maintains a consistent belief in delivering the highest quality of personalized service. If one cannot meet these standards, he says, one should not accept the work. More than once, Mr. Brownson claims to have replaced all of the major Big Six firms for failing assignments, something he feels is damaging to the industry’s reputation.

The Future of Brownson & Associates, L.P.

Within the next five to 10 years, Mr. Brownson sees potential in expanding the size of his firm. However, he has no plans to add additional offices due to his belief in maintaining quality and personal oversight over geographic presence. Personally, Mr. Brownson intends to continue completing every engagement successfully and maintaining his firm’s unique reputation for integrity.

About B. Brownson & Associates

B. Brownson & Associates, L. P. is a premier, listed, retained executive search consulting firm engaged in general practice and serving clients globally. Our mission is to exceed clearly specified client expectations and establish long-term, results-oriented partnerships with our clients, forged by exceptional service. The firm was founded in 1992 through the acquisition of the assets of A. T. Kearney's Houston practice, for which Bruce Brownson had been the managing partner.  Since its founding, the firm has been driven by its core values of unparalleled client service and relationship focus. We provide custom-tailored services which are uniquely responsive to client culture, schedules, and needs on a personal and organizational basis.  The practice has been built one client at a time; with total service, focus, integrity and responsiveness necessary to assure completion of every assignment we undertake.  The service commitment and guarantees provided by our firm are unique in the executive search profession because we guarantee our results — in writing — with every assignment. For more information, visit www.brownson.com.

About Marquis Who’s Who

Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, marquiswhoswho.com.

Media Contact

info@marquiswhoswho.com

SAN DIMAS, CA, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- AdelFi Christian Banking, a California-chartered, full-service faith-based credit union serving over 54,000 members nationwide, is operating under the AdelFi name following the 2025 merger of Christian Community Credit Union and AdelFi. The combined organization serves nearly 4,000 churches and ministries and approximately 50,000 individuals and families, including missionaries, with digital banking services and access to the credit union Co-op shared branch network across all 50 states.

The organization traces its roots to a credit union founded nearly 70 years ago by ministers and their families to help Christians pool financial resources for churches, ministries, and other faith-based needs. Today, that vision has grown into a full-service institution with what the organization describes as a uniquely Christian touch.

“I’ve worked for mega banks,” said Blair Korschun, CEO of AdelFi. “At AdelFi we run things like a business, but every staff meeting begins with prayer and prayer requests.” Members, too, are asked if they want to pray when they call in for banking assistance. But the Christian touch doesn’t stop there.

Why Christian Banking?

"There are over 2,300 verses in the Bible that speak to money and finances," explained Aaron Caid, Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer of AdelFi. “Jesus talked about money so frequently because he knows it competes for our hearts and minds. Consider Matthew 6:21: 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'"

"That said, money is part of life on Earth, and we do have to be profitable,” said Caid. “But our motivation isn’t profit; it’s Kingdom impact.”

AdelFi’s goal is to help clients steward the financial gifts God has entrusted to them. “We help people learn to manage their money and not overborrow,” said Korschun. “We also try to be fair in how we treat members by competitively charging for our services and paying high deposit rates, even for those with modest amounts in the credit union.” And although AdelFi’s loan rates are competitive with other financial institutions’, “our fees are a lot lower,” he stated.

AdelFi also gives back. Employees receive two paid service days per year, the credit union tithes a minimum of 10% of its earnings annually — giving more than $900,000 in 2025 alone — and every time a consumer uses an AdelFi credit card, they not only earn cashback for themselves but for others as well. “We give a portion of every transaction to Christian missions and charities,” said Caid.

Chartered in the state of California, AdelFi has a presence in all 50 states, thanks to its digital tools and membership in the credit union Co-op network. This network gives members access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs and 5,600 branches nationwide. “We have more free locations than the biggest bank in the country,” said Korschun.

AdelFi also has all the same digital tools as big banks and gives clients access to services ranging from auto, business, and church loans to home mortgages, home equity lines of credit, credit and debit cards, money markets, and CDs.

"The AdelFi difference lies in the credit union’s motivations," said Korschun “There’s real heart here. Our employees genuinely care about their job, and feel there is purpose and meaning beyond a paycheck. I feel it, too.”

"After all," added Caid, “we try to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.”

About AdelFi Christian Banking

AdelFi is Christian banking with eternal purpose, serving Christ followers and ministries to faithfully steward God’s resources to advance the Gospel. In 2025, AdelFi Christian Banking united two trusted Christian financial institutions — Christian Community Credit Union and AdelFi — bringing together more than 130 years of combined experience to serve believers, families, churches, and ministries nationwide. Together as one faith-based credit union, AdelFi is committed to practical banking that helps members live out their values and make a lasting Kingdom impact. For more information, visit www.adelfibanking.com.

Disclaimer

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice, nor an endorsement by the distribution service. Information contained herein regarding AdelFi, its merged operations, product offerings, deposit rates, and charitable tithing represents current organizational operations and forward-looking statements that are subject to change. By members’ choice, AdelFi is not federally insured. Each account is insured up to $250,000. Readers should consult official account disclosures prior to making financial decisions.

Media Contact

adelfi@pinkston.com

OXFORD, United Kingdom, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- International lawyer and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Dean Fealk has been named a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, where he will spend the coming academic year examining the relationship between technology, corporate strategy, and global power.

Fealk brings nearly three decades of experience advising Silicon Valley leaders through international transactions, foreign regulatory environments, and relationships with governments and senior officials. He has advised on more than $50 billion in cross-border transactions and has led an office, region, and global practice at DLA Piper.

The Oxford fellowship represents the next stage of a career spanning technology, law, business, government, and international affairs.

Bringing Silicon Valley Experience to Oxford

At Oxford, Fealk will examine how technology companies should approach decisions that increasingly carry consequences beyond the balance sheet.

Technology companies are no longer simply businesses operating within a geopolitical environment. Decisions about investments, markets, customers, and technologies can affect national security, democratic resilience, trade, and international alliances.

Fealk plans to explore how companies can incorporate those considerations into corporate strategy rather than addressing them only after regulatory or geopolitical risks emerge.

“Tech companies have become extraordinarily adroit at scaling operations, products, and customers,” said Fealk. “They are not yet nearly as adept at scaling judgment about power and influence consistent with their underlying values. That gap is the thing I want to spend a year actually thinking about.”

Three Decades at the Intersection of Business and Global Power

Fealk has advised clients on international expansion, European listings, foreign-investment reviews, and cross-border transactions where geopolitical considerations can materially affect business strategy.

His work outside private practice includes roles as a senior appointee at the U.S. Trade Representative and Commerce Department and advising three presidential campaigns. He also serves as a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a board member of the National Democratic Institute, and a founding member of the Halifax International Security Forum.

He has also led high-level gatherings involving NATO, APEC, and the United Nations, giving him experience working across both corporate and policy environments.

Examining Technology’s New Geopolitical Role

The Oxford project grew out of Fealk’s observation that technology companies have developed sophisticated approaches to scaling products, capital, operations, and talent, while their approach to geopolitical power remains less developed.

The questions include how companies should approach authoritarian markets, critical technologies, national-security interests, and responsibilities toward democratic institutions and international alliances.

“I’m not going to Oxford to pen a manifesto admonishing Silicon Valley what its politics should be,” said Fealk. “I want to understand why, with all the resources and talent concentrated in a fifty-mile stretch of the Bay Area, the industry still struggles to translate its commercial power into coherent, values-driven influence on the things that will help determine the future of liberal democracies.”

Developing a Framework for What Comes Next

Fealk describes the central challenge as a “missing doctrine,” a practical framework for helping technology companies incorporate democracy, national security, and alliance commitments into strategic decision-making.

The goal is to move beyond reacting to geopolitical events to develop a more deliberate approach to judgment when companies make decisions about markets, investments, partnerships, customers, and technology.

“CEOs and international lawyers strive to analyze geopolitical events,” said Fealk. “But many are pattern-matching from their last dozen deals. I want to come back with something closer to an actual framework for key stakeholders.”

Fealk plans to bring the insights from his year at Oxford back into his legal practice and civic work, continuing to examine how technology companies can navigate the responsibilities that come with their growing economic and geopolitical influence.

About Dean Fealk

Dean Fealk is recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America as a global business and policy leader, drawing on nearly three decades of experience spanning technology, cross-border transactions, and international affairs. He was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal by Queen Elizabeth II for lifelong service and named a Chief Influencer by the Communications Board for thought leadership across media outlets such as Forbes, Fast Company, The Atlantic, and NPR.

Media Contact

dean.fealk@dlapiper.com

DOVER, DE, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Soulog Inc. has opened launch registration for Soulog Sense, an ultra-thin magnetic AI voice recorder with a Personal Context System designed to help users capture, organize, and work with real-world information. The system brings together audio, images, text, and files users choose to capture or add, keeps related context connected across sessions, and turns it into structured, usable outputs on request.

When users ask for a specific output, the Soulog app can draw on related captured context to generate supported formats such as presentations, PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, images, and prompts for other tools.

Outputs can draw on context across multiple sessions rather than a single recording, helping users carry relevant information into ongoing work. Through a compatible MCP connection, supported AI agents can access the Soulog context made available to them — helping draft follow-ups, refine proposals, and prepare next steps. Generated content can then be shared or exported through supported workflows.

Soulog Sense can surface related information across recordings, notes, images, and files in a visual view, helping users explore connections between captured multi-format materials. Personal Context System keeps related sessions, uploads, and other content together around a shared topic, allowing users to review information, ask questions, and analyze context across multiple sessions.

As a project develops, the Soulog app can use that related context to generate updated summaries, key points, action items, owners, and open questions without requiring users to work from one recording at a time.

Before the first recording, Soulog Sense must be activated in the Soulog app. Then users can slide the power switch up to turn on the device and the recording switch up to start recording and down to stop — without opening the app. During a recording, clicking the multifunction button once marks an important moment for easy review later.

For conversations that only become important after they have already started, 30-Minute Live Rewind provides another option. The feature is off by default and must first be enabled in the Soulog app. With the device powered on and Rewind enabled, users can press and hold the multifunction button for two seconds to save up to the previous 30 minutes of audio and continue recording in the same file. Users are responsible for complying with applicable recording and consent laws.

The Soulog app also brings multiple content types into the same workflow, including photos, text, documents, audio, and webpages. Its multimodal capabilities help connect information from different formats with the relevant context.

Recordings support unlimited transcription across over 120 languages, along with vocabulary management. Speaker recognition can identify registered speakers across recordings, supporting one primary user and up to nine additional speakers through voiceprint settings. Voiceprint settings are user-controlled, and users are responsible for obtaining any consent required before registering another person’s voice.

At just 0.124 inches (3.15 mm) at the body and 46 g (1.62 oz), Soulog Sense attaches magnetically to compatible phones and cases and charges via USB-C.

Key hardware specifications include:

• Independent battery: More than 50 hours of continuous recording on a full charge without drawing power from the phone; a 10-minute USB-C charge designed to support a full workday (8-plus hours)
• Storage: 8 GB of onboard storage
• Audio: Two MEMS microphones and one VPU, with AI noise reduction designed to reduce ambient noise during recording

Data is encrypted on the device, in transit, and in storage, while registered voice profiles are also encrypted and user-controlled. Cloud sync is off by default and begins only when the user enables it. Soulog says customer data is not used to train AI models or sold, and users can export supported formats or manage and delete their information.

“The industry keeps building smarter models while the input stays the same: whatever someone remembers to type in at the end of the day,” said Jane Lee, Marketing Lead at Soulog Inc. “We focused on the input instead. Hardware first, because that decision determines what the software can do afterward.”

In the U.S., Soulog Sense retails for $139.99. It will be available at an early-bird price of $111.99, reflecting a 20% discount.

After a recording is completed, the Soulog app can generate transcripts in over 120 languages and, depending on the plan, apply features such as speaker recognition, vocabulary management, structured AI summaries, and actionable insights. Unlimited transcription and 30-Minute Live Rewind are available on the Free plan. Other advanced features vary by subscription tier and can be explored through a seven-day Pro trial. Check the current plan details for the exact features included.

Each set includes a magnetic card holder, magnetic adapter ring, USB-C cable, and user manual. Soulog Sense will be available through Soulog.com, Amazon, and TikTok Shop, with additional availability details published on the official Soulog website.

About Soulog Inc.

Soulog Inc. is a Delaware-based consumer AI company building hardware and software that helps users capture, organize, and turn real-world context into usable outputs. Its first product, Soulog Sense, combines multimodal capture hardware with AI to help professionals, students, and creators transform information into actionable work. The company does not sell customer data and does not train models on customer audio. For more information, visit soulog.com and follow Soulog on Instagram.

Media Contact

Jane Lee
Soulog Inc.
marketing@soulog.com

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- TAILG, a global electric mobility technology company, made its appearance at the 2026 Africa E-Mobility Week & Forum (AEW2026), where it delivered a keynote speech and shared its “Green Ride Africa” strategy and action plan with representatives from African governments, international organizations, investors, and local innovation enterprises. TAILG also showcased a range of electric two- and three-wheelers designed for African operating scenarios, presenting an integrated green mobility solution covering vehicles, energy infrastructure, and industrial development.

In East and West Africa, electric motorcycles are widely used in high-frequency commercial scenarios such as passenger transport and cargo delivery. Vehicle reliability, energy replenishment efficiency, and operating costs directly affect market adoption. Based on local needs and its experience in Africa, TAILG is developing a green mobility system designed for large-scale and sustainable development in African markets.

At the forum, TAILG introduced the “Green Ride Africa” action framework, focusing on energy infrastructure, local industrial capacity, and innovation ecosystem development. Based on local conditions, the initiative explores energy solutions including solar power, energy storage, charging, and battery-swapping systems. It also promotes local assembly, certification, industry standards development, and battery recycling, while supporting green mobility ecosystems through innovation challenges, incubation programs, and resource sharing.

At the exhibition, TAILG showcased several models, including the TK90, F55, F51, and JINFU. Designed for high-frequency commercial applications, the TK90 features a 3,500W mid-mounted motor, a top speed of 85 km/h, and a maximum range of 100 km using swappable lithium batteries. TAILG has also partnered with a local battery-swapping network operator in Ghana. According to the company, the battery-swapping model can reduce riders’ operating costs by approximately 20% to 30%.

The F55 and F51 are both equipped with 2,000W motors and have obtained EEC certification. At a speed of 45 km/h, they offer ranges of up to 95 km and 90 km, respectively, supporting urban commuting and daily operations. The JINFU is equipped with a 1,000W motor and a 72V/45Ah battery system and is primarily designed for urban and community cargo delivery scenarios.

Beyond addressing local needs through its products and solutions, TAILG also shared its approach to scaling electric mobility in Africa at the forum. TAILG President Michael Yao said that achieving large-scale electric mobility development in Africa requires more than increasing the number of electric vehicles. It also requires technology, talent, services, and industrial capabilities to be developed and retained locally, while working with African partners to explore development paths suited to local needs.

TAILG began its electric mobility initiatives in Africa around 2019. In 2021, the company supported the local assembly of its first batch of electric motorcycles in Kenya, and in 2024, the TK90 was launched in Ghana. In July 2026, UNDP and TAILG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing the Green Mobility Centre of Excellence (GM-CoE).

Looking ahead, TAILG plans to continue validating its products, energy solutions, technologies, and operating models in specific markets such as Kenya, and to share proven experience with more African countries and local partners. At the same time, TAILG will continue working with local partners to explore practical approaches to scaling electric mobility, focusing on key areas including financing, reliable energy supply, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, policy coordination, and cross-brand technical standards.

About TAILG

Founded in 2003, TAILG is an electric mobility technology company with the mission of “Advancing technology to make mobility better for people around the world” and the ambition to become a global leader in low-carbon mobility. The company specializes in the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of electric two- and three-wheelers, as well as related charging and battery-swapping services. TAILG continues to develop products and green mobility solutions adapted to different overseas markets. TAILG operates seven R&D and intelligent manufacturing bases worldwide, with more than 27,000 stores globally and over 70 million users. TAILG is committed to technology and innovation, with industry-leading R&D facilities including a national-level CNAS-accredited laboratory and the Global Low-Carbon Mobility Research Institute. The company holds more than 2,000 patents and has received international design awards, including the Red Dot Award. As a United Nations electric mobility partner and a Belt and Road strategic partner, TAILG has promoted low-carbon mobility globally since 2019 and has implemented projects in Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and other markets, laying an important foundation for its global development. For more information, visit tailg.com.

Media Contact

brand@tailg.com.cn

ONTARIO, CA, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- When buyers search for the best magnesium glycinate ingredient supplier, they are usually comparing more than price.

A reliable B2B supplier should be able to provide:

• Clearly identified, fully reacted ingredient composition
• Defined elemental magnesium content by grade
• Analytical verification of chelation, free magnesium, moisture, heavy metals, microbiology, and residual solvents
• Lot-specific certificates of analysis and supplier-qualification documents
• Grade recommendations for capsules, tablets, powders, gummies, beverages, and other formats
• Commercial samples, packaging, MOQ, lead-time, inventory, and supply-capacity information

MagneINNO™ was developed to address these requirements as a branded magnesium bisglycinate ingredient platform rather than an unnamed commodity magnesium powder.

MagneINNO is operated by NutraINNO USA Inc. and supplies fully reacted, non-buffered chelated magnesium bisglycinate, also commonly called magnesium glycinate, to dietary supplement brands, contract manufacturers, private-label companies, and functional food and beverage developers.

"A branded ingredient must provide more than a name and a specification sheet," said Jack Lin, CEO of NutraINNO USA Inc. "It must give customers a clear product identity, a defensible technical basis, consistent grades, supporting analytical data, and a reliable path from sample evaluation to commercial supply."

MagneINNO and MagniLift Technology

MagneINNO is defined by a named proprietary technology platform, standardized product grades, analytical verification, qualification documentation, and commercial supply support.

The platform is built around MagniLift Technology, a proprietary chemical engineering and verification system designed to support controlled chelation, reduced free ionic impurities, consistent formulation behavior, and repeatable commercial production.

The publicly described process includes:

• Organic acid pre-activation to prepare the mineral phase for controlled chelation
• Ultrasound-assisted chelation to support stepwise coordination between magnesium and glycine
• Advanced nanofiltration to remove unreacted glycine and free ionic impurities without harsh organic solvents
• Lot-level verification linking analytical results, COA files, batch records, and shipments

MagneINNO also uses proprietary chelation-verification technology to evaluate chelation quality, free magnesium, elemental magnesium, molecular structure, moisture, and batch consistency through complementary analytical methods.

The company identifies a 95% real chelation rate as a process target for the MagniLift Technology platform. This target is evaluated together with FTIR, XRD, free magnesium, elemental magnesium, moisture, and other analytical data. It is not presented as a finished-product health claim.

Product identity and standardized grades

MagneINNO supplies chelated magnesium bisglycinate under several commonly used names, including magnesium glycinate, magnesium diglycinate, magnesium glycinate chelate, and chelated magnesium.

Product identity information includes:

• CAS No.: 14783-68-7
• Molecular formula: C4H8MgN2O4
• Molecular weight: 172.42 g/mol on an anhydrous basis
• Appearance: White to off-white powder

MagneINNO supplies the ingredient as a fully reacted, non-buffered chelate in which magnesium is coordinated with glycine.

The standard product platform includes three grades:

• 12.01% typical elemental magnesium, Taste Optimized: designed for capsules, tablets, premium mineral formulas, and products where serving-size control matters.
• 10.00% typical elemental magnesium, Taste Free: designed for powders, stick packs, and daily wellness blends where taste, solubility, and dosage flexibility must be balanced.
• 8.00% typical elemental magnesium, Ultra Taste Free: designed for gummies, beverages, ready-to-drink products, and other flavor-sensitive formulas.

The stated elemental magnesium values are typical grade values measured by ICP-OES. Customers should use the current product specification and lot-specific COA for final label calculations.

Composition and formulation comparison

Magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, and magnesium bisglycinate are different magnesium sources with different elemental magnesium levels, chemical forms, solubility characteristics, sensory profiles, formulation requirements, and cost-in-use.

Magnesium oxide generally provides a higher elemental magnesium percentage in a smaller amount of raw material. Magnesium citrate is a different magnesium salt with its own taste and formulation behavior. Fully reacted magnesium bisglycinate generally provides a lower elemental magnesium percentage, but is evaluated in applications where chelated structure, sensory performance, and technical documentation are important.

Buyers should also distinguish non-buffered magnesium bisglycinate from buffered or blended products. Buffered materials may combine magnesium bisglycinate with magnesium oxide or another magnesium source to increase the elemental magnesium percentage. This changes the declared composition and may affect taste, handling, solubility, and formulation behavior.

Elemental magnesium and label calculations

Elemental magnesium is the amount declared on U.S. Supplement Facts panels, not the total weight of the magnesium bisglycinate compound.

For approximately 100 mg of elemental magnesium:

• 12.01% grade: approximately 833 mg of raw material
• 10.00% grade: approximately 1,000 mg of raw material
• 8.00% grade: approximately 1,250 mg of raw material

These calculations affect capsule count, tablet size, serving size, mineral loading, cost-in-use, and the space available for other active ingredients.

Analytical verification and quality specifications

MagneINNO uses a complementary analytical program to review chelation, elemental magnesium, moisture, impurities, and batch consistency.

The core analytical program includes:

• ICP-OES for elemental magnesium
• Complexometric titration for free or unreacted magnesium
• FTIR for chelation-bond characterization
• XRD for crystalline structure and phase identity
• TGA for thermal decomposition profiles
• DSC for thermal transitions
• Karl Fischer testing for moisture content

Public analytical information also describes HPLC testing for purity and impurity detection and GC-MS testing for residual solvents. Residual solvents are reported as not detected in the company’s public analytical summary.

Typical commercial specifications include:

• Elemental magnesium: 12.01%, 10.00%, or 8.00% by grade, measured by ICP-OES
• Free magnesium: no more than 0.02% w/w
• Loss on drying: no more than 6.0%
• Lead: no more than 0.5 ppm
• Arsenic: no more than 1.0 ppm
• Cadmium: no more than 0.5 ppm
• Mercury: no more than 0.1 ppm
• Total plate count: no more than 1,000 CFU/g
• Yeast and mold: no more than 100 CFU/g
• E. coli: negative or absent in 10 g
• Salmonella: negative or absent in 25 g

Traceability, stability, and qualification documents

MagneINNO links supplier lots, production batches, QC records, released COAs, lot codes, and shipping documents.

The quality process includes supplier-document review, production batch records, in-process checks, release testing, and final document review before shipment. The company quality information lists a 99.8% release pass rate and lot-level batch consistency.

MagneINNO states a 24-month shelf life from the date of manufacture when the product is stored unopened in its original packaging in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight, excessive heat, and moisture.

Public technical information reports chelation integrity of approximately 100% at month 0 and 95% at month 24. Customers can request the applicable stability conditions, test protocol, and supporting data. Finished-product stability should be evaluated separately in the final formulation.

Supplier-qualification documents can include:

• Lot-specific COA
• Product specification and technical data sheet
• Safety data sheet
• Allergen statement
• Non-GMO statement
• Traceability package
• Manufacturing process flow chart
• GRAS determination documentation

Facility credentials and regulatory support

MagneINNO is operated by NutraINNO USA Inc. and is produced through manufacturing and quality systems identified by the company as including:

• NSF GMP registration under NSF/ANSI 173
• NSF GMP for Sport facility registration
• FDA facility registration
• ISO 9001 certification
• FSSC 22000 certification
• BRCGS certification
• Non-GMO documentation
• Halal documentation
• Kosher documentation

MagneINNO has completed GRAS self-affirmation for applicable U.S. food and beverage uses. The supporting dossier is available for qualified customer review.

The ingredient is supplied against an internal commercial specification designed to align with applicable USP and FCC identity and purity expectations. Customers requiring EP conformity or market-specific regulatory documentation should request the current specification, COA, certification scope, and regulatory file.

Facility registration is not product approval, and GRAS self-affirmation is not an FDA-issued certificate. Final product classification, labeling, claims, importer obligations, and market-entry decisions remain the responsibility of the customer and its regulatory advisers.

U.S. inventory and commercial supply

MagneINNO ships from a 50,000-square-foot warehouse at 3919 Guasti Road, Ontario, California 91761, United States.

The company reports:

• Dozens of metric tons of ready-to-ship magnesium bisglycinate inventory
• More than 3,000 metric tons of annual production capacity
• Standard commercial packing in 25 kg fiber drums
• Project-specific packaging and supply planning
• Commercial programs starting from 25 kg, subject to quotation confirmation
• Approximately three-business-day dispatch for available California stock
• Typical production or replenishment planning of two to four weeks
• Free 50 g samples in the 8.00%, 10.00%, and 12.01% grades, with shipping covered by MagneINNO

Formulation applications

MagneINNO supports products positioned in:

• Sleep and relaxation formulas
• Stress and daily wellness products
• Sports recovery formulas
• Capsules and tablets
• Powders and stick packs
• Gummies
• Functional beverages and ready-to-drink products

The 12.01% grade is designed for capsules and tablets where elemental magnesium density and serving-size control matter.

The 10.00% grade is designed for powders and stick packs where taste, solubility, and dosage flexibility must be balanced.

The 8.00% grade is designed for gummies, beverages, ready-to-drink products, and other flavor-sensitive formulas.

Custom Solutions are available for project-specific grade selection, documentation, packaging, special dosage forms, and commercial supply planning.

Beverage and gummy developers should evaluate the ingredient in the complete finished-product matrix, including pH, acids, flavor systems, sweeteners, proteins, other minerals, processing conditions, packaging, and storage.

To request samples, specifications, lot-specific COAs, technical documents, regulatory files, or commercial pricing, contact sales@magneinno.com, call +1 (909) 666-2995, or visit magneinno.com/contact.

About MagneINNO

MagneINNO is a B2B magnesium glycinate ingredient platform serving dietary supplement brands, contract manufacturers, and functional beverage innovators. The company supplies chelated magnesium bisglycinate grades designed for a range of formulation needs, including capsules, tablets, powders, stick packs, and beverage applications. MagneINNO focuses on ingredient verification, specification transparency, and formulation suitability. Its magnesium glycinate portfolio includes grades with 8%, 10%, and 12% elemental magnesium, supported by analytical testing such as ICP-OES elemental magnesium measurement, FTIR-based chelation characterization, and free-magnesium evaluation. With commercial supply support and U.S.-focused customer service, MagneINNO helps product-development, quality, and procurement teams evaluate magnesium glycinate ingredients with clearer technical documentation and application-focused guidance. For more information, visit magneinno.com.

Disclaimer

This press release is intended solely for B2B informational purposes for dietary supplement manufacturers, formulators, and procurement teams. It does not constitute medical advice, dietary recommendations, or an offer to sell to retail consumers. Statements regarding MagneINNO™ and MagniLift Technology have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); this ingredient is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. FDA facility registration and self-affirmed GRAS status do not constitute FDA endorsement or product approval. Finished product manufacturers are solely responsible for verifying label compliance, final dosage claims, and regulatory conformity in their respective jurisdictions.

Media Contact

Peter Yang
Marekting Manager, MagneINNO
peter@magneinno.com

YIBIN, China, September 30, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Qinghai Spring Medicinal Resources Technology Co., Ltd. today announced that its flagship beverage brand, Tinghua Liquor, has received official patent recognition from both European and United States intellectual property authorities for its proprietary spirit-processing technology.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2024/0252453 A1, following a granted invention patent from the European Patent Office (EPO) under European Patent No. EP4353263 B1. The patent examinations conducted by European and U.S. authorities evaluated the technology strictly against established intellectual property criteria, including novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.

Precision Ingredient Engineering in Distilled Spirits

Traditional Baijiu brewing relies primarily on natural, open-air batch fermentation, which can lead to variance in trace compound composition. Tinghua’s patented processing system applies targeted ingredient-editing techniques — combining controlled-strain fermentation, molecular distillation, and membrane separation — to process aged liquor at the molecular level.

By utilizing modular compound identification and controlled separation, the technology aims to refine the trace chemical profile of distilled spirits. The process is designed to reduce specific volatile byproducts typically associated with harsh post-consumption discomfort while preserving the traditional full-bodied flavor profile of high-grade Baijiu.

Interdisciplinary Research Approach

Tinghua’s development framework combines traditional Chinese brewing methodologies with modern analytical food chemistry and neurophysiology concepts. The company’s research focuses on how specific trace congeners in distilled spirits interact with human sensory and physiological receptors during consumption.

About Tinghua

Ting Hua means “listening to the sound of liquor bubbles,” implying extraordinary Chinese Baijiu-making skills. As one of the world's six major distilled spirits, Chinese Baijiu enjoys a history of over 1,000 years. In ancient times, skilled spirit craftsmen determined the quality of spirits by checking the size and dissipation speed of bubbles when the spirits flowed into the barrel during distillation. Top artisans could even determine the spirits' quality by listening to the sound of the bubbles. With such amazing skills, we can study spirits in more ways to further understand the relationship between liquor and people. For more information, visit tinghuajiu.com.

About Qinghai Spring Medicinal Resources Technology Co., Ltd.

Qinghai Spring Medicinal Resources Technology Co., Ltd. (SSE: 600381) is an A-share listed healthcare and innovation enterprise headquartered in China. The company focuses on the modernization and technological transformation of traditional Chinese medicine resources, famously known for its research and development in high-efficiency Cordyceps sinensis (冬虫夏草) processing under brand initiatives such as "Verygrass" (极草). Expanding its portfolio, Qinghai Spring also applies traditional health theory and modern technology to luxury spirit development, including its flagship brand Tinghua Liquor (听花酒). Dedicated to scientific rigor, quality processing, and health advancement, Qinghai Spring strives to combine traditional wisdom with modern consumer wellness solutions. For more information, visit verygrass.com.

Disclaimer

The statements in this press release regarding potential health benefits, physiological responses, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant effects, and the prevention or treatment of disease have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European health authorities. Tinghua Liquor is an alcoholic beverage and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, including tumors. Patent application publication status indicates a pending intellectual property claim and does not constitute regulatory approval or endorsement of health claims by any governmental agency. Consumers should exercise moderation and follow established public health guidelines regarding alcohol consumption.

Media Contact

Jiande Li
lijiande@verygrass.com

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 29, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Next week, the California Mortgage Bankers Association (California MBA) will host the California Disaster Recovery Forum at the California Science Center in Exposition Park, partnering with the State of California to bring together the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), mortgage lenders and servicers, planning and permitting officials, and community organizations to help survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires navigate financing and rebuilding.

The event comes as Los Angeles County continues to recover from the January 2025 wildfires, which destroyed thousands of homes across Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, Pasadena, and surrounding communities and left many property owners facing an unfamiliar rebuilding and financing process.

"When disaster strikes, recovery cannot rest with one organization or agency — it requires all of us. The California Disaster Recovery Forum will bring residents, industry professionals, government leaders and government agencies together in an open, constructive and collaborative environment to share knowledge and identify gaps and create solutions. By supporting families affected by the Altadena and Pacific Palisades wildfires today, we can also build a practical playbook that helps California — and communities across the country — respond faster, collaborate more effectively and be better prepared for the next natural disaster," said Paul Gigliotti, CEO of California Mortgage Bankers Association.

Following opening remarks on the shared commitment among state and industry partners, CalHFA will present details on its disaster rebuilding assistance program, outlining new resources available to wildfire-affected homeowners. Other resources include the Home Rebuild Network (homerebuildnetwork.org), which connects wildfire-affected homeowners with participating lenders and recovery resources. Powered by Prudent AI, the portal collects borrower information and matches consumers with construction lending partners — including CMG Financial and Guild Mortgage — best suited to their rebuilding needs.

The program will then open into the Recovery Resource Exchange, a hands-on resource fair where residents can meet with mortgage lenders, servicers, and recovery specialists to work through their financing and rebuilding questions.

“As California continues to invest in financial support to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires rebuild their homes, our continued and collaborative public-private partnerships are critically important,” said Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the California Housing and Homelessness Agency. “By connecting our state and industry experts and providing ways for survivors to learn about innovative new opportunities like the Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program, we can ensure that everyone focused on disaster recovery is on a pathway to success.” 

“CalHFA’s Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program gives families the support and resources they need during this phase of recovery after a disaster,” said Tony Sertich, Executive Director of CalHFA. “We’re proud to provide more affordable options to homeowners as they begin to rebuild and restore their communities.”

Survivors who are unable to attend will be able to access the resources offered at the forum through the following: CalHFA’s Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program

"One system. One room. One path forward." That idea will shape the forum itself — bringing survivors and recovery resources into one place for one day, instead of sending people from agency to agency. The new Home Rebuild Network carries that same coordination online, giving survivors continued access to lenders and recovery resources long after the event ends. The forum is made possible through a partnership between California MBA, the State of California, CalHFA, DFPI, and the mortgage lenders, servicers, and community organizations who will staff the Recovery Resource Exchange. California MBA has also supported Governor Newsom's $100 million Disaster Rebuild Fund and other state efforts to expand disaster recovery financing.  

About California Mortgage Bankers Association

The California Mortgage Bankers Association (California MBA) is a leading advocate for the real estate finance industry, representing mortgage lenders, servicers, and industry partners operating in California and across the country. The association works to advance responsible lending, promote innovation, and ensure policymakers understand how legislation and regulation impact the mortgage industry and the consumers it serves. For more information, visit cmba.com.

Media Contact

Alison MacLeod
amacleod@ka-pow.com
+1 916-255-6137

PORTLAND, OR, September 29, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Attorney Bracken McKey is marking 25 years of experience in law and criminal justice, reflecting on a career spent as a prosecutor in the Washington County District Attorney’s Office and sharing lessons on leadership, professional growth and decision-making developed over more than two decades.

McKey spent 25 years as a prosecutor in the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, including several years as chief deputy district attorney. During his tenure, he directed investigations for the Washington County Major Crimes Team, handled thousands of cases and tried more than 250. His work included dozens of homicide cases and hundreds of Measure 11 offenses, as well as leadership roles with the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team, Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team, Washington County fraud team, and Conviction Integrity Unit/Brady Committee.

Looking back on that experience, McKey says one of his central professional lessons is that good judgment does not automatically follow from time spent in a profession. Experience is valuable, he says, but it is only the raw material. Judgment develops through reflection, curiosity, and the willingness to keep learning long after a career begins to feel familiar.

"I've worked alongside people who had been doing the same job for 30 years, and I've worked with people who had been doing it for five," McKey said. "Sometimes the person with less experience exercised better judgment because they were still asking questions and challenging their own assumptions."

Experience Gives You Opportunities, Not Answers

Early in a career, success often comes from mastering technical skills, understanding processes and building confidence. Those are important milestones, but McKey believes they represent only the beginning of professional development.

As responsibilities increase, problems become more complicated. The situations that matter most rarely come with complete information or obvious solutions. Instead of relying on rules alone, professionals must weigh competing priorities, evaluate uncertainty and make thoughtful decisions despite imperfect information.

"As you gain experience, you stop looking for perfect answers," McKey said. "Instead, you start asking whether you're asking the right questions. That shift changes the way you approach every decision."

Over the course of his career, McKey came to believe that experience does not automatically produce wisdom. Some professionals continue growing every year, while others spend decades repeating the same habits without becoming significantly better. The difference, he believes, is whether someone chooses to keep learning from each experience rather than simply accumulating more of them.

Curiosity Is the Habit That Keeps Professionals Growing

One of the biggest differences McKey has observed throughout his career is the role curiosity plays in long-term professional development.

Professionals who continue improving rarely believe they have everything figured out. They remain interested in understanding why outcomes occurred, how circumstances changed and what they could do differently the next time.

That curiosity helps prevent complacency.

"The biggest risk isn't making mistakes," McKey said. "The biggest risk is believing you've reached a point where there's nothing left to learn."

Rather than viewing experience as proof of expertise, he encourages professionals to view it as an expanding collection of lessons. Every project, conversation, challenge and unexpected outcome provides another opportunity to refine judgment.

The professionals who keep asking thoughtful questions often become the ones others trust to make difficult decisions.

Reflection Turns Experience Into Judgment

Many people learn from failure because mistakes naturally demand attention. McKey believes successful outcomes deserve the same level of analysis.

"People naturally review mistakes because they're uncomfortable," he said. "What often gets overlooked are the successes. If something worked, you should understand why it worked. Otherwise, you might assume it will always work the same way."

That habit of reflection separates continuous improvement from simple repetition.

Professionals who consistently review their decisions begin to recognize patterns. They notice recurring challenges, identify strengths they can build on and uncover assumptions that may no longer serve them well.

This process takes discipline because it requires honest self-evaluation rather than simply moving on to the next task.

McKey believes that reflection is where experience becomes judgment. Without it, even decades of work can become little more than routine.

Good Judgment Requires Humility

Another lesson that has become clearer to McKey over his 25-year prosecutorial career is the importance of humility.

Many people associate confidence with having the right answer. McKey believes confidence should instead come from being willing to learn, adapt and reconsider when new information becomes available.

"There is a misconception that changing your mind is a sign of weakness," he said. "I've found the opposite to be true. If the facts change or you learn something important, adapting is often the strongest decision you can make."

This willingness to adjust is especially valuable in leadership roles.

Strong leaders do not create environments where they must always appear certain. They create environments where thoughtful discussion is encouraged and people feel comfortable raising concerns or offering different perspectives.

That openness can lead to better decisions because it allows more information to reach the people responsible for making them.

Trust Is Earned Through Consistency

Professional growth is not measured only by knowledge or experience. It is also reflected in the trust a person earns over time.

McKey believes credibility develops through repeated actions rather than occasional achievements.

"People remember whether you follow through," he said. "They remember whether you prepared, whether you listened, and whether they could rely on you. Those habits build credibility much faster than trying to sound like the smartest person in the room."

Consistency becomes especially important when situations become challenging.

During periods of uncertainty, people naturally look toward professionals who remain thoughtful, prepared and dependable. Those qualities are built over years through everyday decisions that often go unnoticed at the time.

About Bracken McKey

Bracken McKey is an attorney with 25 years of experience as a prosecutor in the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, where he served as chief deputy district attorney and directed investigations for the Washington County Major Crimes Team. During his career, he handled thousands of cases and tried more than 250, including dozens of homicide cases and hundreds of Measure 11 offenses. McKey also held leadership roles with several specialized investigative teams and committees, including the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team, Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team, Washington County fraud team, and Conviction Integrity Unit/Brady Committee.