Taste of Europe Challenge Brought Live Culinary Competition to Grand Central Terminal

Live event connected US food and beverage trade and media with European quality products

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The "More Than European Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories" campaign brought the Taste of Europe Challenge to Vanderbilt Hall® in Grand Central Terminal, where two contestants competed in a live, head-to-head culinary competition featuring premium food and beverage products from Europe.

The event, held on Wednesday, October 7, featured multiple rounds of competition before a panel of expert judges. Contestants created original dishes using ingredients sourced from an on-site European Market, highlighting the quality, authenticity, and sustainability of EU products. Through the interactive culinary experience, attendees discovered the high standards, and distinctive traditions behind products from across the European Union.

Mishka Murphy was named the winner of the Taste of Europe Challenge following the competition, with a star recipe consisting of Marinated Runner Beans with Whipped Noord-Hollandse Gouda PDO, Jambon de Bayonne PGI, fresh herbs, and European olive oil.

Hosted by Dan Pelosi (@grossypelosi), the event featured contestants Alexa Santos (@alexawhatsfordinner) and Mishka Murphy (@mishkamakesfood). The competition was judged by Top Chef Season 21 winner Danny Garcia (@chef.dannygarcia), Ilena Tovia (@mommailena), Eater Correspondent Matthew Kang (@mattatouille), and Nadia Loddo, Agriculture Counsellor at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States.

"Today's challenge showed that European food and drinks are about more than the ingredient itself," said Nadia Loddo. "They carry stories of place, tradition, craftsmanship, and generations of know-how. Both contestants demonstrated how these products can be deeply rooted in their origins while inspiring creativity in today's kitchens."

Attendees participated in expert-led product tastings featuring European cheeses, olive oils, and chocolates. Product experts included olive oil expert Isabella Cassell, cheesemonger Joshua Santamaria, and chocolatier Jacques Torres.

The event welcomed food and beverage trade professionals, media, and members of the public, who experienced the competition in one of New York City's most iconic locations.

The Taste of Europe Challenge was part of the "More than European Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories" campaign, which aims to inform U.S. audiences about the defining characteristics of European food and beverage products, including their safety, quality, authenticity and sustainability. The campaign highlights products from the EU's 27 Member States, with a focus on quality labels such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and organic products.

About the "More than European Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories" Campaign

The "More than European Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories" campaign showcases the stories, traditions, and standards behind European Union food and beverage products. Through events, educational content and consumer experiences, the campaign highlights the quality, authenticity, safety and sustainability of food and beverage products from across the European Union.

The campaign is financed by the European Union.

For more information about the campaign, please follow us on:

Instagram: @MorethanfoodUS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/more-than-food-us/

Website: https://europa.eu/more-than-food-us

Podcast: "European Tasty Tales" on Spotify

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE European Union

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Oakland recycler California Waste Solutions anchors U.S. operations while expanding waste infrastructure and environmental technology in Vietnam through Vietnam Waste Solutions

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- California Waste Solutions, Inc. is extending its environmental work across the Pacific, pairing recycling operations in Oakland and San Jose with large-scale waste infrastructure and technology investment in Vietnam through its wholly owned subsidiary, Vietnam Waste Solutions.

The approach follows the operating principle that has guided the company since David Duong founded California Waste Solutions in Oakland in 1992 with eight used collection trucks. That principle centers on investing in systems that protect public health and recover value from waste.

"Investing heavily in the places you operate is one of the core differentiators of California Waste Solutions and its Vietnamese subsidiary. It's not just something we do: it's part of our core values," said David Duong, Founder and CEO of California Waste Solutions.

These investments reflect the long-term vision of David Duong, founder and owner of California Waste Solutions and Vietnam Waste Solutions: to build environmental infrastructure that serves cities today while preparing for their future needs. Since establishing California Waste Solutions in Oakland in 1992, David Duong has developed a business spanning municipal recycling in California and integrated waste treatment in Vietnam. His approach connects investment in collection and processing with systems that recover materials, reuse treated water and generate electricity from waste. At Da Phuoc, the proposed waste-to-energy facility would extend that work through additional treatment capacity and energy recovery. Together with the Green Environmental Technology Park, it carries David Duong's vision into projects intended to support Vietnam's urban growth and long-term environmental needs.

U.S. Operating Base

Headquartered in Oakland, California Waste Solutions serves more than 343,000 customers across Oakland and San Jose and operates six Bay Area recycling facilities. The company provides collection, processing, material recovery, customer service and municipal recycling programs, including household battery and used-motor-oil collection and multilingual recycling education.

It continues to invest in sorting technology and facility capacity in California, including optical sorting in San Jose, artificial-intelligence scanning in Oakland, and the expansion of curbside household battery collection to San José homes. The company enters its thirty-fifth year in business next year.

"Thirty-five years is not just about how much the company has grown," Duong said. "It is about the employees who helped build it, the cities that trusted us and the communities that gave our family an opportunity to build a new life in America. Our responsibility is to keep earning that trust."

Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Treatment Complex

Through Vietnam Waste Solutions, California Waste Solutions operates the Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Treatment Complex on 128 hectares in Ho Chi Minh City. It is the only waste treatment facility in Vietnam that applies sanitary landfill technology in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. Designed with a capacity of up to 10,000 tons per day, equivalent to approximately 70% of Ho Chi Minh City's municipal solid waste, Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Treatment Complex currently receives approximately 4,500 to 5,000 tons per day, based on the city's waste allocation.

Da Phuoc runs as a closed-loop system under strict environmental controls. Infrastructure includes:

- A landfill gas-to-energy plant that collects methane through wells in the sanitary landfill and delivers it by pipeline to gas handling systems. The plant can generate up to 12 megawatts, supplying power for operations at the complex.

- A leachate treatment plant with capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day, using a membrane bioreactor that combines biological treatment with membrane filtration. It was the first facility in Vietnam to apply this technology and is equipped with automatic, continuous, real-time wastewater monitoring. Treated water is reused for onsite irrigation and for washing waste-collection vehicles.

- A sorting and recycling plant with capacity of 600 tons per day, together with compost production from organic waste.

Helping Vietnam Achieve Net Zero By 2050

In line with the government's roadmap for a green transition and a circular economy, Vietnam Waste Solutions is in the stages of applying for permits to expand its waste-to-energy systems. The plan is expected to contribute meaningfully to helping Vietnam achieve its net zero target of 2050.

The new waste-to-energy project is planned as a new investment, separate from capital already committed to the existing Da Phuoc complex. It is expected to require a total investment of more than half a billion dollars, with processing capacity of 3,000 tons per day and electricity generation of 60 megawatts, using advanced technologies from G7 and G8 countries. The project aims to reduce ash and residue remaining after incineration to about 5 percent, a target that depends on advanced incineration technology and tight operating controls. The remaining ash and residue will then be recycled into construction materials and other supplementary fuels.

The project has completed the documentation, technical and financial planning, and technology selection stages. Once investment-policy approval is received, construction is expected to begin, with the project becoming operational within 18 to 24 months, supporting Ho Chi Minh City's Net Zero 2030 goal and the city's near-term waste-treatment needs.

Vietnam Waste Solutions also plans to excavate, sort and process waste already stored at the landfill, then cap the site and rehabilitate the surface for a mixed-use ecological park for the local community.

"The visionary leadership of Ho Chi Minh City is building an environmentally sound future, and it's a great pleasure to work with them on these objectives, especially with the economy so strong right now," said Michael Duong, President of California Waste Solutions. "We are really excited about the new waste-to-energy plant expansion, having already proved that it works at a much smaller level over the past few years for our own plant."

The company is also preparing to transfer sorting and recovery practices used in California, including AI- and robotics-assisted recycling, to raise material recovery and processing standards in Vietnam. At Da Phuoc, high-capacity drones for sanitation and odor control are scheduled to begin operation in October 2026, spraying biological treatment products across the landfill and reducing workers' direct exposure to treatment chemicals.

Green Environmental Technology Park

Beyond Da Phuoc, Vietnam Waste Solutions is advancing the Green Environmental Technology Park, a 1,760-hectare project licensed in 2015 and planned as a Vietnam–U.S. Green Industrial Technology Complex. The project is designed to connect waste treatment with high-tech manufacturing, clean energy, telecommunications, environmental infrastructure and an internal cargo transshipment port, rather than function as a conventional land lease.

The aim is to build a U.S.-standard investment environment in Vietnam that helps tenants lower operating costs and meet ESG requirements. Plans also include high-quality housing and vocational schools to support a skilled local workforce. Infrastructure work has begun, with further investment to follow the approved roadmap and investment policy, tied to development across Vietnam's Southern Key Economic Region.

Taken together, the California facilities and the Vietnam projects are meant to show the same standard at two scales: proven municipal recycling at home, and long-cycle environmental infrastructure abroad.

"California Waste Solutions started locally, but has expanded globally over the years, and significant investment has gone into the maintaining the same high standards we started out with in Oakland at the start of our journey," said company founder David Duong. "Waste went from something no one wanted to talk about when we started out more than a quarter-century ago to something that now, everyone wants to talk about because they realize that how you handle it affects the environment in such a critical way. We are really proud to be one of the first in that respect, who saw it before many others did."

About California Waste Solutions

Founded in 1992 by David Duong, California Waste Solutions provides recycling collection, processing, customer service, and material recovery for residential, commercial, and municipal customers in Northern California, including Oakland and San José. Through its subsidiary Vietnam Waste Solutions, the company also operates large-scale environmental infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh City. Headquarters: 1211 Embarcadero, Suite 300, Oakland, CA 94606. www.calwaste.com.

About Vietnam Waste Solutions

Vietnam Waste Solutions is the wholly owned Vietnamese subsidiary of California Waste Solutions and operator of the Da Phuoc Integrated Solid Waste Facility serving Ho Chi Minh City. Da Phuoc Integrated Solid Waste Facility (DPI) was developed as Vietnam's first sanitary landfill modeled on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. Existing operations include sanitary landfill management, recycling and material recovery, composting, leachate and wastewater treatment, treated-water reuse, landfill-gas collection and electricity generation. VWS is advancing the proposed 60-megawatt Da Phuoc waste-to-energy project and continues development of the Long An Green Environmental Technology Park.

Media Contact

Wendy Nguyen

PR & Marketing Manager

California Waste Solutions

[email protected]

SOURCE California Waste Solutions

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AblePay Health Raises $20 Million Series A to Accelerate Growth and Expand Healthcare Affordability Solutions

F-Prime leads financing, with participation from A1 Health Ventures and .406 Ventures, to help AblePay reach more health systems and patients nationwide

ALLENTOWN, Pa., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AblePay Health ("AblePay"), a healthcare affordability company focused on helping patients better manage out-of-pocket medical costs while improving payment performance for providers, today announced the completion of a $20 million Series A financing led by F-Prime, with participation from A1 Health Ventures and .406 Ventures.

The investment will support AblePay's continued growth, deepen its technology platform, and expand the company's services for both patients and providers as it positions itself at the forefront of solving healthcare's affordability challenges.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Americans paid $591 billion out of pocket for healthcare in 2025, an increase of 6% from the prior year. For patients, rising costs can make an already complicated healthcare experience even harder to manage. For providers, more of the revenue they have earned depends on the patient's ability and willingness to pay, making the financial experience increasingly important to both the patient relationship and revenue cycle performance.

"Healthcare affordability affects both sides of the bill," said John Fistner, Founder and CEO of AblePay Health. "Patients need a better way to manage the cost of care, and providers need a better way to collect the revenue they have already earned. AblePay was designed to address those needs and ten years later, that is what still drives us.

Today, only a fraction of that burden is served by any third-party financing solution, leaving millions of patients and the health systems that treat them, exposed to an escalating, largely unaddressed problem. This investment gives us the opportunity to reach more health systems, help more patients, and continue building on a model that works for both."

Using a proprietary technology-enabled platform, AblePay uniquely and seamlessly integrates with healthcare providers to guarantee non-recourse payment on an accelerated, predictable timeline. Enrolled patients receive flexible payment options with the opportunity to save on their out-of-pocket responsibility with free access to AblePay's Advocacy Team to assist with billing questions or issues.

AblePay is redefining what a modern, technology-driven approach to patient financial engagement can look like.

"AblePay has built a differentiated model that addresses a significant market pain point for both healthcare providers and patients," said Nikhil Marathe, Principal at F-Prime. "The company combines a compelling patient value proposition with meaningful financial and operational benefits for healthcare organizations. We are excited to partner with John and the AblePay team alongside A1 Health Ventures and .406 Ventures as the company enters its next stage of growth."

The investment comes as AblePay enters its second decade of growth. The additional capital will help the company expand its reach, strengthen its capabilities, and continue developing solutions that make the healthcare payment experience simpler and more affordable for patients while delivering stronger financial outcomes for providers.

About AblePay Health

AblePay Health is a healthcare affordability and patient engagement company dedicated to helping patients save on out-of-pocket medical expenses while supporting health systems and providers with improved revenue performance and higher patient satisfaction. Founded in 2016, AblePay partners with healthcare organizations to simplify the payment experience while addressing the affordability challenges facing both patients and providers.

Learn more at ablepayhealth.com.

About F-Prime

F-Prime is a leading global venture capital firm that creates and invests in healthcare and technology companies, partnering with entrepreneurs to build groundbreaking businesses. For more than 50 years, the firm has invested across therapeutics, medtech, healthtech / services and technology, helping turn innovative ideas into transformative companies and products. F-Prime combines capital with the insight, domain expertise and relationships of its investors, engineers, operators, doctors and scientists to help its companies navigate complex challenges and make a transformative impact.

Learn more at fprimecapital.com.

About A1 Health Ventures

A1 Health Ventures is a Chicago-based venture capital firm investing in healthcare technology and technology-enabled services businesses that solve the healthcare industry's most pressing challenges. Backed by health system LPs operating 110+ hospitals & serving over 15M patients annually, A1 leverages deep healthcare expertise and an expansive provider network to help its companies accelerate adoption and drive meaningful real-world impact.

Learn more at a1healthventures.com.

About .406 Ventures

.406 Ventures is a Boston-based venture capital firm with over $1.3B under management and two decades of experience leading or co-leading early-stage investments in pioneering healthcare, data + AI, and cybersecurity companies founded by visionary entrepreneurs.

Learn more at 406ventures.com.

SOURCE Ablepay Health, LLC

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Ribo Submits European Clinical Trial Application for Phase Ⅰ Study of INHBE-Targeting siRNA RBD3133

SUZHOU, China and MÖLNDAL, Sweden, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Suzhou Ribo Life Science (06938.HK) and its subsidiary Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB (collectively referred to as "Ribo") announced the successful submission of a Phase Ⅰ Clinical Trial Application (CTA) in EU for RBD3133, a novel siRNA therapeutic targeting INHBE (inhibin subunit beta E), with overweight and obesity as its intended future therapeutic indications.

Obesity has become one of the world's most significant public health challenges, affecting more than one billion people globally and contributing to a substantial burden of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other obesity-related comorbidities. Despite recent advances in obesity treatment, there remains a significant need for innovative therapies that address the underlying biology of metabolic dysfunction and provide durable clinical benefit.

RBD3133 is designed to selectively silence INHBE, a gene encoding the protein activin E. Human genetic studies have demonstrated that individuals carrying naturally occurring loss-of-function variants in INHBE exhibit healthier fat distribution, improved metabolic characteristics, and lower estimated risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These findings support INHBE as a promising therapeutic target for obesity and related metabolic diseases.

The Phase Ⅰ study is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of subcutaneously administered RBD3133 in participants with overweight or obesity. The trial will provide the first assessment of RBD3133 in humans and will establish the foundation for further clinical development.

"This CTA submission represents another clear step forward for our cardiometabolic pipeline and highlights our ability to translate compelling human genetic evidence into innovative RNAi medicines." said Dr. Anders Gabrielsen, Chief Medical Officer of Ribo.

The RBD3133 represents a pivotal step of Ribo's siRNA development portfolio in the field of cardiovascular and metabolic disease and is poised to serve as a cornerstone drug for the treatment of weight-loss-related cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. As Ribo's first candidate drug in the obesity therapeutic area, RBD3133 reflects the company's strategic focus on developing innovative medicines for large patient populations with substantial unmet medical need.

About Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co. Ltd. and Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB

Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co. Ltd. (Ribo, 06938.HK) is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated in the development and commercialization of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapeutics. Driven by its vertically integrated technology platforms, Ribo has built a strong and differentiated product pipeline targeting major disease areas including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, liver and kidney diseases etc. Through continuous innovation, Ribo is committed to delivering revolutionary siRNA treatment solutions to patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ribolia.com.

As an overseas subsidiary of Suzhou Ribo Life Science, Ribocure Pharmaceuticals AB (Ribocure) is dedicated to globalized development of life-saving oligonucleotide therapies, with focus on development of assets and pipeline as well as new target ideas and on building innovative capacities to conduct clinical trials and developing siRNA drugs to address real unmet medical needs globally. For more information, please visit www.ribocure.com.

SOURCE Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., Ltd.

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LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. Reports First Half of Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Results

Record-High First-Half Revenue and Operating Income, Up 8.9% and 35.9% Year Over Year, Respectively[1]

TOKYO, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFS) (the "Company" or "Leifras"), a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement, and a leading operator of children's sports schools and school club activity support businesses in Japan, today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026.

First Half of Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Highlights

- Revenue was JPY5,978.8 million ($36.8 million), an increase of 8.9% from JPY5,488.8 million for the same period last year.

- Income from operations was JPY92.3 million ($0.6 million), an increase of 35.9% from JPY67.9 million for the same period last year.

- Net income was JPY77.1 million ($0.5 million), an increase of 43.5% from JPY53.7 million for the same period last year.

- Adjusted income from operations was JPY139.7 million ($0.9 million), an increase of 105.6% from JPY67.9 million for the same period last year.

- Basic and diluted earnings per share were JPY2.95 ($0.02), compared to JPY2.16 for the same period last year.

First Half of Fiscal Year 2026 Operational Highlights

Sports School Business

- Number of members was 68,873, a decrease of 0.9% from 69,500 as of June 30, 2025.

- Revenue of the sports school business was JPY4,148.5 million ($25.5 million), an increase of 5.4% from JPY3,937.7 million for the same period last year

Social Business

- Number of schools was 478, an increase of 37.0% from 349 as of June 30, 2025.

- Number of club activities was 2,224, an increase of 6.2% from 2,095 as of June 30, 2025.

- Revenue of the social business was JPY1,830.3 million ($11.3 million), an increase of 18.0% from JPY1,551.1 million for the same period last year.

Management Commentary

Mr. Kiyotaka Ito, the Representative Director and Chief Executive Officer of Leifras, commented, "We are pleased to report continued strong financial performance in the first half of fiscal year 2026. Both our sports school business and social business achieved revenue growth, contributing to an 8.9% year-over-year increase in total revenue, a record-high[1]. Profitability also continued to improve, with higher gross profit margin contributing to a 35.9% increase in income from operations and a 43.5% increase in net income.

"In our core sports school business, we remain committed to delivering our distinctive educational services that foster children's non-cognitive skills. Meanwhile, our social business continued to grow as we expanded our efforts to support local sports environments, increasing the number of contracted schools for club activity support to 478, up 37.0% year over year. We will continue to draw on the people and expertise we have developed through sports education to support children's growth, address challenges facing local communities, and sustainably enhance corporate value."

Financial Condition

- As of June 30, 2026, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of JPY2,591.8 million ($15.9 million), compared to JPY2,524.1 million as of December 31, 2025.

- Net cash provided by operating activities was JPY252.7 million ($1.6 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to JPY312.8 million for the same period last year.

- Net cash used in investing activities was JPY213.0 million ($1.3 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to JPY47.2 million for the same period last year.

- Net cash provided by financing activities was JPY28.0 million ($0.2 million) for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to net cash used in financing activities of JPY306.1 million for the same period last year.

Financial Guidance

- Revenue is expected to be between $82.9 million and $95.7 million for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, an increase of approximately 10.8% to 27.9% from $74.8 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

- Income from operations is expected to be between $4.5 million and $5.4 million for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, an increase of approximately 13.2% to 33.9% from $4.0 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

The guidance includes the results of Well Resources (from May 1, 2026), Tokai Sports (from June 1, 2026) and SWIFT JAPAN (from July 1, 2026). It does not assume any further business acquisitions, restructuring activities or legal settlements during the period. The guidance is translated at the FY2025 assumed exchange rate of US$1 = JPY156.80, the same rate used in the first quarter, to eliminate the impact of foreign exchange volatility. This rate will be used for the guidance throughout fiscal 2026.

Conference Call Information

The Company will host an English-language conference call at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (9:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time) on October 8, 2026, and a Japanese-language conference call at 3:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time) on October 9, 2026.

To attend the earnings conference calls, please use the following access information.

Dial-in details for the English-language conference call:

Dial-in details for the Japanese-language conference call:

Please dial in at least 15 minutes before the commencement of the English-language call to ensure timely participation.

A live webcast of the English-language conference call will be available through the webcast link above.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain Japanese Yen ("JPY") amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD" or "$") for the convenience of the reader. Translations of historical financial amounts from JPY into USD have been made at the exchange rate of JPY162.61 = $1.00, the noon buying rate as of June 30, 2026 published in the H.10 statistical release of the United States Federal Reserve Board.

Note: [1] Record high for the corresponding six-month period in US-GAAP figures since fiscal year 2023.

About LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Leifras is a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement. The Company primarily provides services related to the organization and operations of sports schools and sports events for children. Leifras was recognized as Japan's largest operator of children's sports schools in terms of both membership and number of schools, as well as the leading provider of school club activity support in terms of the number of contracted schools, according to Tokyo Shoko Research as of December 2025. The Company's approach to sports education emphasizes the development of non-cognitive skills, following the teaching principle "acknowledge, praise, encourage, and motivate." Its holistic approach integrates physical and mental development. Building on its experience and expertise in sports education, Leifras also operates a social business that supports school club activities, provides sports therapy for children with developmental disabilities, and offers exercise programs for the elderly. As of June 30, 2026, the Company supported 2,224 club activities at 478 schools.

For more information, please visit the Company's website: https://ir.leifras.co.jp/.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company discusses a key financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") to supplement its unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis. This non-GAAP financial measure is reconciled to its most directly comparable financial measure determined in accordance with GAAP as follows:

The Company's primary non-GAAP financial measure and corresponding metrics reflect how the Company evaluates the Company's current and prior year operating results. As new events or circumstances arise, these definitions could change. When the Company's definitions change, the Company provides the updated definitions. When items no longer impact the Company's current or future presentation of non-GAAP operating results, the Company removes these items from the Company's non-GAAP definitions.

Adjusted income from operations is a financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with GAAP (collectively referred to as the "non-GAAP financial measures"), and the use of the term adjusted income from operations may differ from similar measures reported by other companies and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures. The Company believes the non-GAAP financial measure provides investors with useful information with respect to the Company's historical operations. The Company presents the non-GAAP financial measure as a supplemental performance measure because the Company believes it facilitates a comparative assessment of the Company's operating performance relative to the Company's performance based on the Company's results under GAAP, while isolating the effects of some items that vary from period to period. Specifically, adjusted income from operations allows the Company to assess the Company's performance without the impact of the specifically identified items that the Company believes do not directly reflect the Company's core operations, including acquisition-related costs and other items that management does not consider reflective of the Company's core operating performance. The non-GAAP financial measure also functions as a key performance indicator used to evaluate the Company's operating performance internally, and it is used in connection with the determination of incentive compensation for management, including executive officers.

Unprecedented Fish Sound Recordings Presented to the Library of Congress at Voices of the Ocean's Convening to Inspire Ocean Regeneration

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 6, 2026, Wave and Conservation Nation convened over 300 ocean leaders, scientists, innovators, conservationists and ocean-lovers at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., for Voices of the Ocean—an immersive evening celebrating the discoveries, ideas and people shaping the future of our ocean.

The evening included an unprecedented moment when FishEye Collaborative presented a collection of fish sounds from Hawai'i's coral reefs to the Library of Congress. The recordings represent the largest publicly accessible natural sound collection of fish species from the United States and from across the Pacific Ocean, to join the Library's historic inclusion of the original "Songs of the Humpback Whale" recordings.

Opening the evening via video-link, Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Founder of Wave, said: "It is especially meaningful that we have gathered here to celebrate those who are dedicating their lives to understanding and protecting our ocean, and to amplify the ideas, discoveries and solutions that can help secure a healthy, thriving ocean for generations to come."

Doro Bush Koch, Co-founder of Conservation Nation, said: "What brought us together tonight is a shared love of the ocean and a belief that we can do something meaningful to protect it."

In the historic Coolidge Auditorium, the program featured guests from the depths of the ocean to the frontiers of marine science and innovation. Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, esteemed marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer and founder of Mission Blue, spoke about the power of exploration, conservation and collective action.

Wave Chief Scientist Professor Carlos Duarte explored the ocean's next frontier, examining how marine life is unlocking new possibilities for medicine and human health. Peabody Awardwinning science journalist Lulu Miller shared the remarkable story of a whale calf birth, accompanied by footage revealing the extraordinary communal behaviors of marine life.

Internationally bestselling author Sy Montgomery invited guests to see the ocean through a different lens, bringing the character, intelligence and spirit of marine animals to life.

The evening opened with a cinematic celebration of the ocean, featuring extraordinary footage by ocean filmmaker Matthew David Kaplan set to an original score by Alex Lustig. The program culminated in an immersive cinematic journey created by the next generation of ocean storytellers—filmmakers, photographers and marine biologists—accompanied by a live orchestra performance.

From Ocean Ideas to Ocean Innovation

The evening continued in the Library of Congress' Great Hall, where guests met the founders behind a new generation of ocean solutions.

Among them were Coastal Assembly, a public benefit corporation working to grow the world's coastlines; Coral Vita, pioneering new approaches to coral restoration; FishEye Collaborative, a conservation technology nonprofit using acoustic monitoring to help protect coral reefs and nearshore habitats; GRoW Reefs, developing reef-building products designed to accelerate native oyster reef restoration; and Room 71, an innovation studio at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution focused on advancing solutions emerging from ocean science and exploration.

Giving the Ocean a Voice

In the Great Hall, the presentation of fish sounds to the Library included new discoveries for these species. These recordings stand at the frontier of listening to animals and represent a mere glimpse of the myriad voices still to be discovered in the world's oceans. In 2010, the Library of Congress honored the 1970 "Songs of the Humpback Whale," recording that changed how Americans see the ocean. Today, by adding the first fish sounds to the Library's archives, the hope is that ocean voices will be valued, kept safe, and available to the world for study and wonder.

Voices of the Ocean brought together many perspectives, disciplines and generations around one shared message: the ocean's future depends on our ability to listen, learn, collaborate and act.

About Wave

Founded by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Wave is a Collective Action Platform dedicated to restoring a thriving ocean by 2050. Powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute and in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Wave strives towards the ambitious yet attainable goal of Ocean Regeneration within a Human Generation.

For more information, visit thewave.global

About Conservation Nation

Conservation Nation is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the conservation movement by funding and supporting a diverse group of conservationists from all communities while educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Through free, in-school STEM education programs, Conservation Nation connects students with diverse role models, builds confidence and belonging in nature, and sparks interest in conservation careers. Their grants, fellowships, and capacity-building initiatives equip conservationists around the world with the resources they need to protect endangered species and ecosystems, and to create a more inclusive and effective movement for the future. For more information, visit conservationnation.org

About the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the world's largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

SOURCE Conservation Nation

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AI's Next Infrastructure Challenge Is Power: DIGITIMES Examines the Shift Toward 800VDC Data Centers

TAIPEI, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI computing continues to scale, the infrastructure challenge is moving beyond processors. Rising rack-level power requirements are forcing data center operators, server makers, and semiconductor suppliers to rethink how electricity is delivered from the grid all the way to AI compute systems.

A new report from DIGITIMES Intelligence, "AI Data Center 800VDC Power Architecture Takes Shape; Future Hurdles Require Balancing Multiple Key Factors," examines how the emerging 800VDC architecture could reshape power delivery across next-generation AI data centers—and how the transition is creating new strategic questions for the semiconductor and infrastructure ecosystem.

Power Is Becoming Part of the AI Performance Equation. As AI systems become increasingly compute-intensive, power delivery is becoming a system-level design issue rather than simply a facility consideration. Higher-density AI racks require the industry to reconsider conversion efficiency, power density, system footprint, thermal management, and the overall path electricity takes before reaching GPUs and other accelerators.

DIGITIMES observes that the industry's transition toward higher-voltage DC architectures is accelerating changes across the power-delivery chain. The implications extend beyond data center design to power semiconductors, server systems, power conversion equipment, and the broader AI infrastructure supply chain.

800VDC Is Creating a New Power Semiconductor Battleground. The transition is also changing the role of power semiconductor technologies. Rather than pointing to a single winning technology, DIGITIMES' analysis shows that different device architectures are finding distinct roles across the AI power-delivery chain, depending on voltage, switching frequency, power density, efficiency, and system requirements.

This makes the evolution of GaN and SiC particularly important to watch. As AI server power architectures evolve, their respective technical characteristics are influencing how semiconductor suppliers position products across different stages of the power system.

Competition Will Extend Beyond Device Performance. As the architecture matures, DIGITIMES expects competition to extend beyond individual device specifications. The ability to work with server OEMs and ODMs, participate in system-level design, maintain supply stability, and respond quickly to rapidly changing AI platform requirements will become increasingly important.

A Supply Chain Shift Worth Watching, for data center operators, server manufacturers, power semiconductor suppliers, and investors tracking AI infrastructure, the shift toward 800VDC is more than a change in voltage. It represents a broader redesign of how power moves through AI infrastructure—and potentially a redistribution of value across the supply chain.

The DIGITIMES Intelligence report provides an in-depth examination of the evolving 800VDC architecture, the roles of key power semiconductor technologies, emerging vendor strategies, and the competitive factors that could shape the next stage of AI data center infrastructure.

Read the full report:

DIGITIMES Intelligence 800VDC Report

https://dgt.ms/report800VDC_prnewswire

About DIGITIMES

DIGITIMES is a Decision Intelligence platform rooted in the global technology industry, providing first-hand industry intelligence, forward-looking research, and AI-driven analysis to help decision-makers navigate change and formulate strategies. Through its Intelligence, Research, and enterprise services, DIGITIMES connects technology trends with the supply chains and companies shaping the industry's next moves.

SOURCE DIGITIMES

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NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluerock Private Real Estate Fund (ticker: BPRE) today announced it will pay a cash distribution of $0.1371 per share for October 2026. The distribution will be paid to shareholders of record as of October 21, 2026, reflecting a 7.3% distribution rate on NAV as well as an annualized market distribution rate of approximately 12.9% and an annualized tax-equivalent distribution rate of 20.1%1, based on the BPRE closing price of $12.80 on October 7, 2026.

The distribution will be made on the schedule below:

BPRE has announced four distribution increases since listing, reflecting management's commitment to raising distributions as it executes on its strategic roadmap to maximize shareholder value by rotating capital out of BPRE's legacy core+ institutional fund holdings into the specialty direct real estate investments it believes offer stronger income and total return potential.

The Fund recently hosted a webinar to provide its second progress report on its execution against the strategic roadmap, highlighting the growth of its identified pipeline of potential new investments to $903 million² and its significant progress in realizing cost savings and raising distributions.

Net assets under management for BPRE are approximately $3.2 billion as of September 30, 2026. The Fund currently maintains positions in 25 private equity and 16 private debt real estate investments, with underlying assets valued at approximately $250 billion (holdings are subject to change at any time and should not be considered investment advice).

BPRE is pleased to offer its shareholders a Distribution Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) program, providing a structured and convenient way for investors to automatically reinvest monthly cash distributions into additional shares, allowing for the potential of enhanced compounding and, in certain scenarios, the ability to acquire shares at favorable pricing, including potential purchases at a discount to Net Asset Value (NAV).

Some or all of the Fund's distributions may be deemed to be a return of capital. The Fund provides a notice of its best estimate of the sources of a distribution at the time of such distribution. Such notice and other detailed Fund information is available at bprefund.com.

Bluerock Private Real Estate Fund (ticker: BPRE) is the only New York Stock Exchange-listed closed-end fund offering investors dedicated access to private real estate. The Fund is the largest real estate-focused closed-end fund on the market and is designed to deliver strong, consistent tax-advantaged income while also pursuing attractive long-term capital appreciation. Following its December 2025 listing, BPRE has been executing on its strategic roadmap plan to maximize shareholder value by rotating capital into high-growth, specialty real estate sectors and consistently raising distributions, having announced four distribution increases since listing. Learn more about BPRE at bprefund.com.

1 The market distribution rate is calculated by annualizing the distribution for the relevant month and dividing by the Fund's closing price on the NYSE for 10/7/2026. The tax-equivalent distribution rate is the rate a fully taxable investment needs in order to equal the after-tax rate on a comparable tax-advantaged investment. The example assumes 37% maximum federal income tax rate and includes the 3.8% Medicare surtax that is applied to the net investment income above certain thresholds. It also includes a 5% average state tax rate. Tax equivalent distribution rate is calculated based on a 67% ROC. 67% is the Fund average (2013-2025) return of capital ("ROC") and non-dividend distribution portion of distributions. ROC, for tax purposes, should be distinguished from an economic return of capital, where an investor is repaid out of its own contributions rather than from the economic profits of the investment. As a tax law concept, an ROC is not tied to an investment's financial performance. ROC distributions reduce the stockholder's tax basis in the year the dividend is received. The stockholder's tax basis may be reduced by ROC distributions in the year the distribution is received and generally defer taxes on that portion until the stockholder's stock is sold. Upon sale, the investor will calculate their gain by reference to the lower cost basis attributable to the ROC distributions, which gain may be subject to tax at capital gain rates.

2 Represents investments include closed, under PSA, under LOI, in exclusive negotiations or identified as pipeline.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements with regard to future events or the future performance or operations of the Fund, including but not limited to, liquidity events. Words such as "intends," "will," "believes," "expects," and "may" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include changes in the economy, geo-political risks, risks associated with possible disruption to the Fund's operations or the economy generally due to hostilities, terrorism, natural disasters or pandemics such as COVID-19, future changes in laws or regulations and conditions in the Fund's operating area, unexpected costs, the price at which the common shares may trade on a national securities exchange, and such other factors that are disclosed in the Fund's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation that any plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. Except as required by federal securities laws, the Fund undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON RISK

Investing in the Fund involves risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or that you may lose part or all of your investment. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of BPRE.

Media Contact:

Carly Hampton

Managing Director, Head of Client Engagement

Bluerock

415.272.6635

[email protected]

SOURCE Bluerock Private Real Estate Fund

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Cross-border money transfers using stablecoins on Solana, built into the Samsung Wallet experience Galaxy users already know

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Solana Foundation today announced that Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay will support stablecoins on Solana. Samsung Wallet users in the United States will be able to send money across borders using USDC beginning the last week of October 2026.

The feature is built into Samsung Wallet rather than alongside it. Users will be able to send a remittance from the same interface they already use for cards, boarding passes and IDs, with integrated fiat on- and off-ramps converting to and from local currency. Solana's infrastructure operates behind the scenes, so users can transfer money seamlessly within the Samsung Wallet experience they already know.

At launch, the feature will be available across 82 million U.S. Galaxy devices, with additional markets to follow, subject to local regulatory requirements.

"Samsung Wallet is about making useful experiences feel simple and intuitive," said Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team at the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. "Stablecoins have the potential to make moving money around the world faster and easier, and we want Galaxy users to be able to take advantage of that without having to navigate the complexity of traditional crypto tools. Solana helps us bring that experience to Samsung's scale."

"For a decade, stablecoins have proved the technology works," said Lily Liu, President, Solana Foundation. "What they lacked was a way to reach the mainstream. Samsung's decision to work with Solana puts digital dollars into everyday life through one of the world's most trusted technology brands. This level of adoption is what we built Solana for, and we're seeing the moment when stablecoins stop being a crypto product and start being how people move money."

Stablecoin activity on Solana has grown sharply in the past year. Stablecoin supply on Solana is up nearly 20% year over year, and the network has processed more than $5.25 trillion in stablecoin volume in 2026 alone. Major enterprises, like PayPal and Western Union, are already leveraging Solana for stablecoin activity. Samsung's integration brings this momentum to the next level, making Solana's technology easily accessible on 82 million U.S. Galaxy devices.

About Solana

Solana is a high performance network powering internet capital markets, payments, AI agents, and crypto applications. Solana operates as a single global state machine, and is open, interoperable and decentralized. For more information, please visit https://solana.com.

Media Contact

press@solana.org 

SOURCE Solana Foundation

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- Two abstracts on long-term follow-up data of AHB-137 treatment for chronic hepatitis B have been selected for late-breaking oral presentations at The Liver Meeting® 2026.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AusperBio Therapeutics, Inc. and Ausper Biopharma Co., Ltd. (together, "AusperBio"), a near-commercial biopharmaceutical company, today announced that two abstracts reporting long-term follow-up data of AHB-137 treatment have been selected for late-breaking oral presentations at The Liver Meeting® 2026, the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), to be held November 5–9 in Denver, Colorado, USA.

The presentations will report long-term follow-up from the AB-10-8004 study (NCT07146100) in two populations of participants with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who completed prior AHB-137 clinical studies: nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment-experienced patients, and treatment-naïve patients who received AHB-137 monotherapy.

"We are honored that two abstracts from the AB-10-8004 study have been selected for late-breaking oral presentations at The Liver Meeting®," said Chris Yang, Co-founder and CSO of AusperBio. "We look forward to sharing these long-term follow-up data with the hepatology community as we continue to advance AHB-137 toward our goal of a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B."

The presentation details are as follows:

Publication Number: 5001

Abstract Title: Durability of AHB-137 up to 9 Month Post End-of-Studies in Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Treated Participants with Chronic Hepatitis B: First Long-Term Follow-up Report from the AB-10-8004 Study

Session: Late Breaking Abstract Parallel Session

Date and Time: November 8, 2026, 2:00 pm – 2:15 pm MT

Presenter: Jinlin Hou, MD, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, China

Publication Number: 5010

Abstract Title: Durability of Functional Cure to AHB-137 Monotherapy in Treatment-Naïve Participants with Chronic Hepatitis B: Long-Term Follow-Up Results of the AB-10-8004 Study

Session: Late Breaking Abstract Parallel Session 2

Date and Time: November 8, 2026, 6:00 pm – 6:15 pm MT

Presenter: Junqi Niu, MD, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China

Late-breaking abstracts will be available on the AASLD website beginning at 8:00 am MT on November 5, 2026. AusperBio plans to issue a press release with additional details following the presentations.

The full scientific program for The Liver Meeting® 2026, as well as the abstracts, can be found on the AASLD website.

About AHB-137

AHB-137 is AusperBio's lead investigational unconjugated antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), developed using the Company's proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO platform. AHB-137 is designed to suppress hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) production, inhibit viral DNA replication, and promote immune reactivation, with the goal of achieving a functional cure for CHB. AHB-137 has demonstrated promising clinical results and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 trial in China, following completion of a global Phase 1 study and multiple Phase 2 studies. The Company is advancing AHB-137 through a coordinated global development strategy toward potential commercialization. AHB-137 is an investigational product candidate and has not been approved by any regulatory authority.

About AusperBio

AusperBio is a near-commercial biopharmaceutical company focused on developing differentiated oligonucleotide therapeutics and targeted delivery technologies, with an initial focus on achieving a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. The Company's innovation engine is built on its proprietary Med-Oligo™ ASO and Au-HALO™ targeted delivery platforms, supporting the development of therapies across multiple oligonucleotide modalities. With multiple clinical-stage programs and a growing pipeline, AusperBio is advancing a backbone-based combination strategy for functional cure of CHB while exploring opportunities in additional disease areas with significant unmet medical needs. For more information, visit www.ausperbio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release has been prepared by AusperBio (the "Company", "We") for informational purposes only. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts, and in some cases, can be identified by terms such as "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "believe", "continue", "could", "potential", "may", "will", "goal" or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

These forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risk that results in earlier clinical studies may not be indicative of future results and that any product candidates may not ultimately obtain required approvals or meaningfully improve patient outcomes, and other factors that are beyond the Company's control and are difficult to predict and may cause our actual results, timing of results, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments may cause our expectations and assumptions to change, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Except as expressly required by law, the Company and/or its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements in the information provided.

Media Contact

Email: [email protected]

Investor Contact

Tel: 650-888-1756 (US)

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE AusperBio Therapeutics Inc.

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