The Rockefeller Foundation becomes the first national philanthropy to commit to this regional initiative, triggering a matching commitment from the John M. Belk Endowment.

$3.2 million in previously raised funds awarded to 11 community colleges in the region to train and place 1,200 people into good jobs, promising jobs, and work-based learning in health care, skilled trades, and manufacturing.

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- America Achieves today announced $3.3 million in new philanthropic commitments to Good Jobs Western North Carolina, a regional effort to help residents of 23 counties land good jobs and to build the talent systems that will keep that work going. The New York-based Rockefeller Foundation is committing $1 million over two years – the first national philanthropy to invest in this effort – triggering a matching two-year $2 million investment from John M. Belk Endowment. The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation also recently announced it is joining the Good Jobs WNC funding coalition, adding an in-state partner with deep roots in apprenticeship and work-based learning. Good Jobs WNC is a large-scale rural regional talent system intervention, and its built-in learning loop will surface the specific barriers that keep people from reaching good jobs, giving policymakers, policy shapers, college and K-12 leaders, and philanthropists a clear picture of what needs to change in policy, funding, and institutional practice to scale and sustain this work.

MC Belk Pilon, President and Board Chair of the John M. Belk Endowment, and Jon Schnur, CEO of America Achieves, made the announcements at the Good Jobs Western North Carolina Summit, which brought together hundreds of employers, education and workforce leaders, policymakers, local funders, and 11 national foundations to advance the region's work and consider what it means for communities nationwide. The Summit is co-hosted by the John M. Belk Endowment, America Achieves, AMY Wellness Foundation, Dogwood Health Trust, The Leon Levine Foundation, and WNC Bridge Foundation, several of which have been engaged in Western North Carolina's recovery since the earliest days after the storm.

That work is the backdrop for this week's announcements, which come two years after Hurricane Helene struck the region. The recovery that followed has been extraordinary in its scope and its persistence: rebuilding roads, homes, water systems, and businesses, and sustaining families and communities through a long and difficult stretch. Many of the philanthropies now backing Good Jobs Western North Carolina funded immediate relief and then the slower, less visible work of rebuilding. As the region moved from response to recovery, its community colleges and local partners began asking what their role should be in rebuilding the regional economy for the long term, and how to connect residents to good jobs. Good Jobs Western North Carolina emerged from that locally led effort.

The Rockefeller Foundation's commitment will support its Big Bet on Good Jobs for America, a three-year, $100 million strategy launched in April 2026. The strategy supports locally driven approaches that connect people, particularly in distressed and underserved communities, to good jobs, while spreading effective practices to expand economic opportunity in communities across the country.

The Good Jobs Western North Carolina Steering Committee also announced today $3.2 million from the Good Jobs Program Fund to help all 11 community colleges in the region train and place 1,200 people into good jobs, promising jobs, and work-based learning in the region's 23 counties. The funding will help colleges expand and redesign training with local employers so more residents can access jobs with good pay, benefits and opportunities to advance.

"This funding will provide western North Carolinians new opportunities to build careers in the communities they call home," said Governor Josh Stein."This initiative is preparing people for good jobs, supporting businesses' searches for skilled workers, and strengthening the region's economic recovery for years to come."

"Good Jobs Western North Carolina is a model for how to help people get and keep good jobs at a time of profound transformation in the labor market," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "This effort stood out to us because it brings together employers, educators, and the public sector to train people for the work employers need and help them get hired. The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to be the first national philanthropy to join this initiative as part of our $100 million Big Bet to connect Americans to the dignity of work in a changing economy."

The Good Jobs Framework, developed by America Achieves, guides the initiative's work across 11 community colleges and 23 counties to expand education, training and employment access for low-income residents of Western North Carolina. The goal is twofold: prepare and place more residents into good jobs in Western North Carolina, and translate that experience and lessons learned to build evidence, tools, and recommendations to improve education and workforce policy at large scale at the state and national levels.

"This work began with listening to the people who know Western North Carolina best: its community college leaders, employers, and residents," said MC Belk Pilon, President and Board Chair of the John M. Belk Endowment. "Their leadership has brought us to this point. We are thrilled that national philanthropy will build on local communities to help make sure that this region not only delivers strong local programs but develops lessons learned and tools to take lasting pathways to economic mobility to a much larger scale."

"Western North Carolina's colleges and employers are working together to build scalable models to help people get good jobs that employers need to fill," said Jon Schnur, CEO of America Achieves. "This initiative and the Good Jobs Framework guide and support that programming – and will inform the design of a system enabling this type of work statewide for the long-term. Philanthropy is intended here to finance the transition, not permanently subsidize the system."

The initiative will share tools, labor-market findings, playbooks, and policy recommendations gained from implementation so other communities and states can adapt the approach.

The initiative builds on bipartisan National Governors Association (NGA) calls for states to take action. Good Jobs Western North Carolina was introduced publicly in April as part of America Achieves' broader Good Jobs Economy national work that was first announced by then-NGA Chair Oklahoma Governor Stitt and current NGA Chair Maryland Governor Wes Moore at the NGA summer meeting in 2025. At the time, Governor Stitt called on governors to "build strong bridges between millions of Americans seeking good jobs and the employers excited to hire them" – including by establishing a "Good Jobs Fund that supports scaleable, high-impact workforce solutions."

Investments in 11 Community Colleges across Western North Carolina

These investments will help local residents attain good-paying jobs, address labor market shortages in health care, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades, and support the region's recovery from Hurricane Helene. Programs range from expanded nursing education and paid manufacturing training to shorter skilled-trades certificates and class schedules that better accommodate working adults.

The initiative builds on early support from North Carolina philanthropy, including the John M. Belk Endowment and The Leon Levine Foundation – and then an expansion of that support from NCCCS Foundation, SECU Foundation, AMY Wellness Foundation, WNC Bridge Foundation, C.D. Spangler Foundation, Cannon Foundation, Dogwood Health Trust, Pisgah Health Foundation, and NC GSK Foundation.

Through its Good Jobs Program Fund, the initiative pairs flexible funding with hands-on support to help colleges redesign programs around employer demand and track whether participants move into better-paying work. America Achieves provides technical assistance in partnership with the John M. Belk Endowment and regional funder leaders.

Today's grants build on an initial planning phase that brought all 11 colleges together to examine labor market data, identify priority occupations and develop programs with employers. Colleges used a regional labor market analysis from Strada Education Foundation and the Good Jobs Western North Carolina Data Hub, powered by Julius Education and co-developed with America Achieves.

The resulting portfolio involves 48 employer partners engaged in activities that include curriculum development, hiring and financial or other contributions. Partnerships connect classroom learning with opportunities such as paid work experience, clinical training and guaranteed interviews.

Current college plans project approximately 1,200 participants during the first two years – about 900 in job placements and about 300 in work-based learning such as internships, clinical rotations and apprenticeships. The projections include new program completers, existing students and workers pursuing advancement. Colleges will track credential completion, job placement, wages and retention. Investments in instructors, equipment and employer partnerships build capacity to serve additional students each academic year.

"The education we provide must reflect the skills and expectations of today's employers, and the best way to ensure that alignment is to design programs with employers at the table from the very beginning," said Dr. Mark Poarch, President of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. "For working learners, access is equally important. Programs must fit the realities of their lives through flexible scheduling, relevant instruction, comprehensive support services, and clear pathways to employment.

/C O R R E C T I O N -- Basecamp Research/

In the news release, Basecamp Research raises $140M to advance AI-designed therapeutics, issued 23-Sep-2026 by Basecamp Research over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that information has changed in the first bulleted subheadline and in the fourth paragraph. The complete, corrected release follows:

Basecamp Research raises $140M to advance AI-designed therapeutics

- Oversubscribed Series C led by S32 with backing from NVIDIA, Menlo Ventures' Anthology Fund, Catalio Capital Management, European Tech Collective, Firebrand River Capital, Inception Fund, King Philanthropies, NATO Innovation Fund, PostScriptum, Redalpine, The Rockefeller Foundation, Singular, Sovereign AI, and True Ventures.

- Funding will advance a pipeline of EDEN-designed therapeutics, starting with in vivo cell therapy, and expand pharmaceutical partnerships

- The company has demonstrated strong preclinical results across multiple modalities and disease areas

LONDON and BOSTON, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Basecamp Research, a frontier AI company developing AI-designed medicines, today announced a $140M Series C financing to train a new generation of EDEN models and advance a pipeline of AI-designed therapeutics towards clinical development.

Basecamp's ambition is to develop cures for diseases that remain incurable by designing medicines that reprogram the body to repair itself. The company combines frontier AI models trained on proprietary biological data with technology for writing DNA sequences into cells.

"We believe the future of medicine lies in reprogramming the body to repair itself. We design the models and the medicines to teach it how," said Glen Gowers, co-founder and CEO of Basecamp Research. "AI-based approaches promise to change what's possible for patients who currently have few alternatives. This funding brings this technology closer to those who need it most."

The oversubscribed round was led by S32, with participation from Menlo Ventures' Anthology Fund, Catalio Capital Management, European Tech Collective, Firebrand River Capital, Inception Fund, King Philanthropies, NATO Innovation Fund, NVIDIA, PostScriptum, Redalpine, The Rockefeller Foundation, Singular, Sovereign AI and True Ventures.

Additional investment comes from senior leaders from across pharma, biotech, and global industry, including André Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman of Roche, who said: "The biotechnology revolution that began fifty years ago transformed how we make medicines. Personalised, AI-designed therapeutics represent the next transformation of that journey. Basecamp Research has built the full platform to deliver it, from biological data to trained models to designed therapies. This will be key in helping the industry to continue to innovate."

Applying EDEN to develop new therapies

Basecamp Research is applying EDEN, its biological foundation model, to in vivo cell therapy – reprogramming a patient's cells inside the body. Today's cell therapies are limited both in the complexity of what they can deliver and by a manufacturing process that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient.

By pairing EDEN's ability to design long and complex DNA sequences with large serine recombinases that can precisely integrate them into the genome, Basecamp's platform aims to underpin the future of cell therapies, making them more sophisticated, more customisable and simpler to administer. This has the potential to transform how we treat cancer, autoimmune disease, and more.

The company has demonstrated strong preclinical results across multiple modalities and disease areas. To expand its pharmaceutical partnerships, Basecamp has appointed Richard Pearce, formerly of Biogen, as Chief Business Officer.

Andy Conrad, General Partner at S32 and former CEO of Google's Verily, who joins the Board of Directors, said: "AI is opening up new possibilities across every part of society, but perhaps nowhere is the potential more meaningful than in human health. The ability to combine AI, biological data and scientific insight could transform how we understand disease, discover medicines and ultimately improve and extend people's lives. Basecamp Research is building an important technology platform at the center of that opportunity."

The AI and data powering Basecamp Research's therapies

At the centre of Basecamp Research's AI platform is the Trillion Gene Atlas, the world's largest proprietary biological AI training dataset. Built with partners including NVIDIA, Anthropic, PacBio and Ultima Genomics, the Atlas draws on biological data collected through access and benefit-sharing partnerships in more than 30 countries across all seven continents.

Trained on this data, the company's EDEN models recognise patterns across a huge breadth of previously unseen biology. Unlike AI systems developed for a single scientific task, EDEN models aim to deliver a universal understanding of how DNA works across all of life.

This means that the models can generate potential therapeutic candidates directly from information about a disease, an approach already demonstrated through Basecamp's collaboration with Anthropic on Claude Science. The EDEN models' capabilities include designing cell and gene therapies, enzymes and peptides.

About Basecamp Research

Basecamp Research trains frontier AI models for therapeutic design. The EDEN models are trained on the Trillion Gene Atlas, the world's largest proprietary genomic dataset, collected through partnerships in more than 30 countries worldwide. Its pipeline of EDEN-designed therapeutics, beginning with in vivo cell therapy, is advancing towards clinical development. Basecamp Research is headquartered in London with offices and labs in Cambridge, MA.

Share this article

- Placebo-adjusted mean HbA1c reduction of 0.77% at Week 12 (p0.01) and 0.70% at Week 16 (p0.05) — three months after the last dose — following only three weeks of balomenib treatment

- Statistically significant improvement in oral glucose tolerance at Day 85, eight weeks after the last dose: placebo-adjusted reductions of 203 mmol•min/L in total glucose AUC (p=0.019), 2.03 mmol/L in peak glucose (p=0.013) and 2.46 mmol/L in two-hour glucose (p=0.010) — differences versus placebo of 11%, 11% and 15% — with the two treatment arms superimposable at baseline

- Placebo-adjusted mean fasting plasma glucose reduction of 1.29 mmol/L (23 mg/dL) at Week 12 (p0.05)

- No drug-related serious or severe adverse events, no therapy-related discontinuations during the study

- Results are consistent with preclinical data in ZDF rats, in which HbA1c was 5.9% in balomenib-treated animals versus 10.9% in vehicle controls 35 days after dosing ceased

- Phase 2a study evaluating an extended 12-week treatment course expected to initiate in Q4 2026.

DOVER, Del., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Clywedog Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing menin inhibitors for the treatment of metabolic disease, today announced positive final results from its Phase 1b study (ZE63-0302-0002) of balomenib, an investigational oral small-molecule menin inhibitor, in adults with type 2 diabetes. The study completed its last patient visit on 11 July 2026.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 60 adults with type 2 diabetes across three countries, randomized 1:1 to balomenib or placebo for 28 days of treatment (the first week of which being a pre-dosing titration period) followed by a 12-week off-treatment observation period, with final assessments at Week 16. The primary endpoint was safety and tolerability at Week 4; measures of glycemic control were prespecified as exploratory endpoints. Participants entered with a mean baseline HbA1c of 8.84% (balomenib) and 8.52% (placebo) and were taking up to three background antidiabetic agents, excluding insulin. Subject retention was high, with 28 to 30 participants per arm evaluable at every scheduled timepoint through Week 16.

Balomenib met the primary objective of the study and was generally well tolerated. There were no unexpected drug-related adverse events, no serious adverse events and no discontinuations attributed to study drug. Across exploratory endpoints, improvement in glycemic control emerged during the four-week dosing period, reached its maximum at Week 12, and remained statistically significant at Week 16 — three months after the final dose of study drug. Other metabolic parameters also improved both during the dosing and post-dosing observation period, including body weight, lipids, triglycerides and indirect measurements of insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion (HOMA IR and HOMA B, respectively). "The central observation is that after only a three-week course of treatment, balomenib produced sustained improvements in glycemic control consistent with a disease-modifying mechanism of action" commented Iain Dukes, M.A. D.Phil., Clywedog Therapeutics. "Inhibition of menin signaling resulted in pluralistic improvements in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion, effects which should be expected to deepen following longer courses of treatment".

The clinical findings are directionally consistent with the durability observed preclinically. In Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, where balomenib normalized glycemia during dosing and maintained that benefit long after treatment stopped, 35 days after the final dose (Day 93) HbA1c was 5.9% in balomenib-treated animals versus 10.9% in vehicle controls (p0.001). Animals treated with the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin, which lowered glucose comparably during dosing, returned to an HbA1c of 9.7% over the same off-treatment period. Histologic assessment showed larger and more numerous pancreatic islets and increased insulin-positive pancreatic area in balomenib-treated animals at the end of the off-treatment phase.

Phase 2a Study

Clywedog will initiate a Phase 2a study of balomenib in type 2 diabetes in Q4 2026. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is designed to enroll participants and extend the treatment period to 12 weeks while retaining an off-treatment follow-up period, in order to characterize the depth and duration of the effect observed in the Phase 1b study.

About Balomenib

Balomenib (ZE63-0302) is an investigational, orally administered small-molecule inhibitor of menin being developed by Clywedog Therapeutics for the treatment of type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Menin acts as a brake on β-cell turnover and function. The proposed mechanism of balomenib involves time-limited menin-target protein interaction inhibition intended to enable proliferation, preservation and reactivation of functional, insulin-producing β cells, with the goal of durable improvement in glycemic control.

About Clywedog Therapeutics, Inc.

Clywedog Therapeutics is a small-molecule drug discovery company dedicated to developing first- and best-in-class therapies for the management and potential reversal of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. For further details go to https://www.clywedogther.com.

Contact

Iain Dukes, M.A. D.Phil.

[email protected] 

SOURCE Clywedog Therapeutics, Inc.

Share this article

LUCY GOODS LAUNCHES THE FIRST NON-STIMULANT ENERGY GUM

LUCY REVIVE gives the body more energy without adding another stimulant, launching direct-to-consumer at lucy.co and on Amazon.

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lucy Goods, Inc. launched LUCY REVIVE, the first non-stimulant energy gum and Lucy's first non-nicotine product.

The energy aisle has been solving one problem the same way for decades. Coffee, energy drinks, and energy shots all work by blocking the signal that says a person is tired, not by making more energy. That approach has a limit. Once someone is past the limit, the next stimulant only adds jitters and sets up the crash that follows.

LUCY REVIVE works from the other direction. It is a researched blend of micronutrients and nootropics built to support the body's own cellular energy, not to mask fatigue with another stimulant. It does not ask anyone to give up their morning coffee or energy drink. It is what they reach for alongside it or in place of their second cup.

LUCY REVIVE is real chewing gum made using a traditional gum-making process, not a compressed powder tablet with a candy shell, so it chews like gum rather than tolerates like a supplement. Up to six pieces a day, spaced out however the day requires. It launches in Mint, with no caffeine and no nicotine, labeled on pack and online exactly as what it is: non-stimulant energy gum.

LUCY was founded as a nicotine product company to produce premium tobacco-free nicotine products, with the goal of reducing tobacco-related deaths to zero. Behind that mission has always been the drive to help people responsibly enjoy and better understand functional substances whose benefits are often overlooked or underestimated.

Lucy Goods has already proven it can build a category people did not know they were waiting for. The company has built a loyal base of adult consumers without relying on broad retail distribution to prove demand first, driven by a research-first approach from founders with Harvard and Caltech backgrounds. REVIVE was built the same way. Every nootropic and micronutrient in it was chosen for a specific, researched role in focus and cellular energy, not added for the label. The gum itself comes from one of the oldest chewing gum manufacturers in the United States, produced by American workers in upstate New York.

REVIVE launches exclusively direct-to-consumer at lucy.co, right where its buyer is already looking for an alternative to another caffeine hit.

The energy category has spent decades adding more of the same stimulant. REVIVE is the first thing in it that adds something else instead. "Every energy product before this one works the same way: block the tired signal and hope the crash doesn't come back for it," said David Renteln, founder and CEO of Lucy Goods. "REVIVE doesn't do that. It supports the energy the body already makes, and it works alongside the coffee people already drink, not against it." — David Renteln, Founder and CEO, Lucy Goods, Inc.

LUCY REVIVE is available now in Mint at lucy.co.

About Lucy Goods

Lucy Goods, Inc. is a modern nicotine company and independent challenger to legacy tobacco brands, with a portfolio spanning nicotine and nootropic products. The company has grown through direct partnerships, digital-first distribution, and products designed around how adult consumers actually use them.

LUCY REVIVE is the company's first product built outside nicotine, a non-stimulant energy gum for anyone who has already hit the limits of caffeine. Lucy Goods is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Media Contact

Media Inquiries: [email protected]

Website: lucy.co

SOURCE Lucy Goods, Inc.

Share this article

Company Publishes White Paper on Expanding CATV Spectrum to 3.0GHz

SUGAR LAND, Texas, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AOI (NASDAQ: AAOI), a leading provider of advanced optical and HFC networking products powering AI, today announced plans for a future-forward 3.0GHz demo at next week's SCTE TechExpo in Atlanta, September 29 – October 2, at booth H1448.

The company has also published a new whitepaper examining the cable TV (CATV) industry's plans to expand network capacity to meet bandwidth demands, titled "Beyond 1.8 GHz: Evaluating Paths to 3.0 GHz HFC Networks."

While the cable industry is working to deploy DOCSIS 4.0 at 1.8GHz capacity, operators and suppliers are already evaluating what comes next. Extending HFC network capacity toward 3.0GHz brings increased focus to the physical plant, looking at amplifiers, power, and the overall outside plant architecture. The DOCSIS and DAA layer will need to evolve as well, to fill the spectrum when available.

As considerations are discussed for a 3.0GHz standard, AOI's proof-of-concept demo and whitepaper are intended to help the industry understand the engineering requirements the new standard will need to address.

"The cable industry is moving fast on DOCSIS 4.0 at 1.8GHz, but the engineering decisions for what comes next at 3.0GHz need to start now, well before any standard is set," said Corey Chapman, Senior Director of Product Management for AOI's Broadband Access Business Unit. "Operators have to understand what changes at these higher frequencies: the amplifier architectures, the outside plant implications, and the power demands. That's exactly why we built this demo. We want to show customers real working hardware at 3.0GHz, gather their feedback, and bring AOI's learnings into the standards process when and where it matters."

About the Quantum30 Proof-of-Concept Demo

- Demonstrates a live downstream operation at 3.0GHz over a coaxial plant, showing how the spectrum migration path continues beyond 1.8GHz.

- Consists of actual working hardware featuring a 3.0GHz concept amplifier, SC-QAMs, OFDM channels, and a 3.0GHz DOCSIS signal generator.

- Builds on the engineering foundation AOI established for its Quantum18 Quantum Bandwidth product family.

About the White Paper: Beyond 1.8 GHz: Evaluating Paths to 3.0 GHz HFC Networks

- Presents a three-part decision framework for operators evaluating spectrum expansion, including engineering constraints, engineering responses, and operational/economic considerations

- Covers key networking constraints at 3.0GHz: higher cable attenuation, increased power and thermal demands, tighter mechanical tolerances, signal integrity challenges

- Reviews emerging amplifier architectures under consideration: high-TCP wideband, low-TCP/distributed gain, split-band and channelized, and hybrid analog/digital approaches

- Concludes practical guidance: design for flexibility, modernize the outside plant strategically, and planning beyond 3.0GHz.

- Download the whitepaper here.

Learn more by listening to the Podcast: 'The Layer 1 Lounge' in the AOI Studio

Why 3.0GHz, and why now? In this episode, Corey Chapman breaks down what the shift to 3.0GHz really means, the planning timelines operators should be thinking about today, how amplifier architectures will need to evolve, and what the outside plant constraints will look like in practice.

View the Podcast here. 

Additional Resources:

About AOI  

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical and HFC networking products that are the building blocks for AI datacenters, CATV and broadband fiber access networks around the world. AOI supplies this critical infrastructure to tier-one customers across cloud computing, CATV broadband, telecom, and FTTH markets. The company has R&D facilities in Atlanta, GA, and engineering and manufacturing facilities at its corporate headquarters in Sugar Land, TX, as well as in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. For additional information, visit www.ao-inc.com. 

SOURCE Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.

Share this article

Selected retained-core intervals contain rare earth elements, including neodymium, praseodymium, terbium and dysprosium (magnet rare earths), together with uranium, vanadium and phosphate mineralization.

0.63 m @ 3,570 ppm TREO (0.357%) and 607 ppm MREO, the highest TREO value reported from the selected intervals in this resampling program.

Additional selected intervals returned 1.53 m @ 2,267 ppm TREO and 329 ppm MREO and 0.50 m @ 2,532 ppm TREO and 414 ppm MREO, with reported Nd-Pr-Tb-Dy enrichment within the sampled U-V-phosphate horizon.

Positioned as a potential Western Hemisphere critical minerals project and within the scope of the recent U.S. – Colombia Critical Minerals Cooperation Agreements

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jaguar Uranium Corp. (NYSE American: JAGU) ("Jaguar" or the "Company") today announced assay results from its historical drill-core resampling program at the Berlin Uranium–Rare Earth Project in the Department of Caldas, Colombia. Results indicate a polymetallic system that includes rare earth elements with uranium, vanadium and phosphate mineralization in the selected intervals tested, Selected intervals returned up to 3,570 ppm TREO and 607 ppm MREO. The tested core was drilled between 2010 and 2012, and the resampling program was first announced on March 17, 20261.

Rare earth elements (REE) comprise 17 metallic elements, 15 of which are reported. In this press release, analytical results are expressed as Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO). Praseodymium, neodymium, terbium and dysprosium are reported collectively as Magnet Rare Earth Oxides (MREO) because these elements are used in permanent-magnet applications2.

The Company plans to evaluate whether the REO (Rare Earth Oxides) results warrant incorporation into future geological modelling and mineral resource work. Any such work would require additional drilling, continuity assessment, analytical review and other supporting technical studies.

These results constitute exploration results only and do not represent a mineral resource or mineral reserve. The economic viability of the reported mineralization has not been established.

Selected intervals from the resampling program returned the following rare earth element results:

DDB-041: 0.63 m grading 3,570 ppm TREO and 607 ppm MREO (from 170.57 m to 171.20 m).

DDB-003: 1.53 m grading 2,267 ppm TREO and 329 ppm MREO (from 80.77 m to 82.30 m).

DDB-015: 1.00 m grading 2,176 ppm TREO and 349 ppm MREO (from 162.86 m to 163.86 m).

DDB-068: 0.50 m grading 2,532 ppm TREO and 414 ppm MREO (from 435.86 m to 436.36 m).

The intervals were selected for the purposes described under "Resampling Results and Analytical Procedures" and are not necessarily representative of the mineralized horizon as a whole.

"The initial results indicate that rare earth elements occur with uranium, phosphate and vanadium mineralization in the selected Berlin core intervals. We plan to use these results, together with trenching, geophysics and drilling, to refine the geological model and evaluate the continuity of mineralization. This multi-commodity profile directly aligns with the accelerating strategic cooperation between Colombia and the United States on secure critical-mineral supply chains and nuclear energy," said Steven Gold, President & Chief Executive Officer.

The Barranquilla Accords – U.S.-Colombia Framework on Critical Minerals

On September 8, 2026, the Barranquilla Accords were established as a U.S.-Colombia framework to mark a significant strengthening of U.S.–Colombia cooperation in critical minerals, rare earth elements and civil nuclear energy. The agreements establish a framework to advance secure supply chains, geological knowledge, investment and development of strategic mineral resources. With uranium, rare earth elements, vanadium and phosphate mineralization, Jaguar's Berlin Project is well positioned within this emerging strategic framework and Colombia's growing role in secure critical-mineral and nuclear supply chains.

Background and Historical Data

Berlin is an exploration-stage polymetallic project with historically reported uranium mineralization and associated rare earth elements and other commodities, including vanadium, phosphate, nickel, molybdenum, rhenium, yttrium and neodymium. More than 20,000 metres of historical drilling have been reported for the project.

The drill core subject to this resampling program was obtained during two historical exploration campaigns conducted by U3O8 Corp. The first campaign took place in 2010 and 2011, and the second campaign was conducted in 2012.

Storage Location: The drill core has been maintained since 2015 in a secure, locked core storage facility (Figure 2). Originally established by U3O8 Corp., the facility was acquired by Jaguar in 2024. It is situated directly within the project area on mining concession 664-17, where access remains strictly limited to authorized personnel to ensure continuous sample integrity.

Physical Integrity: The sampled intervals showed no signs of degradation or mineral oxidation.

Resampling Results and Analytical Procedures

The program selected and analyzed intervals from retained historical core to test REE occurrence and grade variation across the syncline, including samples from both flanks and the hinge and from positions above and below the mineralized horizon (Figure 3 and Figure 4). The Company selected the intervals from the available retained core; the tested samples do not constitute a systematic resampling of all historical mineralized intervals. The current results were not designed to verify any historical estimate. REE concentrations are reported as Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) and Magnet Rare Earth Oxides (MREO), and reported intervals are core lengths; true widths have not been determined3.

Sampling and Analytical Procedures

Samples from 13 selected historical drill core intervals were collected, labelled, and submitted for laboratory analysis using procedures intended to preserve sample identity and chain of custody (Table 1). Sample lengths were selected to match the original sample lengths collected by U3O8 Corp. The batch consisted of 150 samples, comprising 136 drill core samples (108 from direct core sampling and 28 pulp samples from previous analyses) and 14 QA/QC inserts. The core samples consisted of quarter-cores cut from the remaining half-cores sampled at average 1-metre lengths (maximum 2.98 m and minimum 0.20 m). Reported intervals are core lengths. True widths have not been determined from the current resampling program. Note that a material proportion of these intervals came from DDB-035 and DDB-077, which were sampled for historical-geochemical verification only and are not representative of true thickness. Full results are provided in Table 2.

Sample preparation was performed at SGS Colombia S.A.S. in Medellín, Colombia (ISO 9001 accredited for sample preparation and management), and chemical analysis was conducted at SGS Callao, Peru (ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration). Whole-rock geochemical analyses were conducted utilizing a dual-method approach to guarantee total element recovery. Samples underwent a four-acid digestion followed by ICP-MS analysis (SGS method ICM40B) for standard trace element characterization. For the accurate quantification of REE in resistate mineral phases, a sodium peroxide fusion with an ICP-MS finish (SGS method ICM90A) was systematically applied. This approach also accounted for any over-limit analyses encountered. Uranium was reported using the ICM40B method to account for over-limit results. Methods and detection limits are indicated on Table 2.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)

The resampling program was executed under strict chain-of-custody protocols from the storage facilities in Colombia to the independent laboratories. As part of the QA/QC program, coarse blank material and certified reference materials (CRM) supplied by OREAS (ORE Research & Exploration Pty Ltd., Australia), an ISO 17034-accredited reference material producer, were inserted. OREAS 474 was used for rare earth control, featuring certified values for TREO and individual rare earth elements, as well as certified U and Th contents. For uranium control, OREAS 121 (~215 ppm U) was used as a low-grade standard and OREAS 124 (~1,845 ppm U) as a high-grade standard.

Of the 150 submitted samples, 14 were QA/QC inserts (9.33% of the total batch), consisting of: 7 coarse blanks (4.67%) and 7 CRMs (4.67%). The CRMs included 3 insertions of OREAS 474 (2.0%), 2 of OREAS 121 (1.33%), and 2 of OREAS 124 (1.33%). Controls were distributed throughout the sampling sequence to avoid clustering. The QP reviewed the blank and certified-reference-material results against the program's acceptance criteria and affirms that the data passed internal and external validation checks and is suitable for the purpose of this exploration disclosure.

Qualified Person Statement

Andrés Cáceres, an AIPG Certified Professional Geologist (CPG), meets the requirements of a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K. Mr. Cáceres has reviewed the technical integrity of the data in this press release, evaluated the QA/QC results, and approves the publication of this technical disclosure. Mr. Cáceres is an independent contractor hired by Jaguar Uranium Corp. His experience includes eight years as Project Manager in Colombia with U3O8 Corp., where he led the Berlin Project; four years with the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC) as a Senior Consultant conducting research and exploration programs focused on uranium and rare earth element resources; and two years as Vice President of Exploration for Biondi Resources, leading uranium and rare earth element exploration activities in Brazil.

Andrés Cáceres, CPG, designed the resampling program, supervised data collection and interpreted the scientific and technical results.

New event series will bring together The Hill's Washington reach and The Block's digital asset expertise

The debut event, "Capitol Crypto Forum: First Look," will convene lawmakers, regulators, and industry leaders in Washington on November 19, following the 2026 midterm elections

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Block today announced a strategic partnership with The Hill to launch Capitol Crypto Forum, a new event series bringing together leaders from Washington and the digital asset industry for conversations about the policy, regulation, and market forces shaping the future of crypto and blockchain technology.

The partnership brings together two organizations with distinct but complementary strengths. The Hill has covered Congress, federal policy, and the people shaping Washington for decades. The Block is deeply embedded in digital assets, blockchain technology, and the institutions building around them.

Capitol Crypto Forum will debut on November 19 in Washington, D.C., with Capitol Crypto Forum: First Look, a half-day, invitation-only gathering taking place shortly after the 2026 midterm elections.

The event will convene lawmakers, regulators, policymakers and senior executives from the digital asset and financial services industries for keynote conversations, roundtables, and smaller group discussions focused on the issues likely to shape the next phase of digital asset policy in Washington.

With the midterm elections complete and a new Congress taking shape, Capitol Crypto Forum: First Look will provide an early opportunity for policymakers and industry leaders to come together around the questions facing the sector, from digital asset market structure and stablecoins to tokenization, financial innovation and the evolving role of blockchain technology in the financial system.

"The decisions being made in Washington will have a profound impact on where the digital asset industry goes next," said Steve Chung, CEO of The Block. "There is real value in bringing the people shaping policy into the same room as the people building, investing in and operating this industry. The Hill knows Washington better than anyone, and The Block lives and breathes crypto. Capitol Crypto Forum brings those worlds together at an important moment."

The partnership comes at a point when the relationship between Washington and the digital asset industry is changing quickly. Questions around crypto regulation are increasingly connected to larger debates over capital markets, payments, tokenization, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, national security and U.S. competitiveness.

Capitol Crypto Forum is being jointly developed and produced by The Hill and The Block. The two organizations will collaborate on programming, speakers, and participants, bringing together their respective networks across government, policy, finance, and the digital asset industry.

Additional speakers, venue details and programming for Capitol Crypto Forum: First Look will be announced in the coming weeks.

ABOUT THE BLOCK

The Block is a leading information services company focused on digital assets and the evolving global financial system. Through its journalism, research, data and institutional products, The Block provides investors, financial institutions, policymakers and industry leaders with information and analysis on the technologies and markets reshaping finance. www.theblock.co. The Block also operates The Latent, a news and data platform focused on the AI industry. www.thelatent.co.

SOURCE The Block

Share this article

Cloopen Group Holding Limited Announces Shareholders' Approval of Merger Agreement

BEIJING, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloopen Group Holding Limited (OTC: RAASY) ("Cloopen" or the "Company"), today announced that at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the "EGM") held today, the Company's shareholders voted in favor of the proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with SpringX Holdings Limited, an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands ("Parent"), AutumnX Holdings Limited ("HoldCo"), an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, and SummerX Holdings Limited ("Merger Sub"), an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HoldCo, pursuant to which the Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company through a merger in accordance with Part 16 of the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the "Merger"), with the Company surviving the Merger as the surviving company and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of HoldCo as a result of the Merger.

The Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, were approved by approximately 99.98% of the total votes cast at the EGM.

The Company will work with the other parties to the Merger Agreement towards completing the Merger in accordance with the Merger Agreement. If completed, the Merger will result in the Company becoming a privately-owned company wholly-owned directly by HoldCo, its ADSs will no longer be quoted on the OTC Pink Market, and the Company's ADS program will be terminated.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "predicts," "intends," "trends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including the possibility that the Merger will not occur as planned if events arise that result in the termination of the Merger Agreement, or if one or more of the various closing conditions to the Merger are not satisfied or waived, and other risks and uncertainties regarding the Merger Agreement and the Merger that are discussed in the Schedule 13E-3, as amended, filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About Cloopen Group Holding Limited

Cloopen Group Holding Limited is a leading multi-capability cloud-based communications solution provider in China offering a full suite of cloud-based communications solutions, covering communications platform as a service (CPaaS), cloud-based contact centers (cloud-based CC), and cloud-based unified communications and collaborations (cloud-based UC&C). Cloopen's mission is to enhance the daily communication experience and operational productivity for enterprises. Cloopen aspires to drive the transformation of enterprise communications industry by offering innovative marketing and operational tactics and SaaS-based tools.

For more information, please visit https://ir.yuntongxun.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Cloopen Group Holding Limited

Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Cloopen Group Holding Limited

Share this article

As the ambassador for Good Dogs for Great Americans, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Shields, CACI Senior Vice President, brings more than three decades of Army leadership and a commitment to serving America's veterans.

"Throughout my Army career, I learned that no one succeeds alone. We rely on trusted teammates to overcome obstacles and accomplish the mission," said Shields. "For many veterans, a specially trained service dog becomes that trusted partner. The dogs provide greater independence, renewed confidence, reduced anxiety, and unwavering support every day. I'm proud to help champion CACI's Good Dogs for Great Americans because this organization allows more veterans the opportunity to experience that profound partnership and improved quality of life."

The program comes to life through CACI On Defense, CACI's season-long activation with the Washington Capitals. Throughout the NHL season, CACI will donate $250 to America's VetDogs for every Capitals blocked shot. Those donations will help train and place service dogs with veterans living with physical disabilities, post-traumatic stress, hearing and vision loss, and other challenges. Based on the team's average of approximately 1,300 blocked shots each season, the partnership is expected to fund training for up to eight service dogs annually.

Service dogs trained by America's VetDogs help veterans and first responders navigate everyday life, increase mobility, independence, and improve overall well-being. Each placement helps individuals regain confidence while strengthening their connection to their communities.

"We are incredibly proud to partner with CACI in support of our mission to provide life-changing service dogs to veterans with disabilities," said John Miller, president and CEO of America's VetDogs. "A service dog can restore confidence, independence and dignity, empowering a veteran to navigate everyday life with greater freedom. CACI's partnership will help us expand that impact and reach more veterans who can benefit from these extraordinary partnerships. We are grateful for their commitment to those who have served and for helping ensure more veterans have access to the support they deserve, at no cost to them."

"We're thrilled to partner with CACI through the CACI On Defense Program. CACI has been an outstanding partner to the Capitals, and this platform reflects a shared commitment to honoring and supporting our nation's veterans. It gives us a meaningful way to support the veteran community that means so much to the Capitals and our fans, and we're excited to build on this partnership and create lasting impact for years to come," said Patrick Duffy, Chief Partnership Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

Throughout the season, fans will experience CACI On Defense through in-arena features, broadcast integrations, social media, and community storytelling, highlighting how every blocked shot helps change veterans' lives.

About CACI

CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) is a technology-first national security company that expands the limits of national security through innovation, discipline, and operational excellence. We deliver advanced technologies that help our customers move faster, operate more efficiently, and anticipate and defeat evolving threats. Our 27,000 talented employees and strong culture drive our success and have earned CACI recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. CACI is a member of the Fortune 500™, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit caci.com.

About Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) is one of the leading integrated sports and entertainment companies globally. MSE's portfolio spans premier professional sports teams, world-class venues, and next-generation media properties, with marquee assets including the NHL's Washington Capitals, NBA's Washington Wizards, WNBA's Washington Mystics, NBA G League's Capital City Go-Go, Capital One Arena, and Monumental Sports Network, along with an investment in Team Liquid.

Rooted in the nation's capital, MSE brings Washington, D.C.'s distinct influence, ambition, and leadership to the global sports and entertainment landscape. The company harnesses the power of its platform to drive continuous innovation and deliver extraordinary experiences that inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. For additional information on MSE, please visit monumentalsports.com.

About America's VetDogs

For more than 20 years, America's VetDogs (www.VetDogs.org) has trained and placed guide and service dogs to provide independence, enhanced mobility, and companionship to veterans with disabilities from all eras. In 2015, America's VetDogs opened its programs to first responders, including fire, police, and emergency medical personnel. America's VetDogs is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by the Guide Dog Foundation (est. 1946) and serves our country's and communities' heroes in all 50 states, Washington, DC. Puerto Rico, and beyond. America's VetDogs relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations to fund its mission to help those who have served our country live with dignity and independence. It costs more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog, but America's VetDogs provides its services completely free of charge to the individual. America's VetDogs has been accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International. Apply, volunteer, and donate at VetDogs.org.

There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACI's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof.

SOURCE CACI International Inc

Share this article

Miami International Holdings Announces OCC Clearing Membership for its FCM

MIAMI and PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Miami International Holdings, Inc. (MIAX®) (NYSE: MIAX), a technology-driven leader in building and operating regulated financial markets across multiple asset classes, today announced that its full-service futures commission merchant, Dorman Trading (FCM), is now a clearing member of The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization.

MIAX also announced it increased the net capital in the FCM by $40 million, bringing its adjusted net capital to approximately $68 million as of August 31, 2026 and further demonstrating its commitment to the FCM's strategic growth objectives.

"Through its OCC membership, the FCM is able to provide its clients with significant cost and operational efficiencies when trading our recently-launched Bloomberg equity index futures on MIAX Futures®," said Thomas P. Gallagher, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MIAX. "Attaining this membership marks a major milestone, directly supporting our ongoing strategy of reducing operational burdens for clients seeking to trade financial futures on MIAX Futures."

Mr. Gallagher added, "The $40 million in additional net capital for the FCM positions it to accelerate its growth strategy and improve its ability to support an expanded set of clients."

MIAX Futures launched trading in Bloomberg equity index futures including Tini® B100 Index Futures, Tini B500 Index Futures and B500 Index Futures beginning May 17, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.miaxglobal.com/bloomberg-equity-index-products.

About MIAX

Miami International Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MIAX) is a technology-driven leader in building and operating regulated financial markets across multiple asset classes and geographies. MIAX® operates eight exchanges across options, futures, equities and international markets including MIAX Options®, MIAX Pearl®, MIAX Emerald®, MIAX Sapphire®, MIAX Pearl Equities™, MIAX Futures®, The Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX) and The International Stock Exchange (TISE). MIAX also owns Dorman Trading, a full-service Futures Commission Merchant and Notice Registered Broker-Dealer with the National Futures Association for purposes of facilitating transactions of security futures. To learn more about MIAX, please visit www.miaxglobal.com.

Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include the risks and uncertainties listed in Miami International Holdings, Inc.'s (together with its subsidiaries, the Company) public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In providing forward-looking statements, the Company is not undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

All third-party trademarks (including logos and icons) referenced by the Company remain the property of their respective owners. Unless specifically identified as such, the Company's use of third-party trademarks does not indicate any relationship, sponsorship, or endorsement between the owners of these trademarks and the Company. Any references by the Company to third-party trademarks is to identify the corresponding third-party goods and/or services and shall be considered nominative fair use under the trademark law.

MIAX Contacts:

Media

[email protected] 

Investors

[email protected]

Share this article