Universal Pictures (SeaPRwire) - Back in 2006, James Gunn had outgrown his status as a B-movie upstart, but he hadn’t yet become a blockbuster director.The future co-CEO of DC Films got his start at the (in)famous Troma Studios—an NYC-based B-movie outfit known for mixing slapstick humor with over-the-top sex and violence. Gunn’s debut screenplay, Tromeo & Juliet (1996), was a collaboration with Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman. True to Troma’s style, the poster’s tagline boasts: “all the body-piercing, kinky sex, and car crashes that Shakespeare wanted but never had!” Even so, beneath all the shock value lies the genuine heart that sets Gunn’s films apart from their peers.This isn’t to say Slither is a mature film—just an earnest one. A decade after Tromeo & Juliet, Gunn had moved up to major studios: he penned the script for Universal’s Dawn of the Dead remake (which also kickstarted Zack Snyder’s career) and Warner Bros.’ Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed sequel. Both films were box office hits, paving the way for Gunn’s first turn as a director. Prior to Slither, Gunn had written, acted in, and produced films, but never helmed one. Given how poorly it performed in theaters, it’s amazing he ever got another chance to direct.Unlike the usual pattern before horror gained critical respect in the mid-2010s, Slither was well-received by many critics (The New Yorker dubbed it a “delightfully disgusting comic horror film”) but failed to connect with audiences. It flopped in theaters, ending up $3 million in the red at the box office (excluding marketing costs). However, it wasn’t a total loss: Slither quickly became a DVD favorite via word of mouth, cementing its status as a long-lasting cult classic.In hindsight, Slither marks a clear turning point for Gunn, showing he has the skills to handle the bigger scale and polished aesthetic of a studio film while still embracing the gory excesses of his early career. Blockbusters are essentially B-movies amplified to massive proportions—take the original blockbuster Jaws, which has the framework of a Roger Corman shark flick but with a much larger budget. Though Slither wasn’t a blockbuster in terms of its budget (Gunn would take a few more years to hit that mark), it was a huge leap forward for him, making it an ideal example of this trend.As any great retro sci-fi horror film should, Slither is set in a charming small town: Wheelsy, South Carolina, where the main event is an annual deer hunt and there’s little else to do. We’re introduced to several locals: police chief Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion), his childhood friend and lifelong crush Starla (Elizabeth Banks, sporting a playful Southern drawl), and her husband Grant (Michael Rooker), whose only real appeal is his wealth. When Grant is infected by a billion-year-old, intergalactic parasite, the love triangle doesn’t disappear entirely—but it takes a backseat to the more pressing task of destroying the hordes of space leeches turning Wheelsy’s residents into mindless zombies.A sighting of the parasite in Slither. | Chris Helcermanas-Benge/Universal/Kobal/ShutterstockSlither is steeped in the DNA of 1980s horror films. The town is full of nods to beloved horror icons—for instance, the local hangout lodge is named after Frank Henenlotter, director of Basket Case and Brain Damage—and Gunn’s former mentor, Lloyd Kaufman, makes a cameo as the town drunk. The film also shares key plot elements with the 1986 horror-comedy Night of the Creeps, and its over-the-top effects evoke the alien mutants from The Thing (1982) mixed with the infamous “Shunting” scene from the cult classic Society (1989).Most notably, though, the comedy is just as broad and goofy, with Fillion adding a touch of sarcasm—something he mastered with his direct-to-camera one-liners on Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This self-aware humor pulls Slither out of the ‘80s and into the 21st century, hinting at the irreverent yet warm tone Gunn would later bring to the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Another link between Slither and Guardians of the Galaxy is the former’s ironic use of Air Supply’s “Every Woman in the World”; the song’s cheesy soft-rock vibe playfully contrasts with the on-screen violence.In Slither, Gunn is a horror fan reveling in a genre he adores—much like how he’d later become a comic book fanatic crafting superhero stories for a living. Combined with a committed cast and a clever script, Gunn’s passion makes Slither an absolute blast. It starts as an alien-invasion comedy, shifts into a gross-out monster flick, and builds to a gruesome zombie apocalypse, all while leaning into silly jokes and grotesque scenes. It’s proof that James Gunn is an unapologetic goofball—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.Slither can be rented or bought on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and AppleTV. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
“Most Divisive” Star Wars Character to Tackle Legacy Trope
Lucasfilm(SeaPRwire) - When the first leaks for *The Mandalorian and Grogu* first surfaced, plenty of Star Wars fans assumed it was a prank. The actor from *The Bear*? Portraying a “buff” Hutt??? Who just so happens to be the grown-up version of Rotta the Hutt, the plot device from the original *Clone Wars* film??? This felt like the kind of joke a satirical website would post, but it turns out Jeremy Allen White is indeed set to play Rotta the Hutt—Jabba the Hutt’s son who has now matured into a formidable gladiator.But how will this character be handled in the film? Why bring back a one-off character from two decades prior that Ahsoka Tano once nicknamed “Stinky”? The answer might just be one of the sharpest commentaries on Star Wars culture, especially in the years following the sequel trilogy.In the latest issue of *Empire*, Jon Favreau, director of *The Mandalorian and Grogu*, shared one of the core motivations behind exploring Rotta’s character. “When you’re trying to build your reputation when you’re Jabba the Hutt’s kid, what kind of impact does that have?” Favreau said. “How has that shaped his life path? I find that really fascinating.”How does a Hutt distinguish himself? By hitting the gym. | Lucasfilm/Fox/Kobal/ShutterstockFavreau even draws a parallel between Rotta and another fictional cinematic nepo baby: Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed from the *Creed* film series. Much like Creed, Rotta has channeled his drive to escape Jabba’s bulky, blob-like shadow into actual combat. “He’s incredibly tough, incredibly capable,” Favreau noted. “This shows the full physical potential a Hutt could reach if they choose this kind of lifestyle.”Rotta is a fantastic way to rework the public image of Hutts overall, but he also serves as a commentary on one of Star Wars’ most widespread storytelling tropes: legacy. From the very start, nearly every major character is the child of another notable figure. Luke Skywalker is Anakin’s son. Leia Organa is Anakin’s daughter and the adopted daughter of Bail Organa. Boba Fett is Jango Fett’s son. Kylo Ren is the child of Leia and Han Solo. Even Anakin, who was pulled from relative obscurity, still has a legendary father, as folklore claims he was “born of the Force.”It seemed like this trope would be subverted in *The Last Jedi*, when fans learned Rey’s parents were ordinary, unimportant people, but that twist was retconned in *The Rise of Skywalker*, which revealed her father was actually a failed clone of Emperor Palpatine.Jon Favreau compares Rotta the Hutt to Adonis Creed from Creed. | B Wetcher/MGM/Warner Bros/Kobal/ShutterstockYet for all these Star Wars nepo babies, audiences have never seen a child actively work to reject their predecessor’s legacy. Admittedly, Kylo Ren acted in direct opposition to his parents, but he was more focused on emulating his grandfather Anakin than spiting the prior generation. More often than not, these characters simply step directly into their parents’ footsteps. When Luke declares, “I am a Jedi, like my father before me,” that is exactly what he is doing. Boba Fett even goes so far as to wear his father’s exact armor.Talent may be passed down from generation to generation, but rebellious, divergent children cannot be overlooked. For every Colin Hanks, there’s a Chet Hanks, and that is exactly what Rotta embodies: charting a totally different course from his father while still forging his own definition of greatness.The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters on May 22, 2026. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Moving Beyond the ‘Blockbuster’ Legacy to Reshape Kidney Disease Treatment Through a Dual-Mechanism Approach: Dialogue with HighTide Therapeutics’ CMO Dr. Filip Surmont
HONG KONG, Apr 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Across the landscape of global biotech companies, the appointment of a senior executive often serves as a "barometer"—offering insights into a company's pipeline potential and reflecting how industry veterans gauge the sector’s future.A clear signal of the company’s growth arrived in February 2026, when HighTide Therapeutics (2511.HK) announced a high-profile executive appointment: Dr. Filip Surmont joined the company as Chief Medical Officer (CMO).For professionals in the cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic fields, this is a name that carries real weight. Over a career spanning three decades, Dr. Surmont has held senior medical leadership roles at multinational giants including Wyeth, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca. Among his most notable contributions was his role in the global strategic development of the SGLT-2 inhibitor dapagliflozin — a landmark effort that required close collaboration across functions and geographies within a large multinational organization. As part of a talented cross-functional team, he helped shape the strategy that positioned dapagliflozin as a global metabolic blockbuster, ultimately reaching $8.405 billion USD in sales in 2025.Notably, just a few months earlier, HighTide Therapeutics' core product, HTD1801, had outperformed dapagliflozin across multiple key cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic endpoints in a head-to-head Phase III clinical trial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).For Dr. Surmont, transitioning from managing a reigning "blockbuster" to joining a “challenger” Chinese biotech was far from coincidental. What drew him out of his comfort zone was not just HTD1801's strong glucose-lowering performance, but also the breakthrough potential this new molecular entity (NME) has shown in cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic (CKM) disease in general, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) more specifically — driven by a fundamentally differentiated pathophysiological mechanisms.I.Challenging Clinical Complacency in CKD: The Quest for True ReversalWithin the medical community, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been a source of frustration. Once the kidney function begins to decline, it typically deteriorates progressively and irreversibly over time, leaving most patients facing dialysis or kidney transplantation as an eventual outcome."There has long been a degree of complacency in CKD treatment among physicians, patients, and even caregivers," Dr. Surmont noted pointedly. "A mindset has taken hold that the progressive decline in renal function with age is inevitable. I’ve been striving to change this mindset throughout my career, both during my time at multinational pharmaceutical companies and now."Current standard treatments — including ACE inhibitors/ARBs and the widely used SGLT-2 inhibitors — have demonstrated efficacy in slowing disease progression, yet fall short of halting or reversing the underlying pathology. They can significantly reduce the rate of decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), buying patients valuable time, but fail to alter the terminal trajectory towards kidney failure.Further complicating the clinical picture is the multi-factorial nature of CKD. Taking diabetic kidney disease (DKD) caused by T2DM as an example, besides pathophysiological factors driven by metabolic dysfunction, it is complicated by interconnected and highly complex factors such as hemodynamic perturbances, chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and other non-diabetic factors that fuel each other to worsen disease prognosis.Existing standard-of-care drugs often address only one dimension of the disease by regulating hemodynamics or a single metabolic pathway, making it difficult to comprehensively address the inflammatory damage in the renal microenvironment.II.Inside the Mechanism: Remodeling Renal Architecture via a Dual Metabolic and Anti-inflammatory PathwayThe emergence of HTD1801 provides a new key to breaking this deadlock.As an oral anti-inflammatory and metabolic modulator (AIMM) independently developed by HighTide Therapeutics, HTD1801 demonstrates a unique therapeutic potential at the microscopic level as compared to traditional drugs. Rather than relying on a single mechanism, it takes a "two-pronged" approach by activating AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) and inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome.Dr. Surmont has full confidence in the scientific logic underpinning this mechanism: "This drug acts simultaneously on two critical levels: beyond blood sugar, it improves overall metabolic efficiency at its source; at the same time, it directly suppresses the underlying chronic inflammation that drives organ damage."Taking a deep dive into its mechanism of action, HTD1801's dual mechanism precisely targets multiple microstructures within the kidney. "This is reflected across different renal compartments," Dr. Surmont explained. "From the filtering glomeruli and the structural interstitium to the reabsorptive tubules, and even podocytes—the vital gatekeepers of the filtration barrier, the dual action of AMPK activation and NLRP3 inhibition has demonstrated stronger-than-expected protective benefits."This mechanistic rationale, spanning from metabolic regulation to organ-level protection, has ultimately been validated by clinical data.At the 2025 American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Annual Meeting, HighTide Therapeutics presented as a late breaker Phase III clinical study data in T2DM patients with mild renal impairment. The results captured the industry's attention: compared with the placebo group, the HTD1801 group demonstrated a significant and sustainable difference in annualized eGFR slope of +9.81 ml/min/1.73 m²/year.In the eyes of nephrologists, a "positive slope" on the eGFR curve is a strong and unique signal, suggesting the possibility of early structural recovery."What we need to do next is confirm that this eGFR repair effect observed in DKD also holds true for CKD patients not driven by diabetes," Dr. Surmont revealed, indicating that relevant clinical studies are already underway, with more detailed data expected to validate this cross-etiology therapeutic potential.III.From "Rescue" to "Prevention": Advancing a Holistic Cardiorenal Metabolic (CKM) MindsetDr. Surmont brings to HighTide Therapeutics more than just clinical expertise; he brings a “game-changing” mentality that transcends a single-drug perspective.Another career-defining milestone for Dr. Surmont was his leadership role in helping reshape global asthma treatment guidelines. Historically, asthma management relied on short-acting bronchodilators for "rescue" only upon exacerbation of symptoms and shortness of breath. Dr. Surmont proposed and validated the "Anti-Inflammatory Reliever (AIR)" strategy a modern asthma management strategy that uses a combination inhaled corticosteroids and a bronchodilator as a reliever — treating both the acute bronchospasm and the underlying airway inflammation with every dose, in contrast to traditional short acting dilator-only relief. This shift ultimately benefited approximately 120 million patients worldwide and reshaped treatment paradigms.Now, facing CKD, he sees the same opportunity for a paradigm-shifting breakthrough.Given HTD1801's strong potential to repair mild renal impairment, future clinical guidelines could reasonably recommend initiating treatments early, when eGFR is still at a relatively high level. By establishing a positive trajectory for renal function recovery early in the disease, there is hope that most patients can completely avoid the looming threat of dialysis.From a health-economics perspective, this would reallocate healthcare spending: shifting funds away from costly late-stage interventions (such as dialysis and heart failure rescue) towards highly cost-effective early treatment, thereby generating substantial healthcare cost savings for society and reducing patients’ financial burden for late-stage interventions.Dr. Surmont also strongly advocates for a holistic management approach to "Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM)" health. As multifunctional drugs like HTD1801 continue to evolve, he believes physicians will move beyond the single-dimensional therapeutic mindset."My ideal scenario is that all physicians managing cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, hepatic, or even obesity issues would evaluate the patient with a holistic mindset," he says, pointing to the current siloed nature in clinical practice. " As an example eGFR monitoring is not always part of routine cardiological assessment, yet at the mechanistic level, cardiac and renal dysfunction are manifestations of the same underlying disease process — making an integrated view essential"He cited a successful experiment he led while promoting dapagliflozin in China: requiring cardiologists at partner hospitals to measure patients' eGFR during their consultations. By merely adding this simple cross-disciplinary action, the number of patients on guideline directed medical treatment tripled within six months.IV.A Buyer's Lens: The Booming BD Activity in CKD and HighTide Therapeutics’ Confidence in Value CreationAs a core member of the company's leadership team, Dr. Surmont also frequently examines HighTide Therapeutics' position through the lens of capital market and industry dynamics.Over the past two years, the global biopharmaceutical market has seen a surge in business development (BD) activity in the CKD field. In 2025, Roche announced a major collaboration with Zealand Pharma valued at up to $5.3 billion; multinational giants like Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novo Nordisk have also been making significant investments to secure premium assets in the metabolic and renal disease space.Dr. Surmont, drawing on his extensive multinational experience, has a clear read on this "land grab" phenomenon: "The core driver is the massive profit potential and rapid growth in this field. Five years ago, the therapeutic arsenal here was relatively limited. Now, with breakthrough blockbusters like GLP-1RAs and SGLT-2i’s, the kidney disease landscape has been reshaped, yet there remains a residual risk is 60–80% of the original event burden.He further elaborated: "Even when patients are treated with four pillars of therapy (ACEi/ARBs, SGLT-2i’s, GLP-1RAs, MRAs), the complex underlying inflammatory mechanisms remain largely unaddressed, still leaving a significant gap in our ability to fully protect the kidney. This creates substantial pricing potential and broad combination therapy prospects for drugs with fundamentally new mechanisms like HTD1801.""Looking back at the history of SGLT-2 inhibitors, it took over a decade from approval to reaching 20%-25% guideline-directed clinical uptake. The slow progress was partly due to a lack of strong medical education and advocacy, and partly because of physicians and patients’ tendency to yield to the disease's natural trajectory."Now, having taken the helm as CMO of HighTide Therapeutics, Dr. Filip Surmont is poised to challenge the status quo and break this complacency with solid clinical data and a new medical narrative. For this drug—born from Chinese innovation with a global ambition—the voyage in the CKM field has only just begun. Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
Dialogue with HighTide Therapeutics’ CMO Dr. Filip Surmont: Moving Beyond the “Blockbuster” Legacy to Reshape Kidney Disease Treatment Through a Dual-Mechanism Approach
HONG KONG, Apr 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Across the landscape of global biotech companies, the appointment of a senior executive often serves as a "barometer"—offering insights into a company's pipeline potential and reflecting how industry veterans gauge the sector’s future.A clear signal of the company’s growth arrived in February 2026, when HighTide Therapeutics (2511.HK) announced a high-profile executive appointment: Dr. Filip Surmont joined the company as Chief Medical Officer (CMO).For professionals in the cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic fields, this is a name that carries real weight. Over a career spanning three decades, Dr. Surmont has held senior medical leadership roles at multinational giants including Wyeth, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca. Among his most notable contributions was his role in the global strategic development of the SGLT-2 inhibitor dapagliflozin — a landmark effort that required close collaboration across functions and geographies within a large multinational organization. As part of a talented cross-functional team, he helped shape the strategy that positioned dapagliflozin as a global metabolic blockbuster, ultimately reaching $8.405 billion USD in sales in 2025.Notably, just a few months earlier, HighTide Therapeutics' core product, HTD1801, had outperformed dapagliflozin across multiple key cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic endpoints in a head-to-head Phase III clinical trial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).For Dr. Surmont, transitioning from managing a reigning "blockbuster" to joining a “challenger” Chinese biotech was far from coincidental. What drew him out of his comfort zone was not just HTD1801's strong glucose-lowering performance, but also the breakthrough potential this new molecular entity (NME) has shown in cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic (CKM) disease in general, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) more specifically — driven by a fundamentally differentiated pathophysiological mechanisms.I.Challenging Clinical Complacency in CKD: The Quest for True ReversalWithin the medical community, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been a source of frustration. Once the kidney function begins to decline, it typically deteriorates progressively and irreversibly over time, leaving most patients facing dialysis or kidney transplantation as an eventual outcome."There has long been a degree of complacency in CKD treatment among physicians, patients, and even caregivers," Dr. Surmont noted pointedly. "A mindset has taken hold that the progressive decline in renal function with age is inevitable. I’ve been striving to change this mindset throughout my career, both during my time at multinational pharmaceutical companies and now."Current standard treatments — including ACE inhibitors/ARBs and the widely used SGLT-2 inhibitors — have demonstrated efficacy in slowing disease progression, yet fall short of halting or reversing the underlying pathology. They can significantly reduce the rate of decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), buying patients valuable time, but fail to alter the terminal trajectory towards kidney failure.Further complicating the clinical picture is the multi-factorial nature of CKD. Taking diabetic kidney disease (DKD) caused by T2DM as an example, besides pathophysiological factors driven by metabolic dysfunction, it is complicated by interconnected and highly complex factors such as hemodynamic perturbances, chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and other non-diabetic factors that fuel each other to worsen disease prognosis.Existing standard-of-care drugs often address only one dimension of the disease by regulating hemodynamics or a single metabolic pathway, making it difficult to comprehensively address the inflammatory damage in the renal microenvironment.II.Inside the Mechanism: Remodeling Renal Architecture via a Dual Metabolic and Anti-inflammatory PathwayThe emergence of HTD1801 provides a new key to breaking this deadlock.As an oral anti-inflammatory and metabolic modulator (AIMM) independently developed by HighTide Therapeutics, HTD1801 demonstrates a unique therapeutic potential at the microscopic level as compared to traditional drugs. Rather than relying on a single mechanism, it takes a "two-pronged" approach by activating AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) and inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome.Dr. Surmont has full confidence in the scientific logic underpinning this mechanism: "This drug acts simultaneously on two critical levels: beyond blood sugar, it improves overall metabolic efficiency at its source; at the same time, it directly suppresses the underlying chronic inflammation that drives organ damage."Taking a deep dive into its mechanism of action, HTD1801's dual mechanism precisely targets multiple microstructures within the kidney. "This is reflected across different renal compartments," Dr. Surmont explained. "From the filtering glomeruli and the structural interstitium to the reabsorptive tubules, and even podocytes—the vital gatekeepers of the filtration barrier, the dual action of AMPK activation and NLRP3 inhibition has demonstrated stronger-than-expected protective benefits."This mechanistic rationale, spanning from metabolic regulation to organ-level protection, has ultimately been validated by clinical data.At the 2025 American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Annual Meeting, HighTide Therapeutics presented as a late breaker Phase III clinical study data in T2DM patients with mild renal impairment. The results captured the industry's attention: compared with the placebo group, the HTD1801 group demonstrated a significant and sustainable difference in annualized eGFR slope of +9.81 ml/min/1.73 m²/year.In the eyes of nephrologists, a "positive slope" on the eGFR curve is a strong and unique signal, suggesting the possibility of early structural recovery."What we need to do next is confirm that this eGFR repair effect observed in DKD also holds true for CKD patients not driven by diabetes," Dr. Surmont revealed, indicating that relevant clinical studies are already underway, with more detailed data expected to validate this cross-etiology therapeutic potential.III.From "Rescue" to "Prevention": Advancing a Holistic Cardiorenal Metabolic (CKM) MindsetDr. Surmont brings to HighTide Therapeutics more than just clinical expertise; he brings a “game-changing” mentality that transcends a single-drug perspective.Another career-defining milestone for Dr. Surmont was his leadership role in helping reshape global asthma treatment guidelines. Historically, asthma management relied on short-acting bronchodilators for "rescue" only upon exacerbation of symptoms and shortness of breath. Dr. Surmont proposed and validated the "Anti-Inflammatory Reliever (AIR)" strategy a modern asthma management strategy that uses a combination inhaled corticosteroids and a bronchodilator as a reliever — treating both the acute bronchospasm and the underlying airway inflammation with every dose, in contrast to traditional short acting dilator-only relief. This shift ultimately benefited approximately 120 million patients worldwide and reshaped treatment paradigms.Now, facing CKD, he sees the same opportunity for a paradigm-shifting breakthrough.Given HTD1801's strong potential to repair mild renal impairment, future clinical guidelines could reasonably recommend initiating treatments early, when eGFR is still at a relatively high level. By establishing a positive trajectory for renal function recovery early in the disease, there is hope that most patients can completely avoid the looming threat of dialysis.From a health-economics perspective, this would reallocate healthcare spending: shifting funds away from costly late-stage interventions (such as dialysis and heart failure rescue) towards highly cost-effective early treatment, thereby generating substantial healthcare cost savings for society and reducing patients’ financial burden for late-stage interventions.Dr. Surmont also strongly advocates for a holistic management approach to "Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM)" health. As multifunctional drugs like HTD1801 continue to evolve, he believes physicians will move beyond the single-dimensional therapeutic mindset."My ideal scenario is that all physicians managing cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, hepatic, or even obesity issues would evaluate the patient with a holistic mindset," he says, pointing to the current siloed nature in clinical practice. " As an example eGFR monitoring is not always part of routine cardiological assessment, yet at the mechanistic level, cardiac and renal dysfunction are manifestations of the same underlying disease process — making an integrated view essential"He cited a successful experiment he led while promoting dapagliflozin in China: requiring cardiologists at partner hospitals to measure patients' eGFR during their consultations. By merely adding this simple cross-disciplinary action, the number of patients on guideline directed medical treatment tripled within six months.IV.A Buyer's Lens: The Booming BD Activity in CKD and HighTide Therapeutics’ Confidence in Value CreationAs a core member of the company's leadership team, Dr. Surmont also frequently examines HighTide Therapeutics' position through the lens of capital market and industry dynamics.Over the past two years, the global biopharmaceutical market has seen a surge in business development (BD) activity in the CKD field. In 2025, Roche announced a major collaboration with Zealand Pharma valued at up to $5.3 billion; multinational giants like Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novo Nordisk have also been making significant investments to secure premium assets in the metabolic and renal disease space.Dr. Surmont, drawing on his extensive multinational experience, has a clear read on this "land grab" phenomenon: "The core driver is the massive profit potential and rapid growth in this field. Five years ago, the therapeutic arsenal here was relatively limited. Now, with breakthrough blockbusters like GLP-1RAs and SGLT-2i’s, the kidney disease landscape has been reshaped, yet there remains a residual risk is 60–80% of the original event burden.He further elaborated: "Even when patients are treated with four pillars of therapy (ACEi/ARBs, SGLT-2i’s, GLP-1RAs, MRAs), the complex underlying inflammatory mechanisms remain largely unaddressed, still leaving a significant gap in our ability to fully protect the kidney. This creates substantial pricing potential and broad combination therapy prospects for drugs with fundamentally new mechanisms like HTD1801.""Looking back at the history of SGLT-2 inhibitors, it took over a decade from approval to reaching 20%-25% guideline-directed clinical uptake. The slow progress was partly due to a lack of strong medical education and advocacy, and partly because of physicians and patients’ tendency to yield to the disease's natural trajectory."Now, having taken the helm as CMO of HighTide Therapeutics, Dr. Filip Surmont is poised to challenge the status quo and break this complacency with solid clinical data and a new medical narrative. For this drug—born from Chinese innovation with a global ambition—the voyage in the CKM field has only just begun. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
AIoT Smart Healthcare Megatrend Arrives Home Control Powers a New Family Health Ecosystem with a ‘Smart Home + Health & Wellness’ Dual-Engine Strategy
EQS via SeaPRwire.com / 02/04/2026 / 10:58 UTC+8 As global population aging intensifies and consumers place greater emphasis on health management in the post-pandemic era, the convergence of AIoT with healthcare has emerged as a core pillar of the next technological wave. In this blue-ocean market, poised to surpass the trillion-dollar mark, the key question lies in extending professional medical services from hospitals into home, a critical focus for the industry. Against this backdrop, Home Control International Limited (1747.HK), a leading global provider of home control solutions, is executing a forward-looking strategic transformation. While continuing to deepen its core home control business, the Group has upgraded its brand to the "Omni Devices" brand, further expanding into the healthcare sector. Home Control is not merely following a trend; it is actively reshaping the global health management value chain through its deep technological expertise. The Company's latest 2025 annual results underscore its solid growth trajectory. Full-year revenue reached approximately US$109.4 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, demonstrating operational resilience amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment. Regionally, while maintaining a strong presence in the Europe and the U.S. (which together accounted for approximately 70.2% of total revenue), the Company is strategically expanding into high-growth emerging markets, particularly India. Notably, revenue contribution from Asia increased from 13.0% in 2024 to 24.5% in 2025. This strategic shift not only optimizes the product mix but also provides diversified momentum for the Group's future growth. Driven by strong growth in higher-margin healthcare solutions and the absence of last year’s one-off impairment provision, profit attributable to owners of the Company surged 183.3% year-on-year to US$7.1 million. Rapid Smart Home Adoption in Europe and the U.S., as Whole-Home Automation Gains Momentum The global smart home market is expanding rapidly. According to Global Market Insights, the European smart home market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.1% between 2026 and 2035, reaching US$150.1 billion by 2035. Meanwhile, North America, the world's largest and most mature market, accounts for nearly 40% of global growth and is rapidly shifting from standalone devices to whole-home automation. This trend is driven by two key factors. First, strong consumer demand for home security is accelerating the adoption of integrated smart security and mobile applications. Second, rising energy costs and stricter energy-efficiency regulations are significantly boosting demand for smart thermostats and lighting systems. Leveraging its extensive experience in high-quality home control solutions, Home Control upgraded its "Omni Remotes" brand to "Omni Devices" at the end of 2024. This strategic rebranding reflects the Company's evolution beyond traditional control solutions into a broader spectrum of offerings. By applying its long-established expertise in technology innovation, particularly in advanced sensing and wireless connectivity, the Company is developing tailored solutions for vertical segments, unlocking new growth drivers in the flourishing smart home market. Asia-Pacific Digital Health to Reach US$713 Billion, Strategically Targeting the Home Health Monitoring Megatrend In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region is demonstrating even stronger momentum in the digital health. Market forecasts project the sector to grow at a CAGR of 22.98% from 2025 to 2035, surpassing US$713 billion. Remote patient monitoring and telehealth are among the fastest-growing segments, driven by the accelerating aging population across Asia and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. These trends are significantly boosting demand for home-based health monitoring devices—such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitors—as well as preventive care solutions. Simultaneously, high smartphone penetration rates and strong government support for digital health infrastructure (e.g., China's "Healthy China 2030" policy) are accelerating the adoption of medical-grade devices in the home. In 2025, Home Control broadened its presence in the healthcare sector by integrating resources with its shareholder, Meta-Wisdom Tech Limited. During the year, revenue from healthcare solutions increased from 14.4% in 2024 to 21.4% of total revenue, highlighting the initial success of its transformation strategy. To build on this momentum, the Company established Orbiva Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong, dedicated to developing AIoT-enabled home healthcare platforms, ecosystems, and health management products. On the technology front, the Group has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to jointly develop a secure AIoT-powered healthcare platform. Additionally, Orbiva has secured an intellectual property license for an AI assisted trustworthy home-care intelligence agent system, actively promoting the development of digital twin applications and secure health management devices. By combining technology R&D, data security, and product innovation, Home Control is accelerating the development of an integrated health management solution encompassing "Devices + Platform + Services," while deepening its presence in the Southeast Asian market to capitalize on regional growth opportunities. Smart IoT Empowers Personal Health Management, Launching a Closed-Loop Ecosystem and Transforming Valuation Overall, Home Control is undergoing a profound strategic transformation. While leveraging its established smart home foundation to generate stable cash flow, the Group has also been rapidly expanding its high-growth, high-value healthcare business. Building on this foundation, the Company is constructing a comprehensive ecosystem spanning hardware, software, data, and services through strategic acquisitions, industry-academia collaborations, and diverse partnerships. As the convergence of AIoT and healthcare deepens, the Group is steadily advancing toward its goal of real-time personal health monitoring and seamless integration of online-offline healthcare management. It is also accelerating the deep integration of smart home and health & wellness scenarios. This transformation not only provides a clear and scalable path for future growth but is also expected to drive long-term value creation and a sustained re-rating of the Company's valuation. 02/04/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.Media archive at www.todayir.com
Mazda EZ-6/Mazda6e Wins 2026 World Car Design of the Year Award
HIROSHIMA, Japan, Apr 2, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - At the 2026 World Car of the Year Awards hosted by the World Car Awards (WCA), Mazda EZ-6/Mazda6e from Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) won the 2026 World Car Design of the Year (WCDOTY), one of the special awards. This marks the third time a Mazda model has earned this award, following the Mazda Roadster (known overseas as the Mazda MX-5) in 2016 and the Mazda3 in 2020.The awards were officially launched in January 2004 with automotive journalists around the world. For the 2026 award, the winner was selected from ninety eligible models through votes cast by 98 automotive journalists worldwide. The final results were announced by the World Car Awards (WCA) on April 1st local time in New York, USA.MAZDA 6e (European specification model)The Mazda EZ-6/Mazda6e represents a new challenge in Mazda’s journey toward electrification, pursuing both preservation and innovation of the distinctive design that Mazda has cultivated over the years. Under Mazda’s design theme, “KODO — Soul of Motion,” and based on the concept of “Authentic Modern,” the model combines vibrant, life-inspired forms with a sense of advanced modernity befitting a battery electric vehicle (BEV), while achieving a beautifully proportioned coupe silhouette. Through sculptural forms and meticulous craftsmanship created by the human hand, Mazda has delivered a design that continues to offer the joy of driving and moving mobility experience even in the era of electrification.The Mazda EZ-6 is a BEV launched in China in October 2024. It combines Mazda’s signature design and Jinba-ittai driving performance – the oneness between man and machine - with the electric and smart technologies of its collaborative partner*1 . The Mazda6e was developed based on the Mazda EZ-6 with further refinement to meet the driving performance and functionality needs of each market. It went on sale in Europe in September 2025, and plans are in place to introduce the model also in Australia, ASEAN, and other regions in 2026 as Mazda intends to respond to the growing demand for BEV in these markets.Mazda will continue to pursue the “Joy of Driving” under its core value of “Radically Human,” and aim to deliver the “Joy of Living” by creating moving mobility experiences in our customers' daily lives.*1 Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. Copyright 2026 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
TransNusa Strengthens Domestic Network Connection with New Route Launch and Increased Scheduled Flight Frequency
TransNusa Launches New Scheduled Flight Connecting Jakarta With Lombok, Its World Class Surfing Island DestinationJAKARTA, Apr 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - TransNusa has announced the launch of a new direct scheduled flight connecting Jakarta and Lombok, further strengthening access to one of Indonesia’s key tourism and regional travel hubs.TransNusa Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis said that the introduction of this new route comes on the back of the airline’s focus to increase and strengthen connectivity while boosting domestic tourism.“Lombok is not only rapidly growing as a domestic and international tourist destination but the island is also the main gateway for tourism in the West Nusa Tenggara region through its Lombok International Airport,” Datuk Francis said, adding that Lombok attracts more than 1.2 million tourists annually.LOMBOK… Paradise of divers and surfersLombok is home to the diving haven Gili and Mount Rinjani National Park, one of Indonesia’s most iconic volcanic landscapes. The island offers dramatic trekking routes, cascading waterfalls and panoramic mountain views, attracting adventurers and nature lovers from around the world. Beyond its mountains, Lombok has also built a global reputation as a world-class surfing and diving destination, with pristine beaches, coral reef and consistent waves drawing surfers year-round.“TransNusa will initially operate 14 flights a week or two daily flights with the first scheduled flight departing Jakarta in the morning and the second in the afternoon,” Datuk Bernard said, adding that the sales of tickets for the new scheduled flight from Jakarta to Lombok started on 16 March 2026, with the inaugural flight scheduled for April 17, 2026.DATUK BERNARD FRANCIS… Lombok is the main gateway for tourism in the West Nusa Tenggara regionIn addition to this new launch, TransNusa has also increased the frequency of its Jakarta-Yogyakarta route with the aim to enhance and strengthen domestic connectivity, said Datuk Bernard.Flight DetailsTransNusa’s scheduled flight 8B 5161 will depart Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 5:00am and arrive at Lombok International Airport at 8:00am. The returning service, 8B 5162, will depart Lombok International Airport at 8:30am and arrive in Jakarta at the Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 9:30am. The second scheduled flight 8B 5165 will depart Jakarta’s Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 03:00pm and arrive at the Lombok International Airport at 05:45pm. The returning service, 8B 5166 will depart Lombok International Airport at 06.15pm and arrive at the Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 06.45pm.Ticket prices for TransNusa’s scheduled Jakarta-Lombok route start from as low as IDR899,000, CNY390, USD55, MYR225, AUD80, and SGD69. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.transnusa.co.id and on primary online travel agents’ platforms.Meanwhile, TransNusa’s additional scheduled flight for its Jakarta-Yogyakarta flight, 8B 5530, will depart Jakarta’s Soekarno–Hatta International Airport at 10.40am and arrive at the Yogyakarta International Airport at 11.50am. The flight, 8B 5531, will depart Yogyakarta at 01.20pm and arrive in Jakarta at 02.30pm.For its flights, TransNusa not only provides premium services with competitive ticket prices, but the airline also has attractive product bundles called SEAT, SEAT-PLUS and FLEXI-PRO."Our SEAT passengers will enjoy check-in baggage of up to 20kgs,” Datuk Bernard said, explaining that the baggage offering was over and above the 7kgs limit offered as a passenger’s hand carry.For the highest package, FLEXI-PRO, we provide services such as free baggage up to 30kgs, free to choose seats, free food, and drinks, priority at check-in and boarding counters.In addition, TransNusa also provides its FLEXI-PRO passengers with the flexibility to change their flight schedule without restrictions and obtain refund when needed,” added Datuk Bernard.TransNusa, which aims to ensure its passengers travel with ease and comfort, has also configured their A320s with a 174-seat configuration, which allows for passengers to enjoy about 30 inches of legroom, comparable to the experience passengers would get in a full-service airline."We are committed to providing affordable and competitive ticket prices, while still providing premium services to our customers.” stressed Datuk Bernard.TransNusa, A Short HistoryThe 3-year old TransNusa, led by aviation expert and veteran, Datuk Bernard, made waves in the aviation industry with its unique domestic and international business development and growth strategy.Within just 6 months of operations, in 2023, the airline, known then as a new player with new rules, launched its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, followed by the launch of scheduled flights between Jakarta and Singapore.TransNusa, which established itself as a Premium Service Carrier, made headlines in Malaysia, Singapore, China and around the world with news of being the first airline in Indonesia to introduce new exciting routes. In 2023, during its first year of operations, TransNusa became the second Indonesian airline to receive approval to fly to China. In 2024, TransNusa became the first in the world to develop and introduce a new domestic route connecting Bali and Manado. In October 2025, TransNusa added yet another milestones by becoming the first Indonesian airline and second airline in the world to launch scheduled flights from Manado to Guangzhou, China.About TransNusaTransNusa Airline, is a Premium Service Carrier. In February 2024, the airline rebranded itself to a Premium Service Carrier in line with its upgraded aircrafts that offers better comfort as well as based on the flexibility and quality of the services offered. TransNusa, which received its AOC certification on 9th September 2022, launch its first three A320 operations on 6th October, 14th October and 12th December, 2022.In 2023, TransNusa introduced a new business model making it the first Premium Service Carrier in the Asia Pacific region. TransNusa introduced its first international flight on 14th April, 2023. The airline is currently based in Jakarta and Bali.On the international front, TransNusa flies to Singapore, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Perth, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The airline became the second Indonesian airline to fly to China and the first Indonesian airline to launch a Premium Service Carrier business model. Passengers can book their flights on the TransNusa website at www.transnusa.co.id, through any secure online travel agent, through authorized travel agents in Singapore and Indonesia.TransNusa’s Primary International Media Contact:Trina Thomas Rajtrina@myqaseh.org+60124992672 (whatsapp only) Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
The Trailer for ‘The Boys’ Season 5 Finally Teases Its Long-Awaited Endgame
Amazon Prime Video(SeaPRwire) - For nearly a decade, Eric Kripke’s The Boys has offered a satirical take on the overwhelming amount of superhero content, featuring irreverent, gory, and explicit action that quickly resonated with audiences. However, it's challenging to escalate when starting at peak intensity, and the upcoming fifth season will mark the series' conclusion. This ending could prove beneficial, as it ensures the final confrontation with Homelander (Antony Starr) can no longer be postponed. He is more powerful than ever, and while he will enlist familiar faces for this showdown, a new preview of Season 5 suggests that one of the series' most notorious weapons is making a comeback. Watch the teaser below.The montage begins with Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) expressing surprise at Homelander's recruitment of him, but it aligns with the broader narrative. Soldier Boy is one of the most unpredictable and powerful supes globally. With his powers reminiscent of the Red Scare era, he possesses the capability to defeat even the most formidable heroes.Soldier Boy can unleash a nuclear blast directly from his chest. This blast is intensely painful and rarely controlled, but its impact on a supe is devastating. These beams can neutralize the Compound V in a superhero's system, stripping them of their powers. While Compound V can be replenished, making the effect temporary, its use in the show's final battle could effectively disarm Homelander's adversaries, leaving them vulnerable to a final attack.This was demonstrated in Season 3 when Soldier Boy's blast was directed at Frenchie, but Kimiko intervened and absorbed the hit with minimal apparent damage. The blast sent her through a concrete wall, and Kimiko later discovered her wounds were not healing, only regaining her regenerative abilities after being administered more Compound V.This leads to the most critical question posed by the clip: who is on the receiving end of that nuclear blast? Given Soldier Boy's current alliance with Homelander, it is likely Butcher or another member of The Boys. However, the identity of his target is not revealed, leaving open the possibility that he might switch allegiances and confront Homelander himself. Regardless, this moment is pivotal for the final confrontation that fans have eagerly anticipated for years.The Boys Season 5 premieres April 8 on Amazon Prime Video. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
RMB 2 Billion Investment Leverages Approximately RMB 8 Billion in Book Value Gains: Shoucheng Holdings (0697.HK) Enters the Monetization Phase of Its Robotics Investments
HONG KONG, Apr 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Shoucheng Holdings’ (0697.HK) investments in the robotics sector are moving from early-stage positioning toward value realization.Management has disclosed that, by the end of 2025, the Company—through multiple industry funds under its management—had cumulatively invested more than RMB 2 billion across the broader robotics industry chain, covering more than 20 companies. According to the Chairman’s Statement for 2025, the valuation of the investment portfolio of the Beijing Robot Industry Development Investment Fund (Limited Partnership) increased by approximately fourfold. On that basis, the corresponding unrealized book gain is estimated at around RMB 8 billion. The robotics business has therefore become one of the most closely watched sources of incremental upside for Shoucheng Holdings in the near term.Based on disclosed projects, Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics strategy is not a series of isolated bets, but rather a systematic deployment across the industry chain. In the field of embodied intelligence and robotics, the Company has made concentrated investments in more than 20 leading companies, including Unitree Robotics, Noetix Robotics, Galbot, DEEP Robotics, Booster Robotics, and Galaxea AI. In the latest Chairman’s Statement, Chairman Zhao Tianyang characterized this approach as “track-level deployment”.Unlike some purely financial investors, Shoucheng Holdings is advancing its robotics business from simply “holding equity stakes” to “operating an industry”. Following an integrated path of “investment + operations + ecosystem,” the Company is building capabilities centered on “funds + scenarios + industry chain,” providing robotics companies with capital support, application scenarios, supply-chain integration, and commercialization pathways. On the offline channel side, its robotics consumer experience brand, Taozhu New Creation, has established five stores in Beijing, with locations including Shougang Park, Beijing Capital International Airport Terminals 2 and 3, and Wangfujing APM, among other core venues. To date, the Company has signed agreements with nearly 100 robotics companies as authorized agents.Market analysts note that the valuation logic for Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics business is transitioning from book valuations in the primary market toward more observable pricing in the capital markets. As a representative investment within Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics portfolio, Unitree Robotics—together with its IPO progress—provides the market with a clearer anchor for assessing the value of Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics assets.From a longer-term perspective, the data points of “more than RMB 2 billion invested, more than 20 companies covered, and portfolio valuation increasing approximately fourfold to around RMB 8 billion” already outline the basic contours of Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics strategy:At the front end, the Company secures leading projects through its funds.In the mid-stage, it accelerates commercialization through channels and service systems.At the back end, it opens up exit and re-rating opportunities through IPOs and capital operations.As projects such as Unitree Robotics move into the capital-market spotlight, the book value of Shoucheng Holdings’ robotics investments, its industrial synergy capabilities, and its subsequent monetization path are becoming increasingly clear. Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
Today’s Guide to Watching the Historic Artemis II Moon Launch
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - Humanity is preparing to go back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, since 1972. The Artemis II mission is scheduled for launch from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, potentially marking the start of a new age in space exploration. Despite some previous delays and challenges, all systems were reported to be ready for launch as of Wednesday morning.Below is a guide to watching the Artemis II launch live today, along with key details about the crew and the objectives of this NASA mission to orbit the Moon.How to Stream the Artemis II Launch The launch of Artemis II is planned for 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. Live streaming of the launch and the pre-launch activities will be available on the free NASA+ app and its YouTube channel. The NASA+ app is compatible with most smart TVs and Roku devices.Live coverage will start at 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time, featuring the pre-launch procedures and information about the mission. Any decision to cancel the launch will be communicated promptly.Artemis II Mission and Crew Reid Weisman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, and Victor Glover, the crew of Artemis II. | MIGUEL J RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP/Getty ImagesThe Artemis II crew includes:Reid Wiseman, CommanderVictor Glover, PilotChristina Koch, Mission Specialist 1Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist 2Artemis II's main objective is to complete a lunar orbit and return safely to Earth. This mission serves as a critical test, paving the way for the Artemis IV Moon landing planned for 2027. While the primary aim is to test the Orion spacecraft system, the crew will also fly over a previously unexplored region of the Moon. A key point is that the spacecraft will travel over the far side of the Moon, which is never visible from Earth.The full mission is expected to take approximately 10 days from launch to splashdown. The lunar flyby is projected to happen on the mission's sixth day, around April 7.This story was last updated at 08:10 a.m. on April 1, 2026. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT) and Demora Foundation Execute Technology Integration Agreement to Power the K-Entertainment & K-Wave Global Platform
PHILADELPHIA, PA AND WILMINGTON, DE, Apr 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:DVLT), an AI-driven data monetization, RWA tokenization, and Web 3.0 infrastructure company, and Demora Foundation, the Delaware-incorporated governing organization of the Demora Chain ecosystem (governed under JP3E Holdings Inc.), today announced the execution of a Technology Integration Agreement establishing Datavault AI as the formal AI data intelligence and RWA tokenization technology partner for the K-Entertainment & K-Wave Global Platform - the integrated K2Global + Demora Foundation ecosystem that converts Korean cultural IP, live entertainment, and K-Wave soft power into institutional-grade, on-chain financial products, deployed across three US Innovation K-Wave Cities: Atlanta (GA), Dallas (TX), and New York Tri-State.K-WAVE AUDIENCE SCALE200M+Global Hallyu Fans · 156 Countries$40B+K-Wave Annual Economic Impact (KOFICE 2024)$14B+K-Pop Revenue 2025E (Live + Streaming + Merch)120M+Dedicated K-Pop Concert Fans Globally500+Korean SMBs · 8 K-Wave Sectors · K2Global Mandate$3B+K-Entertainment Tokenizable Pipeline (DMR-LIVE)3US Innovation K-Wave Cities (ATL · DAL · NY Tri-State)8-14%Target DMR-LIVE Token Yield (Annualized)The Agreement deploys Datavault AI's full enterprise AI stack - Data Vault®, DataValue®, DataScore®, and Information Data Exchange® (IDE) Digital Twin - as the AI data intelligence and RWA/VWA tokenization backbone of Demora Chain, purpose-built to score, value, credentialize, and tokenize K-Entertainment assets - including K-Pop concert revenues, K-Drama IP royalties, K-content digital rights, K-Beauty brands, and K-Food franchises - as yield-bearing instruments settled in DMR (apex RWA) and GMMT (VWA layer) on Demora's dual OP Stack Layer 2.The K-Entertainment Opportunity - 200M+ Fans, $11B-$16B Annual Event Revenue, $3B+ Tokenizable PipelineThe Korean Wave (Hallyu) is the most scalable cultural export engine in the world - and the foundational demand signal for the entire DVLT × Demora Foundation partnership. With 200M+ Hallyu fans across 156 countries generating over $40B in annual economic impact, K-Entertainment represents an institutional-scale, pre-qualified audience base no other RWA protocol can access.K-Entertainment Audience & Tokenizable Pipeline - By VerticalK-Wave VerticalGlobal Fan BaseAnnual Event Revenue Est.Digital / Streaming LayerDMR-LIVE Tokenization OpportunityK-Pop Live Concerts & Tours120M+ dedicated fans$6B - $8B globallyWeverse, YouTube, streaming rights$1.5B+ addressableK-Drama & Film IP Events80M+ drama viewers$2B - $3B IP + premiere circuitNetflix, Disney+, local OTT licensing$600M+ addressableK-Food & Culinary Festivals50M+ global K-Food consumers$800M - $1.2B festivals/franchiseExport brands, franchise licensing$250M+ addressableK-Beauty Brand Events & Launches60M+ active K-Beauty consumers$1B - $1.5B experiential marketingD2C, influencer, brand collab$300M+ addressableGaming, Esports & Webtoon Festivals40M+ K-gaming & esports fans$1.2B - $2B event + IPStreaming, IP licensing, game merch$400M+ addressableTOTAL K-Entertainment TAM200M+ Hallyu Fans (composite)$11B - $16B annual event revenue$5B+ digital overlay$3B+ tokenizable pipelineDMR-LIVE Protocol - K-Entertainment RWA Tokenization EngineAt the core of the DVLT × Demora Foundation partnership is DMR-LIVE - the K-Entertainment RWA tokenization protocol that converts live event cash flows (ticket receivables, venue revenues, VIP hospitality, IP/sponsorship contracts) into yield-bearing digital assets settled on Demora Chain. Datavault AI provides the AI data intelligence layer that makes DMR-LIVE institutional-grade.DMR-LIVE - Projected Deployment & Deal ScalePhase 1 · 0-6 MonthsPilot Launch5-10 K-Wave flagship events (US + Korea)DMR-LIVE token launch on Demora Chain$25M - $50M initial pool issuance500K - 1M live attendeesInstitutional LP onboarding (Reg D)Phase 2 · 6-18 MonthsScale & Liquidity20-40 multi-genre eventsUS, Korea, Africa, SE Asia$100M - $300M issuance target3M - 8M live + digital viewersSWF / Ex-Im institutional channelPhase 3 · 18-36 MonthsGlobal Integration100+ events per annual cycleGlobal deployment (20+ countries)$300M+ annual issuance run-rate15M - 30M annual audienceNASDAQ SPAC pathway for K2GlobalDatavault AI - Powering K-Entertainment IP Intelligence & TokenizationDatavault AI's enterprise platform serves as the data intelligence layer that transforms K-Entertainment assets from illiquid cultural IP into institutional-grade, on-chain financial products:K-Pop & Content IP - IDE Digital Twin & NIL CredentialingOn-chain digital twin representations of K-Pop artist brands, K-Drama IP rights, digital content royalties, and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) credentials - enabling programmable IP monetization and VWA issuance on GMMT layer.K-Entertainment Asset Valuation - DataScore® AI AgentsAI-based scoring and valuation of K-Pop artist tour revenue forecasts, K-Drama IP licensing streams, K-content streaming rights, and live event cash flow projections - providing the institutional-grade data oracle powering DMR-LIVE token pricing.Franchise & Brand Asset Scoring - DataValue®Comprehensive valuation scoring for K-Beauty brands, K-Food franchise systems, and K-Fashion design IP - preparing these assets for DMR-denominated RWA tokenization and cross-border distribution settlement on Demora Chain.Entertainment & Sports Vertical - HPC Software LicensingHigh-performance compute infrastructure for real-time K-Wave asset valuation, streaming rights scoring, and DMR-denominated tokenization at institutional scale - spanning K-Pop, K-Drama, K-Gaming, and K-Esports verticals.Provenance & Compliance - Data Vault® + Web 3.0 Immutable MetadataEnterprise data management and immutable provenance framework for K-Entertainment IP registrations, royalty flow traceability, and institutional-grade KYC/AML compliance aligned with Demora Chain's DMR settlement requirements.Global Digital Infrastructure Platform - Three-Layer ArchitectureThe DVLT partnership operates across the three-layer JP3E platform architecture - with K-Entertainment as the lead vertical:Platform LayerRole & DVLT Integration PointK2Global (Layer 3 - Application)Asset origination layer: 500+ Korean SMBs across 8 K-Wave sectors. K-Entertainment leads - K-Pop concert IP, K-Drama rights, K-Beauty brands, K-Food franchises. K2Global identifies the real-world and IP assets that DVLT's DataScore® and IDE Digital Twin will score, value, and credentialize for tokenization on Demora Chain.JP3E Holdings (Structure & Access)Institutional governance and capital structure layer. Structures regulatory compliance (Clean Wall separation), OTC → NASDAQ pathway, and sovereign capital access. DVLT's KYC/AML-compliant Web3 data management integrates at this governance layer.Demora Foundation (Layer 1 - Tokenize & Liquidate)Converts illiquid K-Entertainment and K-Wave infrastructure assets into tradable DMR-denominated RWA and GMMT-powered VWA instruments via Demora Chain's dual OP Stack Layer 2. DVLT's HPC-powered tokenization platform and immutable metadata framework are the core technology input at this layer - enabling LP waterfall yield + DMR token upside.K-Wave Cities Deployment - DVLT Integration by SectorThe Technology Integration Agreement positions Datavault AI as the enterprise data intelligence and tokenization technology partner across all eight K-Wave growth sectors in three US Innovation Cities - with K-Entertainment as the flagship commercial vertical:K-Wave SectorDVLT Platform ApplicationEntertainment - K-Pop, Drama IP, Digital Content & MediaFLAGSHIP VERTICAL - IDE Digital Twin & NIL credentialing for K-Pop artist IP, K-Drama content rights, and digital royalty tokenization as VWA on GMMT; DataScore® for AI-based content asset valuation and live event revenue forecasting; DMR-LIVE protocol integration for K-Pop concert receivables tokenization as RWA on DMRFood & Beverage - K-Food Franchise, Cuisine & ExportDataValue® for franchise system and supply chain asset scoring; J1Manna DMR RWA settlement for cross-border distribution contracts through Innovation City hubsBeauty & Cosmetics - K-Beauty Brands, Skincare & BiotechDVLT healthcare HPC licensing applied to K-Beauty O-Min, biotech supply chains; IDE Digital Twin for K-Longevity (NovocellBio NK cell) clinical supply RWA tokenizationTechnology / AI - IoT, Robotics & BlockchainDataScore® AI agents for KORECEN biometric patent (13 KIPO finger-vein) valuation as RWA; DVLT Web 3.0 enterprise data management for IoT/robotics SMB IP assetsManufacturing - Advanced Materials, EV Components & BatteriesDVLT immutable metadata for critical minerals provenance; IDE Digital Twin for K-Defense, dual-use hardware supply chain traceability on DMRHealthcare / Bio - Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices & TelehealthDVLT healthcare HPC licensing and DataValue® for NovocellBio NK cell manufacturing capacity and clinical supply agreement tokenization as K-Longevity RWA on DMRFashion - Contemporary Design & Textile InnovationIDE NIL credentialing for brand and design IP; DataScore® for O-Min fashion IP asset valuation as VWA on GMMT; cross-border distribution RWA on DMREducation / EdTech - E-Learning Platforms & Global CertificationDVLT Web 3.0 data management for SaaS-model EdTech platform data assets; DataScore® for certification IP valuation feeding Demora flywheel programmable yield via DMRStatements"Datavault AI was built for exactly this moment - when AI-powered data intelligence meets institutional blockchain infrastructure at a global scale. The K2Global Innovation K-Wave platform, with K-Entertainment as its flagship vertical, represents one of the most compelling real-world asset mandates in the market today: 200M+ Hallyu fans, $14B+ in K-Pop revenue, 500+ Korean SMBs, three US Innovation Cities, and a two-token blockchain architecture built for institutional settlement. Our Data Vault®, DataValue®, DataScore®, and Digital Twin platforms are the intelligence layer that transforms K-Entertainment IP - from K-Pop concert revenues and K-Drama royalties to K-Beauty brands and K-Food franchises - from illiquid cultural assets into scalable, liquid digital financial products. We are proud to be the technology partner of choice for the JP3E platform."- Nathaniel Bradley, CEO, Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT)"The Datavault AI partnership is a defining moment for the Global Digital Infrastructure Platform - and specifically for DMR-LIVE, our K-Entertainment RWA tokenization protocol. K-Entertainment is not merely one of eight K-Wave sectors; it is the cultural demand engine that drives all of them. With 200M+ Hallyu fans, $40B+ in annual K-Wave economic impact, and a $3B+ tokenizable K-Entertainment pipeline, DVLT's AI-powered data valuation, Digital Twin technology, and enterprise tokenization stack provide precisely the intelligence infrastructure required to convert Korean cultural IP into institutional-grade, on-chain financial products at global scale. Together, we are building the operating system for K-Wave infrastructure finance."- John K. Park, Chairman & CEO, Demora Foundation / JP3E Holdings Inc.About Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT)Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:DVLT) is an AI-driven data monetization, RWA tokenization, and Web 3.0 infrastructure company headquartered at One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2400, Philadelphia, PA 19103. DVLT provides enterprise-grade platforms including Information Data Exchange® (Digital Twin / NIL credentialing), Data Vault®, DataValue®, and DataScore® AI agents, and HPC-powered data valuation and secure monetization infrastructure spanning fintech, healthcare, real estate, and sports & entertainment verticals - including the full K-Entertainment sector. CEO: Nathaniel Bradley. Website: www.datavaultsite.comAbout Demora FoundationDemora Foundation is the institutional governance entity of Demora Chain - a dual OP Stack Layer 2 on Ethereum (target: 560,000+ TPS, USD1 gas model) designed for stablecoin finance, RWA tokenization, and VWA (Virtual Wealth Asset) creation at institutional scale. Demora Foundation governs the DMR-LIVE K-Entertainment RWA tokenization protocol as the flagship product of its K2Global Innovation K-Wave Cities deployment. Demora Foundation is incorporated in Delaware and governed under JP3E Holdings Inc. Website: demora.foundationMedia Contacts:John K. Park, Chairman & CEO - JP3E Holdings Inc. / Demora FoundationJohn.park@jp3e.com | www.jp3e.com | demora.foundationAlan Wallace, Head of Public Relations - Datavault AI / marketing@dvlt.aiInvestor ContactEdward Barger, VP, Investor Relations - Datavault AI, ir@dvlt.ai - ebarger@dvlt.aiSOURCE: Datavault AI Inc Copyright 2026 ACN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com
Fifteen Years Ago, An Overlooked Sci-Fi Thriller Established a New Time-Loop Benchmark
Summit Entertainment(SeaPRwire) - The time-loop narrative stands out as one of science fiction's most compelling subgenres. These stories abandon traditional linear plots, making cause and effect feel optional. While poet Robert Frost famously contemplated "The Road Not Taken," in a time-loop tale, the outcomes of any single choice become ambiguous. This ambiguity is key to the subgenre's appeal; it's not only the fascination of witnessing different versions of the present but also the idea of characters refining their fate with an unprecedented degree of control. Fans have their beloved examples, ranging from Groundhog Day to Edge of Tomorrow, and notable episodes of Star Trek or Doctor Who. Yet, among these greats, Duncan Jones's 2011 film remains a quietly and tragically overlooked masterpiece.Featuring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan, Source Code revitalizes a classic time-loop concept with a cyberpunk edge. Gyllenhaal plays Colter Stevens, a soldier assigned to stop a terrorist bombing on a commuter train. However, he isn't physically sent back in time; his consciousness is projected into the body of another man, a school teacher named Sean. This narrative device, reminiscent of the iconic series Quantum Leap, is a crucial element of what makes Source Code distinctive and gripping. Stevens is not just caught in a temporal loop but is also imprisoned in a foreign body, intensifying his isolation as he faces an apparently impossible mission.This is a key reason why Source Code holds a structural advantage over many other popular sci-fi time-loop stories; the limitations imposed on Stevens seem less like a mystical curse and more like a technological dilemma. The infusion of speculative science into the premise lends the film a layer of plausibility and a grounded feel. If the 2004 film Primer were adapted into a time-loop narrative, the result might closely resemble Source Code.A tragic twist is unveiled around the two-thirds mark of Source Code, and disclosing it would spoil the experience for anyone who hasn't seen the film recently—or at all. However, one could also contend that this revelation diminishes the movie's impact. The film explores two central ideas: on one level, it's about challenging fate, while on another, it's about assuming a life that was never meant to be yours.This latter theme is somewhat underdeveloped in Ben Ripley's screenplay. Questions about the nature of Stevens's identity beyond his physical form, or the fate of the consciousness belonging to the man he inhabits, are left largely unexplored. In Quantum Leap, when Sam (Scott Bakula) leaped into others, the original person's essence was sometimes encountered in a liminal space. Source Code shows less interest in such metaphysical consequences, prioritizing instead a narrative that attempts to have its cake and eat it too regarding alternate realities.Jake Gyllenhaal and director Duncan Jones promoting Source Code in 2011. | Juan Naharro Gimenez/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesDespite its qualities, the film's unresolved questions about its multiple timelines may prove frustrating for particularly analytical sci-fi audiences. In fact, the world-building in William Gibson's series and novel, The Peripheral, while not strictly about time loops, presents alternate timelines with a technology that feels like a more coherent evolution of the concepts in Source Code.Ultimately, Source Code lacks the high-octane spectacle of Edge of Tomorrow and the comedic charm of Palm Springs. It represents a kind of indie sci-fi thriller that has largely disappeared today, and it might be best appreciated as a feature-length episode of Black Mirror. Nevertheless, the film possesses an artistic and haunting quality that sets it apart from other entries in the genre, making it well worth revisiting.Source Code streams on Tubi. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Producer Says ‘Avatar’ Sequels Are Moving “Full Speed Ahead”
20th Century Studios(SeaPRwire) - Inside Lightstorm’s iteration of “the Volume,” the space where Avatar films are acted and filmed, the well-earned golden statuette belonging to the team behind James Cameron’s sci-fi saga is on proud display. The Avatar crew took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at this year’s ceremony — in part for their work developing a new cinematic framework to build the world of Pandora — work that Inverse, alongside a small group of journalists, was able to observe firsthand.On a conventional soundstage fitted with 100 small infrared cameras, visual effects supervisor Richard Baneham explains exactly how real-world physical action shapes the surreal, awe-inspiring elements of this franchise. The process is hard to wrap one’s head around, which makes the new special features launching alongside Fire & Ash’s digital release — such as a short documentary that delves deep into the mechanics of performance capture — such a welcome offering. Even a simplified, condensed breakdown of their workflow makes the multi-year gap between sequels fully understandable. Additional Avatar sequels are in the pipeline — and they may arrive earlier than many expect. | 20th Century StudiosBringing Avatar: The Way of Water and Fire and Ash to audiences required 13 years of work and a massive behind-the-scenes effort. Cameron has been open about the obstacles impacting these films, many of them related to budget: he even previously acknowledged he was prepared to step away before completing Avatar 4 (which is already partially filmed) and the fifth planned Avatar installment. Luckily for franchise fans, however, they will not have to say goodbye to this big-screen world just yet. In a conversation with Inverse ahead of Fire & Ash’s home video launch, producer Rae Sanchini confirms that Avatar 4 and 5 are still actively in development — save for a short break to update their production process with new technology.“We’re really moving into a more generally accessible platform,” Sanchini explains. Lightstorm’s previous system was “highly customized,” with most of it built by Cameron’s production team and refined by visual effects artists at Wēta Digital. Even so, it had an extremely steep learning curve, requiring “extensive training for all new hires.” Adopting “more widely available technology” is expected to streamline this process, right as the team maps out the production pipeline for the two upcoming sequels.Sanchini goes on to state: “Right now we’re figuring out the schedule. We’re working hard on it right now, budgeting, scheduling, planning, building out our new pipeline for them. As far as we’re concerned, we’re full speed ahead.”Cameron has already finalized the story for Avatar 4 and 5; remaining work focuses entirely on technical updates. | 20th Century StudiosAvatar 4 and 5 are currently scheduled to premiere in theaters in 2029 and 2031, respectively — and while Sanchini describes those release windows as “tentative,” she hopes to lock in that schedule “in the near future.” “We have the scripts, they’re brilliant,” the filmmaker notes. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re heading forward.”In the interim, Cameron and Lightstorm plan to keep Avatar fans well supplied with new content. The home release of Fire and Ash includes roughly three hours of bonus footage: while Cameron kept filming details fairly under wraps around the release of The Way of Water, Sanchini says he is now “keen to pull back the curtain” on the process. This shift may be because the two films were shot as two parts of a single overarching story, making Fire and Ash the conclusion of one story chapter. Thankfully, this will not be the end of the franchise — while it will take some time for Cameron’s next vision for the series to come to life, the Lightstorm team appears eager to expand the franchise even further going forward.Avatar: Fire and Ash is out now exclusively via digital platforms. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Ukraine reports progress on US security guarantees following talks with Trump envoys
(SeaPRwire) - On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted fresh momentum toward ending his country's war with Russia after a high-level call with envoys of former U.S. President Donald Trump, pointing to progress on a U.S.-backed security agreement.Zelenskyy announced in an X post that he and his senior officials held a "positive" discussion with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, with talks focused on securing a "dignified peace.""We agreed to strengthen security guarantees, and I have already ordered our team to update the relevant documents promptly, so that Ukraine's security guarantees are solid, post-war reconstruction prospects are tangible, and all plans are actionable," Zelenskyy wrote.He stressed that Ukraine needs clear agreements so that its citizens know exactly how international partners will act to deter any new Russian aggression."We need strong, shared stances, and Ukraine's contribution to this strength is beyond question," Zelenskyy wrote. "… I expect the teams will do substantial work in the coming days so that we can all see clear progress. A trilateral format — a leaders' format — all of this is necessary."In a separate video statement released later, Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched a massive wave of more than 700 drones on Wednesday, including "shaheds," that targeted Ukraine's energy facilities, food warehouses and residential buildings across multiple regions.While Ukrainian forces intercepted approximately 90% of the incoming drones, Zelenskyy condemned the airstrike as Russia's direct response to Ukraine's proposal for an Easter ceasefire.He noted that a pause in fighting during the holiday was meant to serve as a signal that diplomacy could achieve success.Outside of the U.S. and Europe, Zelenskyy said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is working to lock in long-term defense contracts with several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Turkey. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Christians in Nigeria tense ahead of Easter following Palm Sunday massacre
(SeaPRwire) - JOHANNESBURG — Following a Holy Week assault in a largely Christian Nigerian town, which reportedly claimed 28 lives, there are now widespread concerns that more Christians could face attacks during the upcoming Easter weekend.Last weekend, on Palm Sunday, several armed individuals reportedly yelled a Muslim declaration while indiscriminately firing shots in Angwan Rukuba, a predominantly Christian town located in the Jos District of Nigeria’s Plateau State."The terrorists attacked the area in a commando fashion, opening fire erratically and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great in Arabic)," a field worker present at the scene informed the aid agency Voice of the Martyrs. They added, "The community is predominantly Christian."Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, informed Digital that this Easter, concerns persist regarding further assaults on Christians in Nigeria.Blyth stated, "Such tragic incidents are unfortunately frequent in Plateau State and extensive parts of northern Nigeria." She continued, "These often coincide with Christian holy days. Residents in the region will recall the destructive Christmas Eve attacks in Benue state in 2023, which resulted in over 140 fatalities."Open Doors ranks Nigeria as the seventh-most dangerous country globally for Christian persecution. The organization asserts that Nigeria is responsible for 72% of all Christian killings worldwide in 2025.A local human rights lawyer, who requested anonymity for security reasons, was in the vicinity during the recent attack. He recounted to Digital, "Approximately 20 individuals arrived, some on motorcycles, and began shooting."He further noted that the area is fundamentally Christian, suggesting that "for anyone to openly fire upon people, it must be that Christians were specifically targeted."Another Christian resident, who also wished to remain unnamed, informed Digital, "I can assure you that the prevailing view among Nigerian Christians is that what we are enduring in Nigeria constitutes Islamic expansionism, and it must be halted by any necessary means."The human rights lawyer mentioned reports of circulating videos that threaten further attacks on Christians, stating, "Here in Jos, Nigeria, we often say that no Christian holiday or event on the Christian calendar, be it Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, or Sunday services, has been spared from attacks by radical Islamists or terrorists in Nigeria. We feel trapped."Todd Nettleton of the Voice of the Martyrs’ group stated to Digital that in nations such as Nigeria, "Easter frequently represents a period of danger. Christian holy days, including Christmas and Easter, are often chosen by those hostile to the Gospel to launch violent assaults on our fellow believers."Blythe from Open Doors remarked, "The dread of brutal attacks will loom over millions of Christians throughout Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa as they prepare for Easter, a celebration that ought to be the most joyous occasion in the Christian calendar. We will be praying for Christians worldwide to be safe and able to celebrate and worship joyfully this Easter season."Digital attempted to contact the Nigerian government for a statement but did not receive a reply. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
Breaking Down the ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Post-Credits Scene: Which Spinoffs Are Next?
Universal Pictures(SeaPRwire) - After just two big-screen outings, the Mario franchise has already unlocked a full galaxy of new adventures (and massive profits for both Nintendo and Universal), so it’s all but guaranteed Mario and Luigi will get many more interplanetary, 3D platforming-style stories on the big screen. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie outdoes the first entry when it comes to both scale and how deep it dives into franchise lore — ranging from well-known cameos like Super Mario Galaxy’s Honey Queen to more obscure nods like an extended joke built around Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time — and it still barely scratches the surface of the ever-expanding library of games headlined by the two plumber brothers. It’s a world away from the bizarre, unrecognizable 1990s Mario film that’s become infamous. Spoilers ahead.While the film ends with newly undead Dry Bowser (Jack Black) and his son Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) locked away in a Luma-guarded prison thanks to the work of Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Peach’s unexpected sister Rosalina (Brie Larson), and an MVP pilot performance from Fox McCloud (Glen Powell), the movie’s post-credits scene makes it clear that there’s far more story to tell outside the Mushroom Kingdom. In fact, when you account for an offhand plot reveal earlier in the runtime, there may even be more stories to explore beyond Mario’s own universe.The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Post-Credits Scene ExplainedMario and Luigi hopefully won’t have to worry about Bowser for a while after the events of the sequel. | Universal PicturesEarly in the film, when Princess Peach and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) first arrive at Gateway Galaxy — a hub for intergalactic travel in the movie, and the opening galaxy from the 2007 original game — they’re immediately robbed by a Ukiki, a monkey enemy type that first debuted in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. In the post-credits scene, we see this same Ukiki pulling the same scam on another unsuspecting victim, stealing her purse before getting quickly knocked out by none other than Princess Daisy. She has no lines in the scene, so the question of who will be cast in the full role is already a top talking point, but it’s extremely likely she’ll make her full official franchise debut in the next sequel.Daisy first appeared in the original Super Mario Land, a 1989 Game Boy launch title. In that game, she is introduced as the princess of Sarasaland, a peaceful kingdom that gets invaded by Tatanga, a mysterious evil alien with hypnotic powers. Tatanga uses his abilities to hypnotize the people of Daisy’s kingdom, turning them into enemies for Mario to fight, all to force Daisy into marrying him — a plot that mirrors a certain King Koopa’s schemes in another Mario kingdom.The Super Mario Galaxy Movie loosely builds its plot around the core narrative of the original Super Mario Galaxy game, with several major changes, so it’s logical to assume that a Daisy-focused sequel would draw partial inspiration from Super Mario Land, which would mean Bowser could finally step back to let a new villain take the lead. There’s also a strong chance the film would incorporate other traits of Daisy’s character from later games, most notably her long-teased relationship with Luigi. But even before Daisy’s post-credits reveal, there’s a small plot thread earlier in the film that could end up being critical for future Mario films, or even other upcoming Nintendo adaptations.A Shared Nintendo Multiverse?Fox McCloud’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie might end up being more important than anyone predicted. | Universal PicturesFans were extremely excited when it was announced that Star Fox’s Fox McCloud would appear in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, even though most fans initially assumed it would only be a quick cameo. Thankfully, that isn’t the case: Glen Powell’s take on the character gets a full supporting role, and is easily one of the film’s biggest highlights. He even gets an extended backstory sequence animated in a fresh, anime-inspired 2D art style, where we meet the other members of the Star Fox team: Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad.But the most intriguing detail isn’t the Star Fox fan service (or the barrel roll jokes): it’s the reveal that Fox McCloud comes from an entirely separate universe, and ended up in Mario’s dimension after running into a wormhole anomaly while patrolling the Lylat system. The last time we see Fox in the movie, he flies back through a wormhole to return to his home, but the fact that the multiverse’s existence is confirmed so casually is more than enough to spark wild speculation from Nintendo fans about potential spin-offs.The most obvious spin-off is a standalone Star Fox film, or even an animated series, and it makes perfect sense on paper: the IP is a widely beloved Nintendo staple, a popular A-list actor is already attached to the lead role, and the core basics of Fox’s story have already been introduced in an accessible way through his guest appearance. It could even use the same 2D animation style as Fox’s flashback sequence. A Star Fox spin-off that draws visual inspiration from classic space epics and animated hits like Voltron practically writes itself.But of course, it’s impossible not to wonder what other projects could be waiting beyond Mario’s universe. Could an animated Kirby adventure be on the way? Could the brief Pikmin cameo in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie be the starting point for a family-friendly comedy based on the hit puzzle game series? Or, what is likely the most far-fetched fan dream, could Nintendo be laying the groundwork for a Super Smash Bros. on-screen crossover? While Nintendo has generally kept its separate game franchises disconnected outside of rare exceptions, that doesn’t have to be the case for its film adaptations. No matter whether Nintendo is building an interconnected universe behind the scenes or not, it’s all but guaranteed we’ll see more of Mario’s galaxy in the near future.The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is in theaters now. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.
2026 Masters Betting Guide: Odds, Expert Predictions & Top Picks
(AsiaGameHub) - The year’s first golf major is here, as The Masters gets underway next week at Augusta National. Rory McIlroy is the defending champion, having completed his career grand slam last year. DraftKings Odds for The Masters Take a look at the odds for top contenders to win The Masters at DraftKings: Scottie Scheffler +405 Jon Rahm +850 Rory McIlroy +1000 Bryson DeChambeau +1075 Xander Schauffele +1800 Ludvig Aberg +2000 Cameron Young +2350 Tommy Fleetwood +2500 Matt Fitzpatrick +2600 Collin Morikawa +3100 Justin Rose +3600 Jordan Spieth +3800 Brooks Koepka +3800 Hideki Matsuyama +3900 Russell Henley +4200 Chris Gotterup +4300 Patrick Reed +4400 Robert MacIntyre +4600 Viktor Hovland +4600 Si Woo Kim +4700 Min Woo Lee +5400 Justin Thomas +5500 Patrick Cantlay +5700 Adam Scott +6200 Akshay Bhatia +6500 Sepp Straka +6700 Jason Day +6800 Tyrrell Hatton +6800 Jake Knapp +6900 Shane Lowry +7000 Scottie Scheffler, as usual, is the betting favorite. He’s aiming for his third green jacket after winning in 2022 and 2024. Top Picks for the 2026 Masters Champion Favorite Pick: Ludvig Aberg (+2000) Ludvig Aberg is competing in The Masters for the third time. The skilled Swede made a splash at Augusta National in his 2024 debut, finishing as runner-up. Last year, Aberg was tied for the lead with McIlroy and Justin Rose late in Sunday’s final round. Regrettably, he bogeyed the 17th hole and suffered a triple bogey on the 8th, dropping to seventh place by the end. The question isn’t whether Aberg will win The Masters, but when and how many times. We’re optimistic about his chances this year, given his tied-for-third finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied-for-fifth at The Players Championship. Sleeper Pick: Russell Henley (+4200) Russell Henley is still chasing his first major title, but he’s on the cusp of a breakthrough. The Georgia native finished tied for fourth at the 2023 Masters—his best result in a major tournament to date. He also notched a solo fifth-place finish at the 2024 Open Championship and a tied-for-seventh at the US Open that same year. Henley earned his fifth PGA Tour win at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this year. If he finds himself in contention again on Sunday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him wearing a green jacket. Photo by Kris Johnson Longshot Pick: Adam Scott (+6200) Do you remember Justin Rose at Augusta National last year? Only McIlroy’s inspired playoff performance kept him from claiming the green jacket. Adam Scott could be this year’s version of Rose—he won The Masters in 2013 and was runner-up in 2011. At 45, both players are still playing some of the best golf of their careers. Scott is making his 25th career start at The Masters, with five top-10 finishes at Augusta National under his belt. With his long drives and deft touch on the greens, Scott has the game to win here again. His recent form includes a fourth-place finish at Riviera and a tied-for-11th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.
Macao Police Arrest Alleged Gambling Fraudster from China
(AsiaGameHub) - Authorities in Macao have taken a self-proclaimed Chinese gambling expert into custody following an inquiry into suspected embezzlement and fraud. While investigators withheld the individual's name, TDM, a Macao media outlet, reported that the suspect is a 31-year-old man from Mainland China. According to police, the individual swindled a middle-aged woman out of roughly 255,000 patacas (nearly $32,000) by offering to instruct her in gambling techniques. Law enforcement noted that the "guru" first encountered the woman last November and scheduled a gambling trip to Macao shortly thereafter. To establish credibility regarding his supposed expertise, the man reportedly showed the victim a WeChat Pay balance totaling 1.8 million yuan (exceeding $260,400) on multiple occasions before they began gambling, police said. Upon arriving in Macao, the pair met near the Hengqin Port checkpoint and reportedly visited two local casinos. A government building located in Macao's Hengqin Port district. (Image: Enviro2800 [CC BY-SA 4.0]) Gambling Expert Apprehended at Border Crossing Officials stated that the man secured two loans from the victim under the guise of demonstrating his gambling prowess. His reputation as a skilled player was quickly debunked when he proceeded to lose the majority of the borrowed funds, police noted. The suspect allegedly told the woman he was unable to pay her back immediately, citing daily transfer restrictions on the electronic payment platform. The man subsequently fled the scene and attempted to return to the mainland, but was intercepted and arrested at a border checkpoint on March 24. During the ensuing interrogation, investigators determined that his claims of possessing over $260,000 in his digital accounts were entirely fabricated. Police concluded that the suspect lacked the necessary funds to reimburse the victim for the borrowed money. Ongoing Enforcement Efforts Macao law enforcement is maintaining its push against crimes linked to the gaming industry. On March 30, the Judiciary Police announced the arrest of a 32-year-old Mainland Chinese national at Macao International Airport. This individual, along with a suspected partner, is accused of tricking an unauthorized currency exchanger out of casino chips valued at more than $2,760. The woman who was targeted in the scam will also face charges for her involvement in an illicit currency exchange ring, according to police. Authorities observed that unregulated currency exchange activities are prevalent in the vicinity of Macao's casinos. Earlier in January, the Public Security Police Department detained a man suspected of conducting thousands of dollars worth of unauthorized currency trades involving Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese tender near major gaming venues. This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content. AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.
Analysts caution that Iran’s ceasefire effort may constitute a ‘deceptive cycle’ as a shadowy figure rises in power.
(SeaPRwire) - On Wednesday, President Donald Trump indicated that Iran might be pursuing a ceasefire, though observers argue that true authority remains with hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members, specifically the newly prominent Commander Ahmad Vahidi.While Trump did not specify the individual, his remarks appeared to target President Masoud Pezeshkian. Trump posted that Iran's new leader, whom he described as more intelligent and less radical than previous ones, had requested a ceasefire. Trump noted the U.S. would only consider this once the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, threatening to otherwise return Iran to the "Stone Ages."Analysts warn, however, that the Iranian president does not have the final say on matters of military engagement.Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Digital that Pezeshkian does not possess the power to initiate or terminate a major war with the U.S.Instead, experts suggest that actual control is held by high-ranking IRGC-linked figures like Vahidi, Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and security official Mohammad Zolghadr, who function within interconnected power structures.Much focus is now on Vahidi, a veteran IRGC commander viewed as a radical strategist whose return to the spotlight signals a transition within the Iranian leadership.Beni Sabti, an Iran specialist at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies, cautioned that Iran's use of the term "ceasefire" may differ from Western definitions.He referenced the concept of "hudna," a deceptive truce used to rebuild strength during periods of weakness before resuming attacks against the U.S. or Israel.Sabti noted that these pauses often lead to an endless cycle of ideologically driven violence rather than a permanent cessation of conflict.Vahidi, the new IRGC commander, is central to this atmosphere of uncertainty.Sabti described Vahidi to Digital as a violent individual from a generation rooted in guerrilla tactics.According to Sabti, Vahidi was part of an early group of operatives who established connections with Lebanese militants around the time of the 1979 revolution, forming the basis for Iran's regional strategy and its alliance with Hezbollah.Vahidi eventually rose to lead the Quds Force in the 1990s, overseeing international operations.He has been implicated in major international attacks, such as the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing and the 1994 AMIA Jewish center bombing in Argentina.Sabti also mentioned allegations that Vahidi maintained ties with al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, illustrating Iran's readiness to partner with groups opposed to Western interests.Despite holding various political roles, Sabti noted that Vahidi never truly left the Revolutionary Guards, keeping his influence tied to the regime's security core."He remained a member of the Revolutionary Guards throughout, even in uniform," Sabti said, noting this is a common practice for Iranian officials in politics.Sabti also highlighted Vahidi's role in crushing Kurdish revolts in the late 1970s, emphasizing his long history with internal security.Vahidi's return comes as Iran's internal power structure appears increasingly fragmented and concentrated in competing networks.Ben Taleblu observed that it is currently unclear how well-coordinated the Iranian government's military and political moves are.He characterized the Iranian regime as a "system of men" rather than laws, where personal influence is more important than official titles.This trend has sharpened during the ongoing conflict."We are witnessing the rise of the IRGC across various political and security sectors in Iran," he stated.Ben Taleblu added that the IRGC's growing dominance will lead to a more aggressive regime, even as its military capabilities decline.Sabti suggested that Vahidi might currently hold more sway than other leaders like Ghalibaf or Mojtaba Khamenei."In my estimation, he is the dominant figure right now, even if they are working together," Sabti said, adding that internal rivalry is currently sidelined.He warned that Vahidi's influence could lead to a more radicalized Iranian stance.Sabti noted that Vahidi might prefer to continue the conflict as it benefits the Revolutionary Guards' interests."They could dominate the region if the U.S. retreats, which aligns with his goals," he said.While Trump's comments sparked hope for diplomacy, experts warn that these signals might not represent a unified Iranian front.Ben Taleblu questioned whether the message received by Trump was sincere or merely the maneuvering of an ambitious individual.He reiterated that Pezeshkian lacks the power to decide on major military conflicts with the U.S.This suggests that any diplomatic outreach could be a tactical move or a result of internal contradictions.Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but no response was provided before the story was published. 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Turkey’s Role in NATO Under Scrutiny Amid New Report on Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood Ties
(SeaPRwire) - FIRST ON FOX: A new study is causing alarm about Turkey's position in the Middle East, contending that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership has steered the nation from its conventional Western alliances toward stronger involvement with Islamist groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood.A report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, authored by senior fellow Sinan Ciddi and named "Islamist Domination of Turkey: A Forward Base for Muslim Brotherhood-Aligned Jihadism," states that Turkey maintains connections to Hamas—the group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. that carried out the Oct. 7 massacre—and to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement whose branches have recently been labeled terrorist organizations by the United States. This casts a fresh spotlight on Turkey's policies as it gets ready to hold a NATO summit.Ciddi informed Digital that this change indicates a wider shift in Turkey's perception of threats."Turkey has entirely redefined the criteria for identifying a jihadist terrorist organization," Ciddi stated. "Erdoğan has reconfigured the interpretation of a terrorist entity… groups like Hamas or al-Nusra align with his pan-Islamist worldview."A key element of the report is Turkey's association with Hamas, which the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization. Despite this, Hamas increased its activities in Turkey after 2011, setting up offices and networks within the country."Starting in 2011… Hamas exploited the chance presented by a sympathetic government in Turkey to open offices, conduct recruitment, and raise funds," Ciddi explained.U.S. officials have moved against some of these networks. The Treasury Department has identified Hamas-linked people and organizations working in Turkey, a fact Ciddi noted highlights persistent worries."The U.S. Treasury has been monitoring and designating Hamas-connected NGOs and individuals within Turkey," he said.The study further claims that certain Hamas agents have traveled using documents provided by Turkey and that high-ranking members have been officially welcomed by Erdoğan.In addition to Hamas, the report characterizes Turkey as a central location for Muslim Brotherhood members from various regions, including Egypt and Yemen, numerous of whom moved there after facing suppression in their native countries.In several Arab nations, the Muslim Brotherhood has faced bans or limitations for many years.Egypt banned the group in 2013, charging it with provoking instability and weakening state bodies. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates subsequently classified it as a terrorist organization, calling it a danger to national security, and Bahrain took a comparable position.Jordan disbanded its local branch this year after arrests that officials claimed were associated with illegal weapons operations.Certain European nations have also implemented measures aimed at networks associated with the movement.For instance, Austria has initiated legal proceedings against people and groups it alleges are involved in Brotherhood-related activities as a component of its counter-extremism strategies.Authorities in these countries contend that the Brotherhood functions through a combination of religious activities, political advocacy, charity groups, and media outlets to sway public sentiment and oppose governmental control.The report also looks into Turkey's involvement in Syria, where it supported opposition groups in the civil war, aiding various armed factions, including those that eventually created the Syrian National Army."The Syrian National Army… was an assortment of militias that Turkey directly equipped, financed, and coordinated," he stated.The report connects Turkish backing to organizations like al-Nusra and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, leading analysts to question if these relationships might make Turkish officials vulnerable to possible U.S. sanctions.Notwithstanding these issues, other experts indicate that Turkey's alliance with the United States still serves to check its actions, and the rapport between Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been marked by restored confidence, with Trump commending Erdoğan's diplomatic efforts in Gaza.When Trump hailed the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in October 2025, he gave exceptional recognition to one leader—Erdoğan—whose efforts he acknowledged for assisting in achieving the Gaza ceasefire."A guy who’s been a friend of mine for a long time. I don’t know why I like the tough people better than the soft, easy ones," Trump remarked about Erdoğan at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in October 2025. "This gentleman from a place called Turkey is one of the most powerful in the world… He’s a tough cookie—but he’s my friend."Hişyar Özsoy, a Turkish politician and scholar, characterized the Erdoğan-Trump relationship as "transactional," observing that Washington frequently depends on Turkey for regional cooperation.During a policy webinar organized by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, Turkish scholar Hüseyin Bağcı stressed that Ankara maintains close links to Washington."The Turkish state has no desire to confront Israel because the Turkish government enjoys strong relations with the United States of America," he commented. "You cannot have good relations with America and simultaneously be in dispute with Israel."Bağcı also indicated that Turkey has occasionally restrained Islamist elements within its borders."Today, do you hear anything about" the Muslim Brotherhood, he asked. "No… because the president said to stop."Turkey, having been a NATO member since 1952, continues to be an important ally for the United States, offering logistical support, military assets, and diplomatic influence.However, Ciddi maintained that Turkey's present path is growing more misaligned with the alliance's key objectives."There is a documented history… of Turkey substantially compromising the fundamental security interests of the transatlantic alliance," he asserted.He referenced U.S. sanctions on Turkish organizations charged with providing dual-use items to Russia, in addition to Ankara's general approach of sustaining relationships with rival powers.Regarding Turkey's stance in tensions with Iran, Ciddi suggested Turkey would probably prefer an enfeebled Iranian government over a total downfall that might lead to a more Western-friendly administration."A weakened Iranian regime is Erdoğan's most secure option," he said.Bağcı provided a comparable evaluation of the competition."Iran is not an adversary of Turkey, but not exactly a close ally either. Turkey and Iran are two regional rivals," he noted.The report proposes possible U.S. policy measures, such as sanctions and heightened oversight of Turkey's financial system, actions that might redefine the relationship between Washington and Ankara.Digital made several attempts to contact the Turkish government and the State Department for a statement but got no reply before publication. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.















