PLANO, Texas, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aduna, the global aggregator of standardized network APIs, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sekura.id, now a part of XConnect, a leading solution provider in mobile identity and numbering intelligence. The collaboration will accelerate the adoption of CAMARA-Compliant APIs such as Number Verification (NV), SIM Swap (SS), and Know Your Customer (KYC), while establishing a foundation to enable future APIs that support emerging digital identity, authentication, and fraud protection use cases. Together, the companies will help enterprises and operators strengthen digital trust, reduce fraud and scale secure services across industries. 

Through the agreement, Aduna will provide streamlined access to standardized APIs via its single aggregation layer, reducing complexity for enterprises and accelerating time-to-market. By combining XConnect’s global numbering intelligence with Sekura.id’s proven expertise in API onboarding and in-life service enablement, the partnership creates a ready-made route for banks, fintechs, e-commerce platforms, and digital merchants to easily adopt robust mobile identity, authentication, and fraud-prevention services.

“Number Verification, SIM Swap and Know Your Customer APIs are essential to protecting consumers and enterprises from fraud,” said Anthony Bartolo, CEO, Aduna, “By working with Sekura.id and XConnect, we can accelerate operator onboarding and scale trusted identity services worldwide.”

“This unique partnership with Aduna allows operators to commercialise APIs faster than ever before by giving enterprises a simple, reliable way to reduce fraud while complying with increasing regulation and compliance challenges,” said Eli Katz, CEO & Founder, XConnect. “Together, we are building a global foundation for secure identity services; combined with our number information services, this will enable customers to enhance their authentication portfolio and stay ahead in the evolving identity and validation space. Restoring trust in transactions is core to who we are, and this exciting collaboration only strengthens that mission.”

The MoU provides a framework for collaboration on market enablement, operator onboarding, and enterprise engagement, paving the way for broader commercial launches in 2025.

About XConnect

XConnect, a wholly owned subsidiary of Somos Inc., is a leading provider of global numbering intelligence covering more than 240 territories, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and compliance for routing, rating, digital identity, and fraud prevention solutions. Sekura.id, part of XConnect, specialises in human-first mobile identity and antifraud network APIs. Partnering with over 100 mobile network operators, Sekura.id reaches more than 2 billion subscribers worldwide.

Together, XConnect and Sekura.id‘s unique, powerful combination of global numbering data and deep experience in antifraud network APIs enables mobile network operators, CPaaS providers, and enterprises to deliver trusted digital services through seamless, scalable, and secure harmonised network APIs – solutions which protect identities, prevent fraud, and deliver next-level customer experiences.

About Aduna

Aduna is a landmark venture between some of the world’s leading telecom operators and Ericsson, dedicated to enabling developers worldwide to accelerate innovation by leveraging networks to their full potential via common network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Its venture partners include AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, e&, KDDI, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone. By combining network APIs from multiple operators globally under a unified platform based on the CAMARA open-source project, driven by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation, Aduna provides a standardized platform to foster collaboration, enhance user experiences, and drive industry growth.

To find out more about network APIs and Aduna, visit adunaglobal.com. 

PLANO, Texas, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Aduna, the global aggregator of standardized network APIs, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sekura.id, now a part of XConnect, a leading solution provider in mobile identity and numbering intelligence. The collaboration will accelerate the adoption of CAMARA-Compliant APIs such as Number Verification (NV), SIM Swap (SS), and Know Your Customer (KYC), while establishing a foundation to enable future APIs that support emerging digital identity, authentication, and fraud protection use cases. Together, the companies will help enterprises and operators strengthen digital trust, reduce fraud and scale secure services across industries. 

Through the agreement, Aduna will provide streamlined access to standardized APIs via its single aggregation layer, reducing complexity for enterprises and accelerating time-to-market. By combining XConnect’s global numbering intelligence with Sekura.id’s proven expertise in API onboarding and in-life service enablement, the partnership creates a ready-made route for banks, fintechs, e-commerce platforms, and digital merchants to easily adopt robust mobile identity, authentication, and fraud-prevention services.

“Number Verification, SIM Swap and Know Your Customer APIs are essential to protecting consumers and enterprises from fraud,” said Anthony Bartolo, CEO, Aduna, “By working with Sekura.id and XConnect, we can accelerate operator onboarding and scale trusted identity services worldwide.”

“This unique partnership with Aduna allows operators to commercialise APIs faster than ever before by giving enterprises a simple, reliable way to reduce fraud while complying with increasing regulation and compliance challenges,” said Eli Katz, CEO & Founder, XConnect. “Together, we are building a global foundation for secure identity services; combined with our number information services, this will enable customers to enhance their authentication portfolio and stay ahead in the evolving identity and validation space. Restoring trust in transactions is core to who we are, and this exciting collaboration only strengthens that mission.”

The MoU provides a framework for collaboration on market enablement, operator onboarding, and enterprise engagement, paving the way for broader commercial launches in 2025.

About XConnect

XConnect, a wholly owned subsidiary of Somos Inc., is a leading provider of global numbering intelligence covering more than 240 territories, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and compliance for routing, rating, digital identity, and fraud prevention solutions. Sekura.id, part of XConnect, specialises in human-first mobile identity and antifraud network APIs. Partnering with over 100 mobile network operators, Sekura.id reaches more than 2 billion subscribers worldwide.

Together, XConnect and Sekura.id‘s unique, powerful combination of global numbering data and deep experience in antifraud network APIs enables mobile network operators, CPaaS providers, and enterprises to deliver trusted digital services through seamless, scalable, and secure harmonised network APIs – solutions which protect identities, prevent fraud, and deliver next-level customer experiences.

About Aduna

Aduna is a landmark venture between some of the world’s leading telecom operators and Ericsson, dedicated to enabling developers worldwide to accelerate innovation by leveraging networks to their full potential via common network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Its venture partners include AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, e&, KDDI, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone. By combining network APIs from multiple operators globally under a unified platform based on the CAMARA open-source project, driven by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation, Aduna provides a standardized platform to foster collaboration, enhance user experiences, and drive industry growth.

To find out more about network APIs and Aduna, visit adunaglobal.com. 

Logo: https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/aduna_logo-4.jpg

Partnership highlights AR-enhanced engagement for live video streaming and happy hour event at IBC

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Agora (NASDAQ: API), a global leader in real-time engagement and conversational AI technology, and Banuba, a pioneer in AR & AI effects for video conferencing and other domains, will highlight their ongoing collaboration at IBC 2025 in Amsterdam. Together, the companies are bringing advanced AR and AI-powered video capabilities to developers, broadcasters, and media platforms looking to deliver more immersive and interactive real-time experiences.

Banuba’s advanced AR technology, including AI background replacement, studio lighting, customizable beauty filters, and “weatherman mode”, offers creators and media companies tools to deliver polished and interactive content in real time. Agora’s ultra-low-latency infrastructure ensures these effects can be applied instantly, enhancing live engagement across entertainment, social media, education, and more.

“Video today is about more than entertainment. It’s a canvas for creativity and connection,” said Tony Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Agora. “By integrating Banuba’s AR innovations into our real-time video stack, we’re giving developers and media brands the ability to deliver live experiences that are more exciting and engaging.”

Banuba offers a wide range of face filters, from beautification and hair color to avatars and game filters. Banuba’s latest updates provide more advanced capabilities compatible with Agora’s real-time video streaming:

• AI Background Replacement — Enhanced segmentation accuracy even in complex scenes.
• Studio Lighting — Simulated light sources to improve image and video quality.
• “Weatherman Mode” — Dynamic positioning within live or pre-recorded video feeds.
• Improved Touch-Up — Realistic and customizable beauty filters.
• Banuba Studio — A new web-based tool for building and testing AR filters.

“Our latest AR features are designed to empower creators and broadcasters to look their best and express themselves in entirely new ways,” said Dmitry Ogievich, CEO and Co-Founder at Banuba. “With Agora, these tools become part of a seamless, high-quality, real-time experience.”

IBC2025: Voice AI in Media Happy Hour

Agora, Banuba, and VisualOn will be joining forces at IBC 2025 in Amsterdam to showcase how real-time AI and AR are transforming the media landscape. As part of the event, the companies will co-host an exclusive Voice AI in Media Happy Hour:

• Date & Time:Friday, September 12, 2025, from 15:00–18:00
• Location: Krusta Pizza Bar & Restaurant, Europaplein 13, 1078 GS Amsterdam (1-minute walk from RAI Convention Center)
• Details: Connect with media leaders, developers, and AI innovators for a fun-filled late afternoon featuring insightful conversations, great food, and forward-thinking discussions.

The Happy Hour is part of Agora’s Convo AI World Event Series, a global series dedicated to bringing together product leaders, developers, and innovators to explore the future of real-time conversational AI.

Together, Agora and Banuba are helping media companies, developers, and creators deliver more engaging, expressive, and interactive video experiences live, in real time.

Register for the Voice AI in Media Happy Hour at IBC here: https://luma.com/ejz5g4p7

About Agora
Agora is the global leader in real-time engagement, providing developers with simple, flexible, and powerful APIs to embed real-time conversational AI, voice, video, interactive live streaming, and chat into their applications and IoT devices. Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA, Agora is trusted by over 1,700 leading organizations across the globe to power best-in-class real-time experiences from social media and live shopping to education and telehealth. For more information about Agora (NASDAQ: API), visit: www.agora.io.

About Banuba
Banuba is an augmented reality company with over 9 years on the market, pioneering artificial intelligence, face tracking, virtual try-on, and virtual background technologies. Banuba provides software development kits (SDKs) for augmented reality and video editing, as well as ready-to-integrate solutions for virtual try-on on face, hair and hand.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Imaging Endpoints (IE), the global leader in Imaging CRO technologies and services for oncology trials, announced the filing of a provisional patent application for its revolutionary AI enhanced Imaging Review Charter (IRC) system. This innovative AIRC System™ is designed to enhance highly customized IRCs for clinical trials, setting new standards in the industry.

Imaging Endpoints Announces Patent Application for AIRC System™

Imaging Endpoints is the scientific leader in customizing and optimizing image acquisition and analysis for clinical trials in oncology, with the most sophisticated approach in the industry for ensuring clarification(s) and/or modification(s) of published criteria to enhance each unique clinical trial design. This advanced approach to image analysis has contributed to the Company’s remarkable 95% marketing approval success rate across over 200 regulatory approvals supported. 

The new AIRC System addresses long-standing challenges in trial imaging design by assisting in the assimilation of data for intelligent, tailored modifications and/or clarifications to standard oncology criteria while ensuring alignment to current regulatory requirements of the FDA, EMA and other regulatory agencies across the globe.

Key Features of the New AIRC System:

• Dynamic Customization: The system includes a customization module that integrates datasets from industry standards, published oncology criteria, Imaging Endpoints’ library of analysis customizations, and trial information from the study protocol and experimental agent (such as mechanism of action), to generate dynamic IRC documents.
• Criteria Optimization: The System provides the largest dataset and leading method for the identification of specific criteria clarifications and/or modifications that are required to optimize image acquisition and analysis for each unique trial.
• Enhanced Regulatory Compliance: By integrating requirements, standards, guidelines and recent industry-wide findings of the FDA and other regulatory agencies globally, while more clearly describing criteria enhancements, the AIRC System helps to optimize adherence to regulatory standards while improving the efficiency of sponsor and Agency review.
• Increased Efficiency: The System utilizes AI to compile and integrate applicable data for IE’s Physician, Scientific, Operations, and Regulatory experts to evaluate — enabling faster trial setup with highly reliable outcomes.

Doug Dean Burkett, CEO and President of Imaging Endpoints, commented on the innovation: “For over fifteen years, IE has been at the forefront of imaging CRO services within oncology. The filing of this patent marks another milestone in our commitment to Connect Imaging to the Cure™. This AI enhanced IRC System enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of oncology trials while further solidifying our industry leadership.”

For more information, or a copy of Imaging Endpoint’s recent white paper on criteria optimization, see Optimizing Imaging Response Criteria for Improved Outcomes in Oncology Clinical Trials

About Imaging Endpoints

Imaging Endpoints (IE) is passionately focused on its vision to Connect Imaging to the Cure. With a flawless global inspection record and a remarkable 95% marketing authorization success rate, IE has a proven track record of supporting successful regulatory submissions across the globe. IE’s commitment to quality, innovation, rapid turnaround times, and operational excellence has positioned it as the global leader in oncology imaging.

Imaging Endpoints is the largest oncology Imaging CRO, with 8 offices strategically located across 6 countries including Scottsdale, AZ, Cambridge, MA; London, UK; Leiden, Netherlands; Basel, Switzerland; Hyderabad, India; and Shanghai, China.

IE is an affiliate of HonorHealth, one of the largest healthcare systems nationally, and Southwest Medical Imaging, Ltd. (SMIL/RadPartners), part of the largest private radiology group in the U.S.

For further media queries, please contact: IE.MediaRelations@imagingendpoints.com | Contact no. +1 480.314.3070.

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FOTILE and the North America Asian Food Industry Alliance (NAAFIA) hosted “Flavors from the East” at Production Central near Times Square, where acclaimed chefs from New York’s top Chinese restaurants shared live cooking demonstrations, tastings, and culinary storytelling. Two consuls from the Chinese Consulate General in New York, along with a chef, attended the event. What started as a cultural feast of Chinese cuisine turned into an opportunity to spotlight FOTILE’s revolutionary In-Sink Dishwasher X20 Max.

Recently, FOTILE’s In-Sink Dishwasher series has gained traction among U.S. consumers, particularly those dealing with space constraints in smaller homes, apartments, RVs, and ADUs. The counter-height design has also resonated with households that include elderly family members or expectant mothers who prefer not to bend over when loading dishes.

This time, the brand-new X20 Max has sparked even greater attention.It features five key innovations: High-Pressure HydroJet technology for enhanced cleaning power; a 4-Stage Bubble Scrubbing System that removes stains and pesticide residues; the Pur-Drainage system that prevents backflow and odors; Baby-Safe Sterilization Mode that eliminates 99.9999% of germs; and an integrated smart sink design that combines washing, food prep, and drainage functions. Unlike traditional dishwashers, FOTILE’s In-Sink Dishwasher goes beyond washing bowls and plates—it can also clean vegetables, seafood, and cookware, making it a next-generation solution. These features position it as both a space-saving dishwasher and a comprehensive kitchen appliance.

“FOTILE’s vision is not only to help people cook, but also to provide cleaning solutions for a healthier, more effortless kitchen experience,” said Yinping Li, General Manager at FOTILE America.

Guests praised the In-Sink Dishwasher’s design and practicality, noting how seamlessly it fit into the flow of everyday life. One local guest shared, “It’s really amazing, I never thought a dishwasher could clean crabs and lobsters, not just bowls and plates.” What began as a celebration of culture and cuisine quickly turned into an exploration of how thoughtful technology can elevate both modern living and traditional culinary practices.

Guests’ enthusiastic reception highlighted a bigger theme: Chinese innovation is increasingly shaping global expectations. Rooted in the realities of Chinese kitchens yet universally applicable, the Chinese dishwasher demonstrates how user-centric design can deliver meaningful solutions to households around the world.

“Chinese food carries our history and artistry,” noted one participating chef. “Having technology that understands and supports our cooking methods while making kitchens more efficient is truly revolutionary.”

Even as guests enjoyed signature dishes from Cantonese, Hubei, and Sichuan traditions, the Chinese dishwasher remained part of the experience, integrated naturally into the cooking and cleaning workflow. Rather than distracting from the culinary artistry, it enhanced hygiene, efficiency, and creativity in the kitchen.

By the end of the event, “Flavors from the East” had become more than a cultural exchange. It was also a showcase of how modern Chinese brands like FOTILE are marrying tradition with innovation, offering tangible improvements that transcend cultural boundaries and resonate with international households.

About FOTILE

FOTILE has a rich history of designing, engineering, and manufacturing unique and innovative kitchen appliances for over 29 years. FOTILE’s journey started in 1996 when it set out to build the best kitchen range hood focused on extraction power with the least amount of noise. Noticing a gap in the market, FOTILE was created to engineer innovative products that solve consumers’ pain points and elevate their experience in the kitchen. Today, FOTILE is a major manufacturer of kitchen appliances, such as range hoods, cooktops, dishwasher combo systems, and various ovens that use various cooking technologies.

Media Contact: fotile@5wpr.com

Chinese home tech brand Hizero has redefined home cleaning at IFA 2025. Its new H100 Handheld Hard Surface Cleaner combines proprietary No-Suction Technology with a high-absorbent Multi-Roller, delivering streak-free surfaces faster and more efficiently than traditional cleaners. The innovation has already earned Hizero an IFA Innovation Award, highlighting its potential to set a new industry standard.

BERLIN, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — At IFA 2025 in Berlin, Hizero Appliances Corporation has reaffirmed its position as a category leader in home cleaning innovation with the launch of the H100 Handheld Hard Surface Cleaner.

With the H100’s unveiling, Hizero is expanding its footprint in the cleaning world. Powered by proprietary No-Suction Technology, the H100 overcomes the limitations of traditional vacuums and mops. Its highly absorbent Multi-Roller cleans glass, mirrors, tables, tiles, and windshields, leaving surfaces dry and streak-free after a single pass. The global launch is planned for December 2025, positioning Hizero to redefine the premium cleaning market.

The brand’s booth drew significant international attention from visitors, journalists, and digital creators. Hizero also received an IFA Innovation Award from House Digest, reinforcing its reputation as a disruptor in cleaning technology.

In an interview with China Daily, Hizero CEO Mr. Li emphasized the company’s unique position in the market:
“People call Hizero many things—some say it’s a bionic mop, others describe it as an all-in-one or a smart mop. The name doesn’t matter. What matters is that when you set the standard, you define the category—and you earn the right to command a premium.”

Among more than 700 Chinese companies at IFA, Hizero showcased not only its technological innovation but also its global ambitions. With the H100, the company is on track to set new benchmarks for performance, convenience, and modern home cleaning solutions.

About Hizero
Founded with the mission to reinvent home cleaning, the Chinese Home Tech brand Hizero is the pioneer of No Suction Technology (NST), delivering a smarter, quieter, and more sustainable way to clean floors. With a growing product ecosystem and presence in multiple European, Asian and North American markets, Hizero is fast building the cleaning platform of the future. www.hizero.com