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CONNECTED Conference Unites Over 2,000 Global Innovators to Conceptualize Humanity’s Future

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The CONNECTED-2024 conference, held on October 18-19 in Astana, brought together over 2,000 participants from 27 countries, including leading futurists and experts who shared their insights on the future of humanity. The event focused on creating a synchronized vision grounded in harmony and synergy, addressing the rapid advancement of technology.

This international conference served as a unique platform for globally recognized thought leaders to present their perspectives on contemporary challenges and opportunities. By uniting global agents of change—including individuals, social movements, and organizations—the conference aimed to foster social transformation and elevate collective consciousness.

Notable attendees hailed from various nations, including the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland, Croatia, Finland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, China, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Israel, Turkey, the UAE, South Africa, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.

Serik Tolukpayev, entrepreneur and founder of AITAS, the event’s general sponsor, highlighted the prevailing sense of uncertainty in today’s world. “We face significant global challenges and conflicts across geopolitics, religion, and ideology. Together, we sought to explore a fundamental question: what should we do with our ego? It is vital that we pave the way for these discussions,” Tolukpayev remarked.

“Our mission is to demonstrate that a community in Kazakhstan is proactively thinking about the future—20 to 30 years ahead. Understanding what world will succeed our current one is crucial, and I believe it should be governed by human values and harmony,” he added.

Serik Zhunussov, CEO of the AITAS Foundation and founder of CONNECTED, echoed these sentiments. “We aim to approach today’s pressing world issues through a broader worldview. In this time of uncertainty, is it possible to achieve global synchronization of our shared vision for the future? Nature provides us with examples of this, such as the synchronized movements of fireflies and metronomes. They illustrate an important truth: global narratives can find harmony.”

The CONNECTED conference embraced an Open Mind format, allowing participants to explore a range of perspectives across disciplines—from science and art to philosophy and social sciences. This approach fosters creative thinking, enhances empathy, and cultivates collaboration in an increasingly complex world.

“Responsibility towards the world, respect for humanity, societal benefits, environmental stewardship, and investment in future generations are integral to our mission. These principles are part of our organizational DNA,” stated Ruslan Zhemkov, Co-founder and General Producer of the conference. “We aim to unite talented thinkers from around the globe.”

A highlight of the conference was a keynote address by Yuval Noah Harari, historian and bestselling author, who discussed the implications of technology on humanity’s future. He cautioned against the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence developing its own values, emphasizing the need for proactive discourse on this critical issue.

“Humans have always lived in a world crafted by human consciousness. However, as AI begins to generate new values, we must grapple with the ramifications for our political and financial systems,” Harari warned.

Another prominent speaker, Gerd Leonhard, a Swiss futurist and author, presented on the dichotomy of technology’s potential. He stressed the importance of balancing technological advancement with the preservation of human values, stating, “In an era dominated by AI, our worth will be measured not by our efficiency but by our unique human qualities.”

The conference also featured other distinguished speakers, including Rae Kwon Chung, a Nobel laureate in green economy; Tanya Schindler, President of the Association of Futurists; and Peter Frankopan, Professor at the University of Oxford.

In addition to discussions, the conference hosted a Startup Battle competition for EdTech startups from Central Asia and Eastern Europe, awarding a total prize fund of $50,000 to five innovative teams.

Looking ahead, CONNECTED aims to become a permanent global platform for discourse among agents of change, addressing major global narratives and their associated challenges.

The general sponsor of CONNECTED is AITAS, Kazakhstan’s leading agro-industrial holding, with strategic partnerships from the Foundation for Sustainable Development of Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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SOURCE CONNECTED 2024

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Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and Positioning Company for Expansion in Renewable and Nutritional Energy Markets

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Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) A fully reporting company. Accelerates Growth Across Energy, Hospitality, and Sustainable Ventures, Driving Scalable Opportunities Worldwide.

LAS VEGAS, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL), an emerging diversified energy company focused on renewable energy and nutritional energy initiatives, today announced that the Company is now a fully reporting company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), marking a major turning point in the Company’s long term growth strategy and public market development.

Barrel Energy Inc. Announces Full SEC Reporting Status, Strengthening Marketability and positioning for Expansion.

“Our transition to becoming a fully reporting SEC company represents a significant milestone for Barrel Energy and an important step toward increasing the overall marketability and visibility of our stock,” said Jarmin Kaltsas. “We believe today’s market increasingly rewards transparency and compliance, and becoming fully reporting positions us to engage a wider audience of investors, strategic partners, and acquisition opportunities as we continue executing our long term growth strategy under the BRLL trading symbol.”

Management further stated that the Company plans to aggressively pursue growth initiatives intended to expand revenues, strengthen market presence, and enhance shareholder value through strategic business combinations, operational expansion, and scalable energy focused ventures.

About Barrel Energy Inc.

Barrel Energy Inc. (OTC: BRLL) is a diversified energy company focused on opportunities in renewable energy, and nutritional energy initiatives. The Company seeks to leverage strategic acquisitions, public market growth, and innovative energy solutions to create long term shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company’s periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission.

Barrel Energy – 3859 S. Valley View Blvd, STE 2 #107, Las Vegas, NV, 89103 Tel- 888- 397-9114 Email- info@BRLLenergy.com Social Media-@BRLLenergy all platforms.

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SOURCE Barrel Energy, Inc.

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Legacy Launches $1M Study Advancing At-Home Semen Collection for Assisted Reproduction Technology

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NEW YORK, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Legacy, the leading male fertility clinic and at-home sperm testing and cryopreservation platform, today announced the Sperm Study, a clinical research initiative backed by an R&D investment of over $1 million and designed to evaluate and optimize the use of at-home semen collection for assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including IVF and IUI.

Prospectively enrolling up to 250 participants across two phases, this study represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date into how specimen shipment, handling, and cryopreservation impact sperm quality and is expected to set a new benchmark for scientific rigor in the rapidly growing field of at-home fertility testing. This study is being conducted in collaboration with IVF Academy USA.

Raising the bar for clinical evidence in at-home fertility care

To date, validation work in at-home semen collection has been limited in important ways. Studies have largely enrolled normozoospermic men only, relied on courier-transported rather than real-world-shipped specimens, and focused on short-term motility and concentration as primary endpoints.

Critical questions remain unanswered, particularly around how samples with varying quality perform under genuine end-to-end shipping conditions, and how those samples hold up in the contexts that matter most clinically: IVF and IUI. The Sperm Study is designed to close those gaps.

This multi-phase study will evaluate key sperm quality parameters including motility, DNA fragmentation, and post-thaw viability, while also validating the use of computer-aided semen analysis (CASA) as an alternative to basic manual semen analysis in the setting of mail-in semen analysis.

“With the increased utilization of at-home semen testing and cryopreservation, there is a critical need to ensure these specimens will perform adequately when used for assisted reproduction,” said Legacy’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Scott Lundy. “This study is designed to rigorously evaluate how at-home collection and transport impact sperm quality across a broad patient population and to translate those findings into improved protocols and optimized outcomes for both patients and providers.”

Sperm study design and scientific approach

The Sperm Study is a prospectively accruing cross-sectional study in which paired semen samples are analyzed across multiple timepoints and during the shipment process. Importantly, this study enrolls participants across a range of semen quality profiles — not solely normozoospermic men — and evaluates samples under genuine shipping conditions experienced by real specimens.

Key study components include direct comparison of CASA vs. manual analysis at baseline, evaluation of motility decline over time and in relation to shipment conditions, measurement of DNA fragmentation pre- and post-shipment and cryopreservation, assessment of post-thaw sperm viability and yield, and the development of predictive algorithms for IVF/IUI sample sufficiency.

The study will also examine how factors such as transit time, concentration, and storage conditions impact outcomes, with the goal of generating generalizable insights for clinical practice.

Multi-phase rollout

Phase 1 includes 100 participants and approximately 1,500 total assays, with expected completion in 2026. Phase 2, planned for later in 2026 and into 2027, will expand the study with additional participants, bringing the total to up to 250 to enable broader validation across a more diverse patient population.

Impact on clinical practice

Findings from the Sperm Study are expected to directly inform and improve specimen collection protocols for at-home use, shipping and handling standards for semen samples, cryopreservation practices, and clinical decision-making for IVF and IUI readiness.

By generating high-quality, controlled data across a clinically representative patient population, Legacy aims to provide fertility clinics, researchers, and patients with greater confidence in the use of mail-in semen testing and cryopreservation as part of standard reproductive care.

About Legacy

Legacy is the leading male fertility clinic in the United States, offering at-home semen analysis, sperm cryopreservation, and post-vasectomy testing. With a CLIA-certified, high-complexity andrology lab and one of the largest proprietary datasets in male reproductive health, Legacy is advancing access, data, and innovation in fertility care.

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SOURCE Give Legacy, Inc.

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Elks Award Nearly $5 Million in College Scholarships

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CHICAGO, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Elks National Foundation welcomed 900 students to the Elks family, awarding more than $4.9 million in scholarships to high school seniors. An Elks scholarship is more than financial aid; it’s an invitation to a network of service-minded peers and a promise that an Elks Lodge is always there with open arms.

Out of more than 23,000 applicants for the Most Valuable Student scholarship, the Top 20 scholars received $30,000 scholarships and an invitation to Chicago for the Leadership Weekend.

From April 30-May 3, the Leadership Weekend allowed scholars to get acquainted with their new Elks family through programming facilitated by current and former Elks scholars, team-building activities, and a service opportunity.

“Leadership Weekend is one of my greatest memories,” says Emily Cai, sponsored by Toccoa, Ga., Lodge No. 1820. “I had the privilege of meeting inspirational and disciplined individuals who motivated me to become the best version of myself. I am excited to see my future with the Elks family!”

A total of 480 runners-up received $4,000 Most Valuable Student scholarships.

Service is a tenet of the Elks, which is why it’s a requirement for recipients of the $6,000 Legacy Awards scholarship, which is exclusively for the children or grandchildren of Elks members. The new class of 400 scholars will serve with an Elks Lodge three times during the four years they receive the scholarship.

“This award means a great deal to me and my family,” says Kelly Butler, sponsored by Haverstraw, N.Y., Lodge No. 877. “Knowing that the Elks have invested in my future motivates me to continue working hard and striving toward my goals.”

To see a full list of the scholarship winners and to learn more about the Elks National Foundation’s scholarships, visit elks.org/scholars, follow the ENF on Instagram @ElksScholars, and like the ENF on Facebook @ElksNationalFoundation.

Contact: Elks National Foundation
Abbey Knupp | Manager, Communications
2750 N. Lakeview Ave. | Chicago, IL 60614-2256
773/755-4864 | AbbeyK@elks.org 

Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities

The Elks National Foundation, the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, helps nearly 800,000 Elks and nearly 1,800 Lodges nationwide build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. To learn more, visit elks.org/enf.

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SOURCE ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.

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