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Planet Classroom Network reveals 10 global film premieres and features for August

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Six new premieres and four curated archive selections showcase how young filmmakers and global innovators are tackling the defining challenges of our time.

NEW YORK, Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Planet Classroom Network, produced by CMRubinWorld, today announced its August 2026 programming lineup, featuring six new premieres and four curated archive selections exploring artificial intelligence, climate action, healthcare innovation, social inclusion, creativity, and human connection.

Streaming throughout August on the Planet Classroom YouTube channel, the films bring together emerging filmmakers, youth leaders, scientists, artists, educators, and innovators from around the world. Together, they explore critical questions shaping society today:

How can AI enhance our lives while preserving authentic human connection? How can communities accelerate practical climate solutions? What does true economic inclusion look like? And how can society prepare young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world?

The August lineup reflects Planet Classroom’s ongoing mission to elevate youth voices, foster cross-cultural dialogue, promote ethical innovation, and spotlight practical solutions through powerful short-form storytelling.

“Young people are not waiting for the future to arrive—they are actively helping shape it,” said C. M. (Cathy) Rubin, Founder and CEO of the Planet Classroom Network. “This month’s films explore some of the most important issues facing our world while highlighting the creativity, resilience, and innovation emerging from the next generation of storytellers and changemakers.”

AUGUST 2026 PREMIERES

Net Zero Speaks to Andrew Blakers

Can the world run on 100 percent renewable energy without sacrificing grid reliability or affordability? Host Ivan Ransom speaks with Australian National University Professor Andrew Blakers, co-inventor of the PERC solar cell, about how ultra-low-cost solar power and off-river pumped hydro storage can accelerate the global transition to clean energy.

The Happiness Shop

Directed by Brianna Avnell, this uplifting documentary follows women with disabilities in Vietnam who transform recycled materials into handmade products—building confidence, economic independence, and community through inclusive employment.

Your Necklace

Award-winning young filmmaker Kayla Ling delivers a poignant narrative exploring childhood isolation, belonging, and empathy. Inspired by her own experiences, the film illustrates how small acts of inclusion can shape a young person’s future.

Can Los Angeles Pull Off the 2028 Olympics?

Filmmaker Olivia Lugo investigates whether Los Angeles can deliver its ambitious “no-build” Olympic strategy while navigating complex transit, housing, security, and infrastructure demands ahead of the 2028 Summer Games.

Late-Night Lifeline: When AI Becomes Someone to Talk To

Gabriela Zavala examines how young people across East Asia are turning to AI companion chatbots during moments of stress, loneliness, and anxiety—raising important questions about the future of digital mental health support.

What If Healing at Home Is Better Than the Hospital?

Sam Sullivan examines how AI-driven home healthcare technologies enable patients to recover safely in their own homes while reducing strain on hospital systems, promoting patient independence, and enabling earlier medical intervention.

FEATURED FROM THE PLANET CLASSROOM ARCHIVES

Alongside its August premieres, Planet Classroom is presenting four acclaimed films whose themes remain especially relevant today.

Who Owns Intelligence?

Inspired by Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, Juan P. Voorduin’s thought-provoking short challenges audiences to redefine human intelligence in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

The Island

Director Mahmut Taş tells a moving story of drought and environmental loss through the eyes of a young girl confronting climate change in her village.

Delay

Sofia Macias’s suspenseful psychological thriller explores fate, time, and unintended consequences in a story that leaves audiences questioning reality.

Peabody Dance – Valse Brillante

Lori Belilove celebrates the enduring legacy of dance pioneer Isadora Duncan in a visually stunning performance honoring movement, artistic expression, and cultural heritage.

WHY THESE STORIES MATTER

While the subjects range from renewable energy and artificial intelligence to home healthcare, disability inclusion, climate resilience, and the performing arts, every film shares a common message: individuals and communities are finding creative, practical ways to address the defining challenges of the twenty-first century.

Created by emerging filmmakers and international partners, these stories reflect Planet Classroom’s belief that meaningful progress begins when young people are empowered to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, and imagine better futures.

Together, the August collection demonstrates the power of storytelling to inspire learning, spark dialogue, and encourage action across generations and cultures.

About Planet Classroom

The Planet Classroom Network, produced by CMRubinWorld, is a global media ecosystem and YouTube channel connecting creators, youth leaders, educators, policymakers, scientists, artists, and international cultural partners around today’s most urgent global challenges.

Featuring nearly 1,000 films created by more than 400 filmmakers and curators, Planet Classroom showcases documentaries, narrative films, dance, music, visual arts, and breakthrough technologies transforming education, climate action, artificial intelligence, sustainability, healthcare, and global innovation.

Through acclaimed series including AI for a Better World, Net Zero Speaks, and Problem Solvers, Planet Classroom elevates youth voices, ethical innovation, cross-cultural understanding, and practical solutions created for—and with—young people worldwide.

Planet Classroom Network YouTube Channel  

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Guidepoint Relocates Shanghai Office to Strengthen Regional Presence

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Guidepoint, a global pioneer in access to expert insight, today announced the relocation of its Shanghai office to the Bund Center on East Yan’an Road.

Building on more than a decade of sustained growth in China, the relocation positions Guidepoint in the heart of Shanghai’s business district, bringing the firm closer to the clients and partners it serves while providing a modern, collaborative workspace for its growing team.

“Research today has evolved beyond standalone expert calls to more connected, AI-enabled workflows,” said Michael Wang, Guidepoint’s Director and Head of China. “The new Shanghai office brings together capabilities across research, product innovation, compliance, and operations, reinforcing Guidepoint’s commitment to delivering source-backed insight through rigorous standards, transparency, and integrity.”

“Shanghai remains one of the world’s most influential centers for business and finance, connecting decision-makers across industries and markets,” said Chris Bonsi, Head of APAC. “This relocation reinforces our long-term commitment to the region and strengthens our ability to serve clients and attract top talent.”

As demand for expert-led, source-backed insight continues to grow, Guidepoint is focused on expanding its research capabilities by combining expert knowledge, proprietary content, and technology-enabled workflows to help clients move from uncertainty to conviction with greater speed and confidence.

About Guidepoint
Guidepoint provides real-time access to expert insights, combining human expertise with AI-powered research tools to deliver knowledge at scale. Backed by a global network of more than 2M+ subject-matter experts, Guidepoint equips institutional investors, consulting firms, and corporations with the context they need across companies, markets, and trends. Through live, asynchronous, and agentic workflows, Guidepoint embeds expert knowledge directly into decision-making, turning answers into action when timing matters most.

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Reap Launches First Ever Managed Fraud and Risk Service for Card Programs

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Reap Sentry configures and manages fraud controls for clients’ card programs, eliminating the need for additional monitoring tools or in-house fraud specialists.

HONG KONG, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reap, a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-enabled infrastructure, today announced the launch of Reap Sentry, a managed card fraud and risk service. Through Sentry, Reap manages a client’s end-to-end transaction risk management – from configuring fraud rules and screening authorisations in real time to investigating alerts, processing chargebacks, and reporting confirmed fraud to Visa. Clients do not need to build or license additional fraud-monitoring tools, or hire a dedicated fraud team.

Payment card fraud losses worldwide totalled USD 33.41 billion in 2024 (The Nilson Report, January 2026), tied to global card volume of USD 51.920 trillion (The Nilson Report, January 2026). Every card in circulation is a live payment instrument, with authorisation decisions made in milliseconds. Fraud must be stopped at the point of authorisation, not afterwards, as the knock-on costs of fraud can often exceed the value of the fraud itself. Meanwhile, evolving attack patterns make fraud management an ongoing operational function.

Built on the technology within Reap’s issuing portfolio, Sentry combines the fraud policy, tooling, and day-to-day operations required to manage transaction risk effectively. Having issued millions of cards over eight years of card issuance, Reap brings to Sentry controls informed by fraud patterns observed across its entire issuing portfolio. These controls are tailored to each client’s business profile, including its cardholder segments, geographic footprint, and stated risk appetite.

Sentry conducts ongoing screening and declines suspected fraud in real time at authorisation; triages and investigates alerts; and continuously updates controls as new threats emerge, including BIN attacks and merchant breaches. The service also processes and represents chargebacks submitted by clients, reports confirmed fraud, and provides program performance reporting on an agreed cadence. Controls are reviewed and refined as each program evolves, without requiring client intervention. Clients can integrate with Sentry through a single Reap API.

Reap protects the authorisation layer it operates and observes, while clients retain responsibility for the cardholder relationship and key first-party fraud entry points, including onboarding, identity verification and account access.

“Most companies launching a card programme have to build a fraud function from day one. Doing so requires specialist tooling, dedicated expertise and several months of preparation before they can safely issue a single card, by which point the threat landscape may already have shifted. That is rarely how a team wants its first months to go.” said Harris Leow, Head of Product, Reap. “Sentry takes on that entire card fraud function: our controls, data and specialists, tailored to each card programme.”

Sentry is available to new Reap card issuing clients and to existing clients at contract renewal, on Reap’s own API.

To find out more about Sentry, visit our website: https://reap.global/products/sentry-fraud-risk-management

About Reap
Reap is a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-enabled infrastructure. We transform the financial landscape through more efficient money movement by merging traditional finance with digital assets, bridging disparate economies and connecting key financial markets.

Reap was an early leader in Asia to incorporate stablecoins into our solutions. In 2025, Reap processed billions in stablecoin-funded transaction flows. From stablecoin-enabled corporate cards to cross-border payments, we streamline financial operations and empower companies to scale with our integrated business accounts and embedded finance solutions.

Founded and headquartered in Hong Kong, Reap employs 300 people worldwide. More information about Reap can be found at reap.global.

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Envision Energy Powers Morocco’s First Large-Scale Battery Storage System at OCP’s Benguerir Mining Site

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BENGUERIR, Morocco, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Envision Energy, a global leader in green technology, today announced the successful energisation of Morocco’s first large-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage system at OCP Green Energy’s Benguerir mining site. The 25 MW / 125 MWh system was supplied and commissioned by Envision Energy under a contract signed in late 2025, and is now undergoing testing before entering commercial operation.

Envision Energy provided the full storage system and led the commissioning work, integrating the BESS with the site’s solar generation, grid conditions and industrial load profile. The system is designed to shift surplus solar power from daytime generation to peak consumption hours, reducing the site’s peak-hour electricity bill by approximately 25%.

With five hours of storage capacity, the BESS functions as an industrial energy management tool rather than a short-duration grid asset. It is supported by USD 20 million from the Clean Technology Fund, managed through the African Development Bank Group, and is designed for a 25-year lifetime with daily charge-discharge cycles. For OCP, the value lies not in battery capacity, but in the system’s ability to reduce peak-hour costs over a 25-year operating life.

“The successful energisation of Morocco’s first large-scale battery storage project demonstrates the reliability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness of integrated renewable-plus-storage solutions in industrial applications,” said John Lee, General Manager of Envision Energy for the Middle East and Africa. “Envision is proud to be part of this landmark project and to contribute green technology to Morocco’s energy transition.”

As highlighted in OCP Group’s official press release announcing the milestone, Omar Kadir, CEO of OCP Green Energy, said: Storage is the natural extension of our energy strategy. It allows us to reconcile the variable output of renewable energy with the continuous needs of our industrial platforms, while strengthening the reliability of our energy supply. Beyond OCP Group’s own needs, this technology paves the way for a more harmonious integration of renewable energy into the national power system. By bringing greater flexibility and resilience to the grid, it will help accelerate the deployment of renewable capacity.”

The project marks a significant milestone for battery storage and industrial decarbonisation in Morocco. It supports the country’s target of achieving 52% of installed electricity capacity from renewable sources by 2030 and serves as a benchmark for industrial decarbonisation across Africa.

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