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John Overton High School student receives Humane Science Award from National Anti-Vivisection Society

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Parker Nunnery one of five young scientists from across the world to receive $3,000 prize at 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Parker Nunnery, a 2026 John Overton High School graduate, was one of just five recipients of the prestigious Humane Science Award presented by the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), a nonprofit devoted to the advancement of science without harming animals, at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Each award comes with a $3,000 prize to help the winners pursue humane scientific research projects.

Nunnery’s project, “Regulation of the PPARγ Pathway in Lung Cancer,” utilized both traditional cell cultures and advanced three-dimensional human cell-based models to study lung cancer. Investigating therapeutic compounds within these human-derived models allowed Nunnery to help advance cancer understanding and improve treatment strategies without using animals for her research.

Nunnery’s interest in research began at John Overton High School’s Interdisciplinary Science and Research (ISR) program, where she discovered a passion for cancer biology and connected with researchers at Vanderbilt University. Her project became personal when her teacher’s throat cancer diagnosis inspired her to pursue patient-focused treatments. Focusing on human-derived cellular models, she sought better ways to understand human diseases.

“Winning the NAVS Humane Science Award is incredibly exciting, and it was a great experience working alongside mentors like Dr. Greg Smith and Dr. Nicolas Means in the ISR program and with Dr. Amanda Linkous during my internship at Vanderbilt University,” said Nunnery. “Studying lung cancer using innovative human organoid models has inspired me to keep human health at the center of innovation in my future pursuits.”

This fall, Nunnery will attend Vanderbilt University to continue researching organoids, aging and cancer.

“Parker’s initiative aligns seamlessly with the mission of the NAVS Humane Science Award to foster scientific breakthroughs through non-animal methods,” said Dr. Lauren Stein, NAVS director of science and research programs. “This project highlights the vital role young researchers play in creating a more ethical, high-impact future for science. Parker is, without a doubt, a young scientist to watch.”

Two students from Florida and one each from Canada and South Korea also were selected as Humane Science Award winners for their projects among more than 1,300 submitted to ISEF. The competition drew more than 1,700 top-tier high school students from over 60 countries and territories to compete for over $7 million in awards, scholarships and internships and is the world’s largest pre-college science competition.

NAVS is the only animal advocacy organization invited to present an award at ISEF recognizing exceptional student projects that combine scientific excellence with humane, non-animal methods since 2002.

For more information about NAVS, visit navs.org.

To see the full list of the Regeneron ISEF 2026 Special Awards, visit societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2026-special-awards-ceremony/.

About NAVS

The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the exploitation of animals used in scientific research and education. Founded in 1929, NAVS works to advance humane, human-relevant science through public education, policy advocacy and support for innovative non-animal research methods. The organization also promotes alternatives to classroom dissections and supports sanctuaries for animals formerly used in laboratories, helping drive the transition toward ethical and effective scientific practices. For more information about NAVS, visit navs.org.

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SOURCE National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)

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Melody Party Offers Over 20,000 Songs and Adds More Than a Thousand New Tracks Monthly, Enhancing Its Online Karaoke Experience

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SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Melody Party is a music social app featuring a variety of activities, including Mic Grab, Artist Mafia, and Singing Battle. Through its online karaoke feature, SING A SONG, the app brings the traditional karaoke experience online, removing time and location constraints and offering a music experience that combines real-time singing with social interaction.

SING A SONG features an extensive library of more than 20,000 songs, with over a thousand new songs added every month. Its diverse selection includes popular K-pop tracks, classic Korean songs, and karaoke favorites. The feature offers a free-use model, allowing users to start singing their chosen songs without paying a separate fee. This helps reduce the time and cost associated with visiting traditional coin-operated karaoke venues, making it easier to enjoy singing as part of everyday life.

In terms of functionality, SING A SONG supports pitch adjustment and independent volume controls for vocals and accompaniment, allowing users to customize their singing experience according to their preferences. Users can also create online karaoke rooms, invite friends to sing together in real time, and enjoy voice chat and social interaction.

By continuously expanding its song library and offering diverse music-based interactive experiences, Melody Party continues to strengthen its music ecosystem. Through SING A SONG, the platform aims to create an accessible, highly interactive online music social space.

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SOURCE Melody Party

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Drawing new strength from 20-year legacy, IAACA calls on global counterparts to join annual conference to fortify integrity

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MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), an independent and non-political anti-corruption organisation with over 190 member anti-corruption authorities (ACAs) worldwide, will co-host IAACA Annual Conference 2026 in Marrakech, Morocco next month together with the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong, China (ICAC) and the National Authority for Probity, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption of Morocco (INPPLC) to chart a path for the global graft fight and explore cutting-edge approaches to tackle emerging corruption challenges.

Themed “Building on 20 Years of Legacy: Drawing Strength from the Past, Guarding Global Integrity for the Future”, the international event will not only mark the 20th anniversary of the IAACA, but also provide a dynamic forum for IAACA members to exchange insights and enhance co-operation.

Calling on international counterparts to participate in the conference scheduled for November 25, IAACA President Mr Woo Ying-ming, who also serves as ICAC Commissioner, said that “As the IAACA marks its 20th anniversary, the conference will bring together global anti-corruption community at a pivotal moment for collective action. I anticipate that the valuable insights and new approaches generated through the international synergy will chart a resilient strategic path for us to navigate integrity risks and draw strength from our shared legacy to guard global integrity for generations to come.”

During the conference, renowned international experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Basel Institute on Governance, the International Anti-Corruption Academy, and global anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies and institutions will shed light on harnessing artificial intelligence in the fight against corruption, safeguarding integrity within global climate and biodiversity frameworks and analysing global corruption measurement and systemic effectiveness.

Following the conference, the ICAC, the INPPLC, the IAACA and the UNODC will co-organise a training seminar on leveraging AI in combating corruption.

While the ICAC and INPPLC will share how AI and new technology can reshape the future of anti-graft enforcement and corruption prevention, the UNODC will provide a global perspective on using AI models in financial crime investigations and addressing the operational relevance, legal robustness and adaptability across jurisdictions.

For details of the conference and training, please visit:
https://www.icac.org.hk/icac/iaaca-morocco-2026/index.html

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SOURCE International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA)

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Viettel moves 100 million subscribers to home-grown cloud-native charging in three months – with zero downtime

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HANOI, Vietnam, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Viettel High Technology Industries Corporation (Viettel High Tech), part of Viettel Group, has migrated more than 100 million subscribers and some 5,000 tariff plans at Viettel, Vietnam’s largest mobile operator, to vOCS 4.0, its in-house cloud-native charging system. The three-month cutover ran on a live national network with no service disruption.

Replacing a charging system is one of the riskiest projects an operator can undertake, which is why many stick with legacy platforms. Viettel High Tech reduced the risk through real-time data synchronization, parallel running and a phased cutover, with instant rollback at every stage.

The project won the Telecom Review Excellence Awards 2026 prize for Best Technology Deployment in Asia, a first for a Vietnamese company.

What it means for operators:

Scale: more than 300,000 transactions per second at latency below 5 milliseconds, across 2G–5G and fixed services on one platformLower cost: up to 50% less hardware investment than the previous generation, by sharing infrastructure with the networkAgility: new tariff plans in hours instead of days, new features three times faster and deployments about 30% fasterResilience: two active data centers about 2,000 km apart and automatic recovery in under two minutes

Viettel High Tech developed every core layer in-house, from a telecom-grade cloud-native platform and NFV-MANO orchestration to real-time charging, subscriber and balance management.

“Passing rigorous tests of real-time self-diagnosis and self-recovery is what allows an operator to keep its promise of 24/7 service to customers,” said Luu Manh Ha, CEO of Viettel Networks, which operates the system on Viettel’s network in Vietnam. “Above all, owning the charging system means an operator is not dependent on foreign vendors – it safeguards digital sovereignty and preserves business flexibility.”

“The charging system is where an operator’s business strategy turns into revenue in real time,” said Nguyen Minh Quang, CEO of Viettel High Tech. “We believe vOCS 4.0 is ready to help operators worldwide capture the value of 5G and digital services.”

In 2017, vOCS 4.0’s predecessor, vOCS 3.0, replaced a foreign vendor’s platform for 90 million Viettel subscribers. Across both generations, vOCS serves more than 220 million subscribers in 11 countries. Viettel High Tech now offers vOCS 4.0 to operators worldwide.

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SOURCE Viettel Group

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