Regulatory Compliance

Freedom Tech DC Expands to AI, Energy Amid Crypto Policy Push

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Freedom Tech DC Expands to AI, Energy Amid Crypto Policy Push

Washington – September 18, 2026 -- The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) and PubKey DC will host the fourth annual Freedom Tech DC summit on Sept. 22-23 at the National Press Club and PubKey DC, expanding the invite-only event's scope beyond Bitcoin and stablecoins into AI, data center development, energy grid resilience and national security.

Summit rebrand signals broader policy mandate for Bitcoin Policy Institute

Formerly known as the Bitcoin Policy Summit, the event's expansion reflects BPI's growth as it takes on freedom technology policy issues, builds out its leadership team, and becomes a founding partner in the State Department's new Freedom Tech Excellence Program.

Aurora Cannabis Rejects Curaleaf's ATM Complaint, Calls Hostile Bid Inadequate

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Aurora Cannabis Rejects Curaleaf's ATM Complaint, Calls Hostile Bid Inadequate

Edmonton – September 18, 2026 -- Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has dismissed Curaleaf Holdings' regulatory application to halt its at-the-market (ATM) share program, calling the move a distraction from an undervalued hostile takeover bid.

Aurora says its ATM program predates Curaleaf's bid by more than six months

The company confirmed its ATM program was publicly disclosed in February 2026, months before Curaleaf launched its hostile offer, and was designed to fund accretive acquisitions in Canada and the UK. Aurora said the program has been inactive for several weeks and had not been used for three years prior to February 2026.

Sunset World Group Partners With ECOCE to Meet Circular Economy Law

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Sunset World Group Partners With ECOCE to Meet Circular Economy Law

Cancún, Mexico – September 18, 2026 -- Sunset World Group will launch a formal partnership with recycling non-profit ECOCE on September 18, 2026, to align its hotel operations with Mexico's Circular Economy Law.

Sunset World Group commits to circular economy standards across its hotel portfolio

The agreement targets the integration of processes that meet the principles and standards set by the Circular Economy Law, covering resource use, waste reduction, and reintroduction of materials into production cycles. Sunset World Group operates six hotels across Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Swedish Gambling Market Report Shows Wide GGR Gaps, Evolution's 77% Live Casino Grip

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Swedish Gambling Market Report Shows Wide GGR Gaps, Evolution's 77% Live Casino Grip

Stockholm – – September 18, 2026 -- Sweden's regulated online gambling market generated an estimated €2.5 billion in annual revenue, with operators facing a 22% tax on gross gaming revenue (GGR), according to Bettingbladet's newly released Swedish Online Gambling Market Report H1 2026. The report tracks operator performance, supplier market shares, payment methods and return-to-player (RTP) levels across Sweden's licensed market during the first half of the year.

Backswing Ventures Warns Defense Tech Valuations Are Outrunning Exits

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Backswing Ventures Warns Defense Tech Valuations Are Outrunning Exits

Orlando, Fla. – September 18, 2026 -- Mach Industries doubled its valuation to $3.7 billion in three months, up from $470 million a year earlier, as defense startup funding heads for a record 2026 even while exits remain scarce, according to Backswing Ventures.

Crunchbase data shows 2026 funding at record levels with few exits in sight

Crunchbase News reported this month that 2026 is on pace to be the largest year on record for defense startup funding. Backswing Ventures founder Kyle Asman said that surge is not matched by liquidity, since government sales cycles and dual-use commercial traction can take years to materialize into a sale or IPO.

"Raising money has never been faster in this sector," Asman said. "Turning that money into an exit is a separate problem, and a much slower one."

Instructure Names Stephan Geering Chief Privacy Officer for AI Compliance

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Instructure Names Stephan Geering Chief Privacy Officer for AI Compliance

Salt Lake City – – September 18, 2026 -- Instructure, maker of Canvas LMS, has appointed Stephan Geering as chief privacy officer to lead its global data privacy programs and AI regulatory compliance efforts. Geering brings more than 20 years of experience in data privacy, risk management and public policy across technology, financial services and government sectors.

Geering will vet AI features for privacy and safety risks before customer release

In his new role, Geering will work across Instructure's legal, security and product teams to set requirements for how new products handle learner and educator data. He will oversee the evaluation of AI features for data privacy and safety risks prior to deployment and lead the company's response to emerging AI regulation worldwide.

IDrive Adds Microsoft Entra ID Backup at $10 Per Seat Annually

Los Angeles – September 18, 2026 -- IDrive has added Microsoft Entra ID Backup to its Microsoft Office 365 Backup solution, extending data protection to identity and access management systems for $10 per Entra ID seat per year with unlimited storage.

Native Microsoft recovery tools leave identity data exposed to gaps

Microsoft Entra ID functions as the central control plane for workforce identities, applications, and privileged access across organizations. IDrive states that native retention and recovery capabilities may not fully protect critical Entra ID configurations, meaning the loss or modification of users, groups, applications, roles, policies, or devices can disrupt sign-ins and force time-consuming manual reconstruction.

Senior Helpers Greenville Becomes First US Home Care Firm CHAP-Certified

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Senior Helpers Greenville Becomes First US Home Care Firm CHAP-Certified

Greenville, S.C. – September 18, 2026 -- Senior Helpers Greenville has become the first private duty in-home care provider in the United States to earn Age-Friendly Care at Home certification from the Community Health Accreditation Partners (CHAP), the locally owned franchise confirmed September 18, 2026.

CHAP certification validates a 4Ms clinical framework across daily operations

The certification requires providers to embed the 4Ms Framework -- What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility -- into every client interaction, a research-backed model designed to reduce hospitalization risk and improve outcomes for aging-in-place seniors. Teresa Harbour, COO of CHAP, credited the location's prior deployment of clinical tools, including its LIFE Profile hospitalization-risk assessment and Senior Gems dementia care program, as groundwork that made the certification a natural extension of existing practice.

Thomson Reuters Sole Leader in Four IDC Tax Compliance Categories

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Thomson Reuters Sole Leader in Four IDC Tax Compliance Categories

Toronto – September 18, 2026 -- Thomson Reuters has become the only provider named a Leader across four IDC MarketScape categories covering value-added tax, sales and use tax, global trade, and e-invoicing compliance.

ONESOURCE Pagero earns Leader status in worldwide e-invoicing assessment

IDC positioned the company's e-invoicing and continuous transaction control (CTC) solution as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Compliant e-Invoicing 2026 Vendor Assessment (doc #EUR154882626, September 2026). The platform now covers compliance across more than 90 jurisdictions, serving over 65,000 active e-invoicing customers and a business network reaching approximately 14 million companies globally.

CBC Summit USA Convenes 200 Leaders on Stablecoins, Bank Access

Washington, D.C. – September 18, 2026 -- The fourth annual CBC Summit USA will convene 200 executives, regulators and legislators on Sept. 17, 2026, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to address crypto banking, compliance and stablecoin infrastructure.

Wyoming Stable Token Commission and Congressman Kevin Kiley headline keynote sessions

The one-day program brings together traditional financial institutions, cryptocurrency exchanges, fintechs, government agencies, law firms and compliance organizations. Panel discussions will incorporate audience questions alongside keynote appearances from the Wyoming Stable Token Commission and Congressman Kevin Kiley.