Disseminated on behalf of Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ) (TSX: TMQ) and may include paid advertising.

• Trilogy Metals’ polymetallic assets in the Ambler Mining District contain copper alongside several other minerals now designated as critical
• The US critical minerals list plays a key role in shaping policy on securing materials vital for manufacturing, technology, defense and infrastructure
• The updated list coincides with important developments in Trilogy Metals’ flagship projects

The US Geological Survey’s (“USGS”) newly finalized 2025 List of Critical Minerals marks a notable shift in federal resource policy by formally adding copper to the roster of materials considered essential to the country’s economic resilience and national security. The inclusion of copper carries meaningful implications for companies advancing US-based copper projects, including Trilogy Metals (NYSE American: TMQ) (TSX: TMQ), whose polymetallic assets in Alaska’s Ambler Mining District contain copper alongside several other minerals now designated as critical.

The USGS list identifies minerals that are essential to US economic growth and national security and vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. The list helps guide federal strategies aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains, supporting manufacturing and reducing reliance on foreign sources for strategically important materials.

In November, the Department of the Interior, through the USGS, published the final 2025 list. The updated list adds 10 new minerals, including copper, boron, lead, metallurgical coal, phosphate, potash, rhenium, silicon, silver and uranium. The list was developed based on updated data, interagency recommendations and public feedback.

Critical mineral lists such as this one play a key role in shaping US policy on securing materials vital for manufacturing, technology, defense and infrastructure. By identifying minerals with supply chain vulnerabilities, the USGS list helps prioritize federal actions that can include direct investments, tax incentives for mineral processing, and streamlined mining permits designed to bolster domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign sources. The addition of copper, in particular, reflects the mineral’s central role in electrification, given its widespread use in power grid and data center infrastructure.

A mineral’s inclusion on the USGS Critical Minerals List streamlines permitting by qualifying projects for accelerated reviews under programs like FAST-41, providing federal support, coordinating agency reviews, setting clear timetables, and making them eligible for financial incentives.

Similarly, critical mineral status can enhance eligibility for federal funding and partnership programs. The Biden and Trump administrations have both used executive actions and federal investments to strengthen domestic supply chains for strategic materials, including funding research, processing capacity and workforce development. By formally recognizing copper as critical, the 2025 list reinforces the metal’s importance in national policy discussions and underscores why investment in domestic exploration and production is increasingly a priority for federal agencies and allied stakeholders.

For Trilogy Metals, the updated list coincides with important developments in its flagship projects. The Ambler Mining District in northwestern Alaska, where Trilogy is advancing its Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects through a 50/50 joint venture with South32, hosts deposits rich in copper and other critical minerals. These polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) deposits include not only copper but also zinc, lead, gold, silver and cobalt, many of which appear on the 2025 critical minerals list. Bornite and Arctic, the two principal deposits, host significant copper and base metal mineralization that Trilogy and its partners are working to develop.

The presence of copper and other critical metals in the Ambler Mining District aligns with the expanded federal focus on supply chain security. In late 2025, the US government announced a strategic investment of approximately $35.6 million in Trilogy Metals for a 10% ownership stake, underscoring federal interest in unlocking Alaska’s mineral resources. This investment, tied to broader infrastructure and access initiatives including permitting for the Ambler access road, signals how critical mineral policy and federal support can intersect with private sector project development.

Trilogy’s focus on copper is complemented by its exposure to other minerals on the critical minerals list. The polymetallic nature of the deposits in Alaska’s Ambler Mining District positions the company to benefit from diversified demand across multiple supply chains, including electrification, energy, and battery technologies. While zinc, lead, and cobalt have long been important base metals, increased risk to their supply further strengthens the rationale for developing domestic sources. For Trilogy Metals, the inclusion of copper on the 2025 critical minerals list reaffirms the potential value of its projects and may help catalyze support from policymakers, investors and industry partners as it advances exploration and development in the district.

For more information, visit www.TrilogyMetals.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to TMQ are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/TMQ

Disseminated on behalf of Lahontan Gold Corp. (TSX.V: LG) (OTCQB: LGCXF) and may include paid advertising.

• LGCXF recently received BLM approval for its flagship drill program at West Santa Fe, granting it access to about half of its land package
• Lahontan Gold operates at the intersection of exploration, geological expertise, and strategic project development
• With these updates, Lahontan Gold Corp is strategically positioned to maximize its mission to advance gold and silver projects in Nevada’s Walker Lane, maximizing resource potential and stakeholder value

Lahontan Gold (TSX.V: LG) (OTCQB: LGCXF), a top Canadian mineral exploration company focused on gold and silver projects in Nevada’s Walker Lane district, is entering a transformative phase after securing the Federal Bureau of Land Management’s permit for its West Santa Fe drill program. The site, which is located 13 km from Lahontan’s Santa Fe Mine project, grants the company access to unpatented lode mining claims on federal lands, creating a new vista of opportunities (ibn.fm/cQkw). Building on this regulatory milestone, Lahontan has now commenced its reverse-circulation drilling campaign at West Santa Fe, aimed at validating historic drill data and advancing the project toward resource definition. Recent completion of drilling at the nearby Santa Fe Mine positions the company for an updated mineral resource estimate and future economic studies.

Recently, Lahontan Gold Corp’s CEO Kimberly Ann emphasized the importance of the coming months: According to her, “I do believe the next 6 to 9 months are going to be a transformative year for the company, and so it’s a pretty short timeline for people to get in because if you are not in now, you should get in. It’s a fascinating time to be a part of Lahontan, and to be an investor at Lahontan” (ibn.fm/5R089).

Lahontan’s West Santa Fe drill program is expected to validate existing results while also testing extensions to known silver and gold mineralization. The company currently operates an active drill rig located at its Santa Fe Mine project. It intends to relocate the rig to West Santa Fe as soon as the program finalizes. Lahontan’s CEO also stated that geologic work at West Santa Fe indicates gold and silver mineralization extending several kilometers along strike and down-dip, making the forthcoming program highly important.

Lahontan Gold operates at the intersection of geological expertise, high-potential exploration, and strategic project development. The company’s flagship Santa Fe Mine project recorded about 359,202 ounces of gold produced and 702,067 ounces of silver produced between 1988 and 1995.

These latest updates highlight Lahontan Gold’s mission: To advance gold and silver projects in Nevada’s Walker Lane, maximize resource potential, and create shareholder value. Having obtained the West Santa Fe permit alongside the existing drill programs, LGCXF is strategically positioned to accelerate progress within the next year.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LahontanGoldCorp.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LGCXF are available in the company’s newsroom at ibn.fm/LGCXF

Disseminated on behalf of  ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF) and may include paid advertising.

• ESGold Corp., an exploration-stage company committed to the acquisition, exploration, and development of high-quality mineral properties worldwide, is bolstered by strong global gold prices
• Gold futures contracts have reported a 2.82% growth, closing at $4,451 an ounce as of January 5, helped by geopolitical and economic stresses, including intensified tensions between the United States and Venezuela
• ESGold, through the investments made in 2025, including significant developments with its Montauban project in Quebec, is rapidly progressing to capitalize on this growth

ESGold (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: ESAUF), an exploration-stage company committed to acquiring, exploring, and developing high-quality mineral properties worldwide, is strengthened as geopolitical instability keeps gold, silver, and other precious metals soaring. The company’s management believes that the steps taken over the course of 2025, including the closing of a flow-through share private placement and developments and investments in its Montauban project in Quebec, will be integral to supporting the company’s success in 2026 (https://ibn.fm/M9VPC).

With recent global developments, capital flows have been redirected into precious metals in what experts say is a hedge against systemic instability. Gold futures contracts (“GCG26”) appreciated by approximately 2.82%, closing at $4,451 an ounce on January 5, 2026, with silver climbing 7.94% to $76.65 an ounce. Geopolitical tensions, most recently driven by intensified tensions between the United States and Venezuela, continue to feed the demand for precious metals (https://ibn.fm/LSnWD).

With a design offering a throughput of 1,000 tonnes a day for its Montauban facility, ESGold is optimistic it will meet the growing demand for gold and secure leadership in its space. Its focus is on ramping up production and building lasting value for shareholders (https://ibn.fm/rw13W).

“As ESGold transitions from developer to producer, our focus is on building lasting value not just for shareholders, but for the communities in which we operate,” noted Gordon Robb, ESGold Corp’s CEO. “By engaging in meaningful collaboration with government stakeholders, we aim to position Montauban as a model of clean resource development and economic revitalization,” he added (https://nnw.fm/iUjRk) (https://ibn.fm/2nYRf).

For company information, visit the company’s website at www.ESGold.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ESAUF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ESAUF

Disseminated on behalf of SPARC AI Inc. (CSE: SPAI) (OTCQB: SPAIF) and may include paid advertising.

• SPARC AI is developing and commercializing proprietary spatial and predictive AI technologies for real-world sensing applications
• The company’s SPARC technology transforms sensors, cameras, and mobile devices into precise coordinate-acquisition systems
• These capabilities support SPARC AI’s broader mission: To enable accurate, scalable, and autonomous spatial intelligence across defense, aerospace, and commercial markets

SPARC AI (CSE: SPAI) (OTCQB: SPAIF) is an emerging engineering and software company primarily focused on finding solutions to some of the most difficult challenges in modern sensing and autonomy: accurately determining the location of distant objects in real-time. Leveraging its flagship Spatial, Predictive, Approximation, and Radial Convolution (“SPARC”) technology, the company is strategically building high-performance tools that transform everyday sensors and imaging systems into reliable spatial intelligence platforms (ibn.fm/FM2Mp).

Located in Melbourne, Australia, SPARC AI develops, patents, and commercializes technologies that connect computer vision, artificial intelligence, and geospatial analytics. The company’s core innovation lies in enabling sensors, cameras, and mobile devices, whether airborne, fixed, handheld, or portable, to operate as precise target coordination systems without needing any specialized or expensive hardware.

The company’s Target Acquisition System (“TAS”) operates as a software platform created to pinpoint the geographic location of distant objects using visual data. By leveraging advanced AI and mathematically driven models, SPARC AI’s technology helps extract the spatial meaning of sensor inputs and images, providing intelligence in areas where traditional hardware-heavy solutions may not be available.

SPARC AI’s strategy focuses on software-first scalability. Instead of relying only on customized hardware, its solutions are crafted to integrate with already existing cameras, sensors, and smartphones. With this flexibility, the technology can be deployed across a broad spectrum ranging from aerospace to defense and industrial monitoring. The unique ability to turn easily available devices into precision targeting tools helps to cut down barriers to adoption while increasing addressable markets.

Additionally, SPARC is also working on an autonomous flight module, helping to extend its capabilities into semi-autonomous and unmanned platforms. Through the combination of autonomous navigation and spatial intelligence, SPARC AI is strategically placing itself at the nexus of AI-driven mobility and perception, a space that is drawing increasing interest from commercial and government sectors.

At the core of SPARC AI’s technology portfolio is its quickly growing intellectual property foundation. The company currently focuses on patenting its core innovations, which reflects its strategy aimed at long-term commercialization. With AI-enabled sensing quickly becoming more important in both civilian and security applications, proprietary algorithms and protected methodologies may play a critical role.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://sparcai.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SPAIF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SPAIF

• Wearable Devices recently announced updates to the Mudra Link to simplify and standardize interactions across the smart-glasses ecosystem
• It also successfully demonstrated and implemented an electromyography (“EMG”)-driven weight-estimation capability on the Mudra Link, which is a major advancement for the company’s neuromuscular computing roadmap
• The company has also partnered with Rokid to bring neural gesture control to AI and AR glasses ahead, with the companies planning to demonstrate the combined experience at CES 2026

Wearable Devices (NASDAQ: WLDS), a tech company specializing in AI-powered touchless sensing wearables, recently announced a few updates to improve gesture-based interaction across the smart-glasses ecosystem.

This includes customized presets, and compatibility of the Mudra Link app on certain smart glasses models. Each of these updates help to reduce onboarding friction, speed up the setup process, and give users a predictable control experience.

As the smart-glasses category expands, input consistency becomes incredibly important. This update helps support that shift, as it provides immediate usability right out of the box, lets users onboard entirely on the glasses, ensure familiar gestures work the same across devices, and provide a more cohesive experience in general.

These customized presets and the Mudra Link app for select smart glasses are expected to roll out in the first quarter of 2026, with a plan to add more models throughout the year.

In addition to these updates, WLDS also recently demonstrated and implemented an EMG-driven weight-estimation capability on the Mudra Link that’s based on the company’s recent patent for weight, torque, and force estimation.

This represents a major advancement for WLDS in the company’s neuromuscular computing roadmap and is part of the company’s ongoing research and development aimed at harnessing neuromuscular-signals-based technology to support new capabilities.

Using the proprietary neural interface, this pre-commercial model analyzes EMG patterns in the wrist when the wearer lifts something. While the capability is currently being used for benchmarking, testing, and proof-of-concept, it has potential use cases in industries like robotics, sports, healthcare, and extended reality (“XR”).

To further their footprint, WLDS recently partnered with Rokid to deliver gesture control for AI and augmented reality (“AR”) glasses that’s natural, fast, and consistent in daily use.

The collaboration ensures that the Mudra Link wearable and Rokid Glasses are compatible with one another, and the companies plan for joint marketing and consumer bundle opportunities in the second quarter of 2026.

The partnership will include out-of-the-box pairing, pre-mapped gestures, and a shared setup flow to streamline the process.

WLDS and Rokid are planning to demonstrate this combined experience between the devices at CES 2026, which takes place in Las Vegas from January 6^th to January 9^th. Media and analysts alike can request briefings, hands-on demos, or joint interviews during the show. In addition to their presentation, Wearable Devices is showcasing its neural-input technology at CES, demonstrating hands-free, gesture-based interaction with smart glasses and screens using its Mudra Link wristband. The demos highlight how neural and touchless controls can enable more intuitive, AI-driven user experiences and position the company within the growing smart-glasses and XR ecosystem.

About Wearable Devices Ltd. (NASDAQ: WLDS)

Wearable Devices Ltd. is a tech company that’s developing a neural input interface that lets users control devices with subtle finger and hand gestures. The company is pioneering the next generation of human-computer interaction, and it envisions a future where human intent is the language of technology.

For more information, visit www.WearableDevices.co.il.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDS are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/WLDS

• LIXTE is advancing a first-in-class PP2A inhibitor platform designed to enhance, rather than replace, established chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens.
• The company is conducting multiple active clinical trials in solid tumors with significant unmet medical need, supported by academic and industry collaborations.
• LIXTE’s scientific strategy is protected by a comprehensive patent portfolio, with management noting no known direct competitors targeting PP2A inhibition.
• Strategic actions in 2025, including the acquisition of Liora Technologies and a registered direct offering completed in December 2025, reflect an effort to broaden capabilities and strengthen operational flexibility.
• Expansion of the ovarian clear cell carcinoma trial in December 2025, with plans to double patient enrollment and present initial findings in 2026, underscores continued clinical momentum.

LIXTE Biotechnology Holdings (NASDAQ: LIXT) is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing differentiated cancer therapies built around a novel biological target. Rather than introducing standalone treatments, the company is focused on advancing a first-in-class approach designed to enhance the effectiveness of established cancer therapies, addressing persistent challenges that continue to limit outcomes in oncology.

LIXTE’s work centers on improving how chemotherapy and immunotherapy perform in difficult-to-treat cancers with significant unmet medical need. By translating a distinct scientific concept into therapies that can be integrated into existing treatment frameworks, the company aims to expand the reach and impact of current standards of care without requiring wholesale changes to clinical practice.

Alongside internal development, LIXTE has pursued selective strategic actions that extend its capabilities beyond drug development, supporting its evolution into a platform-oriented oncology company spanning both pharmaceutical and technology-driven approaches.

The company is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Portfolio

LB-100 (PP2A Inhibitor Platform)

LIXTE’s lead clinical candidate, LB-100, is a proprietary small-molecule inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (“PP2A”) designed to enhance the activity of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The compound has demonstrated a favorable safety profile in Phase 1 clinical trials and has been supported by more than 25 published preclinical and translational studies. LB-100 is currently being evaluated in multiple clinical programs targeting solid tumors with limited treatment options.

Ongoing trials include combinations of LB-100 with immunotherapy in ovarian clear cell carcinoma and metastatic MSI-low colon cancer, as well as combination therapy with chemotherapy in advanced soft tissue sarcoma. These studies are being conducted in collaboration with leading academic cancer centers and industry partners, reflecting LIXTE’s emphasis on externally validated clinical execution.

Radiotherapy Platform Expansion (Liora Technologies)

In November 2025, LIXTE expanded beyond pharmaceuticals with the acquisition of Liora Technologies Europe Ltd., adding an electronically controlled proton therapy platform known as the LiGHT System. This acquisition established LIXTE’s entry into radiotherapy, complementing its drug development activities and creating optionality for future recurring revenue models tied to jointly operated treatment centers.

Market Opportunity

LIXTE is targeting cancers where existing therapies show limited durability due to resistance, toxicity constraints, or suboptimal patient response. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are widely applicable across tumor types but remain constrained by these factors, creating an opportunity for approaches that improve efficacy without proportionally increasing toxicity.

The company’s clinical programs focus on ovarian clear cell carcinoma, metastatic colon cancer, and advanced soft tissue sarcoma, indications characterized by high unmet need and limited effective treatment options. Rather than reshaping oncology care, LIXTE is developing LB-100 to augment existing therapies, an approach that could support wider clinical use within established treatment pathways.

Leadership Team

Geordan Pursglove, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience spanning mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, strategic growth initiatives, and operational leadership across both public and private companies. His background includes leadership roles across technology, logistics, customer experience, sports, and marketing, with a focus on scaling organizations, raising capital, and executing transformative strategies.

Bas van der Baan, Chief Scientific Officer, has more than 20 years of experience in biotechnology with a concentration in oncology and diagnostics. He previously served as Chief Clinical and Business Development Officer at Agendia, where he played a key role in initiating and executing clinical trials that supported the commercialization of precision molecular oncology diagnostics in both the U.S. and Europe.

Peter Stazzone, Chief Financial Officer, brings over two decades of financial management experience across publicly traded and privately held companies. His background includes leading capital raises, mergers and acquisitions, financial controls, and public company reporting, with prior CFO roles at companies including Beyond Commerce, Strainz, and Voice Telecom.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://lixte.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LIXT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LIXT

Disseminated on behalf of SPARC AI Inc. (CSE: SPAI) (OTCQB: SPAIF) and may include paid advertising.

• At the core of SPARC AI’s platform is a complement of spatial, predictive, approximation and radial convolution algorithms collectively known as “SPARC”
• Proprietary technology can be applied across a wide range of use cases, including drone navigation, infrastructure inspection, logistics planning and defense operations
• Spatial computing is becoming a foundational element of wartime modernization

As today’s militaries increasingly depend on data-driven decision-making, the ability to understand terrain, movement and spatial risk in real-time has become a strategic priority rather than a technical luxury. This shift toward spatial computing and predictive analytics is reshaping how defense organizations plan, operate and deploy autonomous systems, and it is also creating opportunities for companies, such as SPARC AI (CSE: SPAI) (OTCQB: SPAIF), that are developing mathematically grounded location-intelligence tools. Specifically, SPARC AI is positioning its technology to support military and defense applications by applying advanced mathematical modeling to spatial risk assessment, an approach that aligns closely with emerging priorities outlined in recent defense and technology reports.

A recent Proactive Investors article outlines SPARC AI’s core tech and explains how its mathematical approach to location assessment is particularly well suited for drones and other autonomous platforms. “For military applications, undermining the effectiveness of a drone by denying it use of critical data and control inputs is something all major armed forces are likely working on,” the article noted. “As such, the more independent one can make a drone, the greater its chance to be effective today and in the environments of the future.

“SPARC AI has developed a solution that enables drones to assess object location without the use of GPS, radar or other inputs that most such devices currently rely on,” the report continued. “Its technology is ready to commercialize, and other innovations for drone operator control platforms are just around the corner.

At the core of SPARC AI’s platform is a complement of spatial, predictive, approximation and radial convolution algorithms collectively known by the acronym “SPARC.” Instead of relying on GPS, active sensors or AI image interpretation, the system calculates target coordinates and flight paths using camera input, device telemetry and mathematical modeling, operating as a self-contained navigation and geolocation engine. The system produces precision output without using broadcasting signals or expensive hardware payloads.

“This architecture diverges sharply from traditional autonomy providers that rely on high-power processors, large sensor arrays and extensive training datasets,” the company observes. “SPARC AI’s solution consumes less power, produces no electromagnetic signature and functions in conditions where visual classifiers and sensor-based algorithms fail. With patents registered across seven countries including the U.S., the platform reflects more than 15 years of foundational research.”

According to the company, its proprietary technology can be applied across a wide range of use cases, including drone navigation, infrastructure inspection, logistics planning and defense operations. By focusing on mathematical certainty and probability rather than static maps or predefined routes, the company’s platform is intended to help users anticipate potential hazards and dynamically adapt to changing conditions. This capability is increasingly relevant as military planners seek tools that can reduce risk to personnel while improving the effectiveness of autonomous and semi-autonomous systems in the field.

These themes closely align with an Association of the United States Army (“AUSA”) report that examines how spatial computing is becoming a foundational element of Army modernization. The AUSA report explains that spatial computing integrates physical space with digital information, enabling more accurate situational awareness, mission planning and real-time decision-making. It highlights how technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and three-dimensional spatial models are being incorporated into training, command systems, and operational planning to give commanders a clearer understanding of complex environments.

The AUSA also underscores that modern battlefields are increasingly multidimensional, involving land, air, cyber and space domains, all of which must be understood simultaneously. Spatial computing, according to the article, allows military forces to model terrain, infrastructure and movement patterns in ways that improve readiness and reduce uncertainty. It also notes that these capabilities are critical for supporting autonomous systems, including drones, which rely on accurate spatial data to navigate safely and accomplish mission objectives.

SPARC AI’s tech represents a clear convergence between private-sector innovation and military modernization goals. The company’s emphasis on mathematical location assessment directly supports the type of spatial computing capabilities the Army is prioritizing, particularly in environments where traditional GPS-dependent or sensor-intensive approaches may be degraded or unreliable. By offering a software-driven method for understanding spatial risk and opportunity, SPARC AI’s platform fits into a broader defense trend toward predictive, AI-enabled decision tools.

For investors, the connection between SPARC AI’s technology and the Army’s stated modernization priorities provides important context. Defense organizations are increasingly seeking commercially developed, software-based solutions that can be integrated into existing systems and adapted as mission requirements evolve. The growing emphasis on spatial computing suggests sustained demand for tools that can analyze terrain and movement with greater precision, particularly as autonomous systems become more central to military operations.

By aligning its platform with these needs, SPARC AI is positioning itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence, spatial computing and defense modernization. While adoption timelines and procurement processes can be complex in the defense sector, the company’s focus on mathematically grounded location intelligence reflects a broader shift toward predictive analytics and data-driven planning that is shaping the future of military operations.

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://sparcai.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SPAIF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SPAIF

• The company has added more than 30 U.S. electronic monitoring contracts since mid-2024, entering 15 new states, finishing 2025 with an important North Carolina service provider agreement marking SuperCom’s first deployment in that state.
• Record nine-month profitability in 2025 provided operational flexibility to support new deployments.
• International deployments, complementing the company’s growing U.S. footprint.
• SuperCom’s PureSecurity(TM) platform underpins its offender monitoring and domestic violence prevention offerings.

SuperCom (NASDAQ: SPCB), a global provider of secured e-Government, IoT, and cybersecurity solutions, is beginning the new year with momentum built over an extended period of contract wins and geographic expansion in the electronic monitoring (“EM”) market. The company spent much of 2024 and 2025 broadening its presence across U.S. jurisdictions while maintaining an established international footprint in EMEA and North America.

That trajectory continued into late December, when SuperCom announced a new electronic monitoring service provider partnership in North Carolina, its first deployment in the state (https://ibn.fm/zoexc). The agreement marked the company’s 16th new U.S. service provider partnership and its 15th new state entered since mid-2024. Under the contract, a local provider will transition its existing GPS tracking infrastructure to SuperCom’s proprietary hardware and software, with revenue generated on a recurring basis tied to active daily monitoring units.

Management noted that the North Carolina agreement followed a competitive evaluation process and was independent of a separate procurement vehicle contract awarded earlier in the year by the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association. As with several prior wins, the provider elected to replace an incumbent vendor, a pattern that has characterized SuperCom’s U.S. expansion over the past 18 months.

The accumulation of such agreements reflects a broader reassessment underway among courts, corrections agencies, and service providers. Many jurisdictions are evaluating alternatives to incarceration that balance supervision, public safety, and cost considerations. Electronic monitoring has become a central component of those discussions, particularly for home detention, probation and parole supervision, inmate monitoring, and domestic violence prevention programs.

SuperCom’s core offering in this area is its PureSecurity(TM) platform, a modular suite integrating GPS, RFID, and cloud-based monitoring tools. The platform is designed to allow agencies and service providers to configure solutions based on operational needs rather than relying on a single, fixed device type.

Hardware options include PureOne, a one-piece GPS bracelet for continuous indoor and outdoor monitoring, and two-piece configurations that separate the GPS tracking unit from the wearable component. For house arrest and RF-based monitoring, the PureCom base station and PureTag bracelet can be deployed. The company also offers smartphone-based tracking through PureTrack(TM), paired with its RF solutions. Complementary devices such as PureBeacon and PureReader extend monitoring capabilities to indoor environments and detention facilities.

Software is delivered through PureMonitor, SuperCom’s cloud-based system that aggregates location data, alerts, and compliance reporting. For domestic violence prevention programs, SuperCom provides PureShield(TM) in the U.S. and PureProtect(TM) in Europe, mobile devices that deliver proximity alerts to support enforcement of court-ordered restrictions.

This modular approach has been a recurring theme in SuperCom’s recent contract announcements. By allowing agencies to combine devices and software tools, the company positions its platform to address varied supervision requirements across counties and states. Since mid-2024, SuperCom has reported securing more than 30 new U.S. EM contracts, frequently displacing established providers as agencies transition to newer systems (https://ibn.fm/PFXOn).

The company’s expansion has not been limited to county-level or service provider agreements. In late 2025, SuperCom disclosed its first U.S. state-level Department of Corrections contract, awarded through a strategic partnership under Arizona’s statewide behavioral health services framework (https://ibn.fm/w1ppj). The contract includes deployment of SuperCom’s GPS-based monitoring technology as part of a broader supervision and rehabilitation program, with implementation expected to begin in early 2026.

Financial performance has provided a foundation for this activity. SuperCom reported record net income of $6 million for the first nine months of 2025, with EBITDA margins exceeding 35%, according to company disclosures (https://ibn.fm/CgaSH). Those results followed a period in which management emphasized profitability and cash generation alongside geographic expansion, allowing the company to support new deployments without materially altering its operating model.

The underlying demand drivers for electronic monitoring are well documented. Academic research from multiple jurisdictions has associated EM programs with reductions in reoffending when compared with traditional incarceration. Studies in Argentina, Australia, and France have reported reductions in recidivism ranging from approximately 10% to nearly 50%, depending on program design and follow-up period. These findings have informed policy discussions in the U.S. and abroad as governments seek cost-efficient approaches to supervision and rehabilitation.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SuperCom.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SPCB are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/SPCB

Disseminated on behalf of LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) and may include paid advertising.

• LaFleur Minerals Inc., a Canadian near-term gold producer, just closed its upsized, fully subscribed LIFE offering and FT offering, raising gross proceeds of over $6.9 million, funding the restart of its key asset the Beacon Gold Mill.
• The company is moving quickly to capitalize on its unique processing opportunities offered by its Beacon Gold Mill, and the overall strength of the gold market.
• LaFleur now anticipates 2026 as an especially significant year, both for the company’s shareholders and for firmly establishing LaFleur’s position as the newest gold producer in Canada’s Abitibi belt.

LaFleur Minerals (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0), a Canadian gold exploration and development company has reached a pivotal milestone after closing a significant financing intended to fund the restart of its gold mill. With these funds, LaFleur will further advance its district-scale Swanson Gold Project in Québec’s prolific Abitibi Gold Belt and progress towards the near-term restart of gold production at its wholly owned Beacon Gold Mill, remaining bullish about the gold market, and the company’s standing compared to its peers. Just last month, the company announced an upsizing of its investment opportunity due to high demand for the offering, allowing it to now fund restart activities to launch gold production at its Beacon Gold Mill, first aiming to process the 10,000-20,000 metric tons (“mt”) of mineralized stockpiles remaining on site.

Back in November, LaFleur also made significant progress on its district-scale Swanson Gold Project, having kicked off a confirmation drilling program. The move was intended to bring it closer to near-term gold production and provide it with substantial valuation upside. It also helped validate historical results on the property and improve resource confidence, supporting the geological model of the area, all for the purpose of delivering a technically robust Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”), scheduled to finalize and release results sometime this month, led by recognized global mining, sustainability, and environmental consulting firm, ERM (https://ibn.fm/DVQLy). The PEA is conducted for the purpose of evaluating the restart of gold production at LaFleur’s wholly owned and recently refurbished Beacon Gold Mill (with over $20 million previously invested into equipment and infrastructure upgrades) using mineralized material from its nearby Swanson Gold Deposit, both located in the recognized mining camp of Val-d’Or, Québec.

While announcing these milestones, LaFleur’s management pointed out that the company is positioning itself to quickly take advantage of this gold value growth, with initiatives and investments that most of its peers are not adopting or pursuing given their lack of immediate access to infrastructure and long permitted timelines to reach the inflection point from explorer to producer.

“Advancing the Beacon Gold Mill to restart gold production with gold prices at record levels above $4,000 per ounce offers amazing economic potential,” noted Paul Teniere, LaFleur’s CEO. “We are well underway to completing a comprehensive PEA for the restart of the Beacon Gold Mill, and at the suggestion of ERM, we are nearing completion of twinning historical holes that form the basis of the mineral resource at our Swanson Gold Deposit, with the intention to supply mineralized material from Swanson to the Beacon Gold Mill,” he added (https://ibn.fm/JiH6a).

Back in 2022, the previous operator invested $20 million in upgrades at its Beacon Gold Mill, equipping it with crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, and Merrill-Crowe circuits. These upgrades brought it closer to realizing its full potential of processing 750 tonnes per day, a production asset that also has the potential to expand in capacity down the line with additional investment. LaFleur closed its upsized, fully subscribed offerings, closing an upsized amount and gross proceeds of $4,695,000 under its LIFE Offering and an oversubscribed amount and gross proceeds of $2,205,421 under its Flow-Through Offering, the company is well on its way to restart production at its Beacon Gold Mill (https://ibn.fm/tImBL).

With the steps made thus far, LaFleur is one of the few junior gold companies in Canada that owns a fully permitted, existing gold mill, in a region of miners needing processing to take advantage of high gold prices. It also becomes one of the few companies with a clear pathway to cash flow without dilution, while avoiding the lengthy timelines and capital intensity typically associated with mill construction. The financings materially de-risk LaFleur’s business model, giving it a significant advantage over competitors and enabling it to advance directly into gold production while controlling its value chain.

For company information, visit the company’s website at www.LaFleurMinerals.com.

Qualified Person Statement:

All scientific and technical information contained in this article has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the company, and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LFLRF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/LFLRF

• Forward Industries, a Solana digital asset treasury company, recently announced that the company’s shares are now live on the Solana blockchain through Superstate’s Opening Bell platform.
• This move is important for the industry, marking the first time that a regulated public equity is able to be used as collateral within a live decentralized finance (“DeFi”) market.
• The partnership shows how companies can extend the utility and life of their shares beyond traditional exchanges.

Forward Industries (NASDAQ: FWDI), a company that is building and managing a large-scale Solana (“SOL”) treasury, recently announced that their SEC-registered shares are now live on the Solana blockchain through Superstate’s Opening Bell platform (https://ibn.fm/JIh1m).

This integration allows ex-US holders of the company’s tokenized FWDI shares to post their equity as collateral on Kamino, which is one of Solana’s leading lending protocols. Eligible investors are able to borrow stablecoins against tokenized shares, which gains them access to onchain liquidity while still being exposed to the equity position.

It’s the first time that a regulated public equity is able to be used as collateral within a live DeFi market. While other tokenized stock products often rely on synthetic structures, Opening Bell allows for the direct tokenization of SEC-registered shares. The move shows how public companies can boost the utility and extend the life of their stock beyond exchanges, enabling programmable ownership that connects directly to the digital-asset economy. 

Chairman of Forward Industries, Kyle Samani, said that “This milestone demonstrates the next evolution of tokenized markets where real equity can function natively within DeFi,” adding that “By enabling FWDI stock to serve as collateral on Solana, we’re unlocking a tangible bridge between traditional markets and the programmable financial systems that define the digital economy.” 

Robert Leshner, CEO of Superstate, echoes these statements: “Our announcement today with Forward brings a whole new level of transformation for public markets,” and adds that “Superstate has now made it possible to unlock the full potential of DeFi for real public equity onchain.”

Those who currently hold FWDI shares are able to hold these shares on Solana by creating an account with Superstate, and following the provided guidance and instructions to transfer the shares from a brokerage account to an allowlisted Solana wallet.

About Forward Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: FWDI)

Forward Industries is a Solana treasury company that’s backed by some of the most influential investors in the space. The company seeks to create long-term shareholder value by actively participating in the Solana ecosystem, through not only acquiring SOL, but also strategically deploying assets through various on-chain opportunities like staking and lending.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.forwardindustries.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to FWDI are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FWDI