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Malaysia Revives Search for MH370 in Bid for Answers

(FILES) A member of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue scans the horizon during a search in the Andaman sea area around the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on March 17, 2014. The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume at the end of December, Malaysia's transport ministry said on December 3, 2025, more than a decade after the plane disappeared. (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP)

Malaysia will restart the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 later this month, nearly 11 years after the aircraft vanished, the country’s transport ministry has confirmed.

The operation will begin on 30 December, led by British and American-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity, and is expected to run intermittently for about 55 days. Authorities said search teams will focus on locations where experts believe there is the strongest likelihood of finding wreckage, although precise areas have not been disclosed.

MH370 disappeared on 8 March 2014 during a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, including passengers and crew from Malaysia, China, Australia, and several other nations.

Its disappearance prompted one of the most extensive searches in aviation history, spanning the southern Indian Ocean and involving multiple governments.

Over the years, only scattered debris has been confirmed, including fragments that washed ashore along coastlines in the Indian Ocean. No major wreckage field or remains have ever been located.

The renewed search follows a “no-find, no-fee” agreement with Ocean Infinity, meaning payment will only be issued if the aircraft is located. Earlier search efforts were halted due to weather conditions.

Investigations have determined that the aircraft was manually redirected mid-flight, and Malaysian authorities continue to consider the possibility of interference by a third party, though theories relating to pilot intent or mechanical failure have been dismissed.

Malaysia says the decision to return to the seabed reflects its ongoing effort to provide closure to affected families and bring answers to a mystery that has shaped regional aviation policy discussions over the past decade.

Thailand Seizes USD 300 Million in Assets Linked to Cyber-Scam Networks

This photo is used for representational purpose only.

AFP – Thailand has seized more than USD 300 million in assets tied to criminal networks running multibillion-dollar scam centers in Southeast Asia, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday, 3 December.

The announcement comes after authorities across Asia, Europe and the United States targeted Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group and its global business network with asset seizures and freezes worth billions of dollars.

In October, US authorities indicted Prince’s Chinese-born founder Chen Zhi, accusing him of presiding over forced labor camps in Cambodia where trafficked workers conduct online scams.

Anutin told reporters on 3 December that alleged scammers targeted with asset seizures valued at more than USD 300 million were “among the big ones”, including Chen, a Cambodian senator and two Thai nationals.

“All those responsible must be brought to justice under the law,” the prime minister said.

Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office said on Tuesday it had seized around 100 items belonging to Prince’s Chen worth THB 373 million (USD 11.7 million), including land, cash, luxury goods and jewelry.

Authorities said they had also confiscated assets worth nearly USD 15 million from Kok An, a Cambodian senator, businessman and ally of former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Approximately USD 290 million in assets were seized from two Thais with suspected links to scam operations.

Anutin did not say when the seizures occurred.

Cyber-scam operations have mushroomed across Southeast Asia, often operating from unassuming office blocks or warehouses where con artists target internet users living all over the globe.

Some scam workers go willingly to the cyberfraud hubs, while others are trafficked and held in prison-like conditions.

Britain has also frozen business and London property assets worth more than USD 130 million and linked to Chen’s network, while Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong each swooped in with seizures as high as USD 350 million.

The US Justice Department in October called Prince Group “one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organizations”, and seized around $15 billion worth of bitcoin that US authorities alleged were criminal proceeds from the company’s networks.

Prince this month denied that it or Chen had committed any crimes.


© Agence France-Presse

Infortrend High-Density 90-Bay Storage Helps Tackle Data Growth and Rack Constraints in Diverse Enterprise Deployments

TAIPEI, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Infortrend Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495), a leading provider of enterprise storage and AI solutions, today announced the growing adoption of its EonStor GS 4U 90-bay unified storage across diverse real-world deployments.

Infortrend high-density storage, once primarily favored for niche, high-performance workloads like HPC, has proven highly effective in a wider range of enterprise environments where data demands continue to grow. EonStor GS 90-bay solution delivers up to 45 GB/s throughput and 2PB raw capacity in a 4U footprint. Featuring dual-redundant controllers, GS ensures continuous operation and data protection. It supports file, block, and object storage, offering the flexibility to adapt to diverse application requirements.

EonStor GS 90-bay solution has proven its capabilities in real-world deployments requiring fast, reliable, large-scale data access:

  • HPC: A GPU lab uses three appliances with Lustre for GPU-driven simulations, maximizing GPU utilization and ensuring stable HPC job performance.
  • File Sharing: A government organization adopts it to deliver high throughput for simultaneous file access and Veeam backup. The same solution enables police investigators to instantly open case files, images, and videos, while the clinic’s specialists use it to quickly retrieve patient imaging and lab data.
  • Video Streaming: A media platform uses the solution with an expansion enclosure to power smooth video streaming and fast video uploads.
  • Backup: A research institute relies on the solution for large-scale CT scan backups and research archives, seamlessly integrating with existing backup systems and cloud platforms such as Amazon S3.

“Enterprises across industries are increasingly adopting our high-density GS storage to manage growing data, ensure fast data access, and make the most of limited rack space. Designed for the future, the solution delivers the performance and scalability up to 70PB enterprises need to meet ever-evolving data demands,” said Frank Lee, Senior Director of Product Planning at Infortrend.

Learn more: EonStor GS

About Infortrend

Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user-friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more information, please visit www.infortrend.com.

Infortrend® and EonStor® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc.; other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Orbbec and Advantech Showcase NVIDIA Accelerated Physical AI Platform for Next-Generation Robotics at iREX 2025

TOKYO, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Orbbec, a leading provider of robotics and AI vision, and Advantech, a global leader in edge computing, today debut their collaborative platform powered by NVIDIA Jetson Thor at the International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Tokyo, marking their first joint exhibition at one of the world’s largest robotics trade show. The partnership signals a strategic alignment to deliver an integrated AI vision and compute ecosystem for Japan’s robotics and automation industry.

At iREX 2025, Orbbec (AI vision) and Advantech (edge computing) debut their collaborative, integrated Physical AI platform—accelerated by NVIDIA Jetson Thor—to deliver next-generation robotics solution.
At iREX 2025, Orbbec (AI vision) and Advantech (edge computing) debut their collaborative, integrated Physical AI platform—accelerated by NVIDIA Jetson Thor—to deliver next-generation robotics solution.

At booth W3-49, visitors can witness a humanoid robot demonstration accelerated by Advantech’s MIC-742-AT and NVIDIA Jetson Thor, integrated with Orbbec’s Gemini 330 series 3D camera. The embedded NVIDIA Jetson T5000 module with 2,070 TFLOPS of AI compute enables robots to run large transformer models and vision-language-action models in real time, bridging advanced AI reasoning with Orbbec’s depth perception technology for real-world physical intelligence. Under iREX 2025’s theme “Sustainable Societies Through Robotics”, the collaboration delivers synchronized multi-camera configurations for complex applications spanning warehouse logistics, collaborative manufacturing, and human-robot interaction.

“Our partnership with Advantech delivers production-ready solutions with consistent quality and dependable availability,” said Felix Zheng, Managing Director, APAC Region at Orbbec. ” Orbbec’s proven OEM/ODM capabilities and global supply network ensure partners can reliably scale from prototype to mass production.”

“Advantech is committed to empowering the era of Physical AI through robust edge computing and NVIDIA accelerated computing,” said Magic Pao, Associate Vice President at Advantech. “Together with vision partners like Orbbec, we enable next-generation robotics and intelligent systems that seamlessly connect perception, reasoning, and action.”

Advantech presents the MIC-735, accelerated by industrial-grade NVIDIA IGX Thor, delivering deterministic AI computing for real-time robotic control and functional safety applications. Alongside the AMR DevKit and SKY-602E3 GPU Server, Advantech showcases an end-to-end architecture that seamlessly bridges real-world perception with virtual simulation and AI reasoning. In addition, AFE-A702, a Robotic Control System, is also presented by Advantech. It supports real-time AI reasoning and inference with GPU-accelerated SLAM—enabling advanced AMRs and next-generation robotics.

Complementing this, Orbbec demonstrates its latest 3D vision technologies, including a live comparison of the Gemini 435Le stereo camera against a leading international model and the new Pulsar ME450 multi-pattern LiDAR, which seamlessly switches between scan modes—from fast obstacle avoidance to high-density 3D mapping —illustrating how advanced perception and edge computing converge to empower next-generation robotics.

Join us at iREX 2025 (Booth W3-49) to see how Orbbec and Advantech bring Physical AI to next-generation robots.

Tonik raises US$12M Pre-Series C to scale capital-efficient lending in the Philippines

 Led by Diligent Capital Partners with Plio Limited, Altara Capital, and Tonik management

SINGAPORE and MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tonik Financial, controlling shareholder of Tonik Digital Bank, the Philippines’ first licensed digital-only bank, has raised US$12 million in Pre-Series C financing led by Diligent Capital Partners, with participation from Plio Limited, existing shareholder Altara Capital, and Tonik management. The funding strengthens the regulatory capital position of Tonik Digital Bank under Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas requirements and supports continued investment in Tonik’s technology platform to accelerate customer acquisition, cross-sell, and automation.


Tonik enters the round with three years of profitability-driven scale, having grown its loan portfolio 15× to US$83 million, while annualized revenue has reached over US$40 million. The bank continues to deliver 25%+ risk-adjusted return on capital (RAROC), and its risk-adjusted gross margin expanded 4.5× over the past twelve months. Contribution margin turned positive  in late 2024, supported by Tonik’s AI-powered credit scoring, disciplined collections, and automation across origination and servicing. With efficiency gains compounding and burn continuing to decline, Tonik’s current trajectory points to cash-flow breakeven around the first half of 2026.

Tonik’s technology and distribution flywheel has become one of the most defensible moats in Southeast Asian consumer finance. The bank integrates regulated, low-cost deposit funding with a deeply seasoned AI risk engine trained on more than three years of proprietary data, and a B2B2C distribution network spanning nearly 400 employers and over 500 retail partners. Its cloud-native stack powers real-time underwriting, behavioral scoring, and automated servicing — lowering cost-to-serve and stabilizing cost of risk — enabling Tonik to scale responsible credit access in a $100B+ latent market where unsecured consumer lending remains the lowest-penetrated in Southeast Asia.

“This round is about scaling with discipline — protecting our capital ratios while growing a profitable, credit-led model,” said Greg Krasnov, Founder & CEO of Tonik. “Tonik was built to prove that financial inclusion in emerging markets can be delivered with truly world-class returns. The momentum we’re seeing in risk performance, technology leverage, and channel scale shows that the model works — and is ready for another 10x in the next 2-3 years.”

“While our fund’s primary focus is on Ukraine and the Black Sea basin, we also back mission-driven Ukrainian founders building globally,” said Dan Pasko, Partner at Diligent Capital Partners. “Our team supported Greg more than a decade ago in one of his prior builds, and many other high-performing Ukrainian leaders are now helping drive Tonik. That continuity gives us deep confidence in execution. Tonik’s unit-economics rigor and technology stack position it to become one of Southeast Asia’s most valuable digital banks over time.”

About Tonik

Tonik is the first digital-only neobank in the Philippines, operating under a full banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Tonik offers loans, deposits, and embedded finance via a mobile-first experience. The company is backed by leading global investors including Mizuho Bank, Insignia Ventures, Peak XV (formerly Sequoia India), and Point72 Ventures. https://tonikbank.com/ 

About Diligent Capital Partners

Diligent Capital Partners is a mid-market private equity firm created to mobilise both private and public capital to support the strengthening of the Ukrainian and wider Black Sea Region economy. It aims to catalyse the development of a healthy and dynamic corporate and financing ecosystem. With a combination of proven international expertise and deep local knowledge, the firm is uniquely positioned to seek out compelling investment opportunities. https://diligent.capital/

Nona Biosciences Appoints Dr. Hongjiang Miao as Chief AI Officer to Advance A³ Strategy and AI-Driven Drug Discovery

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Nona Biosciences (“Nona” or the “Company”), a global biotechnology company providing integrated solutions for biological drug discovery and development from I to I® (Idea to IND), today announced the appointment of Dr. Hongjiang Miao as Chief AI Officer. Dr. Miao will be based in Shanghai and report directly to Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona Biosciences.

In this role, Dr. Miao will lead the Nona AI team to advance the Company’s A3 (Antibody engineering × AI × Automation) strategy and further transform Nona into an AI-driven drug discovery company. He will be responsible for developing Nona’s AI strategy, spearheading the deep integration of AI technologies into core processes, consolidating data resources, algorithmic models, and experimental/business workflows, establishing an AI R&D platform, and enhancing platform stability and iterative upgrades.

Dr. Miao brings extensive experience in AI and biocomputing, with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and delivering impactful AI technologies. Previously, under his leadership, his team developed the first high-precision 3D protein structure prediction algorithm as well as the first AIGC protein design workbench in China, making significant contributions to computational biology and AI-driven therapeutic innovation.

Dr. Miao received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics and statistics from the University of Oxford. He completed his doctorate at Imperial College London under the supervision of Professor Michael J.E. Sternberg, Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, focusing on algorithms for predicting protein structure and function. Prior to joining Nona Biosciences, he served as AI CTO at Great Bay Bio and as the head of the XLab laboratory at Tianrang Intelligence.

Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona Biosciences, commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Hongjiang Miao as our first Chief AI Officer. Hongjiang is an exceptional leader who uniquely understands how to translate algorithmic innovation into biologics discovery. His expertise in AI and biocomputing will be highly valuable as we advance our A3 strategy and transform Nona into an AI-driven drug discovery company. I am confident that under his leadership, our AI technology will deeply integrate with our industry-leading antibody technology platforms, creating a truly synergistic loop that accelerates the delivery of innovative therapeutics.”

Dr. Hongjiang Miao, Chief AI Officer of Nona Biosciences, added: “It is a great honor to join Nona Biosciences, a leading innovative biotech company. Leveraging its world-class scientific team and leading innovation platform, Nona Biosciences has established integrated solutions from Idea to IND (I to I®), ranging from target validation and antibody discovery through preclinical research, and has achieved significant breakthroughs with global impact. As Chief AI Officer, I will work closely with colleagues across all departments at Nona Biosciences to advance the company’s A3 strategy—comprehensively integrating cutting-edge AI technologies with the company’s unique biological platforms to build an intelligent engine for drug discovery. Together, we will decode the mysteries of life through algorithms, drive precision medicine with data, and continuously deliver more valuable products and services for patients and clients.”

About Nona Biosciences

Nona Biosciences is a global biotechnology company committed to cutting-edge technology innovations and providing integrated solutions from I to I® (Idea to IND), ranging from target validation and antibody discovery through preclinical research. Nona’s integrated antibody and antibody-related discovery services cover a broad range of modalities, from antigen preparation, animal immunization, single B cell screening, to antibody lead generation and engineering, developability assessment and pharmacological evaluation, leveraging advantages of Harbour Mice® platforms and the experienced therapeutic antibody discovery teams.

Harbour Mice® generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in classical two light and two heavy chain (H2L2) format, and heavy chain-only (HCAb) format. The HCAb Harbour Mice® is the world’s first fully human HCAb transgenic mouse with clinical validation. This unique platform offers exceptional versatility for diverse applications using fully human VH single-domain antibodies as a plug-and-play system, including bispecific antibodies, multi-specific antibodies, CAR-T therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), mRNA-based therapeutics, and more.

By integrating Harbour Mice®, single-B cell screening technology, NonaCarFxTM (a direct CAR-function-based screening platform), Hu-mAtrIxTM (an AI-driven drug discovery platform), Modalities-on-DemandTM (a next-generation modalities solution), and end-to-end preclinical drug development services, Nona Biosciences is dedicated to driving the global invention of transformative next-generation drugs.

For more information, please visit: www.nonabio.com.

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announces dates for 2026 ASCO Breakthrough and begins accepting submissions for novel oncology research

Global oncology society calls for abstract submissions for research that is shaping the future of cancer care in advance of annual Asia-Pacific meeting in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today launched its call for abstracts for its 2026 Breakthrough meeting, offering researchers globally the opportunity to present and discuss findings with an influential, international audience of cancer care professionals in the heart of Asia.

In advance of the annual conference, held for the first-time in Singapore, oncology professionals can submit abstracts to ASCO Breakthrough from today until 11:59 PM on 24 February 2026, Eastern Time (12:59 PM, Singapore Standard Time, 25 February 2026). ASCO Breakthrough takes place from 25-27 June 2026, co-hosted by ASCO and the Singapore Society of Oncology, along with other collaborating societies in the Asia Pacific region.

The meeting provides cancer care professionals the opportunity to have their research featured when the global oncology community comes together to explore the latest advances and accelerate progress towards conquering cancer worldwide. Alongside critical dialogues, cancer care professionals will also be able to see their work through the lens of different healthcare systems and patient populations, bridging global science and regional expertise.

ASCO Breakthrough’s program leadership comprises esteemed cancer care professionals from the region, chaired by Dr. Yun Yen, Taipei Medical University, alongside Past Chair Dr. Melvin Chua, National Cancer Centre Singapore; Chair-Elect Dr. Roselle De Guzman, Manila Central University; Dr. Eileen Poon, National Cancer Centre Singapore and the Singapore Society of Oncology, as well as Dr. Jun Ma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre and ASCO Asia Pacific Regional Council Representative.

“ASCO Breakthrough is a powerful catalyst where science meets real-world impact. Submitting an abstract to the meeting means joining a global stage where new science is not just presented, but advanced. It’s an opportunity to showcase novel data, engage with international experts, and build collaborations that can fast-track promising research from concept to clinic. Asia has a unique opportunity to drive global oncology forward, and I hope to see researchers from the region and beyond contribute their science to the meeting and together, amplify good science into real momentum,” said Dr. Yun Yen, Program Committee Chair, 2026 ASCO Breakthrough.

ASCO is accepting abstracts across tracks ranging from artificial intelligence and digital technology to breast cancer, central nervous system tumors, developmental therapeutics and more. Additional subcategories include advanced disease, antibody drug conjugates and devices, and inventions.

All accepted abstracts will be published online as part of the Journal of Clinical Oncology supplement. Trials in Progress (TPS) abstracts will also be accepted. Professionals in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) can apply for fee waivers at the time of submission.

In 2024, the Breakthrough meeting welcomed 790 experts from more than 35 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world in Yokohama. Registrations for the 2026 ASCO Breakthrough will open in December 2025.

To submit abstracts and view more details about registration, visit: breakthrough.asco.org  

About the American Society of Clinical Oncology

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is committed to the principle that knowledge conquers cancer. Together with the Association for Clinical Oncology, ASCO represents more than 50,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, supports ASCO by funding groundbreaking research and education across cancer’s full continuum. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.    

About ASCO Breakthrough

ASCO Breakthrough is an annual Asia-Pacific oncology meeting offering novel research and expert, multidisciplinary perspectives on the newest scientific findings, clinical and technology advances, and treatment approaches that are rapidly changing cancer care. Take part in insightful sessions, case discussions, and abstract presentations, and join a community of like-minded professionals to contribute, together, toward conquering cancer.

 

AlphaBitCore Launches Platform To Help Enterprises Turn AI Into Real Work, Not Just Pilots

CHICAGO, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AlphaBitCore today announced the launch of its Model Context Protocol (MCP) Federated Access Platform, a unified control layer that lets enterprises connect AI to real work across their business, using the systems they already have.

Instead of adding yet another agent, workflow tool, or RPA product, AlphaBitCore gives companies one place to plug in models, agents, tools, and data, then decide what AI is allowed to do and where. The result is simple to understand – AI that can actually move tickets, update records, kick off approvals, and close loops in production, while the enterprise keeps a single, clear view of how it all runs.

“Most enterprises do not have an AI problem. They have an AI sprawl problem,” said James Rhodes, Co-Founder and CEO of AlphaBitCore. “We built AlphaBitCore so you can manage your entire AI stack in one place and finally let AI do real work inside your business, not just sit in a chatbot.”

Banks can use AlphaBitCore to let AI prepare credit memos, gather documents, run risk checks, and send files for approval, all inside existing banking, risk, and compliance systems. Product and engineering teams can ask AI to draft PRDs, open tickets, assign work, and keep documentation in sync, using the same Jira, code, and knowledge tools they already rely on. In each case, AI is no longer a separate assistant on the side. It works inside the normal tools and workflows; under rules the company sets once and reuses everywhere.

This is where AlphaBitCore differentiates itself from traditional agents, workflow tools, and RPA. Those products focus on single processes, single teams, or single vendors. AlphaBitCore is designed to sit above them as the platform where enterprises manage the whole AI estate. It connects out to MCP servers, gateways, and APIs, then pulls them into one governed environment so leaders can see what AI is doing, where it is connected, and what value it is creating.

Safety and security are built into this platform, but not as a brake. By centralizing identity, access, and auditing, AlphaBitCore lets risk and compliance teams set policy once so that product, operations, and engineering teams can move faster without renegotiating every new use case. The promise is straightforward: one place to control your AI stack, so you can scale AI across the business with confidence.

To support early adopters, AlphaBitCore is opening a limited Early Access Program for selected global institutions. Participants will receive sandbox environments, starter toolkits for banking and developer workflows, and direct collaboration with the AlphaBitCore team to identify and launch their first high value AI powered processes.

“Enterprises are tired of impressive demos that never reach production,” said GK, Co-Founder of AlphaBitCore. “Early Access is about getting a few critical workflows live, proving value quickly, and giving teams a single platform they can grow with.”

About AlphaBitCore

AlphaBitCore is a next generation AI infrastructure company focused on helping enterprises manage and scale their AI stack. Its MCP Federated Access Platform provides a unified control layer that lets AI agents and humans operate across enterprise systems with full compliance, observability, and traceability. The company serves financial institutions, wealth managers, digital banks, insurers, and global enterprises that want to move from AI experiments to a single, governed platform for AI in production.

Website: https://www.alphabitcore.com