Recognized for excellence in workplace culture, DEI and sustainability

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and DENVER, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Startek®, a digital-first global customer experience (CX) solutions provider, announced that Startek Malaysia has been honored with three major recognitions at the HR Asia Best Companies To Work For In Asia 2025 Awards. The organization secured the HR Asia Best Companies To Work For In Asia 2025, Malaysia Edition for the sixth consecutive year, the HR Asia Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award 2025 for the third consecutive year as the only BPO recipient and the HR Asia Sustainable Workplace Award 2025.

These achievements highlight the company’s commitment to building an inclusive, supportive and future-ready workplace. The awards honor organizations identified by their employees as Employers of Choice based on strong engagement, progressive HR practices and a culture of trust. The selection process includes HR Asia’s proprietary TEAM assessment, an extensive audit and a detailed review of workplace policies and employee feedback.

“These recognitions reflect the collective passion, resilience and commitment of our people,” said SM Gupta, Global Chief People Officer, Startek. “At Startek, we continue to invest in creating an environment where every associate feels valued, included and equipped to succeed. Our people-first approach drives our culture forward and strengthens our position as an employer of choice in the region.”

Startek Malaysia’s ongoing recognition highlights the strength of its associate engagement initiatives, DEI-focused programs and sustainable workplace practices. The organization continues to prioritize growth, inclusion and well-being, enabling associates to thrive and deliver exceptional value to clients.

About HR Asia Awards

HR Asia Awards is one of the region’s most authoritative employer recognition programs, celebrating organizations that excel in employee engagement, workplace culture and leadership effectiveness. Winners are identified through a comprehensive methodology combining employee surveys, culture audits and HR Asia’s TEAM assessment model.

About Startek

Startek® is a global leader in customer experience management, delivering comprehensive digital transformation and CX solutions. With over 35 years of expertise, Startek empowers businesses across diverse industries to create memorable, personalized customer interactions. Operating in 14 countries with a team of 38,000 associates, Startek is committed to connecting brands with their customers through innovation, empathy and operational excellence. To learn more, visit www.startek.com and follow us on LinkedIn @Startek.

ABU DHABI, UAE, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, was represented by its CEO and co-founder Ben Zhou at a fireside chat held on December 12 during Breakpoint 2025, Solana’s annual global conference hosted in Abu Dhabi from December 11 to 13. Zhou joined Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation, for a discussion on where the crypto industry is heading next. The conversation took place shortly after Bybit marked its seventh anniversary, a milestone Zhou said reflects the platform’s resilience and growing global user base during a period of rapid industry evolution.

Licensing and Compliance as Core Priorities

Zhou said the past two years have marked a shift in Bybit’s operational priorities as the company concentrated on securing regulatory approvals in key markets. “This year for me is really focused on compliance and getting licensed,” he said. He noted that Bybit was “one of the early exchanges to secure a license from the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA)” and also obtained licensing under Europe’s MiCA framework. He added that markets across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, are preparing for broader onboarding into crypto.

For Bybit, regulatory alignment goes hand in hand with building trusted access points. “The role of the exchange now is really how do we connect to the local banks and become the place for people that haven’t been onboarded into crypto,” Zhou said.

Expanding Payment Access in Emerging Markets

Zhou highlighted strong adoption in Latin America, the CIS region and Africa. He also noted that in underbanked markets crypto platforms are increasingly used as primary financial interfaces. “In several markets where Bybit holds local regulatory approvals, users often rely on crypto exchanges much like banks. We give them a crypto card they can use, and at the same time they have an earn program and can even buy structured products,” he said.

Zhou added that expanding payment functionality is driving real-world utility and contributing to the platform’s continued global user growth.

Byreal and the Move Toward Decentralized Liquidity

Zhou discussed Byreal, the decentralized exchange incubated by Bybit and built on Solana, highlighting liquidity as its core strength. “We want to make sure that the DEX has really good liquidity,” he said, noting that trading activity is already “being routed to Byreal because the liquidity and the spread is quite good.”

He also outlined how Bybit refined its broader product strategy, saying the company discontinued its wallet project after determining the category lacked user stickiness. “I don’t see a competitive stickiness on wallets,” he said, explaining that users often choose wallets based on airdrops or ecosystem access rather than loyalty.

He contrasted that with the durability of decentralized exchanges. “DEX is where trading happens,” Zhou said, pointing to a broader market shift in which liquidity, including derivatives activity, is moving from centralized exchanges to platforms such as Hyperliquid. He said this trend reinforces Byreal’s focus on execution quality and depth of markets.

Zhou closed by reaffirming Bybit’s focus on building compliant, accessible infrastructure while driving innovation across decentralized markets. The exchange’s seven-year track record reflects its commitment to reliability, strong user growth and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing global market conditions.

#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #IMakeIt

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 70 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

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MIDDLETOWN, Del., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Makera today announced a major crowdfunding milestone for Makera Z1 Desktop CNC Machine. By the time the campaign concluded on December 12, it had surpassed US$10,245,134 on Kickstarter, backed by 6,927 supporters worldwide. The achievement highlights growing global demand for accessible, professional-grade CNC manufacturing and reflects the collective support of Makera’s backer community, partners, and collaborators who helped bring the project to market.

A New Standard for Desktop CNC

From its inception, the Makera Z1 was engineered to redefine expectations for desktop CNC machining. By combining industrial-grade performance with a compact, desk-ready form factor, it brings advanced digital fabrication within reach of creators previously constrained by cost, complexity, or space.

Key capabilities of the Makera Z1 include 0.02 mm machining accuracy, 4-axis machining for complex geometries, and a streamlined setup enabled by fast tool changes, smart auto-leveling, and one-click tool calibration. The system also supports laser processing and features a built-in camera for remote monitoring and time-lapse capture, making it easier for users to track and share their work.

An integrated dust collection system, with a high-pressure fan and internal airflow channels built into the spindle, simultaneously manages cooling and chip evacuation, routing debris through a bottom-mounted extraction port.

The hardware is paired with Makera Studio software and the Makerables online platform, which together simplify the entire workflow—from automatic toolpath generation and AI-powered image-to-3D modeling to a global community where makers can share, remix, and collaborate on projects.

Introducing the Makera Z1 Pro: Built from Real Maker Feedback

Building on extensive user insights, Makera introduces the Makera Z1 Pro, an upgraded model designed for creators who demand higher precision and long-term reliability. While the original Z1 delivers professional-grade capability at an entry-level price, the Z1 Pro pushes performance further—bringing greater industrial accuracy and enhanced motion stability to the desktop for those unwilling to compromise.

What’s Upgraded?

The Makera Z1 Pro introduces core motion-system upgrades designed to enhance precision, durability, and reliability under demanding workloads.

All three axes (X, Y, and Z) now feature ball screw drives, replacing standard lead screws. This upgrade further reduces mechanical backlash beyond the Z1’s existing anti-backlash system, while delivering smoother, faster motion and improved longevity during continuous or heavy-duty operation.

In addition, the Z1 Pro is equipped with closed-loop stepper motors across all axes, enabling automatic position correction to eliminate lost steps. The result is higher torque efficiency, quieter operation, and more consistent motion accuracy—bringing industrial-grade reliability to a desktop CNC platform.

Pricing and Availability

Makera continues to prioritize accessibility while expanding performance:

Makera Z1

• MSRP: $1,199
• Kickstarter Late Pledge Price: $979 (18% off)

Makera Z1 Pro

• MSRP: $1,598
• Kickstarter Late Pledge Price: $1,278 (20% off)

From Tanks to Rockets: What Makers Are Building

The Makera Z1 has already proven its capabilities through a wide range of precision-driven projects. Building on widely shared creations such as a fully machined tank model, makers and creators have gone on to tackle even more ambitious builds—including rocket models, intricate mechanical clocks, and complex functional assemblies. Projects like these once demanded access to full-scale workshops, but are now being realized on a desktop CNC.

These examples highlight Makera’s belief that desktop CNC is not just for learning or hobby use, but for serious creation.

Shaping the Future of Digital Fabrication Education

Beyond individual makers, Makera’s impact is also expanding within educational and research communities. The Carvera desktop CNC machine has been officially listed in the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) tools directory, a notable milestone that underscores Makera’s growing role in advancing hands-on digital fabrication for academic instruction, experimentation, and workforce development.

Commenting on the listing, Makera CEO Josh Zhang said: “This milestone reflects Makera’s long-term commitment to bringing desktop CNC tools into classrooms, supporting STEAM education, and expanding the real-world impact of digital manufacturing.”

With the Makera Z1, the newly introduced Z1 Pro, and a rapidly expanding global creator community, Makera is moving beyond product launches. It is redefining how manufacturing tools are accessed, how skills are learned, and who gets to shape the future of digital fabrication.

About Makera

Founded by a team of makers, Makera designs intelligent desktop CNC machines that combine automation, precision, and accessibility. From the high-performance Carvera series—trusted in classrooms, studios, small businesses, and medical labs—to the newly introduced Z1, Makera empowers creators worldwide to turn ideas into reality.

For more information about Makera, please check on: https://www.makera.com/ 

For regular updates on Makera, follow us on:
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Partnership aligns EquiLend’s infrastructure with tokenized assets, digital securities and stablecoins, delivering connectivity across Trading, Post-Trade and Data & Analytics to address evolving market structure and client workflow needs

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — EquiLend, a global financial technology, data and analytics company for the securities finance industry, announced a strategic investment in Digital Prime Technologies, a U.S.-regulated provider of institutional crypto financing and prime brokerage technology, to advance institutional tokenized-asset and digital-markets infrastructure. The investment responds to accelerating market structure changes and client demand for governed, transparent, straight-through workflows across lending and financing in traditional and digital instruments.

Together, EquiLend and Digital Prime will enable workflows across trading, post-trade, and data, with an initial focus on institutional financing for tokenized assets, digital securities and crypto through Tokenet, Digital Prime’s network. The Tokenet solution provides multi-custodian and multi-collateral life-cycle management, exposure monitoring and institutional reporting, with future phases deploying regulated stablecoin collateral and additional tokenized instruments.

Early priorities include aligning workflows with EquiLend’s NGT and the 1Source post-trade platform, with aggregated activity routed to EquiLend’s Data & Analytics to increase market transparency and operational efficiency as settlement cycles compress and financing activity modernizes. 

“As digital asset adoption accelerates, market participants increasingly expect a seamless, unified experience across traditional and digital workflows. Institutions expect governance, transparency and straight-through processing in every asset class,” said Rich Grossi, CEO of EquiLend. “Investing in Digital Prime extends our infrastructure model to tokenized assets and digital markets, positioning us to support clients as our market structures evolves.” 

Nick Delikaris, Chief Product Officer at EquiLend added “This investment enables us to extend EquiLend’s market-leading infrastructure into tokenized assets and cryptocurrencies, delivering the same transparency, institutional rigor, and automation that our clients rely on across our core platforms.” 

“Digital Prime is built around institutional standards,” said James Runnels, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Prime Technologies. “EquiLend’s investment and network will help us scale thoughtfully while we continue to prioritize compliance, risk management and transparency for clients.”

Digital Prime operates U.S.-registered, regulated entities that serve institutional participants in digital-asset lending and financing.

About EquiLend
EquiLend is a global financial technology firm offering Trading, Post-Trade, Data & Analytics, RegTech and Platform Solutions for the securities finance industry. With offices in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, EquiLend operates across various jurisdictions worldwide, adhering to the highest regulatory standards.

The company is committed to excellence and innovation and is consistently recognized for its contributions to the industry. EquiLend is Great Place to Work Certified™ in the U.S., UK, Ireland and India and has been awarded Global Data Provider of the Year and Regulatory Solution of the Year in the Securities Finance Times Industry Excellence Awards 2025.

For more information, please visit www.equilend.com 

About Digital Prime Technologies
Through a multi-faceted product suite, Digital Prime Technologies enables its clients to quickly and easily deploy a full suite of digital asset solutions spanning execution, prime brokerage and lending. The digital assets sector is complicated and evolving rapidly, Digital Prime Technologies is built on TradFi principles and industry practices that are core to US regulated securities markets. Digital Prime Technologies’ offering allows broker-dealers and capital markets firms to transact in the digital asset space with robust and fully customizable services suited to their business and compliance needs.

Media contacts
EquiLend: media@equilend.com
Digital Prime Technologies: james@digitalprimetechnologies.com

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — With the holiday season approaching, finding a gift that is both stylish and practical is the perfect way to delight family and friends. The JustHang Squeegee, with its thoughtful features and sleek design, is quickly becoming a highly sought-after household gift this season.

JustHang Squeegee pioneers a built-in hook design that allows effortless hanging on doors, walls, bathroom towel racks, or glass edges without drilling. This makes daily storage more convenient and organized. Featuring an integrated silicone design, it stays securely in place even when placed on flat surfaces. It provides effortless handling for users of all ages, balancing practicality with safety.

The JustHang Squeegee is celebrated for its thoughtful design, blending sleek minimalism with practical functionality. Its design excellence has been recognized with the American Good Design 2025 Bronze Award. In addition, it has received praise from North American media as “Best of Best” Shower Squeegee and earned high marks from an independent German testing team, reflecting widespread appreciation for its quality and innovative approach. This high regard is mirrored in customer enthusiasm:

• “This is PERFECT. I’m even thinking it might be a great gift item. We are all tired of getting things we don’t need or don’t work. This is practical, yet’gifty” – Amazon Customer Carol
• “I’ve had other squeegees before but this one has a heavier feel, a fantastic grip, and an amazing blade to clean the glass. Might buy more for Xmas gifts!” – Amazon Customer Grampadicky

As a holiday gift, the JustHang Squeegee suits a variety of recipients:

• For Parents: It makes daily cleaning effortless and worry-free, eliminating concerns about water stains.
• For the Young and Active: It’s easy to use and comes in a range of vibrant colour options. Fun to use and clear small messes like crumbs from tabletops, too.
• For Friends and Co-workers: A gift that combines aesthetics and practicality. It fits in all house decor and is suitable for a range of surfaces.

This holiday season, consider the JustHang Squeegee as more than a daily cleaning tool, it is a thoughtful gift choice that brings order and warmth to everyday life. During December 17 – 25, dancemoon will offer up to 33% off the JustHang Squeegee. To place an order, please visit dancemoon’s Amazon store and Shopify.

Or follow dancemoon on social media to stay updated with the latest campaigns:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dancemoon.global/ 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dancemoon.official 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dancemoonofficial 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dancemoonofficial 

About dancemoon

Driven by a passion for innovative design, dancemoon infuses the beauty and emotion of the moon into each product. Beyond offering household tools, dancemoon combines innovation with minimalist design to create products that make household tasks simple and no longer a burden but an enjoyable part of life. With a vision to become the leading brand of minimalist lifestyle, dancemoon is committed to blending minimalism with household tools, bringing bliss into your daily life.

CONTACT: info@dancemoon.com 

BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As the winter chill set in, the 27th Harbin Ice-Snow World, a mega carnival of fancy ice and snow sculptures, buildings and entertainment, opened on Wednesday morning.

Situated in “ice city” Harbin in northeast China, this year’s session featuring an all-time-high ice and snow use of 400,000 cubic meters offers visitors an opportunity to embrace the vast promise of icy wonderland.

Covering areas up to 1.2 million square meters, Harbin Ice-Snow World greeted tourists with drum shows, welcome dances and the “first-day ice can” gifts to add to the lively aura there.

Apart from the historically high ice and snow use, this year’s session stands also for an interaction of the “international style” and Chinese culture, said Guo Hongwei, chairman of Harbin Ice and Snow World Co., Ltd.

Ice buildings such as the ice-made Yellow Crane Tower, an analogue of the time-honored landmark of the same name in Wuhan, central China, is brimming with oriental architectural beauty.

Others including the icy “Manneken Pis”, similar to the city landmark of Brussels in Belgium, attest to the friendly ties between China and Belgium, not to mention a Chinese Baroque-style ice scenery complex in the park.

Available also to winter lovers are the upgraded entertainment options there, which include the super-long ice slide that comprises 24 slide-ways, the 120-meter high ferris wheel, AI-powered interactive equipment, and frozen flowers.

On an outdoor dancefloor, “Brother Left and Right”, a host who got this nickname on the park’s “Dream Stage”, accompanied visitors with interactive singing and dancing activities. Its large fantasy show the Chariot of Valor brought spectators a new visual and aural feast.

With newly-built air dome covering 5,000 square meters, travelers can dine and rest in the “warm castle” in wintry days. Foreign travelers are easy to book tickets with passports and overseas payment. Multilingual tour-guide services are also provided in the park.

As a miniature of China’s burgeoning ice and snow economy, the park is welcoming global visitors to jointly explore the icy carnival in Harbin, said Guo.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/348833.html

SHANGHAI and SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Rona Therapeutics, a global leader in next-generation RNAi medicines, today announced the submission of RN5681 to the Australian Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), advancing the company’s first bi-valent siRNA into clinical development. The Phase 1 trial is expected to begin dosing in Q1 2026.

RN5681 is a GalNAc-conjugated, dual-targeting siRNA designed to simultaneously silence both PCSK9 and LPA, two genetically validated and complementary drivers of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. By unifying LDL-C lowering and Lp(a) reduction within a single molecule, RN5681 aims to deliver deep, durable lipid improvement and address persistent residual risk not resolved by current therapies.

“As a clinician who has helped bring lipid-lowering therapies to patients, I see exceptional promise in a bi-valent siRNA approach,” said Alex DePaoli, MD, CMO. “RN5681 has the potential to expand the treatment paradigm by tackling two of the most important cardiovascular risk factors with unimolecular medicine that could potentially be easily dosed every 6-12 months.”

Dr. DePaoli recently presented Rona’s bi- and multi-target siRNA platform at the 22^nd Global Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum (CVCT, Washington, DC). The visibility of Rona’s science at a premier global cardiovascular meeting underscores rapid recognition of the company’s leadership in multi-target siRNA design and development.

“RN5681 is the first bi-valent siRNA therapy emerging from our pioneering plug-and-play technology platform,” said Stella Shi, CEO. “This filing marks an important step toward bringing next generation of RNAi therapy to patients globally with transformative cardiovascular benefit. We are excited about future multi-valency siRNA breakthrough opportunities in cardiometabolic and obesity areas to address comorbidities.  

About Rona Therapeutics

Rona Therapeutics is a world-leading RNAi therapeutics company dedicated to addressing cardiometabolic, obesity and degenerative diseases with next generation RNA technology platform. Since its inception in 2021, the Company has progressed four programs into the clinic leveraging its proprietary platform in delivery, multi-valency and oligo chemistry. The Company has raised approximately $200M from global blue-chip healthcare investors and strategic partners.