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Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. ( NASDAQ:FYBR – Free Report ) by 0.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 45,059 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 372 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Frontier Communications Parent were worth $1,588,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Frontier Communications Parent by 24.4% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 8,088,749 shares of the company’s stock valued at $211,758,000 after acquiring an additional 1,587,145 shares during the period. Luxor Capital Group LP increased its position in shares of Frontier Communications Parent by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Luxor Capital Group LP now owns 2,796,332 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,208,000 after acquiring an additional 43,542 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Frontier Communications Parent by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,310,952 shares of the company’s stock valued at $82,108,000 after acquiring an additional 109,648 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in shares of Frontier Communications Parent by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,005,937 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,515,000 after acquiring an additional 79,265 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Frontier Communications Parent by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,874,245 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,068,000 after acquiring an additional 51,133 shares during the period. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Raymond James downgraded Frontier Communications Parent from a “strong-buy” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Frontier Communications Parent from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their target price for the company from $35.00 to $38.50 in a research report on Tuesday, September 17th. TD Cowen downgraded Frontier Communications Parent from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $39.00 to $38.50 in a research report on Tuesday, October 8th. UBS Group downgraded Frontier Communications Parent from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, September 6th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Frontier Communications Parent from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research report on Monday, September 30th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $35.31. Frontier Communications Parent Trading Down 0.6 % Shares of Frontier Communications Parent stock opened at $34.64 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.63 billion, a PE ratio of -46.19 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28. Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. has a twelve month low of $20.51 and a twelve month high of $39.21. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $34.96 and its 200 day moving average price is $31.79. Frontier Communications Parent ( NASDAQ:FYBR – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.33) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.22) by ($0.11). The business had revenue of $1.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.46 billion. Frontier Communications Parent had a negative net margin of 3.19% and a negative return on equity of 3.61%. The firm’s revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.05 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. will post -0.83 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at Frontier Communications Parent In other news, EVP John Harrobin sold 23,491 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.85, for a total transaction of $818,661.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 121,182 shares in the company, valued at $4,223,192.70. This trade represents a 16.24 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock. Frontier Communications Parent Company Profile ( Free Report ) Frontier Communications Parent, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides communication and technology services in the United States. It offers broadband, video, voice, and other value-added services. The company also provides data and Internet, including broadband networking services; data-based voice over internet protocol, unified communications, long-distance, and voice messaging services; video services under the Frontier TV brand; access services; hardware and network solutions; and packages of services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Frontier Communications Parent Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Frontier Communications Parent and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
2024 CHAN: Nigeria seals qualification with 3-1 victory over Ghana
WESTERLY, R.I. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. WASH (the "Corporation"), parent company of The Washington Trust Company, of Westerly (the "Bank"), today announced it has commenced an underwritten public offering of $55,000,000 of the Corporation's common stock. The Corporation also expects to grant the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares of its common stock sold in the offering. BofA Securities is serving as the sole book-running manager for the offering. The Corporation intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes to support continued organic growth and capital generation, which are expected to include investments in the Bank and Bank balance sheet optimization strategies involving the sale of lower-yielding loans and available for sale debt securities, the repayment of wholesale funding balances and the purchase of debt securities with current market yields. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE OFFERING The common stock offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-274430), which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 8, 2023 , and declared effective by the SEC on September 29, 2023 . A preliminary prospectus supplement to which this communication relates has been filed with the SEC, and a prospectus supplement will be filed with the SEC prior to the closing of the common stock offering. Before you invest in any securities, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, including the risk factors set forth therein, the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein, and the other documents that the Corporation has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Corporation and the offering. Copies of these documents are available at no charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement, the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering may also be obtained from BofA Securities, NC1-022-02-25, 201, North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com . NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. There will be no sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains statements that are "forward-looking statements." Forward looking-statements include all statements that are not historical facts and include any statements regarding the proposed offering and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering. We may also make forward-looking statements in other documents we file with the SEC, in our annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by our officers, directors, or employees. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "assume," "outlook," "will," "should," and other expressions that predict or indicate future events and trends and which do not relate to historical matters. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. A detailed discussion of factors that could affect our results is included in the Corporation's SEC filings, including Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 . You should not rely on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the anticipated future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in our expectations, except as required by law. ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST BANCORP, INC. Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., NASDAQ: WASH, is the publicly-owned holding company of The Washington Trust Company ("Washington Trust", "the Bank"), with $7.1 billion in assets as of September 30, 2024 . Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is recognized as the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust values its role as a community bank and is committed to helping the people, businesses, and organizations of New England improve their financial lives. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management services through its offices in Rhode Island , Connecticut and Massachusetts and a full suite of convenient digital tools. Washington Trust is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/washington-trust-announces-stock-offering-302330754.html SOURCE Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The biggest pop culture villains of 2024OnePlus Open 2 alleged leaks suggest upgraded design, IPX8 rating, and Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC
Commentary: Capitalism is the unsung hero of South Korean democracyMarsBars Earlier this year, I was growing increasingly cautious in the BDC space, VanEck BDC Income ETF ( BIZD ) and greatly reduced my holdings in the sector due to the fact that economic conditions appeared to be worsening, and the Fed If you want access to our Portfolios that have crushed the market since inception and all our current Top Picks, join us for a 2-week free trial at High Yield Investor. We are the fastest growing high yield-seeking investment service on Seeking Alpha with a perfect 5/5 rating from 180 reviews. Our members are profiting from our high-yielding strategies, and you can join them today at our lowest rate ever offered. You won't be charged a penny during the free trial, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Start Your 2-Week Free Trial Today! Samuel Smith has a diverse background that includes being lead analyst and Vice President at several highly regarded dividend stock research firms and running his own dividend investing YouTube channel. He is a Professional Engineer and Project Management Professional and holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering & Mathematics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and has a Masters in Engineering with a focus on applied mathematics and machine learning. Samuel leads the High Yield Investor investing group. Samuel teams up with Jussi Askola and Paul R. Drake where they focus on finding the right balance between safety, growth, yield, and value. High Yield Investor offers real-money core, retirement, and international portfolios. The service also features regular trade alerts, educational content, and an active chat room of like-minded investors. Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BIP either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. I may initiate a position in GBDC and/or KBDC in the near future. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Barry Keoghan appears to be stepping away from Instagram following his high-profile breakup with Sabrina Carpenter . On Saturday (Dec. 7) morning, the 32-year-old actor’s Instagram account displayed an error message reading: “Sorry, this page isn’t available.” The night before, Keoghan had shared a series of steamy gym selfies on his Instagram Story, showing off his physique in a dark green tank top, according to TMZ . He also posted a couple of shots with blonde hair, presumably from the set of his upcoming film Crime 101 . However, hours after these posts, his Instagram account was deactivated. Despite his Instagram deactivation, Keoghan hasn’t deleted all of his social media accounts. His X (formerly Twitter) account remains active , though he hasn’t posted there since late November. See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Irish actor’s decision to leave Instagram comes just days after news broke of his split from Carpenter, 25. A source told People on Dec. 3 that the couple, who had been together for about a year, decided to take a break due to their busy careers. “They are both young and career-focused, so they’ve decided to take a break,” the source explained . The pair first sparked dating rumors in late 2023 before making their public debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty in March. Keoghan also appeared alongside Carpenter in the music video for her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single “Please Please Please,” featured on her album Short n’ Sweet. Following the album’s release in late August, fans speculated that several tracks, including the sultry “Bed Chem,” were inspired by Keoghan. In the song, Carpenter sings: “I was in a sheer dress the day that we met/ We were both in a rush, we talked for a sec/ Who’s the cute boy with the white jacket and the thick accent? ... Who’s the cute guy with the wide, blue eyes?” Just last month, Keoghan was asked about his relationship with Carpenter during an appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast . When asked directly if he was dating her, Keoghan laughed and responded, “Oh, I knew you’d do this,” before adding, “Listen, all I’m going to say is I’m incredibly blessed. Such a strong, independent lady who’s massively talented and yeah. Pretty special.”
I’ve worn then returned 100 glitzy party dresses as a serial ‘wardrober’ – I get a kick out of it & don’t spend a pennyCDC breaks silence as mystery flu-like infection kills dozens of children and sparks Covid-era travel restrictions READ MORE: Health officials issue dire warning as mysterious illness emerges By LUKE ANDREWS SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 21:32 GMT, 5 December 2024 | Updated: 22:20 GMT, 5 December 2024 e-mail 31 View comments The CDC is 'standing ready' amid an outbreak of a mystery disease in Africa. There are rising concerns about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where dozens of people have died from a flu-like respiratory illness. A source at the CDC told DailyMail.com they were 'aware' of the outbreak and were in contact with health officials there 'and stand ready to provide additional support if needed'. The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed a team to the southwestern province Kwango where the outbreak is being reported to take samples and test for the virus. DRC health minister Roger Kamba said his country was currently on 'maximum alert' as they try to work out what's behind the 'epidemic' that has killed up to 143 people . Most patients were children in their late teens, officials said, who suffered from symptoms including a fever, headache, cough and shortness of breath. The symptoms suggest a respiratory virus — and, already, parallels are being drawn to the early days of the Covid pandemic. Hong Kong became the first country to bring in health checks for arrivals from the DRC and Africa today, in an echo of measures taken to limit the spread of Covid. Officials are 'aware' of a mysterious outbreak in the Congo. The above is a stock image and shows a healthcare worker caring for an individual in Tehran, Iran, in March 2020 — at the start of the Covid pandemic A source at CDC told DailyMail.com in a statement: 'The CDC is aware of reports of an illness in southwest DRC. 'US Government staff, including those from US CDC's country office in Kinshasa [the DRC's capital], are in contact with the DRC's ministry of health and stand ready to provide additional support if needed.' It was not clear how concerned the CDC was over the outbreak, or whether the agency plans to alert the nation's doctors. Read More Health officials issue dire warning as mysterious flu-like illness kills 143 Tests on patients are currently being carried out in the DRC, with officials saying they expect to have the results before the end of the week. There are no direct flights between the US and Kinshasa, according to flight monitoring websites, although passengers can still arrive via connecting flights. This may include catching connecting flights in Johannesburg, South Africa, or in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Officials say it is taking days to establish the illness behind the outbreak because the cases are in a remote part of the country, which took two days for the health team to reach. It is not clear what disease could be causing the outbreak at this point, but officials say it could be a respiratory disease. Experts speaking to DailyMail.com said the symptoms were 'non-specific' and they needed more information. Dr Peter Hotez, pictured above, was speaking on MSNBC warning of the dangers posed by Dr Annie Rimoin, an epidemiologist at the University of California , Los Angeles , who has worked in Congo since 2002, told NBC News that diagnosing the illnesses may be complicated by underlying health issues in the local population, including malaria and malnutrition. 'I think it's really important to be aware of what's happening, and I think it's also really important not to panic until we have more information,' she said. 'It could be anything,' she added. 'It could be influenza, it could be Ebola , it could be measles. At this point, we really just don’t know.' Dr Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases expert and associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said that at this stage it was difficult to tell what was causing the outbreak because only general symptoms had been reported. 'We need more information,' she told DailyMail.com, 'the information that has been provided at present speaks of a number of diseases'. Asked whether it could be monkeypox or Ebola, she said: 'In what they are reporting, we have not seen any reports of skin rash or skin abnormality — which would go with mpox. 'Typically, with viral hemorrhagic fever [like Ebola] you would hear reports of coughing or throwing up blood, and that has not been reported either.' She added: 'The reports are concerning, but we need more data and more information about the symptoms they are seeing on the ground.' The above map shows the DRC, and highlights the province of Kwango where the outbreak has been recorded The above image shows Roger Kamba, who heads up the DRC's department of health Officials initially suggested that 143 people had died from the mystery disease, although authorities appear to have reduced that number to 71 deaths. These include 27 people who died in the hospital and 44 people who died in the community. Of the people who died in hospital, 10 died due to a lack of blood transfusions and 17 died as a result of respiratory problems — the health minister said. Most of the cases were children in their late teens, aged between 15 and 18 years old according to the BBC . Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Hotez, a leading supporter of lockdowns and mask mandates during the Covid pandemic, warned there were at least nine infectious diseases currently spreading in the US that could cause another pandemic — in a plea to the Trump administration not to cut disease research funding. Scientists are currently warning over a surge in bird flu cases in animals that are spilling into humans , as well as a resurgence in measles and whooping cough linked to falling vaccination rates. In an interview with MSNBC news , Dr Hotez said: 'Here's the reason why we need to care about this stuff. We have some big-picture stuff coming down the pipe. 'All that's going to come crashing down on January 21 on the Trump administration. We need a really really good team to be able to handle this.' World Health Organization Hong Kong BBC Share or comment on this article: CDC breaks silence as mystery flu-like infection kills dozens of children and sparks Covid-era travel restrictions e-mail Add comment
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.Emma Navarro emerged victorious in the battle of billionaire heiresses at the Garden Cup 2024, in front of nearly 20,000 spectators. While Jessica Pegula put up a brave fight at Madison Square Garden, she lost the contest narrowly, largely due to a new strategy. Pegula opted to play more drop shots than she normally does. However, that strategy backfired as she missed most of them, ultimately losing the first set in a tiebreaker. After the first set, Pegula told Tennis Channel that she was trying to copy Carlos Alcaraz, who was to play after her, against Ben Shelton at the same event. Pegula could not be faulted for attempting drop shots frequently since it was an exhibition match. However, the question remains whether she is preparing for the 2025 season with these drop shots. One cannot rule it out, as the US Open 2024 finalist will face stiff competition from the likes of Navarro, a resurgent Coco Gauff, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina for the upcoming season. It is interesting to see Alcaraz having a profound impact on someone like Pegula, who is nearly 10 years older than him. But this is not the first instance of Pegula showing her admiration for Alcaraz, as she is indeed a huge fan of his. When Pegula had to watch Alcaraz play at Olympics without a seat At the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, Pegula took a selfie that went viral on social media, and it’s easy to see why. She was at Stade Roland-Garros cheering for the American team. The duo of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek took on Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in the men’s doubles quarterfinals. Despite Pegula being a part of the American contingent and the daughter of a billionaire, she failed to get a proper seat for that match. But she was sporty enough to post about it, bringing the enthusiast out of her. At the US Open 2023, Pegula was in awe of Alcaraz, admitting that the level of entertainment and excitement he provided to fans was difficult for her to replicate when playing at Arthur Ashe Stadium after him. One thing is for certain. If Pegula takes some tips from Alcaraz on how to play the drop shot more effectively, among other things, she could become a serious contender for Grand Slams in 2025.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- uLab Systems ® announces an exciting new strategic collaboration with Voxel Dental and LuxCreo, Inc., two other leaders in the orthodontic industry, aimed at advancing the use of direct print aligner technology. All three companies share the vision of transforming the landscape of in-office manufacturing capabilities for orthodontists. Together they will streamline the overall workflow for direct print appliances and further the adoption of this promising technology. "We could not be happier to team up with Voxel and LuxCreo," said Charlie Wen, Co-founder and President of uLab Systems. "This collaboration will enable us to deliver needed advancements in direct print technology workflow, ultimately benefiting our customers and their patients with fast, precise, and cost-effective solutions." Mark Bacino , Vice President of Orthodontic Solutions at Voxel, added, "We're thrilled about the future of direct print aligners with the LuxCreo system. Previously, we were concerned about the lengthy digital workflow, but now, with the integration of uLab's uDesign platform and LuxCreo FastTrack AI, setting up direct print cases is much easier. The reduction in labor time is invaluable, eliminating the need for physically blocking out, thermoforming, cutting, and trimming in-office aligners." Mike Yang , CEO of LuxCreo, commented, "We are excited to partner with Voxel and uLab, uniting our shared commitment to enhance patient care through disruptive solutions. Together, we are advancing the frontier of digital dentistry, empowering doctors with elegant solutions and the ability to create lasting value for their business and patients. This collaboration underscores our collective vision to shape a brighter, more connected future." uLab's uDesign software has been the established leader in digital aligner treatment planning platforms since its commercial launch in 2019. Since then, the company has been focused on creating flexible workflows to empower orthodontists, giving them greater control over their treatment plans and aligner manufacturing. uLab recently enabled direct print capabilities for the uDesign software application and is working with LuxCreo on integrations that will save time for users. Register for an upcoming event to learn more: Hands-On with 3D Printed Aligners: From Treatment Planning to Finished Aligner 1/31/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/21/25 LuxCreo, Inc., Headquarters – Chicago, IL Register Now! https://voxeldental.com/products/luxdemo Digital Workflows for In-office Printing with uLab 3/7/25 Voxel Dental Headquarters – Houston, TX Register Now! https://ulabsystems.swoogo.com/ulabvoxel About uLab Systems uLab's mission is to advance the orthodontic industry with aligner products and digital treatment planning software that let orthodontists take back control of their treatment plans to provide the best outcomes for their patients. uLab sustainably manufactures uSmile aligners in Memphis, Tennessee , recycling over 80% of manufacturing mold materials. uSmile clear aligners, the uAssist concierge service, and the uDesign software are available to orthodontic practices in the USA . To learn more, visit www.ulabsystems.com. Contact: Johanna Beckmen , pr@ulabsystems.com . About Voxel Dental Voxel Dental is the #1 provider of digital orthodontic workflow solutions, offering the industry's top brands along with decades of combined experience in dental technologies. The Voxel team field tests every digital technology we provide to recommend the highest quality tailored solutions for our customers across a comprehensive product line. Focusing on a high-tech, high-touch philosophy, we specialize in 3D printers, intraoral scanners, digital X-ray, laser welding, thermoforming plastics, and wire-bending robotics with an emphasis on providing unmatched education, training, and technical support. For more information, please visit our website at voxeldental.com or call us at 281.789.7270. Contact: Chris Koch , marketing@voxeldental.com . About LuxCreo, Inc. LuxCreo, Inc., is the leading platform for personalized medical and dental devices, dedicated to transforming patient care through innovation, speed, and customer success. We empower doctors to design, create, and deliver same-day treatments that enhance smiles, health, and well-being for a wider variety of patients. Our unique ecosystem supports dental and medical professionals with onsite, scalable solutions and flexible production with laboratory design and production services. LuxCreo helps doctors grow their practices and improve patient care by delivering more customized and effective treatments with convenience and precision. For more information, visit LuxCreo.com © 2024 uLab Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. uSmile and Reva are trademarks and uLab, uLab Systems, uAssist and uDesign are registered trademarks of uLab Systems, Inc. MAR-0001792 Rev 1 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ulab-announces-strategic-collaboration-with-voxel-and-luxcreo-to-revolutionize-direct-print-aligner-technology-302330747.html SOURCE uLab Systems, Inc.U.S. Sanctions Georgia's Ivanishvili For 'Undermining' Democracy
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
2024 has come and gone, and left us with more memes than we can count. But among them, some of them stick out in the pop culture landscape as true paragons of villainy and bad taste. From characters in movie franchises to, um, , they’ve made their mark on the social discourse this year, for better or worse. And is there any better way to ring out the year than by marking their various misdeeds? In no particular order, here are the biggest pop culture villains of 2024. Turns out, can do villain. And he can do villain very well, as his turn in the second instalment of blockbuster franchise Dune proves. In it, Butler plays Feyd-Rautha, the unhinged nephew of the evil Baron Harkonnen and rocker of an all-bald look. Also, the person Timothee Chalamet’s Paul would have married if he’d been born a woman. There is a weird kind of sexual chemistry there, but Butler plays it (as he plays the entire role) with a kind of psychopathic unpredictability. Anybody who licks their sword after killing somebody is somebody to stay far, far away from. The UK finally got its first Love is Blind season earlier this year. And because nothing brings the nation together faster or more cohesively than a villain, we got one of those too. Step forward, Sam Klein. The product manager first raised eyebrows in the pods, where he emotionally manipulated Nicole and Jasmine, boasting about “if you saw me, then I think you might be impressed”, or that the book of his life would be “one of the best books that someone could ever read.” Sam and Nicole eventually got engaged (much to the dismay of Nicole’s other prospective partner Benaiah), but things didn’t go to plan. “I think I love you,” he told her when they first met (never mind that half an hour before, he’d been making snide jabs about her weight). Nevertheless, within a few days Nicole had called off the engagement, after which Sam popped up at a couple’s party (where she was now with Benaiah) to spread the rumour that she had asked to sleep with him during the time they were ‘engaged’. Nicole denied it, everybody got upset, Sam was unrepentant. Problematic much? Hear me out - isn’t Moo Deng a low key villain? The pint-sized pygmy hippo shot to fame in 2024 thanks to the internet, her short legs and a penchant for being a bit sulky. We couldn’t get enough of her sulking, squealing, running around and generally being a bit of a nuisance to her long-suffering mother. Crowds lapped it up. There’s nothing more 2024 than being celebrated for bad behaviour: very brat. I can’t believe it needs to be said, but here we go. Musk took over Twitter in 2022, and since then he’s set about transforming it into his personal playground, or, as he puts it, his “social experiment on humanity.” Since then, it’s become a dark and dangerous place: posts sharing misinformation abound, staff levels have been slashed and moderation policies have been culled. In 2024, that went further: now, the block function has been changed, and blocked people can still view what you post. The algorithm also seems to think that what all users want to see most is far-right content from users like Tommy Robinson or MAGA supporters. With Trump in power, this is likely to get worse - and that’s before we get onto Musk’s dabbling in Trump’s new government. Sinister doesn’t cut it. Venture there at your own risk. Apparently, beefing is good for business. And that’s exactly what Kendrick Lamar and Drake did earlier this year, both of them leaning so hard into the villainy arc that their spat generated headlines worldwide. It all started when rapper J. Cole released a track calling himself, Lamar and Drake “the big three.” Lamar was extremely unimpressed - so much so that he released a verse claiming there was no “big three - it's just big me". Soon enough, Drake and Lamar were beefing hard. So hard, in fact, that Drake insulted his rival’s height and called him a record label puppet; Lamar claimed he was a “master manipulator” who was addicted to drink and drugs and had relationships with underage girls. Many, many diss tracks were released and in the end Lamar seemed to put an end to it all with his epic Not Like Us. Still. There are no winners here: only villains. Seriously, who keeps getting these roles? The star has been all over our screens in 2024, but for a series of TV shows/ films that just seem to keep missing the mark: A Family Affair, The Perfect Couple, Apple TV+’s uneven Expats. In them, Kidman plays the same archetype over and over: a mother, who has to deal with either a death or a terrible tragedy, which exposes some secrets the family would rather keep hidden. It’s tiring. Here’s hoping Babygirl will set things back on track again. Making the case for why buildings can be villains too. In May, Manchester’s much-hyped new venue finally opened, after several very embarrassing delays. Though Peter Kay was set to launch the venue with a gig in April, issues with the ventilation ducts and electrics meant it had to be pushed back. Oh, and the air conditioning fell off. The upshot: a test event it was due to hold with Rick Astley was scaled back, and several more gigs were cancelled, including A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (on the night itself, as fans were lining up outside) and several Olivia Rodrigo gigs on the following weekend. Fans were furious. And though the arena has since opened fully, will it ever be able to wash off the stench of shame? For many things, but in a pop culture sense, for calling Democrats a “bunch of childless cat ladies with miserable lives.” Of course, this created an uproar, and Jennifer Aniston was quick to respond. “I truly can’t believe that this is coming from a potential VP of the United States,” she wrote. “All I can say is... Mr Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day.” Vance later defended his comments, but it became something of a theme over the following months. When Taylor Swift came out for Kamala Harris, she referred to herself as a “childless cat lady”. Revenge of the cats? Whether it’s trespassing on crime scenes or digging into things that should be kept out of the public eye, internet sleuths have a lot to answer for this year. Take the case of Baby Reindeer. The Netflix show became a sleeper hit when it launched in April thanks to its creator Richard Gadd’s brutally honest retelling of his own run-in with a stalker. However, it grew into something much bigger when internet ‘detectives’ decided to try and track down the real-life ‘Martha’. Spoiler alert: despite Gadd’s pleas for the detectives to back down (and them trolling several people who turned out not to be the ones Gadd was basing his characters on), they succeeded. She was identified as Fiona Garvey, and now she’s suing Netflix for what she calls the “brutal lies” of the way she’s portrayed in the drama. Netflix have pushed back, saying they intended to “defend this story rigorously”. It’s a right mess, and to be honest, a cautionary tale for the damage that modern internet culture can cause.How China Became the World’s Largest Gold Consumer and ProducerNone
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