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Like many other vital workflows, accounting has evolved with technology over the last several decades. It’s transitioned from manual bookkeeping to rudimentary software to robust desktop applications and finally to cloud-native software as a service. However, while this evolution has naturally made the profession more efficient, some believe that these platforms have started to sacrifice quality in the name of convenience. According to tech entrepreneur and software engineer Gregory Gevorkyan , modern web applications have lost their magic: They’ve become more bloated, slower, and even break if you don’t have an uninterrupted internet connection. Instead of relying on clunky web apps that take several seconds to load, Gevorkyan believes that native desktop apps had it right all along — and with Modernbanc , his next-gen accounting platform, he’s aiming to bring more efficient and user-friendly workflows back into the spotlight. Learn more about how Gevorkyan is balancing emerging technology with common-sense software development. The Challenges of Legacy Accounting Software and an Overreliance on Cloud Computing Accounting as an industry hasn’t exactly kept up with modern technology. Even today, many of the world’s biggest banks still use decades-old systems like FIS, Infosys Finacle, and Temenos T24. While these solutions were cutting-edge tech in their own age, many of them were built 40 years ago and lack support for modern features — not to mention they struggle with complex transactions and increased volumes of data, both of which are all too common in modern business. Meanwhile, technology has propelled the creation of robust accounting software to meet the needs of today’s businesses. Some platforms utilize robotic process automation (RPA) to automate busy work such as invoice and order management, freeing up the precious time of overworked accountants. Other offerings use specialized analytics tools to enhance workflows like auditing, allowing businesses to identify anomalies, trends, and fraud much more efficiently. But today, many of these offerings are only available as cloud software, which Gregory considers a step backward. After all, what’s the point of using cutting-edge technology if it’s reliant on bandwidth and latency? Not only are these connection-reliant web apps limited in performance and accessibility, but their purported convenience often falls flat the instant your internet connection falters. And when finance professionals are spending more money on the cloud than ever before and not seeing significant benefits, something must change. That’s why Gevorkyan believes that building offline-first software is the safer and more performant way to address the challenges of legacy financial systems. Innovating Accounting Software with Modernbanc While contributing to the building of Royal Bank of Scotland’s next-gen online bank , Gregory Gevorkyan became intimately familiar with the weaknesses of legacy banking systems and the shortcomings of cloud-first offerings. These insights are what inspired him to create Modernbanc, an accounting system that is as easy to use as a spreadsheet, allowing users to build reports with live data in seconds. The software offers tools for recording bank balances, making financial reports, and managing assets, compiling them all into an intuitive spreadsheet layout. It also seamlessly integrates with business bank accounts and transactions, with support for over 12,000 financial institutions. This drastically reduces the manual labor accountants are ordinarily faced with, giving them more time to focus on strategic financial planning. Prioritizing an offline-first approach, Modernbanc allows users to build reports regardless of whether they have a connection at the moment (letting them automatically sync when a connection is established), using an app that works seamlessly even without the internet. Rather than depending on clunky web extensions and separate offline spreadsheets, Modernbanc ensures reliable performance regardless of whether the user is connected — marrying the convenience of the cloud with the performance Gevorkyan believes should be the standard for all robust business software. Solving the Efficiency Problem in Accounting As half the industry is relying on outdated software and the other half is counting on unreliable cloud applications, Gevorkyan built Modernbanc with a seamless and streamlined interface in mind, one that is purpose-built for reliability and efficiency. One of the primary ways Modernbanc achieves this is with a simple and straightforward user flow, allowing users to record a payment just by adding a row. Custom reports can be generated in seconds using live data or provided templates, while transactions are automatically categorized and reconciled. Thanks to these simple yet effective features, not only is Modernbanc intuitive to use, but it also avoids the performance bottlenecks that other offerings face when they prioritize flashy features over functionality. And by turning away from the traditional web-app approach of the last 20 years of accounting software, Modernbanc guarantees fast and responsive performance — regardless of connectivity. Building the Future of Accounting Software Accounting software is overdue for a revamp, being one of the few mission-critical applications that haven’t seen much improvement in over 30 years. By offering high performance, a clean UX, responsive offline functionality, and real-time data synchronization, Gregory Gevorkyan is building a new vision for modern accounting with Modernbanc.For more information, check out Modernbanc online .
Photo: © Getty Images Miley Cyrus used to struggle to "connect with people" because of her fame. The 31-year-old singer became known around the world when she took on the title role in the Disney Channel sitcom 'Hannah Montana' as a teenager and went on to become one of the world's biggest pop stars in the process but noted that having that kind of notoriety "got in the way" of her social relationships. She told Harper's Bazaar: "Obviously, [being a child star] shaped me into a very different adult than some of my peers or my friends. It is just a really different childhood to have. For a while, I thought it got in the way of me connecting with people." Just before the new interview, the 'Flowers' hitmaker had done a Chinese medicine quiz, and one of the questions was about whether she felt she could easily form relationships with others. Miley wasn't exactly sure how to answer that but did recall that while she can "drop" her celebrity persona whenever she chooses, it can be difficult for others to perceive her as an ordinary person. She said: "I don’t even know how to really answer that because for who I am as a person, yes, I feel like I can connect to people and I feel like I’m a friend to all. But because of how I’ve grown up, sometimes people make it harder. I can drop my persona really easily, but it’s hard for other people to erase that part of you." The Grammy Award-winning star appeared on the hit Disney Channel series alongside her father Billy Ray Cyrus and the success of the sitcom made her a multimillionaire by her mid-teens, but she recalled that it was her mother Tish Cyrus who would often step in to discipline her. She said: "My mom said that I had to get a Nissan or Toyota just like my other siblings. She was never afraid to take my cell phone away. Even when I paid my own cell phone bill! I would always go, like, Mom, that’s for kids that don’t pay their own cell-phone bill. "And she’s like, 'I don’t care. You’re not getting your phone.'"None
Billionaire Bill Ackman Just Poured $2.2 Billion Into These 2 Incredible Stocks - Yahoo! VoicesThe Associated Press
NoneBrendan Rodgers praises Celtic and Cameron Carter-Vickers’ mentality
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jaylon Johnson had 20 points in Tennessee Tech's 90-75 victory against Presbyterian on Wednesday. Johnson also contributed 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Golden Eagles (4-3). Daniel Egbuniwe added 16 points while going 5 of 13 from the floor, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line and also had six rebounds. Kyle Layton shot 5 for 10, including 5 for 8 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points. Kaleb Scott finished with 14 points and seven rebounds for the Blue Hose (5-4). Jaylen Peterson added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Presbyterian. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new stake in Align Technology, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ALGN – Free Report ) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 2,919 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock, valued at approximately $742,000. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ALGN. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its holdings in shares of Align Technology by 67.7% during the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 101,229 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $33,195,000 after purchasing an additional 40,852 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Align Technology during the first quarter valued at about $29,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Align Technology by 190.7% in the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 54,126 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $17,748,000 after buying an additional 35,507 shares during the period. BOKF NA increased its position in shares of Align Technology by 18.8% in the first quarter. BOKF NA now owns 13,437 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $4,295,000 after acquiring an additional 2,131 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of Align Technology by 10.9% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 437,219 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $143,373,000 after acquiring an additional 43,144 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.43% of the company’s stock. Align Technology Stock Down 1.0 % ALGN stock opened at $225.89 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $16.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.55, a P/E/G ratio of 5.91 and a beta of 1.65. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $228.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $237.82. Align Technology, Inc. has a 12 month low of $196.09 and a 12 month high of $335.40. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently commented on ALGN shares. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of Align Technology from $325.00 to $276.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on Align Technology from $270.00 to $250.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Align Technology from $310.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Align Technology from $285.00 to $275.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on Align Technology from $285.00 to $275.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $276.38. Read Our Latest Analysis on Align Technology Align Technology Profile ( Free Report ) Align Technology, Inc designs, manufactures, and markets Invisalign clear aligners, and iTero intraoral scanners and services for orthodontists and general practitioner dentists in the United States, Switzerland, and internationally. The company's Clear Aligner segment offers comprehensive products, including Invisalign comprehensive package that addresses the orthodontic needs of younger patients, such as mandibular advancement, compliance indicators, and compensation for tooth eruption; and Invisalign First Phase I and Invisalign First Comprehensive Phase 2 package for younger patients generally between the ages of six and ten years, which is a mixture of primary/baby and permanent teeth. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Align Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Align Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
ANKARA Türkiye has no intention of aggression and regime change in Syria, the country’s foreign minister said on Saturday. Hakan Fidan warned that the lack of tangible steps on terrorism and refugees are creating a more substantial threat within Syria. "Therefore, we are pursuing solutions. If diplomatic and constructive approaches fail, we will inevitably evaluate other measures when the time comes," Fidan told reporters in the capital Ankara. Noting that there is a cease-fire between the forces on the ground in Syria through the Astana Process, which has been going on for years, he underscored that what needs to be done is to change it with a better structural mechanism and for a better goal. While stressing that normalization between Türkiye and Syria is currently not a priority for Iran and Russia, Fidan expressed Ankara's goodwill in this regard. Rejecting Israeli president's flight over Turkish airspace About his country's rejection of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s request to use Turkish airspace for a flight to attend the COP29 climate summit in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, Fidan stated that the move came in response to Israel's killing of Palestinians. "The lack of any steps to prevent the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza deeply wounds us as a nation. Therefore, we did not allow Türkiye's airspace to be used. This decision was made by our President, and permission was denied," he added. US president-elect's cabinet nomination Stressing that US President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominations indicate a highly pro-Israel orientation, Fidan said there are signs that such a cabinet would support all of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “expansionist ambitions.” Highlighting Trump’s statement suggesting his intention to end wars, the Turkish foreign minister stated that the cabinet appointments projected the opposite impression. Development Road Project, Russia Fidan described Iraq’s Development Road Project as a potential opportunity, highlighting Russia’s rupture with the West following the Ukraine war. He stated that Russia is now exploring alternative routes to access global markets, including a north-south corridor extending from Russia’s northern cities, through Azerbaijan, into Iran, and down to the Persian Gulf. Telling how this project aligns with Ankara’s Middle Corridor Project, a logistics route running east-west through Asia, the Caucasus, and Türkiye, Fidan said that the issue of connectivity is one of the most important issues in the field of economics, notably when formulating scenarios related to diplomacy. Western concerns on Russia-North Korea Addressing North Korea’s reported troop deployment to Russia, Fidan said: “One of the West’s biggest concerns is what Russia has given or promised North Korea in exchange for this number of soldiers." He noted that if any game-changing moves destabilize the current balance on the Korean Peninsula, this could open a new front for the West, potentially escalating into a hot war and requiring new capabilities for South Korea. Libya On Türkiye's advancing relations with the parties in Libya, Fidan reminded that his country's Consulate General in Libyan city of Benghazi was opened and contacts with administrators and officials are continuing. “The non-conflict environment in Libya, which Türkiye initiated and attached great importance to its continuation, is yielding its fruits. "As the conflict-free environment progresses, people's belief that it can be permanent increases," he underscored. Ankara attaches "great importance to creating an environment that will ensure national unity and solidarity in Libya, taking into account the realities on the ground," Fidan said, adding: "We are doing our best to realize this gradually within the framework of a specific strategy." Türkiye-Greece relations On Türkiye-Greece relations, Fidan said that they prefer to deal with all the problems as a package away from the public. He noted that Ankara does not deem it correct to over-politicize the issues, adding that especially in Greek domestic politics, issues related to Türkiye can be overly politicized. Noting that they want to move forward from the positive agenda with a win-win approach, Fidan underlined: “We aim to solve the existing problems through official means and eliminate uncertainties without prejudice to our national interests. “The Aegean Sea, which is a paradise on earth, should turn into a region of economic prosperity for our countries. This is our goal. Can this be done? It can be done.” The Turkish foreign minister further stated that a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting between the two countries is planned to be held next January or February during Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' visit to Türkiye. *Writing by Serdar Dincel
George Strait was the star of last night's Country Music Awards − in more ways than one. The legendary crooner, sometimes called the "King of Country Music," was honored at Wednesday's CMAs with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor included star-studded performances of Strait's classics from the likes of Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Park McCollum and Lainey Wilson, who won the night's entertainer of the year award. For the performance, Stapleton joined the king himself for "Honky Honk Hall of Fame," Lambert and McCollum collaborated on "Troubadour," Johnson sang "Give It Away" and Wilson sang "Amarillo By Morning." During his acceptance speech, the "Troubador" singer told the audience, "I want to thank these great artists who've performed some of my songs ... it's amazing to hear y'all do them. I'm so glad I got them before you." CMA Awards 2024 winners list: Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, George Strait Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Strait also thanked his family in the crowd − his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandkids − as they watched on. "It's so great to have y'all here, but especially Norma (his wife) who's supported me for just shy of 53 years," he said. Strait boasts a remarkably durable career. In June, the 72-year-old artist broke the record for the largest ticketed show ever in the U.S. His style has not changed much over the years, even as the industry has become more pop-centric. That classic worn-leather quality is what some fans called back to when they took to social media to comment on his perceived reaction to the award show's performances. Some took his unflinching face during the tribute to be a distaste for country music's modern tilt. But really, who knows? As USA TODAY's Erin Jensen wrote of similar scrutiny when Ben Affleck attended the 2023 Grammy Awards alongside then-wife Jennifer Lopez, "Maybe he was miserable. I've been to award shows, and they can be extremely long." "Or maybe there was something going on that made it difficult for the star to maintain a smile for the length of the entire event. Or maybe he was having a great time and that is just his face!" Contributing: Erin JensenNoneOn-duty Red Lake Tribal police officer one of two killed in two-vehicle crash
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. Recommended Videos “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven't provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks' 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There's not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story." Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.