If one of your fitness goals is to lose body fat, it might feel like a challenge to go to the gym and commit to a strict exercise routine. Fortunately, you can benefit greatly from as little as15 minutes of exercisedaily.Despite what you may've heard, you can't target a specific area for fat loss. Many studies have disprovedspot-reduction techniques, such as abdominal exercises or upper-body resistance training. Fat cells from all over the body can be broken down when we exercise; they don't break down in one specific area.Don't worry if you aren't a fan of the gym. You can effectively lose body fat at home by being intentional about the habits and exercises you're following. These are the seven strategies you should start doing today.1. Get your steps in Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. Walking is an ideal workout to do outside the gym. It can be done around the neighborhood or at a park. On good weather days, you can also get some much-needed fresh air. Plus, it's free and you can take your dog with you (if you have one).Walking is also a body fat buster. One study found that healthy postmenopausal women lost 3.9% of body fat after 30 weeks of walking and 1.8% after 15 weeks of walking. While we can't target specific areas, walking can help lose belly fat.According to Nature, 30 minutes of walking most days of the week showed a significant reduction in body weight and body fat percentage. The study even found that 30 minutes of walking may be as beneficial as 60 minutes (with a healthy diet). 2. Try intermittent fasting One diet trend that has risen in popularity over the years is intermittent fasting. As the name suggests, this is where people fast for a certain time, and then eat at other scheduled times. One study review found that subjects who fasted intermittently had weight loss ranging from 0.8% to 13%. The idea is to force the body to use up its immediately accessible sugar stores and start burning fat.A perk of intermittent fasting is that you can customize it to your preference and ability to abstain from food. According to John Hopkins Medicine, fasting can last for a certain number of hours every day or even just eating one meal per day for two days out of the week. For instance, you might only eat during an 8-hour period each day and fast the rest of the day. It's important to note that intermittent fasting is not for everyone, especially those at risk for disordered eating or during pregnancy. Before trying intermittent fasting, consult with your doctor to ensure you follow the best plan for you and your goals. 3. Lift heavier weights This point might seem counterintuitive since we just covered how you can't burn fat in one specific region, no matter how many stomach crunches you do. You can balance weight training to target multiple muscle groups or work on certain body parts as part of a whole-body workout. That may give you more balance and a lean appearance and help with body composition. If you don't have dumbbells at home, check out these household items that double as weights. Weight training can also help lose fat while building muscle. Studies show that 3 pounds of lean muscle weight gain corresponded to 4 pounds of fat weight loss. Resistance training has also been shown to reduce body fat percentage, body fat mass and visceral fat (the fat that surrounds your organs).Resistance training, be it with weights or bodyweight exercises like pushups, is recommended by the USCenters for Disease Control and Prevention for at least two days a week, so it can be a fairly easy exercise to fit into your schedule.4. Start running or jogging Azlin Nur Bakarudin/EyeEm/Getty ImagesAnother great exercise idea to lose body fat is to start running or jogging. Like walking, you can do it around the neighborhood or in a park, so it's free. If you are concerned about the weather, you can also find an indoor track at a gym or community center. You can also consider getting a treadmill or elliptical to run or jog at home. Sprint training is especially good at busting the fat, where you switch how fast you run every several seconds. The Centers for Disease Controlalso recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity or a mix of the two every week. The CDC lists walking at a rate of a 15-minute mile as moderate activity and jogging or running as vigorous.5. Focus on high-intensity interval trainingThis type of exercise, often shortened to HIIT, is where you exercise as hard as you can for short bursts and then spend some time doing lower-intensity training. A perk with this exercise is that it can be any activity that gets your heart pounding, from jumping jacks to stair climbing, so it's customizable based on how much room you have and what equipment you have around.It's a fat buster too. It may result in a modest reduction of overall and abdominal fat.You can do 30 seconds to several minutes of hard-as-you-can working out and then 1 to 5 minutes of recovering with a lower-intensity exercise level. These workouts typically go for about 30 minutes, including 5-minute warm-ups and cool-downs, but can be tailored to suit comfort and fitness levels. Typically, the aim is to do these sessions five times a week.6. Eat the right foodsYou can also focus on your diet. While there are no foods that'll magically burn your fat, there are foods that can increase your metabolism. Most of these foods are high in protein and good-for-you fats, making you feel fuller longer.Some foods to incorporate into your diet if you're trying to reduce fat, as listed by the CDC, Healthline and the World Health Organization, include: Fat-free, sugar-free yogurt, such as Greek yogurtFatty fish like tuna, herring or salmonEggsVeggiesFruitGreen teaWhey proteinOlive oilBeansGrilled chicken7. Get enough quality sleepWe tend to associate burning fat with endless exercise and painfully restrictive diets. Getting a good amount of rest can also help get rid of the fat. Staying awake for too long can make us eat sugary foods to stay awake, give us tired and ineffective workouts, and may even contribute to stress and inflammation, leading to poor workout recoveries.One study found that not getting enough sleep decreased the proportion of fat weight loss by 55%. Another found that better sleep quality was linked to more weight and fat loss. Another study found a positive relationship between sleep duration and body fat loss.The Mayo Clinic recommends adults get seven or more hours of sleep at night. Sleep needs can vary by individual, so adjust higher if seven doesn't quite feel like enough. Too long; didn't read You have many different options when it comes to losing fat at home. You could try walking, running, high-intensity interval training or bodyweight training, all of which have studies to back up their fat loss capabilities.You might also try adjusting your diet. Eat foods that are low in saturated fat and sugar and ones that can keep you full longer. Opt for high-protein or low-calorie foods like grilled chicken, beans, eggs or green tea. You can also try intermittent fasting. Finally, make sure you are getting enough sleep. A good amount of sleep is also associated with fat loss.

Overwatch 2 is bringing loot boxes back, two years after they were removed from the seriesActivation Blizzard.Image credit: Blizzard/Eurogamer News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on Feb. 13, 2025 The powers that be at Blizzard are reimplementing loot boxes into Overwatch 2. News of their reintroduction comes a little over two years after the team removed them from Overwatch.Blizzard has just detailed its plans for what the studio calls "one of Overwatch's most significant years so far". This included a brief look at Overwatch 2 season 15, which is set to debut later this month, on 18th February.It is this season that will see those aforementioned loot boxes make their return to the hero shooter. These loot boxes will be available from weekly and event rewards, Blizzard explained, adding that players will be able to earn "1 Legendary Loot box in the Free Battle Pass, and an additional 2 Legendary Loot boxes in the Premium Battle Pass". The boxes themselves will allow players to earn various cosmetic pieces, such as skins and emotes.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Xbox Developer Direct - four promising games also coming to PlayStation.Watch on YouTube"When opening loot boxes, we want to be transparent in your chances of getting various types of cosmetics. In addition to the below drop rates, to ensure you always have a chance to receive some truly great items, we are guaranteeing that a Rare or better item will drop in every single box, with an Epic item within five consecutive boxes and a Legendary item within twenty consecutive boxes," Blizzard said, along with a table detailing the mentioned drop rates, which you can see below.Loot BoxesLegendary Loot BoxesLegendary - 5.10 percentLegendary - 100 percentEpic - 21.93 percentEpic - 21.93 percentRare - 96.26 percentRare - 96.26%Common - 97.97 percentCommon - 97.97 percentAs well as loot boxes, season 15 of Overwatch 2 will also see a customisable perk system that will change how your abilities interact with the game. Blizzard has promised more details on season 15 within its launch blog post, which is set to go live next week.In the meantime, for more on what Blizzard has planned more generally, you can read its Overwatch 2 Spotlight blog post here. Image credit: BlizzardA number of popular games have faced criticism for their inclusion of loot boxes, and in July 2023, the UK games industry agreed to restrict access to in-game loot boxes for children via a set of industry guidelines.The industry's trade association UKIE worked with the UK government to draft 11 Industry Principles as part of "improved protections for children, young people and adults following concerns raised about loot boxes". The Principles included the need to flag the existence of loot boxes in a game prior to purchase, a clear list of the probabilities for loot box contents, and the need for an easy refund policy.

"The executives of our company did not protect us": Activision Blizzard workers hit back at claim harassment lawsuits were "fake""Bobby Kotick is trying to paint a false narrative."Image credit: Activision News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Feb. 13, 2025 Activision Blizzard staff have hit back at the eyebrow-raising claim made this week by former boss Bobby Kotick that the company's harassment lawsuits - and an employee petition seeking the CEO's removal - were "fake".The high-profile ABetterABK workers group, which spearheaded much of the company's employee activism at the time, responded to Eurogamer's coverage of Kotick's comments via social media last night and stated that "the executives of our company did not protect us, and often made the situation worse or directly perpetuated the harm"."The trauma, discrimination, and abuse that our coworkers and former coworkers endured is not fake or a 'plan to drive union membership'," the group stated. "Our unions were born from the very real and harmful way executives reacted when made aware of these situations."Speaking via the Grit podcast, Kotick had suggested the legal action Activision Blizzard had faced under his tenure, from multiple US government agencies, had been a "plan" by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union to drive up membership."A common misinformation tactic used by companies during a union campaign is to assert that a union is a third party that comes in and makes changes," ABetterABK's statement continued. "This is not true. The workers are the union."We are not a third party looking for companies to prey on. We are workers with a vested interest in making our company the best it can be."Activision Blizzard ultimately settled all of the legal action - meaning payouts to staff who faced harassment at the company, and no evidence of systemic patterns of employee abuse ever proven in court.Valentine Powell, a former senior UI engineer who led several employee walkouts, additionally responded with a lengthy social media thread commenting on Kotick's comments, and sharing their perspective on life at the company."During my time at Blizzard I was loud and I was vocal about the issues facing our company, I helped spearhead multiple initiatives to remove systemic tools of harm, and I worked with the newly hired DE&I crew to help form several ERGs, set up our first attendance at Pride, and the Inclusion Nexus," Powell wrote."There were money barriers, there were political barriers, there were bad actors, basically we were only allowed to make small changes, and most of us knew we needed large ones. One of my first forrays into collective bargaining at Blizzard was the salary spreadsheet."This was years before unionisation was ever discussed," Powell continued. "We gathered a list of about 50 ways people wanted to improve salary and promotions, and refined that list down to 10 bullets with the help of over 100 employees across Blizzard. We presented our list, and were told by leadership 'no'."We didn't discuss unionisation as a team until months after our first walkouts. We wanted to try to bring light to what was happening and try to fix it ourselves if we could. The first two walkouts were entirely employee run. It was terrifying and amazing and beautiful."After a couple months of us being loud, Activision Blizzard stopped being nice about it, especially Kotick. I was The One who started the petition to remove Bobby Kotick as CEO. I was the first name on the list, and that petition had nothing to do with CWA."Powell concluded by noting that the CWA had offered support regardless of whether staff were part of the union or not - or whether they would ever join."Bobby Kotick is trying to paint a false narrative, but its unsurprising," Powell wrote, "he refused to listen to us for years when we tried to handle this stuff without unionisation, and only listened once we actually started unionising."In the same interview, Kotick claimed that Microsoft's Activision Blizzard takeover was sparked by both companies failing to buy TikTok.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The annual expansion plan for Blizzards live-service ARPG Diablo 4 is already over. Following the release of Vessel of Hatred, the next expansion will now release sometime during 2026.Next Diablo 4 expansion teasedAt the DICE Summit, General Manager of Diablo Rod Fergusson revealed that there will be no expansion for Diablo 4 in 2025.In his DICE Summit presentation today on building a resilient live service, Diablo GM Rod Fergusson emphasized serving the game over the plan, a Blizzard spokesperson told games outlet Polygon. To that, we are excited to share that we are in development on our second expansion for Diablo IV, which will debut in 2026. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. While the news that the next Diablo 4 expansion wont hit 2025 is disappointing for some, it makes sense. Vessel of Hatred already took the studio longer than expected and, despite a great attach rate with 60% of players moving to the paid Spiritborn class, there are a lot of gameplay concerns that need to be addressed for its follow up.Alongside new development timelines to stop conflicting release dates for Diablo 3 and Diablo 4 seasons, and a new plan to create less buggy updates, the next expansion should be more polished upon launch. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now Additionally, the arrival of a second expansion is a good thing. After all, every other Diablo game has received just a single expansion: Hellfire for the original, Lord of Destruction for D2 and Reaper of Souls for D3. The fact that a second expansion is on the table is a huge plus for the new game. While there are no official details for the new Diablo 4 expansion, there are hopes that there will be some form of Paladin-like class for players to play as. After old key art resurfaced showing a Holy-themed class, there is hope that this will be a focus of an upcoming expansion. Or they could do it as a season, like they did for the Witch Doctor. (Womp womp.)For more Diablo coverage, read our interview with creator David Brevik about why he doesnt vibe with modern ARPGs like Diablo 4. Additionally, read about his original version for Diablo 3 that he wouldnt make today.About the AuthorDiablo 4Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Action RPG, RPGSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

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Rogue Nameless KingThe Nameless King and older Souls bosses will show up in Elden Ring Nightreign for exactly the reasons you thinkYour first guess about the reason why you're going to be fighting classic Souls games bosses in Elden Ring Nightreign is probably the correct one.Image credit: FromSoftware News by Sherif Saed Contributing Editor Published on Feb. 13, 2025 Elden Ring Nightreign is quickly becoming one of the years most anticipated games, and with good reason. But it also represents an entirely new type of game for developer FromSoftware, one that freed it up to try things some would consider sacrilege.Case in point, all the classic Souls bosses fans have spotted in various Nightreign trailers. These are just some of the bosses youll be going up against in the game, of course, but why not just limit the pool to bosses from Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree?To see this content please enable targeting cookies. The answer, somewhat disappointingly, has nothing to do with lore and story. Elden Ring Nightreign game director, Junya Ishizaki, told Gamespot in a new interview that FromSoftware knew fans have favourite bosses from past games, and simply wanted to bring them back, and update them so that players could take them on them again.The primary reason for these existing bosses in Nightreign is from a gameplay perspective, Ishizaki confirmed.Ishizaki also pointed out, as you might have already guessed, that the roguelike format of Nightreign requires a lot of novel content, as players are expected to go through the game multiple times across different in-game days. Thats precisely why FromSoft decided to dig through the archives to see which bosses could work in the new format.We obviously understand that our players have a lot of affection for these characters and they have a lot of fond memories of battling them in these games, so we didn't want to encroach too much on that lore aspect, he added, immediately shooting down all your lore theories. Which reappearance from a past game will be the most surprising? | Image credit: Bandai NamcoOf course, these wont be identical to their counterparts in the original game. Ishizaki explained that some tweaks have been made so they better fit the gameplay of Nightreign. The character freedom and speed in Elden Ring would trivialise many of the classic bosses that struck fear in the hearts of players then, so these new versions will likely be faster and more aggressive to match.But it was more so from a numbers perspective, he added. And just to add to that quickly, also from a personal standpoint, I thought it'd be kind of fun.Elden Ring Nightreign just had its release date confirmed. The game arrives May 30 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. We played it, and Alex had a lot of praise for how well it makes use of its unusual structure and what you can expect when you actually get your hands on it.

Under FireThe first Captain America: Brave New World reviews are here, and it's one of the lowest-rated MCU entries so farExtensive reshoots and rewrites seem to be the least of its problems.Image credit: Marvel Studios News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Feb. 13, 2025 As Captain America: Brave New World prepares to land this weekend to quite solid box office projections, critics and influencers aren't too happy with Marvel Studios' latest. The first batch of reviews is plenty divisive, and so far, Anthony Mackie's big-screen debut as the new Captain America is among the MCU's lowest-rated entries with 52% right now.To put things into perspective: 2023's dreadful Secret Invasion limited series ranks above it on Rotten Tomatoes with 53% (just 1% more at the time of writing), and below it we find only Eternals (47%) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (46%). Not looking too good there, folks. As always: RT's percentages represent the amount of critics that gave a movie a pass/thumbs-up and aren't an actual average score. Metacritic takes care of that, and, uh, it's sitting at 43 so far based on 41 reviews.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This disappointing (but somewhat predictable) outcome won't be deterring MCU loyalists from watching the penultimate Phase 5 movie in cinemas, mind you, but it could have an effect on its legs past the opening weekend. In late 2023, The Marvels had the franchise's lowest-ever box office debut, but some diehards were hoping for a prolonged presence at the box office. Instead, the middling-to-negative reception translated into the sequel being blipped out of existence quite soon.So far, critics are underlining a lack of narrative focus and the fact this entry largely feels like a straight sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk (really) that happens to feature Sam Wilson as the leading man, all while shoehorning loose plot threads such as the massive Celestial sticking out of Earth after the events of 2021's already-forgotten Eternals adaptation. Of course, rushed CGI and jumpy editing are said to be present too, but it appears the movie's problems run deeper than that. Needless to say, it sounds like it doesn't have a whole lot to actually say about the politics it toys with nor the world we live in.Last year, Deadpool & Wolverine seemingly proved not only that there was plenty of juice left in the Marvel brand, but also that Marvel Studios could push forward with R-rated movies without fearing a box office slump. In fact, the threequel was the best-performing MCU release since 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, many theorised the over-one-billion uptick could be tied to the 'solo' power of the two leading characters versus a sudden surge of interest in the universe after a handful of misfires. Image credit: Marvel StudiosCaptain America: Brave New World's numbers partially support this theory (Captain America and Harrison Ford as Red Hulk are more interesting to the casual viewer than Ant-Man or The Marvels), as the blockbuster could 'make it out alive' with a decent hold into its second and third weekends, especially with the current international projections looking solid too. However, it's hard to see it even nearing the $800 million mark, let alone a hefty $1 billion haul. With Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps' previews sparking more hype than any recent movies (besides the third Deadpool) from the studio, things could be looking up for the franchise ahead of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, but Captain America 4 surely isn't a star-spangled win.What about you? Will you be watching Captain America: Brave New World in theaters this weekend, or are you waiting for the Disney+ release?

Security researchers say the Chinese government-linked hacking group, Salt Typhoon, is continuing to compromise telecommunications providers, despite the recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. government on the group.In a report shared with TechCrunch, threat intelligence firm Recorded Future said it had observed Salt Typhoon which the company tracks as RedMike breaching five telecommunications firms between December 2024 and January 2025.Salt Typhoon made headlines last September after it was revealed that the group had infiltrated several U.S. phone and internet giants, including AT&T and Verizon, to gain access to the private communications of senior U.S. government officials and political figures. Salt Typhoon also hacked into the systems that law enforcement agencies use for court-authorized collection of customer data, potentially accessing sensitive data such as the identities of Chinese targets of U.S. surveillance.Recorded Future declined to name Salt Typhoons latest victims, but said they include a U.S.-based affiliate of a prominent U.K. telecommunications provider; a U.S. internet service provider, and telecommunications companies in Italy, South Africa and Thailand.The hackers also performed reconnaissance the practice of covertly discovering and collecting information about a system on multiple infrastructure assets operated by Myanmar-based telecommunications provider, Mytel, according to Recorded Future.To carry out these attacks, Salt Typhoon exploited two vulnerabilities (tracked as CVE-20232-0198 and CVE-2023-20273) to compromise unpatched Cisco devices running Cisco IOS XE software.The hacking group has attempted to compromise more than 1,000 Cisco devices globally, focusing particularly on devices associated with telecommunications providers networks, Recorded Future said.Recorded Future said it had also observed Salt Typhoon targeting devices associated with universities, including the University of California and Utah Tech. The researchers said the hacking group possibly targeted these universities to access research in areas related to telecommunications, engineering, and technology.The U.S. government has sanctioned companies linked to the group. In January, the U.S. Treasury Department itself targeted by Chinese government hackers recently said it had sanctioned a China-based cybersecurity company known as Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, which it says is directly linked to Salt Typhoon.Recorded Futures researchers say despite this action, it expects Salt Typhoon to continue targeting telecommunications providers in the U.S. and elsewhere.

A US District Court is considering whether to allow litigation to proceed in Fortis Advisors LLCs lawsuit against Stratasys. The lawsuit alleges that the Israeli 3D printing firm is seeking to delay legal proceedings, arguing that arbitration should first resolve the dispute outside of court.Fortis, the San Diego-based investment advisory firm representing the former shareholders of Origin Laboratories, Inc., filed the suit in October 2024 in California state court. It accuses Stratasys of withholding $40 million in earn-out payments from its $100 million acquisition of Origin. According to the lawsuit, the DLP technology startups shareholders allege Stratasys delayed product launches, misrepresented the timing of the earn-out period, and excluded key revenue streams to avoid paying the agreed-upon amount.Stratasys, led by CEO and co-defendant Yoav Zeif, has requested a stay on the lawsuit, arguing that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) requires arbitration to resolve overlapping factual issues. The 3D printer manufacturer had previously contested arbitration for certain claims. However, after a Delaware Chancery Court ruled against these efforts last July, it is now pushing for arbitration to take precedence. While Stratasys acknowledges that some claims should be decided by the court, it argues that they depend on issues to be decided in arbitration before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), where a hearing is scheduled for July.The plaintiff opposes this, accusing Stratasys of what it calls procedural brinksmanship and gamesmanship to delay the litigation process. Fortis argues that the fraud claims should be litigated separately in court and alleges that the Israeli 3D printer manufacturer is attempting to avoid a merits-based adjudication of the non-arbitrable claims at any cost.The US District Court for the Northern District of California is evaluating whether to allow the litigation to proceed or to compel arbitration.According to court filings, an update and response to the claims is expected later this month. Stratasys Headquarters in Rehovot, Isreal. Photo via Stratasys.Origin and Stratasys clash over earn-out payments The legal dispute has its roots in a December 2020 announcement when Stratasys agreed to acquire Origin in a deal valued at up to $100 million in cash and stock.At the time, both parties had an amicable relationship. During a Stratasys earnings call at the time of the purchase, Origins Founder and then-CEO, Christopher Prucha, commented that the combination would allow the resin 3D printing startup to achieve our vision, and a way of getting that global install base. He added, We had various options, but we decided that joining Stratasys was by far the best outcome, not only for Origin but for our partners and customers as well. However, this enthusiasm has since faltered. Prucha and fellow Co-founder Joel Ong ended their association with the Stratasys-led Origin operation in 2023.As part of the merger agreement, $40 million was allocated as earn-out payments, tied to the sales of products and services using Origins intellectual property. The initial earn-out calculation was tentatively set to begin on July 1, 2021. According to the lawsuit, Fortis claims that Stratasys deliberately delayed the launch of Origins products to push sales outside the earn-out period. Court documents allege Stratasys assured shareholders verbally and in writing that their payments would be based on actual sales and that the earn-out date would be adjusted accordingly.After launching its Origin 3D printing products, including the Origin One Dental in February 2022, according to the lawsuit, Stratasys later stated that the earn-out period had already begun on July 1, 2021, contrary to prior assurances. The defendants are also accused of improperly excluding significant revenue streams from the earn-out calculations, particularly sales of products that incorporated Origins intellectual property but did not carry the Origin brand name. As a result, most sales were disqualified from the earn-out, resulting in the $40 million earn-out payments not being madea move Fortis has denounced as a fraudulent scheme.The Stratasys Origin One 3D printer. Photo via Stratasys.The legal battle so farIn May 2023, Fortis initiated arbitration under the ICDR, claiming Stratasys withheld the $40 million earn-out payments by manipulating sales timelines. In response, Stratasys filed a lawsuit in July 2023 against individual shareholders Prucha, Ong, and Jeffrey Lee in the Delaware Court of Chancery. This sought to block the arbitration and argue that some claims should be litigated.The Court initially granted Stratasys a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). This halted the arbitration until the following year when Stratasys requests were rejected, and the company was ordered to pay Fortis $340,618.09 in legal fees.Following this, Stratasys submitted a new motion arguing that the arbitration should be dismissed, and the claims litigated in court. Fortis responded in October 2021 by withdrawing the fraud and equity claims from arbitration and filing a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, which was later removed to the US District Court. As 2024 came to a close, Stratasys sought to pause the court case until arbitration was completed. The ICDR arbitration hearing has been set for July 2025.Fortis has urged the court to deny Stratasys motion to pause the litigation, arguing in its filings that the court should not reward Defendants gamesmanship. The plaintiff has also called on Stratasys to respond to the lawsuit and is seeking reimbursement of attorneys fees and litigation costs.3D printing lawsuitsOver the past year, several legal battles have emerged within the additive manufacturing industry. Indeed, this is not the first time Stratasys has been active in the courts. Last year, the company filed two patent infringement lawsuits against Bambu Lab, the Chinese desktop 3D printing leader.The suits alleged that Bambu infringed on ten of its 3D printing patents relating to common features like purge towers, heated build platforms, tool head force detection, and networking capabilities. Targeting models like the X1C, X1E, P1S, P1P, A1, and A1 Mini, Stratasys has requested a jury trial along with damages and an injunction to block further 3D printer sales. This case has drawn notable criticism from the open-source community. Elsewhere, electronics 3D printer manufacturer Nano Dimension has been sued by Desktop Metal. The metal binder jet specialist alleges that the Israeli firm has failed to use reasonable best efforts to secure timely regulatory approval for their $183 million merger agreement. Filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery, Desktop Metal requested Nano cooperate with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to finalize a mitigation agreement and complete the transaction.Following this, the plaintiff filed a second lawsuit against Nano Dimension, naming Markforged as a new defendant in the legal battle. This suit alleges that Nanos planned $115 million acquisition of Markforged violated its agreement with Desktop Metal. The Delaware Court also granted the motion for an expedited trial in the first suit, scheduled for the week of February 24, 2025.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows the Stratasys booth at Formnext 2024. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.

fl Optics, an Israeli company developing digital printing technology for coating optical lenses, has raised $35 million in Series A funding. The investment round was facilitated by law firm Naschitz Brandes Amir, with legal guidance from Managing Partner Tal Eliasaf and Associate Gili Aram. This funding will support the companys transition from development to large-scale production and commercialization.The funding round was led by key players in the ophthalmic industry, including a strategic minority investment from MEI Systems, a global leader in lens-edging machinery and automation solutions. The partnership highlights fl Optics potential to disrupt traditional coating methods with digital printing technology.The capital will be used to accelerate product development, scale up production, and support customer installations. According to Jonathan Jaglom, Chairman and CEO of fl Optics, the investment marks the companys transition from the development phase to full-scale commercialization.fl Optics team. Photo via fl Optics.We found an affinity with the disruptive, innovative approach of fl Optics, said Stefano Sonzogni, President of MEI Systems. At MEI, we always think outside the box to revolutionize processes and meet our customers needs, and we see that same passion driving fl Optics.Jaglom emphasized that the funding will allow fl Optics to establish a significant market presence, stating: This funding round not only validates the market potential of our technology but also aligns us with partners who share our vision for innovation and excellence. We are grateful for the trust investors have placed in us.The companys first commercial product, the Visin100, will make its debut at Mido 2025, the worlds largest international eyewear exhibition.3D Printing in Eyewear ProductionAdvancements in additive manufacturing are altering traditional eyewear production methods. In 2023, GENERA launched its G1/F1 system for in-store 3D printing of glasses frames, allowing opticians to manufacture frames on demand. The system integrates Henkels Digital Acetate material, which offers high transparency and vibrant coloration. The platform, branded as Mission Eyewear, is designed to automate the production workflow, reducing manual labor and enabling direct customization at the point of sale.Elsewhere, Spectra Additive, a company using DLP technology from Austrian manufacturer GENERA, began full-scale 3D printed eyewear production in December 2023. The firm partnered with material specialist Henkel to develop eyewear frames with high precision and repeatability, utilizing the Loctite 3D MED9851 resin. Their target production capacity for 2025 is 30,000 frames, reflecting an increasing shift toward additive manufacturing in the eyewear sector.Complete 3D printed glasses frame with GENERAs DLP technology. Photo via Spectra+.Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards?What will the future of 3D printing look like?Which recent trends are driving the 3D printing industry, as highlighted by experts?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights.Stay connected with the latest in 3D printing by following us on Twitter and Facebook, and dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry YouTube channel for more exclusive content.Featured image shows the fl Optics team. Photo via fl Optics.