Gaetz is gone? In these times, Trump’s bro culture trumps rape( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Global Times explores China's "Hehe" culture, emphasizing harmony, peace, and its military's role in global stability. Beijing, China, Dec. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The concept of "Hehe" in Chinese culture, with the first "He" embodying harmony, peace and balance and the second representing convergence, unity and cooperation, is central to both the individual and collective mind-set in China. Rooted in thousands of years of philosophy, the idea of "Hehe" serves as a guiding principle for living in harmony with others, nature and oneself. In a broader context, the concept of "Hehe" has significant relevance to the world today, as addressing the global challenges we face in various areas requires the principles that "Hehe" emphasizes. Viewed through a contemporary lens, "Hehe" is a timeless and universal concept that can guide China and the world toward a more harmonious, peaceful and balanced future. The Global Times gathers opinions from experts and scholars around the world to explore the global significance of "Hehe" culture from various perspectives. This is the third piece of the series. The Chinese nation has a long and profound pursuit of peace, and Chinese culture is characterized by deep-rooted ideas about harmony. The Chinese people have always harbored sincere aspirations for a better, peaceful world, and have been practitioners of "beating swords into plowshares" for thousands of years. The Chinese phrase "beating swords into plowshares" expresses the people's desire to lay down their weapons in pursuit of peace and serves as a warning to mankind not to bring about war again, as maintaining peace is what truly deserves our efforts. Gunpowder was first invented by the Chinese. It was originally used for fireworks to honor the gods rather than for making bullets for warfare, unlike in Europe. China has demonstrated to the world that technological advancement is meant to foster a safer world rather than to inflict harm. Why was gunpowder, invented in China, not used for warfare? This stems from the Chinese nation's values and ideals of peace, harmony, and coexistence, which are manifested in China's Hehe culture. The Chinese nation does not have a genetic predisposition for invading others or seeking hegemony; rather, the quest for peace is the enduring aspiration of the Chinese people. The ancient Chinese military treatise The Art of War states, "The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected." Its core message is to approach war with caution and, whenever possible, to avoid it altogether. The concepts of "harmony is to be prized" and "harmony in diversity" have been passed down through generations, becoming deeply ingrained in the spirit of the Chinese people and reflected in their actions. Historically, China was once one of the most powerful countries in the world, yet it did not leave behind any record of colonization or foreign invasion. In modern times, the Chinese people have suffered greatly from invasion and war, leading them to deeply appreciate peace and recognize the urgency of development. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has never initiated any wars or conflicts and has never occupied even a square inch of another's land. Following the reform and opening-up, China has dedicated itself to promoting world peace, significantly reducing its military personnel by over four million. China's development from poverty to becoming the world's second-largest economy was not built on charity from others, much less on military expansion or colonial exploitation, but rather on the hard work of its people and the maintenance of peace, which has contributed stability and positivity to a tumultuous international landscape. The increasing strength of the Chinese military represents a growing force for world peace. As Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed, China is "a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order." The Chinese military not only provides strategic support for safeguarding overseas interests but also increasingly takes on the mission of maintaining world peace. The stronger the Chinese military becomes, the more effectively it can deter war and bolster peace, thereby reinforcing global stability and development. China has become the largest troop contributor to peacekeeping operations among the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping assessments. From 2008 to 2024, the Chinese military has dispatched 46 escort task forces to the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia, actively participating in international disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. Whether on the front lines of disaster relief or in defense of peace, the presence of the Chinese military is prominent in many issues of shared concern within the international community. China has the best track record with respect to peace and security, and is the only country in the world that has pledged to "keep to a path of peaceful development" in its Constitution. A large nation with over 1.4 billion people that adheres to a path of peaceful development itself constitutes a stable and powerful force for maintaining world peace. What the Chinese military offers on the world stage is security rather than threat, and opportunity instead of challenge. It has faithfully implemented concepts such as the Global Security Initiative and the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind. The Chinese military seeks its own security while championing collective security, promoting the establishment of multilateral security cooperation mechanisms, and putting into action a new vision for common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. From bilateral to multilateral engagements, from regional waters to distant seas, and from "going out" to "bringing in," China has hosted a number of military diplomatic events, including the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, and the China-Africa Peace and Security Forum. In this way, China has maintained frequent exchanges with high-level militaries from different countries, established defense and security consultation mechanisms with neighboring countries, and collaborated with all parties to address various international and regional security challenges. Moreover, the Chinese military is taking on increasingly significant responsibilities and playing a more vital role in maintaining global peace and regional stability. Regardless of how times change, the Chinese military will always be standing fast as a disciplined force for peace and justice. It will actively fulfill its responsibilities and obligations commensurate with China's international standing, provide more public security products for the world, and contribute to building lasting peace and universal security for a better future. The ability to fight enables one to prevent war. Without the pursuit of conflict prevention, the capacity to engage in combat could easily devolve into militarism and external aggression. Conversely, without the strength to fight, the desire to halt war becomes nothing more than wishful thinking. Hence, it is crucial to maintain strategic clarity regarding the potential risks of warfare and to leverage military strength in crisis management and war deterrence. Only through this can we effectively deter war and decisively prevail in any potential conflict. The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the People's Liberation Army National Defense University. ... Company: Global Times Contact Person: Wang Wenwen Email: ... Website: globaltimes.cn Telephone:13810630137 City: Beijing Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of KISS PR or its partners. 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If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Thunder rout short-handed Grizzlies 130-106 for their 11th straight victory OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 11th straight game, beating the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 130-106 on Sunday night in a matchup of Western Conference leaders that turned lopsid Tim Willert, The Associated Press Dec 29, 2024 6:49 PM Dec 29, 2024 7:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives past Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 11th straight game, beating the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 130-106 on Sunday night in a matchup of Western Conference leaders that turned lopsided before halftime. Rookie Ajay Mitchell scored 17 points, Aaron Wiggins contributed 16 and Jalen Williams added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder (26-5), who opened a five-game lead over second-place Memphis. Gilgeous-Alexander made 14 of 19 shots to go along with seven assists, six rebounds and a team-high four blocks. He sat most of the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City blocked nine shots, including three by center Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder led 76-50 at halftime behind 23 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and 12 each from Mitchell and Kenrich Williams, who combined to go 5 for 7 on 3-point shots. Oklahoma City outscored the Grizzlies 42-19 in the second quarter to take control. Desmond Bane had 22 points and nine rebounds for Memphis (22-11), which played without star Ja Morant (shoulder) and Zach Edey, the team’s No. 9 overall draft pick, who was in concussion protocol. Jay Huff added 17 points but Jaren Jackson Jr., the team's leading scorer at 21.9 points per game, managed 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting. Takeaways Grizzlies: Memphis jumped out to a 9-0 lead but struggled to score after that, making 37 of 97 shots from the field (38.1%) and 14 of 51 from 3-point range (27.5%). Thunder: Oklahoma City lost the rebound battle 51-46, but outscored the Grizzlies 56-36 in the paint. Key moment Memphis pulled within 42-36 on a jumper by Jackson, but Oklahoma City went on a 32-9 run to extend the lead to 74-45 and put the game out of reach before halftime. Key stat Oklahoma City converted 21 Memphis turnovers into 33 points. Up next Grizzlies: Visit Phoenix on Tuesday night. Thunder: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba Tim Willert, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Basketball Herro leads Heat over Rockets in game marred by fight and ejections in final minute Dec 29, 2024 7:01 PM Trae Young leads Hawks past Raptors 136-107; Toronto has season-high 31 turnovers Dec 29, 2024 5:52 PM Young scores 34 as Hawks beat Raptors 136-107, hand Raptors 10th consecutive loss Dec 29, 2024 5:43 PM
It seemed like companies couldn’t hire information technology analysts fast enough in 2014 when Michael Deneen began his IT career. Job counts nationally soared in the 2010s and early 2020s, but then the market flattened and a profession that looked like it might grow uninterrupted started shedding jobs. Laid off twice this year from Minnesota IT jobs, Deneen said he’s found it hard to snag the next gig. “Before I could have three, four offers lined up and would have to choose between them,” the Columbia Heights man said. “It’s like I’m struggling to even get a foot in the door in places that I’m more than qualified for.” ADVERTISEMENT Even with the state’s relatively low 3.5 percen t unemployment rate, some mid-career Minnesotans and those just coming out of college are seeing a job market now that worries them. Recent layoffs at Cargill in the Twin Cities and last week’s announcement that Arctic Cat, the Minnesota snowmobile maker, will shutter its manufacturing operations next year in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud, have added to the anxiety. Analysts say Minnesota’s job market remains robust, but for some there’s a skills matchup problem as some sectors grow while others flatten or decline. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s been hard,” Deneen said of finding the next IT job. “I’ve had a lot of self-doubt now, like questioning is this really an industry I am good at? Is this something I should even be in anymore? I’m also 40. It’s like, I can’t really switch careers at this point.” ‘Shouldn't be this way’ Health care, government, leisure and hospitality and transportation are among the Minnesota sectors that continue to show strong job growth, according to state data. Other industries are growing slower, including construction and manufacturing. “We’ve heard from some folks that maybe it has taken a little longer than what they remember in the past if they were previously unemployed. Some individuals don’t say that at all,” said Sara Garbe, workforce development supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. “November and reaching December, we certainly see a slowdown of hiring and folks may mention things like that they’ve heard from recruiters that maybe a decision won’t be made until after the holidays or after the first or the last quarter of the year,” added Garbe, whose staff works with new job seekers and those in mid-career. For recent college grads who haven’t landed work, the holiday season can bring its own pressures. ADVERTISEMENT Raina Hofstede, 22, studied English at Harvard University. Since graduating in May and coming back to Minnesota, she said job prospects have been nearly nonexistent. “I feel kind of directionless in the time period that I’m waiting,” said Hofstede, who grew up in Coon Rapids. “I feel like I really want to plan. I’m at a point where, like, I’d love to get things moving.” She’s applied to post-undergrad internships and career-advancing work. She’s looking into publishing, creative writing spaces and museums and hopes a stint working in comedy clubs while at Harvard might intrigue an employer. The search and the uncertainty around it is a grind, she acknowledged. “I think, as time goes on, and this feels sad, but I think as time goes on, my belief in myself slowly drops a little bit more with more rejections, and so I feel like I’ll be applying to less and less competitive things as I move forward,” Hofstede said. ' Minnesota showed strong steady job growth coming out of the Great Recession in 2009, reaching nearly 3 million jobs by February 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic torpedoed that growth — the state lost more than 400,000 jobs, nearly 14 percent of its employment, in the span of a few months. Job counts didn’t return permanently to pre-pandemic levels until September last year. The current state and national unemployment rates are relatively low, although they have ticked up over the past year. Minnesota’s unemployment rate is lower than the U.S. unemployment rate at 4.2 percent. Based on the most recent data, Minnesota has six unemployed people for every 10 job openings where nationally there are nine unemployed people for every 10 openings. ADVERTISEMENT Knowing that doesn’t make it easier for those looking for work, waiting for answers from prospective employers. “It just kind of feels like they have no respect for a candidate or their time, or them as a person,” Deneen said of the current market. “It’s an entire game, and it shouldn’t be this way.” ‘A little community’ Garbe said technology is transforming job searches in ways that may make landing work more challenging for some in mid-career or just starting out. Companies are using automated systems or in some cases artificial intelligence systems to screen applicants before a human gets to them. She encourages job seekers to reach out to one of DEED’s more than 50 CareerForce offices across the state where analysts can review resumes or cover letters with job seekers and offer help with writing and strategy. They can also connect people to needed training or certifications. Garbe also suggests reflecting on what you’ve accomplished to boost your self-confidence if you get overwhelmed. Social media has become a resource for job seekers as they look. Groups on Reddit like r/StudentJobSearch have become a space for venting and advice with conversations about job searching and applications. LinkedIn is also seeing similar support groups, including two Deneen is in that focus on networking and project management. ADVERTISEMENT Hofstede said she’s found solace leaning on those around her who are going through these same experiences. She and a group of new graduates meet at their public library to sift through job postings and work on cover letters and resumes together. “Something of a little community of people who are unemployed and looking for jobs, and I like having the friends support,” she said. “It is harder to go through something uncertain like this alone.”If the latest rumors hold any weight, the series could be revealed in mid-January 2025. Similar to last year, we’re expecting to see a lineup consisting of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and . It’s that last model – the S25 Ultra – that will turn the most heads. The current generation is one of around, and maybe the most powerful phone on the market, so having an update right around the corner is very exciting indeed. Though we’re generally expecting to see iterative improvements across the S25 lineup, the biggest changes and upgrades seem to be concentrated on the S25 Ultra. We’re talking camera improvements, design changes, and potentially even a new name (though we’ll keep calling it the Ultra in this article). The list of rumored upgrades is such that some Galaxy S24 Ultra owners may be tempted to upgrade, but it’s more likely that prospective customers who still use older Galaxy models, or indeed other phones, will be left deciding between buying the expensive S25 Ultra or nabbing an S24 Ultra for a discount from a third-party retailer once the S25 Ultra supplants it at the store. We’re still light on official information for the S25 series, but here are my thoughts on how the S25 Ultra could be even more Ultra than the Ultra it replaces. Samsung S25 Ultra vs Samsung S24 Ultra: rumored upgrades, design changes, and how the new generation can improve As mentioned, we’re not expecting to see a full-scale reinvention of Samsung’s highest end slab phone with the S25 Ultra, but we are hoping to see some decent upgrades based on the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rumors. Starting with design, the S25 Ultra could swap the sharp corners found on the S24 Ultra for a rounded design in line with its rivals, the and . This newly rounded frame could reportedly house a slightly enlarged 6.9-inch display, a slight bump up from the 6.8-inch display found on the S24 Ultra enabled by slimmed-down bezels. The displays are likely to be technologically and visually identical otherwise, as they’ll reportedly use the same M13 panel technology – no biggie considering just how brilliant the S24 Ultra’s display looks. We’re also expecting to see some new black detail around the rear camera rings on the S25 Ultra, the same as the rest of the S25 lineup. Otherwise, the two phones should look broadly similar, with the same camera layout, titanium frame, and port and button placement. We’ve heard of though, with some quirky names like Silverblue and Whitesilver. Perhaps we’ll see a switch-up from the block colors of the S24 Ultra, which I’ve always thought clash with the titanium rails. Underneath that titanium housing, we’re expecting the S25 Ultra to boast some performance boosts compared to its predecessor. The S25 Ultra – and, indeed, the entire S25 lineup – is tipped to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, an absolute unit of a chipset that promises major processing, graphics, and efficiency gains over the current generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The version of that chipset found in the S24 series is a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy variant, but it's still unlikely to match the potentially impressive improvement in load times, UI speed, and gaming performance coming with the S25 Ultra. Additionally, , compared to the flat 12GB found on all variants of the S24 Ultra. It’s suggested that the cheapest version of the S25 Ultra will still come with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 512GB and 1TB specs get the full 16GB. And as this is the S25 Ultra we’re talking about the term ‘cheapest’ is very much relative – we’re expecting the S25 to at least match the S24 Ultra for price, which would work out to a starting price of $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,199 – though some tipsters suggest a price hike could be on the way. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a heavy hitter in the mobile photography world with its quad-camera system, and thanks to a barrage of rumors, we expect the S25 Ultra to continue this pattern. The S25 is tipped to have a 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide camera, 50MP periscope camera with 5x zoom, and 10MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom. It’s the ultrawide camera that sees the biggest upgrade here, from 12MP to 50MP, while the other cameras seem broadly identical to the S24’s system. That might not count as a reason to upgrade on its own, as the S24 Ultra is already one of the as is. We’ll almost certainly see some new software processing either built into the S25 Ultra specifically or with the launch of the One UI 7 Android wrapper. Speaking of, we expect both phones to gain access to One UI 7 when it launches. Samsung has been very quiet about the release of its latest Android wrapper, but it’d be reasonable to suggest the new OS will launch alongside the S25 series in mid-January 2025. It’s possible that more RAM in the pricier versions of the S25 Ultra would allow the phone to take advantage of new artificial intelligence-powered tools in the Galaxy AI suite, though it’s hard to predict what these features could look like. After all that, though, we might not even get an S25 Ultra at all – . There’s not much to go on with this, but it’d certainly be welcome for fans of the Note series, which was last seen in 2020 with the Galaxy S20 Note. Note or not, we shouldn’t have to wait too long for official announcements about the S25 Ultra and its smaller siblings. If these rumors hold weight, there won’t be masses separating the two most recent top-end Galaxy phones. Yet advancements in performance, ergonomics, and photography could be enough to make the high price tag worthwhile.
Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted its fifth straight gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%. The benchmark index’s 1.7% gain for the week erased most of its loss from last week. The Dow rose 1% as it nudged past its most recent high set last week, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. Markets have been volatile over the last few weeks, losing ground in the runup to elections in November, then surging following Donald Trump's victory, before falling again. The S&P 500 has been steadily rising throughout this week to within close range of its record. It's now within about 0.5% of its all-time high set last week. “Overall, market behavior has normalized following an intense few weeks,” said Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, in a statement. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 12.8% after handily beating analysts' third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 2.2% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar fell 2.8% after DirecTV called off its purchase of that company's Dish Network unit. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.8%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 gained ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3.2%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 5.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 0.7% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. All told, the S&P 500 rose 20.63 points to 5,969.34. The Dow climbed 426.16 points to 44,296.51, and the Nasdaq picked up 42.65 points to close at 2,406.67. European markets closed mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, bitcoin hovered around $99,000, according to CoinDesk. It has more than doubled this year and first surpassed the $99,000 level on Thursday. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts' expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It's still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers' inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank's meeting in December.COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday, likely ending the Buckeyes ’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines (7-5, 5-4) at Ohio State's 17-yard line with two minutes remaining in the game. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Ohio State (10-2, 7-2, No. 2 CFP) got the ball back but couldn't move it, with Will Howard throwing incomplete on fourth down to seal the Wolverines' fourth straight win over their bitter rival. “You come to Michigan to play this game,” Zvada said. “So, it's the biggest one of the year. It's the one that everyone looks forward to, and to be able to come in here and take the win, it's amazing.” This Ohio State loss in the “The Game” might have been the toughest of the past four because Michigan was unranked and wrapping up a disappointing season. The Wolverines were also playing without a couple of top players: tight end Colston Loveland and cornerback Will Johnson. The Buckeyes were favored by 21 points, the widest point spread for this rivalry since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Records — and point spreads, for that matter — rarely mean much when these two teams meet. “Our defense played outstanding," Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. "We held a high-powered offense to 10 points, 77 rushing yards.” The Buckeyes were off all afternoon. Howard was 19 for 33 for 175 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and Jayden Fielding missed two field-goal attempts. The run game was hardly there. “It's hard, man,” an emotional Howard said. “I really don’t have much right now. I do know we're a two-loss team. We're going to get into the playoffs and make a run. But, I mean, this one hurts.” Mullings was Michigan's primary weapon. He rushed for 116 yards and the Wolverines only touchdown of the game in the first half as neither team could get much going offensively on the frigid afternoon. “They made plays, we made plays, so as the game wore on you could definitely, slowly feel them starting to lose confidence, lose that energy and lose that faith,” Mullings said. Howard was clunky all day. In the first half he threw an interception from deep in his own territory that led to Michigan's touchdown. He went out for a play in the second quarter to be checked for a head injury. After the game, he said he was fine. “We're very disappointed, and never thought this would happen right here,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We expected to win this game and go play in the Big Ten championship game.” After the game, Michigan players attempted to plant their flag at midfield and were confronted by Ohio State players. A skirmish ensued as both teams pushed and shoved before being separated. Michigan: Did just enough and caught Ohio State on an off day. Ohio State: It's inexplicable how badly the Buckeyes played in their biggest game of the season. They would need No. 4 Penn State and No. 10 Indiana to lose later Saturday in order to make it into the Big Ten title game next week. The Buckeyes will fall. There has been talk all season about how many of the Ohio State team leaders, including receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive end Jack Sawyer, chose to return for another year instead of entering the NFL draft because they wanted to beat Michigan at least once. Those players were inconsolable after the game. One of them, linebacker Cody Simon, was asked how he felt. “I just can't speak that right now,” Simon said. “I feel like we let the whole Buckeye nation down.” Michigan will wait for a minor bowl game. Ohio State, assuming either Penn State or Indiana wins on Saturday, will see how the final College Football Playoff rankings shakeout on Dec. 8. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Dubai, UAE , Dec. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoinW, the world's pioneering cryptocurrency trading platform , will list BIO, a DeSci project, on DeSci Zone. For all CoinW users, the BIO/USDT will be officially available for trading on January 3rd 2024, at 10:00 (UTC). To celebrate the listing of BIO, we are launching the " BIO Bounty Program" event with a reward pool of 10,000 USDT. Empowering DeSci Through Blockchain Bio Protocol aims to reshape biotechnology research funding, development, and intellectual property (IP) sharing through its innovative decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) model. By addressing disparities in traditional biomedical research funding, the project focuses on critical areas such as rare diseases, longevity, and emerging health challenges. As a recognized leader in the DeSci space, Bio Protocol has garnered attention and support from major players, including Binance, with total funding exceeding $33 million. Developed by the same team behind VitaDAO, a project backed by Pfizer, Bio Protocol exemplifies the synergy of blockchain technology and scientific innovation. BIO Tokenomics and Utility The BIO token powers the Bio Protocol ecosystem, offering a wide range of use cases: 10,000 USDT Limited-Time Offer for CoinW Community To celebrate the listing, 10,000 USDT equivalent BIO prize pool has been up for grabs from January 3rd, 2024, at 10:00 to January 10th, 2024, at 16:00 (UTC). By participating in events such as registration, trading, and community events, CoinW users have the opportunity to share in a prize pool of 10,000 USDT. To claim your rewards, please click here . About CoinW CoinW is a pioneering crypto trading platform that prioritizes security, transparency, and user-centric principles. With advanced technology, deep liquidity, and a wide range of supported cryptocurrencies, the company has amassed a broad user base to become one of the world's most secure crypto exchanges . Committed to security, transparency, and compliance, the CoinW exchange upholds the highest regulatory standards and actively contributes to the advancement of the crypto industry. To learn more about CoinW, you can visit the official website , and follow CoinW's Twitter Account , Btok , and Telegram Group . About BIO Bio Protocol is a DAO-based initiative aimed at addressing funding inequities in biotechnology research, fostering development, and sharing IP. It prioritizes research on rare diseases, longevity, and emerging health challenges. CONTACT: marketing at coinw.comDodgers Owe $1B+ in Contract Deferrals to Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, More Players
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military ruleNoa Lininger was a freshman at Lafayette’s Centaurus High at the end of the pandemic and decided a traditional high school experience wasn’t for them. After trying various options, Noa created a senior year schedule that combines an in-person, concurrent enrollment videography class at the Boulder Technical Education Center with online Front Range Community College classes. Concurrent enrollment allows high school students to earn college credit while in high school, with the college tuition paid for by the state. Because of concurrent enrollment programs, Noa expects to graduate from high school in May with 22 college credits at no cost and plans to continue their education. “Concurrent enrollment classes helped me see my options,” said Lininger, who goes by they/their pronouns. Statewide, as originally reported by Chalkbeat Colorado , high school students account for almost half of the state’s community college enrollment, thanks to concurrent enrollment. Of the 88,118 students enrolled at the two-year level, more than 39,000 students statewide are still in high school, the Colorado Community College System reports. In total, high school students accounted for almost 90% of enrollment increases at the community college level this year. Since the pandemic, high school students have become a main driver of community college enrollment in the state. Front Range Community College is the largest provider of concurrent enrollment in Colorado. The college serves about 13,000 dual-enrolled students and has contracts with 65 partners. FRCC serves students at more than 120 sites, including 55 high schools. FRCC has campuses in Longmont, Westminster and Fort Collins. “The need for concurrent enrollment, the popularity and the access have just skyrocketed,” said Courtney Graeff, FRCC’s director of concurrent enrollment at the Longmont campus. “We’re constantly having to find new ways of keeping up with the numbers because the popularity has increased exponentially.” For Noa, college classes are different enough from high school courses that they can now see themselves continuing their education. They feel the classes are more interesting and “structured better for how my brain works.” Noa’s plans include earning a professional esthetician license at Boulder TEC before graduation, potentially trying video editing as a side gig and applying to the ASCENT program. ASCENT, or Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment, allows students who completed at least nine college credits to stay in high school for a fifth year while they take free college classes. “It’s a huge opportunity for students to continue their education at Front Range,” Graeff said. Along with Front Range, colleges that participate in ASCENT include Metropolitan State University Denver, University of Northern Colorado, Aims Community College, Emily Griffith Technical College, Western Colorado University and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. FRCC has seen consistent, steady growth in all concurrent enrollment classes college-wide since 2009. At the Boulder County campus in Longmont, concurrent enrollment students comprised 53% of the 5,506 total students in the 2023-2024 academic year. The year before, those students made up 46% of the total population and 32% the year before that. In both the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts, officials say student demand for concurrent enrollment classes has increased exponentially in recent years. Most of those classes are taught on high school campuses by high school teachers certified to teach at the college level. Taking college classes online is another popular option. Only a small percentage of students attend classes on a college campus. Along with FRCC, Boulder Valley has concurrent enrollment agreements with the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Denver and Metro State University. For the fall semester, 1,603 Boulder Valley students were earning college credits. Of those, about 100 were taking classes at a college, either in-person or online. The rest, about 1,500 students, took concurrent enrollment classes at their high school or at Boulder TEC. Getting more students into concurrent enrollment classes is part of the school district’s Grad Plus initiative, which encourages all students to graduate with more than a diploma. Other options include work-based learning and industry certificates. “We’re all about helping students get ahead in their education,” said Madeline Brockish, Boulder Valley’s Career and College Connections coordinator. “Concurrent enrollment is really about making college more affordable to students and saving them time.” St. Vrain Valley officials said the district enrolled a record number of students in concurrent enrollment classes in the fall. To meet the demand and help students navigate their options, each of its high schools now has a counselor who oversees the program. The district has concurrent enrollment agreements with six colleges: FRCC, Red Rocks Community College, Aims Community College, University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University Online and Metro State University. First semester, 1,733 students took 91 concurrent enrollment classes. Sixty of those were taught in St. Vrain Valley classrooms, while the other 31 were held online or at a college campus. St. Vrain Valley Assistant Superintendent Kahle Charles said concurrent enrollment classes give students a competitive advantage going into college or the workforce, while earning credits can make coursework feel more relevant. “It’s opening opportunities for our students,” he said. “We really appreciate these relationships we have with these higher education institutions. They’re really seeing the value of working with school districts.” At FRCC, concurrent enrollment students have access to all the same support services as the college’s traditional students, including library databases, tutoring, writing and math support centers. Graeff said those opportunities are life-changing, especially for students of color, first-generation students and students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. “The student debt crisis has really pushed forward the opportunities for concurrent enrollment students,” Graeff said. “They’re starting to see the importance of engaging in college work earlier so that they can be more successful upon high school graduation, whether they’re continuing their education or entering the workforce.” As student interest grows, one challenge for school districts has been getting teachers certified to teach college classes. The qualifications can vary by college and subject, but colleges generally require either a master’s degree in the subject area being taught or a master’s degree plus 18 subject credit hours. If there’s not a high school teacher with those qualifications, the community college may send an instructor to teach the class on the high school campus. Centaurus High, for example, brought in a Front Range instructor this semester to teach three classes in Spanish to students who needed the higher-level coursework. Another Front Range class offered at Centaurus is English composition class. For that class, which is in its third year, the school has three qualified teachers. One of those is Jennifer Dunbar, who has a master’s degree in English literature, taught English at a community college in Washington and, after taking time off to raise her kids, went back to school for a teaching license and master’s in education. She said Front Range provides high school teachers with professional development, a mentor/class observer and support for registration issues. Front Range also provides a syllabus and online textbook but allows teachers to tailor the class based on their strengths. She added that combining higher education with K-12 required resolving some conflicts, including around special education accommodations. Accommodations are more limited at the college level. Along with the on-campus support Front Range offers to students, Impact on Education is covering the cost of after-school tutoring at Centaurus for concurrent enrollment students. “For kids who are underwater, it’s hard to get back,” Dunbar said. “We’ve caught a lot of students with this tutoring who might have failed.” Dunbar said many of the students taking the class are in the Centaurus engineering program and want to get their college English requirements out of the way. Others want the experience of a college class. “I can prepare myself for when I go to college and be able to say I took a college class,” said senior Lizbeth Aguirre. “I took it as a challenge.” Classmate Logan Cole, also a senior, said he likes concurrent enrollment because, unlike in an AP class, a good grade guarantees college credit. In AP, receiving college credit requires a high enough score on the end-of-year AP test — and even then, colleges decide what scores and what subjects they’ll accept for credit. “Concurrent enrollment classes are a good taste of what a college class will be,” he said. Along with adding college classes at their high schools, both local districts are increasing opportunities to earn college credits in their career and technical education classes. To teach career and technical education classes for college credit, instructors typically need an associate’s degree or higher plus a specified number of hours of industry experience. Kate Topham, the counselor at St. Vrain Valley’s Career Elevation and Technology Center, said the center offers 50 classes with the opportunity to earn college credit through five college partners, up from two college partners in 2019. She talks up the advantages, helps students register with the colleges and troubleshoots with students if there are problems. Of the students eligible to earn college credit, she said, 83% signed up this fall. “I tell students they’re not opting into a harder class,” she said. “Instead, it’s about where those credits can take you in the future. You can add it to a resume or get ahead in college. The impact is amazing.” Emma Grassman, a senior at Erie High School taking a Certified Nursing Assistant class, said she’s learning skills like CPR that will be useful no matter where she ends up after high school. Plus, she said, the credit through Red Rocks Community College should help her stand out on college applications. “You’re showing them that you’re ready to go to college,” she said. Erik Hakanson, a Longmont High student taking manufacturing classes, said he’s on track to earn 12 credits in Metro State’s engineering program. Taking the classes at the Career Elevation and Technology Center, he said, saves money on college tuition, lets him learn from a supportive teacher who worked in the industry and gives him more time in the machine shop than he would likely get in college. “This gives you a hands-on experience,” he said. At Boulder’s Technical Education Center, Ash Collins is teaching a concurrent enrollment videography class. She started the center’s videography program four years ago, retrofitting a classroom into a studio by adding a sound booth and other equipment. Two years ago, she got certified to teach at the college level and partnered with Front Range, allowing her students to earn 12 college credits. “My expectations are high,” she said. “I need to be able to trust them to take ownership of what they’re learning. They get to decide what they want to create. Students really do get that college-level curriculum here. They should get credit for it.” She said the rigor and content are the same as a videography class taught at the college level, but she gives them more direct support. In college, she said, a student might be given a project that’s due in three months and be expected to complete it on their own. She provides more structure and breaks down the steps. “There’s a lot more checking in, but they’re capable of a lot,” she said. Along with a large roster of concurrent enrollment classes, St. Vrain offers the early college P-TECH, or Pathways in Technology Early College High School, program. The extended year program gives high school students up to six years to earn an associate’s degree along with their high diploma, with a goal of getting underrepresented students into STEM fields after graduation. State funding covers the community college tuition costs. St. Vrain has expanded the program since first offering it at Skyline High in 2016 to four high schools. Altogether, 444 St. Vrain students are enrolled in P-TECH classes this school year, with students generally going to the community college campus for classes starting in their junior and senior years. Each high school has a different focus, community college partners and business partners. Front Range partners with the P-TECH programs at the three Longmont schools, Skyline High, Silver Creek and Longmont High. “They always tell me, ‘Ms, I never thought I’d go to college,’”Graeff said. “And the day that they graduate I get to watch them walk across the stage and get that college degree before they even graduate high school.” April Menzies, FRCC’s associate vice president for K-12 partnerships, said the college about five years ago was seeing double-digit percentage increases in concurrently enrolled students year-over-year. Now increases aren’t so high, but enrollment is still going up. “What the data really shows, both in the state data reports and nationwide, is students tend to start taking college classes in high school and they tend to go to college at a greater rate than students that don’t have that opportunity or don’t take college classes in high school,” Menzies said. Roughly a third of FRCC’s concurrent enrollment students return to the college for further education at some point after high school. Many others often continue to a four-year college or university. Menzies said concurrent enrollment can create financial savings for families and allow students to explore career opportunities and topics not available in the high school curriculum. She said there’s also value in learning how college works, helping students transition to college with more ease. “There are lots of reasons why students take a concurrent enrollment class, and the nice thing is it serves a lot of needs,” Menzies said. “It meets a lot of different goals for students and families.” Colorado lawmakers say they recognize the value of dual enrollment, especially because national research shows these programs can help eliminate gaps in who gets to college. But they also want more information on the long-term benefit of the programs, as well as the overall costs to the state. A state task force has called for streamlining what it has described as a fragmented early career and college system built over many years. Colorado has numerous programs, but not every district offers every program. Each program has different reporting requirements, making it hard to measure how programs are working individually and as a whole. Colorado lawmakers enacted legislation this year that: Directs the state to perform a comprehensive financial study to analyze how much the programs cost the state and districts; Compiles long-term data on program outcomes; Expands college opportunities for high school students; and Seeks to find a comprehensive direction on college and career education. The financial study , by Denver-based Slalom Consulting, was published in December and includes recommendations to consolidate state grants and incentives into a single funding source, standardize concurrent enrollment tuition agreements, adopt a tuition reimbursement model for extended-year programs like ASCENT and P-TECH, and reassess the ASCENT program. ASCENT, according to the report, should be realigned to ensure it’s focused on the original intent of serving low-income, at-risk students. A lack of clear workforce goals and rising costs are other concerns lawmakers have raised about ASCENT. Unlike P-TECH, ASCENT doesn’t require students to choose a particular major or area of study. From the school district perspective, St. Vrain’s Charles said, a common tuition agreement and streamlining teacher qualifications would both be helpful, especially for rural school districts that don’t have the same resources as a larger district like St. Vrain. “Statewide, it can be a better system for all of us,” he said. Chalkbeat Colorado contributed to this report.
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