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Putting innovation at the heart of education across Central Asia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

Last month, the European Union approved the first disbursement of a €27million grant to Kyrgyzstan to help improve and develop the country’s education sector. Following a challenging period, where the COVID-19 pandemic put pressure on many education systems across Central Asia, this grant will help improve educational quality and promote better standards. With its wide variety of programmes for education and training, including Erasmus+ and the European Education Area, the EU has worked extensively to support education and youth development in this part of the world, writes Yerkin Tatishev, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Almaty Management University and chairman of Kusto Group.Along with the second European Union Education Fair, recently held in Uzbekistan, the EU aims to become an indispensable partner, helping transform the region’s education systems. Within this regional context, the rapid growth of our education landscape and quality of teaching in Kazakhstan should se...

What the 49ers are saying after win over the Seahawks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

What 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and his players were saying after a 31-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks to improve to 8-3 and take a commanding lead in the NFC West:Coach Kyle ShanahanPotentially serious biceps injury to George Odum and injuriesWe’ll have to see if he can come back later. We’ll look into that tomorrow. Charlie Woerner is being evaluated for a concussion, but he cleared and went back on.OverallJust getting a win, I feel great. Especially to have three days off after this It’s definitely a different three days when you get a win. The way the defense played tonight was unbelievable, to keep them out of the end zone the whole game. Six sacks, the way our corners played on the outside. Just a real impressive game.Brock’s TD pass to AiyukI couldn’t believe he was throwing it. The zone coverages guys were so deep, which usually you can check it down underneath and get about 12, but Brock thought he could drop it in over the guy. It was a c...

VIDEO: Van smashes into Pleasant Hill Kohl's on Thanksgiving

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

(KRON) -- A Pleasant Hill Kohl's took significant damage on Thanksgiving after a van smashed into the front of the store, a KRON4 photojournalist at the scene confirmed. Video from the scene can be seen above. The video shows broken glass and other items littered across the floor. Amazon driver was not kidnapped, San Ramon police say The store, located at 2302 Monument Blvd., was rammed just hours before Black Friday. An employee at the store told KRON4 that it plans to be open for the popular shopping day. KRON4's photojournalist saw the van that is believed to have caused the crash getting towed away from the store. KRON4 reached out to the Pleasant Hill Police Department for more information. We are awaiting a response.

Parker, Taylor lead NC State over Vanderbilt 84-78 at Vegas Showdown

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Freshman Dennis Parker Jr. and Jayden Taylor finished with 18 points apiece and NC State defeated Vanderbilt 84-78 at the Vegas Showdown on Thursday night.Parker came off the bench to sink 7 of 10 shots with two 3-pointers, adding nine rebounds to help the Wolfpack (4-0) advance to Friday’s championship game against the winner of the nightcap between BYU and Arizona State. Parker added two assists and blocked two shots. Taylor made 6 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer.DJ Burns Jr. pitched in with 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals for NC State. Casey Morsell had 12 points and five boards.Tyrin Lawrence had 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Commodores (3-2), who will play the loser of the nightcap before tomorrow’s title game. Ven-Allen Lubin added 16 points and eight rebounds. Freshman Jason Rivera-Torres came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and score 12.Burns and Parker had nine points, Morsell scored eight and NC St...

Last-minute tips for making the most of Black Friday deals in San Diego

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The biggest sale of the year has returned with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and shoppers are already strategizing about how to snag the best deals.While some may be doing their Black Friday shopping from the comfort of their home, those that are going to be going from store to store may want to plan ahead on how to make the most of an outing without breaking the bank. Black Friday shopping: What’s open — and when Double check your receiptsProtect yourself from overcharging by always checking your receipt — maybe even twice. Even great stores may have an occasional discrepancy on your receipt.According to the County of San Diego, about one out of every five stores inspected by county officials from January and October this year had overcharge errors, with the average falling at about $2.37 difference.While you are checking out, watch the pin pad's screen as your items are being scanned and verify that your receipts match up with the listed display price — in the case ...

Where to shop local in San Diego on Small Business Saturday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

SAN DIEGO — While Black Friday kicks off the annual holiday shopping season with blockbuster deals, Small Business Saturday celebrates all things local and some neighborhoods in San Diego are offering special promotions to get people out to support independent stores.Initially launched by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday has quickly grown into an annual tradition, with consumers spending billions every year on the occasion to help prop up brick-and-mortar spots. This year, Small Business Saturday lands on Nov. 25. For those that want to hold off on the blockbuster department store deals to support their neighborhood businesses, here are some communities to visit that are going all out for their small businesses, including with giveaways, prizes and other special offerings. Last-minute tips for making the most of Black Friday deals in San Diego North ParkNorth Park is one of the hearts of small business in San Diego County, with dozens of unique boutiques and shops...

French foreign minister holds talks in China on climate and global tensions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — France and China should work together to reduce global tensions and address issues such as climate change and biodiversity, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Friday.Colonna was on an official trip to Beijing ahead of a major U.N. climate conference starting next week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and an EU-China leaders meeting next month. Her visit coincided with the start of a four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war.“As big powers, we both share the responsibility to tackle global challenges …. and we can make concerted efforts in alleviating tensions around the world,” she said at a meeting with Premier Li Qiang, China’s No. 2 leader.Today’s tensions range from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to the competition between China and the U.S. over trade, technology and security. A delegation of Arab foreign ministers held talks in China and France in recent days as part of a series of meetings with permanent members of the U.N. Security Coun...

Diplomats from South Korea, Japan and China will meet about resuming a trilateral leaders’ summit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The top diplomats from South Korea, Japan and China are to gather in South Korea over the weekend to discuss resuming their leaders’ summit, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.An annual trilateral meeting among the leaders of the three Northeast Asian nations hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the often touchy ties among them. The three-way summit began in 2008.While the three nations are close economic and cultural partners with one another, their relationships have suffered on-and-off setbacks due to a mix of issues such as Japan’s wartime atrocities, the U.S.-China rivalry and North Korea’s nuclear program.The foreign ministers of the three countries are to meet in the southeastern South Korean city of Busan on Sunday to prepare for their leaders’ summit and exchange views on ways to strengthen three-way cooperation and other regional and international issues, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.The three ministers ar...

Stock market today: Asian shares slide, as Hong Kong retreats on selling of property shares

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares declined Friday in Asia, with Hong Kong’s benchmark retreating on selling of property shares following recent gains. U.S. futures edged higher after markets on Wall Street were closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Oil prices were mixed.Japan reported its consumer inflation rose for the first time in four months, with big gains in food prices and hotel rates as tourism has soared. The consumer price index rose 3.3% in October from a year earlier, up from 3% in September in a trend contrary to the Bank of Japan’s forecasts for price pressures to abate toward the year’s end. “Both the government and the BOJ will be concerned about higher-than-expected inflation,” Robert Carnell and Min Joo Kang of ING Economics said in a commentary. That will likely lead the central bank to adjust its extremely lax monetary policy in the new year, they said. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 added 0.5% to 33,625.53. Chinese shares fell back after recent gains ...

Antitrust: Commission carries out unannounced inspections in the online food delivery sector

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:48 GMT

The European Commission is carrying out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the online ordering and delivery of food, groceries and other consumer goods in two member states.The Commission has concerns that the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).Today's inspections are conducted in the context of an investigation for which the Commission carried out inspections in 2022. The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities.The scope of the investigation, initially including alleged market allocations, has now been extended to cover additional conduct in the form of alleged no-poach agreements and exchanges of commercially sensitive information.Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step toward investigating suspected anticompetitive practices. The ...