Latest news with #Zhong
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'Moments like this that really make your day': Chan Chun Sing meets soldier who took photo with him as student, Singapore News
During a recent night ride to his office, the newly appointed Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing had a heartwarming encounter that left a lasting impression. Chan shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday (June 4) how a soldier on night duty, Zhong Ting, approached him at the gate of a military camp. Zhong immediately recognised Chan and shared that they had taken a selfie together years ago when the latter visited his school then. Chan previously served as Minister for Education from May 2021 to May 2025, Eager to relive the memory, Zhong showed Chan the photo that they had taken together. "Sometimes it's moments like these that really makes your day (or night)," Chan wrote in his Facebook post recounting the experience. He also added that they had a pleasant chat before he continued on his journey home — with a smile on his face. Chan expressed how "it's a special feeling to see the schoolboys I met while I was at MOE (Ministry of Education) maturing as young men and defending our country". He also took the chance to thank servicemen like Zhong, who are stationed around the island safeguarding Singapore's camps, bases and critical installations. "Their loved ones should be so proud of them," Chan noted. He concluded his reflection with a message of appreciation and hope — expressing gratitude for Zhong's service and his wish to continue engaging with teenagers in uniform to listen to their stories and better understand their experiences. [[nid:718629]]
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Girl on Edge' Review: A Mother and Daughter Hit Thin Ice in Zhou Jinghao's Alluring but Unsatisfactory Skating Drama
Zhou Jinghao's 'Girl on Edge' starts strong. A young woman is shown skating in a dimly lit ring, finishing her routine and stopping right in front of the camera. Her face is revealed, full of blood red bruises. This is the first of many indelible images that fill this psychological drama reminiscent of 'Black Swan'. Like that thriller, 'Girl on Edge' is about a competitive athlete trying to be the best and dealing with her inner demons. The film promises a tantalizing time but ultimately fails to deliver, as nothing that comes after that opening is as clean or cutthroat. The titular girl is Jiang Ning (Zhang Zifeng) a fiercely competitive skater who's been going through a demoralizing period in her training. She can't seem to get it right, never managing to finish a routine without falling. Her tough coach, her mother Wang Shuang (Ma Yili) can't hide her disappointment. She constantly berates her about her failures. The mother blames the daughter for her own short skating career; she had to give it up when she became pregnant. This fraught situation becomes even more tense when Wang takes on another trainee, Zhong Lind (Ding Xiangyua). Zhong, who's a worker at the ring and not a professional skater, has talent to spare. Suddenly Jiang has both a friend and a rival. More from Variety 'Mama' Review: A Housemaid Abroad Gets an Unpleasant Homecoming in an Intriguing Character Study That Veers Into Melodrama Chris Evans Skipped His Movie's Cannes Premiere Because It Was His Mom's 70th Birthday and 'Some Things You Just Can't Miss' Bi Gan's Cannes Winner 'Resurrection' Nabbed by Janus Films for North America (EXCLUSIVE) 'Girl on Edge' takes a while to get to the meat of its story: the relationship between the two younger women. The film asks many intriguing questions along the way. Is Zhong out to destroy Jiang or will Jiang self-implode from the pressure to succeed? As the two skaters get to train and play together, they seem to bring out the best in each other. Could the mother/coach have planted Zhong in order to give her daughter a reason to be better? Though the film doesn't provide a satisfactory resolution to these threads, the time the audience spends contemplating them is mostly enjoyable. But Zhou's feature loses its narrative edge in a series of jumbled twists. It seems to be reaching for both a profound, meaningful ending and a 'gotcha' subversion to bolster its thriller aspirations. Still 'Girl on Edge' delivers in visuals what it lacks in coherent narrative. The visual storytelling sticks in the memory: full of gorgeous images with metaphorical meaning. Jiang trains in a cast-like apparatus, as if she's in a cage, or appearing like a marionette doll manipulated by a bigger entity. The blue hued skating rinks and dance clubs Jiang and Zhang inhabit look beguilingly sinister, serving as both dreamscape and nightmarish reality. The skating scenes are full of tension, with every fall and swerve dramatically rendered in fast cut closeups on faces and skates. Cinematographer Yu Jing-pin creates an alluring visual atmosphere for these characters to play in. Additionally all three lead actors are masters of the close up. They can hold a frame well and convey much without saying anything. 'Girl on Edge' promises a psychological drama about mothers and in trying to reveal the inner turmoil of its characters, it loses its way. Instead of staying with the characters, it devolves into a jumbled mess of flashbacks, explanations and unsatisfactory resolutions. Zhou's images remain stronl; if only the script could keep up. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
The Star
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Experts in China work on Covid-19 antibody treatments for young children
GUANGZHOU: Zhong Nanshan (pic), a noted expert on respiratory illness, said his team is now actively developing antibodies to Covid-19, aiming to explore effective treatment methods more suitable for children under five years old in the following months. "Now the research of Covid-19 drug in this group of people is not sufficient, and it lacks sufficient safety evidence," said Zhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. "It cannot be arbitrarily inferred that children over five years old can use it, and children as young as one year old are equally applicable," he said. "Now there is no relevant evidence to support this point of view." Zhong, made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Guangzhou Science and Technology Week on Saturday. He said the current Covid-19 outbreak is still at its peak period across the country and is predicted to decline after June. Zhong urged relevant departments to pay great attention to the prevention and treatment of Covid-19 and influenza, and the infected individuals to take relevant medicine within the first 48 hours to avoid developing severe symptoms. Zhong expressed regret that Taiwan actress Barbie Hsu died of influenza in February. The incidence rate of influenza has recently been declining, he said, adding that patients should attach great importance to the timely treatment of influenza, especially the elderly, he said. "Certain dangers do exist for senior residents with underlying diseases," he said. According to monitoring data from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, from March 31 to May 4, the Covid-19 positivity rate among outpatient and emergency influenza-like cases nationwide increased from 7.5 per cent to 16.2 per cent, while the positivity rate of hospitalized cases also increased from 3.3 per cent to 6.3 pe rcent. Zhong, head of Guangzhou Laboratory, a key State facility focused on studying respiratory diseases, is the winner of the Medal of the Republic, China's highest honour for outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the country. - China Daily/ANN
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Father of Google teen engineer rejected by multiple universities slams DEI
[Source] Palo Alto father Nan Zhong, who has sued multiple universities for allegedly racially discriminating against his son Stanley, has criticized DEI initiatives as becoming 'a cure worse than the disease' in a recent op-ed. Catch up The Zhongs have filed lawsuits against institutions including the University of California system, University of Washington, University of Michigan and Cornell, alleging discrimination against Asian Americans in admissions. Their case centers on Stanley who, despite a 1590 SAT score and impressive technical achievements that earned him a PhD-level position at Google, was rejected by 16 colleges. The universities, on the other hand, have retained top legal firms, with UC reportedly retaining WilmerHale, the same firm that defended Harvard University in the landmark case it lost at the Supreme Court in 2023. What Zhong is saying Trending on NextShark: In his May 12 op-ed for Minding The Campus, Zhong draws parallels between current campus politics and China's Cultural Revolution, which he experienced firsthand. 'I was born during China's Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, and it's uncanny to see some of the same tactics reemerging in America half a century later,' he recalls. Zhong goes on to deliver a sharp critique of DEI initiatives, writing that while they may have begun with a "noble goal," in practice they "often reduce people to their skin color and treat them accordingly, leading not to diversity, equity, and inclusion, but to division, exclusion, and ultimately, insanity." He also discusses what he sees as a resurgence of Marxism on college campuses and criticizes universities' "intellectual dishonesty" in repurposing terms like "affirmative action." Harvard, he writes, is "a textbook example of hypocrisy" for maintaining legacy admissions while claiming to champion social justice. Asked what he thought about concerns that challenging race-conscious admissions might reinforce the "model minority" stereotype, Zhong tells NextShark, "Part of the 'model minority' stereotype comes from the perception that Asian Americans do not complain or protest. I think fighting this battle would combat that part of the stereotype." He points to the Constitution's promise of equal protection "on an individual basis, not based on group identity," adding that he hopes Asian American youth "do not become burdened with 'being too Asian.'" Trending on NextShark: He also advises, "Be themselves, pursue their passion, do great work and help others. Their dreams are American dreams too." As for their legal strategy, Zhong believes their AI-assisted approach has been effective. 'It is funny that they are pulling out the big legal guns to battle two pro se litigants,' he notes. He agrees that AI could democratize access to legal recourse. "We are in uncharted territory. The fact that the universities have enlisted top-tier legal representation clearly indicates the gravity they assign to these lawsuits," Zhong tells NextShark. "I certainly hope AI levels the playing field for pro se litigants like me when challenging powerful institutions. The only way to find out is to act." Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
New York Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Silicon Valley schools ditch Honors classes, but it's a bad idea
Palo Alto schools are doing away with Honors courses in the latest assault on equity. Starting in September, freshmen will no longer have the option of taking a more rigorous Honors Biology class. Instead, the district will have one 'foundational' course. The Palo Alto Unified School District voted in January to nix the advanced class after an hours-long debate with dozens of concerned members of the public in attendance. Honors English has already been sidelined. Proponents argue that 'de-laning' — removing different 'lanes' for students based on achievement — will promote equity and encourage all kids to pursue science throughout their high school career. 7 Palo Alto School District has moved to get rid of Honors Biology classes. One Biology teacher argued during the meeting, 'We know that laning can lead to issues around students' beliefs in themselves.' But opponents — including one 8th grader who showed up to the vote in protest — argue it's an assault on meritocracy. 'Please don't hold students such as myself back from these wonderful opportunities to challenge ourselves and grow as individuals,' she told the board. 7 Freshmen will no longer be able to choose Honors Biology classes. Monkey Business – Nonetheless, the resolution, which has been under consideration since 2018, still passed with a narrow 3-to-2 margin. Since when does everyone have to be the same? And why does one kid's excellence threaten another's 'belief' in themselves? Must we all be handicapped in the name of equity? Palo Alto dad Nan Zhong is furious about it. He says the school district is 'approaching the achievement gap in the wrong way.' 7 Local father (left) Nan Zhong is furious about the decision to get rid of the Honors course. Courtesy of Nan Zhong 7 Zhong's son Stanley took Honors Biology at his school in Palo Alto, which Zhong said he greatly benefited from. Courtesy of Nan Zhong 'I think the move is really misguided, and it's very polarizing,' Zhong, a software engineering manager at Google, told The Post. 'The parents who are very involved in their kids' education and really want to prepare the kids for success are very upset.' His two sons, a 16-year-old sophomore at Gunn High School and a 19-year-old recent graduate, both took Honors Biology and, Zhong said, greatly benefited from the accelerated courses which were 'stepping stones to AP courses' later in high school. 'The school of thought seems to be that we need to have equity and reduce students' mental burden, so, therefore, let's make the curriculum easier, and everybody can get an A,' he said. The Post contacted the school district for comment but did not receive an answer. 7 Congressman Ro Khanna criticized the school district's move to nix the course. AP The move has drawn widespread scrutiny, including from local Democratic congressman Ro Khanna. 'It is absurd that [the] Palo Alto School district just voted to remove honors biology for all students and already removed honors English. They call it de-laning. I call it an assault on excellence. I took many honors classes at Council Rock High in PA,' he tweeted on Monday. Another X user joked, 'Only in Palo Alto, where the school board's been breathing rarefied air too long, do you get 'de-laning'—an idea so open-minded, their brains fell out.' They're right. The district should be more interested in producing excellent alumni than in making sure nobody's feelings are hurt because they couldn't cut it in Honors Biology. Notable graduates of public high schools in the district include 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki, Stanford neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman, and Charles Brenner who is considered the creator of forensic mathematics. 7 23AndMe founder Anne Wojcicki is a graduate of Gunn High School in Palo Alto. Getty Images for WIRED25 Surely they're not a product of a system that emphasized equity over excellence. This is part of a much larger shift. Neighboring Fremont Unified School District and Sequoia Union High School Districts have also eliminated Honors courses in an effort to de-lane. 'It's just part of the larger trend in California of watering down curriculum in public schools in the name of equity,' Zhong said. 'But I really don't think that's progress because if we don't teach kids anything and just give them an A, well, they got equity — but they get no knowledge and no skills to succeed.' Since the great reckoning of 2020, there's been an effort at schools across the country to promote equity, whether for the sake of racial justice or student self-esteem. 7 There are three high schools in the Palo Alto district. Wikipedia High schools abandoning Honors courses are waging the same war on excellence as specialized schools dumping entrance exams and colleges dropping standardized testing requirements. Rather than concentrate efforts on lifting up underperforming students, just the opposite tends to occur. Champions of equity seem determined to bash down the kids who excel in the supposed interest of the greater good. In the end, everyone is worse off, and nobody is special. How is that progress? As Zhong put it: 'The way to eliminate the achievement gap is not to take away the measure of the outcome. They're basically saying if you don't measure, then we don't have any problem.'
