Illinois Institute of Technology, Kazakh Narxoz University Announce Dual Degree Program 

Technology

ASTANA – Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) and Almaty-based Narxoz University signed a partnership agreement on Jan. 13, establishing a dual degree program, allowing students to earn two bachelor’s degrees in IT specialties from both universities.
Students will be able to begin studying under the new dual degree program in September. Photo credit: Narxoz University
This cooperation is part of the strategic initiative Narxoz Global-2030, aimed at enhancing the training of IT specialists according to international standards, reported the Kazakh university’s press service.
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the United States Yerzhan Ashikbayev emphasized that this agreement would create new opportunities for Kazakh students to access world-class education.
The dual degree will be offered through a 4+0 format, meaning students will complete their entire four-year education in Kazakhstan at Narxoz University and receive two diplomas upon graduation. However, if desired, they can also spend one month to a year at Illinois Tech in Chicago.
“The dual degree program with Illinois Institute of Technology is an important step in providing students from Kazakhstan with knowledge and skills that meet international standards. Narxoz University offers unique opportunities that pave the way for a global career in high-tech fields and contribute to the development of this sector in Kazakhstan,” emphasized Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek.
The program is focused on preparing computer and data engineering specialists in English. It also provides the opportunity to transition to Illinois Tech in Chicago to complete the degree program and access post-work study opportunities through Optional Practical Training with employers.
“Through our partnership with Narxoz University, we are broadening our international impact by bringing our rigorous, innovation-driven pedagogy and curriculum to ambitious future leaders in Kazakhstan. Together, we aim to shape the next generation of IT professionals, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to excel on the global stage,” said Mallik Sundharam, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Illinois Tech.
An official visit by a delegation from Illinois Tech to Kazakhstan is scheduled for March. Students can begin studying under the new dual degree program in September.

Americans’ Views on Companies, Technology, and the Economy

Technology

Most Americans say they don’t think the government should punish companies for political stances; they also say tech companies should be responsible for removing misleading content, and they affirm that home ownership is an important part of the American dream, according to recent research from Ipsos.
The report was based on data from a survey conducted in December 2024 among 1,085 adults in the United States. The researchers polled respondents on their views on a wide range of topics, including politics, health, business, technology, and the economy.
Key findings from the poll related to brands and corporations: 59% of respondents say the government should not penalize companies that express political or social stances it doesn’t agree with, and 52% say that if a corporation takes a stand on an issue, it should stick by it, even if that makes some people angry.

Key findings from the poll related to technology: 66% of respondents say technology companies should be responsible for censoring or removing content proven to be misleading or untrue, and 52% say the government should have a major role in the oversight of AI.

Key findings from the poll related to the economy: 76% of respondents say home ownership is an important part of the American dream, and 60% say the government should have an active role in keeping mortgage rates low.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in December 2024 among 1,085 adults in the United States.

Photos: Missouri and Illinois residents sound off as Trump returns to the White House

2024 Election

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republicans and Democrats from across the U.S. packed the nation’s capital to celebrate and protest President Donald Trump’s second inauguration on Monday. Although weather forecasters anticipated several inches of snow, the precipitation totals didn’t materialize as predicted. But the cold was enough for the incoming Trump administration to scrap the outdoor swearing-in…

Book Picks: The Book House and Northshire Bookstore

Arts & Culture, Books

This week’s Book Picks come from Cheryl McKeon from the Book House in Albany, NY & Market Block Books in Troy, NY and Jess Hunsicker from Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs, NY and Manchester Center, VT.Cheryl:The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison Women Talking by Miriam ToewsThe Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate FaganThe Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict Every Tom, Dick and Harry by Elinor Lipman Love & Saffron by Kim FayDear Miss Perkins: the Story of Frances Perkins’ Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany – by Rebecca Brenner Graham Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America by Will Bardenwerper Jess: The Empusium by Olga TokarczukThe Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past by Nate DiMeo Good Girl by Aria Aber Andromeda by Therese BohmanBeta Vulgaris by Margie SarsfieldOptional Practical Training by Shubha SunderThe Mesopotamian Riddle: An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman, and the Race to Decipher the World’s Oldest Writing by Joshua Hammer

Broadway biopic and film with Jessica Chastain among Berlinale highlights

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Richard Linklater’s long-awaited Broadway biopic Blue Moon starring Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley, a Mexican love story with Jessica Chastain as a socialite who falls for a émigré ballet dancer, and a British family drama set in Spain featuring Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw will premiere in competition at next month’s Berlin film festival.The 75th edition of the Berlinale, Europe’s first major cinema showcase of the year, will open on 13 February with the world premiere of The Light by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) about the intertwined fates of a Syrian refugee and a middle-class German family.The British actor Tilda Swinton will pick up an honorary Golden Bear at the opening ceremony for lifetime achievement.The event’s new director, Tricia Tuttle, an American film journalist and curator who previously ran the BFI London film festival, unveiled the 19 contenders vying for the prestigious Golden and Silver Bear top prizes, to be chosen by a jury led by the US director Todd Haynes.At a news conference in the German capital, Tuttle said that beyond Berlin’s trademark political fare, there would be “love stories and comedies and offerings of hope and magic and wonder” in the programme of the 11-day event.View image in fullscreenIn Linklater’s Blue Moon, Hawke plays legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart who is struggling with alcoholism as his former collaborator Richard Rodgers fetes the opening of his smash musical Oklahoma!, in a cast also including Andrew Scott and Bobby Cannavale.View image in fullscreenChastain turns in what organisers called a “blistering” performance as a lovestruck socialite navigating the immigration divide in Michel Franco’s Dreams, their second collaboration after Memory.Mackey (Sex Education) joins Vicky Krieps and Shaw in an adaptation of Deborah Levy’s acclaimed novel Hot Milk about a mother and daughter grappling with their fragile bond in a holiday beach house.View image in fullscreenPrevious Golden Bear winner Radu Jude will present Kontinental ‘25 in a Transylvania-set drama exploring the Romanian housing crisis and the rise in nationalism.The French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard leads Lucile Hadžihalilović’s film-within-a-film The Ice Tower featuring cinema shock master Gaspar Noé playing a director.Vivian Qu’s Girls on Wire promises to pick up the tradition of Hong Kong action blockbusters with a twist in the tale of a single mother who kills a drug dealer.Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail, a thriller set in the near future about elderly Brazilians forced to move to resettlement camps, tells the story of a 77-year-old woman who breaks out and embarks on an adventure in the Amazon.Ukrainian documentary Timestamp by Kateryna Gornostai offers a searing look at how schools are still functioning in wartime.Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You features a “ferocious” performance by Rose Byrne as a mother whose child is afflicted with a mysterious illness.Berlinale fixture Hong Sang-soo of South Korea will unveil What Does That Nature Say To You co-starring his longtime collaborator and off-screen partner Kim Min-hee.View image in fullscreenThe German veteran actor Hanna Schygulla stars in Yunan by the Ukrainian-Syrian director Ameer Fakher Eldin, playing a woman offering solace to a refugee on a remote island.In the Berlinale Special section outside the main competition, the American director Julia Loktev will show the first part of her five-hour documentary My Undesirable Friends about Russian independent journalists forced into exile after the Ukraine invasion.Organisers had previously announced that Mickey 17, a sci-fi feature starring Robert Pattinson from Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, would screen out of competition.And Tom Shoval will premiere A Letter to David, his documentary about the Israeli actor David Cunio, a hostage of Hamas still being held in Gaza.Last year, the Berlinale ran into controversy after the Palestinian and Israeli directors of documentary No Other Land denounced Israel’s “apartheid” from the awards stage, triggering angry accusations of antisemitism from German politicians.Asked about a Guardian interview last month in which Tuttle warned that a polarised debate in Germany about Israel’s military action in Gaza was leading some international artists to shun the festival, she said she had been working on “outreach” to reassure film-makers that “the festival is a space for open dialogue”.The Berlinale, billed as the world’s largest film festival that is open to the public, ranks with Cannes and Venice among the top global events promoting new cinema.US industry magazine Variety called the programme under Tuttle’s leadership “less niche and more crossover than recent Berlinale lineups” while keeping “the edginess and iconoclastic flare that has symbolised the festival since its inception”.Last year, the Senegalese-French director Mati Diop’s documentary Dahomey on the first major return of looted treasures from Europe to Africa won the Golden Bear.

On theCUBE Pod: The tech inauguration and the winners and losers of the next wave

Technology

A special theCUBE Podcast this week brought insights from theCUBE’s East Coast studio at the iconic New York Stock Exchange.
It comes at a time of significant technological and political change, coinciding with the “tech inauguration” and offering plenty for theCUBE Research industry analysts John Furrier (pictured, left) and Dave Vellante (right) to explore on the latest episode of the CUBE Podcast.
CUBE East at the NYSE can be variously thought of as a supernode or a super point of presence, according to Furrier. It was also the site of theCUBE’s coverage of NRF Media Week, which focused on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence in the retail sector.
“In 2025, we’re going to be ramping up a lot of content here,” Furrier said. “Great setup here. The action in 2025 is off to a fever pitch.”
The tech inauguration plays out
President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday, something that is of great relevance to the tech industry. Figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk have been very involved with the election and what has become a “tech inauguration.”
“You’re seeing Elon Musk’s role. He went all-in on the election,” Furrier said. “He burned the boats, as we say, to get Trump elected. Buying Twitter, $65 billion, great ROI for Elon.”
The technology industry has never been so influential in government and policy, according to Furrier. It’s traditionally been an industry that has been an outlier influencer.
“Now, tech with the TikTok ban … you’re seeing a lot more influence, a lot more first-party kind of relationships being developed,” Furrier said of the tech inauguration. “What you see now is, for the first time we’ve ever seen in our lifetime, tech leaders driving government.”
There’s a palpable shift in public policy going on right now, according to Vellante. It, of course, started with Musk being aligned with Trump early on.
“Now, you’ve got all the rest of the tech bros aligning with Trump. Tim Cook. You’ve got [Mark Zuckerberg]. You know, firms are donating to the inauguration,” he said.
Taiwan semiconductor moves
Aligning with the new administration is strategic for businesses, especially as tariffs come into play, according to Vellante. There’s also the matter of the future of the Chips and Science Act.
“The small little news item the other day, but I think it’s significant, is the Taiwanese government … is now allowing [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing], the world’s single best manufacturer of semi-advanced semiconductors, to manufacture two-nanometer chips outside of Taiwan,” Vellante said. “Prior to this announcement, they were restricted of only doing the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing inside of Taiwan. That’s interesting because it’s a hedge on China.”
Taiwan clearly is significant in its presence in chips, according to Furrier. Meanwhile, AI infrastructure is due to be a big thing, but there are concerns to keep in mind.
“Taiwan as a political entity, geography, all that goes with that. Water, manufacturing,” Furrier said. “If they don’t get something up and running outside of Taiwan, then, you know, that could cause some supply chain problems.”
Tech stack continues to evolve
Meanwhile, every layer of the tech stack is undergoing transformative shifts driven by AI optimization and agent-based frameworks. That points out why this supercomputing revolution is an AI infrastructure game, according to Furrier.
“If you look at the winners and losers, there will be many losers in this next wave,” he said. “The famous quote from Pat Gelsinger, former Intel CEO, former CUBE alumni: ‘If you’re not out in front of that next wave, you’re driftwood.’ Meaning, you’re going to get pummeled by the big wave.”
That means if companies fail to adapt to the data center shift, they risk losing their competitive edge. That’s why companies such as Vast Data Inc. are emerging, according to Furrier.
“It’s a new architecture. For them, that’s the key, and that’s where I see this world coming. You’re going to see new brands emerge out of nowhere, rocket ship up and just pop into the market, and at the expense of the incumbents who don’t move fast enough,” Furrier said.
Right now, all the action is happening in the hyperscalers. The big three U.S. hyperscalers will comprise $200 billion in revenue in 2025, and that’s growing — largely due to AI, according to Vellante.
“They’ve got the flywheel going,” he said. “But I’ll say this. When you mentioned Dell and HPE and Lenovo, the core system vendors and the infrastructure players, I think they have between 12 and 18 months to figure out the gaps that they have in their portfolio so that they can compete more effectively with the hyperscalers on-prem.”
Watch the full podcast below to find out why these industry pros were mentioned:
Donald Trump, 45th and 47th U.S. presidentElon Musk, CEO of TeslaTim Cook, CEO of AppleMark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta PlatformsJeff Bezos, executive chairman of AmazonGary Gensler, chairperson, U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionRenen Hallak, founder and CEO of VAST DataDan Ives, internet personalityJoe Biden, 46th United States presidentPat Gelsinger, former CEO of IntelJeff Dean, chief scientist, Google DeepMind and Google Research at GoogleMichael Dell, founder, chairman and CEO of Dell TechnologiesPeter McKay, CEO of Snyk
Here’s the full theCUBE Pod episode:
[embedded content]
Don’t miss out on the latest episodes of “theCUBE Pod.” Join us by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can also listen to us on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. And for those who prefer to watch, check out our YouTube playlist. Tune in now, and be part of the ongoing conversation.
Photo: SiliconANGLE

Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us keep the content FREE.
One click below supports our mission to provide free, deep, and relevant content.  
Join our community on YouTube
Join the community that includes more than 15,000 #CubeAlumni experts, including Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and many more luminaries and experts.

“TheCUBE is an important partner to the industry. You guys really are a part of our events and we really appreciate you coming and I know people appreciate the content you create as well” – Andy Jassy

THANK YOU

On theCUBE Pod: The tech inauguration and the winners and losers of the next wave

Technology

A special theCUBE Podcast this week brought insights from theCUBE’s East Coast studio at the iconic New York Stock Exchange.
It comes at a time of significant technological and political change, coinciding with the “tech inauguration” and offering plenty for theCUBE Research industry analysts John Furrier (pictured, left) and Dave Vellante (right) to explore on the latest episode of the CUBE Podcast.
CUBE East at the NYSE can be variously thought of as a supernode or a super point of presence, according to Furrier. It was also the site of theCUBE’s coverage of NRF Media Week, which focused on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence in the retail sector.
“In 2025, we’re going to be ramping up a lot of content here,” Furrier said. “Great setup here. The action in 2025 is off to a fever pitch.”
The tech inauguration plays out
President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday, something that is of great relevance to the tech industry. Figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk have been very involved with the election and what has become a “tech inauguration.”
“You’re seeing Elon Musk’s role. He went all-in on the election,” Furrier said. “He burned the boats, as we say, to get Trump elected. Buying Twitter, $65 billion, great ROI for Elon.”
The technology industry has never been so influential in government and policy, according to Furrier. It’s traditionally been an industry that has been an outlier influencer.
“Now, tech with the TikTok ban … you’re seeing a lot more influence, a lot more first-party kind of relationships being developed,” Furrier said of the tech inauguration. “What you see now is, for the first time we’ve ever seen in our lifetime, tech leaders driving government.”
There’s a palpable shift in public policy going on right now, according to Vellante. It, of course, started with Musk being aligned with Trump early on.
“Now, you’ve got all the rest of the tech bros aligning with Trump. Tim Cook. You’ve got [Mark Zuckerberg]. You know, firms are donating to the inauguration,” he said.
Taiwan semiconductor moves
Aligning with the new administration is strategic for businesses, especially as tariffs come into play, according to Vellante. There’s also the matter of the future of the Chips and Science Act.
“The small little news item the other day, but I think it’s significant, is the Taiwanese government … is now allowing [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing], the world’s single best manufacturer of semi-advanced semiconductors, to manufacture two-nanometer chips outside of Taiwan,” Vellante said. “Prior to this announcement, they were restricted of only doing the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing inside of Taiwan. That’s interesting because it’s a hedge on China.”
Taiwan clearly is significant in its presence in chips, according to Furrier. Meanwhile, AI infrastructure is due to be a big thing, but there are concerns to keep in mind.
“Taiwan as a political entity, geography, all that goes with that. Water, manufacturing,” Furrier said. “If they don’t get something up and running outside of Taiwan, then, you know, that could cause some supply chain problems.”
Tech stack continues to evolve
Meanwhile, every layer of the tech stack is undergoing transformative shifts driven by AI optimization and agent-based frameworks. That points out why this supercomputing revolution is an AI infrastructure game, according to Furrier.
“If you look at the winners and losers, there will be many losers in this next wave,” he said. “The famous quote from Pat Gelsinger, former Intel CEO, former CUBE alumni: ‘If you’re not out in front of that next wave, you’re driftwood.’ Meaning, you’re going to get pummeled by the big wave.”
That means if companies fail to adapt to the data center shift, they risk losing their competitive edge. That’s why companies such as Vast Data Inc. are emerging, according to Furrier.
“It’s a new architecture. For them, that’s the key, and that’s where I see this world coming. You’re going to see new brands emerge out of nowhere, rocket ship up and just pop into the market, and at the expense of the incumbents who don’t move fast enough,” Furrier said.
Right now, all the action is happening in the hyperscalers. The big three U.S. hyperscalers will comprise $200 billion in revenue in 2025, and that’s growing — largely due to AI, according to Vellante.
“They’ve got the flywheel going,” he said. “But I’ll say this. When you mentioned Dell and HPE and Lenovo, the core system vendors and the infrastructure players, I think they have between 12 and 18 months to figure out the gaps that they have in their portfolio so that they can compete more effectively with the hyperscalers on-prem.”
Watch the full podcast below to find out why these industry pros were mentioned:
Donald Trump, 45th and 47th U.S. presidentElon Musk, CEO of TeslaTim Cook, CEO of AppleMark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta PlatformsJeff Bezos, executive chairman of AmazonGary Gensler, chairperson, U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionRenen Hallak, founder and CEO of VAST DataDan Ives, internet personalityJoe Biden, 46th United States presidentPat Gelsinger, former CEO of IntelJeff Dean, chief scientist, Google DeepMind and Google Research at GoogleMichael Dell, founder, chairman and CEO of Dell TechnologiesPeter McKay, CEO of Snyk
Here’s the full theCUBE Pod episode:
[embedded content]
Don’t miss out on the latest episodes of “theCUBE Pod.” Join us by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can also listen to us on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. And for those who prefer to watch, check out our YouTube playlist. Tune in now, and be part of the ongoing conversation.
Photo: SiliconANGLE

Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us keep the content FREE.
One click below supports our mission to provide free, deep, and relevant content.  
Join our community on YouTube
Join the community that includes more than 15,000 #CubeAlumni experts, including Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and many more luminaries and experts.

“TheCUBE is an important partner to the industry. You guys really are a part of our events and we really appreciate you coming and I know people appreciate the content you create as well” – Andy Jassy

THANK YOU

Soulja Boy responds to backlash to performing at Donald Trump’s Crypto Ball inauguration

2024 Election

Soulja Boy has defended his choice to perform at Donald Trump‘s recent inauguration ball, claiming “it wasn’t even a Trump event” and the President wasn’t there. READ MORE: Entertainment world reacts to Donald Trump’s 2024 US election win: “We are all totally fucked” Over the weekend, Soulja (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) performed at the inaugural…