http ag ph365 info

http ag ph365 info Virtual power plants can tap your smart devices to support main gridStojakovic, Wilkinson lead short-handed Cal past Sacramento State, 83-77 in Cal ClassicNone

Oman & Belarus: Towards expanding partnerships in various fields

Why Is Bank of Montreal (BMO) Among the Best Bank Stocks to Invest In Now?

Inspired by Saudi writer-director-producer Ahd Kamel ’s childhood, the nostalgic coming-of-age story “My Driver & I” unfolds against the backdrop of Jeddah in the 1980s and ’90s and traces the relationship of a rebellious girl and the Sudanese chauffeur her affluent family hires as a driver. A more conventional-looking and less compelling watch than “Wadjda” (2012), the Saudi picture to which it is sure to be compared and in which Kamel played a key acting role, “Driver” lacks the convincing struggle against limitations depicted by director Haifaa Al Mansour’s earlier movie. Indeed, where “Wadjda” was tart, “Driver” is over-sweet to the point of sentimentality. Despite some sad circumstances, just how easy and nice everything seems to be for the central family and their staff somewhat beggars belief. Nevertheless, further festival play is likely and the drama will disseminate widely in Arabic-speaking territories through Dubai-based pay TV and streaming service OSN+. A bright, mischievous only child, Salma (Tarah Alhakeem as a girl, Roula Dakheelallah as a teen) grows up in a vast, well-appointed villa with a busy businessman father (Qusai Kheder) who indulges her with stacks of cassette tapes from his international travels and a strict, migraine-prone mother (Rana Aleemuddin), who is constantly raising money for Palestinian orphans. The family retainers, who live happily in an onsite servants’ quarters, include a couple of Sudanese drivers: Bakri (Amjad Abu Alala, the director of the festival hit “You Will Die at 20”), who has been with them for a long time, and the newly hired Gamar (Mustafa Shahata, the star of Abu Ala’s film and a sympathetic presence here). Gamar, who has left a wife and young daughter behind in Sudan, quickly takes to his sparky new charge and ultimately becomes her confidant, teacher, cheerleader and co-conspirator. When the youngster confesses that she wet her pants at school, he takes her out for an ice cream and makes a “pinky promise” that he will one day teach her to drive. That pledge and the shared dessert become motifs of their relationship that reoccur throughout the film. About 20 minutes in, the action jumps forward some 10 years. Even though women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, Salma pesters Gamar into teaching her and letting her take the wheel in a remote vacant lot. Their secret, of which her parents would surely disprove, further cements their bond. But when things go wrong, it’s Gamar who has to pay the price; yet he doesn’t betray Salma’s trust. Gamar, who takes his responsibility to Salma seriously, to the point of acting in loco parentis , has been putting off visiting his own family in Sudan, although he continues to send them presents and cassette tapes. Even though Salma’s father offers him extra time off and to arrange his ticket, he prefers to stay at her beck and call until she graduates from high school. Although the screenplay frequently over-burdens the dialogue with exposition, especially early on, it also allows some visual insight into the social and political restrictions that stand in the way of teens such as Salma meeting and mingling with the opposite sex. In one striking scene, Salma persuades Gamar to stop at a trendy ice cream parlor on their way home from school. As she demurely waits in the female line, she casts dimpled glances at the attractive Waleeb (Mishaal Tamer) in the male line opposite. When they meet at counter, he slips her his phone number. Salma and Waleeb connect over their shared interest in Western music and talk on the telephone until Gamar tries to shut down the relationship, feeling that it is his job to preserve her modesty and reputation. Later, after she has assured Gamar that she is no longer meeting Waleeb, he discovers them in a chaste but compromising situation. Angry at his interference, Salma utters some cruel and hurtful words. Kamel’s film represents both an apology and an homage to the man who provided a steady and steadying influence in her life. The dignified Shahata makes a strong impression as the driver who comes to painfully understand that raising a child who isn’t yours is like cultivating land that you don’t own. Meanwhile, both of the gap-toothed young actresses who play Salma twinkle becomingly onscreen. The tech side is surprisingly unremarkable, with the visuals by the normally more nuanced DP Frida Marzouk providing a bright, digitald look.None

Barcode Printer Software Market Unidentified Segments - The Biggest Opportunity Of 2024Tim Cook says update your iPhone for photo trick ‘we all need’ as Apple boss shares his list of best hacks you’ve missed

The first openly transgender politician elected to the U.S. House, Democratic Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, claimed Sunday that the GOP's focus on transgender issues is an "attempt to distract" voters. "I think we are all united that attempts to attack a vulnerable community are not only mean spirited, but really an attempt to misdirect. Because every single time we hear the incoming administration or Republicans in Congress talk about any vulnerable group in this country, we have to be clear that it is an attempt to distract," McBride, who was elected to represent Delaware earlier this month, said Sunday morning on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It is an attempt to distract from what they are actually doing. Every single time, every single time we hear them say the word 'trans,' ​​look what they're doing with their right hand. Look at what they're doing to pick the pocket of American workers, to fleece seniors by privatizing Social Security and Medicare. Look what they're doing, undermining workers," McBride added. President-elect Trump, conservative voters and members of Congress have all raised concerns regarding transgender issues, including stretching back years, most notably in the context of barring biological men from competing in women's and girls' sports, as well as banning men from women's bathrooms and locker rooms. SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEW CAPITOL BATHROOM POLICY IN RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSY OVER TRANS HOUSE MEMBER On Capitol Hill, South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a resolution last week that moves... Emma ColtonHundreds of protesters blocked the Mathura-Vrindavan Road for several hours on Friday following the recovery of more than 30 cow carcasses from a forest near the PMV Polytechnic College. The incident sparked outrage among residents, leading to significant traffic disruptions, particularly affecting pilgrims and schoolchildren. According to the police statement, the cow carcasses were discovered in a secluded place behind the college where cattle owners or nearby gaushalas possibly dumped them after illegal slaughter practices. Speaking to reporters, district magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh admitted the authorities received complaints on the matter and said a police investigation is currently ongoing. The administration also assured the protesters of an investigation into gaushalas in the area. Local Gau Raksha Samiti’s district president Bharat Gautam stated that officials are negligent and have not stopped unlawful cow slaughtering and other similar malpractices in the area. He alleged that some of the operators of the gaushalas are dumping carcasses after stripping the cowhide, which he said is unacceptable. Furthermore, the demonstrators said that the authorities do not care about the suffering of animals and strict action against those responsible for animal abuse. The situation escalated to a point where the Mathura police had no option but to use lathi-charge to disperse the people from the roadblock. Municipal authorities were instructed to bury the carcasses respectfully. At the same time, the police arrested several protesters involved in the escalation. However, no formal case was registered. Mathura police did lathicharge on Gau Bhakts for protesting and demanding action over the deaths of 40 cows. Gau Bhakts had recovered 40 bodies of cows which were kiIIed and thrown in a Jungle. Later when they started protesting, UP police used heavy force to dismantle the... pic.twitter.com/0PwDWzRhIY

Tyler Perry Studios president dies in Florida plane crash: DeputiesVeralto Announces Increase in Quarterly Dividend

Magic's Franz Wagner sidelined by torn obliquePORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A businessman with no experience in public office is taking over as mayor of Oregon’s biggest city as it embraces an entirely new system of government — one that’s so different, the City Council chambers had to be completely renovated. Portland voters last month elected Keith Wilson, a trucking company executive and founder of a nonprofit working to increase homeless shelter capacity. He ran on an ambitious pledge to end unsheltered homelessness within a year and will be sworn in Thursday alongside a council expanded from five seats to 12. Portland is contending with homelessness, public drug use and a rising cost of living. Wilson, a Portland native, plans to reach his goal of ending unsheltered homelessness by increasing the number of nighttime walk-in emergency shelters in facilities such as churches and community centers. His message appeared to have resonated in a city where surveys conducted over the past few years have shown that residents view homelessness as a top issue. He ran against three outgoing City Council members. , which featured 19 candidates, was thrown open when Mayor Ted Wheeler decided against seeking reelection after holding the city’s top post since 2017. Wheeler rose to national prominence in 2020 as nightly protests erupted on Portland streets and around the country in response to . The field of candidates in council races was crowded as well, with nearly 100 running for the new seats that were elected by voters in individual districts rather than citywide. The 130-year-old City Hall was renovated for $8.3 million to accommodate the increase in members. The new dais can now seat 12 people; floor layouts were changed to create more office space; and technology, seismic and accessibility updates were added throughout the building. “Remodeling council chambers is a once-in-a-generation activity,” Maty Sauter, director of Portland’s Bureau of Fleet and Facilities, told the outgoing City Council as it held its last meeting on Wednesday in the new chambers. “We’ve been able to reuse this 1895 facility and make it modern, contemporary and useful.” It’s going to take time for the new government to figure out which of the many changes are working, said Chris Shortell, associate professor of political science at Portland State University. In another first for City Hall, Wilson and the incoming Council members were elected under Portland’s new system of . A candidate would win if they were the first choice of more than 50% of voters in the first round. Otherwise, a second round would eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes and their supporters’ votes go to their next choice. The process would repeat until someone emerges with a majority of votes. Some 34% of voters ranked Wilson as their first choice, according to final results. The new City Council will hold its first meeting in January. Claire Rush, The Associated PressChoose correct income tax returns to report foreign assets: CBDT

MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his second triple-double in his last four games, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Indiana Pacers 129-117 on Friday night. Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists Saturday in a 115-114 loss at Charlotte. Damian Lillard had 24 points and 12 assists for the Bucks. Gary Trent Jr. scored a season-high 18 points and Bobby Portis added 17. Pascal Siakam scored 25, Bennedict Mathurin 20 and Tyrese Haliburton 18 for the Pacers. Haliburton also had nine assists. The Bucks have won three straight and five of six. The Pacers have lost three straight and five of six. Milwaukee improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup action. Indiana, the tournament runner-up last season, is 0-2. Both are playing in East Group B. Takeaways Pacers: Indiana won eight of 11 meetings with the Bucks last season, including a 4-2 victory in a first-round playoff series. Friday's game showed how much things have changed so far this year for the Pacers, who are struggling to recapture the form they showed on their run to the 2024 Eastern Conference finals. Milwaukee Bucks' Gary Trent Jr. reacts after making a threepointer in the final seconds of the first half of an Emirates NBA cup tournament basketball game against the Indiana Pacers Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Milwaukee. Credit: AP/Morry Gash Bucks: Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers acknowledged before the game the Bucks would have extra motivation in their first meeting with the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. They sure played that way while never trailing all night. Key moment After trailing by 20 with less than 10 minutes left, Indiana got the deficit down to 108-102 with 5:52 remaining. Antetokounmpo found Trent for a 3-pointer with 5:33 left. Antetokounmpo then blocked a shot from Mathurin to start a fast break, with Trent laying the ball off the glass to set Antetokounmpo up for a dunk. Key stats The Bucks shot 17 of 36 from 3-point range. Up next The Pacers host the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Bucks host Charlotte on Saturday.UVALDE, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge on Thursday refused to throw out criminal charges accusing the former Uvalde schools police chief of putting children at risk during the slow response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, while a lawyer for his co-defendant said they want to move the upcoming trial out of the small town where the massacre occurred. At a court hearing in Uvalde, Judge Sid Harle rejected Pete Arredondo's claim that was he improperly charged and that only the shooter was responsible for putting the victims in danger. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the shooting on May 24, 2022. Harle also set an Oct. 20, 2025, trial date. An attorney for Arredondo's co-defendant, former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales, said he will ask for the trial to be moved out of Uvalde because his client cannot get a fair trial there. Uvalde County is mostly rural with fewer than 25,000 residents about 85 miles (140 kilometers) west of San Antonio. “Everybody knows everybody,” in Uvalde, Gonzales attorney Nico LaHood said. Both former officers attended the hearing. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents rushed to the school but waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the gunman in a fourth-grade classroom. Arredondo and Gonzales are the only two officers facing charges — a fact that has raised complaints from some victims' families. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of abandoning or endangering a child, each of which carry punishment of up to two years in jail. Gonzales has not asked the judge to dismiss his charges. A federal investigation of the shooting identified Arredondo as the incident commander in charge, although he has argued that state police should have set up a command post outside the school and taken control. Gonzales was among the first officers to arrive on the scene. He was accused of abandoning his training and not confronting the shooter, even after hearing gunshots as he stood in a hallway. Arredondo has said he was scapegoated for the halting police response. The indictment alleges he did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was “hunting” his victims. It alleges that instead of confronting the gunman immediately, Arredondo caused delays by telling officers to evacuate a hallway to wait for a SWAT team, evacuating students from other areas of the building first, and trying to negotiate with the shooter while victims inside the classroom were wounded and dying. Arredondo’s attorneys say the danger that day was not caused by him, but by the shooter. They argued Arredondo was blamed for trying to save the lives of the other children in the building, and have warned that prosecuting him would open many future law enforcement actions to similar charges. “Arredondo did nothing to put those children in the path of a gunman,” said Arredondo attorney Matthew Hefti. Uvalde County prosecutors told the judge Arredondo acted recklessly. “The state has alleged he is absolutely aware of the danger of the children,” said assistant district attorney Bill Turner. Jesse Rizo, the uncle of 9-year-old Jacklyn Cazares who was killed in the shooting, was one of several family members of victims at the hearing. “To me, it’s hurtful and painful to hear Arredondo’s attorneys try to persuade the judge to get the charges dismissed,” Rizo said. He called the wait for a trial exhausting and questioned whether moving the trial would help the defense. “The longer it takes, the longer the agony,” Rizo said. “I think what’s happened in Uvalde ... you’ll probably get a better chance at conviction if it’s moved. To hold their own accountable is going to be very difficult.” The massacre at Robb Elementary was one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the law enforcement response has been widely condemned as a massive failure. Nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 91 state police officers, as well and school and city police rushed to the campus. While terrified students and teachers called 911 from inside classrooms, dozens of officers stood in the hallway trying to figure out what to do. More than an hour later, a team of officers breached the classroom and killed the gunman. Within days of the shooting, the focus of the slow response turned on Arredondo, who was described by other responding agencies as the incident commander in charge. Multiple federal and state investigations have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. Several victims or their families have filed multiple state and federal lawsuits. Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed. Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Bias in cleanliness job: Ex-councillorOklahoma Democrats mourn Fred Harris, former US senator and presidential candidate

Uggah (centre) presents a letter of appreciation to state JKR director Dr Cassidy Morris. KUCHING (Dec 14): The Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) is in dire need of restructuring as well as obtaining more officers and other personnel to enhance service delivery, said its minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. The Deputy Premier said this is due to the increasing workload and new responsibilities it has been tasked with. “MIPD now has 42 officers and staff — we are looking at increasing this number to 60 and even 100. We certainly need the manpower, as we have a number of critical projects coming our way,” he said during the ministry’s appreciation dinner here on Friday. Uggah was delighted the state budget had set aside an unprecedented allocation of RM1.31 billion for the ministry in 2025. He said MIPD aims to spend 100 per cent of the allocation to benefit Sarawakians. “This means more and more jobs ahead to do and deliver as scheduled. As a matter of fact, when we included the Port portfolio to the ministry, this only accentuated our need for more manpower. “We too are in the final stages of turning the Bintulu Port Authority into a state port. We were supposed to accomplish this by Nov 30 this year, but this was extended to Dec 30,” he said. He said due to unexpected factors, the ministry was now trying its best to get the transfer of ownership done by Jan 30, 2025. Uggah disclosed that another major target was establishing the Tanjung Embang deep sea port. “This is a favourite dream of our Premier. We must ensure that his dream will materialise and for the port to be able to compete with other ports in the region. “We are most fortunate as we have the collaboration of Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) in working on this,” he said. According to him, MIPD hopes to create the single state port authority to consolidate all six state ports since the necessary law had been passed by the state legislative assembly recently. “My target is for this to function by June next year. So there is a lot of hard work to be done for a seamless transfer into this single entity and one which we want to do at minimal cost,” he said. On another matter, Uggah said some 39 new ‘Projek Rakyat’ had been announced for implementation next year. He said these projects would involve a cost of RM6.07 billion and the tender process would begin next year. “Beside all these, the ministry through the state Public Works Department (JKR) will be supervising not less than RM1.6 billion worth of infrastructural and amenity projects from all nine regional development agencies. “So there is much on our plate. Our leaders have indicated they greatly aporeciate what the ministry and JKR had done. So we should not let them down, and stay very focused on the tasks at hand. “But we would have not been able to achieve our success without the commitment, discipline and hard work of our officers as well as officers from all other department and agencies involved. Thank you very much for your contributions,” he said. In addition, Uggah said more young officers would be sent to join courses in various fields like in the latest engineering technologies, management and so forth. “We want them to not only be efficient, keeping abreast with the latest knowledge, but very competent as well. And again we want all to have the highest degree of integrity so that we can become a world class organisation in the country,” he added.

Returns From This Trio Were Lackluster in 2024. But These 3 Undervalued Stocks Are Among My Highest-Conviction Ideas for 2025Microsoft has logged some new known issues with Windows 11 24H2 and thrown up more safeguard holds until the problems are resolved. The latest glitches noted in Microsoft's Windows Release Health Dashboard are related to audio and gaming. The audio issue was reported by users who upgraded to Microsoft's latest and greatest but found that their device's integrated speakers, Bluetooth speakers, and Bluetooth headsets stopped working and disappeared as far as both first and third-party applications were concerned. The problem is confined to some devices containing Dirac Audio, a technology designed to enhance digital audio. The software component cridspapo.dll is the culprit, and Microsoft said an updated manufacturer driver was required. Until the release of that driver, Microsoft has slapped a compatibility safeguard hold on affected devices, meaning that Windows 11 24H2 will not be offered via Windows Update. The company did not name names, only saying "a limited set of devices from one manufacturer" would be the subject of the hold. This is helpful for users with affected devices that have yet to perform the upgrade. It is, however, not so useful for users wondering why their world has suddenly gone silent. The hold will be lifted once the driver has been released. Gamers using Auto HDR are not so lucky . A compatibility safeguard hold has been put on devices with the technology enabled after users complained about incorrect colors and games ceasing to respond. Auto HDR (high dynamic range) increases the color range and brightness in games. Enabling it, according to Microsoft, "enhances gaming experience by automatically converting standard dynamic range (SDR) content to high dynamic range (HDR)." It's a neat bit of technology that can enhance the look of some games. However, in Windows 11 24H2, it can also leave games unplayable for affected users. For the time being, Microsoft's solution is to turn off Auto HDR. This will allow Windows 11 24H2 to be installed or stop the issues if the update is already present. In the longer term, Microsoft said: "We are working on a resolution and will provide more information when it is available." ®Kansas Sen. Michale Fagg, R-El Dorado, urged peers on the joint House and Senate pensions committee to endorse a proposal to invest $1 billion in surplus state revenue in lowering the $9.7 billion unfunded liability of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. The committee agreed to ask the 2025 Legislature to consider the concept, but didn't back his call for a $1 billion investment. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Republican Sen. Michael Fagg wants to persuade the 2025 Kansas Legislature to allocate $1 billion of the state’s revenue surplus to shrinking the $9.7 billion long-term unfunded liability in the state’s pension system. The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, which serves more than 300,000 Kansans and possesses $27 billion in assets, years ago received legislative authorization to issue bonds so proceeds could be invested in the market to bolster the system’s bottom line. KPERS made use of $500 million bond issues in 2004 and 2021, and a $1 billion offering in 2015. On Wednesday, Fagg couldn’t convince the Legislature’s joint committee on pensions to get behind his idea of dedicating another $1 billion to address the system’s 30-year liability. Losses in 2022 — the return on investment was a negative 9.7% compared to a positive 15.7% in 2021 — deepened the challenge at KPERS in terms of meeting obligations on the pension-benefit horizon. “I’m really focused on unfunded liabilities,” Fagg said. “Folks, very seldom have we had this kind of money sitting around. I’m letting you know I know the spot it ought to go.” Sen. Pat Pettey, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kansas, said she was more interested in making use of available state revenue to enhance benefits under the modest KPERS 3 retirement plan offered to public employees since 2015. “I cannot support this recommendation because I think we have to look at the whole picture,” she said. “We can’t underestimate the senior tsunami that is facing us.” House and Senate members on the joint pension committee voted to encourage the 2025 Legislature to study the potential of a fourth infusion of cash to lower the unfunded liability. They decided to ask the Legislature to give thought to altering KPERS 3. The committee agreed to recommend the Legislature once again think about giving KPERS’ retirees a cost-of-living adjustment. The panel said the Legislature ought to research expansion to other KPERS members the deferred retirement program incentivizing fire and law enforcement personnel to stay on the job rather than retire. It might be helpful, for example, in diverting the wave of teacher retirements in Kansas. “I strongly encourage you to keep in mind ... any increase in benefits that is not paid for upfront hurts the fund,” said Sen. Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican who didn’t seek reelection in 2024. There is growing concern among public employees and legislators about the KPERS 3 retirement plan signed into law by GOP Gov. Sam Brownback nearly a decade ago. In an attempt to lower the burden on Kansas taxpayers, the Brownback administration settled on KPERS 3 to substantially lower financial benefits compared to KPERS 1 and KPERS 2. A report produced this year by the Legislature’s auditing unit said KPERS 3 had higher worker contribution requirements, a longer vesting period and lower financial rewards than public retirement plans offered in comparable states. Auditors said a survey of current and former Kansas public employees showed people in KPERS 3 were more likely to leave their job than participants in KPERS 1 or KPERS 2. In 2023, Rep. Sean Tarwater, R-Stilwell, put it this way: “I don’t think you need to do an audit to find out Tier 3 sucks.” Public employees in KPERS 3 were guaranteed 4% annual earnings on their personal account balances, but additional benefits to these city, county or state employees was dependent on performance of the pension system’s investment portfolio. Neither KPERS 1 nor KPERS 2 deposited the investment-return risk directly on the back of public employees in Kansas. Dissatisfaction has prompted proposals to move all KPERS 3 members to KPERS 2, which would transfer financial risk of retirement investments to the state. Meanwhile, the executive director of KPERS said the pension system was undergoing a five-year transition to a new information technology system estimated to cost $75 million. “It’s a massive undertaking,” said Alan Conroy, executive director at KPERS. “We’ve tried to do the prep work — cleaning data, backfilling staff — so we aren’t having staff trying to work full time on the project and doing their full-time, day-to-day jobs.” Rep. Cindy Neighbor, a Shawnee Democrat on the joint committee, said she hoped KPERS securex a modern IT platform without the spider web of problems encountered by the Kansas Department of Labor while reforming the state’s unemployment insurance system. “So far, I think we’ve done the right steps mechanically to have a successful project,” Conroy said. “The ultimate goal, as I tell the staff, is to keep us out of the ditch. We would not want 116,000 retired KPERS members marching on the statehouse because they didn’t get a retirement benefit check because of a failure in the IT system.” Bruce Fink, chief investment officer at KPERS, said the retirement system was in compliance with a new state law mandating divestiture from countries that posed unusual investment risks. The countries targed by the Legislature were Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela and China, including Hong Kong. The law compelled state agencies to complete divestiture transactions by Jan. 1, 2026. “We’ve not identified any trade violations since the act became effective,” Fink said. “We’ve augmented our due-diligence process for new and future investments to confirm that the countries in which potential future managers may invest in will not ... be organized in countries of concern.” In response to enactment of the law on July 1, he said KPERS terminated investments in China and Hong Kong. That involved divesting 12 securities in 10 companies valued at $294 million, he said. Fink said KPERS retained 300,000 shares of Norilsk Nickel, Russia’s leading metals mining company. He said trading of the stock was halted in conjunction with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “There were sanctions put in place,” he told legislators. “We continue to hold those shares in our accounts, but they are currently valued at zero market value.”

SANDYVILLE, W.Va. (WV News) — The Highmark Foundation offers a School Grants Program that makes available up to $500,000 for schools in grades K-12 in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The goal is to create healthy school environments. The Highmark Foundation provides grants up to $7,500 for program activities, including those that increase physical activity, promote healthy eating and nutrition education, improve personal hygiene habits and promote health and disease prevention education. Jackson County educator Brenda Moore submitted an application to the Highmark Foundation on behalf of Evans and Gilmore Elementary schools. The schools received a $4,000 grant to implement First Tee in the classroom at both schools. First Tee is a golf program that can be done with K-5th grade students. It is a program that believes in developing experiences that are just as fun as they are meaningful. Since 2004, First Tee has been integrating the program into PE classes across the country. The program has equipped educators at elementary and middle schools with a curriculum built around the game of golf, while positively impacting kids through both the game and its inherent ability to improve social-emotional learning skills. Over 200 schools in West Virginia are participating in this program, according to First Tee Executive Director Jeff Preast. “We are the first schools in Jackson County to participate,” Moore said. “It will be implemented in the spring.”A man was sentenced to 62 years Thursday for killing an expectant father in a road confrontation as they drove on 165th Street. Trinidad Cervantes, now 20, of Hammond and formerly Chicago, was convicted last month in the May 2, 2023 shooting death of Rajesh “Reggie” Bhagwandeen, 26. Cervantes was driving back from a work job in Lowell. He said he was afraid for his life, and shot in self-defense after he claimed he saw Bhagwandeen reaching for a gun. No weapon was later found on the victim. Investigators concluded Cervantes shot seven times from a box truck into the victim’s lower, 1990s-era BMW. He received 55 years for murder and seven for a gun enhancement. His final three years would be served in the Lake County Community Corrections program. His lawyer John Cantrell indicated he may appeal. Police arrived at 5:09 p.m. at the crime scene near 165th Street and Calumet Avenue. The driver’s door on Bhagwandeen’s black 1996 BMW was still open. The car was in the middle of the street. It had four bullet holes with seven bullet casings found on the street. He had just left work as a mechanic at a nearby car dealership. A white “box truck” pulled up alongside him west on 165th before shots rang out, according to witnesses. It swerved around a couple of cars in oncoming traffic, then headed north on Calumet Avenue. Cervantes was later arrested at a relative’s home in Illinois. Bhagwandeen rescued stray pets and played bingo with seniors in Whiting, his aunt Bina Bhagwandeen Maharaj said. He was “relaxed” and “easy-going.” He was a “young” and “vibrant” man; his death was the “hardest thing our family has faced,” she said. They were robbed of his future, including watching him don traditional Hindu bridegroom attire someday at a wedding. His brother Devraj Bhagwandeen said they were supposed to graduate together from Ivy Tech. Reggie was pursuing a degree in automotive technology. He was preparing himself to be a father — to a girl — cooking a big meal for the first time weeks before he died. In lengthy remarks, his mother Shevon Bhagwandeen said she was left in “utter despair.” “We were supposed to go first,” she said, raising her voice at Cervantes. She never hated anyone previously. “I hate you,” she said. “You will pay for what you have stolen from our family.” Cervantes’ mother emotionally asked Judge Samuel Cappas to show leniency, saying her son had never been in the criminal justice system before. “As a mother, I see pain,” she said, referring to his facial tattoos. “I see him hurting behind it. He’s scared.” His sister Aaliyah Cervantes said her brother’s life changed when he was hospitalized after he was beaten and robbed at gunpoint trying to pick his girlfriend up from a party in January 2023. His sense of safety was warped and he started carrying a gun, she said. Deputy Prosecutor Brad Carter said the 165th Street shooting was unprovoked, later saying it as a “bold attack.” Cervantes’ explanations were never consistent. In jailhouse calls, he acted as if someone else did this to him, Carter said. Cantrell argued Cervantes had no criminal record and was “polite” and “well-mannered” in his office. It was a “split-second” decision for a 19-year-old, he said. Cervantes was shot at 12 and hospitalized for the January 2023 beating, Cantrell said. He asked for a minimum sentence, plus the agreed 7-year term for the gun enhancement. He was the “least of the worst,” the lawyer said. “I believe he is.” Carter retorted that Cervantes got at least some of his facial tattoos while in jail. He got caught smoking marijuana and destroying mattresses in jail. Cervantes said he “never ever wanted this in my life.” He was not “looking for trouble.” He had plans to get a house and start a family with his then-girlfriend. “I’m not a gangster,” he said. In sentencing, Judge Samuel Cappas questioned if Cervantes’ remorse was “genuine,” but that weighed against no prior record. The shooting – during rush hour on a busy street — was “spontaneous” and “unnecessary,” he said. mcolias@post-trib.com