CUYAHOGA FALLS — A city snowplow driver who was forced to abandon his stuck vehicle on railroad tracks as a speeding train approached Sunday night was back clearing streets Monday afternoon.
Mayor Don Walters said the driver was on his way Sunday evening to one of the city’s two salt barns, located just on the other side of the train tracks at Bailey Road. The truck had two blades: a standard front plow and a side-mounted wing plow. The side-mounted plow got stuck on the rail, stopping the truck on the tracks.
Because a train was approaching the crossing, the driver was told to get out of the truck instead of trying to move it, Walters said. A short time later, the train struck the plow.
The driver wasn’t injured and was back out on the road Monday afternoon, the mayor said.
“He wasn’t injured, wasn’t shaken up," Walters said of the driver, whom he declined to name.
The truck was towed. Walters said he expects the city will purchase a replacement truck because the damage likely won't be repairable.
Walters said he didn't think there was any damage to the railroad tracks.
Walters said he believes the train, which was damaged, was moved early Monday morning. Bearing the Union Pacific logo, one of the train’s two front locomotives was heavily damaged and unable to build up enough pressure to release the brakes, Walters said Sunday night. The road has reopened after being closed Sunday night so authorities could clear the wreckage.
The National Weather Service reported 9 inches of accumulation by Sunday morning from the weekend's winter storm, and Walters said an additional 5 inches fell between Sunday night and Monday. The mayor said the city had 28 plow trucks on the roads Monday afternoon, with drivers focusing on residential streets. A second pass-through of the city is expected to be completed by Tuesday morning, he said.
“As long as it doesn’t snow anymore, we’ll be in pretty good shape," Walters said.


Analyst Jenny Town joins Yvonne Yong to discuss what North Korea's claim of new weapons tests means for US relations. Plus the latest international news from the ABC's network of foreign correspondents.
Broadcast 10:00pm Thu 18 Apr 2019. Published 3 days ago, available until 11:00pm on 25 Apr 2019.


They wear capes but they understand the true cost of power.
Their job is to help Garran Primary do its part for the planet (and hang on to its title as the ACT's sustainable school of the year), checking lights haven't been left on, computers are put to sleep and recycling bins are filled up properly.
In a rapidly warming climate, sustainability has become a familiar term around the schoolyard. All public schools in Canberra now have solar panels, some even generate income. By next year, the territory's newest school in Taylor, the Margaret Hendry School, is expected to become its first carbon neutral campus, as the ACT moves to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020.
But experts say schools need to get smarter about heat management too, warning soaring temperatures are already taking a toll on student learning.
Recent research from Western Sydney University found cool environments are even more important for kids' concentration than adults, off the back of a 2018 Harvard University study that revealed heat exposure led to poorer learning outcomes.
Because of their higher metabolic rate, children prefer room temperatures to be two to three degrees cooler than adults, researcher Sebastian Pfaustch says.
While kids are vulnerable to heat stress, no state or territory in Australia has a set magic number or temperature threshold beyond which students are sent home in summer. Dr Pfautsch said enforcing a mandatory classroom temperature of say 22 degrees would be difficult but stressed a serious look at how schools could adapt to higher temperatures was long overdue.
“There’s guidelines but no actual standards that are compulsory,” Dr Pfautsch said.
“We’re going to get more days above 35 degrees, we will get up to 50 degrees soon so this is critical.
“What chances do we provide [students] in Western Sydney or Canberra if we put them through these hot temperatures?"
Health expert Liz Hanna from the ANU's Climate Institute agrees the problem is not being taken seriously enough by governments.
To survive Canberra's notoriously frigid winters, heating had eventually been installed in its schools, she said, but the same priority had not been given to cooling, despite the capital’s perhaps equally punishing summers.
“Extreme heat can kill you because you can’t keep your body in its normal temperature range," Dr Hanna said.
When the mercury climbs, exercise outdoors such as for a PE class became of particular concern, she said. Cooling was not a "luxury", she stressed, and schools and departments had a duty of care to provide the right thermal environment for learning - and teaching.
“Teaching is a high energy activity in itself, you’ve got to have your wits about you.
Over the border, both NSW and Victoria are rolling out large-scale air-conditioning programs in classrooms.
The ACT education directorate said it was implementing its own heat mitigation program in public schools to ensure they were "conducive to learning", including tree planting as well as insulation and glazing upgrades. While it did not provide the number of schools with a majority of air-conditioned classrooms, a spokeswoman said all students had access to cooling in at least one priority area of the school.
"High temperatures are experienced every summer in Canberra, and work is under way to adapt ACT public schools to make them more comfortable for students and teachers," she said.
In the 2017-18 financial year, $1.96 million was spent on the program across 42 schools, with air-conditioning units listed among the new cooling solutions installed.
A new school design brief for upcoming builds also draws on smart design, natural cooling and energy usage to keep schools comfortable.
In December, almost $37,000 was also spent on bushfire mitigation at Black Mountain school, government invoices reveal. A spokeswoman said all ACT public schools in areas prone to bushfire were assessed ahead of the season, including Black Mountain, Birrigai, Bonython, Fraser, Hall, Jervis Bay and Tharwa.
At the ACT teacher's union, Glenn Fowler said he was hearing good things about upgrades in ACT schools so far but said every classroom needed heating and cooling solutions in place within the next few years.
While cycling kids through the library or gym on hot afternoons was not solving the problem, Dr Pfaustch said locking kids indoors in air-conditioning was not necessarily a silver bullet either. Building codes as well as outdoor spaces needed to be redesigned to allow for smarter air flow and urban canopies, he said.


Powerful Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar is reportedly due to travel to Moscow on August 12.
Lev Dengov, who heads Russia's Libya contact group, was quoted as saying on August 11 that Haftar will discuss "the issue of his eventual meeting with the prime minister" of Libya's UN-recognized government, Fayez al-Sarraj.
Dengov told the Interfax news agency that "relevant questions on reconciling the parties and the conflict will be raised" during the talks, which come after Sarraj and Haftar agreed last month on a 10-point joint declaration on a new peace initiative.
Oil-rich Libya has been in turmoil since the ouster of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, with regional powers siding with opposing camps that have vied for power.
Sarraj's government of national accord sits in the capital, Tripoli, and a rival government aligned with Haftar is based in the eastern city of Bayda.
Haftar, the leader of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, visited Moscow twice last year and was hosted on a Russian aircraft carrier off the coast of Libya in January, fueling speculation that Moscow is attempting to expand its influence in the North African country.


PARLIAMENT on Wednesday passed the Fisheries Management Bill in its second reading.
Members of Parliament who participated in the debate spoke highly of the bill and its intention.
This is a bill that has taken officials in the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources several years to put together.
So it was a well-thought out piece of legislation put together after several years of consultations and inputs from various fisheries experts and officials.
In a nutshell, this is a bill devised with the aim to well manage and protect our marine resources for the benefit of our people.
Yes, we have a huge sea area that is challenging to manage.
In fact our sea area is 1.3 million square kilometres in size compared to our land mass, which is only 28,000 square kilometres.
Everything that lies within this vast pace of waters belongs to our people. Our tuna, other fish species, and all other marine lives are our resources.
We need to protect them so that we get the maximum benefits from them.
Let’s not repeat what we’ve done with our land.
We’ve allowed too many foreigners to come and cut down our trees.
Most of our commercials trees are no more. In a year or two, all the trees will be gone and logging will cease.
The foreigners have gone with the meat, leaving us to fight over the bones they left behind.
Communities that allow their forests to be logged are now worse off than before. Their trees have all gone and they have nothing more to rely on.
They no longer have trees left for their children to cut down for their houses.
That’s the reality for many of our rural communities today.
We cannot allow our sea resources to go down the same path.
It is the responsibility of the government and our leaders to protect our marine resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
And that’s what the Fisheries Management Bill intends to address.
We have many foreign fishing vessels plying our waters at the moment. They came looking for our tuna and other resources.
The bill, amongst other things, will ensure those who come to fish in our waters play by our rules and, we as a nation, gets what we rightly deserve from their activities.
Director of Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Solomon Islander Dr Transform Aqorau once said we can do without aid money if we properly manage our tuna resource.
In other words, we have an abundance of tuna and other marine resources in our waters that can sustain our economy and the future of the country.
And all more the reasons why we need to introduce new laws to protect those resources for the benefit of all.
The bill next goes to committee stage before it is passed and comes into force.
This is the kind of laws the country needs.


Thousands of Lebanese protesters blocked main roads in Beirut and around the country with rubble and burning tyres on Tuesday at the start of a general strike called by the opposition to try to topple the government.
The opposition, which includes Hezbollah, is demanding a unity government and early elections.
Protesters in Beirut, north, south and east Lebanon went to the streets almost all at once at around 6am (4am GMT) and began blocking off roads.
Most main roads inside Beirut and into the city were blocked. Highways linking the capital to north and south Lebanon as well as to the Syrian capital Damascus were also cut off at several locations.
The road to Beirut’s international airport, Lebanon’s only such civilian facility, was blocked off.
Plumes of smoke from burning tyres rose above Beirut formed a black cloud which hung over the city.
Lebanese security forces struggled to open blocked roads obstructed by the sheer number of protesters.
Soldiers made little effort to intervene in a southern suburb which is a stronghold of Hezbollah.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday called on supporters to be ready for more steps which the opposition might announce to press its demands.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora’s Western-backed government has shrugged off the demands and is instead preparing for an international aid conference in Paris on Thursday that it hopes will yield billions of dollars for Lebanon’s debt-laden economy.


So, no time to see if we might first refurbish our infrastructure, improve education, or find a compromise to repair the Affordable Care Act. No need to act on immigration reform.
And, no, we won’t start a Clinton term by doing more to lift up Americans who have been hammered by economic upheaval. It’s an endeavor that could usefully draw Americans closer to each other across some of our deepest chasms, since both inner-city African-Americans and Donald Trump’s white working-class supporters have been hit hard by de-industrialization.
But a Republican House seems to feel no obligation to bring us together. The plan, apparently, is to attack, attack and attack again, as if the election never happened.
And when you think about it, hating the Clintons is one thing that can bring a badly divided Republican Party together. The term “civil war” may have been overused about the GOP, but this time, there is no denying that the battle for the party’s future and its soul is on.
If the Republicans hold one or both houses of Congress, they will be divided on all manner of issues actually related to running the country. So what better way to unite the party than to put governing aside as much as possible and spend the two years between now and the 2018 midterm elections trying to destroy Clinton? Trump and his followers would love it, and the establishment would not be required to show its hand on any matters of importance.
This is an outrage for anyone who thinks we need a functioning government. But it is also disappointing to those inside and outside the GOP who hoped that the Trump experience might lead to some serious rethinking about what the party is and what it should stand for.
In the meantime, Tim Alberta, the magazine’s chief political correspondent, provides an unflinching and usefully detailed look at the Republican Party’s challenge as the United States experiences “a sweeping and unprecedented demographic transformation.” He pays particular attention to the growing Latino share of the vote in states such as Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Nevada.
Yes, Trump ought to make it impossible for Republican conservatives to ignore the reality that their movement and ideology both face a day of reckoning. Their future depends on grappling with the sorts of problems that both Tuttle and Alberta candidly confront.
Ah, but soul-searching is painful, and acknowledging that the country is changing plays very badly with the party’s base. It’s so much easier to investigate Benghazi for the umpteenth time and to dig into the nooks and crannies of a job that Clinton left nearly four years ago. It makes you realize that Washington Republicans are so out of the habit of governing that trying to tear down Democratic presidents is the only thing they know how to do.


The son of a millionaire former Tory MP died after eating opium during a gap year trip to India, an inquest heard.
Adam Coombs, 19, was with school friend Ross Taylor in the Himalayan town of Manali - on the so-called hippy trail - when the pair decided to buy the drug.
Having failed to smoke the opiate, the teenager ate some instead and fell into a deep sleep from which he never woke, the coroner at the inquest was told.
After Mr Taylor couldn't wake him the next day he asked the landlady of the guesthouse they were staying at to summon an ambulance.
Ross, also 19, ended up carrying Adam outside where he was rushed to hospital in a motorised rickshaw. But Coombs was pronounced dead on May 28 last year.
Adam was the son of Derek Coombs, MP for Birmingham Yardley between 1970 and 1974 and founder investor of Prospect magazine.
He went to the £27,000-a-year Bryanston school in Dorset, near to the family's enormous 17th century manor house in Iwerne Steepleton, near Blandford.
He had been planning to go to Manchester University and study philosophy.
Speaking at the inquest Mr Taylor replied to the coroner's questioning and said the two friends had failed to smoke the opium and afterwards Adam had eaten some.
He said Adam had stomach pains then fell asleep. Taylor said that he was woken by the landlady knocking at their door.
Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue said his findings corroborated the cause of death as being from ingestion of opium.
He said there were no other marks except some lacerations caused by a previous motorbike accident.
Michael Johnson, coroner for West Dorset, recorded a verdict of death by accidental overdose.
He told Adam's mother Jennifer Coombs, 56, who was at the Dorchester inquest with her husband, that her loss was "every parent's nightmare."
Derek Coombs, 78, is reported to have a £2million town house in Chelsea, London, as well as the country manor house in Dorset.
He once tried to buy the New Statesman magazine and in 2004 was said by the Sunday Times rich list to be worth £52million.
Following Adam's death the family, including Adam's brother Jack, 22, released a statement.
It read: 'Adam had just finished several weeks teaching in a local school and was due to travel south to Delhi to join friends.
'He was staying in a hostel in Manali on May 27, and was found dead in the morning. He effectively went to sleep and never woke up.


Facebook has sent notes of apology and is changing automated systems that blocked environmental activists and other people from posting on like-minded Facebook pages.
The activists weren't victims of censorship, but of an anti-spam computer algorithm that impersonally was doing what it was designed to do.
"Facebook is not -- and has never been -- in the business of disabling accounts or removing content simply because people are discussing controversial topics," Andrew Noyes, Facebook spokesman, said in a statement to the Associated Press. "On the contrary, we want Facebook to be a place where people can openly express their views and opinions, even if others don't agree with them."
The activists were flagged by an anti-spam program and told they couldn't post for 15 days. Other users, including an animal rescue activist, also reported the problem. Some even have created new Facebook pages where people who have been blocked can commiserate.
"Our systems classify over10 billion actions (suspicious logins, friend requests, etc.) and pieces of content (messages, Wall posts, etc.) every day," Noyes said. "Of course, no system is perfect, and we do sometimes make mistakes."
The activists weren't blocked by a page administrator for making off-topic posts or for offering questionable commercial services. They couldn't even post to pages run by people who agree with their views.
"The first feeling was surprise, because I'd been doing this for over a year, with no problem," said Gloria Forouzan of Pittsburgh, who has been active in protesting natural gas drilling. "Then I found out a few others were blocked, and we all started getting angry."
Forouzan and others said last week they still don't know what they did to trigger the blocks.
Their reaction also shows just how important Facebook has become to a wide range of groups who use the free service to network and spread messages. Pro-gas industry groups have their own Facebook pages.
Facebook didn't provide details of the problem. To do so, they said, might help spammers find ways around the anti-spam software.
Others note that people would complain if Facebook weakens its anti-spam programs too much, since spam would surge.
"Navigating that exact balance is always quite tricky. It's automated, done by algorithm, blind to the political value of the message," said Jules Polonetsky, the former chief privacy officer for AOL and now a director of the Future of Privacy Forum, a Washington, D.C., think tank.
Forouzan said she posts links and comments to Facebook pages critical of gas drilling "every day, several times a day."
She said the posts relate only to hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a process that injects chemical-laced water deep underground to break up shale rock and allow natural gas to escape.
"Never jokes, never pat-the-bunny stuff," she said.


All it took to thwart Donald Trump from killing the North American free-trade agreement, according to a new book by Bob Woodward, was to take a piece of paper off his desk.
Fear: Trump In The White House is a detailed behind-the-scenes book of the Trump presidency. Advance reports have revealed, for instance, that economic adviser Gary Cohn stopped Mr. Trump from withdrawing the U.S. from NAFTA by taking the paper that required a signature off his desk. Without the paper in front of him, apparently, Mr. Trump forgot about it.
As it happens, NAFTA talks resume today. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is firm in wanting to preserve Chapter 19, a dispute-resolution mechanism, and protections on culture. Mr. Trudeau raised the spectre of a U.S. news outlet buying up a Canadian one. "It is inconceivable to any Canadian that an American network might buy Canadian media affiliates, whether it is a newspaper or television stations or TV networks," he told reporters.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Chris Hannay in Ottawa and James Keller in Vancouver. If you’re reading this on the web or someone forwarded this email newsletter to you, you can sign up for Politics Briefing and all Globe newsletters here. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
Mr. Trudeau says the federal government only has "a little more work" to do to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion back on track, following a Federal Court of Appeal decision that has thrown the project into doubt. However, Mr. Trudeau refused to spell out exactly how the government will respond to the court decision, or what it will do about Alberta's decision to withdraw support for the federal climate plan as a result.
A judge is accusing the country's chief of justices of disrespecting the courts in the way that they judge other judges.
A group of illegal marijuana dispensaries in Vancouver are arguing in a B.C. court that cities have no right to limit where medical cannabis can be sold because, they argue, storefront sales of the drug are a federal issue. Vancouver is among several cities that has brought in bylaws regulating dispensaries, despite the fact that they remain illegal under federal law.
The B.C. and federal governments have reiterated their commitment to fund two major transit projects in the Vancouver region. The combined federal and provincial money will set aside $3-billion for a light-rail transit line in Surrey and a long-awaited subway along Vancouver's Broadway corridor.
A First Nations chief in northern Manitoba says Indigenous people in the region continue to suffer the type of abuse that was detailed in a review of hydroelectric activity dating back to the 1960s. A recent report cited racism, discrimination and sexual abuse at Manitoba Hydro work sites in the 1960s. Garrison Settee, head of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, says that oppression continues to happen.
And, the Ottawa Citizen reports, recently unsealed court documents show that former hostage Caitlan Coleman is accusing her husband, Joshua Boyle, of physical and emotional abuse. The two and their children – who were born in captivity – were held in Afghanistan and Pakistan for five years.
Campbell Clark (The Globe and Mail) on Trans Mountain: "The duty to consult stems from the notion of honour of the Crown living up to historical commitments, and it’s enshrined in the Constitution. There’s no way to legislate it away, or use the notwithstanding clause. And if there’s a third strike in consulting Indigenous people on a pipeline, it will sap confidence that major projects can proceed if they affect First Nations' rights."
Margaret Wente (The Globe and Mail) on Trans Mountain: "But what won’t be back on track is Justin Trudeau’s promise of a grand bargain – carbon tax for pipelines – and the optimism that he can get everyone in line on the climate file. In fact, he has the worst of both worlds – people are repudiating his carbon taxes, and we’re no closer to market access for our oil than we ever were."
Lawrence Martin (The Globe and Mail) on Trump's disdain for Canada: "Now we have a president who has turned the tables. Canadians are the villains. We’re so dastardly on trade that he’ll have to drive us into submission."
Eddie Goldenberg (The Globe and Mail) on NAFTA: "Despite Mr. Trump’s bluster, U.S. negotiators and their Mexican counterparts must realize that the U.S.-Mexico “deal” on its own is a total nonstarter in Congress without Canada."
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on Bob Woodward's book about Trump: "It’s illuminating to learn the extent to which Mr. Trump’s circle works to contain their boss. The enduring mystery is why so few people are willing to stand up to him."
Elizabeth Renzetti (The Globe and Mail) on finding good news: "In the current environment, a few stories hog all the oxygen and then burn hotter when they’re fanned by social-media outrage. Outrage is satisfying, momentarily, but ultimately empty if it results in nothing greater than itself."


Shorn of its absurd legalese, there can be little denying that the recent environment ministry order making it illegal for animal traders to sell cattle, including cows, bulls, buffaloes and even camels for slaughter in animal markets, is aimed at achieving political outcomes, like consolidating the majority vote in the name of cow-protection. The latest Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules state, “No person shall bring a cattle to the animal market unless upon arrival he has furnished a written declaration signed by the owner of the cattle or his duly authorised agent…stating that the cattle has not been brought to market for sale for slaughter.” For what other purpose would a farmer sell redundant/unproductive cattle? Prior to this May 23 order, the newly-elected BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had launched a drive against “illegal” slaughter-houses in the State. Emboldened cow vigilantes have taken to routinely attacking transporters ferrying cattle. Incidents such as the lynching of a dairy farmer named Pehlu Khan in Alwar on April 1 and a former corporator in Karnataka threatening to “behead” Chief Minister Siddharamiah if he “dared” to consume beef, point to an atmosphere of fear being created around the entire trade in cattle meat.
The ban will hurt the farmer, cattle trade, meat exports and the leather industry. The cattle population in India is estimated to be around 190 million, and going by the practice of not keeping animals beyond eight or nine years of age, it accounts for about 22-23 million deaths every year. The new rules effectively limit access to buyers, particularly for small stock-keepers, who will no longer be able to sell their non-productive animals at cattle markets. A dairy farmer is now expected to feed an animal that is no longer productive, which will hurt his primary income. A large percentage of a dairy farmer’s income also comes from sale of unproductive animals. The directive will disrupt his production cycle, as farmers sell and procure cattle largely from local livestock traders or cattle markets. The other chain that is badly affected is, of course, the $ 4-billion meat export industry which has already shown a decline owing to bans of unspecified nature. The volume of livestock, especially buffalo, exports which had shown a 1.68 per cent growth between 2013-14 and 2014-15, has shown a decline by as much as 10.96 per cent in the last year (2015-16). The leather industry, local meat shops and municipality-run slaughter-houses that cater to the domestic market will be affected as well.
It is time that poverty and people rather than religious polarisation are brought back at the heart of policymaking. The Centre must contain a growing perception that the fringe elements of the Sangh parivar have assumed centre-stage. As for the gau rakshaks, it is worth keeping in mind that beef is consumed across communities, Hindus included, in States such as Kerala.


WASHINGTON — The decision by London transport authorities to oust US ride-hailing firm Uber is "not really justified," US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday.
"It looks pretty obvious that they're becoming discriminated against because they're worried our companies are so much stronger than the ones in Europe itself," Ross said on CNBC.
Transport for London said the conduct of Uber, which has around 40,000 drivers and 3.5 million customers in the British capital, had "demonstrated a lack of corporate responsibility," and the agency would not renew the company's license to operate.
"I think what's happening with Uber is really not very justified in London," Ross said. Although it is for British authorities to decide, Ross insisted that "Uber is a wonderful invention," and the problem is "London cabbies have been slow in adjusting to the new system."
London's traditional cab drivers have long campaigned against the ride-sharing app, and supported the decision, but Uber said it will appeal.


Greene County employees are playing a game and saving money in the process. KSMU’s Michele Skalicky tells us about a business model the county has adopted.
Each Tuesday, Greene County employees gather for what they call a huddle session. There’s a presentation and usually information about finances during the 30 minute meeting. This particular week, Becky Borthwick, associate circuit judge, talked about a typical day in her courtroom.
It’s part of The Great Game of Government, adapted from the Great Game of Business model, created by local businessman Jack Stack, which emphasizes open book management techniques.
Greene County Auditor Cindy Stein came up with the idea of adapting it for government when the county was struggling financially and looking for solutions.
"We had tried cuts and more cuts and more cuts, and that really wasn't digging us out of the hole that we were in. We had demands that exceeded the revenue that was currently coming in, and so we thought, 'why not try what was the Great Game of Business?'" she said.
That was in 2012 after the recession, she said, and the county wasn’t coming out of it like officials felt it should be.
Trysta Herzog said the program works by incentivizing employees to work more efficiently and having them “buy in” to the organization.
"And to realize that they can make an impact on that bottom line by assessing their everyday tasks and the resources they use within the county," she said.
According to Herzog, the business model they've adapted is like a game. For example, she said they might challenge offices to save paper and will create a game board to show their progress, including a goal that's illustrated in that game board.
Since the program was implemented, Stein said employees are working to more accurately project their budgets, which gives the county commission more money in cash reserves to use for employee enhancement such as raises. All county employees are invited to participate in the program.
At first, Stein wasn’t sure the program could work for government, but she said Jack Stack was convinced that it could.
"And if Jack thought that it could and we needed help, we were willing to go the distance and prove that, yes, it could work," she said.
According to Stein, Greene County is one of the first governments to implement the program at the level it has.
She said numbers show that the Great Game of Government is working. Before it was implemented, the county’s cash reserves balance was well below what was needed at about $2 million, according to Stein. But it soared to $10 million after the model was adopted.
And she said they now have reserves to complete maintenance work that had to be deferred because there was no money to pay for it.
This year in the budget, the county has been able to set aside more than $300,000 for merit increases for employees. Herzog said they wouldn’t have been able to do that if the employees themselves weren’t finding those savings. "Being able to identify how much product they're using, for instance, in janitorial and realizing those numbers don't quite add up--what are we doing that's wasteful?--and then scaling that back so that we're using resources appropriately," she said.
The county’s been recognized nationally for its efforts to save money through the Great Game of Government. It’s been named a semifinalist in Harvard’s 2017 Innovations in American Government Awards Competition.
"I don't even know if I can describe how big of an honor it is," said Stein, "because it is such a select few that get acknowledged each year."
Stein said they’ve made it through the first two levels, and they hope to hear this month if they’ve made it to the third.
If they’re successful, county officials will travel to Boston to learn how to help other organizations by “expanding what’s working well in government to other governments,” according to Stein. They’ve already helped other local entities, including City Utilities, the City of Springfield and non-profits, see how the Great Game of Government can help them.
Grand Prize winners will be announced in June and will receive $100,000 to develop a replication plan .


This beautiful single level home is truly 1 of 1 in this gated community! The only single level home with a DETACHED HEATED & COOLED 20'x30' garage that can be used as STORAGE for your toys , GYM or MAN CAVE! A backyard designed with both kids and adults in mind, features a built in gas bbq, pergola & fire pit for adults & a turf field and basketball court for the kids. There is still plenty of room for a pool on this corner lot with over 17,000 sq ft! The spacious interior is equally attractive with over 3,400 sq ft of living space. Tile floors & carpet in all the right places, an open kitchen concept with granite counters, ss appliances, 5 bedrooms with split floor plan, 3 full bathrooms & a bonus room/den. THE OWNED SOLAR makeS managing the homes already efficient design a delight.


Wearing yellow badges and traveling in groups of 10 or more, agency review teams for President-elect Barack Obama have swarmed into dozens of government offices, from the Pentagon to the National Council on Disability.
With pointed questions and clear ground rules, they are dissecting agency initiatives, poring over budgets and unearthing documents that may prove crucial as a new Democratic president assumes control. Their job is to minimize the natural tension between incoming and outgoing administrations, but their work also is creating anxiety among some Bush administration officials as the teams rigorously examine programs and policies.
Lisa Brown, who served as counsel to Vice President Al Gore and is helping manage the reviews, said typical questions include: "Which is the division that has really run amok? Or that has run out of money? If someone is confirmed, what's going to be on their desk from Day One? What are the main things that need to happen, vis-a-vis Obama's priorities?"
Every presidential changeover includes some type of review of the federal landscape, but some have succeeded more than others, experts say. Obama's teams -- 135 people divided into 10 groups, along with a list of other advisers -- started earlier than most, gearing up months before Election Day with preliminary planning, and will work until mid-December preparing reports to guide the White House, Cabinet members and other senior officials.
The team members include Democratic Party loyalists jockeying for senior administration jobs and subject experts in areas ranging from military systems to Medicare policy.
The Obama teams say they have benefited from a commitment by the Bush White House to cooperate as fully as possible to ease the shift.
"President Bush initiated preparations for the transition earlier, and with more extensive planning, than has ever been done before," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "We've also benefited from new legal authorities that allowed for better preparation of the transition teams. As we're at war, defending the nation against terrorist threats, and addressing a global financial crisis, it's more critical than ever that we have a successful transition."
John D. Podesta, a former Clinton White House chief of staff and co-chairman of the Obama transition, said the Obama teams have been dispatched with "clear roles and missions." In assembling the study groups, Podesta drew heavily from the Clinton administration, academia and think tanks such as his own, the Center for American Progress. Many team members were informal advisers to Obama throughout the campaign -- such as Sarah Sewall, a Harvard University human rights specialist who is a leader of the national security team.
Many chosen for the teams come with high-level, firsthand knowledge of certain agencies.
"They were part of that culture; they understand the political issues as well as the bureaucratic issues," said Melody C. Barnes, Obama's incoming Domestic Policy Council director, who is helping with the agency reviews.
Some teams parachuted in at the top. At the State Department, Obama team leaders Tom Donilon and Wendy R. Sherman met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. At the Pentagon, transition team members John White and Michèle A. Flournoy dropped by the offices of four senior officials and arranged for further interviews over the coming days. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates named a transition leader, Robert Rangel, to work with the group, even though Gates is slated to continue in his job when Obama takes office.
A typical approach has been playing out at the Environmental Protection Agency, where the Obama team is led by Lisa Jackson, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and Robert Sussman, a former Clinton official and now a lawyer and fellow at the Center for American Progress. Both are considered front-runners for senior administration jobs (Jackson as EPA administrator, Sussman as a top EPA deputy).


I’ve been hearing all this talk about the “American Dream” a lot since I’ve been here. When I was younger, I had no idea about its existence, and, for a good amount of time here, I haven’t really cared. To begin with, my national pride refuses to use the word “American” (“America” is not a country after all). However, this “American Dream” thing started taking a lot of force in everyone’s discussions on Saturday and I thought I’d say a couple of things on the matter.
Saturday was one of the most impressively bizarre days I have had in Ithaca so far. After spending four hours doing my Portuguese homework, suffering over how terrible my Neurophysiology lab report is going to end up, and taking an unexpected trip to Wegman’s that set me back for an hour or so, I met the people protesting against SB 1070 on the Commons around 3:30. About 200 people atteneded, if you count the people that go in and out and stuff. The big crowd gathered around the kiosk where music and speakers got together to talk, to protest and to get us all hot and bothery about a topic that SHOULD get us angry.
After Frida’s recounting of her journey from Guatemala to the Bronx (and crying my heart out at it, as she was), after hearing government officials putting their support behind the DREAM Act, after being there when people said that “what happened in Arizona will NOT happen in New York,” it was sad to see Mary Jo’s pictures of five-year-old Julia’s deported parents. It was sad to realize that, yes, 10 miles out of Ithaca, things are still going on and there’s a ton of work to do. It felt nice to realize, however, that there are people here that care enough to make a difference. That someone is doing something.
I was honored to attend a friend’s wedding an hour after the rally ended. In the frenzy of quickly showering and prettying up, arriving at the venue, amid the tears of the bride and the parents and the food and the wine, I was taken aback by what a wonderful ceremony this was. Not only because the event was nice … but because it was full of people that represented why we take pride in this place. In that room, out of the maybe 70 people who attended, we probably had people from at least 15 different countries. Me and my husband, Mexican, got drunk with our Peruvian friend and his Belgian date, talking about tango with a Brazilian bandoneonist and his Colombian girlfriend. We laughed and danced with French and Israelis, and we all went nuts singing and jumping/dancing when “Dragonstea din tei” came on, possibly the most amazing dancing I’ve ever done to that song (bride and groom, as well as their families, are Romanian). We made jokes about different nationalities and reminisced about ’80s Italian pop music with the Italians; we danced funny moves with Indians and Korean dancers; I was surprised at how every single person in the room, old or young and regardless of nationality, sang and danced to Lady Gaga, and at how, regardless again of age or origin, we all loved the chocolate cake.
I feel proud to find myself belonging in a place where interculturalism is valued and respected. Where knowing about the world is something that makes you better, not somehow inferior. Even when this is not my country, Ithaca and Cornell represent a big part of my life. A part that is good, that makes me proud. Saturday’s wedding — its cosmopolitan atmosphere, its internationality, its happiness and outgoingness — if I were to define the “American dream” as anything, would be a hell of a good candidate.
Whoever those fuckers down in Arizona are, trying to have us believe that this is not the best version of the American Dream, should not be in positions of power. It is up to you, the citizens of this country, to make sure that is the case. As we end the semester, as we decide to ignore the fact that the world outside our bubble is sucking a little more every minute, make sure to remember that we are the ones that are going to have to change things. If not us, who else? And when else, but now?
Florencia Ulloa is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She may be reached at fulloa@cornellsun.com. Innocent Bystander appears alternate Tuesdays this semester.


With the Oscars bringing the season of stunning gowns and gushing acceptance speeches to a close, we look back at the celeb-approved trends that rocked the red carpet.
Thanks to that little mix-up with a couple of envelopes at the Oscars, awards season 2017 is destined to be remembered for all the wrong reasons (well, one very awkward reason).
Which is a shame, because we all know what these gong-giving ceremonies are really about: the FASHION, of course.
We lost count of how many stars opted for floral frocks at the Baftas, from Naomie Harris’s embellished tulle to the Duchess of Cambridge’s gorgeous black, off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown.
Starlets often shy away from black on the red carpet, lest they’re accused of being boring – more shameful than landing on the ‘worst dressed’ list, according to some stylists – but we saw some exceptional ebony looks this year.
There were some questionable outfit choices at the Brits, but Katy Perry and Rita Ora scored hits with their sparkling looks, both embellished with masses of sparkling beads.
Emma Stone’s opinion-dividing Chanel dress-over-trousers (drousers?) at the Baftas was equally dazzling and shared a sartorial tip with the pop star pair – with heavily decorated pieces, graduated beading or shorter styles works best.
Bringing a different kind of shine to the party, molten metallic dresses abounded.
Ruth Negga’s silver Louis Vuitton gown at the Golden Globes was sleek, modern perfection, while Charlize Theron’s gunmetal Oscars gown channelled old Hollywood glam.
With frocks this fabulous, swept up hair and dangly of earrings are all the accessories you need.
Amid the sea of sparkle, a handful of stars plumped for primary colours, and we sure are glad they did.
Multiple award-nominee Viola Davis rocked red, yellow and blue at three separate ceremonies and it worked like a charm every time, while Natalie Portman continued her maternity style masterclass in acid yellow Prada.
This kind of colour blocking requires very little surface detail – keep the silhouette simple and let the hot hue do the talking.


Hyundai Motor Group's R&D boss, Albert Biermann, says electrification is definitely in the cards for the N brand.
Electric N models? Hyundai says they're in the works.
Hyundai's N performance arm is slowly but surely ramping up. The division recently launched the Veloster N here in the US, as well as the sporty, N-Line version of the Elantra GT.
Looking ahead, Hyundai Motor Group's head of research and development, Albert Biermann, expects a whole range of sporty N-badged models to arrive in the coming years. But he also knows that electrification has to be part of the plans in order to succeed in the future.
"We are already working on electrified prototype cars," Biermann told Roadshow at Hyundai's R&D headquarters in Namyang, South Korea, on Friday. The hard part, he says, is "how to transfer the craziness of N into electrification."
Biermann says the N division is "working already on some ideas and concept cars," the latter of which will preview performance-minded takes on electrified architecture. "We have everything available," Biermann notes, saying N can pull from the greater hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full-electric knowledge and resources from the Hyundai Motor Group portfolio.
Regardless of powertrain type, Biermann says a key goal for N is "expanding into segments where we have not been yet." This means we could see anything from N-badged SUVs to more pint-size offerings -- Biermann admits he'd like to see a "smaller N car than what we have now."
There's no telling when N's electric plans will come to fruition, though it sounds like a concept car isn't too far off. Consider our interest piqued.


Celje, 8 January - The Celje Higher Court has upheld a court ruling under which Democrat (SDS) leader Janez Janša has to pay RTV Slovenija journalist Mojca Šetinc Pašek 6,000 euro in damages for an offensive tweet. The damages are now final and he will also have pay the costs of the appeal procedure.
A hearing at the Celje District Court in November 2018 in a trial in which SDS leader Janez Janša (left) stood accused of defaming two journalists of public broadcaster RTV Slovenija.
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— Bill Nelson on Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 in in a debate in Davie, Fla.
By Amy Sherman on Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 at 9:47 p.m.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said that his Republican rival U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV has missed 178 votes this year, giving him one of the worst attendance records in Congress.
"Speaking of votes, why don’t you explain how you don’t show up to work. Why don’t you explain how this year you have one of the worst voting records. I have missed one vote this year, you have missed 178," Nelson said.
Nelson made the claim during a debate at Nova Southeastern University in Davie on Oct. 17. Mack countered back that they had similar records of missed votes if looking at their entire careers, rather than just this year.
Here we will examine recent figures for missed votes by both Mack and Nelson through September 2012.
GovTrack.us tracks missed votes for members of Congress using voting information from the official websites of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
But looking at sheer votes isn’t an apples to apples comparison because the House takes more votes than the Senate.
That’s why we also looked at the percentage of missed votes on GovTrack for Mack’s tenure and Nelson’s Senate tenure (Nelson previously served in the House 1979-1990) -- and the percentage missed this year.
From the start of Mack’s tenure in January 2005, he missed 6 percent of roll call votes. During Nelson’s Senate tenure starting in January 2001, he missed 1 percent. The median missed votes for all members was 2.5 percent.
We noticed that Mack’s percentage of missed votes started to spike in the last quarter of 2011 around the time he announced he was running for the U.S. Senate. While Nelson faced token primary opposition, Mack faced more serious challengers, forcing him to campaign more in Florida.
The New York Times’ Inside Congress tabulates missed votes and shows the top three vote missers in the House for the 112th Congress, which covers the past two years. For that time period, Mack is in 13th place, according to New York Times reporter Derek Willis. That was worst among Florida representatives. If we removed Reps. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.; and Jane Harman, D-Calif., who resigned; and Donald Payne, D-N.J., who died, Mack would be in 10th place, Willis said.
In July, Mack campaign spokesman David James said that Mack missed some votes "to make sure Mitt Romney won the Florida presidential primary in January, something Connie's constituents felt very strongly about when it comes to invoking the change we need in Washington."
Nelson said Mack missed 178 votes this year, making that "one of the worst voting records." Mack did miss 178 votes this year compared to 1 for Nelson.
But unlike Nelson, Mack faced serious primary challengers, which meant he had to campaign in Florida more. Also, the House takes more votes than the Senate, so it’s more useful to look at percentages of missed votes. But the numbers are correct.
According to the New York Times, Mack’s record places him in 13th for this Congress which started in January 2011 (or 10th if we omit members who resigned or died). That fits the definition of "one of the worst."
Published: Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 at 9:47 p.m.


You have dated Henry for three weeks. What’s amazing is that you like him! Hooray!! These days, in the dating world, wanting to see someone for a second date is almost a miracle. Three dates and you’re hopeful that something substantial might develop.
You reach out to Mr. Wonderful Monday morning at 9. Nothing important… “Hi. Wanted to say hello and see what’s up. Give a call when you have a chance.” Monday comes and goes. Tuesday morning, afternoon and early evening come and go. Finally you get a message at 10 p.m. on Wednesday of “Hey, got your message. Good to hear from you. Call me when you have a chance”.
How you understand these events is why minimum standards are so important. I’m speaking of minimum, not maximum standards. This is not about Henry having to be six feet tall with a full head of hair and broad shoulders, is smart, curious and sensitive. This is not about needing/wanting Henry to having a great family and quality friends and makes a terrific living. No, this is about minimum standards that, if not reached, should be a huge sign that says to at the least slow down or, at most, pull the ripcord.
“Reasonable” is an important point. This can be subjective but I’m assuming that we are all relatively rational and mature people here. A message at 9 a.m. doesn’t require a reply in ten minutes or even two hours, but at some time during the day and message like; “Got your message. I’m totally slammed today and tomorrow looks crazy as well. I’ll reach out by Wednesday evening.” That type of message takes all of 30 seconds to write or say and can easily fall into the minimum standards category.
When you lower minimum standards or you put them to the side because you choose to believe the reason they get broken (I am so busy that I couldn’t get back to you) you create a relationship precedent that is very likely problematic and certainly subpar of what you should want and expect.
What are your minimum standards? Make a list of the qualities/behaviors that are things that you simply won’t allow in your relationship. They might include drug or alcohol use, flirting, career/motivation/ family values to name a view. Adhering to these minimum standards will allow you to cut off relationships before they become emotionally charged and complicated. They will prevent heartache while serving as a strong foundation for self-esteem and self care.


PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) - A judge has found a Florida police officer not guilty of a charge of driving carelessly in the death of a pedestrian.
Panama City Police Officer Mark Walter Bohrer appeared Tuesday in civil traffic court. He had been cited after 53-year-old Craig Finch of Wewahitchka died of injuries suffered in the March 30 collision.
According to a News Herald report , Bay County Judge Thomas Welch granted a motion of acquittal after a day of testimony from law enforcement officers and eyewitnesses.
Florida Highway Patrol determined that Finch fell into the road just as the 36-year-old officer attempted to make a left turn in his patrol car. Authorities said dashcam footage corroborated investigators’ findings.
There is no crosswalk at the site of the crash. Finch was pronounced dead at a hospital.


A Jacksonville basketball team that struggled at times to get the ball past midcourt all of the sudden found itself with a double-digit lead over West Carteret.
Credit that to senior David Pickett, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cardinals pull away for a 77-68 Coastal 3-A Conference win over the Patriots on Friday night.
Pickett scored all of Jacksonville’s points in a deciding 11-2 run that extended the Cardinals’ lead to 65-55 with 4:52 left. He sparked the run with a 3-pointer that gave JHS a 57-53 lead with 6:28 left and then answered two free throws from Shakur Frazier with another three before scoring off a reverse layup off a long assist from Nijear Singleton, who had 23 points.
Then Pickett struck again with his third three of the quarter to make it 65-55.
The win moved the Cardinals (10-7, 3-2) into a tie for second place in the conference with White Oak (14-4, 3-2) entering Monday’s clash at the Vikings, who lost 60-51 to Havelock (6-9, 2-3) on Friday.
West Carteret fell to 11-3, 2-3. The Patriots beat JHS 58-52 in double overtime earlier this month.
But this time, the Cardinals took care of business down the stretch.
Singleton scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while Chris Coleman ended with 14 points, Joe Johnson added 10 and Kadeem Dia had 7 points and 13 rebounds.
While Pickett stood out in the fourth quarter, Erny said this win took a collective effort, something he wants to see more from his team.
Singleton entered averaging 19.4 points per game while Pickett was the only one in double digits at 11.8.
The Cardinals want to be balanced. Still, Pickett was quick to say it was Singleton that tends to jump-start Jacksonville. He did that Friday by scoring 7 first-quarter points.
“Once Nijear starts up, that’s when me and Chris get going,” Pickett said.
Jason Williams scored 24 points for the Patriots, who gave JHS fits with full-court pressure that resulted in four easy layups under the basket. Jacksonville ended with 24 turnovers to West Carteret’s 21.
Jacksonville 77, West Carteret 30: Jacksonville did what it does best, start off fast en route to a win over West Carteret.
Areon Laurent scored 11 of her 23 points in the opening quarter while Kennedy Todd-Williams had 6 of her 21 and Kiani Gravely had 6 of her 14 in the frame.
The Cardinals (12-2, 5-0) were 12 of 16 from the field in the opening eight minutes, and used a 17-0 run to establish control over the Patriots (10-5, 2-3).
But while the Cardinals had no issue in this game, Gidrey would have liked to have seen her team’s transition game smoother.
Wardell 8, Reed 2, Kemp 3, Mitchell 5, Willis 12. Totals– 10-45 4-14 30.
Morrison 5, Todd-Williams 21, Hill 3, Laurent 23, Mitchels 3, Gravely 14, Kellum 4, Gidrey 4. Totals– 30-65 6-14 77..
3-point goals–W 6 (Willis 4, Wardell 2). J 11 (Laurent 5, Todd-Williams 3, Gravely 2, Morrison). Rebounds–W 36 (Kemp 9, Mitchell 6, Willis 6). J 42 (Todd-Williams 9, Laurent 6). RECORDS–W: 10-5, 2-3, at Swansboro on Tuesday. J: 12-2, 5-0, at White Oak on Monday.
Barr 8, S. Frazier 10, C. Frazier 13, Fountain 3, Williams 24, Wilcox 3, Wilkins 7. Totals– 25-55 9-12 68.
Singleton 23, Pickett 18, Coleman 14, Rambert 1, Johnson 10, Hines 5, Dia 7. Totals– 24-46 18-27 77.
3-point goals–W 9 (Williams 4, C. Frazier 3, Fountain, Wilkins). J 11 (Pickett 4, Coleman 3, Singleton 2, Johnson 2). Rebounds–W 26 (Barr 7, Wilcox 5). J 34 (Dia 13, Hines 6). RECORDS–W: 11-3, 2-3, at Swansboro on Tuesday. J: 10-7, 3-2, at White Oak on Monday.


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Will Smith has shared a brand new, behind the scenes look at Bad Boys for Life that is as entertaining as it is frustrating. After years of false starts, this long-in-the-works project finally got going recently and, barring some sort of unforeseen disaster that will be worthy of a compelling tell-all book down the line, the movie is finally coming our way next year. Now, Smith has shared a video from the table read of the script which is very serious about not giving us any spoilers. Seriously. Not a thing.
The video was shared to Will Smith's official Instagram and features members of the cast and crew, including Martin Lawrence, gathered together to read the script for Bad Boys 3. Literally everyone's face is blurred out and any time anyone opens their mouth, the majority of what is said is censored. This isn't because everyone is dropping F-bombs left and right. Well, they could be, we suppose, but it's actually part of the gag, which is all about keeping this movie's secrets intact. Smith captioned the video with the following message.
"Exclusive first look at Bad Boys Script Reading. No spoilers!"
That last part is particularly important. We can glean precisely nothing from this video, beyond that it seems everyone is having a very good time. Choice words such as "Batmobile" and "big reveal" can be made out here and there. But, for the most part, everything is censored out. Even the title card at the end of the video. Really, this was just something intended as fun for the fans who are eagerly awaiting any information about the long-awaited sequel.
What we know for sure is that production kicked off in early January under the direction of filmmaking duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Previously, directors like Joe Carnahan (The Grey) spent time attached to the project before it ultimately got going. Michael Bay, who directed the previous two installments, is busy directing 6 Underground for Netflix and isn't involved, even as a producer. So, hopefully, Arbi and Fallah can manage to capture the spirit of Bayhem that helped make the first two movies so watchable and beloved. Chris Bremner, David Guggenheim, Anthony Tambakis and the aforementioned Carnahan all worked on the script during its development.
The cast includes Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Jacob Scipio, DJ Khaled and Paula Nunez, with Joe Pantoliano reprising his role as Captain Howard. Bad Boys for Life is currently set to hit theaters on January 17, 2020. With any luck, we'll be seeing a teaser trailer attached to a major blockbuster this summer, but we're probably going to have to wait at least a few months for any actual footage to arrive online. We'll be sure to provide updates as new information is made available. For now, be sure to check out the script reading video from Will Smith's Instagram below.


Chevrolet announced a low-emission version of the Chevrolet Volt on Thursday, designed to allow California drivers to drive solo in the state's carpool lanes.
Fortunately for California drivers, the Low Emissions Package won't cost more than the standard Volt pricing, with the standard MSRP of $39,900, a Chevrolet spokesman said. The Volt also qualifies for the $7,500 federal tax credit for ultra-low emissions vehicles as well as a $1,500 California state tax rebate.
Since the Volt is already qualified as a ULEV, one might wonder why it didn't already qualify to run solo in California's HOV lanes. The Chevy spokesman said that the Volt had to be slightly retooled to meet California's AT PZEV regulations, however, before the state allowed it to traverse the more than 1,400 miles of HOV lanes.
As evidenced by the movie L.A. Story and others, California has a love affair with the car, and driving in the carpool lanes a treasured perk. Chevrolet said that in some parts of Southern California, drivers can shave 36 minutes off a typical commute.
Typically, only cars with two (or in some places, three) passengers are allowed into the state's HOV lanes, in an effort to reduce emissions by reducing the number of cars per passenger. The state has also allowed low-emission vehicles into the lanes, but with expiration dates attached. For example, the first generation of hybrids, including the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius, which used the state's gold HOV sticker, were forced to join the rest of the commuting masses on July 1, 2011.
Now, the state only offers two HOV stickers, both of which expire on Jan. 1, 2015. An unlimited number of white clean-air vehicle stickers are available to all federal Inherently Low Emission Vehicles, which include Zero Emission Vehicles that run either exclusively on electricity or natural gas.
California also has a second category of green clean-air stickers that will be provided to owners of just two AT PZEV models, at the present time: the Volt as well as the Toyota Plug-in Hybrid. Only 40,000 green stickers will be issued by California's Department of Transportation. (A list of the qualifying vehicles for both green and white stickers can be found here.
"The Volts with the Low Emissions Package are certain to be a strong draw for California commuters looking to travel the state's notoriously congested freeways in the carpool lane," said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing, in a statement.
Volts with the Low Emissions Package, which is standard for California, began shipping from the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant this week and should begin arriving at the more than 140 participating Chevrolet dealerships in California before the end of the month, Chevy said.
Safety regulators with NHTSA have been investigating Volt fire risks since November. Earlier in 2010, the agency deliberately crashed a Chevy Volt to determine how it would withstand a side-impact collision. The battery was damaged and the coolant line ruptured, the agency said. Three weeks later, the vehicle caught fire, and the NHTSA blamed the Volt's lithium-ion battery. During further testing, the battery caught fire again, prompting the investigation.
In January, however, the NHTSA closed its investigation, finding no evidence of a "defect trend" and a reduced potential for battery-rupturing impacts after GM modifications.
For more, see our hands-on with the 2012 Chevy Volt.


Are Eric Beaumont and the team still in top form during the second season of the Ransom TV show on CBS? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Ransom is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren’t considered, we’d like to offer you the chance to rate all of the Ransom season two episodes here.
A CBS crime drama from creators Frank Spotnitz and David Vainola, Ransom stars Luke Roberts, Sarah Greene, Brandon Jay McLaren, and Nazneen Contractor. The mystery thriller centers on crisis and hostage negotiator Eric Beaumont (Roberts). He and his team save lives which often seem beyond saving, in part, because Eric understands criminals better than they understand themselves. Exploiting his powers of manipulation, Eric eschews using violence, even in the most dangerous kidnappings and ransom cases. Psych-profiler Oliver Yates (McLaren), former police officer Zara Hallam (Contractor), and investigator Maxine Carlson (Greene) form the team that backs up Beaumont..
What do you think? Which season two episodes of the Ransom TV series do you rate as wonderful, terrible, or somewhere between? Should CBS cancel or renew Ransom for a third season? Don’t forget to vote, and share your thoughts, below.
More about: Ransom, Ransom: canceled or renewed?
I really liked this show. I’m sad about Sarah Greene leaving the show because I really liked her character. I don’t think I will watch the next season.
Why would you cancel Ransom for season 3? The cast is amazing and we enjoy watching Ransom. It is different and entertaining. Please consider bring it back.
Please renew Ransom for Season 3!!! It’s one of the best shows on TV &has such an amazing cast!
I really like ransom. I enjoy watching it on Saturday nights. Please don’t cancel this show!


Apple's HomePod hits stores on Friday, but Sonos, which makes competing smart speakers, isn't sweating it.
In fact, the smart speaker company welcomed the "Fruit Machine" to the biz by trolling it with a custom Spotify playlist, which we first spotted on 9to5Mac.
If you read the titles of the songs in order, it's a clear message to Cupertino.
"Hello Apple Something About Us Together Feels Right Even Though You're Crazy For This Home POD Remember Two Is Better Than One Just Playing (Dreams) It's A Party Everybody's Coming To My House Even You Come As You Are Fruit Machine No Matter What You're Told We're Going To Be Friends Over Everything"
Nobody does this meme on Apple Music.
Check out the full Sonos playlist here and here's how HomePod stacks up with Sonos speakers.


South Sudan’s opposition on Friday condemned the deportation from Kenya of the spokesman for embattled rebel leader, Riek Machar.
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) hit out at Kenya’s removal of Machar’s confidante James Gatdet Dak and warned his life may now be in danger.
The press secretary for South Sudan’s former first vice president was deported on Thursday and is now reported to be in custody in Juba, the South Sudanese capital.
In a statement, the SPLM-IO said Gatdet had been removed from his residence by Kenyan security forces.
The group said Machar -- who is currently in South Africa -- held a telephone conversation with Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and appealed unsuccessfully for Kenya not to deport Gatdet.
There was a “profound fear” he would be killed once handed over to the government in Juba, the SPLM-IO release added.
It claims Gatdet was an urban refugee under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kenya.
“Unfortunately, his appeal was ignored,” it read, adding the UNHCR had made a similar unsuccessful appeal on Gatdet's behalf. It claimed the deportation was a violation of the Geneva Convention and called on the international community to intervene.
The conflict in South Sudan has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 2013. Fighting between rebel and government forces began again in July following a peace deal last year.


Kieran Tierney has confirmed himself as a major doubt for Scotland's Euro 2020 qualifying double-header in June.
He travelled to Kazakhstan with Alex McLeish's squad last month before admitting defeat in his efforts to overcome a calf issue.
Now Tierney fears his body will not be in the peak condition required to give Scotland his best for the home tie against Cyprus then a big test in Belgium.
That is because the Celtic star requires an extended period of rest to clear up the pelvic problem that has disrupted his season since mid-December.
When quizzed on the timescale for a full recovery, Tierney said: 'It will be until I get a proper rest. It will take a few weeks of doing nothing to recover the body fully.
'It is my pubis bone - and it is just through overuse; the intensity of our games and training, the number of games. It has been non-stop for me since I was 17 - it has just caught up.
'But it is nothing too serious. I'm playing, I'm training and I'm getting through it fine.
'After the games, it will feel a bit stiff but that's expected. Lots of people who have had it have told me I'll be fresh when I've had a break.
'It's not just the pubis bone, you need to recover your legs as well. And at Celtic, you come straight back into the Champions League qualifiers, so we all need the break.
'For my career, 100 per cent, it would benefit me to rest. But it's up to Scotland and Celtic to talk about that.
'I'm not here saying I want to pull out. But I do want what's best for the country and, if I go there and I'm not completely fit, that won't be the case.
'If I go and I'm ready, then it is what it is. But our physio Tim Williamson does both (Celtic and Scotland) and he will know what's best for everyone.. You need to look after yourself and, if I can't go there 100-per-cent fit, what's the point?
'As it stands just now, I'm fine.' After limping off late in the recent victory over Rangers, Tierney returned to manage 90 minutes against Livingston and has declared himself ready to face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at the national stadium today.
Interim manager Neil Lennon says a longer period on the sidelines will be key to Tierney returning primed for next season.
'Eventually KT will have to have a rest,' stressed Lennon. 'He can't keep going with just a couple of weeks off in the summer then back into it.
'He's playing high-level, high-intensity professional football week-in, week-out, and it is going to take its toll on a young, developing body.


"There is India, a free society (of) over a billion people, successfully lifting countless millions out of poverty and into the middle class," Trump said while addressing world leaders at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday heaped praise on India’s efforts to lift millions of its citizens from the clutches of poverty. “There is India, a free society (of) over a billion people, successfully lifting countless millions out of poverty and into the middle class,” Trump said while addressing world leaders at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
His remarks come nearly a week after the 2018 global Multidimensional Poverty Index has revealed that India has made giant strides in reducing multidimensional poverty, bringing down its poverty rate from 55 per cent to 28 per cent in ten years. According to estimates released by the UN Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, more than 271 million people have come out of poverty in India between 2005-06 and 2015-16.
This was Trump’s second address to the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.
“It is the question of what kind of world will we leave for our children and what kind of nations they will inherit,” Trump said.
Trump also mentioned Saudi Arabia’s bold new reforms and Israel “proudly celebrating” its 70th anniversary as a thriving democracy in the Holy Land.


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry's pregame tunnel heaves have become such a spectacle at Oracle Arena that hundreds of cameras rise in the air to capture the moment.
He won't have that anymore when the Warriors move across the bay to San Francisco to Chase Center next season.
Everybody figures Curry will come up with a snazzy move to replace it.
"Shoot, I don't know, probably like a backflip or something like that," quipped Splash Brother Klay Thompson.
A new signature shot? For sure.
Curry vows to do something new and fun, but will just let it come to him when the time arrives. He's not pre-planning, and especially not now with the playoffs his top priority. The Warriors opened their first-round series with a 121-104 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I've got to let it happen organically, just like this happened," Curry said. "I've got to let it happen organically. I don't really know. It'll come to me, though."
Curry typically takes five tries total, fewer when he makes one, from just off the court by the end of the bench at the start of the tunnel before he sprints down the hallway back to the locker room. He takes a pass from security guard Curtis Jones and lets it fly for cheering fans who clamor in Oracle Arena's lower bowl, desperate for a glimpse of the two-time MVP getting ready for another game.
Jones recalls a stretch when Curry made five straight tunnel shots, meaning he knocked it down on the first attempt in five consecutive home games — "which is almost unheard of," Jones said.
"The word I always use is priceless. It's been priceless," said Jones, 67, who has worked security at Warriors games for nearly 2 ½ decades.
Before the final regular-season game at Oracle on April 7, Curry took his shots and then embraced Jones before sprinting back to the locker room.
The shot will no longer work because of the configuration of the new arena. The tunnel at Oracle is on a line with the rim but will be at an angle behind the basket at Chase Center. Jones plans to work in the new venue and hopes to be part of Curry's to-be-determined signature move.
"Before the tunnel shot, people didn't come in near as fast," Jones recalled. "They come in early and have something to look forward to, so it made a big difference in the Oracle crowd. It made a major difference around here."
Fans weren't the only ones watching what became the NBA's most must-see warmup.
"I love all his routines, pregame rituals. I know all of them. I watch all of them. We all watch them," Warriors teammate Quinn Cook said. "I know he'll come up with something to replace that — I mean, nothing will replace that. He has to have a new ending shot after his pregame shooting."
Draymond Green knew a change was coming after recently taking a tour of Chase Center with Warriors COO Rick Welts.
"Rick Welts was telling me, 'We had one mistake in making this arena.' I'm like 'What was the mistake?' 'Well, with the way it's set up, Steph's tunnel shot, the angles, it won't work anymore,'" Green said. "It's like, 'Well, Steph better figure out another shot.' And he will. I'm not sure what it will be yet but he'll figure something out."
Just don't count on the typically outspoken Green to help.
"Nope. You can't give Steph ideas," Green said. "He'll just figure it out."
But whatever it is, it will be hard to top the tradition at Oracle.
"He has a lot of them here," said his father, Dell Curry. "You've got to make new ones I guess. It's been fun."
Curry has been known to mimic moves from a range of sports like curling, volleyball and soccer. Coach Steve Kerr will be eager to see what Curry pulls out of his hat.
"It's great for the fans. It's great for me to get a nice routine down," Curry said. "I didn't realize it would be such a big thing. But it is."


Can Cummins Avoid an Engine Failure in 2016?
The engine maker is still feeling the hurt from a tough market.
The fortunes of engine maker Cummins (NYSE:CMI) are closely tied to the health of the industrial economy, and right now, many investors are extremely worried that the cyclical downturn we've seen lately will last a lot longer than originally thought. For Cummins, which will release its fourth-quarter financial report on Thursday, the resulting pressure has weighed on its sales and earnings, and most shareholders expect that trend to continue not only in the fourth quarter, but throughout 2016. Just as equipment maker Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) has projected weak end markets for its products, so too does Cummins face the prospect of a tough future.
Let's take a closer look at Cummins to see whether it can break out of its downturn and give shareholders the growth they want to see.
What's next for Cummins earnings?
In recent months, investors have dramatically reduced their views on Cummins earnings. The cut to fourth-quarter projections has been limited to less than a dime per share, but full-year 2016 earnings estimates have fallen by more than $1 per share. The stock has also continued its descent, falling another 19% since late October.
Much of those declines came in the wake of Cummins' third-quarter results, which showed just how difficult the current environment is right now. Revenue fell more than 5%, and a 10% decline in earnings was far worse than the gains most investors had expected to see. Although Cummins stayed strong in its core North American market, extreme weakness in its international segment came both from poor economic conditions there as well as currency-related factors. When explaining the shortfall, CEO Tom Linebarger pointed to multi-year lows in demand from key emerging markets China and Brazil, and the company also cut its guidance for the full year.
If anything, the situation has gotten worse for Cummins in the months since its last earnings report. The oil market has continued to struggle, and the fact that crude prices have hit levels not seen in more than a decade has only made it more difficult for would-be customers to buy trucks and other equipment containing Cummins components. In light of Cummins' decision to lay off 2,000 workers in an effort to restructure itself and cut costs, the company doesn't seem to expect much of a quick turnaround.
Part of the problem Cummins and Caterpillar both share is that their diverse exposure to different industries isn't doing them any favors in the current environment. Ordinarily, Caterpillar's different segments -- which include energy and transportation, resource industries, and construction -- would give the company some protection against weakness in one area of the business, but all of Caterpillar's segments have struggled in light of current conditions. Similarly, Cummins sells engines for everything from trucking to construction and agriculture, mining, marine applications, energy, and railroads. Nearly all of those areas have seen some recent challenges, and that is holding Cummins back overall.
In the Cummins earnings report, investors need to be prepared for more bad news and the potential for further gloomy guidance for 2016. Until the global economy starts to pick itself up off the mat, Cummins shareholders could see more losses in the stock price. Once volatile areas like commodities start to recover, only then is it likely that we'll see Cummins reach its full potential.


For the second week in a row, TNT led the night in the Thursday cable ratings. This time it was the network’s live broadcast of the 76ers vs Cavaliers NBA game that scored the top spot with a 0.7 rating in adults 18-49 and 2 million viewers. TNT landed in the top 3 of the night again with its broadcast of the later game between the Timberwolves and the Trailblazers as well, which scored a 0.5.
Last night also featured the highly-anticipated season 2 premiere of FX’s “Atlanta,” which saw the series return with its first episode since November 2016. The premiere raked in a 0.4 rating on the network with 851,000 viewers, and while this was down from the 0.5 that the show’s series premiere had scored, it was steady with its first season’s finale episode.
VH1’s “RuPaul’s All Stars” managed to continue its recent ratings uptick and rose one-tenth from its previous 0.4 to a 0.5 this week. On the History Channel, “Swamp People” held steady with another 0.3.


Uniformed police officers routinely crowd the hallways of the Criminal Justice Center, sitting on benches reading or looking at their phones as they wait to testify. Others are in small anterooms outside courtrooms, chatting with colleagues or preparing with prosecutors.
The pay meter is running all the while.
In the first seven months of fiscal year 2018, which ends June 30, police officers racked up $12 million in overtime related to testifying — or just waiting to testify — in court. That's one of the biggest reasons, with five months remaining in the fiscal year, the Police Department had already burned through its entire $57 million overtime budget.
The department is not alone. The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (PICA), the city's fiscal watchdog board, estimates that the city is on pace to spend $30 million more than its $135 million overtime budget for fiscal year 2018. The Sheriff's Office and Fire and Streets Departments are among those expected to go over budget.
But Police Department overtime has garnered the most attention during early City Council hearings on the next fiscal year's budget. PICA is also considering a study into reducing police overtime expenses, with a particular focus on the role of officers' court time.
"One of our largest drivers of overtime is preliminary hearings because officers are required to come to [court] for those hearings," Brian Abernathy, first deputy managing director, said during a budget hearing last week. "Part of the conversation with the courts is to see whether they would be willing to have some preliminary hearings back in the districts, which would in fact reduce overtime significantly. But again that's a longer conversation."
"He said he's not opposed to it, but of course we have to go to the judges and public defender and see if they aren't opposed," Ross said.
The judges, through a spokesman for the First Judicial District, declined to answer questions on the issue.
"The courts have no control over police overtime," spokesman Marty O'Rourke said.
Harvey Rice, PICA's executive director, said that when he met with court personnel last summer about police overtime, they pointed the finger at police and the District Attorney's Office. The Kenney administration and the District Attorney's Office also pointed fingers.
"That meeting got very contentious and heated in regards to who was responsible for court overtime and what measures needed to be put in place that could help alleviate that," Rice said in an interview last week.
Rice plans to ask the PICA board at its April meeting to hire a consultant to study police overtime. Based on the meetings PICA staff has had with officials so far about court-related police overtime, he said several issues came up that should be studied further.
For example, Rice said, officers appearing in court used to check in and out with a fingerprint system, but now, court liaisons, often police officers on temporary desk duty, sign subpoenaed officers in and out — a potentially less precise method.
Rice also said some judges reported some police officers' request to be called last to testify, therefore prolonging their time on the clock.
Then there is the disagreement on scheduling. Rice said that both the First Judicial District and District Attorney's Office said that the Police Department's schedule is coordinated with the case processing system and that officers are not generally asked to appear when to do so would conflict with their work schedule.
But police officers said their work schedules hardly coincide with required court appearances.
Whoever is at fault, it doesn't matter to the officers getting the extra money.
One who recently was waiting to be called in a trial said he had been sitting outside the room for the better part of a week. Even if he never took the stand, he cracked to a court officer during a break one day, at least he'd be able to afford a new pair of snakeskin boots.
Payroll records indicate that the Police Department's largest overtime earners are generally detectives, many of whom earn tens of thousands of dollars each year on top of their salaries. In 2017, according to payroll records, seven detectives each earned more than $75,000 in overtime. In 2016, five of the city's 10 highest overtime earners were detectives; it was not clear how much of that extra pay was tied to court appearances.
One homicide detective, who declined to be identified without department authorization, said the money reflects the workload most investigators shoulder. Homicide detectives often work extended shifts after being assigned a new murder investigation, and after they spend time in court for cases they previously helped to build, many return to the unit to continue investigating their open cases.
"You can't put a price on staying [at work] and clearing [an investigation]," he said.
John McNesby, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the officers' union, said the cops who earn lots of overtime are generally the ones who work long hours and make a lot of arrests, which results in more court notices to testify.
"The more active you are, the more overtime you're going to make," McNesby said.
It is unclear how much money would be saved if preliminary hearings were held in the districts.
"We do not have a targeted reduction at this point because, again, the system is not just us, it's also the district attorney, it's also the courts," Abernathy said. "We need to be able to advance that conversation further down the road before we can identify exactly what those savings will be."
One thing is for sure: The city doesn't expect police costs to decrease in fiscal year 2019, Budget Director Anna Adams said.


Niko Kovac left Eintracht Frankfurt the perfect parting gift with victory against his future employers Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal final. Kovac delivered the cup, and with it European football next season, in his final game in charge before replacing Jupp Heynckes as Bayern manager this summer as Frankfurt won 3-1 in Berlin.
Ante Rebic scored either side of Robert Lewandowski’s equaliser, with his second goal after 82 minutes surviving a VAR check by the referee after Bayern appealed for a handball in the build-up. That was not the end of the replay drama, however, as Frankfurt survived another review in injury time when the referee decided that Kevin-Prince Boateng’s kick on Javi Martínez was not worthy of a penalty.
With Bayern still seething and their goalkeeper Sven Ulreich up for a corner, Frankfurt broke and the substitute Mijat Gacinovic raced clear of two opponents to roll the ball into the empty net and spark wild celebrations with his team-mates and supporters.
While it was the perfect send-off for Kovac, it denied Heynckes a Bundesliga and cup double on his farewell as Frankfurt claimed their first title for 30 years following defeat in the final 12 months ago. Bayern will feel two huge decisions went against them and were left to rue chances from Lewandowski and Mats Hummels which struck the crossbar.
Real Madrid blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Villarreal in their final La Liga match before the Champions League final against Liverpool. The Real coach, Zinedine Zidane, handed a debut to his 20-year-old son Luca as first-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas was rested before the European clash in Kiev on 26 May, but he otherwise named a strong side.
Gareth Bale, deployed in a central role, broke the deadlock after 11 minutes to score for the fourth La Liga match in a row, with Cristiano Ronaldo adding a second just after the half hour to put the visitors in control. Villarreal, though, mounted an unlikely comeback when the substitute Roger Martínez fired in with 19 minutes left before another sub, Samu Castillejo, beat the offside trap, rounded Zidane and secured a dramatic draw. The result means Real will finish third behind the champions Barcelona and second-placed Atlético Madrid, who host Eibar in their La Liga finale on Sunday.
Maxi Gómez and Iago Aspas scored two goals apiece as Celta Vigo finished the season with a 4-2 home victory against in-form Levante. Paco López’s visiting Levante side had banished any relegation concerns on the back of an impressive five-match winning sequence – including ending Barcelona’s long unbeaten run last weekend – and they took an early lead through Rubén Rochina.
However, Celta, who announced on Saturday that Juan Carlos Unzué will not be continuing as coach, mounted an impressive response. Gómez struck either side of Aspas’s double to put the result beyond doubt with a little over an hour on the clock, before José Luis Morales scored a consolation for Levante 15 minutes from time.
There were also plenty of goals at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque where Leganes were 3-2 winners against Real Betis, despite playing much of the match with 10 men. The Betis forward Joel Campbell opened the scoring after 20 minutes before things got worse for the hosts with a red card for Diego Rico four minutes later. But the 10 men rallied and goals from Dimitris Siovas and José Naranjo turned the game on its head. Antonio Sanabria levelled things after 76 minutes but the hosts would not be denied and Nordin Amrabat netted the winning goal shortly afterwards.
Cristhian Stuani scored both of Girona’s goals as they finished the campaign with a 2-1 win at relegated Las Palmas, who had levelled through a Jonathan Calleri penalty. Loïc Rémy’s penalty gave Getafe a 1-0 win at the bottom club Málaga while Wissam Ben Yedder was on target as Sevilla won by the same scoreline at home against Alavés.


Mumbai: Benchmark indices BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 surged nearly 1% on Tuesday as trends indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form government in Karnataka. Polling for the 222 of Karnataka’s 224 assembly constituencies was held on 12 May. However, analysts believe that post Karnataka elections, all focus will return to existing risks.
Early indications suggest a strong lead for BJP, just short of absolute majority, in Karnataka Assembly elections. This will go extremely well with the stock market, as it will anticipate the BJP forming the government on its own, possibly with the help of Independent candidates. Importantly, BJP’s huge tally will mean, it will hold all key ministries, which would have been shared, in case a strong partner was to ally with them. This ensures tighter control on the state. The verdict will be seen as a big sentimental positive for the indices, which were factoring in a severely fractured mandate. Market will take cues from this victory and expect similar result in the General Elections of 2019. Stability in government is what the stock market is seeking.
Karnataka was perceived as a bellwether for India’s state elections, with early indications of a strong mandate for the BJP likely a shot in the arm for market sentiments; this will take part of the sting from heightened asset markets volatility and wider GST-led adjustments. Short-term relief gains are likely in the domestic markets, particularly the currency, before attention returns to the prevailing exogenous risks.
Preliminary indications suggest massive loss to Congress and corresponding gains to BJP and JDS alliance. This is a positive surprise to the market. These results can be presumed to be harbinger for 2019 elections which is why the market is rejoicing. Populist measures which were earlier expected may not actually happen which would be considered good by all the international and local investors.
One known unknown uncertainty is over for the market sentiments, however, external perils are still bigger headwinds.


To discuss bilateral engagement issues in the hydrocarbon sector, minister of petroleum and natural gas and skill development and entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan recently met union minister for Construction, Electricity and Energy of Myanmar, U Win Khaing.
In the upstream sector, the ministers discussed the current and future investments by Indian oil PSUs in Myanmar. Currently, ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and GAIL have invested in gas producing blocks in Myanmar. OVL also has stakes in exploratory blocks in Myanmar. Indian companies Indian Oil Corporation, Numaligarh Refinery Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd are exporting petroleum products, lubricants and paraffin wax to Myanmar. Indian PSU companies have invested over US $ 1 billion in the upstream and midstream sectors in Myanmar.
Pradhan said India is interested in participating in midstream and downstream sectors in Myanmar, including setting up a refinery, storage, distribution and marketing of petroleum products in Myanmar. He also extended proposals to assist Myanmar in training and capacity building in hydrocarbon sector.


A woman has died in a fire at a house in Leicester.
The blaze started at a property in Saffron Lane at about 16:46 GMT on Wednesday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.
A spokesman for the service said the woman, aged in her fifties, was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation has begun into what caused the fire. Leicestershire Police said no-one else was injured and a cordon remains in place at the house.


An opportunity has arisen due to growing numbers to incorporate a Secondary Science (Biology) post starting September 2018. The role would consist of teaching science and Chemistry throughout secondary at this stage.
The school was founded in 1992 in the centre of Valencia as a coeducational British School with a small class of seven children. These children have now gone to university and the number on roll has increased to 750 children in 31 classes.
The school remains in the same location as the beginning but has expanded to occupy the ground floor of the block where it is situated, and continues to expand to occupy more space. It is the only British School in the centre of Valencia. Therefore it is easily accessible to teachers, who normally take apartments near the school and the centre.
Apply with covering letter, CV via the button below.
Successful applicant must be fully qualified and have extensive experience, including a thorough understanding and knowledge of the National Curriculum.
The ability to teach Science to Key Stage 3, 4 and Biology up to Key Stage 5.
Ability to assist in the further development of Science in the curriculum at all Key Stages.
Develop appropriate schemes of work.


Your experience at this Preferred Lifestyle resort will be just as indulgent as you might think. Here, you'll have 360 guest rooms and suites to choose from, all of which feature flat-screen TVs, pillow-top mattresses, desks, wet bars and private balconies. Travelers praise everything from the customer service to the lovely pool area (perfect for lounging). While here, you can also take advantage of the in-house spa and salon, which offers a variety of treatments ranging from massages to nail care. Meanwhile, this expansive property also boasts several on-site dining options; guests highly recommend the contemporary American cuisine served at Neomi's. However, according to some visitors, be prepared to drop a lot of dough; a stay here isn't cheap. You'll find the Trump International Beach Resort Miami in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, about 13 miles north of Miami Beach's busy South Beach area.
Limited nightlife options, plus two pools and a free kids' club, make it a better fit for families and business travelers than scene-hunting sophisticates.
This resort's circular structure towers above the beachfront, which lends itself to a defined distinction. From the lobby to the rooms to the pool, you'll find distinction right at your fingertips.
A hotel's guest rating is calculated using data provided under license by TripAdvisor. A total of 2437 have reviewed the Trump International Beach Resort Miami, giving it a rating of 4, on a scale of 1-5.
Each guest room and suite at the Trump International Beach Resort Miami has a private balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows with Intracoastal Waterway or ocean views. The sand-and-surf color scheme is complemented by cherry-stained wood furniture and fluffy white beds. In a nod to convenience over white-glove luxury, rooms also include Keurig coffee makers, wet bars, desks and dining tables.
The Trump International Beach Resort Miami is located in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, a wealthy enclave between Miami and Fort Lauderdale (and their respective airports). The property is right on the beach, and the resort provides a luxury shuttle to South Beach, the Bal Harbour Shops and the Aventura Mall.
Neomi's at the Trump International Beach Resort Miami is open for breakfast and dinner and serves American cuisine with a South Florida twist. Gili's Beach Club is located on the beach and features Mediterranean fare, and Gili's Pool Bar offers salads, sandwiches, sushi and tropical cocktails by the pool. And in the lobby's Fusion Lounge, guests will find sushi and sashimi.
The pool deck at the Trump International Beach Resort Miami features a grotto-style upper pool, a lap pool and several hot tubs, plus a bar and poolside food and beverage service. The deck overlooks the resort's 900 feet of beach, which also has its own bar and water sports equipment rentals like Jet Skis, snorkeling gear, kayaks and paddleboards.
Aquanox Spa & Fitness Center at the Trump International Beach Resort Miami offers massages, facials, body treatments, waxing and hydrotherapy, along with custom packages for individuals, couples or groups. Seasonal spa specials like vanilla bean sugar scrubs, cranberry massages and pumpkin spice facials are also available. Additionally, the facility features locker rooms with a eucalyptus steam room, a Finnish sauna and showers.
The Trump International Beach Resort Miami's Planet Kids club offers children ages 4 to 12 a daily schedule of environment-related activities. On Friday evenings, families can participate in an astronomy-themed program that includes dinner, a short movie about the solar system and stargazing. The resort can provide cribs and high chairs on request.
Free Planet Kids club open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Trump International Beach Resort Miami recently upgraded its 24-hour fitness center with new Life Fitness equipment, and the gym offers strength-training equipment, free weights and cardio machines. The 1,400-square-foot facility also offers locker rooms with a eucalyptus steam room, showers and a Finnish sauna. The resort's outdoor tennis court can be reserved by the hour.
The Trump International Beach Resort Miami's business center is more visible than most, in a glass-enclosed circular room full of all the usual equipment. The resort's 22,000 square feet of meeting and function space can accommodate groups from a dozen to a few hundred participants. Audiovisual, communication and catering support are also available on-site.
The Ocean Ballroom at the Trump International Beach Resort Miami boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the ocean and 5,075 square feet of space that can accommodate up to 320 seated guests, while the 5,160-square-foot Bay View Room can host up to 350 people for banquets. The resort also offers beachfront or poolside ceremonies, and smaller reception spaces like the restaurant's terrace.