There is no reason for punishment since the elements of the alleged disciplinary violation have not materialized, said the federation in a statement late Sunday that explained its decision about the clubs, including Fenerbahce, which was barred from this seasons Champions League as a result of the investigation.

The announcement came a week after the federation said an independent soccer ethics committee looking into the match-fixing allegations concluded there was no evidence that alleged attempts to fix games had altered the course of the matches.

A total of 93 officials, players and coaches, including the president of reigning champion Fenerbahce, are on trial, accused of helping fix matches last season. The federations decision could affect the course of the trial, which was relying in part on the federations guidance.

The federation banned striker Ibrahim Akin of Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi for three years for allegedly fixing the result of a game when his team lost to Fenerbahce 2-0 on May 1, 2011. It also banned Serdar Kulbilge of Genclerbirligi for two years for allegedly attempting to fix the result of a game that Fenerbahce won 4-2.

It said eight other people — including Fenerbahce officials Mehmet Sekip Mosturoglu, Ilhan Yuksel Eksioglu, and Cemil Turhan — were slapped with a disciplinary measure called deprivation of rights. That amounts to barring a person from any administrative or sports activities, including entering the stadiums.

However, that disciplinary measure can be postponed.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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Todays Weather: We can expect another beautiful day today according to the National Weather Service daily forecast. Mostly sunny skies with a high near 76 degrees.

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Tonight: Partly cloudy skies with an overnight low near 39 degrees.

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Stop by the Simsbury Public Library this afternoon for the second of three Music Listening Adventures with Cellist David Sims. Sims will walk you through some of the most unusual musical instruments and the music they produce. Today youll get to hear the first musical works written for a music box, an entirely electronic orchestra, and an instrument you can play without even touching it! The free program begins at 1:30 pm

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Come back to the library tonight for a special presentation about Therapy Dogs in the Home by the Farmington Valley VNA. This program is free and open to the public and will be held tonight from 6 pm to 8 pm Contact Sandee Fleet, Farmington Valley VNA Community Liaison, for further information at 860-651-3539 or sfleet@farmingtonvalleyvna.org.

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The Free Lunch Comics: Fish, Food, and other Junk exhibit is still open at Henry James Memorial School. Be sure to stop by and see some great, locally-produced comic art. The exhibit will be open until May 25. To arrange viewing times, please contact the school at (860) 651-3341.

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If you havent already, be sure to sign up for the Simsbury Patch daily newsletter. Each morning well send you the latest news and information about Simsbury right to your inbox. Its like the morning paper, only we wont get ink on your fingers! Log on and get connected to your community today!

Have an event or announcement you would like featured on Simsbury Patch? Add it to the calendar or email jeff.brush@patch.com.

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I dont have time to share the details of everything just yet (have a session to get back to!); but I wanted to share a few photos and brief notes.

The day started out with an opening keynote from Anita Hairston, a transportation policy expert with PolicyLink, a research organization that advocates for economic and social equity. Hairston shared what PolicyLink has learned about how to go beyond the usual suspects and reach into a broader audience for active transportation. (Many advocates are struggling with how to get their messages into more racially diverse and lower income communities.)

Hairston emphasized the people, the faces behind transportation project decisions, saying that successful community engagement needs to be inclusive, accessible, and transparent. One audience member asked how advocates and planners could their messages into communities where biking and walking are not on the radar. Get trusted, local messengers, advised Hairston, Then carefully listen to the community voice and wisdom.

The President said the government had initially allocated P200- million, comprising 33 percent of the countrys sports development fund, for honing athletes in identifi ed sports disciplines. The President outlined the countrys Sports Road Map for 2011-2016 which the President said would help revitalize Philippine sports and guide its quest for the elusive Olympic gold medals. The President recalled in 2011, he launched the Batang Pinoy national sports competition to help develop local athletes in their quest for medals abroad. Along this line, he had revived the Philippine National Games to serve as national tryouts for potential athletes from the grassroots for them to be given a chance to join the Philippine team.

The President said his administration has not neglected the well-being of persons with disabilities, including inmates in various jails nationwide. He said the government has set aside P5-million so that persons with disabilities can continue their participation in sports activities that will enhance their health and well-being. At the same time, funds were also allocated so that some 8,000 inmates in various jails could be given regular fi tness regimen that can contribute to their good health. President Aquino lauded the Palarong Pambansa whose legacy developed many legends over the years like Lydia de Vega and Elma Muros in athletics, Danny Ildefonso and Marlou Aquino in basketball, Susan Papa and Eric Buhain in swimming, and countless others. He said the Palaro has served as the stage in measuring the strength and capacity of athletes nationwide who could carry the countrys fl ag overseas.

Those who welcomed the President at the Palarong Pambansa included Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Education Secretary Armin Luistro as well as former President Fidel Ramos during whose incumbency the fi rst Palarong Pambansa was held in Pangasinan in 1995. Meanwhile, Region 12s (Soccsaksargen) formidable boxing team is aiming for a grand slam win in the ring events. Jade Palomar, Region 12 boxing coach, said his team is ready to defend anew the Palaro boxing championship, which it brought home in the last two national games. Region 12, which carries the Cotabato Regional Athletic Association (CRAA) banner, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Palomar said the preliminary bouts have been set starting Monday and they expect to gain strong fi nishes from 2011 Palaro silver medalist Esneth Ray Domingo Jr. of Sultan Kudarat province in the mosquito weight division and Boy Bryan Daygon of Sarangani in the paperweight division. Also part of the team were Jobert Cantero (Cotabato Province) in the kiddie weight; Jade Bornia (General Santos City) in the light fl yweight; Larry Camilo Jr. (South Cotabato) in the antweight; Richard Sequino (South Cotabato) in the powderweight; and Rodel Velez (South Cotabato) in the pinweight division. Its a big challenge for the team to defend the championship but Im confi dent that we can achieve that, Palomar said. He said the team undergone rigid training for 20 days in Koronadal City before leaving for Pangasinan last week. Aside from boxing, the CRAA delegation is also expecting strong finishes in Arnis, Taekwondo, Athletics, Baseball, Softball and Volleyball. PNA

Analysts believe a still limping economy with tepid job growth will keep the president on the defensive as he fights to secure a second term. One bright spot, the revival of the American auto industry, saved almost 1.5 millions jobs, according to the Center for Automotive Research and kept the economic damage from spreading even further. The carmakers trip from bankruptcy to profitability was made possible by his support. Oddly enough Mitt Romney, who was raised in suburban Detroit and whose father was a former governor of Michigan and a president of American Motors, still says bailing out the automakers was wrong.

In a similar vein the Republican-controlled House has put up a roadblock to a transportation bill passed by the Senate that has the potential to be a more powerful job engine than the auto bailout. If enacted it would keep over 2.5 million construction workers on the job. But the discussions about our transportation future shouldnt just be about keeping the shovels turning and autoworkers on the job. Yes, we need to look at jobs, but we also need to see we are not in this alone. The United States should be part of a global move toward interconnected, seamless transportation that, in addition to creating jobs locally, reduces the threat of global climate change, enhances trade and improves the health and livability of our rapidly urbanizing world while making sure we dont leave less populated areas behind.

This was the theme of the International Transport Forum recently held (May 2-4) in Leipzig, Germany. The Forum brought together over 750 transport experts, suppliers, government officials and journalists from developed countries to meet with their counterparts from the rapidly developing countries for a series of discussions about the need to craft a vision for an interconnected future. The dire consequences of not changing how we move people and goods underpinned the conference.

Unless action is taken, I mean, unless action is taken now — CO2 emissions from transport will skyrocket from a level that is already tremendously high, said Angel Gurria, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Currently, transportation is responsible for 23 percent of man made CO2 emissions globally, said Gurria. The reason? About 96 percent of transportation is still powered by fossil fuels. Gurria noted that without immediate action, by 2050 we will see a 50 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions with a disastrous impact on the living standards of the world.

Electric cars are seen as part of the solution that alone can reduce projected emissions growth 12 percent by 2050, according to Gurria. He sees electrics making a big difference in taxis and delivery vehicles where trips are short but usage is intensive. But the, biggest reductions (in the auto sector) will come from fuel economy improvements in conventional vehicles.

Even if we throttle down emissions from passenger cars in developed countries, emissions from transporting freight will probably continue to increase. The big worry comes from the growth and demand for cars in emerging economies like India and China.

Of course, its the appetite for cars from exactly those countries that has spurred the recovery of the American auto industry as well as kept other global automakers factories humming. As part of the conference, BMW, whose sales in China recently surpassed its United States totals, hosted a tour of its Leipzig plant. It currently produces 740 cars a day at this factory but has the ability to rapidly increase capacity as needed. The transport ministers didnt suggest countries should curtail auto production but emphasized the need to create systems that are less dependent on cars.

Urban transportation was a major focus of the conference since its been estimated that by 2050 over 70 percent of the worlds population will live in cities up from 18 percent today.

The number of people riding bicycles to school and work, taking streetcars or buses and walking in Leipzig showed what that future could look like. Traveling through town I couldnt help notice that it wasnt just a few cycling fanatics or students who were reclaiming the streets with their bikes. The city was also linked to the rest of Germany and Europe by an efficient rail system with centrally located train stations that were served by streetcars, buses and taxis that provided connections to airports. Inexpensive rental bicycles were also readily available.

Coming from Los Angeles and seeing that it was easy to catch a streetcar or take a bus from the airport reminded me of how completely our transportation options have been defined by the automobile. As recently as the 1950s, Los Angeles had a streetcar system with over 1800 miles of track. It was ripped up and replaced by wide lanes and freeways that promised the joy of the open road. The good news is that gridlocked LA is rebuilding its light rail system using some of the abandoned right of ways from the system that was destroyed. But even if the city can find the funding to complete its current plans we will only have about 750 miles of track. Thats less than half of what existed before.

Connections between cities by improved high-speed rail systems are seen as important ways to reduce dependency on cars and on air travel. This September, Japan is set to launch its fourth generation of high-speed rail since the first lines went into operation ahead of the 1964 Summer Olympics. The new trains have a projected top speed of 205 miles per hour.

In the United States, high-speed rail, like the auto bailout, has been castigated as a wasteful government program. Republican governors Rick Scott of Florida, John Kasich of Ohio and Scott Walker of Wisconsin all turned down available Federal funds. Californias governor is happy to take the money to build a system linking Los Angeles and San Francisco but its become tied up by routing and funding disputes.

Given the fragile state of the economies of the United States and within the European Union, its easy to understand why any program meets resistance. But even cash-strapped Britain is reopening some rail stations that were closed prematurely, said Norman Baker, the new transportation minister. It is possible in times of tight budgets to make improvements, he said.

Thats an important lesson for our country. Even though the Obama administration has made funding available for various bridges, roads and rail projects what seems to be missing is a vision for what a modern American transportation system would look like. And why we need to do it now. Our current auto-centric system of freeways serving suburbs festooned with drive ins was first showcased to the public at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair in the General Motors Pavilion. Dubbed Futurama, this eye popping display of the future packed them in as visitors, seated in moving auto seats, watched a rural diorama be transformed step by step. Farms and small towns were replaced by single family homes in subdivisions ringing gleaming cities served by an efficient and uncrowded network of multi-lane highways. The industrial designer, Norman Bel Geddes, was the Svengali who created this compelling show. Hed caught the eye of GM execs who admired his streamlined products and theater set designs. World War Two interrupted its implementation but after the war, the public was ready to see this fictional Futurama become reality.

Moving forward will require public support inspired by a new vision that conjures up a compelling future of walkable cities and towns, bicycles, streetcars, clean buses, high-speed trains and fuel-efficient cars close to accessible airports. We have a lot to undo and rebuild to get there. China and India and other countries still have the opportunity to get it right the first time. The result for countries, states and cities that join the transportation transformation will be jobs and economic growth, a cleaner environment, reduced concerns about global climate change, healthier people who get more exercise from riding bikes and walking and the knowledge that weve built a sustainable system that meets the needs of our people while connecting us to the world.

Posted at 05:48 PM ET, 05/07/2012

TheWashingtonPost

Transportation Department seeking input from veterans
By Dana Hedgpeth

The U.S. Transportation Department is trying to get input on the transportation needs of the country’s veterans, military service members, wounded service members and their families as they build their lives back in their communities.

The Web-based dialogue runs from May 7 to June 8. It can be found at www.projectaction.org.

In a statement, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “One important way we can honor our veterans and their loved ones is to help find transportation options that work for them. Getting to work, school, or a doctor’s office shouldn’t be a struggle.”

He said his agency is “committed to working with veterans to identify and remove transportation barriers so they can more easily meet their daily needs.”

Follow me on Twitter @postmetrogirl.

By Dana Hedgpeth
 | 
05:48 PM ET, 05/07/2012

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Memorial Day weekend to open summer getaway season for D.C. area travelers

New York, NY (PRWEB) May 07, 2012

The experts at Fodors Travel today announced the re-launch of their City Guide apps for iPhone#174; and iPad#174;, integrated with new partners and functionality and available free-of-charge for the first time. The six popular city guide apps, available for New York City, Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona and San Francisco, and featuring interactive offline maps, are powered by developer Red Foundrys new Fusion platform, the worlds first network that unites app developers and publishers with feature and service providers.

The updated apps allow travelers to book hotels through the Expedia Affiliate Network, a private label division of Expedia Inc.#174;, the worlds leading online travel agency, make dinner plans with OpenTable#174;, a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations, and show and concert tickets through TicketsNowtrade;, Ticketmaster#174;s resale marketplace. The introduction of these new partners makes it possible for users to go seamlessly from researching and browsing Fodors expert City Guide recommendations to booking reservations and purchasing tickets without leaving the app.

Fodors understands its travelers are on the go and need curated, trusted information, whether theyre in the planning stages or during their travels, says Amanda DAcierno, Vice President and Publisher of Fodors. We are thrilled to be offering our new free Fodors City Guide apps, providing travelers with instantaneous access to our expert recommendations, making booking a fantastic hotel, memorable restaurant, or hit show simple and easy.

As one of the pioneering mobile app publishers to make use of Red Foundrys Fusion platform for development, Fodors has created a best-in-class travel app, says Jim Heising, Product Manager and Co-Founder of Red Foundry. The apps integration with service providers such as Expedia.com makes an excellent model for how apps can use the power of Fusion to enhance the experience for users.

With geolocation service built in, travelers can search to see what is nearby or can browse the City Guide by interest, including what to see, what to eat, shops, nightlife/arts, where to stay and more, both online and offline. Featuring the same great content as Fodors guidebooks and website, the apps include the most reliable, up-to-date, travel intelligence available:

• Quickly find expert reviews of restaurants, shops, sights, and hotels, thanks to our multiple sort and search options
• Explore by neighborhood or find whats nearby with detailed interactive maps
• Jump to the best of the best with our exclusive Fodors Choice picks
• Navigate with ease wherever you are with bonus offline maps, saving on data-roaming charges
• Keep track of all your favorites with handy bookmarking and field-note tools

Whether you are overcome with a craving for Indian food while touring London or the lights on Broadway inspire a search for last minute tickets to a show in New York – the latest versions of Fodors City Guide apps make spontaneous trip planning even easier.

Nook#174; and Android editions of the apps will be available in the coming months.

About Fodors Travel

Fodors Travel, a division of Random House, Inc., is one of the worlds leading providers of travel information. Covering over 7,500 worldwide destinations, Fodors guidebooks and website, Fodors.com, have provided the most up-to-date, accurate information for travelers since 1936. Written by a vast team of global correspondents, Fodors provides travelers with engagingly written, locally reported, and absolutely indispensable travel guidance. Visit www.Fodors.com.

About Red Foundry

Red Foundry connects mobile developers who want more capabilities for their apps to the feature and service providers who have them. With premium services and features ready to plug and play into native apps, Red Foundry Fusion enhances mobile apps of every kind. Red Foundry was founded in 2009 by a team of technology veterans who have built successful start-ups for over a decade. For additional information about Red Foundry and the Fusion network, visit www.RedFoundry.com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/5/prweb9478432.htm

About this feature

Sports Scene is a Miami Herald feature that spotlights news and notes from all youth sports activities in your neighborhood. The aim of the section is to feature game notes and the accomplishments of individual players, along with league and park standings.

We rely on the directors and coaches of each league to send information for Sports Scene. We also accept photos, but we ask that everyone pictured be identified with a first and last name and the name of the team or park they represent. If possible, please include the name of the photographer.

The section is free and open to anyone. For more information on how to have your league featured, email sportsscene@MiamiHerald.com or send a fax to 305-376-5287.