Question:
Turkey begins 4-day coronavirus curfew in 31 provinces

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Turkey began enforcing a four-day curfew in 31 provinces as of midnight April 22 to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The curfew notice, sent in a circular by the Interior Ministry to the governors of the provinces, was ordered in the capital Ankara as well as Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak.

According to the circular, bakeries, hospitals, pharmacies and workplaces producing health products and medical supplies will continue to operate.

Markets and grocery stores will operate from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 23-24 due to the beginning of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

They will be closed on April 25 and 26.

People who work in certain job sectors will be exempted.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on April 20 that Turkey planned to extend its curfew over the weekend in 31 provinces as part of measures against the virus.

April 23 is a public holiday commemorating the foundation of Turkey’s parliament and the country also observes National Sovereignty Day and Children’s Day every year.

For the first time, Turkey imposed a 48-hour curfew in 31 provinces across the country on April 11-12 as part of measures to combat COVID-19.

Turkey lifts 3-day coronavirus curfew in 31 provinces

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Turkey lifted a 72-hour curfew as of midnight on May 3, which had been imposed in 31 provinces to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The government enforced its fourth weekend-long stay-at-home order, which included the May 1 International Labour Day holiday.

Turkish citizens in 31 provinces followed the curfew by and large staying at their homes, said the Interior Ministry in a statement on May 3.

Judicial or administrative proceedings were applied for 27,828 people who broke the curfew between May 1 and May 3, the ministry added.

The country's first curfew was implemented on April 11-12.

The curfew was effective in the capital Ankara as well as Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak.

Turkey followed 3-day virus restrictions: Ministry

The Turkish public largely complied with the three-day restrictions taken in 31 provinces to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Interior Ministry said on May 3.

In a statement, the ministry said that although most people adopted the stay-at-home rules, judicial or administrative proceedings were applied for 27,828 people who broke the three-day curfew.

The ministry also said that the quarantine was lifted at 247 residential areas in 54 provinces.

Calling on citizens to observe social distancing rules and isolation, the ministry urged people to wear masks in necessary places.

Despite positive results thanks to measures, the ministry said: “The danger of the pandemic has not passed yet.”

Depending on who you talk to, the decade is either ending tonight or a year from now. The Macalope’s not going to weigh in on whether or not a decade runs from 0 to 9 or 1 to 10. This is a technology column, he doesn’t get into religion.

Regardless, a lot of people are looking back on the decade of Apple news and taking stock of what were the big events and products of the last ten years that are at least an elapsed decade whether or not they are a canonical decade.

Which, if The Macalope knows his terminology, is a decade that you can fire out of a cannon. Just checking his notes and… yes, it can be any cannon. Military, shirt, confetti, what have you.

What were we talking about?

Oh, right. The last decade of Apple.

We sure got into a lot of dumb arguments, didn’t we? Is market share the most important thing ever or is it of some kind of uber-importance that cannot be measured by our universe’s science? Is the iPad a computer or just a sandwich? How big of a flop is the Apple Watch? And how devastating are those yearly iPhone production cuts that happen every year after the big launch but, ZOMG, this year they’re cutting production?!

By the way, that is the last time The Macalope is legally allowed to use “ZOMG”. Yep, it’s been deprecated as of 2020. Some would say as of 2012. Anyway, it had a good run.

Here’s a question from the last 10 years that no one followed up on: did anyone ever get wrist cancer from the Apple Watch? That’s one The Macalope thinks about from time to time. At least Apple eventually shipped the cancer-causing Apple Watch after “disappearing” for a while in mid-2014 by failing to ship something in the wearables category that was vastly important in the mid-2010s but now that Apple owns it, no one talks about it anymore.

The Macalope could go on and on about this. Seriously, he even has an interpretive dance about all the dumb things people said about Apple in the 2010s. It was very well reviewed in Dumb Dance Quarterly.

But he doesn’t want to leave the year and the decade on such a sour note. Instead, in the spirit of reaching across the aisle, he’d like to point to this piece by Antonio Villas-Boas at none other than Business Insider where Villas-Boas lays out his reasons for using Android and Windows without committing the crimes of claiming that it must be so for everyone if it is so for him and that Apple can do no good.

Sure, he drops a soupçon of “walled garden”-style references, but it’s not like The Macalope doesn’t use a garbage truck of “cess pool of malware” references when talking about Android.

(The cess pool really is the worst kind of pool, isn’t it? It’s not even a contest.)

The Macalope doesn’t care what platform people choose. Choose the right one for you. There are very good reasons to use Android over iOS and Windows over the Mac. Villas-Boas values hardware choice, and that’s a completely valid reason to not use Apple products. Just stop trying to tell us Apple platforms suck and the company is going out of business any day. Despite the company’s ridiculous level of success in the 2010s, that didn’t happen. Something to aspire to in the 2020s.

Not that The Macalope is saying that’s a canonical decade.

Just to be clear. The horny one’s not in the pocket of Big Decade. Don’t threaten The Macalope’s children.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to Macau this week, to join the 20th anniversary celebrations for the territory's return to the Motherland, after 450 years of Portuguese control (https://macaunews.mo/president-xi-jinping-to-arrive-on-december-18-government-sources-say/). He's staying three days, which is unprecedented and a statement in itself. Macau's history is much different than that of colonial Hong Kong, and you can feel the striking differences by visiting both. Mrs. Graça Pacheco Jorge did a great job of explaining this, in her written interview on China Rising Radio Sinoland. It is well worth reading (https://chinarising.puntopress.com/2019/05/22/graca-pacheco-jorge-magical-and-mysterious-macau-the-anti-hong-kong-china-rising-radio-sinoland-190522/). She explains why Macau's reintegration into the Mainland China has been seamlessly successful.

During Xi's visit, it is expected that the development of a Macau stock market will be officially approved (https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1497360-20191212.htm). They even sold a Macau bond this week, worth US$730 million, to make another statement (https://www.chinanews.com/ga/2019/12-13/9033268.shtml). While not big by world standards, the message is clear. This is a direct result and an oblique riposte to the West's ongoing color revolution destruction of next-door Hong Kong (HK), something I have reported on extensively, since it began in 2014. This article/podcast gives a nice 10-point recap of the horrific events taking place there (https://chinarising.puntopress.com/2019/11/28/hong-kong-ensnared-in-the-wests-color-revolution-hot-box-the-latest-news-and-analysis-china-rising-radio-sinoland-191128/). Hong Kong is still a British colony in all but name.

Pictured above: I think the Macanese are trying to give Xi Jinping a hint. Here they are with a mock stock market board and Wall-Street-esque gong, to welcome their first bond sold.

This is part of much bigger picture concerning Hong Kong's precarity. For years, Baba Beijing has been holding Shenzhen's and Guangzhou's airports back, so as to not hurt Hong Kong's economy, which is critically dependent on short-stay tourists. Every year, 60 million visitors pass through for a few days of eating, shopping and sightseeing. China has let Hong Kong keep air tickets cheap, relative to nearby mainland Shenzhen and Guangzhou, not to mention letting HK have many more and frequent regional and international destinations. Ticket prices and destinations are currently so competitive in Hong Kong, that huge numbers of people in Shenzhen and Guangzhou take the high-speed train and ferry there, to then fly around the world. My wife and I did it all the time, when we lived in Shenzhen for three years. Like all these millions of transiting Mainlanders, we would often stay 1-2 days coming and/or going, spending our money in the local economy.

If Baba Beijing gives the go-ahead to China's airlines to compete with Hong Kong out of Shenzhen and Guangzhou, it would cripple Hong Kong's economy. That hasn't happened yet, but clearly China giving Macau the green light to open a NASDAQ-style stock market is a harbinger to Western color revolution destroyed HK, since the latter has historical bragging rights as Asia's "Wall Street". Baba Beijing has been keeping Macau's stock market dreams on the back burner for 20 years. The fact that it is being given the go ahead now is no coincidence (http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1166751.shtml and http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1166969.shtml).

The City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department will hold its second annual Job Fair on Sunday, March 8, 2-5 p.m. at the John T. O’Connor Center, 611 Winona Street.

In the coming months, Parks and Recreation will hire more than 100 people for a variety of part-time and seasonal positions, including lifeguards, summer camp staff, athletic field maintenance staff, umpires and referees, cashiers, and additional positions. The City Parks and Recreation Department manages four pools and 13 recreation/community centers and operates numerous sports leagues and recreational activities.

Job fair attendees will be able to interview on site. Application forms are available at KnoxvilleTN.gov/recreation.

Applicants for aquatics positions must be at least 15 years old. Applicants for summer camp staff must be at least 16. Applicants for all additional positions must be at least 18.

“Many summer jobs with Parks and Rec are ideal for young people to get training and job experience that they can build upon,” says Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Aaron Browning.

Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization. The Parks and Recreation Department encourages candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and diverse communities.

Anyone needing a disability accommodation to attend should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Stephanie Cook, at scook@knoxvilletn.gov or 865-215-2034. For an English interpreter, contact Title VI Coordinator Tatia M. Harris at 865-215-2831.

For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 865-215-4311.

Money

Jeff Bezos is still the richest person in the world, even after losing $10 billion in one year.

The Amazon founder held onto the top spot in the final day of the 2019 Bloomberg Billionaire Index with an estimated net worth of $115 billion. He’s trailed closely by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose estimated worth is $113 billion.

Bezos, Gates and French business magnate Bernard Arnault are the only three billionaires on the list whose net worths exceed $100 billion.

Bezos was expected to lose the top spot in the billionaire index after a choppy year for his finances. As part of his divorce settlement with ex-wife Mackenzie Bezos, he held onto 75% of the couple’s Amazon stock.

The rest went to his former wife, who also received a 4% stake in the company. That amounted to around $37 billion, making her the 25th-richest person in the world.

Gates briefly toppled Bezos in November after Amazon profits fell nearly 28% from the previous year while Microsoft shares soared 48%. But his time at the top was short-lived.

Familiar faces round out the current top 10. Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg clock in fourth and fifth. The Facebook founder added a staggering $26.3 billion to his personal wealth this year.

Julia Flesher Koch, widow of conservative businessman David Koch and the only woman in the top 10, is worth $62 billion.

The rankings are based on the number of households watching at least two minutes of a series, movie or special during its first 28 days on Netflix in 2019.

NEW YORK - Netflix Inc’s original film Murder Mystery, starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, topped a list of the streaming service’s most popular releases of 2019 in the United States but its award-winning The Crown failed to make the top 10.

Netflix said on Monday that science fiction series _Stranger Things _came in second, followed by the Michael Bay action movie 6 Underground. The animated movie Incredibles 2 and Martin Scorsese’s gangster film The Irishman took the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

The ranking was based on the number of households watching at least two minutes of a series, movie or special during its first 28 days on Netflix in 2019, the streaming service said.

British royal series The Crown, whose first two seasons cost a reported $130 million to make, did not appear in the top 10 list for either the US or the UK or Canada despite having won major awards, including for its leading actors. Season 3 was released in November and Netflix did not supply any viewing data.

Netflix, which boasts more than 158 million subscribers around the world, only selectively releases viewership figures for programming it considers a hit, and the numbers are not verified by a third party.

Executives at Netflix have said they plan to be more transparent with audience data to satisfy Hollywood producers and stars and to help viewers decide what to watch.

The limited details on what grabbed Netflix viewers’ attention this year came ahead of the company’s Jan. 21 quarterly earnings report, which will disclose revenue and membership by region for the first time.

The streaming heavyweight is facing new competition, particularly from Walt Disney Co, which has been removing its movies from Netflix and putting them on the Disney+ streaming service.

Netflix shares have risen 23% this year, the smallest annual rise in three years. The S&P 500 Index is up 29% for the year.

Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
NEW DELHI: Awareness and not anxiety is the key to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday at the launch of ‘COVID BEEP’, the country’s first indigenous wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for the affected patients.

Singh also said COVID BEEP would emerge as an effective antidote to the pandemic which the entire world is currently grappling with, a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

COVID BEEP, that stands for Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod, is India’s first indigenous, cost effective, wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for COVID-19 patients, according to the statement. (AGENCIES)

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh delivering the inaugural address after launching, through video conference, India’s first indigenous, cost effective, wireless gadget for COVID-19, developed by ESIC Medical College Hyderabad, on Sunday.

Registration is open now for our first PA Day Camp of the new year! Start 2020 off with a bang, and enjoy a day of crafts, games, and activities to celebrate ancient Egypt. The camp runs from 9 AM to 4 PM and is open for children ages 5 – 10.

January 31, 9 am – 4 pm

Cost is just $30 per child, and covers all craft supplies, includes early drop-off or late pick-up if required, and a healthy afternoon snack!

For more information or to register, call 613-257-8503 or email appletonmuseum@hotmail.com

New Years-fresh starts, clean slates and new resolutions. Every first of January, people set New Year’s Resolutions in the hopes of improving themselves or their lives; but how best to make them stick?

The following are a few tips to help with keeping what we resolve to do-or not do in the new year, according to experts:

1. Set intentions. An intention is a guiding principle for how you want to be, live, show up in the world and is the starting point to every goal.

2. Ask yourself why the intention or goal you set matters to you-and if it is realistic. Expectations that are too high can cause you to be too overwhelmed to start or maintain your goals.

3. Talk to people about your resolutions. This creates a support system as well as can hold you accountable.

4. Make a list of plans. Big goals can seem daunting, break your plan up into little things you can do each day to help achieve your ultimate goal.

5. Take the first step. Don’t procrastinate. You don’t need to wait until everything is just right. Get started now and make adjustments as you go along.

6. Ditch deprivation. Try not to approach your New Year’s resolutions from a place of deprivation, restriction or punishment.

7. Try not to focus on the end result. When you commit to the process of the goal, rather than the result, it’s easier to make it an enjoyable experience.

8. Take breaks. A goal should not consume your every thought and life, after all, is meant to be lived.

9. Plan for success. Instead of thinking about failing and what could go wrong, think of succeeding; put those positive thoughts out to the world. Worrying about failure is pointless and destructive.

10. Reward yourself. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small; you deserve it!

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hello, 2020... goodbye, alcohol? A growing number of people are cutting out drinking in the new year, and it's not just for the so-called "dry January." For some, it's a lifestyle change that could last much longer.The movement is called "Sober Curious." It's a trend to cut out alcohol long-term and makedrinking cool."It is a true curiosity," Laura McKowen, author of upcoming book "We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life," told ABC7 News. "Like, what might happen if I removed this thing from my life for a while? Just to see."McKowen worked in advertising for 15 years, which she described as being an alcohol-obsessed culture. She quit in 2016, a year or so after she became sober."I started an Instagram account five years ago, it was called 'Clear Eyes Full Heart,' just to talk about my own sobriety, and it was still a very underground thing then," she recalled. "And I would say now every other account is a sobriety account, and it's certainly become a really big thing."On Instagram, hastags like #sobercurious, #soberlife and #sobermovement have millions of tags.Sober bars are opening up around the country. In the Bay Area, restaurants are adding zero-proof cocktails to the menu.The blog "Hip Sobriety," by former San Francisco techie Holly Whitaker, has also helped fuel the movement.But there are some concerns about the trend."I think the fact that sobriety might be having a moment and might be starting to be looked at as something cool is great because it lowers the bar of the conversation," McKowne said. "That said, there always is a part of me that worries about the trendy side of it downplaying the seriousness of it for some people."Still, for people who are sober, like Jeffrey Holland, a recent college graduate who stopped drinking eight months ago for medical reasons -- the movement is refreshing."It's way more authentic. If you want to go talk to a girl or someone you want to meet, you're doing it all on your own volition," Holland said. "You're testing your abilities and innate characteristics 100% of the time, which sounds, I guess, exhausting, but it's kind of rewarding in the end."

As 2019 has come to a close, it’s time to step back and reflect on the number of awesome things that the year brought to the world of tech, streaming services and podcasts.

Below are just a few of my favourite things from 2019.

Favourite TV Show from a streaming service: The Boys

As someone who loves superhero TV shows, this one was pretty great because it offered a fresh take on the genre. It shows what would likely happen if superheroes actually existed. It isn’t afraid to get dark and weird, which makes it wildly entertaining. The Boys channels anarchic energy that makes it fresh and exciting.

In my opinion, Amazon outdid itself with this series, and it’s also pretty cool that the series was filmed in Toronto. You can recognize parts of the city as you watch, which is always fun.

Honourable mentions: The Umbrella Academy and The Witcher on Netflix

Favourite movie from a streaming service: El Camino

I remember saying for years that I wanted to know what happened to Jesse Pinkman after he drove through that chain-link fence. Well, Netflix delivered this year with the Breaking Bad movie.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie brought the closure that I wanted for so many years after the series finale of Breaking Bad. It was a wonderful final chapter for a series filled with amazing characters. The movie captured the essence of Breaking Bad and brought back all the characters that viewers, including myself, so dearly missed.

Although several people complained that it was too slow or too boring, they seem to have forgotten that Breaking Bad itself was not a fast-paced show, and so the movie stayed true to this storytelling format.

Honourable mentions: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix

Favourite podcast: Crime Junkie

As someone who enjoys true crime, this podcast is pretty great because it focuses on a different case each episode. The hosts are when they recap cases and offer a number of different theories.

The episodes are also grouped in different categories of cases, such as Missing, Serial Killer, Murdered and Wanted. The hosts also look at a number of Canadian cases like the Robert Pickton murders and the Highway 16 murders in British Columbia.

Crime Junkie will give you chills and have you clicking the next episode as soon as you finish one. This podcast got me through many long commutes this year and is one that I’ll definitely be listening to next year.

Favourite app: Yummly

As someone who can’t cook at all, I love using recipe apps. After testing out a few, I found that ‘Yummly’ is a great app because it’s suited for cooks of all levels of expertise. I also really like that I can filter out any recipes that include peas.

I used this app quite a bit this year during my time as a busy grad student who had no time to prepare difficult recipes. I was able to choose quick and easy recipes on the app to make on a busy schedule.

Top milestone: Getting a job as a tech reporter in Toronto

During my masters program, I interned at MobileSyrup and thoroughly enjoyed my time here and all of the topics I got to cover. Fast-forward to October after I finished my masters at Western University, and I started as a full-time staff reporter.

As someone who has always wanted to work in downtown Toronto doing something I love, I feel beyond grateful to have been able to join the wonderfully talented MobileSyrup team.

Here’s hoping that 2020 will be even better than 2019!

KEY POINTS Giuliani said he'd be willing to testify during the Senate's impeachment trial

Giuliani is considered a key figure in the Ukraine scandal

The remarks may harm Senate Republicans' goal of blocking witness testimonies

After the House’s impeachment inquiry, which was characterized in part by several subpoenaed key witnesses refusing to testify, there’s one member in President Donald Trump’s camp willing to take the stand: former New York City mayor and Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.

According to The Hill, this week Giuliani told reporters outside Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida-based resort, that he “would testify” if summoned by the Senate during the impeachment trial. The former mayor also floated the idea that he may “do demonstrations” and would also “love to try the case.”

It is unclear whether or not Giuliani is suggesting that he would organize protests during the Senate trial; and, his enthusiasm notwithstanding, Giuliani won’t be serving on Trump’s legal defense despite being his personal lawyer.

To give Giuliani the benefit of the doubt, it is likely his remarks about being willing to testify were given to demonstrate his conviction that Trump is innocent of the charges made against him. Still, good intentions aside, he may have done more harm than good – Giuliani may have accidentally undermined Senate Republicans in no small way and pushed them into an increasingly difficult position.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has repeatedly affirmed his intent to forbid witness testimony during the impeachment trial, citing a desire for a speedy conclusion. While, unsurprisingly, Democrats have protested this move vigorously, virtually all Senate Republicans, with two notable exceptions, appear to agree with McConnell on having no witnesses.

Now, with Giuliani volunteering to appear as a witness, he has added unwelcome pressure to McConnell and other Republicans. After all, it would look rather odd for Republicans to block testimony from someone within Trump’s own camp, especially someone who has proven himself very loyal to the president.

No doubt Democrats would be more than open to having Giuliani testify, given his central role in the Ukraine scandal. By several accounts, Trump’s personal lawyer played a key role in pushing for legally questionable agreements between the White House and the Ukrainian government, including an investigation of Hunter Biden – but that’s assuming both that Giuliani won’t walk these statements back first and that Republicans will permit trial witnesses.

Photo: AFP / SAUL LOEB

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Question:
Thappad Movie Review: Anubhav Sinha, Taapsee Pannu and her co-stars make one reflect on the sense of male entitlement that is intricately woven into the society’s conscience.

Movie Name: Thappad

Thappad Director: Anubhav Sinha

Thappad Cast: , Pavail Gulati

Thappad Stars: 4/5

It’s just a slap. Or is it? Anubhav Sinha’s latest film Thappad is a fluid screenplay that forces the audience to keep questioning itself of the time where we claimed and passed judgement on how women in the society should be more forgiving.

The makers explore the risk of alienating audience to a simultaneous-trance to check whether they stand guilty of judging the actions of women through the prism of inconspicuous male entitlement. Anubhav stays clear from the usual trap of creating a shero film based on male-bashing. He uses the script – and ‘minor’ instances – to show a mirror to the society.

Thappad is a story of Amrita (Taapsee Pannu) who is content shouldering her responsibility of being a homemaker and taking care of her family. Due to circumstances, she later decides to stand-up for herself even if it means going against her family, her husband and generations of mental conditioning. A slap forms the catalyst for her journey and a metaphor for the stories of many other women caught up in different versions of the same problem. Is one situation worse than the other? Or does one lead to another? This is the quintessential question that Anubhav and team make the viewers to ponder upon.

After Mulk and Article 15, Anubhav Sinha manages to impress us with yet another engaging story which is not filmy. Through the film, the makers capture critical and widely talked about issues about marital life like domestic violence, consent after marriage, ego battles, entitlement and day-to-day compromises. It showcases how women are expected to let go of their ambitions, identity and not even feel guilty for it.

If Thappad is a breathing script, its soul is Taapsee Pannu. The actor conveys her character (homemaker) with dignity, grace and conviction. She is neither less feminist when she is taking care of the family, nor more when she files for a divorce. There is a beautiful scene where her neighbour buys a new car. Her husband passes a snide remark on the neighbour’s character, questioning what does she even do. Amrita (Taapsee) responds with one word: Mehnat (hard work). Taapsee wins hearts with her expressions which show internal chaos while getting hit by reality. Her character goes through various emotions in every stage of the film, but her performance remains consistent and equally absorbing. Through the film, you sit and wonder when and where did she ditch her bubbly, girl-next-door persona with which she made her debut in Hindi film industry. Of course, her films such as Pink, Manmarziyaan, Badla, etc. exposed her capabilities. However, Thappad takes her to a new zenith. Her character speaks even when she is silent – a mark of a good actor.

It would be unfair if we don’t give enough credit for the spectacular choice of co-stars. Pavail Gulati is an excellent choice by the casting team. He is ruthless, self-centred, egoistic and immersed in the male entitlement. Yet he makes his presence felt in front of an actress like Taapsee. He looks real, honest and a perfect reflection of many men from the patriarchal society. Yet, the markers have walked on a strand of hair to not portray him as the ‘evil man’. He is what society made him. Taapsee’s on-screen parents Kumud Mishra and Ratna Pathak Shah are a treat for the viewers. Years of theatre shapes you to own the scene with simple body language and tonality. They are omnipresent.

Kumud Mishra lives on screen as a dad many girls need. Ratna Pathak Shah’s innocence adds some refreshing moments to this script. Kumud and Ratna’s on-screen chemistry is adorable. Ram Kapoor shines in his part as a lawyer who understands that winning a case isn’t always about putting forth a fact, but about adhering to the needs of the client. Maya Sarao steals the show with her elegance and acting skill as Taapsee’s lawyer. They don’t pretend to be the moral compass. They counsel their clients on why a legal case may deliver more agony than an amicable solution.

Tanvi Azmi is exceptional in emotional scenes who is dealing with her own dissatisfaction with life. Geetika Vidya Ohlyan and Manav Kaul add value to this film. Dia Mirza has a small part to play but brings ease on-screen and convincingly breaks one stereotype at a time.

A film is a mere reflection of society. And the moment you conjure the courage to face it by sliding aside those rose-tinted glasses, reality hits you. At one juncture, the engraved sexism of the audience appals them to counter it with unjustifiable justification. Film Thappad is no less. It’s a beautiful depiction of what exists in society. But more critical is its soul which clamours for what must be mended. Frankly, it’s on the audience to understand the gravity of the issue. A solution, for some, might lie in using a plaster, and for others, a surgery.

Credits :Pinkvilla

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As one of the most talked-about films on the social media, Thappad inches towards the theatres, actor Kumud Mishra showers praises on Taapsee Pannu and director Anubhav Sinha. Kumud Mishra, who portrays the role of Taapsee's on-screen father, lauds the actress and tells Ahmedabad Mirror, "She is instinctive; her acting process keeps changing with the moment, just like mine. She is a fantastic actress and I have never seen her in a role like this. Thappad is one of her finest works."

When asked what made him say 'yes' to Thappad, he said 'the brilliant script'. Hinting at domestic violence, Kumud adds, "We pretend that it isn't happening, but it is and unfortunately is considered normal."

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, Thappad throws light on domestic violence and how the domestic violence is not only associated with uneducated families.

Kumud Mishra, who has earlier worked with Anubhav Sinha in Mulk and Article 15, raves about the director and asserts that despite sharing a close bond with him, he likes to maintain a distance from him to allow the space for dialogue.

Is Taapsee Pannu's Thappad A Male-bashing Film? Here's What Actor Pavail Gulati Has To Say

Kumud Mishra says, "For an actor, he is a wonderful director as he gives us creative freedom and is open to discussion. Unka alag hi jadoo hai. I'd drop everything to take up a role if he made the offer."

Thappad, which marks the second collaboration of Anubhav and Taapsee after Mulk, is all set to hit the theatres on February 28, 2020. The film also casts Dia Mirza, Pavail Gulati, Ratna Pathak Shah, Manav Kaul and Tanvi Azim in the key roles.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A suspected serial killer will soon return to Clark County, Washington, to be charged with the murder of a teen found dead in the 1970s.

KOIN-TV reports Warren Forrest has been behind bars since 1978, serving a life sentence for his conviction in the 1974 murder of Krista Kay Blake.

But he’s suspected of abducting and killing a total of seven women and girls on both sides of the Columbia River. One of those girls was Martha Morrison.

Prosecutors in Clark County recently issued a first-degree murder warrant against Forrest for Morrison’s killing.

Detectives believe Forrest’s first victim was Jamie Rochelle Grissim. She disappeared after going to school in 1971 and has never been found; however, her school ID turned up along remote Doe Valley Road in Clark County.

Hunters found the bodies of Carol Valenzuela and Morrison nearby in 1974.

In an unexpected discovery revealed in 2017, Morrison’s DNA was found on a dart gun that Forrest admitted to using to attack another woman.

Forrest has never admitted to other killings or if he knows where Grissim’s body is hidden. But Grissim’s sister Starr Lara hopes he can now be convinced to reveal what happened to Grissim while being prosecuted for Morrison’s murder.

Forrest is expected to be transferred from the state penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, to appear in Clark County court sometime next week.

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New York [USA], Jan 1 (ANI): South Korean K-Pop boy-band BTS stole the show at 'Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve' event in front of a million-strong crowd at the Times Square.

Host Ryan Secret already believed that half of the spectators at the New Year Eve's event would be K-Pop fans and the crowd's response confirmed his predictions.

K-pop fanatics came in hoards to cheer for the music group which has Jimin, Jin, RM, Suga, Jungkook, J Hope, and V Kim Tae-Hyung as its members.

BTS was all over the billboards at Times Square and die-hard fans turned up beforehand with signs boards and light sticks in their hands to witness the band's rehearsal in the early afternoon, reported Variety.

Looking sharp while dressed up in black and white, the boy band started off with the song "Make It Right" then finished the performance with a bang, singing their hit 'Boy With Luv."Each of the five members stole every opportunity to showcase themselves separately with smooth choreography moves, where Jimin stole everyone's heart when he pulled his jacket over his head, something like a hoodie.

The k-pop group shared the stage with stars by the likes of Post Malone, country singer Sam Hunt, and Lauren Patten. (ANI)

Woody Guthrie's 1943 New Year's Resolutions are a powerful reminder to "Keep the hope machine running."

I'd seen this before, but I was reminded of it when I saw Billy Bragg share a webcomic version of it on Facebook. But here are Woody Guthrie's New Year's resolutions from 1943. While they were written in the throes of World War II, I think we'd all do well by following their example every day and every year, but especially right now.

1. Work more and better

2. Work by a schedule

3. Wash teeth if any

4. Shave

5. Take bath

6. Eat good — fruit — vegetables — milk

7. Drink very scant if any

8. Write a song a day

9. Wear clean clothes — look good

10. Shine shoes

11. Change socks

12. Change bed cloths often

13. Read lots good books

14. Listen to radio a lot

15. Learn people better

16. Keep rancho clean

17. Dont get lonesome

18. Stay glad

19. Keep hoping machine running

20. Dream good

21. Bank all extra money

22. Save dough

23. Have company but dont waste time

24. Send Mary and kids money

25. Play and sing good

26. Dance better

27. Help win war — beat fascism

28. Love mama

29. Love papa

30. Love Pete

31. Love everybody

32. Make up your mind

33. Wake up and fight

Dance better. Beat fascism. Keep the hope machine running. I think that pretty much covers everything.

Woody Guthrie’s Doodle-Filled List of 33 New Year’s Resolutions From 1943

Tom Brady Uses Protection Stones, And Other Top 'Talkers' Of 2019That time the six-time Super Bowl champion revealed that his supermodel wife has him use protection stones...

Boston's Favorite Spots For Inexpensive Italian FoodLooking to satisfy your appetite for Italian fare without breaking the bank?

Boston's Best Day SpasIf you are looking for some pampering and relaxation, maybe a day spa in the place for you. Here are the top rated spots in Boston.

To Do List: Holiday Pops, Harlem Globetrotters & Outdoor SkatingThe kids are just about on Christmas break and you’ll be looking for ideas to get everybody out of the house and moving.

Small Bites: Where To Celebrate National Cupcake Day In BostonCupcakes are having a moment, and with good reason. Here are some of the best in Boston.

Weekend To Do List: Ski Chalet In The City, Holiday Market, Tea Party ReenactmentWant to cozy up by the fire of an après ski chalet – in the city? It's just one option on this weekend's To Do List.

PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio — While his physical scars are almost healed, the emotional healing is just beginning for Sergeant Jim Acklin and his family.

On February 14, 2019, Acklin was doused in flammable liquid and lit on fire by Jay Brannon while attempting to arrest him on a felony warrant.

Acklin faced his attacker in a Portage County court Monday, before Brannon was sentenced to 16 years behind bars.

Brannon accepted a plea deal earlier this month, in which he will serve 11 years in prison for aggravated attempted murder and five years for aggravated arson.

Josee Acklin, Sgt. Acklin’s wife, addressed Brannon while delivering her victim impact statement.

“My anger towards you lasted a very long time,” Josee Acklin said. “Overnight I went from being a wife and a mom to working full time to missing two months of work to become my husband’s nurse and caregiver.”

Brannon blamed his lengthy criminal history on drugs, alcohol and relationship troubles.

He said he was in a drug-induced state when he lit Jim Acklin on fire and that he was attempting to commit suicide during the incident.

Brannon added he hoped an officer would shoot him.

“No officer that night was meant to be hurt,” Brannon said, “My plan was to remove myself from the pain and the embarrassment I was living in.”

Judge Becky Doherty was not phased by Brannon’s emotional remarks.

“Mr. Brannon, you’re a coward,” Doherty said, “You’re a coward and I want you to look around this room and see bravery.”

She noted Brannon’s lengthy criminal history and told him he had multiple chances to clean up his act before critically injuring Acklin.

“So standing here telling me this was a suicide attempt after you had just recently gone to a gas station, gone to Giant Eagle, had been running around that day without a care in the world until police showed up,” Doherty said. “I’m not buying it.”

Acklin said he’s looking forward to moving on with his life after suffering second and third-degree burns over more than 20% of his body.

“I was trying to think about what was going to be said,” Acklin said, “And you know, everything being brought back up again.”

Brannon will receive 333 days of time served that will be subtracted from his 16-year sentence.

He will also be required to register as an arson offender and a violent offender when he’s released.

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COVID-19: Koln trio test positive

By Football Italia staff

German side Koln have announced that three members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus.

Koln returned to training on April 6 along with several other Bundesliga clubs, doing so in small groups and with hygiene measures enforced so as to limit the spread of COVID-19.

However, they released a statement on Friday evening confirming they had three positive tests.

The unnamed trio have not showed any symptoms and will now go into self-isolation for two weeks, undergoing more tests in the meantime.

Despite that, Koln say group training ‘can continue as planned’, with Tim Meyer – head of the Bundesliga’s coronavirus taskforce – in full support.

“We now see in everyday life that our concept recognises and reduces risks at an early stage,” Meyer, who holds a similar position for UEFA, told the club’s official website.

“We will always be in close contact with the responsible health authorities and medical experts.

“We are convinced that with our concept, we can enable players to practice their profession with the best possible protection against infection.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £11.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://subscribe.premiersports.tv/

Koln announce 'quarantine camps'

By Football Italia staff

Just two days after three members of staff tested positive for COVID-19, German side Koln say they are ready to hold quarantine training camps.

Koln players have been back training since April 6, participating in individual sessions at the club’s sports complex.

They suffered a setback on Friday, when it emerged three members of staff had contracted COVID-19.

However, the Bundesliga outfit insist they can restart team training ‘in a protected location’ once politicians allow the campaign to get going again.

“Earlier than is planned in the DFL medical concept, FC [Koln] will move into a training camp with the team,” read a club statement.

“The prerequisite is that politicians give their approval to continue the season.

“1. FC Köln will enter into team training, should it be permitted, under the conditions of a training camp.

“This applies as soon as politicians make a positive decision to continue the Bundesliga season – in the course of the coming week at the earliest.

“The team, coaching and backroom staff will then come together for team training in a protected location.

“This form of voluntary quarantine extends the existing infection control and hygiene concept and is intended to further reduce the risk of infection from COVID-19.

“The measure will be/has been taken regardless of the results of the COVID-19 tests at FC.

“The concept of the Task Force Sports Medicine/Extraordinary Matchday Operation of the DFL already provides that all teams go to quarantine-like training camps one week before the games restart.

“FC [Koln], however, prefer to start this period at the beginning of team training.”

Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £11.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://subscribe.premiersports.tv/

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Pandemics know no borders. As the number of infections grows daily, it has become clear that no community will be spared its effects.

The leadership of the business community has never been more important than in times of crisis. American businesses have been at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic – from manufacturing essential medical supplies to providing support for first responders and healthcare professionals.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been tracking the contributions from businesses of all sizes and sectors that are helping combat the coronavirus. This tracker is updated daily, and we’d love to include your information.

Share your story

Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year – those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX.

Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints wild-card playoff preview: Another miracle on tap?

Show Caption Hide Caption Lorenzo's Locks: How to bet on Sunday's wild card games SportsPulse: The two best games of the weekend may come out of the NFC slate on Sunday. Lorenzo provides the best bets you can make on each. USA TODAY

A preview of the NFC wild-card matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints

When: Sunday, Jan. 5, 1:05 p.m. ET

Where: The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans

Channel: FOX

Line: Saints by 7½

Injuries: Three of the Saints' four starting defensive backs missed the regular-season finale due to injury, including cornerback Eli Apple (ankle) and safeties Vonn Bell (knee) and Marcus Williams (groin). It's unclear whether any or all of them will be available Sunday. Fullback Zach Line's status is also unclear as he deals with a knee injury.

For Minnesota, the good news is that star running back Dalvin Cook told reporters this week that he plans to return Sunday after missing the past two weeks with a shoulder injury. "I got some rest, and I’m ready to go," he said. The player worth monitoring is starting linebacker Eric Kendricks, who missed last week's game with a quadriceps injury and will likely be questionable this week.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

1. A miraculous rematch: These two teams will long be remembered for the iconic sequence that ended their playoff matchup two years ago, when Case Keenum threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs in the closing seconds of their divisional-round matchup in a moment that has been dubbed "The Minneapolis Miracle." The key difference this time around, of course, is that New Orleans will be playing at home. The Saints have won seven of their past eight playoff games at the Superdome dating back to 2000, and you can bet Sunday's crowd will be raucous.

2. Top turnover teams: The Saints and Vikings ranked second and fifth, respectively, in turnover differential during the regular season, and New Orleans took care of the ball at a historic level. The Saints set a new NFL record by committing just eight turnovers in 2019, eclipsing the previous record of 10 that was shared by the 2010 Patriots and 2011 49ers. So don't expect many turnovers in Sunday's game — but any that arise could prove to be especially impactful.

3. QBs trending in opposite directions: Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been on a tear in recent weeks, throwing 16 touchdowns and no interceptions over the past five games — including a 29-for-30 performance against the Colts on Dec. 16. Minnesota's Kirk Cousins, meanwhile, has thrown picks in three of his past four games and only surpassed 250 passing yards once in that span. If he's able to reverse those trends, the Vikings will have a shot in this one. If not, Brees and company will in all likelihood march on to the divisional round.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.

City of Elkhorn renews fireworks with J&M Displays

By Kellen Olshefski

The City of Elkhorn Common Council recently voted in favor of both a one-year contract and a new three-year contract with J&M Displays for the annual July 4 fireworks show held at Sunset Park.

The new contract comes on the heels of the completion of a previous three-year contract with J&M Displays, which the City selected after being disappointed with a previous display from other vendors.

For this year’s fireworks, the City has agreed to a total cost of $11,865 for the show, which if paid by April 24 of next year, will include an additional 8 percent of fireworks for free. Additionally, when paired with the three-year contract renewal, the City will also receive an additional 15 percent of the dollar value in fireworks free for each of those three years.

Following tradition in Elkhorn, this year’s fireworks display will be held at dusk on the Friday before the July 4 holiday, July 3.

Under the three-year contract extension, the City will receive the 15 percent bonus each of the three years, as well as the 8 percent bonus if payment and paperwork is received by J&M Displays at least 70 days before the annual show.

The contract also states that the City will purchase fireworks exclusively from J&M Displays, but the City is not obligated to purchase fireworks any of the three years. However, this does mean if the City were to choose not to purchase fireworks any of those years, it would not be able to purchase fireworks from another vendor.

Each year following the fireworks display, the City will also have a 30-day timeline in which it could choose to terminate the three-year contract.

“We’ve had no issues this company,” City Administrator James Heilman said during the recent discussion.

City Attorney Ward Phillps also noted that the contract seems to be very favorable for the City, and contains language that also protects the City.

A motion to approve the contract for 2020 and the three-year extension was approved 6-0.

The new year means changes for your tax bill and your bottom line.

Armed with a hefty surplus, the Coalition Avenir Québec government is offering up a number of goodies for the coming year.

Here's a breakdown of what will be different in Quebec in 2020, from taxes and rebates (and fee increases too).

Family allowance

Quebec's new family allowance, available to those with one or more dependent children under 18, comes into effect in January, two years earlier than originally promised.

Families will receive, on average, an additional $779. For an estimate on how much you will receive, the Quebec government has set up a calculator tool.

No more sliding-scale daycare fees

The CAQ's promised return to a single-fee system for public daycare will be retroactive to the beginning of 2019.

The amount of money back will depend on the income of the parents. The rebate only applies to tax credits for subsidized daycares.

It will mean an average savings of $1,100 for 140,000 families.

Families of children with disabilities who require special care will also receive an additional $652 per month.

You'll be paying less in school taxes

The CAQ government has committed to harmonizing school-tax rates across the province. The goal is to have a single rate by July 2021.

By then, homeowners across the province will be paying a tax rate that equals the lowest effective rate in the province from 2018-2019.

The savings will depend on where you live. For instance, the owner of a home valued at $270,000 in Montreal will save $179 a year by 2021, while an owner of a home of the same value in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean will save $500.

Minimum wage going up

Quebec's minimum wage will climb to $13.10 an hour on May 1 — an increase of 60 cents, Labour Minister Jean Boulet announced Wednesday.

Service industry workers who work for tips, such as bartenders and restaurant servers, will see their salaries rise by 40 cents per hour, to $10.45.

The CAQ campaigned on a promise to increase the minimum wage year over year, working toward $15 per hour by 2023.

Hydro-Québec rebate

Hydro rates will be frozen as of April 1, 2020, and the increases for the four following years will be limited to the rate of inflation.

You will also receive money if you were a Hydro account holder in 2018 or 2019.

Residential customers will receive an average of about $60, though the exact amount issued to each customer will be known in January.

Hospital parking capped

Starting in the spring of 2020, hospital parking fees will be capped at around $7 to $10, depending on the region. The first two hours will be free.

Right now, in some places parking fees cost more than $20.

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Question:
Jakraphanth Thomma on Saturday killed his commanding officer before stealing weapons from a military camp.

The suspect continued his attack in a shopping centre in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat,

He posted material to social media, but his motives for his actions remain unclear.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his Facebook page on Sunday morning, congratulating the security forces for their actions in the northeastern Thai town.

"Thank you police and army for ending the situation. Shooter shot dead!!!"

Officials said that the death toll stood at 20, with 42 wounded, revising an earlier total of 21 dead. However, it is still possible that the number of fatalities could rise.

Medics carry a stretcher towards a Thai shopping mall on Sunday. Credit: AP/Facebook

Thai police on Sunday shot dead a soldier who killed 26 people and wounded 57 in the worst mass shooting in the country’s history. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed the numbers of victims after the overnight siege was ended by police on Sunday morning, 16 hours after it began, at a shopping mall in the north-western city of Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat. Officials said the man – identified by military officials as Sergeant Major Jakrapanth Thomma – was angry over a financial dispute. He first killed two people, a fellow soldier and a woman, then went on a far bloodier spree, shooting as he drove to the mall where shoppers fled in terror.

The man has been named as Jakraphanth Thomma. Credit: Facebook

The man also posted updates to his Facebook page during the rampage. “No one can escape death,” read one post. Another asked, “Should I give up?” In a later post, he wrote, “I have stopped already.” “This incident was unprecedented in Thailand,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters as he gave the final death toll on Sunday morning after visiting the wounded in hospitals. “I hope this is the only one and the last incident, and that it never happens again. No one wants this to happen. It could be because of this person’s mental health in this particular moment,” he said. Mr Prayuth said he was worried that people inside the mall could be accidentally hit by bullets fired by police, but added: “I have checked, that didn’t happen.” A photo circulated on social media that appeared to be taken from the Facebook page shows a man wearing a green camouflaged military helmet while a fireball and black smoke rage behind him. Jakrapanth’s profile picture shows him in a mask and dressed in military-style fatigues and armed with a pistol. The background image is of a handgun and bullets. The Facebook page was made inaccessible after the shooting began.

A group of armed commando soldiers outside Terminal 21 Korat mall, in Nakhon Ratchasima. Credit: AP

Jakrapanth appeared to be armed with an assault rifle, based on security camera video aired on Thai Rath television. The shooting spree began at about 3:30pm local time on Saturday. Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars, others while walking. City and neighbourhood police officers said Jakrapanth took a gun from his base and drove to the Terminal 21 Korat mall, shooting along the way. Several Thai media reported he travelled in a military vehicle.

A wanted poster released by Crime Suppression Division of The Royal Thai Police. Credit: Crime Suppression Division of The Royal Thai Police via AP

A litter of 'ghost ships' is costing Auckland ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars

A litter of 'ghost ships' is costing Auckland ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars

2 January 2020

The number of abandoned vessels hauled out of the city's waters every year has quadrupled in less than a decade.

Auckland Harbourmaster Andrew Hayton says when he started in the role eight years ago, they were recovering about half a dozen abandoned boats a year.

Last year there were 23 - costing Auckland Transport 135-thousand-dollars.

Hayton estimates there could still be as many as 200 abandoned boats in the region.

© 2020

Newstalk ZB, NZCity

Community calendar for Jan. 2-8

Listings of a selection of free or nonprofit community, neighborhood and arts events in Clackamas County

Community Calendar

Thursday, Jan. 2

AARP TAX AIDE: The Pioneer Adult Community Center will begin making appointments today for free tax assistance for low-to-middle-income Clackamas County taxpayers. Call 503-657-8287, ext. 0, to make an appointment.

BLOOD DRIVE: From 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Fred Meyer Happy Valley, 17005 S.E. Sunnyside Road, or from 2:30-7:30 p.m. at Starbucks, 1900 McLoughlin Blvd., Oregon City. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

HOME ORGANIZATION: Register now for this class in decluttering your home that runs Jan. 10-March 10 at the Pioneer Adult Community Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City. The fee is $114. To register, call 503-657-8287.

BABY SIGN LANGUAGE: This event takes place at 1 p.m. at the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St.

STORYTIME BREAKS: The Oak Lodge Library storytime is on break through Jan. 9, and the Gladstone Library storytime is on break through Jan. 4.

BOOK GROUP: The Elevated Readers Book Club will meet from 6:15-8 p.m. at the Oregon City Library to discuss "Snow Falling on Cedars." All are welcome.

Friday, Jan. 3

BLOOD DRIVE: From noon-6 p.m. at GracePoint Church, 10750 S.E. 42nd Ave., Milwaukie. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

Saturday, Jan. 4

WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Buy local meats, cheeses, eggs, bread, preserves, honey, soaps, holiday greenery and more at the Oregon City farmers market from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 2051 Kaen Road, off Beavercreek Road. Call 503-734-0192 or visit orcityfarmersmarket.com. Also Jan. 18.

BLOOD DRIVE: Two opportunities to donate in Clackamas from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Spring Mountain Bible Church, 12152 S.E. Mather Road, or from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Fred Meyer, 8955 S.E. 82nd Ave. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT: Visit audubonportland.org/event/christmas-bird-count-portland-area/ for more information.

Monday, Jan. 6

SAVVY CAREGIVER: This six-week program is designed to help family caregivers. It takes place from 10 a.m.-noon through Feb. 24 at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive. Call 503-653-8100 for more information.

BLOOD DRIVE: Three opportunities to donate in North Clackamas include from 1-6 p.m. at Damascus Community Church, 14251 S.E. Rust Way; from noon-5 p.m., Fred Meyer Garden Center, 14700 SE McLoughlin Blvd.; or from 2-7 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church Parish Center, 11709 S.E. Fuller Road. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

Tuesday, Jan. 7

BLOOD DRIVE: From 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Oregon City Public Library, 606 John Adams St. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

BEGINNING GENEALOGY: Drop in from 1-2:30 p.m. for assistance in genealogical research at the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St.

SENIOR LAW: Volunteer elder law attorneys provide up to a half-hour consultation on senior legal issues. To schedule an appointment, call the Milwaukie Center at 503-653-8100.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

WOMEN'S GROUP: The Happy Valley Women's Group luncheon will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Spaghetti Factory. Guest speaker will be Sarah Bushore of the U.S. Census Bureau. For reservations and information, call 503-470-0192.

BLOOD DRIVE: From 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Elks Lodge 1189, 610 McLoughlin Blvd., Oregon City. To schedule an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

SEASONED ADULTS: The Seasoned Adult Enrichment Program presents "Pack It Up" by Anne McAlpin. Learn how to pack for any trip. All sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays at CCC on the Harmony Community Campus, 7738 S.E. Harmony Road, room HW130, just off Sunnyside Road, near Clackamas Town Center. Call 503-594-0620 for more information. Cost is $3 per session.

Thursday, Jan. 9

GLADSTONE HISTORICAL SOCIETY: All are welcome to attend this meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Gladstone City Hall Conference Room at 525 Portland Ave. Visit Gladstone-historicalsociety.org for more information.

Neighborhood meetings

BARCLAY HILLS: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, St. John the Apostle Cemetery, 451 Warner Road, Oregon City.

BEAVERCREEK: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Beavercreek Grange Hall, 22041 S. Kamrath Road. Visit Beavercreek.org, call 503-632-8370 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

BORING: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, Boring Fire Station on Highway 212. Call 503-502-5837 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CAUFIELD: 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Oregon City School District's Bus Barn, 14551 Meyers Road.

EAGLE CREEK-BARTON: 7 p.m. Thursday, January 9, Eagle Creek Fire Station, 32200 S.E. Judd Rd. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

GAFFNEY LANE: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, Meadows Courtyard, 13637 Garden Meadow Drive, Oregon City.

JENNINGS LODGE: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Church of the Nazarene, 4180 S.E. Jennings Ave. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE ROAD: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, Rowe Middle School, 3606 S.E. Lake Road, Milwaukie.

LEWELLING: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, Chapel Theatre, 4107 S.E. Harrison St., Milwaukie.

LINWOOD: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, Linwood Elementary School, 11909 S.E. Linwood Ave., Milwaukie.

OAK GROVE: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, Performing Arts Center at Rose Villa, 13505 S.E. River Road. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

RHODODENDRON: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, Mt. Hood Village, 65000 E. Highway 26, Welches. Topics will include Rhododendron's Jan. 25 Centennial Celebration. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

STAFFORD-TUALATIN VALLEY: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, Stafford Primary School, 19875 S.W. Stafford Road, unincorporated West Linn.

Arts

Thursday, Jan. 2

IMPROV CLASS: Sign up now for Jump-Start, Rising Phoenix Theater's improvisation class. It will meet from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays from Jan. 8-Feb. 12 at the Oak Grove Methodist Church, 14700 S.E. Rupert Drive. Instructors: Susan Scovil and members of the Spontaneous Combustion improv troupe. The fee is $100 for five classes and a showcase performance is set for Feb. 12. Register by email at mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

TEEN ART CONTEST: The Libraries in Clackamas County invite interested teens to submit original artwork for the fifth annual Teen Summer Reading Artwork contest. The contest begins today and submissions are welcome until Jan. 31. For more information, contest rules and an entry form, go to lincc.org and click on "Library Events" or get a form at any of the 13 libraries in the county.

Friday, Jan. 3

JOHN MUNGER MEMORIAL JAZZ BAND: It's a perfect opportunity to practice dance steps from noon-2 p.m. at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive. Free.

Monday, Jan. 6

A TIME TO WRITE: Start a writing project in this free, informal writing circle that meets from 4-7 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St. Also Jan. 20.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

ART LAB: All are invited to make self-portraits at this event from 2-4 p.m. at the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St.

Ongoing:

STEVENS-CRAWFORD HERITAGE HOUSE: The house has reopened, and visitors are welcome from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 603 Sixth St., Oregon City. Call 503-655-2866 for more information.

BINGO: Play bingo and help support Meals on Wheels on Thursdays at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive. Early birds start at 6:30 p.m. Regular games start at 7 p.m. Interested in volunteering? Call 971-303-0418.

ROTARY CLUB: The Gladstone-Oak Lodge Rotary Club meets from noon-1 p.m. Thursdays at the Gladstone Senior Center, 1050 Portland Ave. All are welcome.

GLADSTONE LIBRARY STORYTIMES: The Gladstone Library hosts four weekly storytimes at 135 E. Dartmouth St. Toddler storytime takes place at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays; baby storytime is at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays; and all-ages storytime is at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays and Saturdays.

OREGON CITY LIBRARY STORYTIMES: The Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St., offers storytimes for toddlers (ages 1 and 2) at 10:15 and 11 a.m. Tuesdays; Music & Movement Storytimes (up to age 5) at 10:15 and 11 a.m. Thursdays; and Preschool Connection storytimes for 3- to 5-year-olds at 10:15 a.m. Fridays.

AMERICAN MAH-JONGG: Learn to play American mah-jongg from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays at the Pioneer Adult Community Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City. Free.

OLDTIME FIDDLERS: Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers' Association hosts a free dance music jam from 1-4 p.m. on first Saturdays at the Sunnyside Grange, 13130 S.E. Sunnyside Road. Everyone is invited to come and join to play, or just listen, dance or sing. Fiddle teachers are available for the first part of the afternoon.

OAK LODGE STORYTIMES: The Oak Lodge Library hosts three different storytimes at 16201 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd., Oak Grove. Babies and toddler storytime takes place at 11 a.m. Mondays; all-ages storytimes take place at 11 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

SUPPORT GROUP: The Open Minds Art Studio meets from 1:30-4 p.m. Thursdays at the NAMI Clackamas Office.

NAMI CONNECTIONS: NAMI Connections meets from 2:30-4 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-7:30 p.m. Sundays at Kaiser Brookside, 10180 S.E. Sunnyside Road.

BOOK SALE: The Friends of the Oregon City Public Library Used Bookstore, 814 Seventh St., offers a 10% discount to seniors age 55 and older on Mondays.

SQUARE DANCING: All square dancers are invited to join the Bachelor 'n' Bachelorettes at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Abernethy Grange, 15745 S. Harley Ave., Oregon City. For questions, call 503-654-9141.

SQUARE DANCING: Join the River City Dancers at 7 p.m. on the second and third Saturdays of each month at the Milwaukie Community Club, 10666 S.E. 42nd Ave. Free Sunday beginner classes for those age 12 and up start at 6 p.m. Sept. 8.

BINGO: Bingo for those 21 and over is played at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Oregon City Elks Lodge No. 1189, 610 McLoughlin Blvd.

TOPS MEETINGS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly groups meet 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at the Kairos-Milwaukie United Church of Christ, 4790 S.E. Logus Road; at 9:30 a.m. Fridays at St. Stephen Church, 290 W. Gloucester St., Gladstone; and 6-8 p.m. Mondays in the Clairmont Mobile Home Park meeting room, 13531 Clairmont Way, Oregon City.

BEAUTIFUL BABIES: This group for parents of mobile babies and young toddlers meets from 6-8 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at the Gladstone Center for Children & Families, 18905 Portland Ave. Call 503-367-9116 for details. Free dinner and childcare.

TERRIFIC TODDLERS: This group is for parents with children 2 to 3 years old. It meets every second Thursday of the month at the Gladstone Center for Children & Families, 18905 Portland Ave. Call 503-367-9116 for details. Free dinner and childcare.

GROWING UP: This group is for parents who have children 3-6 years old. It meets every third Thursday of the month at the Gladstone Center for Children & Families, 18905 Portland Ave. Call 503-367-9116 for details. Free dinner and childcare.

ALL ABOUT MEMORY: This program focuses on teaching techniques to improve mental fitness by using memory enhancing and retaining activities. It meets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive. For additional information, application process and scheduled fees, call 503-653-8100 and speak with Abby or Lisa.

TECH HELP: One-on-one computer and technology help is available by appointment from noon-4 p.m. Saturdays at the Gladstone Public Library. To schedule a half-hour appointment, call 503-656-2411, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit the library at 135 E. Dartmouth St. Weekday appointments can be arranged if needed.

TECH CONNECT: One-on-one technology assistance is available by appointment only from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at the Oregon City Library. Call 503-657-8269, ext. 1017, to set up an appointment.

SUICIDE BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT: This group meets from 2-4 p.m. the second and fourth Sunday of the month at the NAMI Clackamas Office, 10202 S.E. 32nd Ave., Milwaukie. Call 503-344-5050 for details.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: This group meets from 2-5 p.m. Sundays at the Oregon City Library.

SUNDAY MORNING BREAKFAST: Enjoy breakfast from 9 a.m.-noon Sundays at the Milwaukie American Legion Post, 2146 S.E. Monroe St. The event supports veterans and local community activities. Prices range from $3 for children to $7+ for adults.

CHARITY BINGO: The community is invited to play bingo from 3-5 p.m. Sundays at the Milwaukie American Legion Post, 2146 S.E. Monroe St.

FITNESS: This free REFIT fitness class takes place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Pioneer Community Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City.

GET MOVING: The Oregon City Walking Group (getthinspired.me) meets at 9:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Pioneer Community Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City. All ages and speeds welcome.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS: This group meets from 7-8 p.m. Mondays at Clackamas Park Friends Church, 8120 S.E. Thiessen Road, Milwaukie. For more information, call Margaret at 503-757-1943.

WAGON TONGUE TOASTMASTERS: All are welcome to learn to be a better public speaker with this supportive group. It meets from 12:05-12:50 p.m. Thursdays on the top floor of the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St. Contact Matthew Broderick, membership leader, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MILWAUKIE TOASTMASTERS: The Milwaukie Talkies Toastmasters meets from 7:15-8:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Oregonians Credit Union, 6915 S.E. Lake Road, Milwaukie. For more information, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

AMERICAN LEGION: All are welcome to attend Oregon City's American Legion meetings starting at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Pioneer Center, entering the lower level near Washington and Fifth streets. For more information, contact post Cmdr. Ed Mathews at 503-313-3395 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

AL-ANON: Friends and relatives of alcoholics meet from 7:30-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Oak Grove Methodist Church, 14700 S.E. Rupert Drive. For more information, call the Al-Anon Office at 503-292-1333.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS: From noon-1 p.m. Thursdays, join the Overeaters Anonymous group in Oregon City in the religious education wing of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Willamette Falls, 710 Sixth St. For more information, call 503-705-5599.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT STORYTIME: Children up to age 5 are invited to this event from 10:15-11 a.m. Thursdays at the Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Children ages 3-6 are invited to this event at 10:15 a.m. Fridays at the Oregon City Library.

MAH-JONGG: Those who enjoy American mah-jongg are invited to play from 1-4 p.m. Fridays at the Happy Valley Library. Be sure to bring your 2018 National Mah-Jongg League cards.

MUSIC MAKERS: Singers in the Oregon City area are invited to join this group meeting from 10 a.m.-noon Fridays at the Pioneer Community Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City. The cost is $30 per semester.

CURE: This organization that seeks to help people with incarcerated family members meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month (except the second Monday in September) at Abundant Life Church, 17241 S.E. Hemrich Road, Damascus. For more information, leave a message for Will Timberman at 503-757-7762 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This letter from the editor is hot off the presses.

Tonight's group date on The Bachelor took Peter Weber's suitors to Costa Rica, where the ladies were asked to pose in their bikinis for a chance to get featured on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. Ultimately, Cosmo editor-in-chief Jessica Pels picked Victoria Fuller (who took a risk and kissed Peter during their photo shoot) as the lucky winner. But as Pels just revealed, those images won't actually make it to the printer after all.

In a letter titled "Why We're Not Publishing the Cosmo Bachelor Cover," Pels explains how a controversy involving Victoria helped the staff make their decision.

"As you probably know, the details about upcoming plot points on The Bachelor are as closely guarded as nuclear codes," she writes. "When my team and I flew down to Costa Rica for our challenge, we weren't told who our models were going to be. We didn't even meet them until we were all on camera on-set, ready to start our shoot."

The city Corporation has opened a counter at Gandhi Park, where traders and the public can hand over banned plastic carrybags still in their stock. Mayor K. Sreekumar inaugurated the counter on Wednesday. Cloth bags at subsidised rates are available at this counter, which is being run by the Corporation’s sanitation committee.

At Corporation office

Cloth bags made at the Corporation’s five manufacturing units are being sold here. The counter will be open from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m at Gandhi Park on Thursday. In the days after that, the counter will function from the Corporation’s main office.

As per the government’s order banning single use plastics from January 1, fine amounts ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 can be imposed for violations.

11 types of plastic

Chief Secretary Tome Jose has informed that 11 types of plastic have been banned, including plastic carrybags, plastic sheet used for covering tables, thermocol, disposable plates, cup, spoon, fork and straw made of plastic styrofoam, PVC flex, plastic water pouch, and plastic bottles.

Alternative materials

The government has held talks with manufacturers of alternative materials to bring more quantites of these to the markets. Branded plastic materials have been removed from the ban, as these will be taken as part of Extended Producer Responsibility.

An Ocala mother left her 9-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter in their home for 10 minutes on Monday. She went on a quick walk to check the mail and get some candy for the kids.

When she left, the two were playing. Police said that when she came back, she saw her son stabbing her daughter and saying, “Die. Die!”

The mother hurriedly grabbed the knife from her son as she picked up her daughter and took her to the bathroom, Ocala police said. Her son dashed out of the home and hid under a nearby maintenance shed.

After police were called, the boy was found shortly after. Officers say that he told them that he’s had thoughts of killing his sister since Saturday.

He tried to get it out of his head but could not, police said. When his mother left, he went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

Hiding it behind his back, he approached his sister from behind as she was bent over trying to show him something. He grabbed her by the neck and stabbed her several times in the back, police said.

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When officers asked him again why he stabbed his sister he said “he wanted to be able to go outside.”

The 5-year-old girl was airlifted to a nearby hospital and treated for multiple stab wounds. Her condition is not known, police said.

The boy was charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Police did not release the names of the mother or daughter.

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Instruction: Retrieve semantically similar text.


Question:
The bodies of the victims were found lying in the streets of Matholesville barely 24 hours after Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela together with his team conducted a raid in the area as part of Operation Okae Molao.

A 10th victim is still being treated in hospital.

Kweza said that a few hours after the killings, Mawela had summoned police officers from “different stations and units within the Johannesburg district and provincial office to hunt down the suspects and deal with all forms of criminality in Matholesville and the surrounding areas”.

“During the night operation, police took in 87 people for questioning and to establish if they are not wanted for any crimes,” Kweza said.

She added that the manhunt would continue until those responsible for the killings were located and arrested.

The provincial commissioner had directed that witnesses be taken into the witness protection programme for their safety, Kweza said.

“We condemn this barbaric attack and we will ensure we leave no stone unturned in making the people of Matholesville and Roodepoort feel safe. The suspects will be arrested as soon as possible and the police will not sleep until we find them,” Mawela said.

Johannesburg - Gauteng police on Saturday said they had taken in 87 people regarding the brutal murder of nine Lesotho nationals who were stoned to death in Matholeville, near Roodepoort.

Gauteng top cop, provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela launched a manhunt for the suspects, who are also Lesotho nationals.

The nine deceased were allegedly killed after they were accused of being involved in criminal activities, which attracted police to their illegal mining activities.

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza`said the police were working tirelessly to bring those involved to book.

“During the night operation, police took in 87 people for questioning and to establish if they are not wanted for any crimes.The manhunt will continue until all the suspects linked to the murder are located and arrested,” said Kweza.

Meanwhile, Mawela called for calm.

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By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA

Accra, Jan. 1, GNA - More than one thousand five hundred people Tuesday night massed up at the Korle-Gonno branch of the Lighthouse Chapel International to participate in the midnight vigil service to usher in the New Year.

The service held in the church's auditorium was filled to capacity with several others seated outside with screens mounted at vantage points to allow everyone access to the activities in order to ease congestion.

Security was tight even prior to the commencement of the service as people were thoroughly scrutinised before being allowed entry.

Church members, who were mostly clad in white clothes to signify triumph, sang and danced to glorify God for His love, mercies and protection and above all for a successful year and asked for a better year in 2020.

Bishop Hamesh Oddoye, the Head Pastor in charge of the Korle-Gonno Cathedral, said Christians must develop the desire towards bringing to their Maker the deviant ones.

He said the greatest thing Christians could offer God was to love Him, and it is imperative that Christians show that by assuming the roles of shepherds and feed the people with God's words to prepare them for a better life.

The theme for the sermon was: "2020, the Year of Shepherding," quoting scriptures from the Book of John 21:15, 15:16; Matthew 22:37; and Ephesians 4:10-12 among others to buttress his point.

Bishop Oddoye said "the greatest commandment according to the Bible is to love God and if you love God, you will feed his people, which means being a shepherd.

"God gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as shepherds and some us teachers and this is to prepare His people for the works of service," he said.

"Therefore, your aim in the church is to become a shepherd because you have been called by God to be a Christian and that call means you have to do His work for others," he added.

GNA

15 USC 6502 : Regulation of unfair and deceptive acts and practices in connection with collection and use of personal information from and about children on the Internet Text contains those laws in effect on January 1, 2020 From Title 15-COMMERCE AND TRADE CHAPTER 91-CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION Jump To: Source Credit Effective Date

§6502. Regulation of unfair and deceptive acts and practices in connection with collection and use of personal information from and about children on the Internet

(a) Acts prohibited

(1) In general

It is unlawful for an operator of a website or online service directed to children, or any operator that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child, to collect personal information from a child in a manner that violates the regulations prescribed under subsection (b).

(2) Disclosure to parent protected

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), neither an operator of such a website or online service nor the operator's agent shall be held to be liable under any Federal or State law for any disclosure made in good faith and following reasonable procedures in responding to a request for disclosure of personal information under subsection (b)(1)(B)(iii) to the parent of a child.

(b) Regulations

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after October 21, 1998, the Commission shall promulgate under section 553 of title 5 regulations that-

(A) require the operator of any website or online service directed to children that collects personal information from children or the operator of a website or online service that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child-

(i) to provide notice on the website of what information is collected from children by the operator, how the operator uses such information, and the operator's disclosure practices for such information; and

(ii) to obtain verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children;

(B) require the operator to provide, upon request of a parent under this subparagraph whose child has provided personal information to that website or online service, upon proper identification of that parent, to such parent-

(i) a description of the specific types of personal information collected from the child by that operator;

(ii) the opportunity at any time to refuse to permit the operator's further use or maintenance in retrievable form, or future online collection, of personal information from that child; and

(iii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, a means that is reasonable under the circumstances for the parent to obtain any personal information collected from that child;

(C) prohibit conditioning a child's participation in a game, the offering of a prize, or another activity on the child disclosing more personal information than is reasonably necessary to participate in such activity; and

(D) require the operator of such a website or online service to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children.

(2) When consent not required

The regulations shall provide that verifiable parental consent under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) is not required in the case of-

(A) online contact information collected from a child that is used only to respond directly on a one-time basis to a specific request from the child and is not used to recontact the child and is not maintained in retrievable form by the operator;

(B) a request for the name or online contact information of a parent or child that is used for the sole purpose of obtaining parental consent or providing notice under this section and where such information is not maintained in retrievable form by the operator if parental consent is not obtained after a reasonable time;

(C) online contact information collected from a child that is used only to respond more than once directly to a specific request from the child and is not used to recontact the child beyond the scope of that request-

(i) if, before any additional response after the initial response to the child, the operator uses reasonable efforts to provide a parent notice of the online contact information collected from the child, the purposes for which it is to be used, and an opportunity for the parent to request that the operator make no further use of the information and that it not be maintained in retrievable form; or

(ii) without notice to the parent in such circumstances as the Commission may determine are appropriate, taking into consideration the benefits to the child of access to information and services, and risks to the security and privacy of the child, in regulations promulgated under this subsection;

(D) the name of the child and online contact information (to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the safety of a child participant on the site)-

(i) used only for the purpose of protecting such safety;

(ii) not used to recontact the child or for any other purpose; and

(iii) not disclosed on the site,

if the operator uses reasonable efforts to provide a parent notice of the name and online contact information collected from the child, the purposes for which it is to be used, and an opportunity for the parent to request that the operator make no further use of the information and that it not be maintained in retrievable form; or

(E) the collection, use, or dissemination of such information by the operator of such a website or online service necessary-

(i) to protect the security or integrity of its website;

(ii) to take precautions against liability;

(iii) to respond to judicial process; or

(iv) to the extent permitted under other provisions of law, to provide information to law enforcement agencies or for an investigation on a matter related to public safety.

(3) Termination of service

The regulations shall permit the operator of a website or an online service to terminate service provided to a child whose parent has refused, under the regulations prescribed under paragraph (1)(B)(ii), to permit the operator's further use or maintenance in retrievable form, or future online collection, of personal information from that child.

(c) Enforcement

Subject to sections 6503 and 6505 of this title, a violation of a regulation prescribed under subsection (a) shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 57a(a)(1)(B) of this title.

(d) Inconsistent State law

No State or local government may impose any liability for commercial activities or actions by operators in interstate or foreign commerce in connection with an activity or action described in this chapter that is inconsistent with the treatment of those activities or actions under this section.

( Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title XIII, §1303, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–730 .)

Effective Date

DUMFRIES AREA

ROBBERY

Triangle Shopping Plz., 18000 block, 6:39 p.m. Dec. 17. A man entered a wireless electronics store with a firearm and demanded cash. An employee complied, and the man fled.

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THEFT/BREAK-IN

Jonathan Ct., 4300 block, 7 p.m. Dec. 7. Four people entered an unlocked residence, took several pairs of shoes, and fled. An 18-year-old Dumfries man was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary and use of a firearm in commission of felony. A Dumfries male, 17, and two Woodbridge males, 16 and 17, were arrested and charged as juveniles with conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary and use of a firearm in commission of felony.

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GAINESVILLE AREA

THEFT/BREAK-IN

Cartagena Dr., 14800 block, Dec. 12. A homeowner received an alarm activation alert at his residence and found a rear sliding-glass door was opened by force. Entry was made but nothing was reported missing.

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HAYMARKET AREA

SEXUAL BATTERY OF A MINOR

Haymarket area, Dec. 14. An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a male acquaintance. A 26-year-old Haymarket man was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual battery.

CHILD NEGLECT/DUI

James Madison Hwy. near Market Ridge Blvd., 2:25 a.m. Dec. 24. A female driver was observed speeding and unable to maintain her lane of travel. During the traffic stop, police determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol with a 10-month-old baby in the vehicle. The 26-year-old Linden woman was arrested and charged with felony child neglect, driving under the influence and reckless driving.

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ASSAULT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

Mountain View Dr., 4300 block, 1:17 a.m. Dec. 13. A woman was asked by a homeowner to leave the property. She refused, disregarded officers’ commands, bit an officer, and resisted arrest. The 35-year-old Manassas woman was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a law enforcement officer, trespassing, obstruction of justice, and destruction of property.

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MANASSAS AREA

HOMICIDE

Sudley Rd., 8200 block, 2:25 a.m. Dec. 26. Two men entered a restaurant brandishing a handgun and a baton. They ordered the patrons and employees to the ground and demanded cash and cellphones. They also demanded cash from the restaurant. They shot a man sitting on the floor who was cooperating, then assaulted and shot a delivery driver entering the restaurant who unwittingly held open the door for the men as they fled. The delivery driver, a 56-year-old Manassas man, died at the hospital from his injuries. The first victim was treated for serious injuries but is expected to survive.

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ROBBERY

Williamson Blvd., 7500 block, 1:13 a.m. Dec. 23. Two masked males entered a hotel lobby. One went to a back office and demanded cash from an employee at gunpoint, and the other walked behind the counter, opened the cash drawer, took money and fled.

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THEFT/BREAK-IN

Cobble Pond Way, 8100 block, 7 p.m. Dec. 5 to 4 p.m. Dec. 9. A gaming console was stolen from a residence entered through an unlocked door.

WOODBRIDGE AREA

MALICIOUS WOUNDINGS

Ferry Landing Lane, 13000 block, 4 p.m. Dec. 17. A woman got into an altercation at a residence with a male family member. During the incident, the woman grabbed a knife and swung it toward the man several times, striking him in the head and back. Minor injuries were reported. The 35-year-old Woodbridge woman was arrested and charged with malicious wounding.

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Darbydale Ave., 14700 block, 8:54 a.m. Dec. 22. A man got into a verbal altercation with a female acquaintance that escalated in a vehicle. During the incident, the man stabbed the woman in the lower back and grabbed her cellphone when she attempted to call police. The woman was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The 55-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, preventing the summoning of law enforcement, and intoxicated in public.

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ASSAULTS

Beechtree Lane, 2800 block, 6:53 p.m. Dec. 22. A man entered the residence of a female family member without permission. When she attempted to call police the man took the woman’s phone and assaulted her, then fled. The woman sustained minor injuries. In addition, the man violated a current protective order.

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Potomac Mills Cir., 2700 block, Dec. 13. A man got into an argument with a female acquaintance in a parking lot at a shopping mall. The man grabbed the woman’s throat. He struck her in the face and head and caused her to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. The woman eventually drove herself to a hospital for treatment. The 30-year-old Stafford man was arrested Dec. 14 and charged with strangulation and assault and battery.

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ASSAULTS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

Botts Ave., 13800 block, 10:20 p.m. Dec. 15. Responding to a call for a suspicious person, police located four occupants in a vehicle and detected the odor of marijuana. One of the male occupants was found to be in possession of a handgun and marijuana. He became disorderly, refused lawful commands, provided a false identity, and kicked an officer. The 16-year-old Woodbridge male was arrested and charged with assault and battery on law enforcement officer, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, destruction of property, possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I or II drugs and presenting false identification to a law enforcement officer.

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Cloverdale Rd., 15100 block, 4:40 a.m. Dec. 12. A man refused to return a vehicle belonging to a female acquaintance after being allowed to use it briefly. The man drove up while officers were at the residence. He refused to comply with officers’ commands, a struggle ensued, and he was arrested. The 21-year-old Woodbridge man was charged with assault and battery on a law enforcement officer, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and obstruction of justice.

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Dining Way, 14800 block, 8:45 a.m. Dec. 20. A man was seen attempting to open car doors, then fled into a nearby business where he began acting disorderly. The man assaulted an officer who attempted to detain him and resisted arrest. The 47-year-old man of no fixed address was charged with assault and battery on a law enforcement officer, attempted grand larceny, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct.

ABDUCTION

Gableridge Turn, 1800 block, 10:30-11:30 p.m. Dec. 20. A man and a woman got into an argument that escalated at an apartment. When she attempted to flee the apartment, the man pushed the door shut and locked it, preventing her from exiting. The 37-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with abduction.

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ROBBERIES

Jefferson Davis Hwy., 14000 block, 12:10 a.m. Dec. 24. Two masked men entered a pharmacy brandishing a firearm. One of the men escorted an employee to a back office and demanded cash while the other demanded cash from the registers. No injuries were reported.

Minniville Rd., 12700 block, 1:32 a.m. Dec. 19. Two females entered a service station, accosted an employee with a stun gun and demanded cash. The employee refused and threw merchandise at them. The females attempted to flee, but the employee detained one of them. A 15-year-old Manassas female was arrested and charged with attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and assault and battery.

Pearson Dr., 4700 block, 1:43 a.m. Dec. 19. Responding to shots fired, police located a man in the street with a gunshot wound and assault injuries to the upper body. The man pulled into a residential driveway and exited a vehicle after returning from a casino with an acquaintance. Multiple masked man assaulted the man, shot him in the upper body, took cash and a cellphone and fled in a dark-color SUV. The injured man was flown to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

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SHOOTING INTO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING

Bentley Cir., 13500 block, 3:20 a.m. Dec. 22. A homeowner heard loud noises and discovered bullet holes in her front door. Police located shell casings in the street in front of the residence. No injuries or other damage were reported. A dark four-door sedan was seen fleeing the area.

Katie Pl., 3700 block, 1 a.m. Dec. 26. Responding to shots fired, police located a residence with damage consistent with being struck by projectiles. Shell casings were also located in front of the residence. No injuries or other damage were reported.

ARREST

Georgetown Rd., 16600 block, Dec. 5. Police arrested a 13-year-old Woodbridge male wanted in connection with an attempted armed robbery. He was charged with attempted robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. A male accomplice has not been located.

Manassas

There were no incidents reported by Manassas police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-257-8000.

Manassas Park

There were no incidents reported by Manassas Park police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-361-1136.

article

Burger King will start offering free kids meals at their US restaurants.

This announcement comes as several cities and states have told restaurants to close their dining rooms and only fulfill take-out and delivery orders. At the same time, many school districts across the country have either closed or started teaching students online, which has caused problems for families who rely on school lunches to feed their children.

Burger King restaurants in the United States will start offering two free kids meals for one adult meal, Bloomberg reports. The offer will reportedly be available for orders placed through the restaurant's online or mobile apps.

Jose Cil, CEO of Burger King's parent company, Restaurant Brands International Inc., discussed the new offer on Tuesday after participating in a conference call with President Trump. The call included other restaurant leaders and was focused on the coronavirus pandemic's effect on the restaurant industry.

According to Bloomberg, Cil said, "We work closely with each of our franchisees. We’re going to get through this. We have a strong franchise system and a very strong franchise model.”

Cil also said that the company was working with its franchisees on a case-by-case basis to determine whether to provide aid.

Burger King isn't the only company making changes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Advertisement

DoorDash, a restaurant delivery app, recently announced several changes to their policies to limit the amount of contact customers make with restaurant workers and delivery drivers. The company also announced that they would be waiving commission fees for pick-up orders for restaurants already using the service.

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