This Halloween, be safe when trick-or-treating by watching for cars

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This Halloween, be safe when trick-or-treating by watching for cars

2024-10-26 23:08 Last Updated At：23:21

The scariest things lurking around the corner on Halloween aren’t monsters or ghosts.

According to doctors, it’s cars. Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, especially for kids.

“There’s a lot of focus on the risks of candy that might be a little misplaced,” said Britney Lombard, an injury prevention manager at Children’s Hospital Colorado. But one thing experts are sure of, she said, is an increase in child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween.

“There are a lot of things that they can do to mitigate those risks,” she said.

Here are some tips to make sure Halloween is safe and fun for everyone — from cars to costumes.

An easy way to keep yourself and your kids out of harm's way on Halloween is being aware of your surroundings, Lombard said.

That goes for drivers and pedestrians.

“We see a lot of distracted drivers who are on their phones, and we see a lot of distracted pedestrians who may have headphones in or (are) on their phone,” she said.

Kids under the age of 12 generally should be with adults when trick-or-treating. Older kids who are out by themselves should be aware of the rules of the road and practice being responsible pedestrians, she said. That includes staying off phones, making eye contact with drivers before crossing the road and using crosswalks and sidewalks.

Lombard also urged people to drive the speed limit, don't drink and drive and pay close attention to the road — especially at night.

“There are going to be a lot of children out when it gets dark, and there is limited visibility,” she said.

Backing out of driveways can be particularly dangerous on Halloween with kids running from house to house. Lombard recommends rolling down your window to listen for children, as well as checking for them in all mirrors and reversing slowly.

Costumes can be fun and creative, but experts say they should also be safe.

Make sure costumes fit well, and avoid tripping hazards like capes or bulky get-ups that aren’t safe for car seats.

If your child’s costume includes a mask, make sure it fits well and they can see with it on. When in doubt, Lombard said, opt for face paint.

Wearing bright, reflective costumes is a good idea, too — try adding glow sticks or reflective tape.

Also consider non-flammable costumes, said Dr. Nicholas Algu, a pediatrician at Louisiana’s Ochsner Health. On the other side, if you decorate outside for Halloween, avoid long cords and open fire — just in case.

“A lot of kids are walking around, and there are going to be flames, candles, things like that,” he said. “It’s really easy to have an accident.”

Jack o’ lanterns are practically synonymous with Halloween, but carving them can be dangerous.

To avoid accidents, Algu said to make sure the pumpkin is completely dry, use a marker to draw cut-outs beforehand and leave the carving to adults.

“You can get the kids to scoop up pumpkin seeds instead,” he said. “That way, they feel like they’re helping and doing a lot of stuff, but it’s safer for them.”

You can also forgo the carving entirely and attach things to the gourd to give your pumpkin some personality.

Sure, there are myths of doctored candy hurting people on Halloween.

But more importantly, Algu said, parents should consider telling their kids to avoid eating their stash until they get home in the case of any emergencies — like gooey, sticky or chunky candy that could cause young kids to choke.

And even though the call of candy might be strong, Halloween isn’t the night to explore new parts of town.

Algu recommends avoiding going inside homes, and sticking to houses with their lights on and places you know.

Even in familiar neighborhoods, it’s likely you’ll meet strangers — that’s why it’s important to stay with your group, he said, and use common sense to avoid sticky situations.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Middle East latest: Israeli airstrikes hit military sites in Iran

2024-10-26 23:18 Last Updated At：23:20

Israel unleashed a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against military sites in Iran on Saturday, saying it targeted facilities used to make the missiles fired at Israel and surface-to-air missile locations.

The attack risks pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the total toll over the past year is over 2,600 killed and 12,200 wounded. The fighting in Lebanon has driven 1.2 million people from their homes, including more than 400,000 children, according to the United Nations children’s agency. Israeli strikes have killed much of Hezbollah’s top leadership since fighting ramped up in September.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between militants and civilians. The Israel-Hamas war began after Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, 2023, blew holes in Israel’s security fence and stormed in, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others.

Here's the latest:

CAIRO — A top United Nations humanitarian official says the “entire population of north Gaza is at risk of dying” and that what Israeli forces are doing in the “besieged” area cannot be allowed to continue.

Joyce Msuya in a statement issued the latest warning about deteriorating conditions as hospitals have been struck and shelters burned. “Families have been separated and men and boys are being taken away by the truckload,” she added.

She accused Israeli forces of “blatant disregard for humanity” as they pursue what they say are Hamas militants regrouping in parts of northern Gaza. Israel has again warned the entire population in the north to evacuate.

CAIRO — Egypt’s flagship airliner has canceled Saturday flights from Cairo to Baghdad and Erbil in Iraq and Amman, Jordan.

EgyptAir blamed the cancellations on “the ongoing developments in the region.”

The flight cancellations came hours after Israel launched a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against military sites in Iran.

ISTANBUL — Turkey accused Israel of having “brought our region to the brink of a greater war” following its strikes on Iran.

“Putting an end to the terror created by Israel in the region has become a historic duty in terms of establishing international security and peace,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It called on the international community to take “immediate action to enforce the law and stop the Netanyahu government.”

Turkey has been a harsh critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon while voicing support for Hamas.

CAIRO —Israeli troops withdrew from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after holding a number of people inside detained for hours, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Those held included medical staff and patients, the ministry said, and women were held separately “with no water or food.” The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The troops later withdrew from the hospital, leaving behind massive damage, the ministry said. Footage circulated online showing the courtyard bulldozered and the wards vandalized.

Among those detained and taken away was Dr. Mohamed Obeid, head of the orthopedics’ department at nearby Al-Awda Hospital, according to Al-Awda Hospital. His whereabouts are unknown.

The Israeli army began raiding the hospital, located in the Beit Lahiya area, on Friday as part of its weekslong ground offensive on the northern parts of Gaza.

Kamal Adwan is one of three hospitals in northern Gaza that has been left largely inaccessible because of the fighting.

Earlier this week, the director of the hospital told The Associated Press that the facility is facing a “catastrophic” shortage of basic supplies and that ambulances can no longer service the site.

Throughout the yearlong Israel-Hamas war, Israeli forces have stormed and bombarded a number of hospitals including the strip’s largest medical facility, Shifa Hospital. Israel accuses Hamas of using medical facilities across Gaza for military purposes, an accusation the militant group has denied.

CAIRO — Egypt said it's following with “great concern the rapid and serious escalation” in the region, including Israel’s attack on Iran, and warned about “serious confrontations” across the Middle East.

The Foreign Ministry said that a cease-fire deal in Gaza “is the sole means to de-escalate” tensions in the Middle East.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been leading efforts to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza, which includes the release of hostages held by Hamas as well as Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

APIA, Samoa — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Iran should not respond to Israeli airstrikes and urged all sides to show restraint.

His comments at the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa came after Israel attacked Iran with a series of pre-dawn airstrikes Saturday in what it said was a response to the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired upon Israel earlier this month.

Starmer said Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression.

“This is a live situation, and we are obviously monitoring it closely alongside our partners,” Starmer said. “We need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint. Iran should not respond. We will continue to work with allies to de-escalate the situation across the region.”

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks on military bases and said Iran will respond.

A statement by the Foreign Ministry called the attacks a clear violation of international law and the U.N. Charter, particularly regarding the prohibition against threats or the use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations.

The ministry emphasized Iran’s inherent right to self-defense, as reflected in Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, saying it has an obligation to respond to foreign aggression.

JERUSALEM — Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid praised the work of the military but said Israel should have struck harder.

“The decision not to attack strategic and economic targets in Iran was wrong. We could and should have exacted a much heavier price from Iran,” Lapid wrote in a post on X.

He said the air force actions showed its operational capabilities, and that Israel’s enemies know that its military is strong and can attack anywhere.

TEHRAN, Iran — The Iranian army said two soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes.

The army statement was carried by the Arabic-language channel of the state TV, Al-Alam. The report did not elaborate.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s military said early Saturday that Israeli strikes on the country targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, causing “limited damage.”

The statement from Iran’s armed forces was read aloud on state television, which showed no images of the damage described. Iran’s military claimed its air defenses limited the damage done by the strikes, without providing additional evidence.

Israel said it launched attacks targeting missile manufacturing plants and other sites in the country.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel said early Saturday it had completed its strikes targeting Iran. The Israeli military issued a statement saying its planes “have safely returned home.”

Its aircraft “struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the state of Israel over the last year,” the military said. “These missiles posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the state of Israel.”

It added that it also “struck surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities, that were intended to restrict Israel’s aerial freedom of operation in Iran.” It offered no damage assessment.

Iran acknowledged only “limited damage” to military facilities.

The early Saturday airstrikes on Iran were in retaliation for a ballistic missile assault Oct. 1, Israeli officials said. The attack, threatened for weeks by Israel, comes as the Middle East sits on the precipice of a regional war more than a year after an initial attack by the militant group Hamas on Israel. In the time since, Israel has launched a devastating ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and an invasion of neighboring Lebanon, targeting militants long armed and aided by Tehran.