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Woman injured when light pole falls in shopping center parking lot in Nashua, NH

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

A 74-year-old woman was injured Wednesday when a light pole fell in a shopping center parking lot in Nashua, New Hampshire, police said. Police said the pole was at least 30 feet high. After Wednesday’s incident, officials said they’re trying to figure out how the pole fell. “Everybody was scared at that moment,” witness Jason Tran said. “It was crazy.”The incident happened in the Webster Square plaza off Daniel Webster Highway. Tran works in the plaza. He said he saw what happened and called 911. Dozens of first responders soon arrived, huddling around the woman who was lying on the ground between Michaels and TJ Maxx locations. Tran said the woman was awake, though her head was bleeding. Police said it’s unclear if the pole hit the woman or if she hit her head trying to get out of the way. While officials said they don’t believe anything hit the pole, witnesses said it was windy in the area.“The lady parked the car and she goes to Michaels and, at tha...

2 dead in 10 days on North County train tracks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- There have been two fatal train collisions in 10 days in Carlsbad and in the latest incident Tuesday evening, a teenager is believed to be the victim. The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told FOX 5 they cannot confirm the victim’s age at this time, but did clarify they were not younger than 18 years old. Wednesday evening officials with the department also said they wanted to dispel rumors that a group may have been playing “chicken” with the trains. However, several neighbors who spoke with FOX 5 off camera say a group of what appeared to be four teen boys were weaving in and out of the tracks and that the oncoming train was blaring its horn several times. “This is horrible. Second time in less than 10 days,” Carol French said.  Police investigate after body found near East County mall On April 2, a man was killed on the tracks south of Tamarack Avenue and on Tuesday the latest collision involving a North County Transit District Coaster train happened in the sa...

Holy Land Christians say attacks rising in far-right Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land has warned in an interview that the rise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government has made life worse for Christians in the birthplace of Christianity. The influential Vatican-appointed Latin Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, told The Associated Press that the region’s 2,000-year-old Christian community has come under increasing attack, with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history emboldening extremists who have harassed clergy and vandalized religious property at a quickening pace.The uptick in anti-Christian incidents comes as the Israeli settler movement, galvanized by its allies in government, appears to have seized the moment to expand its enterprise in the contested capital. “The frequency of these attacks, the aggressions, has become something new,” Pizzaballa said during Easter week from his office, tucked in the limestone passageways of the Old City’s Christian Quar...

Asia stocks follow Wall St down after US recession warning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets declined Thursday after the Federal Reserve said its economists expect a “mild recession” this year.Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney retreated. Tokyo advanced. Oil prices fell.Wall Street closed lower Wednesday after notes from the central bank’s latest meeting said its economists expect lower bank lending to cause a “mild recession.” Traders already saw an increasing likelihood of at least a brief U.S. recession this year following interest rate hikes to cool inflation. Government data showed consumer prices rose 5% in March, well above the Fed’s 2% target.“It seems to be brewing recession fears that shook risk sentiments,” said Yeap Jun Rong of IG in a report. The Fed report “erodes chatters of a soft landing scenario.”The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4% to 3,312.79 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo added 0.2% to 28,140.27. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong retreated 0.7% to 20,160.84.The Kospi in Seoul gave up 0.1% to 2,548.61 while Sydney...

Can France’s constitutional body halt disputed pension bill?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French unions are staging new nationwide protests Thursday, on the eve of an expected ruling by a top constitutional body that they hope will derail President Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular pension reform plan. If the Constitutional Council greenlights the reform, the bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 can enter into force. Yet the body has the power to reject the text, fully or partially. Here’s a look at what’s at stake ahead of Friday’s decision.WHAT’S THE CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL?The body’s role is to make sure a law is in line with France’s Constitution prior to enactment. In this case, it comes after Macron’s centrist government forced the pension bill through parliament without a vote, using a special constitutional power. The council is currently composed of three women and six men aged between 64 and 77, and is headed by former Socialist Prime Minister Laurent Fabius. Most members are centrists and conservatives, including tw...

Sudan’s military warns of conflict after rival force deploys

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudan’s military on Thursday warned of potential clashes with the country’s powerful paramilitary force, which it said deployed troops in the capital and other cities.Tensions between the military and the Rapid Support Forces have escalated in recent months, forcing a delay of the signing of an internationally-backed deal with political parties to restore the country’s democratic transition. In a statement, the military said the buildup of the RSF in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country has come without “the approval of, or coordination with” the armed forces’ leadership.It said the RSF measures “have stirred up panic and fear among people, exacerbated security risks and increased tensions between regular forces.”The military said it has attempted to “find peaceful solutions to such violations” to prevent an armed conflict with the RSF.The military’s statement came as the RSF deployed troops in the Northern Province on the border with Egypt. Local media...

Court preserves access to abortion drug, tightens rules

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal appeals court has preserved access to an abortion drug for now but under tighter rules that would allow the drug only to be dispensed up to seven weeks, not 10, and not by mail.The drug, mifepristone, was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration more than two decades ago. It’s used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled Wednesday just before midnight. By a 2-1 vote a panel of three judges narrowed for now a decision by a lower court judge in Texas that had completely blocked the FDA’s approval of the drug following a lawsuit by mifepristone’s opponents. The lower court ruling had been on pause for a week to allow an appeal.Under the appeals court order, the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone in 2000 is allowed to remain in effect.But changes made by the FDA since 2016 relaxing the rules for prescribing and dispensing mifepristone would be placed on hold. Those include e...

New India-born World Bank chief: Real change or rebranding?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

BENGALURU, India (AP) — The incoming president of the World Bank was born in India and forged his early business success there, a fact supporters say gives Ajay Banga valuable insight into the challenges faced by the developing countries the bank is supposed to help.But not everyone is sure that Banga, who has spent most of the last two decades in the U.S. corporate world, can be counted on to shake up the bank in the way some think it should be.U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen talked up Banga’s credentials this week on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings in Washington. Banga, currently vice chairman at private equity firm General Atlantic, has more than 30 years of business experience, including as CEO of Mastercard and on the boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. “He has the right leadership and management skills, background, and financial expertise to lead the World Bank at a critical moment in its...

How the EU aims to boost consumer protection 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

Find out about new EU rules on product safety to boost consumer protection and adapt it to new challenges such as the green transition and the digital transformation, Society.Updated product safety rulesIn March 2023, MEPs approved revised rules on product safety of non-food consumer products, designed to address safety risks associated with new technologies and the rise of online sales. They replace the existing General Product Safety Directive, which dates back to 2001.Improving safety assessmentsThe new rules aim to guarantee that all products placed on the market are safe for consumers. Vulnerable consumers, including children and people living with a disability, will be protected by stricter safety requirements for products marketed towards them.The new product safety rules  improve recall rules extending the obligations of economic operators  give market surveillance authorities more power  oblige online marketplaces to cooperate with authorities to prevent risk...

Nurtleu Murat appointed Kazakhstan minister of foreign affairs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:48 GMT

By the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan Nurtleu Murat (pictured) was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister - minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He was dismissed from the post of Head of the Staff of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.