Am I ready to buy a home? Questions to ask before entering the housing market

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Officials with the Bensalem Township Department of Public Safety say an accidental fire inside a home left a man critically injured. Authorities say 911 dispatchers got a call from Thomas Risich, a 76-year-old man who lives on the 700 block of Kings Lane, about a fire in his living room. According to officials, Risich told dispatchers he was wheelchair bound and he was in a bathroom in the back of the home with no way to escape. Bensalem Police and firefighters from multiple agencies responded to the scene and saw heavy smoke coming from the home, per authorities. Firefighters were able to access the home through the back bathroom window, and they found Risich unresponsive on the floor. Authorities say he was removed through a bathroom window and transported to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital before being airlifted to Jefferson Hospital, where he was placed in critical condition. Battalion Chief Rob Sponheimer conducted an investigation into the cause of the fire and it is believed the fire was accidental, likely caused by a faulty space heater, officials say. The investigation is ongoing.

Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide dribbles the ball against Jalen Jackson #4 of the Texas A&M-CC Islanders during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images) BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Brandon Miller sat in a folding chair in a corner of the locker room facing an assemblage of reporters and video cameras.Alabama's freshman All-American fielded few questions about his worst game in crimson and white, not with all the off-the-court matters that have shadowed him and a team mounting a bid for the program's first national championship.Amid myriad distractions, the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed dispatched 16th-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 96-75 on Thursday in the opening round even with its best player going scoreless for the first time.RELATED: Alabama basketball player Darius Miles charged with capital murder in deadly shootingMiller, who politely but succinctly responded to questions about anything not related to the game, has been accompanied by a security guard provided by the university after facing threats since his presence at the scene of a fatal shooting was disclosed in court testimony."It doesn’t bother me," Miller said of the threats, which he forwards to university officials.

Protesters hold placards reading "Power is in the streets" and "No." during a demonstration a day after the French government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote on March 17, 2023. (JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images) PARIS - Protesters disrupted traffic in Paris on Friday as angry critics, political opponents and labor unions around France blasted President Emmanuel Macron's decision to force a bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 through parliament without a vote.Opposition parties were expected to start procedures later Friday for a no-confidence vote on the government led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

Coronation Street star Simon Gregson has given fans an update on his real-life injury after Steve McDonald appeared on screen last year in a wheelchair. In an episode of the ITV soap aired on November 29, the character returned from a trip to Spain. He got sympathy from his pals in the boozer, with the exception of his wife Tracy, as he explained that he had broken his leg while chasing a mugger.

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is warning about a significant vulnerability impacting Microsoft email users that allows threat actors to steal victims’ identities.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A Camden County boy made an emotional plea for help at a recent school board meeting after he and his family claimed constant bullying and torment on the school bus has gone unaddressed.Ayden, a 12-year-old student at Beck Middle School in Cherry Hill, said the ridicule from students has included questions about his sexuality and gender identity. "I feel upset, angry, sad," Ayden told FOX 29's Dawn Timmeny. He claims one of his tormenters lunged at him when he used his cell phone to record the incessant bullying during a bus ride to school. "I mean, I'm very proud of myself, I think it's very important if any other kids are going through this," Ayden said. "I also hope this ends, like, I don't want to go through this." MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAyden, who is in 6th grade, spoke at a recent school board meeting and detailed the torment that he and his parents claim has since gone unaddressed. His parents say they reported everything to school administrators and filed a ‘Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying’ report.

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 20: Rapper Hurricane Chris attends the MP3waxx.com Deejays & Producers Honors Luncheon at Vibes Lounge on September 20, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ben Rose/Getty Images for MP3Waxx.com) SHREVEPORT, La. - A Louisiana jury has acquitted rapper Hurricane Chris, known for the hit "A Bay Bay," in the 2020 death of a man shot several times at a gas station in Shreveport.The panel late Tuesday found the 34-year-old artist, whose real name is Christopher Dooley, not guilty of second-degree murder in the slaying of Danzeria Farris Jr., 32, and illegal possession of stolen things, news outlets reported.A Caddo Parish Grand Jury indicted Dooley in October 2020 in connection with the June 19, 2020 slaying of Farris who was shot several times at a Texaco station. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.Dooley had been on trial in state district court for more than a week before Tuesday's verdict.

Canada’s housing market showed signs of life in February following a year of cooling off, but experts are watching the typically busy spring season to determine whether the correction has hit its bottom.

Mifepristone, the abortion pill known as RU 486. (Photo by James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images) AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas will hear arguments Wednesday in a high-stakes court case that could threaten access to abortion medication and blunt the authority of U.S.

BENSALEM, Pa. - A young girl awoke to a terrifying nightmare when police say she found a grown man beside her in her own bed.Police were responding to a burglary in progress on the 300 block of Thunder Circle in Bensalem when they were alerted to the incident.The 9-year-old victim ran out of her room when she woke up next to a burglary suspect wearing just underwear, according to authorities. She told police that the man touched her inappropriately.MORE HEADLINES:She ran to tell her father, who says he found the man sitting on his daughter's bed wrapped in a blanket.The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Paddy Patrick Purcell, fled before police arrived.

PHILADELPHIA - A devastating fire claimed the lives of 12 people, including nine children, in Philadelphia last year; and now the victims' families are taking legal action.The families of five people killed in the Fairmount rowhome fire are suing building owner the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the city’s public housing agency and the state’s biggest landlord."This terrible tragedy resulting in precious loss of life could and should have been avoided… we are now prepared to move forward, seeking not only compensation, but accountability," Tom Kline, of Kline & Specter, announced in a statement Tuesday.The lawsuit claims the Housing Authority knew the 4-bedroom apartment was overcrowded with 14 people, and that the building had no fire escape or hardwired smoke detectors.RELATED COVERAGE: Philadelphia fire: Lighter, Christmas tree started fire that killed 12 in FairmountNine children were among the 12 people who died in the January 2022 blaze, which officials later said was caused by a Christmas tree ignited by a lighter."We believe with certainty - so 99 to 100% confidence - that the first item ignited in this blaze was a Christmas tree," Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said after an investigation last year. "We believe with near certainty, based on the evidence, the ignition source for this tree was a lighter that was located nearby."Fourteen people were authorized to live in the four-bedroom upper apartment that "suffered the tragedy," Kelvin Jeremiah, the housing authority's president and CEO, said last year.

Kate Garraway has shared the last holiday she had with her husband Derek Draper and the now-poignant passing conversation they had before their lives were changed by Covid. Fans of the Good Morning Britain presenter are well aware of the fact that former Labour lobbyist suffered severe complications after contracting the virus early into the pandemic in March 2020.

protests against the queer community has risen sharply across North America in recent months and groups that study online hate believe they know why.“The data shows an uptick in anti-LGBT+ demonstrations in Canada alongside the larger increase in the United States,” said Sam Jones, communications lead for the Armed Conflict Location and Data Project. “More anti-LGBT+ demonstration events have already been recorded in Canada so far this year than in all of 2021 and 2023 is on track to exceed 2022.”Canadian Anti-Hate Network executive director Evan Balgord says Canada is seeing the protests happening right across the country with multiple events happening every week.

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson will appear before a parliamentary committee next week that is investigating whether he misled lawmakers over Covid-19 lockdown-breaking events in Downing Street.

City of Madison Fire Department noted. On March 12, the agency released footage of a home explosion obtained by the social news platform Storyful. According to local media reports, no one was home, and there were no injuries in the incident. In a Facebook post, the Madison Fire Department wrote "large amounts of snow can put heavy weight and pressure on the pipes which ultimately causes them to break and fail.  "In both home explosions, there was 10+ ft or more of snow on the gas meter."Officials concluded writing "another issue is snow clogging the vent on the regulator which can cause a build up of pressure which can cause gas to leak into a home," the fire department wrote.

A patient with severe physical and mental health problems died in hospital two months after she had been sectioned under the mental health act, an inquest has heard.

PHILADELPHIA - From the beaches of Jamaica to the back of a cop car, officials say a wanted criminal's vacation took quite the turn in Philadelphia last week.Reginald Junior Galette, 24, was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers when he arrived at Philadelphia International Airport on Friday.The Massachusetts man was on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica, when the National Targeting Center identified him as a suspect in a Boston arrest warrant, and placed him on alert.MORE HEADLINES:He was taken into custody after being referred to a secondary examination by a self-help passport kiosk.Galette was wanted by the Boston Police Department for felony attempted murder, assault and firearms charges.

REDMOND, Wash. - A Washington woman who died with her husband when a stalker from Texas broke into their home and opened fire told a judge days earlier she'd just had spinal surgery and was struggling with limited mobility as her harasser ignored requests to leave her alone."I have had major back surgery and my mobility has been affected, and I need care 24/7," Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, wrote in an application for an order of protection. "This makes me fear about my ability to respond to a crisis."Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, a 38-year-old trucker who previously lived in Houston, listened to Sadeghi's broadcasts and initially became a friend, according to court documents.

NEW YORK - Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is expected to testify Monday before a Manhattan grand jury investigating hush money payments he arranged and made on the former president’s behalf.Cohen arrived at the courthouse accompanied by his lawyer shortly in advance of his closed-door testimony, which comes at a critical time as the Manhattan district attorney's office approaches a decision whether to seek charges against Trump.A Trump loyalist turned adversary, Cohen is likely to provide critical details about whatever involvement the Republican presidential candidate may have had in the payments made during the 2016 campaign to two women who alleged affairs or sexual encounters with him."My goal is to tell the truth," Cohen told reporters outside the courthouse, dismissing a suggestion that he might be motivated by a desire to see Trump behind bars."This is not revenge," he said. "This is all about accountability.

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PHILADELPHIA - Police say a 2-year-old child was inside one of three cars that crashed Monday morning, leaving one person hospitalized and part of a home damaged.The crash occurred when a car lost control and crashed into a house on East Upsal Street and Chew Avenue around 1:30 a.m.Two men were inside at the time, and one was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.MORE HEADLINES:A woman and child, 2, were inside the second vehicle when it crashed into another vehicle parked on the street.

PERKASIE, Pa. - The Bucks County Fire Marshal is investigating a house fire that claimed the life of a 75-year-old woman, in Perkasie.Officials said fire crews were called to the 1300 block of Parkridge Court, in the Bucks County town, Sunday morning, just after 10:30, for a building fire.Firefighters got into the residence and found the woman dead in an upstairs bedroom. Officials say she appeared to have died from smoke inhalation.Crews spent about three and a half hours gaining control of the fire and dousing hot spots."When I had a problem, she would help me out.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Department of Immigration and Emigration said that MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage was turned away from the Bandaranaike International Airport on Friday (10), as another persons' data was added to the system, instead of the MPs passport data.Harsha Ilukpitiya, Controller General of the Immigration and Emigration Department, stated that the travel ban list came into effect after the wrong data was added to the system.The officer who added the wrong data into the system has been suspended, pending inquiry.The Criminal Investigation Department and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team are conducting further investigations into the matter.

CENTER CITY - Philadelphia celebrated St. Patrick Sunday, as the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place Sunday.

PERKASIE, Pa. - The Bucks County Fire Marshal is investigating a house fire that claimed the life of a 75-year-old woman, in Perkasie.Officials said fire crews were called to the 1300 block of Parkridge Court, in the Bucks County town, Sunday morning, just after 10:30, for a building fire.Firefighters got into the residence and found the woman dead in an upstairs bedroom.Crews spent about three and a half hours gaining control of the fire and dousing hot spots.The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Hawaii's second-largest volcano is not erupting, scientists said in an update to a previous warning.The U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement late Saturday that seismic activity beneath the summit of Kilauea "has returned to background levels, ground deformation has stabilized, and no lava has been observed at the surface."The statement cautioned "another intrusion or resumption may occur in the near future with little or no warning."The agency previously said a shallow earthquake storm signaled "resumption of eruptive activity at Kilauea summit is likely imminent."Scientists said Tuesday that lava had stopped flowing after 61 days of volcanic activity.In this handout photo provided by the U.S.

BURLINGTON COUNTY, N.J. - Fire crews arrived to find a raging fire and two people needing to be rescued immediately at a house in Burlington County early Saturday morning.The fire broke out at a 3-story home on Main Street around 1:30 a.m.Two people inside the house had escaped the fire, making their way to the roof, according to officials.MORE HEADLINES:Officials say one person was hospitalized after either falling or jumping to safety.

Towns along the Jersey Shore are preparing for beach season, but erosion is making things difficult.  NEPTUNE, N.J. - Coastal communities around the world are adding a tropical twist to shoreline protection, courtesy of the humble coconut.From the sands of the Jersey Shore to the islands of Indonesia, strands of coconut husk, known as coir, are being incorporated into shoreline protection projects.Often used in conjunction with other measures, the coconut material is seen as a cost-effective, readily available and sustainable option. This is particularly true in developing countries.

PHILADELPHIA - Horrifying scenes in Philadelphia's latest murder as a shooting victim was struck by more than 70 bullets.Police found the man on the porch of a home on the 3400 block of 16th Street in Tioga just before midnight Saturday.He was suffering from over 70 gunshots wounds, and pronounced dead.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka expressed concerns over law enforcement officers who resorted to the use of tear gas, water cannons and wooden rods as a crowd control mechanism to disperse protesters over the past few days.Issuing a statement, the HRCSL noted that every citizen is entitled to the freedom of Assembly and expression and that this right has been exercised by different individuals and groups in the country. The statement further read that the Commission has initiated inquiries and investigation procedures to ascertain whether the crowd control procedures adopted by law enforcement officers are in line with constitutional provisions, international human rights obligations of Sri Lanka and basic principles of respecting human dignity. Public Security Minister Tiran Alles is expected to appear before the Commission tomorrow for an inquiry over the violent crackdown by the Police on March 7 and 8 when dispersing protests held near the Universities of Colombo and Kelaniya.The Commission is optimistic that the discussion with the Minister would help adopt a mechanism to prevent the violations of fundamental human rights in future and recommend guidelines in compliance with human rights for the control of crowds during protests.The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka expressed concerns over law enforcement officers who resorted to the use of tear gas, water cannons and wooden rods as a crowd control mechanism to disperse protesters over the past few days.Issuing a statement, the HRCSL noted that every citizen is entitled to the freedom of Assembly and expression and that this right has been exercised by different individuals and groups in the country. The statement further read that the Commission has

Most Canadians will wind their clocks forward an hour tonight, but legislation in the United States that could put an end to the seasonal time change is also moving ahead.

CAMDEN, N.J. - A historic home in Camden went up in flames, the fire badly damaging a home where the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed during his time living in the Delaware Valley.Historians have been planning to restore the home for years and create a museum, to share Dr.

CAMDEN, N.J. - One person was rushed to the hospital early Saturday morning after a fire broke out inside a house in Camden.Officials say the fire ignited inside a house on the 700 block of Walnut Street, then spread next door.Several fire crews were called to the scene shortly before 3 a.m.

REDMOND, Wash. - Three people are dead after a suspected stalker broke into a Redmond, Washington home and killed a podcaster and her husband, police said. The woman's mother survived the attack, escaped and called 911.The shooting happened at a home on 166th Street Northeast and Northeast 89th Street before 2:00 a.m.

China dismissed such reports and emphasized that the pandemic is a scientific issue and should not be turned into a political matter. "The origins-tracing of SARS-CoV-2 is about science and should not be politicized.

See also:Speaking to Storyful, Drury said the package contained around $25 worth of makeup and said neither he nor his wife have any idea where the dog came from."We drove around looking for the dog and, as we say in Texas, we haven’t seen hide nor hair of him," Drury said.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Anthony McRae, the man who shot up Michigan State University last month, had a note in his pocket detailing other targets, along with a list of his emotions and mindset.VIEW: Police release full Michigan State University shooting timelineMSU police released a redacted version of the note Friday.

A five-year-old boy who was in the care of Alberta Children’s Services died after being attacked by dogs on a First Nation north of Slave Lake.

COMPTON, Calif. - A reckless DUI suspect who was seen huffing a balloon while leading officers on a pursuit through a Compton neighborhood Thursday is refusing to surrender and remains in a standoff with authorities.Right now the suspect is apparently inhaling nitrous from a bottle as he vapes an unknown substance in the driver's seat.Officials have been deploying pepper balls in the vicinity of the truck, breaking a portion of the back window, in an attempt to get the driver out of the white pickup truck but have not yet been successful.LA County Sheriff's deputies began to pursue the driver because of reckless driving and suspected DUI.Earlier, the driver crossed a center divider and struck at least one patrol car. The driver was somehow able to evade at least three PIT maneuvers.The pursuit came to a stop around 1 p.m.

Steven Struzinski is accused of soliciting sex from a person posing as a teenage boy online.

John Butler won a $100,000 lottery prize claiming it days before it was going to expire. (Massachusetts State Lottery) A Massachusetts man is $100,000 richer now thanks to the help of his significant other. John Butler bought lottery tickets before traveling to Florida last year.  He put them in a drawer but never checked them. RELATED: Massachusetts man wins $25K for life lottery prize — six timesLast week, Butler’s wife told him about a news story she watched about a lottery prize, and this prompted him to look around his home for the winning ticket, which he found, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. RELATED: 18-year-old wins $48 million with her very first lottery ticketButler won the state’s $100,000 cash prize claiming his winnings 11 days before it was about to expire.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A California assemblyman introduced a new bill to set parameters for how and when law enforcement officers can use facial recognition technology in body cameras."Rather than have every agency come up with their own set of standards, every jurisdiction do their own thing, we’re really proud to do something statewide," said Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).Currently, there are no statewide restrictions on facial recognition technology, because Ting’s previous bill sunset in January of this year. Signed in 2019, the bill placed a three-year-ban on the technology.The ban faced stiff opposition from law enforcement groups."Across the country, real world examples of law enforcement using facial recognition technology to solve major crimes showcases just how important this technology can be towards protecting our communities," said San Leandro police Chief Abdul Pridgen.Pridgen is also a member of the California Police Chiefs Association. Ting and state Sen.

SAN FRANCISCO - A historic San Francisco home, featured in "The Princess Diaries," has hit the market for $8.9 million. The 100-year-old home is one of the most aesthetic in San Francisco, according to Steven Mavromihalis, the real-estate agent handling the listing.The 4,599-square-foot home was designed by famed architect August Headman in 1923.  It has become well-known, however, as the place where "Princess Diaries" character Mia Thermopolis, played by a young Anne Hathaway, attended a fictitious school in the 2001 film. The home, located at 2601 Lyon Street is at the intersection of San Francisco's Pacific Heights and Cow Hallow neighborhoods.

The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday — a decision real estate players and economists say will have major implications for the Canadian housing market.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda said that the economic integration is the key to enhancing the exiting relations between India and Sri Lanka to a special relationship. He made these remarks while addressing the officers of the Indian Armed Forces at the prestigious Army War College, Mhow, on the topic ‘Trajectory of Sri Lanka India Relations: 2030’.Speaking to the officers of the Indian Armed Forces who are following the Joint Higher Command Course, High Commissioner Moragoda broadly highlighted the strategic significance of Indo-Lanka relations drawing from the historical ties to the present status of the special relationship between the two countries.  Elaborating on the vibrant Indo-Lanka relations, High Commissioner Moragoda highlighted the key role played by India by way of extending much-needed financial assistance worth nearly USD 4 billion, which served as the lifeline that rescued Sri Lanka’s economy from a total collapse.He also deliberated upon the strong defence cooperation that exists between the two countries and the continued training assistance extended to the members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces by India, including the training opportunities offered by the Army War College.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia firefighter who was badly hurt when he fell from the roof of a rowhome while battling a fire was released from the hospital on Wednesday. Officials say Ladder 13 firefighter Randy Ballinger was working with his colleagues to extinguish a rowhome fire on the 1100 block of South Paxon Street on Feb.

A 65-year-old man from Maui has been cited for harassing wildlife after videos emerged of him swimming close to a humpback whale and pursuing a pod of dolphins on March 5 and 6, (Credit: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources) A Hawaiian man known as "Dolphin Dave" is facing charges after he allegedly harassed wildlife in a state park.The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said 65-year-old David Jiménez of Maui was cited Monday morning at Kealakekua Bay on Hawai‘i Island.This comes after the department's Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement received numerous calls reporting alleged wildlife harassment. Kealakekua Whale & Dolphin Incidents, March 6, 2023.mov from Hawaii DLNR on Vimeo.Wildlife officials said Jiménez was allegedly actively pursuing an adolescent humpback whale and dolphins inside Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park.A video recording of a man snorkeling close enough to the adolescent humpback whale to almost touch the whale’s fin was given to authorities Sunday. ‘DISTURBING’ AMOUNT OF PLASTICS, DEBRIS FOUND INSIDE DEAD WHALE IN HAWAIIWhen officers arrived at shore Monday, they recorded Jiménez "actively pursuing a pod of spinner dolphins." They say Jiménez was leading a group chasing the dolphins. Both whales and dolphins are protected by state and federal laws.According to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources,Jiménez refers to himself as "Dolphin Dave," on Facebook, and told their officers he’s not going to stop swimming with whales and dolphins, "because it’s magical and others do much worse things."Jiménez was cited with the harassing wildlife in a state park and performing prohibited acts in regard to endangered whale species.

bobcat in southern Arizona found a comfy and warm place to rest – but it was inside someone's home – and in their dog's bed.The Arizona Game and Fish Department posted two photos of the bobcat on Twitter, saying it's suspected to have come in through an unlocked doggie door at a home in San Manuel, just outside of Tucson.The big cat was seen lounging on a fluffy dog bed surrounded by toys. By time help arrived, the bobcat was gone.The department warns to not handle entrapped or injured wildlife.