Parliament to consider amending Penal Code provisions often used against LGBTQ community

Pope Francis waves to the faithful during the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peters Square on April 2, 2023 in Vatican City, Vatican.

PHILADELPHIA - Thunder and lightning filled the sky Saturday night as severe storms moved through the city, causing damage with heavy rain and strong winds.Downed power lines sparked at least two car fires on North 24th Street in North Philadelphia early Sunday morning. Fire crews were on the scene working to extinguish the flames of the torched cars parked along the street.MORE HEADLINES:People were evacuated in the area as a precaution, but were allowed to return as the fires were placed under control.Several people in the area are still said to be without power due to outages caused by the storms.

Wendy's logo is seen near the restaurant in Streator, United States on October 15, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) A Wendy's customer is suing the fast food chain after she was hospitalized after eating a contaminated burger.Court documents obtained by McClatchy News allege that customer Jena Vogt has been plagued by long-term health issues and staggering medical bills as a result of her meal, which contained a preformed toxin.Jena Vogt ordered a medium double cheeseburger combo from a Wendy's restaurant in St.

WEST READING, Pa. - The West Reading community held a vigil to honor the seven people who died in the R.M. Chocolate Factory explosion one week ago. Officials with the Berks County Coroner's Office identified all seven victims as 30-year-old Xiorky Nunez, 63-year-old Susan Halvonik, 62-year-old Michael Breedy, 44-year-old Diana Cedeno, 55-year-old Judith Lopez-Moran, 49-year-old Amy Sandoe and 60-year-old Domingo Cruz.

WEST PHILADELPHIA - Three men are in police custody after a shooting on the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line at the 52nd Street Station in West Philadelphia. Video obtained by FOX 29 shows the incident unfolding and spilling out onto the platform. The incident occurred on Friday morning just before 8 a.m., delaying SEPTA trains in the area. Three men are in police custody after a shooting on the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line at the 52nd Street Station in West Philadelphia. Video obtained by FOX 29 shows the incident unfolding and spilling out onto the platform.

SALEM, N.J. - Police are looking for the people responsible for killing a 13-year-old boy in Salem, New Jersey Thursday night."They shot through this window, I got a bullet hole right there," said Daffonie Moore. "They have to try to dig that out."Moore said she’s lived on 9th Street over 40 years and nothing like this has ever happened."We’re usually sitting right across from here or in the kitchen," said Moore. "It’s kind of frightening to know it came through.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A tornado raced through Little Rock and surrounding areas Friday, splintering homes, overturning vehicles and tossing trees and debris on roadways as people raced for shelter. The city’s main trauma center said it was expecting at least 15 to 20 patients.There were two more confirmed twisters in Iowa, damaging hail fell in Illinois and wind-whipped grass fires blazed in Oklahoma, part of a massive storm system threatening a broad swath of the country home to some 85 million people in the South and Midwest.The Little Rock tornado tore first through neighborhoods in the western part of the city, and shredded a small shopping center that included a Kroger grocery store.

GLOUCESTER CITY, N.J. - Police in Camden County are investigating a shooting that left two people dead in a motel room, according to police. Authorities say the Gloucester City police and fire departments responded to a motel on the 1200 block of Rt.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Changes are coming to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) after the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. This comes after human rights investigation into the MPD that was launched after George Floyd's murder.The City Council approved the City of Minneapolis' court-enforceable settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights by an 11-0 vote on Friday.

A Perth man who lost his wife in the midst of the Covid pandemic will “absolutely” pay his loving respects at one of 11 memorial benches installed across the region.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating an abduction that occurred in the Northeast Philadelphia section of the city early Friday morning. Authorities say the abduction took place on Friday just after 2 a.m.According to police, a witness told investigators a man, identified as a 48-year-old, was walking home from work on the 900 block of E Godfrey Avenue when a black SUV pulled up next to him.

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow speaks with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson after the verdict was read in his $300,000 suit against her over a skiing accident on March 30, 2023, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Rick Bowmer-Pool/Getty Images) PARK CITY, Utah - As Gwyneth Paltrow left a Utah courtroom Thursday, she touched the shoulder of the man who sued her and whispered something in his ear."I wish you well," she told Terry Sanderson, the 76-year-old retired optometrist who sued Paltrow over injuries he sustained when the two crashed on a beginner run at a posh Utah ski resort in 2016."Thank you, dear," he reportedly responded.READ MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash trial: biggest bombshellsThe exchange came after Paltrow won her highly publicized court battle –  a jury decided Thursday that the actor wasn’t at fault for the crash.Paltrow looked to her attorneys with a pursed-lips smile when the judge read the eight-member jury’s verdict in the Park City courtroom.

PHILADELPHIA - A man has reportedly been taken into police custody after a shooting on the SEPTA Market Frankford Line at the 52nd Street Station in the West Philadelphia section of the city. Video obtained by FOX 29 shows SEPTA passengers holding an armed man down until police arrived to arrest him. The incident occurred on Friday morning just before 8 a.m., delaying SEPTA trains in the area. FOX 29's Steve Keeley is in West Philadelphia, where a gunman was apprehended on a SEPTA platform after passengers held him down.SKYFOX flew over the station, where a large police presence was observed in the area. SKYFOX flew over a SEPTA station in West Philadelphia, where a large police presence was seen outside.Authorities have not released any information on the incident or investigation. This is a developing story.

WEST READING, Pa. - The Reading community is preparing to honor the seven people who died in the R.M. Chocolate Factory explosion one week ago. Officials with the Berks County Coroner's Office have only identified 49-year-old Amy Sandoe and 60-year-old Domingo Cruz, with five victims pending identification.  Related Days after the deadly explosion at the R.M.

several thousand new workers this year, the airline announced in a statement.The low-cost carrier said Thursday the number of employees it intends to bring onboard this year will come out to more than 4,000. The roles the company is planning to fill are those for pilots, flight attendants, plane maintenance techs and other positions, according to the release.A spokesperson told FOX Business the airline is not providing a breakdown of the hiring at this time.In early February, Spirit Airlines reported that its workforce at the end of 2022 totaled roughly 12,000 active employees, of which almost 3,200 were pilots, about 5,700 were flight attendants and some 3,100 were workers in other roles, according to its annual report.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Friday will visit a Mississippi town ravaged by a deadly tornado even as a new series of severe storms threatens to rip across the Midwest and the South.Last week's twister destroyed roughly 300 homes and businesses in Rolling Fork and the nearby town of Silver City, leaving mounds of wreckage full of lumber, bricks and twisted metal. Hundreds of additional structures were badly damaged. The death toll in Mississippi stood at 21, based on deaths confirmed by coroners.

Recalled Jetson Rogue Self-Balancing Scooter/Hoverboard (side view) (CPSC/ Jetson Electric Bikes) Jetson Electric Bikes is recalling 53,000 scooters/ hoverboards over fire hazards following the death of two kids, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The lithium-ion battery packs in the 42-volt Jetson Rogue self-balancing scooters/hoverboards can overheat and pose a fire hazard, according to the recall notice posted by the CPSC. In April 2022, a 10-year-old girl and her 15-year-old sister were killed in a fire that broke out in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. HYUNDAI AND KIA TO RECALL MORE THAN HALF MILLION VEHICLES OVER FIRE CONCERNAlthough the cause of the fire is still undetermined, the "Hellertown Borough Fire Marshal determined that a 42-volt Jetson Rogue was the point of origin of the fire," according to the notice. "The fire then spread from the room of origin to other portions of the house, resulting in the deaths of the two girls and smoke inhalation injuries to the girls’ parents," the recall continued. There has also been several other reported incidents where the product was burning sparking or melting.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured that there is currently no reason to be alarmed. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday that the Delhi government is monitoring the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases in the city and is ready to handle any situation that may arise.

Texas relatives decided they weren’t going to take the crime lying down.Now, one of those family members is being accused of shooting and killing the suspected car thief, after the clan was able to track the stolen vehicle with an Apple AirTag.None of the people involved have been named, though San Antonio Police Department spokesperson Nick Soliz did provide a timeline of events to reporters during a news briefing recorded by local KSAT. Read more: Pizza receipt leads police to 12-year-old suspect in Milwaukee man’s murder The truck in question was stolen at around 1 p.m.

NEW YORK - A New York grand jury that voted to indict former President Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter has refocused attention on the Manhattan district attorney steering the case. Alvin Bragg's decision to convene the grand jury early this year led to the first criminal charge against a former U.S.

PARK CITY, Utah - A jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon in Gwyneth Paltrow’s trial over a 2016 ski collision at a Utah resort.Attorneys for Gwyneth Paltrow and the 76-year-old man suing her described their clients in closing arguments as aggrieved victims participating in a yearslong legal battle to take a stand for truth. The eight-person jury is tasked with weighing dueling versions of who was the downhill skier, making the other side culpable according to a skier responsibility code.During closing arguments, Paltrow’s attorneys asked jurors to disregard the opposing side's emotional pleas for sympathy of Terry Sanderson over the state of his relationships.

A fraudster business owner who attempted to claim almost £28,000 in Covid grant funding has been sentenced for his ‘disgraceful’ breach of trust after it was discovered he had vacated the premises which he based his claims on.

MAD magazine, will resonate with anyone who has ever used a health insurance policy during a medical emergency. Mumbai-based Hitesh Gajaria is a case in point. Gajaria was diagnosed with a serious ailment in July, which required him to be hospitalized suddenly.

PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department say a man was critically injured in an overnight shooting. According to police, the shooting occurred on the 4800 block of B Street in the Feltonville section of the city just before 3:30 a.m.Officers with the 25th District arrived on scene and found a 43-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the forehead, per police. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESOfficials say the shooter is known to the victim, who was transported to Temple Hospital and placed in critical condition. Authorities say the scene was held, no arrest was made and the weapon used in the shooting has not been recovered. 

Russia’s security service arrested an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal on espionage charges, the first time a U.S. correspondent has been detained on spying accusations since the Cold War.

NEWARK, NJ - A career criminal whose rap sheet includes bank robberies and a murder conspiracy has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for killing a New Jersey political consultant in exchange for money back in 2014.George Bratsenis, 74, pleaded guilty a year ago to a charge that he and another man accepted thousands of dollars from another political consultant, Sean Caddle, in exchange for killing Michael Galdieri. Galdieri was stabbed to death in his Jersey City apartment, which was then set on fire.U.S.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Calling all ice cream lovers: Dairy Queen is giving customers the chance to get their hands on a Dairy Queen Blizzard for just 85 cents.To celebrate the year of 1985 when the popular treat was introduced, a Dairy Queen spokesperson confirmed that fans will be able to enjoy a Blizzard treat for only 85 cents between April 10-23. The deal will only be available through the Minnesota-based ice cream chain’s mobile app.Dairy Queen also announced that the S’mores Blizzard Treat, along with other treats, will return to its summer menu beginning today.  A S'mores flavored blizzard is seen at a Dairy Queen, the first to open in Manhattan, on May 29, 2014 in New York City. There are more than 6,300 Dairy Queens in the U.S.

An MP who travelled on the train while knowingly infected with Covid-19 could face a 30-day suspension from parliament - and could lose her seat if a by-election is called.

coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 7.45 per cent on Monday. The city logged 153 cases with a positivity rate of 9.13 per cent on Sunday and 139 cases with a positivity rate of 4.98 per cent on Saturday. It saw 152 cases with a positivity rate of 6.66 per cent on Friday and 117 cases with a positivity rate of 4.95 per cent on Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA - As of March 28, there have been just over 100 homicides in Philadelphia.Technically, that number is down from this time last year. But, following the disturbingly high trend the city has seen in recent years, the goal of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit is to bring closure in as many of those cases as possible.The new Commanding Officer of the unit talked about how they are solving cases.15-year-old Devin Weedon is the latest child to become a victim of the senseless, surging gun violence in the city of Philadelphia.

CENTER CITY - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw has been involved in an automobile accident.The accident happened Wednesday afternoon, at the intersection of North 15th and Race streets, in Center City.An SUV collided with another SUV at the intersection.Officials say four people were injured, including the Commissioner and her driver. The driver of an Uber and the Uber passenger were also injured.

Wildlife and environmental agencies are investigating after a 7th whale washed ashore in recent weeks on a New Jersey beach.  ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Democratic U.S. Senators from four states want federal environmental officials to address a spate of whale deaths on both coasts, urging "transparency and timeliness" in releasing information about whale deaths and their causes.The call late Tuesday by New Jersey Sens.

Pope Francis during the General Audience in St. Peters Square.

FILE - Tourists are led on tours through the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building on Sept.

PHILADELPHIA - A devastated family is mourning the loss of their beloved son and brother, who was taken from them in one tragic moment at the young age of just 15 years old.Devin Weedon was shot and killed while walking to Simon Gratz High School early Monday morning. Police say he was fatally shot in the chest after a fight with three male suspects.His mom, dad and older sister joined Good Day Philadelphia in an emotional interview to remember the 15-year-old boy, whose promising future was cut short by unnecessary violence."He was an all-around good kid; didn't cause trouble; didn't bother anyone," Devin's mom said.

VENICE, CA - JUNE 09: California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (L) and actress Rosario Dawson attend the grand opening of the MedMen marijuana dispensary shop on Venices Abbot Kinney Boulevard on June 9, 2018 in Venice, California. (Photo by Ama SAN FRANCISCO - It could cost California more than $800 billion to compensate Black residents for generations of over-policing, disproportionate incarceration and housing discrimination, economists have told a state panel considering reparations.The preliminary estimate is more than 2.5 times California’s $300 billion annual budget, and does not include a recommended $1 million per older Black resident for health disparities that have shortened their average life span.

PHILADELPHIA - Deadly gun violence continues to plague the city of Philadelphia and the everyday lives of its residents, and now the issue has trickled even further into the schools of innocent children.The School District of Philadelphia says 99 of its students have been shot so far this school year, 18 of them killed and 81 others wounded.That number increased this week after a 15-year-old student was gunned down and killed on his way to Simon Gratz High School in Nicetown on Monday.A tragic day for the entire community as school officials say students witnessed the deadly shooting and ran into school. All Mastery schools closed Tuesday for a day of healing."That trauma lasts," said Scott Gordon, CEO of Mastery Simon Gratz High School.

WEST READING, Pa. - The Reading community is preparing to honor the seven people who died in the R.M. Chocolate Factory explosion last Friday. Officials with the Berks County Coroner's Office have only identified 49-year-old Amy Sandoe and 60-year-old Domingo Cruz, with five victims pending identification.  Related Days after the deadly explosion at the R.M.

PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Jim Kenney announced Tuesday that Philadelphia's tap water is safe to consume and use following a weekend chemical spill along the Delaware River. "I'm pleased to announce Philadelphia's drinking water will not be impacted by the spill in Bucks County that occurred over the weekend," Kenney said at a Tuesday press conference. "The threat is passed, I repeat: all city's drinking water is safe to drink and will not be impacted by the spill."Health officials in Bucks County, just north of Philadelphia, said Sunday that between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons (30,700 and 120,000 liters) of a water-based latex-finishing solution spilled into the river late Friday due to a burst pipe at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township.Reporters stopped Mayor Kenney at an event to press him on the status of Philadelphia's tap water after a chemical spill and confusing communication from the city left residents panic-buying bottled water.Residents in Philadelphia have accused Kenney and city leaders of mixed messaging about the safety of the city's tap water since the spill.

FILE-Sign with logo for Boy Scouts of America in the Silicon Valley, Foster City, California, April 11, 2020. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) DOVER, Del. - A federal district court judge has upheld the approval of a $2.4 billion bankruptcy reorganization plan aimed at resolving tens of thousands of child sexual abuse claims against the Boy Scouts of America.The ruling docketed Tuesday rejects arguments by non-settling insurance companies and attorneys representing dissenting abuse survivors that the reorganization plan was not proposed in good faith and improperly strips the insurers and survivors of their rights.RELATED: Boy Scouts to sell off camps amid strain from sexual abuse suitsThe ruling follows a September decision in which U.S.

An Australian company has lifted the glass cloche on a meatball made of lab-grown cultured meat using the genetic sequence from the long-extinct mammoth. (Credit: Aico Lind www.studioaico.nl)Throw another mammoth on the barbie?An Australian company on Tuesday lifted the glass cloche on a meatball made of lab-grown cultured meat using the genetic sequence from the long-extinct pachyderm, saying it was meant to fire up public debate about the hi-tech treat.The launch in an Amsterdam science museum came just days before April 1 so there was an elephant in the room: Is this for real?"This is not an April Fools joke," said Tim Noakesmith, founder of Australian startup Vow.

It’s a sad day for Wendy Williams fans…

A horse became trapped in snow in Utah and had to be rescued. (Credit: McKay Wadley) PARK CITY, Utah - A horse had to be rescued in Utah after becoming trapped in the snow and enduring below-freezing temperatures. Park City Fire officials said they responded to the scene on Parkway Drive Monday morning. They believe a horse was pushed out of the barn by another horse and had sunk down deep in the snow. RELATED: Horse racing's national anti-doping program starts"The horse was unable to move and spent the night stuck in the snow," fire officials told FOX Television Stations in a statement. Crews had to dig a path, about 3o to 40 feet, through the snow to get from the barn to the horse's location.

SKYFOX flew over N 20th Street as investigators remained on scene following a double shooting.  PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department are on scene in the city after a double shooting in broad daylight, according to police. Authorities say the shooting occurred on the 2400 block of North 20th Street in the city's North Philadelphia section just after 12:45 p.m. According to officials, a 35-year-old man was shot five times in the upper body and transported to Temple University Hospital, where he is in critical condition. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESA second man was grazed in the side and transported by fire department medics to the hospital, where he is in stable condition, police say. Authorities say the scene was held for investigators, but no arrests have been made. 

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 18: A general view of the Salt Lake City skyline taken during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games on February 18, 2002 in Salt Lake CIty, Utah. ( Photo by: Brian Bahr/Getty Images) CEDAR FORT, Utah - A snowmobiler was found dead after authorities said he was buried in 22 feet of snow. The Utah County's Sheriff's Office said they found the body of a 38-year-old man in an avalanche in Pole Canyon near Cedar Fort Monday night. According to FOX 13, authorities said the man was snowmobiling with "with a friend and going from the Tooele County side of the mountain to the Utah County side."RELATED: Avalanche temporarily strands more than 1,000 people at popular Utah ski areaThe news outlet reported the friend made it out and called for help.

PHILADELPHIA - Shelves were left empty as Philadelphia residents fled to grocery stores to wait in endless lines for bottled water after news of a chemical spill broke over the weekend.Mayor Jim Kenney was confronted by local reporters Tuesday after the city sent out several contradictory advisories, leaving residents confused and concerned about the city's water quality.Although he admitted to the chemical spill being a "scary" situation, the mayor said he does not regret the city's response."When we weren’t sure, we had to give people some advisory, so people would be safe," he said. "If we had held onto the information you would be asking me why we didn’t say anything."RELATED COVERAGE: Tap water deemed 'safe' to drink, use in Philadelphia at least through Wednesday night, officials sayIn response to panic-buying across Philadelphia and beyond, Kenney said the city didn't set up a water distribution center because they didn't think there would be a run on bottled water."Look we had a run on toilet paper during Covid that didn’t make sense either, and people buy 10 cases of water is pretty selfish," he said.RELATED COVERAGE: Philadelphians panic-buy bottled water despite reassurance from city leaders about tap waterThe mayor went on to confirm that the water supply is safe, and that the bottled-water advisory was merely a suggestion made out of an abundance of safety."I don't think this is rocket science here," the mayor said.As of Tuesday afternoon, Philadelphia officials say tap water is safe to drink until 11:59 p.m.