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A law passed in New York in April 2024 makes it more difficult for problem tenants to be removed from rental properties.As a homeowner screening potential tenants, it is vital to keep local, state and federal housing laws in mind to avoid legal trouble, especially as new legislation across the country often supports tenants instead of homeowners, which includes the Good Cause Eviction Law.”Good Cause Eviction is a new law in New York. It came into effect on April 20 of 2024, although certain provisions came into effect later on, on Aug. 18, 2024,” Daniel Phillips, a real estate litigation partner at Belkin, Burden and Goldman who specializes in landlord-tenant disputes, told Fox News Digital by phone.MENTAL, PHYSICAL AILMENTS CAN DEVELOP AMONG HOMEOWNERS OVERTAKEN BY SQUATTERS, ACCORDING TO EXPERTEven when proper screening is conducted, including background checks, credit checks and recommendations on a potential tenant’s behalf, sometimes landlords end up with a tenant who causes problems.”Essentially, what the law states is that fair market tenants who are not regulated, such as rent-stabilized and rent-control tenants, but free market tenants cannot be removed from possession of an apartment unless the landlord can establish either that they are exempt from the law or that they have what’s called good cause, which is defined in the law to remove the tenant from possession.”There are several types of homes that are exempt from the Good Cause Eviction Law.ADVICE FROM PROFESSIONALS ON PROTECTING YOUR HOME AGAINST SQUATTERSHomes owned by a landlord who owns 10 units or fewer do not fall under this law, according to NewYork.gov.A tenant who sublets and then decides to return to a property is also exempt from this law, as are homes provided to a tenant because of a job but who then leaves the job or is fired.Other examples include homes built on or after Jan. 1, 2009; homes where rents and evictions are already regulated by federal, state or local law; homes in condo and co-op buildings and homes that the federal, state or local government regulates that include income or rent restrictions, such as project-based Section 8 vouchers, according to NewYork.gov. Seasonal homes, mobile homes, hotel rooms and homes where rent is more than 245% of fair market rent are also excluded from the law. SELF-HELP EVICTION METHODS TO REMOVE SQUATTERS COULD LEAD TO LEGAL TROUBLE FOR HOMEOWNERSThere are several different grounds that would be considered “good cause” for eviction based on this new law. “Some grounds for removal that would be defined as good cause is that the tenant is a nuisance, that the tenant failed to pay rent that’s due and owing and, again, there’s a list of other grounds for removing the tenant,” Phillips explained. “If the landlord doesn’t fall into either one of those categories, whether being exempt or having a grounds for removal, then the tenant is permitted to remain in possession of an apartment essentially in perpetuity.”Phillips said this law protects potentially bad tenants, making it harder for landlords to remove them. “This law will help protect tenants that kind of fall in the gray area where they might not rise to the level of being a nuisance or a bad tenant, where you could remove them. But the landlord still has to deal with a problematic tenant and can’t just get rid of them simply when the lease expires,” Phillips said. “So, this is going to help protect tenants who are difficult and sometimes not good at paying the rent and giving problems to the landlord, but maybe not rising to the level where they can bring a court case against them and evict them.”Additionally, the law puts a cap on yearly rent increases, which is currently 8.82%, according to Phillips.  Several housing problems deal with squatters coming into possession of a home unlawfully. In many states, lengthy disputes with squatters play out in court. While the Good Cause Eviction Law is unlikely to factor into a squatter situation, Phillips said the law potentially protecting “bad tenants” is consistent with the way squatters are protected against landlords in many housing disputes.  “I think what you’re going to just see is a lot of potentially bad tenants being protected, similar to the way squatters are sort of being protected with rights that maybe they shouldn’t have,” Phillips said. “These tenants are going to be protected, and landlords are going to have a more difficult time removing problematic tenants from their buildings.”



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Publish date : 2024-09-29 12:11:44

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UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. — Foreign ministers from European nations with close U.S. ties reacted to Vice President Kamala Harris’ claim world leaders are “laughing” at former President Trump, dismissing the claim. During September’s presidential debate, Harris said, “World leaders are laughing at Donald Trump. I have talked with military leaders, some of whom worked with you, and they say you’re a disgrace.”When asked about this quote, foreign ministers in attendance at the United Nations High-Level Week stressed they have no view one way or the other on the U.S. election and will work with whomever wins. “We are friends of America,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, noting Italy and the U.S. are “two sides of the same coin.” “If Trump will be the new president of America, we will work with him as we worked with him when he was president of America.”ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS HEZBOLLAH LEADER HASSAN NASRALLAH KILLED IN BEIRUT STRIKE”We worked well with Biden, with Bush, with Reagan, with Clinton, with Obama,” Tajani added. “For us, the transatlantic relations are the key strategy of our foreign policy, Europe and America.” Foreign ministers of Lithuania and the Czech Republic stressed that they will not interfere in the election by stating a preference, instead saying they “leave it to the American citizens to decide.” “My role is not to comment on such a political statement,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said. However, Lipavsky praised Trump’s “strong” message of defense spending, which he hoped Europe would continue to embrace in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine. INVESTIGATOR REVEALS CHINA TRIED TO SMUGGLE DRONES TO LIBYA DISGUISED AS COVID AID”The point is that Donald Trump had, at his time, one strong message for Europe, and that message was quite resonating and is resonating more now because he was saying spend more on your defense,” Lipavsky said. “My government is spending more on our defense,” he added. “We want to reach those 2% of GDP, will be reaching them this year, and we will continue next year. So, (if) Donald Trump would be a president with this message, ‘Please spend 2%,” we would be OK.”Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis highlighted the “very long history” between the two countries, saying that the relationship is “more than politics.” Instead, he reiterated the message that whoever wins the election will need to focus on the same message of defense spending that Trump pushed during his first administration. TALIBAN DISMISS DISCRIMINATION ACCUSATIONS AS ‘ABSURD’ DESPITE BANNING WOMEN FROM PUBLIC IN AFGHANISTANPrior to the Trump administration, only a few members of NATO had upheld their commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense, but that number rose sharply due to Trump’s insistence and hard-line stance over the issue. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in June reported that 23 of the 32 member states have hit the minimum spending requirement, which helped improve the bloc’s ability to support Ukraine and, potentially, deter Russian aggression beyond its current ambitions. No European nation, though, has touted the success of Trump’s first term and expressed hopes for a strong second term as has Hungary. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó revealed his government would have “huge expectations” for a new Trump administration. “We have huge expectations because we do believe that many of the major crises which give us a lot of concern can be resolved by an administration of President Trump,” Szijjártó said, noting he speaks as the longest-serving foreign minister in NATO with 10 years under his belt. HUNGARIAN FM RECALLS STRONG TRUMP ADMIN ‘EXPERIENCE,’ CLAIMS ‘OUR HOPE IS ALL’ ON FORMER PRESIDENT”I didn’t really see anyone laughing at Trump,” Szijjártó said. “What I’ve seen many having fear. I’ve seen many being afraid of a U.S. president being honest, not a hostage by the liberal mainstream, representing a patriotic position, speaking clearly about America first.”  Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have done little to hide their rosy friendship, with Trump invoking the Hungarian leader as a “strong man of Europe” who speaks well of the former president. Orbán proved this is a mutual dynamic when he chose to leave the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this year to instead meet with Trump in Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss foreign relations.”Under President Trump, everything was under control,” Szijjártó said. “Since President Trump has left office, the whole global security situation is deteriorating. So, I mean, these are experiences.” “If we base it on our experience, we say yes, from a perspective of U.S.-Hungary relations, I think President Trump would bring another impetus, freshness, dynamism to this relationship. And I think if President Trump is elected, I think the world has a good chance to become a more peaceful place compared to the current situation.”  The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Publish date : 2024-09-29 10:00:25

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A comet not seen for more than 80,000 years will be visible from Earth, potentially during two separate time periods over the next month.Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also known as Comet A3, is believed to have an orbit around the sun of more than 80,000 years, according to earth.com. The comet was first visible starting on Sept. 27 and will continue until shortly before sunrise on Oct. 2. It is expected to appear like a fuzzy ball with a tail stretching across the sky.”C/2023 A3 has an orbital period of approximately 80,000 years, classifying it as a long-period comet. This means its behavior and appearance can be unpredictable, with potential changes in brightness and tail development as it approaches the sun,” Minjae Kim, a space expert in the University of Warwick’s astronomy department, told earth.com.SPACEX LAUNCHES MISSION TO SPACE STATION THAT WILL BRING BACK STRANDED NASA ASTRONAUTS NEXT YEAR”If predictions hold, it could be visible to the naked eye, appearing as a fuzzy star with a tail stretching across the sky. Otherwise, binoculars or a small telescope may reveal more detail in the comet’s structure and tail,” Kim added.Sept. 27th also marked perihelion, or closet point to the sun, after which the comet will begin its trip back to the outer solar system, according to WKMG.Another viewing opportunity, which is expected to have better visibility, will be in the middle of October if the comet survives the trip around the sun, as comets will often break apart as they move closer to the sun.If the comet survives the trip around the sun, the comet could be visible with the naked eye as it becomes its closest to Earth, with its best visibility expected from Oct. 12 until Oct. 20.GEOMAGNETIC STORM EXPECTED TO HIT EARTH FOLLOWING AUTUMNAL EQUINOXCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe comet will move higher in the sky each night until it disappears for the next 80,000 years.Starwalk, an astronomical app for stargazers, said this comet is the “most anticipated comet of the year.”



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Publish date : 2024-09-29 09:17:33

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The mother of a missing North Carolina girl was charged in connection with her disappearance, pleaded guilty, left jail and then fled the United States all within a two-year span.Madalina Cojocari was last seen getting off a school bus in her hometown of Cornelius, just north of Charlotte, on Nov. 21, 2022, when she was 11 years old. Madalina’s mother and stepfather did not report her missing until Dec. 15, 2022, despite telling police the last time they saw their daughter was at home the evening of Nov. 23, 2022.”It never leaves my mind. And I feel comfortable saying it’s the same way for all the detectives and everybody that’s invested so much time in this case,” Cornelius Police Department Chief David Baucom told Fox News Digital. “There were times at the onset of [the] investigation where some of us didn’t go home for 48 hours because we were working the case that hard and chasing down leads and everything else. Of course, that’s only sustainable for any person for so long. But … she never leaves our minds.”Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, and her stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, were arrested and charged with failing to report a missing child in 2022. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MADALINA COJOCARI’S MOM’S GUILTY PLEA?Diana pleaded guilty in May and argued that the time she had spent in jail leading up to that point was enough time served. A Mecklenburg County jury found Palmiter guilty of failure to report a missing child to law enforcement on May 31 after a weeklong trial, and he was sentenced to 30 months of supervised probation.MADALINA COJOCARI MISSING FOR 1 YEAR: ‘NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL WE FIND HER’Authorities released Diana from jail around that time, and neighbors reported seeing her back in her quiet, suburban neighborhood in early June. Baucom said she and Palmiter “were never actually living together” after their respective releases from jail, but Diana did appear at the home they formerly shared in the early days of June.In late June, Cornelius police named Diana as the prime suspect in Madalina’s disappearance, but she had already left the United States, likely for Moldova, by that point.MISSING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL’S MOTHER WANTED TO SMUGGLE 11-YEAR-OLD FROM HOME: WARRANT”And then she eventually left the country. I do not know the exact date that she left the country,” Baucom said, adding later that there were no restrictions that could have prevented her from fleeing America.Baucom noted that when Diana was initially arrested in 2022, “[S]he was charged with and served time for the only charge that we could sustain during the initial part of the investigation.”Police were able to get in contact with Diana while she was still in Cornelius after her release, but officials have since lost track of her exact whereabouts and have reached out to federal authorities for help tracking her down overseas.MADALINA COJOCARI: NORTH CAROLINA POLICE RELEASE NEW PHOTO OF 11-YEAR-OLD MISSING SINCE NOVEMBER”We have made that request, but we have not heard back if it’s been fulfilled yet,” the police chief said of the Cornelius Police Department’s request to federal officials.Diana was in the U.S. on a green card. In May, Palmiter filed for a divorce against his estranged wife.MISSING MADALINA COJOCARI: TIMELINE OF NORTH CAROLINA GIRL’S DISAPPEARANCE THAT WENT UNREPORTED FOR WEEKS”It’s unfortunate that she went back to Moldova, but our case here is still ongoing, and we’re going to continue to investigate it,” Baucom said when asked if Diana’s decision to leave the country will impede efforts to find Madalina, who would be 13 years old today. “While this investigation has been complicated from the word go … from us being behind three weeks right off the start, it definitely doesn’t make our investigation any easier with her not being here. But it doesn’t change what we’re doing. We’ll continue to investigate.”Based on their investigation so far, Cornelius police do not believe Madalina ever left the United States, though they are not dismissing any possibilities.”It’s still a very active case. We still meet regularly on it. We have a detective assigned to it. So by no means is it a cold case, and I just want to make sure the community and really whoever else sees this … [knows] our goal is to find Madalina,” Baucom said.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XDiana told school officials and Cornelius police she hadn’t seen her daughter, a sixth-grader at Bailey Middle School who was born in Moldova, since she went to her bedroom on Nov. 23, 2022, around 10 p.m. after she and Palmiter got into an argument, court documents state.Palmiter said that on Nov. 24, 2022, he drove to his relatives’ home in Michigan “to recover some items” after an argument with his wife. Diana apparently went into her daughter’s room around 11:30 that morning and discovered the 11-year-old was gone, according to an affidavit.WATCH: MADALINA LAST SEEN GETTING OFF SCHOOL BUS IN 2022When Palmiter returned home to Cornelius on Nov. 26, Diana apparently asked him where their daughter was. Palmiter asked her the same question in return, the affidavit states.Police did not find out about Madalina’s disappearance until a school truancy report from the 11-year-old’s middle school.GO HERE FOR MORE TRUE CRIME FROM FOX NEWS DIGITALBailey Middle School resource officers, along with a school counselor, attempted a home visit at the Cojocari address on Dec. 12 after Madalina had not shown up for school since Nov. 21. No one answered the door, and the school counselor left a truancy package at the home.Search warrants unsealed last year suggest Diana and her mother contacted a distant relative asking if he would help in “smuggling” Diana and Madalina from their Cornelius home before Madalina disappeared, according to phone records obtained by the Cornelius Police Department.Authorities are asking anyone with information about Madalina’s whereabouts to contact the CPD at 704-892-7773.



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Publish date : 2024-09-29 08:00:11

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A death row inmate was beaten to death by three other inmates at a prison in Southern California, according to officials.Alberto Martinez was killed in the Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County on Thursday, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a news release. His death is being investigated as a homicide.Another inmate, Tyler A. Lua, was observed by prison staff striking Martinez and knocking him to the ground before he continued to hit him. Lue eventually stepped away from Martinez, but two other inmates — Jorge D. Negrete-Larios and Luis J. Beltran — began striking Martinez as he laid motionless on the ground.Staff then stopped the beating using pepper spray and a baton strike. Two incarcerated-manufactured weapons were found at the scene.CALIFORNIA MAN ACCUSED OF THROWING BOMB IN COURTHOUSE SAID GOVERNMENT TOOK HIS FIREARMS AWAY: DOJMartinez sustained injuries consistent with an incarcerated-manufactured weapon. No staff or other inmates were injured.Emergency responders were called to the scene and medical staff performed life-saving measures on Martinez. He was transported to the prison’s treatment area and was pronounced dead at 2:20 p.m.Movement has been limited in the yard where the alleged attack happened.Lua, Negrete-Larios and Beltran were moved to restricted housing pending an investigation into the incident.Martinez, 46, was most recently received from Orange County on Aug. 17, 2010, and placed on condemned status for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder with an enhancement for street gang activity and two years for street gang activity, a sentence that was to be served concurrently with the condemned sentence.CALIFORNIA OWNER OF SQUATTER-INFESTED HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION APOLOGIZES, OFFER TO REPAY TAXPAYER FUNDSHe acted as the getaway driver in a botched plot to kidnap and murder a businessman, according to the Orange County Register. The plot was reportedly orchestrated by the businessman’s sister.According to the Los Angeles Times, Martinez was a powerful member of a Mexican mafia who orchestrated murders while on death row and communicated with a woman from Mexico using a cellphone he was prohibited from having.Lua, 25, was received from San Bernardino County on Jan. 31, 2019, and sentenced to 19 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder with an enhancement for use of a firearm. During his incarceration, he was sentenced to two additional years for having a controlled substance in prison.Negrete-Larios, 33, was received from Riverside County on July 5, 2016, and sentenced to 32 years and four months in prison for attempted second-degree murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, discharge of a firearm and street gang activity in commission of a violent felony.Beltran, 31, was received from Los Angeles County on April 6, 2023, and sentenced to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder with enhancements for intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death and possession of a firearm as a felon.There are a total of 623 inmates with condemned sentences in California prisons, according to the state’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.In 2019, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed an executive order that instituted a moratorium on the death penalty in the Golden State. The order also called for the repeal of the state’s lethal injection protocol and the immediate closing of the state’s execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison.The last execution in California was carried out in 2006.



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Publish date : 2024-09-29 04:25:12

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