Latest news with #KevinDietsch
UPI
23-05-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Florida state parks now legally protected from commercial development
Florida's new State Park Preservation Act will prevent developers from constructing hotels, golf courses or other commercial enterprises in any of Florida's 175 state parks. File Photo (2009) by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo May 23 (UPI) -- State parks in Florida are now protected from commercial construction after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the State Park Preservation Act into law Thursday. The act, which will take effect in July, prevents developers from constructing hotels, golf courses or other commercial enterprises in any of Florida's 175 state parks. Pinellas County Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross, who also is an environmental scientist, posted to social media Friday that the act establishes "protections for all 175 state parks against commercial development," and also thanked "everyone who fought for this bill, and who stood up to preserve our home." Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Highland Beach, called the passage of the act a "bipartisan, bicameral legislative victory," on her X account Thursday, and then quoted "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss to close her post with "I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues." The new law came after a backlash caused by a purported plan proposed by the state in 2024 and allegedly leaked by the Florida Wildlife Federation to allow commercial development at nine different state parks. All future developments are not completely banned but will instead need to be conservation-minded, and support nature-friendly activities such as camping, hiking and kayaking. The Florida Wildlife Federation posted a note of appreciation to its website Thursday, with thanks given to the Florida Senate and House "for their unanimous support of this legislation every step of the way," and it called the law "a massive win for wildlife, outdoor spaces, and future generations who will get to experience Florida's natural wonders just as they should be: wild and natural."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After D.C. Shooting, the Time to Act on Antisemitism is Now
Mourners lights candles during a vigil outside of the White House on May 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The vigil was held for the victims of the Capital Jewish Museum shooting. Credit - Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images The warning signs were everywhere. The potential for violence was unmistakable. And yet, somehow, two young innocent people are dead. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple, were murdered as they walked out of a Young Diplomats event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night. They had their whole lives ahead of them—set to be engaged in Jerusalem next week. As Elias Rodriguez—the suspect who has since been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes—was taken into custody, he shouted: "Free, free Palestine.' It's a chant we have heard time and again across America in the past 18 months. Not just at political events but in front of synagogues, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions that only have one thing in common—they have a connection to the Jewish community. And so it doesn't come as a surprise that the suspect was allegedly involved with a range of radical causes; Anti-Defamation League (ADL) researchers have connected Chicago resident Rodriguez, with a high degree of certainty, to a manifesto with the heading 'Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home.' It confirms what we suspected. This wasn't random violence. This was targeted antisemitism. This was an attack, not just against the D.C. Jewish community, but against all Jewish Americans—and indeed all Americans. What is so infuriating and sad is that, in many ways, it was only a matter of time that a murderous incident such as this would happen. The data has been staring us in the face. Read More: The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S. Last year was the worst for antisemitic incidents since ADL began tracking over four decades ago. We recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States—an increase of 5% from 2023, which was itself a record-setting year. That includes a 21% increase in violent assaults. This represents an 893% increase over the past decade. Just six weeks ago, the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was firebombed as his family slept after celebrating the first Passover seder. The suspect then called 911 and referred to Shapiro as a 'monster' and blamed him for Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war. That alleged perpetrator reportedly then admitted to authorities that he had 'hatred' for Shapiro and would have attacked him with his hammer if he had the chance. Just six months ago, the FBI arrested Forrest Pemberton of Gainesville, Fla., following a traffic stop during which they allegedly found multiple firearms in his rideshare vehicle. Authorities say he intended to travel to the south Florida offices of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, with the intent of harming people there, possibly in a suicide attack. That same week, FBI agents in Fairfax, Va., arrested an Egyptian citizen and George Mason University student, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan. According to the criminal complaint, Hassan operated several pro-ISIS and Al Qaeda accounts that promoted violence against Jews. He reportedly was planning a mass casualty attack at the Israeli consulate in New York City. And a day does not go by when we do not witness a terrifying act. Jewish children bullied in public spaces. Jewish students confronted on college campuses. Jews harassed as they walk to synagogue. Jewish businesses and homes vandalized with red triangles, swastikas, or political slogans. Or Jewish people assailed and mocked over social media with unrelenting fervor. We have an antisemitism crisis in this country. This ancient hatred festers on both sides of the political spectrum. It is incubated and grown in the cesspools of social media. It is fueled by people who excuse antisemitism as merely "anti-Zionism,' who dismiss our outrage as an attempt to serve another agenda, and contort themselves into pretzels as they claim a right to free speech – even as that speech crosses the line into incitement to violence, antisemitism and harassment. And it has consequences. Read More: 'It's a Nightmare': 3 Rabbis Discuss the Israeli Embassy Aides Killed in Washington, D.C. When antisemitic rhetoric is normalized, tolerated, or amplified in our public discourse, it creates an environment where violence against Jews becomes not just probable but inevitable. When society allow lies about the Jewish state committing genocide to run rampant, when prominent voices dismiss inciteful rhetoric such as "glory to the martyrs" or 'globalize the Intifada' as youthful free expression, and when the public somehow confuses being anti-Hamas with being anti-Palestinian, it has consequences. Social media platforms deserve more scrutiny as well. In the aftermath of the attempted pogrom against Jewish sports fans in Amsterdam last November, Hasan Piker, one of the most-watched streamers on Twitch, spent hours seemingly minimizing the attack. Earlier this month, the rapper Kanye 'Ye' West streamed a new song called 'Heil Hitler' and promoted it on X where it racked up millions of views. In times like these, we need allies to stand with the Jewish community. Where are the voices of those who claim to fight hatred in all its forms? Where are those who speak out against other bigotries but remain silent when Jews are targeted? This silence is deafening. Stop excusing it. Stop looking the other way. This attack must serve as a wake-up call for our nation to deal once and for all with this rising tide of hate. This moment demands moral clarity. It requires all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to condemn antisemitism without qualification or deflection. It requires leaders in government, academia, business, and civic life to take concrete action against hate. It requires each of us to speak out when we witness antisemitism in any form. Every antisemitic statement left unchallenged, every double standard applied to Jews and the Jewish state, every instance of minimizing Jewish pain—all of it contributes to this environment where such violence is possible. Yaron and Sarah deserved better. They deserved to live. They deserved to celebrate their impending engagement. They deserved a future. Instead, they became victims of the oldest hatred. We owe it to their memory to ensure no more lives are lost to antisemitism. We owe it to every Jew to create a society where attending a Jewish event doesn't make you a target. The time for action is now. The stakes couldn't be higher. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court Extends Block on Trump Use of 1798 Law to Deport
The U.S. Supreme Court as seen in June 2023 in Washington, DC. Credit - Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images The Supreme Court on Friday blocked the Trump Administration from using a wartime law to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador, delivering yet another legal setback to President Donald Trump's controversial deportation plans. The ruling extends the court's April emergency order barring Trump from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants held in a Texas detention facility, after lawyers said the detainees were being put on buses towards an airport without a chance to challenge the decision via habeas corpus petitions. Only two of the court's Justices—Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas—publicly noted their dissent. Alito wrote that the Supreme Court had 'no authority to issue any relief." In its unsigned order on Friday, the Justices faulted the Trump Administration for only giving detained migrants 24 hours to raise legal objections: "Under these circumstances, notice roughly 24 hours before removal, devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights to contest that removal, surely does not pass muster," the ruling said. The Justices sent the case back to an appeals court to determine what due process the detainees should receive, as well as whether Trump's deportation plan is legal, and how much notice the migrants are required to get. Soon after the Court issued its ruling, Trump expressed his disagreement on social media. "THE SUPREME COURT WON'T ALLOW US TO GET CRIMINALS OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!" he wrote. The Court did not weigh in on the underlying question of whether the Trump Administration can deport people under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used 18th century wartime law that the Administration has cited in its deportations of Venezuelans it alleges are members of the gang Tren de Aragua. The Alien Enemies Act can only be used during 'invasions or predatory incursions,' but the government has argued that the gang is mounting an incursion into the U.S. and that it's closely linked to the Venezuelan government. Legal scholars and immigration activists have admonished the Trump Administration's efforts to deport migrants without giving them a chance to contest claims that they are gang members, including the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man the government mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The Supreme Court noted in its ruling that the Trump Administration has claimed it can not bring Abrego Garcia back even though it ruled that the government must "facilitate" his return, suggesting that 'the detainees' interests at stake are accordingly particularly weighty.' Trump has undermined that claim, saying in an ABC News interview last month that he could retrieve Garcia but was refusing to do so. Many of the legal cases involving the Alien Enemies Act are brought under writs of habeas corpus—the right of detainees to challenge the legality of their detention. But the Trump Administration has said that it was 'actively looking at' suspending habeas corpus, citing a provision of the Constitution that allows it to be suspended "in cases of rebellion or invasion." Just before Friday's ruling, Trump lambasted the Supreme Court on social media, despite it having three Justices that he appointed: 'THE SUPREME COURT IS BEING PLAYED BY THE RADICAL LEFT LOSERS, WHO HAVE NO SUPPORT, THE PUBLIC HATES THEM, AND THEIR ONLY HOPE IS THE INTIMIDATION OF THE COURT, ITSELF,' the President wrote. 'WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN TO OUR COUNTRY!' Write to Nik Popli at
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Palantir stock sinks 15% because the AI boom isn't enough for Wall Street
Photo: Kevin Dietsch (Getty Images) Palantir (PLTR) reported strong first-quarter results after the close on Monday, showcasing rapid growth across its U.S. operations — but that wasn't enough to satisfy Wall Street. Shares of the AI and data analytics software provider dropped as much as 15% on Tuesday, a sharp slide for a stock that's risen almost 1,000% in the last 5 years. The military contractor's revenue rose 39% year-over-year to $884 million, topping forecasts, and GAAP net income came in at $214 million, or $0.08 per share. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.13, with free cash flow hitting $370 million for a 42% margin. Billion-dollar run rate, closed deals The highlight was Palantir's U.S. commercial business, where revenue soared 71% year-over-year to hit a $1 billion annual run rate. U.S. government revenue was also strong, up 45% from a year ago. CEO Alex Karp described the company as delivering 'the operating system for the modern enterprise in the era of AI,' pointing to a record $810 million in U.S. commercial contract value booked during the quarter. In a brassy letter to shareholders in which he quoted both Nixon and Saint Augustine, Karp spoke of how: 'The rush towards large language models, as well as the foundational software architecture that is capable of making them valuable to large organizations, has turned into a stampede.' 'What was once a relatively orderly process of assessment and evaluation of these novel technologies has evolved into a ravenous whirlwind of adoption as an increasing number of institutions grasp the magnitude of the shift that is washing over industry and government,' he wrote. Per the earnings release, Palantir 'closed 139 deals of at least $1 million, 51 deals of at least $5 million, and 31 deals of at least $10 million.' Customer growth remained strong, up 39% year-over-year, and the company raised its full-year revenue outlook to as high as $3.902 billion, with adjusted operating income projected at up to $1.723 billion. The company expects second-quarter revenue between $934 million and $938 million, and ended the quarter with $5.4 billion in cash and short-term Treasuries. Why the stock is crashing now Still, investors may be balking at valuation and decelerating sequential growth — overall revenue grew just 7% quarter-over-quarter. With AI hype already priced in, expectations are sky-high, and even a solid beat wasn't enough to keep shares afloat. The Rule of 40 — a metric combining revenue growth and profitability that's often used to assess high-growth software companies — came in at 83%, the company was quick to point out. It's a strong figure but short of the 100% mark some investors may now be using as a benchmark.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Fed keeps interest rates steady as Powell warns that economic uncertainty is 'extremely elevated'
Photo: Kevin Dietsch (Getty Images) The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it would keep interest rates steady at 4.25-4.5%, as the central bank continues to work to balance persistent inflation concerns with signs of a slowing U.S. economy. While inflation has cooled from its 2022 highs, recent data hasn't provided sufficient assurance to begin reducing rates once again. But the Fed's message was a little different this time around, warning of rising risks of both higher unemployment and inflation and raising the possibility of a stagflationary scenario. 'Although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace,' the Fed said in a statement. 'The unemployment rate has stabilized at a low level in recent months, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in his own remarksthat the central bank remains committed to price stability and full employment — saying he wanted to prevent a one-time increase in the price level from becoming an continuing inflation problem. He said the risks of higher unemployment and inflation have risen, and the current policy stance leaves the Fed 'well positioned' to address economic developments 'in a timely way.' U.S. stock prices fell Wednesday, but the Dow was able to cling to slight gains after the widely anticipated move. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% in the 15 minutes after the release, and U.S. Treasury yields extended their fall. The Fed's decision came against a backdrop of slowing economic growth and still-sticky inflation. The U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, while the labor market showed resilience with 177,000 jobs added in April — a figure that only modestly exceeded expectations. Core inflation, measured by the Fed's preferred metric, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, continues to hover above the 2% target, reinforcing the Fed's cautious stance. 'The economy itself is in solid shape,' Powell said. He added, though, to some laughs from reporters that 'my gut tells me that uncertainty about the path of the economy is extremely elevated.' Part of that is because of the sweeping set of tariffs President Donald Trump announced in early April, including a 145% duty on Chinese imports. While the Fed doesn't directly weigh in on or set fiscal or trade policy, such developments will affect inflation dynamics going forward — and further complicate the Fed's task. Powell addressed tariffs in his press conference, saying the central bank will continue to 'wait and see and watch' as the tariff policies change over the coming weeks and months. He said the Fed was comfortable in its policy stance and can move quickly when appropriate.
