Kathy D. Hawkins, autor en MEDIA NET ROOM

Rohit Chopra testifies before Congress as CFPB takes legal action against Zelle

03

Jan

Business

Rohit Chopra testifies before Congress as CFPB takes legal action against Zelle

Rohit Chopra, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in late November 2023, addressing ongoing consumer financial protection issues. A few weeks later, the CFPB stepped up its efforts by filing a lawsuit against Zelle, a major peer-to-peer payments network, and its three largest operators – JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo – for failing to fight fraud. and adequately compensate victims. The lawsuit marks a significant step in the CFPB's broader campaign to hold financial institutions accountable for fraud-related customer losses. Customers of the…

Trump threatens EU with tariffs over trade deficit, demands increased US energy purchases

03

Jan

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Trump threatens EU with tariffs over trade deficit, demands increased US energy purchases

President-elect Donald Trump ramped up his rhetoric on trade on Friday, warning the European Union that it must significantly reduce its trade deficit with the United States by buying more American oil and gas or face tariffs. “I told the European Union that it must make up for its huge deficit with the United States by buying our oil and gas on a large scale. Otherwise, it will just be tariffs,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after 1 pm ET. The trade deficit between the United States and the EU in goods and services amounted to 131.3…

Neuralink gains approval for new brain implant study aimed at restoring mobility and digital freedom

02

Jan

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Entertainment

Neuralink gains approval for new brain implant study aimed at restoring mobility and digital freedom

Neuralink, the brain technology startup founded by Elon Musk, announced that it has received approval to launch a new feasibility study using its experimental brain implant and robotic arm technology. This initiative, called FIRST studywill evaluate the safety and functionality of the company's wireless brain-computer interface (BCI) and its surgical robot. The study is specifically aimed at helping people with tetraplegia-a severe form of paralysis: controls external devices using only their thoughts. The announcement was made via Neuralink's social media channels, where the company described the study as a significant step toward advancing its technology. “This is the first step…

Congress approves plan to avoid government shutdown amid Republican divisions

02

Jan

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Politics

Congress approves plan to avoid government shutdown amid Republican divisions

The US Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown on Friday, after weeks of partisan wrangling over federal spending limits and debt ceiling extensions. The crisis came as Republicans, responding to pressure from former President Donald Trump, debated proposals to raise the debt limit while addressing broader fiscal concerns. President of the Chamber Mike Johnsona Republican, he managed to push a plan through his chamber, which is narrowly controlled by his party, while also securing enough bipartisan support to pass it in the Democratic-majority Senate. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Johnson expressed cautious optimism: “We have a plan.…

Wholesale prices and labor market trends fuel mixed economic outlook

31

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Business

Wholesale prices and labor market trends fuel mixed economic outlook

November brought an unexpected rise in wholesale prices, casting doubt on the pace of inflation's decline, according to data released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The producer price index (PPI), a key measure of what manufacturers charge for goods and services, rose 0.4% on the month, beating the Dow Jones estimate of 0.2%. On a year-over-year basis, PPI rose 3%, the biggest annual gain since February 2023. Excluding food and energy price volatility, core PPI increased 0.2%, in line with market expectations. Furthermore, excluding commercial services, the monthly PPI increase fell to just 0.1%. However, the core…

Kamala Harris urges resilience as Democrats regroup after election loss

30

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Politics

Kamala Harris urges resilience as Democrats regroup after election loss

Vice President Kamala Harris appealed to Democrats still reeling from last month's election defeat, urging them to remain steadfast in their commitment to progress. Speaking days before Donald Trump returned to the White House, with Republicans retaining full control of Congress, Harris encouraged supporters to remain engaged in the political fight despite their disappointment. In a motivational speech, Harris acknowledged the frustration and disillusionment felt by many Democrats since the election, but stressed the importance of resilience. “Many people have told me they feel angry, even defeated,” Harris said. “They said they don't have the strength or desire to stay…

Dolphin Entertainment CEO increases ownership, signaling confidence in company’s future

30

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Business

Dolphin Entertainment CEO increases ownership, signaling confidence in company’s future

William O'Dowd IV, CEO of Dolphin Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ:DLPN), increased his personal investment in the company by acquiring an additional 13,000 shares of common stock. The shares were purchased at an average price of $1.09 each, bringing the total value of the transaction to approximately $14,170. This move highlights O'Dowd's confidence in the company's future and its recent performance metrics, including an impressive 94% gross profit margin and a 22% revenue growth rate over the past year. The purchase, completed on December 17, 2024, increases O'Dowd's direct ownership in Dolphin Entertainment to 147,493 shares. In addition to this, O'Dowd also…

U.S. court upholds law mandating ByteDance to sell TikTok or face ban

30

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Technology

U.S. court upholds law mandating ByteDance to sell TikTok or face ban

A US federal court has upheld legislation requiring Chinese tech giant ByteDance to relinquish ownership of the popular social media platform TikTok in the US by early next year or face a nationwide ban. The ruling marks a significant victory for the Justice Department and TikTok critics, who have long expressed concern about the app's ties to China. However, the decision constitutes a major setback for ByteDance as it now faces the possibility of losing access to the app's 170 million US users. The ruling raises the likelihood of an unprecedented ban on a social networking app widely used in…

Fed expected to cut interest rates as it navigates economic uncertainty under incoming Trump administration

30

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Fed expected to cut interest rates as it navigates economic uncertainty under incoming Trump administration

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point this week, a move some analysts are calling a “hard reversal” in monetary policy. This decision comes alongside updated economic forecasts and interest rate projections as the central bank attempts to balance its goals against a backdrop of changing economic conditions and the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. The expected rate drop would lower the Fed's key interest rate to a range of 4.25% to 4.50%, marking a full one percentage point reduction from September, when the central bank began…

Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction goal as Trump vows to reverse climate progress

30

Dec

By Kathy D. Hawkins

Politics

Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction goal as Trump vows to reverse climate progress

President Joe Biden announced a bold plan to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% by 2035, reaffirming his administration's commitment to fighting global warming. This move comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office next month, vowing to dismantle much of Biden's climate agenda in favor of policies that promote fossil fuel production. Biden's updated goal, which exceeds his previous commitments, aims to keep the United States on track to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy by 2050. The formal commitment, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), it will be submitted…