>>Fed Governor Says Further Rate Increases 'Probably Unnecessary'
(Washington, DC) -- Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller says further interest rate increases are probably unlikely. Speaking Tuesday, Waller said another hike was "probably unnecessary," citing data that shows inflation is not rising. While he added that central bankers should "never say never," he said the data looked promising. When it comes to interest rate decreases, however, Waller went on to say that he'd need to see "several more months" of positive numbers.
>>Group Sues Southwest Airlines Over Program For Hispanic Students
(Dallas, TX) -- A group is suing Southwest Airlines over a program that awards free flights to Hispanic undergrad and grad students. The American Alliance for Equal Rights claims the program violates civil rights laws by discriminating against non-Hispanic students. The group's founder, anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, says all students should be eligible for the program, no matter their skin color or ethnic heritage. The program was launched two decades ago and is run in partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Southwest says it's helped 15-hundred students.
>>SAG-AFTRA Supports Johansson In OpenAI Voice Controversy
(Los Angeles, CA) -- The SAG-AFTRA guild is applauding Scarlett Johansson for calling out OpenAI for using a voice "eerily similar" to hers in its new model. A spokesperson for the labor union that represents thousands of Hollywood actors said in a statement that they "share in her concerns and fully support her right to have clarity and transparency regarding the voice used in developing the Chat GPT-4o appliance 'Sky.'" Johansson voiced an AI chatbot in the 2013 movie "Her," and said she was "shocked, angered and in disbelief" that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman would use a voice so close to hers that even her friends and news outlets could not tell the difference. She said Altman contacted her in September, asking to hire her to voice the system, which she declined.
>>Nestle Launching Vital Pursuit For Weight Loss
(Undated) -- Nestle is coming out with a new food line aimed at people who use weight management drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Called Vital Pursuit, the company says it's designed to offer a balanced diet for people looking for weight-friendly meals. The foods will feature high-protein meals and frozen options like pasta, sandwich melts and pizza. It'll be on sale in the U.S. early next year.
>>Pixar Lays Off 175
(Emeryville, CA) -- Pixar is being hit with layoffs, impacting over ten-percent of its workforce. The animation studio laid off 175 employees, with employees bracing for layoffs since the beginning of the year. Pixar has struggled since the pandemic due to poor box office performances of films including "Lightyear" and "Onward."
