Thursday☕️

Jun 15, 2023 • 4 min read

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FOMC Rate Hike Pause:

Yesterday, the Federal Reserve decided to break from its trend of consecutive interest rate hikes, choosing not to implement an 11th rate increase.
This decision, reached by the Federal Open Market Committee, aligns with a forecast predicting two additional quarter-percentage point increases before year's end. Following a comprehensive two-day meeting, the central bankers agreed to allocate an additional six weeks for the examination of the impacts of their previous policy decisions.
In an ongoing effort to control inflation, which has decreased by over 50% to 4% within the last year, the Federal Reserve has held the key borrowing rate steady within the 5%-5.25% target range.
This policy adjustment showcases the central bank's assurance in the downward trajectory of U.S. inflation, demonstrating a balance between fostering economic growth and managing inflation amidst shifting economic dynamics.

FOX vs Tucker Carlson:

Fox News recently issued a cease-and-desist order to Tucker Carlson, former host of a show on the network, demanding he halt posting videos on Twitter.
Fox News terminated Carlson's employment in late April, yet his contractual obligations persist, prohibiting him from working for competing news organizations or appearing in certain media outlets without Fox's approval until 2025.
In defiance of this contract, Carlson launched a Twitter-based show, "Tucker on Twitter," amassing over 250 million views for his first three episodes. This is a significant leap from his average of 3 million viewers per episode on Fox.
In response to this perceived contract violation, Fox News instructed Carlson to stop via a cease-and-desist letter. However, according to Carlson's legal representative, "Tucker will not be silenced by anyone."

AI Scam Victim Testimony:

Jennifer DeStefano, a mother from Scottsdale, Arizona, recently shared a scary experience with an AI-generated kidnapping scam during her testimony to Congress.
She received a call from an unknown number, which sounded like her 15-year-old daughter, Brianna, crying for help and claiming to be kidnapped. A man's voice then took over the call, initially demanding a $1 million ransom, but subsequently reduced it to $50,000 when DeStefano expressed inability to pay the initial amount.
The scammer also demanded that she deliver the ransom with a bag over her head in a van. However, DeStefano soon learned from another parent that Brianna was safe at home, making her realize that the call was a scam using AI technology.
Upon reporting to the police, they dismissed it as a prank since no kidnapping occurred and no money was transferred. DeStefano is now urging lawmakers to regulate and control AI technology to prevent such scams in the future.

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