US Engaged in Multiple Actions: From Critical Minerals to Nike Discrimination Probe
The United States government and related entities were involved in several significant actions on Wednesday, spanning international trade, domestic labor practices, and technology regulation. These actions included launching an effort to counter China's dominance in critical mineral supply, opening an investigation into Nike over alleged discrimination against white workers, and seeing Netflix struggle to defend its proposed merger with Warner Bros Discovery at a Senate hearing.
The US State Department hosted the first Critical Minerals Ministerial event, aiming to establish a trade zone for critical minerals essential for manufacturing smartphones, weapons, and computers, according to BBC Technology. Countries and organizations including the UK, European Union, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo attended the event. Delegates discussed the availability of and access to these crucial minerals, as the US seeks to reduce reliance on China in this sector.
Domestically, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced an investigation into Nike over claims of discrimination against white workers, reported BBC Business. The EEOC has demanded company records dating back to 2018, including data on race and ethnicity and its influence on executive pay. Court documents indicated the investigation is examining claims that Nike engaged "in a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against white employees, applicants, and training program participants." Nike responded that it was "committed to fair and lawful employment practices," calling the inquiry "a surprising and unusual request."
Meanwhile, Netflix faced scrutiny in a US Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing regarding its proposed $82 billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, according to BBC Technology. Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about reduced competition, potential price increases, and the future of cinemas if the merger proceeds. The deal is currently under review by the Department of Justice (DoJ).
These actions occurred against a backdrop of other international and domestic events. In Nigeria, dozens of people were killed in an attack on two villages in Kwara state, with officials blaming extremist groups, according to BBC World. This attack prompted the deployment of an army battalion to the area. Separately, in France, the offices of Elon Musk's X were raided by the Paris prosecutor's cyber-crime unit as part of an investigation into suspected offences, including unlawful data extraction and complicity in the possession of child pornography, reported BBC Technology. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) also announced a probe into Musk's AI tool, Grok, over its "potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content."
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