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New York Post
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Skittles drops additive as popular rainbow candy makes major ingredient change
A candy company has removed an ingredient from its popular and colorful rainbow candies. Skittles, owned by Mars Wrigley, will no longer be made with titanium dioxide. A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, which is based in New Jersey, confirmed to Fox News Digital this week that the company has removed titanium dioxide from its Skittles portfolio in the United States. Titanium dioxide is an additive typically used to make food look whiter and opaque. The Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a report last Thursday assessing chronic diseases, particularly those suffered by children. The report listed additives of potential concern, including titanium dioxide. Skittles has removed titanium dioxide from its main ingredients for making candy. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images It said the additive is 'widely used in a range of candies and sauces [and] may cause cellular and DNA damage.' 'Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products,' the Mars Wrigley spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 'All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, and that's something we will never compromise on.' Mars Wrigley, the company that owns Skittles, had a spokesperson confirm to Fox News Digital that the popular candy company will no longer use titanium dioxide, which is an additive typically used to make food look whiter and opaque. Getty Images There are 4,362 candies containing titanium dioxide, according to a search of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) FoodData Central website. The European Union banned the additive in 2022 following a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which pointed to genotoxicity. 'Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical substance to damage DNA, the genetic material of cells,' the EFSA report noted. Experimental animal inhalation studies with titanium dioxide by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found the substance to be a 'possible carcinogenic to humans.'
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Real ID appointment too hard to get? This option clears the way for passengers to travel
No need to clear your schedule to book a Real ID appointment — there's a way to travel without it. Starting tomorrow, May 7, US citizens must have a Real ID to fly on planes. But with DMVs across the country swamped with requests for appointments, many Americans are now in a position where they won't be able to get a Real ID before the deadline. Luckily, there are options for those set to take to the skies before they can lock down a coveted booking. 3 Starting May 7, flyers in the United States will not be able to get on a domestic flight unless they have a Real ID. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images CLEAR, the identity security company that's been a long-time partner of the TSA, is offering solutions for both existing and non-existing CLEAR members. Anyone who is a current member of CLEAR Plus can simply scan and upload their passports to the CLEAR App, giving them immediate access to a Real ID-compliant document. Having this document on-hand will help avoid delays or any document updates once at the airport. Non-members can enroll in CLEAR from their phone using just the app and their passport and follow the same steps — no appointment or visit required. CLEAR is able to automate most users' identity verification for TSA screenings using their data, including fingerprint and iris scans, so having a passport scanned into the app will allow for easy access to CLEAR lanes. 'The technology that we've built to authenticate your passport means that now you can leave that passport at home,' Kyle McLaughlin, executive vice president of travel and aviation at Clear, told The Points Guy last week. 'And when you get to the airport, you're going right through the verification lane again, so it's as if you have a Real ID if you're a Clear member and you've done the leg work ahead of time.' 3 CLEAR is offering solutions for both existing and non-existing CLEAR members. Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images In order to fly domestically, all travelers over 18 will need a Real ID — unless they have another TSA-approved form of identification, such as: US passport State-issued Enhanced driver's license DHS trusted traveler cards (GlobalEntry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) US Department of Defense ID (including dependents' IDs) Permanent resident card Border crossing card Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential US Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) US Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) 3 DMVs across the country are reportedly swamped with requests for appointments to get a Real ID. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images CLEAR's membership will allow travelers to access their TSA-approved identification right in the palm of their hands without need for stress or worry during the security process. 'For those travelers who are sitting here concerned about the news they're hearing and what the airport is going to look like, [with a] a simple Clear enrollment that can now be done entirely remotely,' McLaughlin said. 'You'll be on your way straight to the checkpoint.' The cost of enrollment for CLEAR is $199 per year for individuals, with additional costs for the family plan. Meanwhile, Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem said Tuesday that those traveling without a Real ID by the deadline should still be able to fly — but they should be prepared for extra steps, according to the Associated Press. Flyers without Real ID 'may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,' Noem said. 'But people will be allowed to fly. We will make sure it's as seamless as possible.'
New York Post
06-05-2025
- New York Post
Noem reveals how travelers without REAL ID can fly for now
Travelers who aren't REAL ID compliant by the upcoming deadline this week will still be able to fly but should be prepared for extra scrutiny, the head of Homeland Security said Tuesday. Kristi Noem told a Congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements. She said security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification when the deadline hits Wednesday. Travelers without a REAL ID are still able to fly through the use passports and tribal identification. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law 'may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,' Noem said. 'But people will be allowed to fly,' she said. 'We will make sure it's as seamless as possible.' REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005, but implementation has been repeatedly delayed.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- New York Post
Many Americans are choosing to opt out of REAL ID's, long DMV waits —and instead do this
WASHINGTON – As many Americans across the nation are rushing to obtain their REAL ID license, some are choosing to opt out by either using their valid passport as their preferred form of ID for travel or waiting until their current driver's license expires and then renewing it. The REAL ID requirement takes effect on May 7, when Americans must have a new form of identification in order to fly domestically. The costs of obtaining the identification vary from state to state. Costs also vary according to whether travelers are obtaining a first-time REAL ID or looking to renew their existing license. Other forms of identification that will be accepted in lieu of a REAL ID include a valid U.S. passport or passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, Department of Defense IDs, permanent resident cards, and border crossing cards. With the deadline looming, Fox News Digital spoke this week with travelers and asked those who do not have or do not plan to get a REAL ID any time soon why they made that decision. At the Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., Lisa from Oregon said that it was a 'financial decision' at this time. Lisa (no last name shared) said she had not yet gotten a REAL ID to date 'because it was an extra cost, and I knew that I would rather put that money toward the passport.' 4 As Americans across the nation rush to obtain their REAL ID license, some choose to opt out by either using their valid passport or waiting until their current driver's license expires. TNS She said that at a later date, she may decide to get a REAL ID. 'When I'm traveling later, I'll have to bring my passport, and I may not want to do that for stateside travel,' she said. Other forms of identification that will be accepted in lieu of a REAL ID include a valid U.S. passport or passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, Department of Defense IDs, permanent resident cards, and border crossing cards. Some states offer a reduced price for the REAL ID, such as California. 4 The costs of obtaining the identification vary from state to state. Costs also vary according to whether travelers are obtaining a first-time REAL ID or looking to renew their existing license. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Golden State's DMV website says, 'In certain circumstances, the fee may be waived or reduced.' It adds, 'You may be eligible to pay a reduced application fee for an original or renewal ID card if you meet income requirements for selected governmental or nonprofit assistance programs.' It also notes that a 'homeless person' may be eligible for a no-fee ID card. And 'to qualify for a no-fee senior citizen ID card, you must be at least 62 years old,' according to California's DMV. Read more on the dreaded Real ID Kelsey from Bloomington, Illinois, said she'd just arrived in D.C. She does not have a REAL ID, she said. 'I do not have a real ID yet because I have not made it to the DMV and our trip ends before May 7th, so I didn't feel an urgency to do so,' she said. She said that since she already has a passport, she feels it makes more financial sense to use it at this time. 4 The REAL ID requirement takes effect on May 7, when Americans must have a new form of identification in order to fly domestically. Rix Pix – 'My ID expires in November, so I plan on doing it all at once when I have to get one anyway,' she said. A man named Nick, who is also from Bloomington, Illinois, told Fox News Digital, 'I travel with my passport, so I normally don't even use my ID.' 'I would love to look into [REAL ID] more. I don't know enough about it,' he said when asked if he will get one. At DCA's south security checkpoint this week, a countdown was displayed on a monitor reminding travelers of the deadline. Paper handouts were also given to travelers, urging them to get the new identification. Victoria of Phoenix, Arizona, said she does not have a REAL ID. 'I just don't travel enough,' she said. She has a passport and said that if it would save her more time at the airport, she would get one. When asked if she knows anyone who does not have a passport or a REAL ID, she said her parents don't. She said she wants her parents to get the REAL ID so that 'they can travel and enjoy retirement.' She does not believe they are looking at making a DMV appointment as of right now. Lesley from California commented that she has a REAL ID — but shared that a colleague who did not have the document had to rush to get one for a work trip. 4 Other forms of identification that will be accepted in lieu of a REAL ID include a valid U.S. passport or passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, Department of Defense IDs, permanent resident cards, and border crossing cards. FOX News Digital 'She didn't have the REAL ID, so she had to go and see them [the DMV] and get the REAL ID, and it was about like a two-to-four-hour wait … It was in California.' She added, 'The DMVs there are always pretty packed.' While the DMVs in some states have added special Saturday hours or extended weekday hours to accommodate REAL ID requests, many motor vehicle bureaus are not open on weekends.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Forbes
‘We Are Doing This': TSA Warns Travelers Without REAL ID Could Miss Their Flights Beginning May 7
With weeks until the REAL ID deadline, the TSA is telling travelers without a REAL ID to get to the airport early and they 'may not be allowed into the checkpoint.' No more kicking the REAL ID can down the road, says the Transportation Security Administration ... More (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg) Beginning May 7, travelers without a REAL ID-compliant form of identification should 'expect additional screenings' that may lead to 'delays and the possibility of not being allowed into the checkpoint, and that includes our TSA PreCheck passengers,' a senior official at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told Forbes, adding that 80% of TSA PreCheck members have a passport. 'We are used to dealing with people who lose their wallets and IDs,' the official said, 'and we have ways to vet passengers and make sure we're satisfied the person standing in front of us is the person they say they are.' 'The goal is not to impact those passengers who are prepared with their REAL ID, passport or another acceptable form of ID,' the official 'may look different at every airport' and security lines may be longer at smaller airports where 'we don't have the option to set up a separate lane for those without a REAL ID,' the official said. Uncredentialed passengers flying on a round-trip ticket risk being cleared for the outbound flight but not the return, the official noted, 'since additional screening will happen every time you go through a TSA checkpoint at a federalized airport.' The May 7 deadline for REAL ID has been two decades in the making. Enacted by Congress in the aftermath of 9/11 terrorism attack on the United States, the REAL ID Act of 2005 mandates a higher set of minimum security standards for issuing state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards necessary to enter federal buildings and fly domestically. The original deadline for compliance was 2008, but it took until 2020 for all states to make their driver's licenses REAL ID-compliant. The enforcement deadline was delayed further during Covid-19 pandemic due to backlogs in motor vehicle offices. The TSA has an online quiz to help travelers know whether their state-issued driver's license is a standard ID or a REAL ID. In general, a REAL ID has a star in the upper right corner. The TSA will accept more than a dozen other forms of identification, including passports, passport cards, military IDs, DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) and U.S. permanent resident cards. 'If you went to the DMV and are just waiting for your REAL ID hard copy to come in the mail, bring both the paper copy of the REAL ID and your old ID and we will accept that as long as we can verify both of those IDs,' the TSA official said. 2.1 to 2.7 million. That's how many passengers were screened every day so far in April at airport security checkpoints around the country, according to TSA throughput data. In January, a government report estimated that only 56% of Americans would have a state-issued REAL ID by the May 7 deadline. In a news release last week, the TSA said 81% of travelers at TSA checkpoints are currently presenting an acceptable credential. That leaves 19% of passengers who are arriving at airports without REAL ID-compliant identification, or potentially 400,000 and 513,000 passengers who could be subject to additional screening every day in the first weeks of enforcement. 'We knew it was going to be complex to implement, but we weren't going to kick the can down the road anymore,' the TSA official told Forbes. 'It's been 20 years. We are doing this.' The TSA's goal is to 'implement this in a way that doesn't overly impact the operation during the really busy time,' the official said, adding travelers with a REAL ID should arrive at the airport two hours before departure, 'like you do any other time that you fly.' Those without a compliant ID should add an additional hour, 'because it's most likely they're going to encounter some of these additional screening measures.' 'I kind of hope that date gets extended once again and I'll hope the same thing when it happens again,' United Airlines COO Andrew Nocella told investors on the company's Q1 earnings call Wednesday, adding, 'We're working through this with the government and I think we'll have more to say on it.' The TSA insists it is committed to full enforcement beginning May 7. 'We've had regular calls with industry throughout this process, even within the last few days,' a senior TSA official told Forbes, adding, 'We are extremely sensitive to how it will impact industry and want to continue to be collaborative partners to minimize those impacts. They can't say we're not communicative, because we have been sharing with them and briefing them.' How much disruption we'll see at airports as REAL ID enforcement begins. While airlines have spent months alerting passengers to the impending change, they recognize some passengers who ignore the warnings will have their travel plans upended. 'I'll let Andrew's words speak for themselves,' Charlie Hobart, United spokesperson Charlie Hobart told Forbes via email, adding the airline has reminded customers several times in recent months to have Real ID-compliant documentation starting May 7. Delta Air Lines 'will work on a case-by-case basis to rebook customers who miss flights due to extenuating circumstances once at the airport,' the Atlanta-based carrier said in a statement to Forbes. In some states, the TSA accepts mobile driver's licenses that are REAL ID-compliant at airports equipped with digital ID readers—using facial recognition— instead of traditional paper means of identification, like a driver's license or passport. TSA Now Accepts Digital IDs From These 14 States (Forbes)
