Latest news with #SilasStein
Newsweek
14 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
Full List of US Travel Warning Updates for June 2025
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Department of State frequently releases and updates its travel advisories for different countries, enabling Americans to be more informed about the safety and risk associated with various places across the globe. Travel advisories therefore help travelers plan their international holidays, from deciding whether it is safe to travel to certain destinations, to being aware of low levels of crime in certain regions. The State Department considers various factors, such as crime, terrorism, civil unrest, access to health services, likelihood of a natural disaster and current events, when issuing advisories to alert American travelers about a country's safety level. It assigns travel advisory levels on a scale from 1 to 4, with Level 4 suggesting the highest degree of risk for travelers. File photo: A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 can be seen flying in the sky. File photo: A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 can be seen flying in the sky. Silas Stein/dpa via AP So far this year, more than 25 countries have been placed under a Level 1 advisory, including New Zealand, Cyprus, North Macedonia, French Guiana, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Norway, Turkmenistan, Portugal, Singapore, Samoa, Georgia, Brunei, Andorra, El Salvador, Kuwait, The Kyrgyz Republic, Czechia, Paraguay, Japan, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Vanuatu, Malta, South Korea, and Australia. The State Department advises that those traveling to these countries exercise "normal precautions," when visiting, which could be due to low to medium levels of crime in certain parts of the destinations, as well as other factors. There were also almost than 30 countries that were placed under a Level 2 advisory between January and May this year, including United Arab Emirates, Chile, Rwanda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Timor-Leste, The Bahamas, Ghana, Serbia, Morocco, Solomon Island, Indonesia, Cuba, Uruguay, Philippines, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Peru, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Italy, South Africa, France, Brazil and Jamaica. The State Department recommends that travelers going to these destinations exercise "increased caution," which could be due to a wide range of factors, from higher levels of crime, civil unrest, higher risks of terrorist attacks and others. It also advised Americans to "reconsider travel" to a number of countries this year, issuing Level 3 advisories for Pakistan, Chad, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Colombia, Bangladesh, Uganda, Burundi, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana by the end of May. Countries that have been placed at the highest risk level so far this year by the State Department, meaning Americans are strongly advised not to go to those destinations, include Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, South Sudan, Iran, Yemen, Burkina Faso, North Korea, Russia, Burma (Myanmar), Venezuela, and Somalia. Advisories are updated regularly, so more countries will likely be added to these lists throughout June. In order to assist Americans planning their next trips abroad, Newsweek will be compiling a list of the travel advisories released by the U.S. Department of State throughout the month of June. Newsweek will continue to update this article as new advisories are released in June.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Cookie Recall Update As FDA Sets Highest Risk level
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has elevated the risk level of a recent cookie recall to Class I—the highest and most serious category—amid concerns over undeclared allergens. New Grains Gluten Free Bakery announced a product recall that was publicized by the FDA earlier in May. The company found that some of its baked goods, including four types of cookie, may contain eggs, soy, or milk, despite consumers not being advised of this. Newsweek has contacted New Grains Gluten Free Bakery for comment via online form. Why It Matters According to the FDA, millions of people in the U.S. have food allergies or food sensitivities. Food sensitivities can range from mild reactions to potentially life-threatening symptoms. The FDA recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, sesame, fish, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. The inclusion of these ingredients in a product without proper disclosure poses a serious risk of allergic reactions, which can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening anaphylaxis. What To Know The affected products, which include gluten-free varieties of Chocolate Chip, Frosted Sugar, Coconut Macaroon, and Brownie Chocolate Chip cookies, were found to contain undeclared allergens such as egg, milk, and soy. These allergens were not properly identified on the packaging due to print quality issues that rendered ingredient lists and allergen warnings either unreadable or missing. Compounding the problem, the lot codes and date codes printed on the cookie packaging were also unreadable or absent, making it difficult for consumers and retailers to identify and isolate affected batches. Stock image of Christmas cookies in a tin. Stock image of Christmas cookies in a tin. Silas Stein/picture-alliance/dpa/AP The FDA's Class I designation applies to recalls where there is a reasonable chance a product could cause serious health consequences or death. The cookies were sold in clear plastic bags with net weights of four ounces, containing six or eight cookies per package, depending on the variety, and were distributed in Utah. The bakery's website says its mission is to "create and deliver high-quality, healthy, and delicious gluten-free products to our customers, and make every eating experience satisfying, exceeding their expectations." Product recalls are issued by manufacturers if there are concerns that a food may be harmful in some way; such as when testing reveals that products are infected with potentially harmful bacteria, or amid fears that they could be contaminated with a foreign object from the manufacturing process. No illnesses have been reported to date. Earlier this month, New Grains Gluten Free Bakery announced that it was recalling several of its products, including breads, bagels and croutons, because they may contain undeclared eggs, soy, and milk. What Happens Next Consumers who have purchased the affected products are urged not to consume them and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact New Grains Gluten Free Bakery at 801-980-5751 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. MST, Monday through Friday.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What Climate Change Means for Summertime Bugs
A wasp clings to a plant in a meadow in the sunshine. Credit - Silas Stein—Getty Images With summer around the corner, so too are the bugs. Insects, much like their human counterparts, are more lively in the spring and summer when the weather is warmer. And climate change means that globally summers on average could get less buggy. But when it comes to some of the more pesky pests, like ticks and mosquitoes, it could feel like there are more of them as they broaden their range of habitat or timing when they emerge for the season. Our changing climate, however, stands to impact different species of insects in different ways. Studies show that globally an increasing number of insects could be at risk for extinction. Many are also emerging either earlier or later in the year than they used to as weather patterns change. While you might be hoping to put away the bug spray, experts warn that the change could have harmful impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, and in some cases, health. Some insects are adapting to changing climates by moving to regions that might have previously been unsuitable.'They are not just expanding their ranges, but they're becoming more abundant in places where maybe they weren't as abundant before,' says Anahí Espíndola, associate professor of entomology at the University of Maryland, College Park. For some species, this can be cause for concern. For example, climate change is lengthening mosquito season and expanding the areas where mosquito-borne diseases like malaria or West Nile virus may spread. 'The likelihood of certain diseases being transmitted in places where those diseases weren't really a problem before are increasing, and we are expecting those problems to actually become worse as temperatures continue to increase,' says Espíndola. Read more: How Climate Change Affects the Spread of Lyme Disease In the U.S., the number of 'mosquito days' with warm, humid weather the insects thrive on, have increased around the country, according to an analysis by Climate Central. Climate change is also increasing the geographical range of ticks—which could increase the spread of Lyme disease. Shifts in weather patterns meanwhile are causing some insect species to emerge at different times of the year than they once did. This change in timing can impact the insect's chance of survival—and that of the other species that might rely on it. 'Right now, we're seeing increases in temperature and increases in drought, and that will have impacts on the ability of species to survive in certain places, and the ability of species to interact with the right organisms,' says Espíndola. 'If you're a pollinator, and you're emerging and you are looking for a particular group of plants that you're going to be collecting pollen or nectar from, if that plant has already flowered, you have this temporal mismatch with organisms that you should be interacting with to be able to survive.' The misalignment stands to have big impacts on ecosystems—changing how a species interacts with plants and other organisms. 'That's a big concern, because those insects are pollinators for crops and they are part of food chains for terrestrial animals, and are critical to a lot of ecosystems, as well as pollinators to our own food production,' says Mario Gallio, professor in the department of neurobiology at Northwestern University, whose work focuses on how temperature impacts insect behavior. Pollination changes stand to impact our food systems. Over 80% of all flowering plant species are pollinated by animals, mostly insects, with pollinators playing a role in over 35% of the world's crop production. Wasps, for example, are reportedly declining in population in England as the country sees more rainy days and flooding—impacting pollination and ecosystems. While sometimes annoying, insects are more important than many of us give them credit for, say experts. 'The biodiversity ecosystem, animals, birds, everything depends on robust food chains that often have insects as an important component,' says Gallio. 'We are looking at impoverishing all sorts of ecosystems that have this one step that involves insects. For people who care about nature, it's scary, for people who care about their food, it's scary. There is plenty to be concerned about.' Write to Simmone Shah at
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Newsweek
Apple's iOS 19 Update Could Transform iPhone Battery Life With AI
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Apple's iOS 19 update could bring a new AI-powered battery management feature designed to extend battery life by learning from how users interact with their devices. The tool would analyze local battery usage data to detect trends and make predictions about when to reduce the power draw of certain apps and features. The feature is expected to operate on-device, using machine learning to identify when specific apps or functions can be limited without affecting the user experience. By adjusting power consumption dynamically, the tool could help reduce unnecessary background activity and extend battery life—especially during idle periods or when apps are not in active use. This type of intelligent power management would mark a departure from Apple's existing Low Power Mode, which applies system-wide restrictions. Instead, the rumored feature would make targeted decisions based on the behavior of individual users. The concept is similar to Google's Adaptive Battery system introduced in 2018, which prioritizes app access to system resources based on how frequently users engage with them. A new iOS 17.5 setting uses on-device AI to reduce battery drain while preserving user privacy. A new iOS 17.5 setting uses on-device AI to reduce battery drain while preserving user privacy. Silas Stein/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images iOS 19 is also expected to include a lock screen indicator that shows how long it will take for the iPhone to reach a full charge. This would give users more transparency during the charging process and help them plan usage more efficiently. The AI battery tool is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 17, a device rumored to be the thinnest iPhone yet. The slimmer design may come with a smaller battery, making software-based efficiency gains even more important. The feature could still however, be available on all devices compatible with iOS 19. Apple is likely to preview iOS 19 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, with a public release in the fall. Although Apple has not officially confirmed the feature, its introduction would align with the company's continued push to enhance user experience through on-device intelligence. By keeping battery data processing local, the tool would also support Apple's emphasis on privacy. The company has consistently positioned itself as privacy-first, designing many of its machine-learning features to operate without sending data to external servers. If confirmed, the battery management tool would represent another step in Apple's move toward making iPhones more efficient and personalized through AI without sacrificing user privacy. Do Apple's AI Changes Impact Your Privacy? Apple's AI-powered features—including this rumored battery tool—are expected to use on-device processing. That means personal data stays on the iPhone rather than being transmitted to servers. Apple states that it uses differential privacy for system-wide analytics and does not build personal profiles from device activity.
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Time To Buy Booking Holdings Stock?
SYMBOL - 28 January 2025, Baden-Württemberg, Rottweil: The application app for booking ... More travel accommodation, flights and rental cars can be seen on the display of an iPhone. Photo: Silas Stein/dpa (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images) Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) outperformed a sluggish market in 2025, with its stock increasing by 3% even as the S&P 500 experienced a 5% decline. The company disclosed robust Q1 results, reporting revenue that rose 8% year-over-year to $4.76 billion, surpassing the $4.59 billion estimate. Adjusted EPS soared by 22% to $24.81, well above the consensus of $17.45. Gross bookings and room nights each increased by 7%, while adjusted EBITDA expanded by 21% to $1.1 billion, propelled by global diversification and growth in alternative accommodations and flight reservations. Even during the typically slower quarter, Booking's international orientation—representing nearly 90% of revenue—provides insulation against U.S. macroeconomic challenges faced by competitors like Airbnb. In spite of its elevated valuation, Booking Holdings (BKNG) appears to be appealing at its current price of approximately $5,100. The stock's solid fundamentals and limited downside risk render it an attractive investment prospect. Our conclusion is drawn from comparing the current valuation of BKNG stock with its operational performance in recent years, along with its present and historical financial status. An analysis of BKNG across key parameters of Growth, Profitability, Financial Stability, and Downturn Resilience indicates that the company exhibits a very strong operating performance and financial health, as detailed below. Nevertheless, if you are looking for upside with less volatility than individual stocks, the Trefis High Quality portfolio offers an alternative – having outperformed the S&P 500 and achieved returns exceeding 91% since its inception. Based on the price you pay for each dollar of sales or profit, BKNG stock appears slightly overvalued relative to the broader market. • Booking has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 6.8 compared to 2.8 for the S&P 500 • Additionally, the company's price-to-free cash flow (P/FCF) ratio stands at 19.5 versus 17.6 for the S&P 500 • Moreover, it has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 31.7 compared to the benchmark's 24.5 Booking's Revenues have demonstrated significant growth in recent years. • Booking's top line has increased at an average rate of 30.7% over the last 3 years (compared to a 6.2% rise for the S&P 500) • Its revenues have risen 11.1% from $21 billion to $24 billion in the past 12 months (in contrast to a 5.3% increase for the S&P 500) • Additionally, its quarterly revenues grew 7.7% to $4.8 billion in the most recent quarter from $4.4 billion one year earlier (against a 4.9% improvement for the S&P 500) Booking's profit margins are significantly higher than those of most companies in the Trefis coverage universe. • Booking's Operating Income over the previous four quarters was $7.6 billion, representing a high Operating Margin of 31.8% (compared to 13.1% for the S&P 500) • Booking's Operating Cash Flow (OCF) during this time was $8.3 billion, indicating a high OCF Margin of 35.1% (versus 15.7% for the S&P 500) • For the most recent four-quarter period, Booking's Net Income reached $5.5 billion – demonstrating a high Net Income Margin of 22.6% (relative to 11.3% for the S&P 500) Booking's balance sheet appears very robust. • Booking's Debt at the close of the latest quarter was $17 billion, while its market capitalization is $166 billion (as of 4/30/2025). This indicates a strong Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 10.5% (versus 21.5% for the S&P 500). [Note: A lower Debt-to-Equity Ratio is preferable] • Cash (including cash equivalents) constitutes $16 billion of the $27 billion in Total Assets for Booking. This results in a very strong Cash-to-Assets Ratio of 59.3% (versus 15.0% for the S&P 500) BKNG stock has experienced worse impacts than the benchmark S&P 500 index during some recent downturns. As investors remain hopeful for a soft landing by the U.S. economy, what could be the potential downside if another recession occurs? Our dashboard How Low Can Stocks Go During A Market Crash illustrates how key stocks performed during and after the last six market crashes. • BKNG stock declined 37.2% from a peak of $2,616.41 on 18 February 2022 to $1,643.21 on 30 September 2022, compared to a peak-to-trough drop of 25.4% for the S&P 500 • The stock fully rebounded to its pre-Crisis peak by 2 May 2023 • Since then, the stock has risen to a high of $5,300.34 on 8 December 2024 and is currently priced at around $5,100 • BKNG stock plunged 44.8% from a peak of $2,086.90 on 10 January 2020 to $1,152.24 on 23 March 2020, contrasted with a peak-to-trough fall of 33.9% for the S&P 500 • The stock fully recovered to its pre-Crisis peak by 9 November 2020 • BKNG stock decreased 66.3% from a high of $139.66 on 13 May 2008 to $47.07 on 6 November 2008, compared to a peak-to-trough drop of 56.8% for the S&P 500 • The stock fully regained its pre-Crisis peak by 10 August 2009 In conclusion, Booking's performance across the aforementioned parameters is summarized as follows: • Growth: Very Strong • Profitability: Very Strong • Financial Stability: Extremely Strong • Downturn Resilience: Weak • Overall: Very Strong Based on these metrics, we believe that the stock is attractive, reinforcing our stance that BKNG is a good stock to purchase. Although BKNG stock shows promise, investing in a single stock carries risks. You might consider exploring the Trefis Reinforced Value (RV) Portfolio, which has outperformed its all-cap stocks benchmark (a blend of the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices) to yield strong returns for investors. Why is this the case? The quarterly rebalanced mix of large-, mid-, and small-cap RV Portfolio stocks has provided a responsive strategy to capitalize on favorable market conditions while minimizing losses when markets decline, as outlined in RV Portfolio performance metrics.
