Travel

Ramadan begins with the crescent moon. Here’s why the official start time can still vary around the world

Feb. 27, 2025

You might already know that roughly a quarter of the world’s population is expected to head into Ramadan this weekend, the Islamic holy month perhaps best known for its followers’ dawn-to-sunset abstinence of food and liquids. What you might not realize if you’re not a follower: Muslims tentatively know when it’s coming up, but they may get a notice of mere hours of when Ramadan officially starts. Further, it’s not uniformly observed around the world — the start date can vary country to country and can even be different mosque to mosque in the same city. But what unites all Muslims is the observance of the new crescent moon in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

Health

Child in West Texas is first US measles death in a decade

Feb. 27, 2025

The first measles death in the growing outbreak in West Texas was a school-aged child. The child was unvaccinated and had been hospitalized in Lubbock, Texas, said Lauren Adams, Lubbock city spokesperson. Officials did not answer questions regarding the patient’s specific age, any other health issues, or details about the patient’s schooling in a press conference jointly hosted by Covenant Health and the City of Lubbock Public Health on Wednesday. This is the first US measles death since 2015, when a woman in Washington state died.

Business

Trump’s got a bird flu plan. So when will eggs stop costing so much?

Feb. 27, 2025

Egg prices are surging so high that the Trump administration is pledging to step in and solve the crisis — but don’t expect relief the next time you go grocery shopping. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on Wednesday a plan to invest $1 billion in strategies to rein in soaring egg prices. Yet in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Rollins acknowledged that it “won’t erase the problem overnight.” Rather, she said the egg market won’t stabilize for another “three to six months.”

Health

Who are the Mennonites in a Texas community where measles is spreading?

Feb. 27, 2025

The Mennonite population being affected by a measles outbreak in West Texas is part of a larger, loosely affiliated group of churches worldwide with varied beliefs and leadership structures — and with sometimes strained or distant relations with health officials and other public authorities. Who are the Mennonites? Mennonites are part of the wider Anabaptist family of churches, which emerged in 1525 as the radical wing of the Protestant Reformation in Central Europe. Other Anabaptist branches today include the Amish, Brethren and Hutterites. Anabaptists believed that a true biblical church had to follow such principles as non-violence, unconditional forgiveness, adult baptism, church discipline, and a refusal to bear arms or swear oaths.

Business

Elon Musk’s proximity to Trump could work against him in Tesla’s number-two market

Feb. 27, 2025

As the world’s richest person, Elon Musk isn’t short of opportunity. From TikTok to Nissan, his name comes up time and again during potential deals across Asia, no matter how outlandish. It’s not his Midas touch that investors are after, experts say. Rather, Musk is being pursued for his closeness to US President Donald Trump and role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Health

FDA meeting to choose flu vaccine composition canceled without explanation

Feb. 27, 2025

A March meeting of outside advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration to discuss the composition of flu vaccines for this fall’s flu season has been canceled, a member of the advisory committee told CNN. The meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, is held every March “to pick flu strains, because it’s a six-month production cycle for a vaccine released in September,” Dr. Paul Offit, a member of VRBPAC, told CNN Wednesday.

Business

Consumer watchdog quits cases against firms accused of ripping off Americans

Feb. 27, 2025

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) abruptly dropped cases on Thursday against multiple companies that had previously been accused of hurting consumers. Court filings indicate that the consumer watchdog has decided to dismiss lawsuits previously filed against Capital One, Rocket Homes, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and a student loan servicer. Just weeks earlier the CFPB accused Capital One of “cheating” millions of customers out of billions of dollars of interest payments.

Business

Amazon has a ‘slew of AI devices’ coming, hardware chief says

Feb. 27, 2025

Amazon debuted a more sophisticated version of Alexa on Wednesday that’s more conversational and can handle tasks on your behalf. But in a surprising departure from its usual playbook, the company didn’t announce new Echo devices to go with its revamped digital helper. But that might not be the case for long.

Business

Elon Musk says upgrade of FAA’s air traffic control system is failing and SpaceX needs to take over Verizon’s contract

Feb. 27, 2025

Elon Musk said Thursday that Verizon’s efforts to provide a critically needed upgrade to the FAA’s air traffic control system is failing. And he said that it is important that Starlink, a unit of his SpaceX satellite and rocket company, take over. “The Verizon communication system to air traffic control is breaking down very rapidly,” he said in a post on his social media platform X. “The FAA assessment is single digit months to catastrophic failure, putting air traveler safety at serious risk.”

Automotive

Musk has lost more than $100B since December as Tesla gives up trillion-dollar company status amid sell-off

Feb. 26, 2025

Elon Musk's status as the world's wealthiest person is in no danger of changing. But since mid-December, the tech titan's net worth has declined by more than $100 billion, or approximately 25%, as a sell-off in shares of Tesla, his electric car maker, has accelerated in recent weeks.