Author: Jonathan Roy

Air travel will surpass pre-pandemic levels this spring, according to new estimations, underscoring the urgent need for federal government investment in an air travel system that the U.S. Travel Association says is already strained by inefficiencies and passenger dissatisfaction. “Periods of high demand—like spring break and holiday weekends—are a stress test that reveal the inadequacies of our current air travel system,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of U.S. Travel. “Demand may be high now, but countless frustrating air travel experiences may cause passengers to choose other modes of transportation or simply stay home in the future.” Industry trade group Airlines for…

A host of animated movies, big-budget action flicks, and feel-good rom coms It’s that special time of year where Netflix unveils every movie coming to the streaming service in the next calendar year. Some of them have specific dates already announced, while others only have a general timeline. Most don’t yet have a date — we just know they’ll come out some time this year. There are some big sequels — Extraction 2! Murder Mystery 2! Chicken Run 2?! — along with some highly anticipated, long-gestating projects like the revived Nimona movie and Wes Anderon’s Roald Dahl project. Here is every single movie coming to…

The US health department has proposed three new models to help lower the cost of drugs, promote accessibility and improve quality of care for those enrolled in voluntary government health insurance plans. The models selected for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to test include encouraging the Medicare Part D plans, which cover the cost of most prescriptions, to offer a monthly $2 fixed co-payment for commonly used generic drugs for chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure. The second model allows state Medicaid agencies to pay for cell and gene therapies, which can cost upwards of $1m,…

Chipotle Mexican Grill is launching a new spinoff, called Farmesa Fresh Eatery, in a California ghost kitchen. It’s the latest attempt by the burrito chain to branch out into new cuisines. Its past spinoffs — Asian ShopHouse and Tasty Made — occurred under founder Steve Ells’ leadership and were shut down by 2017. The company also invested in Pizzeria Locale. Farmesa marks the first such experiment during CEO Brian Niccol’s tenure, and the company is taking a more measured approach this time around, leaning on its tried-and-true customizable bowls. The brand will have a soft opening in late February with a…

Cambodian PM Hun Sen has been in power since 1985 but unlike other long-serving regional leaders has failed to impress on the global stage. Just three days before Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen jetted off to Paris for one of his first visits to France in years, Cambodian researchers discovered the remains of a Cambodia-France Friendship Statue that had been destroyed by the genocidal Khmer Rouge in 1977. The leader’s promise to repair the statue could so easily be read as a symbol of his government’s promise to repair relations with the West, now that Cambodia is increasingly fearful of its growing Chinese dependency. …