5 things you need to know Tuesday
New House bill protects airline passengers from 'bumping'
New legislation could prevent airlines from forcibly removing passengers seated on an overbooked flight and regulate compensation for passengers denied boarding. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will vote on the bill Tuesday, before it can be considered by the full House and the Senate. Overbooking drew fierce debate over passenger rights in April when a video surfaced of United Airlines passenger David Dao being dragged off an overbooked flight. In addition to the new safeguards for passengers, the bill will also privatize air-traffic control, a move strongly supported by President Trump.
Smartphone rival comes out with new, affordable device
Say goodbye to dropping upwards of $600 on a new smartphone every few years. Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is releasing its new model — aptly named the OnePlus 5 — Tuesday. The phone, which gives iPhones and Androids a run for their money, comes with a starting price tag of $479 for a 64GB model. The phone comes unlocked, but is only compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile.
Huge cruise ship debuts in fast-growing Chinese market
What do you do when a cruise market goes from about 1 million passengers in 2015 to a predicted 4.5 million by 2020? Yes, send more ships! And that’s what Norwegian Cruise Line is doing with its latest boat, the Norwegian Joy, which is being christened in Shanghai, China, on Tuesday. The vessel, which is one of the 10 largest cruisers ever built, left Germany in March for sea trials. It joins several other huge cruise ships already operating in the area, where rival Royal Caribbean already has five boats operating at least part of the year.
U.S. News & World Report ranks children’s hospitals
American parents seeking the best medical care for their children will find it in Boston. That’s according to U.S. News & World Report, whose latest ranking of the nation’s top 50 children’s medical centers was released early Tuesday. The list, which awards ratings based on 10 pediatric categories as well as measures such as outcomes, patient volume, staffing and best practices, is topped by Boston Children’s Hospital, followed by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Are pets gaining too much weight?
It’s no secret that Americans' waistlines have been expanding for years, and a new report shows our pets are following suit. Banfield Pet Hospital's 2017 State of Pet Health report found that one in three pets who visited Banfield pet facilities in 2016 was overweight or obese. The annual report details health habits of the 2.5 million dogs and 500,000 cats who visited facilities across the country in 2016. Dr. Kirk Breuninger, a veterinary research associate at Banfield Pet Hospital, said they noticed a trend in pet's gaining weight five years ago.
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