Current Events in May 2019

Hackers last week breached the network of one of the world’s largest accounting software platforms, according to some U.S. accounting firms, bringing much of their work to a halt this week.

According to some customers who spoke with CNBC, the hackers planted malware on servers operated by Dutch firm Wolters Kluwer. The nature of the malware wasn’t stated, but the effect is said to be far-reaching.

Wolters Kluwer provides support to the 100 largest American accounting firms, as well as most major international banks and Fortune 500 companies. Customers say many of the company’s online services have been unavailable since Monday, causing a ripple effect across the industry.

According to Accounting Today, customers using Wolters Kluwer’s cloud-based services noted that the products were unavailable at the beginning of this week. Wolters Kluwer later issued a statement via Twitter, saying it had discovered malware on its servers and took them offline as a precautionary move.

“With this action, we aimed to quickly limit the impact this malware could have had, giving us the opportunity to investigate the issue with assistance from third-party forensics consultants and work on a solution,” the company reported. “Unfortunately, this impacted our communication channels and limited our ability to share updates. On May 7, we were able to restore service to a number of applications and platforms.”

Complaints from customers

But a number of customers posted complaints on social media, saying the updates they needed were still unavailable. One poster said even the company’s customer support site was down.

The company told Accounting Today that it has seen no evidence that customer data was compromised. It also has no evidence suggesting that customers’ systems have been infected.

“Our investigation is ongoing,” the company said. “We want to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Because so many accountants rely on services from Wolters Kluwer, one person at a large Midwest firm said the accounting industry is in a ‘quiet panic” over the breach because many firms are still unable to access their clients’ financial data.

With warmer weather fast approaching, more and more consumers are going to need to apply sunscreen on a daily basis. This has prompted researchers to look further into a much-discussed issue regarding vitamin D.

While it was previously believed that sunscreen prevented the body from properly processing vitamin D via sunlight, researchers have now dispelled that myth and discovered that vitamin D deficiency should not be a concern when applying sunscreen.

“Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D,” said researcher Anthony Young. “Sunscreens can prevent sunburn and skin cancer, but there has been a lot of uncertainty about the effects of sunscreens on vitamin D.”

Getting the health benefits

To see how -- and if -- sunscreen affected the body’s ability to reap the benefits of vitamin D, the researchers analyzed the effectiveness of two different sunblocks: one that protected against UVA radiation and one that protected against UVB radiation.

UVB radiation has been thought to affect the process that allows the body to properly absorb vitamin D, and sunblock that protects against these kinds of rays is most likely where these previous myths about sunscreen originated.

Over the course of one week of consistent sun, the researchers had participants test out the two kinds of sunscreen, both of which were rated at SPF 15. The overarching result from this study was that consumers can freely use sunscreen without the fear that they’re affecting their bodies’ ability to process healthy amounts of vitamin D.

Not only were all of the participants properly protected from getting a sunburn, but neither type of sunblock depleted the participants’ vitamin D levels, which was particularly important for the researchers and even more important for consumers to be aware of.

Additionally, over the course of the week, the UVA-specific sunscreen was found to increase participants’ vitamin D levels.

“Our study, during a week of perfect weather in Tenerife, showed that sunscreens, even when used optimally to prevent sunburn, allowed excellent vitamin D synthesis,” said Young.

Other risks

While consumers’ vitamin D levels may be safe from sunscreen, a recent study revealed that there may be more concerns for consumers to worry about this summer.

Despite recent efforts by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce stricter sunscreen regulations, the agency revealed that many commonly purchased sunscreens contain chemicals that can linger in the bloodstream after just one day of use.

In a study that involved participants applying sunscreen in much the same way they would on a regular summer day in the sun, researchers found high levels of avobenzone, oxybenzone, ecamsule, and octocrylene in participants’ bloodstreams. As concerning as these findings were, three of the four chemicals were still in the participants’ bloodstreams after one week of application.  

A new housing market report contains a troubling statistic, showing the number of seriously underwater U.S. homeowners -- those owing more than their home is worth -- moved higher in the first quarter.

The increase was not insignificant. ATTOM Data Solutions reports that more than 5.2 million homes were seriously underwater at the end of the first quarter. That’s defined as homes where the loans secured by the property were at least 25 percent more than the home’s value.

At the end of the first quarter, 17,000 more homes fell into that category than at the end of the first quarter of 2018. That represents 9.1 percent of all properties with a mortgage, up from 8.8 percent at the end of the previous quarter.

Todd Teta, chief product officer at ATTOM Data Solutions, says home prices are rising at a slower pace, which may have contributed to the increase. And while it’s a trend to watch, he says it’s not quite a red flag.

“Only one in 11 mortgages are seriously underwater today, compared to nearly one in three during the depths of the recession,” he said. Although, if the latest trend continues, it will raise another clear signal of a market slowdown, which will be good for buyers, but not so good for sellers.”

2009 housing crash

The Great Recession, made worse by a worldwide financial crisis, hit homeowners especially hard. Home values plunged, meaning underwater homeowners couldn’t sell or refinance, and many lost their homes to foreclosure.

No one is predicting that will happen again. Many of the excesses of the housing bubble have been eliminated, and homebuilders are not adding to housing inventory the way they were during the bubble years.

“If the pattern of the past few years takes hold – with levels of underwater and equity rich mortgages turning around - it will mean the market remains strong for sellers, with fewer needing to get out from under financial distress," Teta said.

Homeowner distress is largely a product of geography, with the most cases clustered in a handful of states.

Concentrated in the south

Louisiana has the highest percentage of underwater homeowners,  at 20.7 percent. Mississippi is next at 17.1 percent, followed by Arkansas with 16.3 percent, and West Virginia and Illinois both with 16.2 percent.

Drilling down to metro areas in the U.S., Baton Rouge, La., has the highest percentage of underwater homes, followed by Scranton, Pa.; Youngstown, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; and New Orleans.

States with the largest percentage of homes where homeowner equity has increased are California, Hawaii, New York, Washington, and Vermont.

Even with sharply rising gasoline prices in much of the nation, inflation was fairly tame last month. The Labor Department reports that the Consumer Price Index rose 0.3 percent in April following a 0.4 percent increase in March.

Gasoline accounted for much of the increase, rising 5.7 percent. The overall energy index was up 2.9 percent.

Partially offsetting more expensive gasoline, food prices actually went down in April, recording their first decline in nearly two years.

The cost of housing, medical care, education,  and new vehicles all went up in April. But the cost of used cars and trucks, apparel, and household furnishings and operations were among those that declined during the month.   

‘Happy story for families’

“The inflation story continues to be a happy one for American families, coming in tame for another month,” Robert Frick, corporate economist for Navy Federal Credit Union, said in an email to ConsumerAffairs. “With wages rising above 3 percent and the Consumer Price Index hovering around 2 percent,  real wages are rising from an average of 1.2 percent for low-skilled workers to 1.6 percent for high-skill workers.”

Frick says workers aren't seeing wage increases as high as in previous late-stage expansions because of slack in the labor force, but he said wages could rise if the labor market tightens again.

The slow rise in consumer prices, along with more modest increases in wage growth, will likely influence the Federal Reserve to hold the line of further rate hikes this year.

Gasoline prices actually dipped during the last week, but it’s too soon to tell whether they’ll fall further.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular is $2.87 a gallon, down two cents from a week ago. The price is only two cents more than at this time a year ago. The average price of premium is $3.44 a gallon, the same as last Friday. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.10 a gallon, also the same as it was seven days ago.

Prices normally don’t peak until Memorial Day weekend, so it appears this week’s leveling off, felt almost nationwide, is simply an early start. Refinery maintenance has mostly been completed and the switchover to summer fuel blends has begun.

On the other hand, AAA notes that crude oil inventories declined last week, which could boost oil prices in the short term.

“If total crude stocks continue to tighten, American motorists will likely see pump prices continue to increase this spring – alongside the global price of crude as tightening supply amid robust global crude demand will increase the price per barrel of oil,” AAA said in its latest market update.

The states with the most expensive regular gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• California ($4.09)

• Hawaii ($3.65)

• Washington ($3.53)

• Oregon ($3.43)

• Nevada ($3.49)

• Alaska ($3.43)

• Arizona ($3.16)

• Utah ($3.16)

• Idaho ($3.16)

• Pennsylvania ($3.04)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Alabama ($2.50)

• Mississippi ($2.51)

• Louisiana ($2.51)

• South Carolina ($2.52)

• Arkansas ($2.55)

• Missouri ($2.59)

• Oklahoma ($2.59)

• Tennessee ($2.59)

• Texas ($2.59)

• Virginia ($2.62)

Mecox Bay Dairy is recalling its Mecox Sunrise washed-rind Tomme style cheese.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product, which comes in a clear plastic package marked with “Mecox Sunrise” cheese label, was sold at seven retail locations and one restaurant on Eastern Long Island, N.Y., and served at one restaurant in Chicago, Ill.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (631) 537-0335 between 8:00am and 6:00pm (EST).

FIRMAN Power Equipment of Peoria, Ariz., is recalling about 19,000 FIRMAN P03615 generators.

The generator’s carbon canister can leak gas, posing a fire hazard.

The firm has received nine reports of gas leaks from the carbon canister. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves FIRMAN P03615 generators.

The gas powered portable generators are yellow and black and are equipped with remote start up to 165 feet away.

The model number P03615 and date code 10/2018, 11/2018 or 12/2018 are printed on the white nameplate on the generator’s fuel tank.

Serial numbers range from 4829200012 through 4833913602 and are printed on the white nameplate on the fuel tank.

The generators, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Costco Wholesale warehouse stores and online at Costco.com and Costco.ca from January 2019, through March 2019, for about $500.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled generators and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or take the recalled generator to a FIRMAN service center for a free inspection and repair.

Consumers may contact FIRMAN Power Equipment toll-free at (844) 459-8457 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) Monday through Friday or online at http://www.firmanpowerequipment.com and click on “Product Updates and Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.

BMW of North America is recalling 159 model year 2018 i3 BEVs and i3 REx hybrid electrics.

A circuit board problem within the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module may shutdown the supply of high voltage electrical power.

A shut down of high-voltage electrical power would result in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EME module free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 7, 2019.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, Uber disclosed that it has reached a settlement with drivers who staged protests this week over issues including employment status and the need for livable wages.

The protesting drivers contended that all Uber drivers should be considered employees of the company rather than independent contractors. Now, Uber says it has reached agreements to ”resolve the classification claims of a large majority” of 60,000 drivers who filed, or said they planned to file, arbitration demands.

All told, Uber estimates that the settlement payouts will cost it between $146 million and $170 million. The settlement came just one day before the ride-hailing giant was slated to make its stock market debut.

Tension over employment status

Uber said in the filing that it still believes, as it has since its inception, that its drivers are independent contractors because they can decide when they want to work and are allowed to work for competitors.

“We believe that Drivers are independent contractors because, among other things, they can choose whether, when, and where to provide services on our platform, are free to provide services on our competitors’ platforms, and provide a vehicle to perform services on our platform,” Uber said.

The company said reclassifying drivers would require it to “fundamentally change our business model, and consequently have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition.”

Ride-hailing service drivers have long complained of low wages and lack of benefits. A paper released Tuesday by the Economic Policy Institute found that Uber drivers earn the equivalent of $9.21 in hourly wages after factoring in the company’s commissions, fees, and vehicle expenses and accounting for the cost of health insurance and other expenses.

LA-based drivers who protested on Wednesday asked for pay, based on mileage and minutes, for the trip to pick up a passenger, as well as an hourly minimum wage that matches New York City’s $27.86 before expenses. Meeting these demands would help create “a fair, dignified, and sustainable ride-sharing industry,” they said.

When you walk into your local McDonald’s this summer, you might be able to sample the flavors of Europe and Asia.

McDonald’s, after all, is a global company with stores in dozens of countries. And those international outlets usually serve at least one menu item unique to that country.

Starting June 5, participating U.S. McDonald’s will offer some of these international favorites, along with Big Macs and Egg McMuffins.

“We know our U.S. customers are curious about McDonald’s international menu items,” said Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice president of Menu Innovation. “Because we are always innovating our menu, we are thrilled to leverage our global scale and offer popular flavors from around the world next month.”  

Analysts say the initiative is a fairly easy way for the fast-food chain to capitalize on consumers’ growing interest in international foods. Even though McDonald’s has been working to streamline its menu, most of the international additions won’t require expanding the inventory of ingredients.

Dutch treat

Among the new menu items is the Stroopwafel McFlurry, which is served in McDonald’s restaurants in the Netherlands. It’s made with vanilla soft serve, a caramel swirl, and is topped off with chopped Dutch Daelmans Stroopwafel caramel waffle cookie pieces.

U.S. consumers will also be able to sample the Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger, a staple of the company’s restaurants in Spain. It’s basically a Quarter Pounder with applewood smoked bacon, a proprietary sauce, Gouda cheese, and slivered onions served on a toasted sesame seed bun.

Many U.S. McDonald’s will also serve the Tomato Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich, which comes from Canada. It’s similar to the chicken sandwich currently on U.S. menus but adds tomato & herb sauce, mozzarella cheese, onions, lettuce, and sliced Roma tomatoes served on a toasted artisan roll.

Test run in Chicago

The limited time international promotion had a test run last year when some stores imported McDonald’s Cheesy Bacon Fries from Australia.

“After such a positive customer reaction to Australia’s Cheesy Bacon Fries in the U.S., they’re taking a victory lap,” McDonald’s said in a press release.

The side is made with regular McDonald’s fries and is topped with cheddar cheese sauce and sprinkled with chopped up bacon.

McDonald’s has tried the international menu items at some stores in the Chicago market, but the company says this is the first time it’s rolled out these menu items nationwide.

Sunday’s threat by President Trump to double down on tariffs on Chinese imports has produced counter threats from the Chinese government.

Trump took to Twitter to say that he’s prepared to increase tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese products imported into the United States. The Chinese government has now threatened to retaliate if that happens.

But a spokesman for China’s Commerce Ministry softened the threat in a statement, saying an escalation in trade frictions “is not in line with the American or Chinese interests or the interests of the world, and would thus be much to China’s regret.”

As Trump has pointed out on several occasions, tariffs put money into the U.S. government’s coffers. But they act as a tax on imported goods, making them more expensive for U.S. consumers.

Impact on consumers

It’s hard to find any consumer product that isn’t made in China these days. The U.S. not only imports iron, steel, and plastics but finished goods like toys, furniture, and electronics.

Should China impose additional tariffs on American products it could hurt American producers and the people who work for them. When China placed tariffs on American soybeans last year, American farmers felt the pain.

Trump’s tariff threat this week seemed to come out of the blue, but Reuters reports it stemmed from what the administration terms a major reversal on agreed-upon points. In fact, Trump previously expressed optimism that a major trade deal with China was near.

Backtracking

According to Reuters, all that changed at the beginning of last weekend when a diplomatic cable arrived from China with dozens of edits to major points in a draft agreement. Sources tell Reuters those edits backtracked on major U.S. demands the White House believed were settled points.

U.S. officials reportedly felt they were making progress on the very issues that led to the trade dispute. But the sources say China removed pledges to reform laws preventing theft of intellectual property, forced technology transfers, and access to financial services, among other things.

China issued its warning to the U.S. as the country’s vice premier arrived in Washington for high-level trade talks. It had been hoped the event would include the announcement of a new trade agreement, something that appears less likely now.

Anything can spark a bit of anger -- spilling your coffee in the morning or sitting in rush hour traffic -- but not too many consumers think of how that all-too familiar feeling can manifest itself in their health.

According to a new study conducted by the American Psychological Association, anger can increase inflammation throughout the body in older adults. Unfortunately, that can lead to an increased risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease, or arthritis.

“As most people age, they simply cannot do the activities they once did, or they may experience the loss of a spouse or a decline in their physical mobility and they can become angry,” said researcher Meaghan A. Barlow. “Our study showed that anger can lead to the development of chronic illnesses, whereas sadness did not.”

Physical effects of anger

To see how anger manifested itself in potential health complications, the researchers observed over 220 older adults between the ages of 59 and 93.

For research purposes, the participants were divided into different age groups; participants between the ages of 59 and 79 were considered “early old age,” and participants aged 80 and above were considered “advanced old age.”

The study spanned one week, during which the researchers gained insights about the participants’ current health standing, took blood samples to analyze their current inflammation levels, and had them complete questionnaires to evaluate their emotions, placing a particular emphasis on anger and sadness.

For the advanced old age group, the researchers found that anger became physically troublesome by contributing to higher levels of inflammation. They pointed out that this could lead to future health concerns.

The early old age group and those who reported feelings of sadness did not experience the same outcome; participants in the younger group who felt anger, and participants in both groups that reported feelings of sadness, did not experience the same inflammatory effects.

According to Barlow, age really was the biggest difference here. While the younger group can most likely use their anger as “an energizing emotion” that “can help motivate them to pursue life goals,” the older group wasn’t as lucky.

“Anger becomes problematic for adults once they reach 80 years old...because that is when many experience irreversible losses and some of life’s pleasures fall out of reach,” Barlow explained.

The researchers emphasized that knowledge is power in situations like these. They say that ensuring that older people have this information and tangible coping mechanisms to help deal with these emotions in healthy ways is crucial.

“If we better understand which negative emotions are harmful, not harmful, or even beneficial to older people, we can teach them how to cope with loss in a healthy way,” said Barlow. “This may help them let go of their anger.”

Managing emotions

While learning how to cope with emotions and maintaining a positive attitude is critical for consumers of all ages, recent studies have shown just how important it is for the older demographic.

Researchers have found that staying positive about aging can be the key to helping older adults handle stress.

According to researcher Shevaun Neupert, “the way we think about aging has very real consequences for how we respond to difficult situations when we’re older.” The study also revealed that consumers’ emotional responses can affect their health and quality of life.

If you’re an Android user (Samsung, Moto, Google Pixel, et al), the way apps will be presented to you is changing.

At its Google I/O Developer conference, Google announced that it is modifying how apps will be rated in its Play Store.

The big change is that Google is taking away developers’ ability to change when their app ratings reset. Instead, the company is giving extra favor to apps that have been recently released or updated.

How does this affect the user?

The basic upside to Google’s re-weighted ratings is that consumers will be able to check to see what fixes and updates an app’s developers have made and when they made them. If an app hasn’t been groomed in a while, its rating may take a hit. It might also serve as a “hmm” to users as to whether the app is up-to-date or has been forgotten about. Or, as TechCrunch framed it, “a rating that reflects their current state of decline.”

If you’re an Android user, a quick heads-up: Google won’t have those new rating triggers available in the Play Store until sometime in August.

What else does Google have in its sandbox of ideas?

Google also gave attendees of the I/O Developer conference a sneak peek at other things it was working on and making available to developers.

Included in those are...

• Android Auto, a way for developers to “enable existing applications for the Android Auto platform and reach more users in the car;”

• Improved sensors on phones designed to “enable a range of use cases - from turning your phone into a virtual steering wheel to control a car in a video game, capturing steps in a fitness app, to advanced indoor and outdoor location;” and

• New Android platform features aimed at “optimizing battery and memory consumption.”

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday reintroduced the Artificial Intelligence in Government Act in the hope of increasing the government’s use of AI.

The legislation, which was first introduced in September 2018 but stalled after being sent to committee, aims to “improve the use of AI across the federal government by providing access to technical expertise and streamlining hiring within the agencies.”

The group of senators who reintroduced the bill this week included Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Brian Schatz, the ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet.

If adopted, the AI in Government Act would do the following:

• Direct the General Services Administration to create a center of excellence on AI;

• Create an advisory board on AI usage in government; and

• Task the Office of Personnel Management with updating or creating new jobs to reflect the expanding role of AI in government.

“We can’t continue to lead the world in AI technology if our own government isn’t making the most of it,” said Sen. Schatz. “Our bill will give the federal government the resources it needs to hire experts, do research, and work across federal agencies to use AI technologies in smart and effective ways.”

Backed by big tech companies

Proponents of the 2019 iteration of the bill include Facebook, Microsoft, and the Internet Association (which includes Amazon and Google).

“Microsoft is encouraged by the reintroduction of this legislation,” said Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. government affairs for Microsoft. “It would create a Center for Excellence and an advisory board to guide the government on emerging technologies. And it would require agencies to publish governance plans for AI systems, including policies, principles, and guidelines. Overall, it’s a good approach and we thank Senators Schatz and Gardner for their leadership.”

The reintroduction of the AI in Government Act comes three months after President Trump signed an executive order dubbed the “American AI Initiative.” The program aims to posit the U.S. as a leader in research pertaining to artificial intelligence.

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has disclosed that hackers stole 7,000 Bitcoin, amounting to $40 million. The company said hackers employed several different methods, including viruses and phishing.

“Hackers were able to obtain a large number of user API keys, 2FA codes, and potentially other info,” Binance said in a statement, in which it described the incident as a “large scale security breach.”

The coins stolen were in Binance’s “hot wallet,” which, fortunately, contained just 2 percent of its total Bitcoin holdings.

“All of our other wallets are secure and unharmed,” the company said.

Customer funds won’t be affected

Binance added that the hackers “had the patience to wait, and execute well-orchestrated actions through multiple seemingly independent accounts at the most opportune time.”

The company said the one-time transaction was “structured in a way that passed our existing security checks. It was unfortunate that we were not able to block this withdrawal before it was executed. Once executed, the withdrawal triggered various alarms in our system.”

In the wake of the breach, Binance immediately suspended withdrawals and deposits for its customers. Withdrawals and deposits will remain suspended until after the company’s security review is complete.

The company’s CEO Changpeng Zhao estimates that the investigation will take up to one week. In the meantime, trading will remain open.

“Please also understand that the hackers may still control certain user accounts and may use those to influence prices in the meantime,” Zhao noted. “We will monitor the situation closely. But we believe with withdrawals disabled, there isn’t much incentive for hackers to influence markets.”

The firm says customers won’t personally be impacted by the incident since it will use its emergency insurance fund.

“Binance will use the #SAFU [Secure Asset Fund for Users] fund to cover this incident in full. No user funds will be affected,” the company said.

If you’re in the market for a good late-model used car, CarGurus, an online automotive marketplace, has done some of the research for you. It analyzed late-model cars available for sale as used cars, going back as far as the 2009 model year, and came up with some recommendations.

Vehicles were evaluated on user reviews, professional test drive reviews, popularity, availability, and CarGurus' projected 12-year value retention. It broke the judging down by category, so the model with the highest overall score was determined to be the winner for each category.

"CarGurus knows that research is the bedrock of a great car-buying experience and we hope that our third annual Best Used Car Awards help today's car shoppers in that process," said Matt Smith, senior editor at the website. "These award-winning vehicles are popular, plentiful, well-reviewed and—based on our projections—should retain their value for years to come. For people shopping for a great used car, these vehicles are certainly worth considering."

Here are the top-rated vehicles in the most popular categories:

Mid-size sedan

The Honda Accord won yet another contest. The editors say you can’t go wrong with a 2013-2017 Accord. The 2013-2018 Ford Fusion and 2012-2017 Toyota Camry also win high marks.

Station wagon

The ever-popular Subaru Outback takes first place in this category, with the editors giving a nod to the 2015-2018 models. They also like the 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen and the 2015-2018 MINI Cooper Clubman.

Small crossover/SUV

SUVs remain extremely popular, especially the smaller variety, which still have plenty of room for a family but are less painful at the gas pump. Topping the rankings is the 2007-2017 Jeep Wrangler, followed by the 2012-2016 Honda CR-V, and 2013-2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek.

Midsize crossover/SUV

Jeep dominates this category too, as the editors selected the 2007-2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited as best in the larger class, with second place going to the 2011-2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport rounds out the top three.

Full-Size crossover/SUV

The Ford Explorer was one of the early SUVs and is the editors’ top pick, with the 2011-2018 models getting a green light. Close behind are the 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and the 2009-2017 Chevrolet Traverse.

Minivan

Minivans are getting a second look from growing millennial families and the editors recommend the 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey as the best in class. Second place goes to the 2011-2018 Toyota Sienna while the 2014-2018 Kia Sedona finished third.

Full-size pickup trucks

Pickup trucks have become carmakers’ bread and butter in the last few years and the three biggest sellers make the list of top recommended used cars. The overall top pick is the 2015-2018 Ford F-150. It’s followed by the 2011-2018 Ram 1500, and the 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Obesity continues to plague consumers worldwide, and as protecting consumers’ health is at the forefront of researchers’ minds, a new study found that geographic location could play a role in the likelihood of developing obesity.

A new study found that obesity rates are increasing faster in rural areas compared with bigger cities.

“The results of this massive global study overturn commonly held perceptions that more people living in cities is the main cause of the global rise in obesity,” said researcher Majid Ezzati. “This means that we need to rethink how we tackle this global health problem.”

Seeing a shift

The researchers tracked consumers’ weight for over thirty years, analyzing different trends in weight gain and obesity levels in over 112 million adults between 1985 and 2017. The participants hailed from 200 different countries and territories worldwide.

Two years prior to the start of the study, the researchers noted that adults in cities were heavier than those living in more rural areas; however, over the course of their study, they found that trend to shift in the opposite direction.

“Discussions around public health tend to focus more on the negative aspects of living in cities,” Ezzati said. “In fact, cities provide a wealth of opportunities for better nutrition, more physical exercise and recreation, and overall improved health. These things can be harder to find in rural areas.”

The researchers also saw another trend emerge from their study: the wealth of a country played a large role in the increase of weight gain. For example, living outside of major cities in high-income countries often means it’s more difficult to get to the gym or access healthy food, thus causing a sharp uptick in weight for many residents.

Additionally, as lower-income countries work to provide better technological and career opportunities for consumers, more people are getting behind the wheel and completing less physical activity.

The researchers hope that these emerging trends change the way public officials go about combating obesity, and make more of an effort to see how various factors can influence how consumers are gaining weight.

“As countries increase wealth, the challenge for rural populations changes from affording enough to eat, to affording good quality food,” said Ezzati.

Getting a few extra steps in

While public transportation can often be limited in more rural areas, city dwellers who take advantage of the offerings can be doing more than they realize to fight off obesity.

A recent study found that when consumers make more of an effort to utilize public transportation, obesity rates go down.

“Opting for mass transit over driving creates opportunities for exercise that may otherwise not exist,” said researcher Sheldon H. Jacobson. “Instead of just stepping out of the house and into his car, riders need to walk from their home to a bus stop and from their stop to a destination.”

BRP U.S., of Sturtevant, Wis., is recalling about 10,000 model year 2017 Ski Doo MXZ, Summit and Renegade snowmobiles.

The vehicle’s fuel delivery system can leak, posing a fire hazard.

The firm has received 13 reports of fuel leaks and two reports of fire. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves model year 2017 Ski-Doo MXZ, Summit and Renegade snowmobiles equipped with an 850 E-TEC engine sold in a variety of colors.

Ski-Doo and the model name are printed on the side panels of the vehicles. The vehicle identification number (VIN) is on the decal located on the right hand side of tunnel.

The following models are included in the recall:

The snowmobiles, manufactured in Canada, were sold at Ski-Doo dealers nationwide from June 2016, through April 2019, for between $12,000 and $13,500.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vehicles and contact a BRP Snowmobile dealer for a free repair. BRP is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact BRP toll-free at (888) 272-9222 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) Monday through Sunday or online at https://www.ski-doo.com and click on “Community” at the top of the page and then “Safety” for more information.

Trans Texas Tire (TTT) is recalling 560 Contender 5.70-8 tires sold exclusively through Discount Tire stores.

The tire sidewalls are incorrectly labeled, in that each side of the tire may state different PLY and PSI markings.

Incorrect PLY and PSI markings may result in underinflating or overloading the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

TTT will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires with tires that have the correct sidewall markings free of charge.

The recall will begin in May 2019.

Owners may contact Trans Texas Tire customer service at 1-903-572-0267.