Raphael Stevens

From catching Covid-19 to getting caught in a blizzard, traveling can be risky business these days.
But just how risky often depends on the destination — and how you define the risks.

Safest cities: people’s perceptions

A report published by the U.K.-based insurance company William Russell ranked the “safest cities in the world,” according to people’s perceptions.

On this list, which relied on perceived crime rates on the crowdsourced global database Numbeo, Asia and Europe dominated the rankings of “safest” cities.
Taiwan’s Taipei scored the highest, while Buenos Aires, Argentina, ranked the lowest (score: 36.7), according to the report.

Safest cities: health and politics

But the top five places for “health and safety” in Euromonitor International’s “Top 100 City Destinations Index 2022” are different.
That ranking, published in December, analyzed “political stability and social safety,” which includes the impact of Covid-19 (such as total cases, death and vaccination rates) as well as road injury accidents, government corruption and terrorism statistics.

Here, cities in the Middle East and Asia came out on top.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Doha, Qatar
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Singapore, Singapore

Paris topped market research company Euromonitor International’s “Top 100 City Destinations” for 2022, but the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah, shown here, ranked highest in terms of health and safety.
Stefan Tomic | E+ | Getty Images

“The Middle East … takes the first four positions,” said Vitalij Vladykin, senior research manager at Euromonitor International, while “Singapore is ranked first in terms of the political stability category in 2019-2022.”
“Health and safety” is one of six factors used by Euromonitor International to compile its annual city destinations index.

Safest places: medical risks

A report by the travel security firm International SOS not only analyzes infectious disease risks, but also factors that can affect medical care, such as quality of specialist and emergency services, availability of medicines and language barriers.
Its Travel Risk Map 2023 shows that much of North America and Western Europe — as well as places like Turkey, Israel, Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates — have “low” medical risks.

Medical risks by country.
International SOS

The map shows Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea and parts of Africa have “very high” medical risks, which International SOS defines as having “almost non-existent or severely overtaxed” health-care systems.  
The countries colored in purple have “significant variation” in medical risks, which can mean discrepancies in care levels between cities and rural areas, according to the report.
This map does not reflect the Covid-19 outbreak currently occurring in China, said Dr. Irene Lai, medical director at International SOS. Rather than showing specific disease outbreaks, the map focuses on “background” medical situations in countries around the world, she said.

Safest places: security risks

International SOS’s Travel Risk Map also assesses security risks, which include crime as well as political violence such as terrorism and war, social unrest and susceptibility to natural disasters, according to the company.
Sally Llewellyn, International SOS’ security director, said that some 25 spots around the world have “insignificant” security risks: American Samoa, Andorra, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, Norway, San Marino, Seychelles, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna.

Some countries have varying risk levels within their borders. For example, the map shows most of Egypt has “high” security risks, but risks are lower in Cairo and areas east of the Nile River.
Mexico has a combination of “medium” and “high” risks on the map, while Thailand’s borders with Myanmar, Malaysia and Cambodia are deemed to be risker than the rest of the country, according to the map.
International SOS said security risks increased in several places this year, including Ukraine, Colombia and the Sahel.
The Sahel is a region in North Africa that includes portions of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and other countries. The region has a mix of “high” and “extreme” security risks, according to the map. More

General Motors’ first-ever “electrified” Corvette will be available later this year, starting at more than $104,000, the automaker said Tuesday.
The 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid will be the quickest production version ever of the American sports car.
An all-electric Corvette is expected at some point, but GM has not announced timing for that version.

DETROIT – General Motors’ first-ever “electrified” Corvette will be available later this year starting at more than $104,000, the automaker said Tuesday.
The vehicle also will be all-wheel drive, another first for the quintessential American sports car.

The carmaker said the E-Ray, which GM first confirmed to CNBC last year, will be the quickest production Corvette ever. It will achieve 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and a quarter mile in 10.5 seconds – similar to some supercars and the current Corvette Z06 track car.

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car

“It’s a testament to innovation that this car has represented throughout its 70-year legacy and certainly represents the future of what this car is capable to deliver going forward,” Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet, said during a briefing.
An all-electric Corvette is expected at some point, but GM has not announced timing for the EV version. The Detroit automaker has said it plans to exclusively offer all-electric vehicles by 2035.
The E-Ray’s hybrid system features an electric motor on the front axle that provides 160 additional horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. It provides a quicker takeoff than a traditional internal combustion engine.

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car

In total, GM said the E-Ray produces a combined 655 horsepower from both the electric motor and small-block V-8. It will be available as a coupe and convertible.

The E-Ray is expected to be the only hybrid in GM’s lineup when it arrives in dealer showrooms. GM discontinued hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, over the years to exclusively focus on all-electric cars and trucks.
Officials said the E-Ray was developed before such plans, in conjunction with development of the eighth-generation Corvette, or C8, which debuted in July 2019. The car was the first Corvette to feature a midengine design instead of the engine being located in the front of the vehicle.

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid sports car

The hybrid system was specifically designed for the eighth-generation Corvette, according to Harlan Charles, Chevrolet Corvette product marketing manager. The battery system is charged mostly via regenerative energy from coasting and braking, as well as during normal driving.
GM decided on a hybrid Corvette instead of a PHEV because it offered better overall performance for the car.
“The mission of this vehicle was performance, performance, performance,” said Mike Kociba, lead Corvette development engineer. “Every kilogram or pound had to earn its way in from a mass standpoint. … It hurt performance, plain and simple.”

Read more about electric vehicles from CNBC Pro

The E-Ray coupe will start at $104,295, followed by the convertible version at $111,295. The pricing is slightly lower than $106,695 Corvette Z06. Pricing includes mandatory destination and delivery fees.
GM revealed the E-Ray on the 70th anniversary of when the Detroit automaker unveiled the original concept car of the Corvette at the Motorama auto show in New York City.
The E-Ray is expected to be one of eight new or redesigned models for Chevrolet in 2023. Others include all-electric versions of the Silverado pickup, and Equinox and Blazer crossovers, as well as the gas-powered Colorado and Trax.

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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

It’s that time again! “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer rings the lightning round bell, which means he’s giving his answers to callers’ stock questions at rapid speed.

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Boston Properties Inc: “They are disciplined, they’ve got a good yield, and while I don’t endorse it myself … there’s a good thesis behind it.”

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Flex Ltd: “My belief is that it’s an inexpensive stock.”

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Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Tuesday gave investors a list of stocks he believes fit Americans’ spending habits after navigating the Covid pandemic for the last three years.
“The biggest theme is the rise of this ‘life is too short’ mentality. People don’t want to waste their time anymore,” he said.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Tuesday gave investors a list of stocks he believes fit Americans’ spending habits after navigating the Covid pandemic for the last three years.
“The biggest theme is the rise of this ‘life is too short’ mentality. People don’t want to waste their time anymore,” he said.

More specifically, investors should eye travel, restaurant, live entertainment and gym stocks, according to Cramer.
Here are his picks:

Travel

Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines

“Just be careful and stick to the ones with good execution, meaning stay away from Southwest Airlines – they’re ailing after a huge holiday service breakdown,” he said.

Marriott International

The stock is still cheap despite its run since the end of September, according to Cramer.

Hilton Worldwide

“I’ve been coming around in Hilton Worldwide, which is expected to have a phenomenal 23% earnings growth this year,” he said.

Airbnb
Cramer said that he expects Airbnb’s stock price to eventually reflect the company’s “terrific” business.
Hertz

The rental car company’s 2023 earnings estimates are too low, according to Cramer.

American Express

He said he’d be a buyer of the stock at its current level.

Restaurants

Darden Restaurants

Cramer said he likes that the company owns higher-end restaurants and has a portfolio that includes Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse and The Capital Grille.

Starbucks

The coffeemaker’s mission to become the place where people spend the most time outside of the home and office is compelling during the current era of hybrid work, he said.

Sysco

Buying shares of food suppliers is another way to play the restaurant industry, Cramer said.

Live entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment
The company is “growing like a weed,” he said.
Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts

“I like them because they have exposure to both the U.S. and China,” Cramer said.

VICI Properties

He said that investors could also go with the casino real estate investment trust for a live entertainment play in their portfolios.

Bowlero

Cramer said that he likes the bowling center company as a more low-key option for investors.

Gyms

Planet Fitness and Xponential Fitness

“I like Planet Fitness, you know that, but you’ve got my blessing to speculate on Xponential Fitness …  which is a higher-risk, higher reward situation,” he said.

Disclaimer: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Starbucks.

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The RSV vaccine was 83.7% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease, defined as two or more symptoms, in people ages 60 and older, according to Moderna.
RSV infections kill between 6,000 and 10,000 older adults every year and result in 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.
Moderna’s RSV vaccine uses the same messenger RNA technology as its successful Covid-19 shots.

Moderna on Tuesday said its vaccine that targets respiratory syncytial virus is effective at preventing disease in older adults.
The vaccine was 83.7% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease, defined as two or more symptoms, in people ages 60 and older, according to the Boston biotech company. It was 82.4% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease with three or more symptoms.

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13 hours ago

No safety concerns have been identified during the clinical trial of the vaccine, according to Moderna. The safety and efficacy data from the trial will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, according to the company. The clinical trial has enrolled about 37,000 people across 22 countries.
Moderna said it plans to file an application for approval by the Food and Drug Administration in the first half of this year. There currently is no FDA-approved vaccine for RSV.

A woman receives a booster dose of the Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium, February 1, 2022.
Johanna Geron | Reuters

Moderna’s stock rose nearly 7% in extended trading.
RSV infections kill between 6,000 and 10,000 older adults every year and result in 60,000 to 120,000 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. suffered an unusually severe RSV season in the fall among children and older adults as the public largely stopped practicing public health measures implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, such as masking and social distancing.

Moderna’s RSV vaccine uses the same messenger RNA technology as the company’s successful Covid shots. The Covid vaccine turned Moderna into a global name and delivered windfall profits, but it remains the company’s only commercially available product and demand is fading.
The Boston biotech company faces growing pressure to demonstrate that other products in its pipeline will successfully come to market. Morgan Stanley estimates the market for an adult RSV vaccine is $7 billion to $10 billion.

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