Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ignited widespread backlash online after questioning whether high-sugar iced coffee drinks sold at Dunkin’ and Starbucks are safe – and the governor of Massachusetts was among the pushback.

Kennedy said during an “Eat Real Food” rally in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 26, “We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.”

“I don’t think they’re gonna be able to do it,” he added.

The remarks quickly drew a response in Massachusetts, where Dunkin’ was founded and is considered a cultural staple.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised concerns about sugary beverages during an Austin, Texas, rally on Feb. 26, 2026. (Jason Mendez/Getty Images; iStock / Getty Images)

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey took to X on Wednesday to defend the iconic New England beverage, posting an image of a flag displaying the slogan, “Come and take it.”

While some users on X criticized Healey, arguing that she should promote healthier food standards, others rallied behind the governor amid concerns the administration could target their favorite drinks.

“Maybe this regime needs to remember we take drinks VERY SERIOUSLY in New England,” one user wrote, alongside an image depicting the 1773 Boston Tea Party.

Others swapped the “Don’t tread on me” motto with, “Donut tread on me.”

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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. referenced Dunkin’ while discussing potential scrutiny of high-sugar beverages. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment on whether the administration plans to carry out its demands and restrict beverages at Dunkin’ or other coffee chains. 

Dunkin’ and Starbucks did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

MAHA Action, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, said in a statement after the event that Kennedy announced the closure of a loophole in the “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS) food ingredient approval program, a long-standing regulatory pathway that allows companies to self-certify certain ingredients as safe.

“Companies including Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks will be required to produce safety data they were supposed to have maintained. The reforms aim to ensure American foods follow the highest safety and nutritional standards globally,” the group said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested that companies such as Dunkin’ and Starbucks may need to demonstrate the safety of certain high-sugar drinks under stricter federal scrutiny. (Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Kennedy began pushing to reform the GRAS system soon after his appointment and confirmation, according to The Boston Globe, which noted that the category was created so companies would not have to apply for approval to use common ingredients.

However, over time, the system has expanded to include thousands of new ingredients, including those used in ultra-processed foods, the newspaper reported.

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The renewed focus on sugary beverages comes as Kennedy has launched a broader effort to overhaul the nation’s food supply.

American Airlines is set to resume nonstop flights to Venezuela after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approved the carrier’s request Wednesday, making it the first U.S. airline to restore service between the two countries since 2019.

The airline told FOX Business the flights will be operated by Envoy, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, with nonstop service from Miami to Caracas and Maracaibo, Venezuela.

The approval follows President Donald Trump’s January directive to reopen commercial airspace over Venezuela after the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order barring U.S. civil flight operations in the country’s airspace. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later rescinded the order at the president’s direction.

Trump asked the DOT to lift the restrictions following a discussion with Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez.

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American Airlines is set to resume nonstop service between Miami and Venezuela after the U.S. Department of Transportation approved the carrier’s request on March 4, 2026, marking the first time a U.S. airline has restored flights to the country sinc (Kevin Carter/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Transportation Security Administration was in Caracas last week reviewing airport security procedures, a necessary step to resume flights, sources told Reuters.

The airline announced in late January that it intended to reconnect with Venezuela, just weeks after the U.S. conducted strikes in the country and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro.

“We have a more than 30-year history connecting Venezolanos to the U.S., and we are ready to renew that incredible relationship,” Nat Pieper, American’s Chief Commercial Officer, said in a statement at the time. “By restarting service to Venezuela, American will offer customers the opportunity to reunite with families and create new business and commerce with the United States.”

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The U.S. Department of Transportation approved American Airlines’ request to operate flights to Caracas and Maracaibo, Venezuela, following the lifting of a yearslong restriction on U.S. carriers. (DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)

American began operating in Venezuela in 1987 and was the largest U.S. airline in the country before all air service was suspended in 2019.

The DOT said the order is valid for two years. 

An American Airlines passenger plane is parked at a gate at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on August 24, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia.  (DANIEL SLIM/AFP  / Getty Images)

In December, the State Department added Venezuela to its “Do Not Travel” advisory list, which remains in effect.

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FOX Business has reached out to the Department of Transportation and the State Department for comment.

FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese and Reuters contributed to this report.

Under the new norms, wholesale deposits, particularly funds from trusts, partnerships and limited liability partnerships (LLPs), will attract lower run-off factors from FY27, reducing the assumed outflows in a stress scenario.

By contrast, lenders with a heavier reliance on retail deposits, largely public sector banks, would see a relatively smaller benefit from the changes to the run-off assumptions, experts said.

“The reduction in the run-off factor from April 2026 is driven towards deposits of trusts, partnerships and LLPs, which had a higher runoff. Different banks will have varying shares of these deposits, and therefore, will benefit accordingly, but benefits to public sector banks may be lower than private sector banks,” said Alok Singh, head of treasury at CSB Bank.

In the new norms that RBI released in April 2025, trusts, partnerships, LLPs will attract a lower run-off rate of 40% against 100% currently. The central bank said the estimated net impact of these measures will improve the LCR of banks, at the aggregate level, by around 6 percentage points.

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LCR for HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank stands at 116% and 126%, respectively. Of the total deposits, HDFC Bank has 83% of wholesale deposits and 17% of retail deposits, positioning it to gain from the upcoming LCR changes. While ICICI bank did not disclose the exact wholesale-retail deposit share in their investor presentation, its share of CASA deposits, which are largely retail is at 40%.
SBI and Bank of Baroda, the top two PSU banks have a LCR of 125% and 116%, respectively. SBI has a CASA share of 41%, while Bank of Baroda has a CASA share of 38%.

The fear gauge is now at its highest level in 10 months and analysts warn that such huge jumps do not bode well for the markets, and any pullbacks in such times could be temporary, until geopolitical conflicts are resolved.

The India VIX ended 23.4% higher on Wednesday at 21.14, after leaping another 25% on Monday, in the two days after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday. The VIX is now at its highest level since May 2025. The benchmark Nifty 50 also ended at 24,480.50, down 1.55%, after dipping as much as 2.2% during Wednesday’s trading.

Indian markets were closed on Tuesday, March 3 on account of Holi.

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VIX CLIMBS NEARLY 50% Equity markets likely to stay under pressure in the near term and any pullback is expected to be temporary until conflicts are resolved, say analysts

Somil Mehta, head of retail research at Mirae Asset Sharekhan said the recent spike in volatility underscores the prevailing uncertainty and risk aversion in the markets. “A rise in the volatility index reflects higher expected market volatility over the next 30 days, which we are seeing due to the ongoing hostilities involving the US, Israel, and Iran,” he said.

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A key risk for India is from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil supplies. A prolonged closure could increase India’s import bill, fuel inflationary pressures and trigger a flight to safe-haven assets such as gold and the US dollar, which in turn, may put additional pressure on the rupee, Mehta said.
“We are seeing a sharp rise in volatility this week, with both the India VIX and the CBOE Volatility Index moving higher, which reflects rising geopolitical tensions and increasing uncertainty across global markets,” said Nilesh Jain, head of derivatives and technical research, Centrum Broking. “This could keep equities under pressure in the near term.” In the current truncated trading week, the India VIX has already moved up by over 48%, its highest level since the week of March 13, 2020, when volatility had increased by more than 100% after the announcement of the pandemic.

The CBOE VIX, which measures volatility based on S&P 500 options, is also up 19% this week.

Jain said with the VIX holding above 20, traders should remain cautious. “Given the recent gap-down openings and sharp declines, traders may avoid aggressive day trading and large index positions for now,” he said. “While the market appears oversold, any rebound could be a short-lived relief rally until tensions ease.”

Mehta also advises traders and short-term participants to remain cautious until there is greater clarity. “Investors may consider hedging their portfolios via buying puts for the stocks, while traders can use short-term pullbacks as opportunities to initiate short positions in relatively weaker stocks or sectors, until more clarity emerges,” he said.