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Las Vegas tourism plummets 7.5% even as Harry Reid airport sees record passenger levels

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While the Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is reporting a new record, tourism numbers in Las Vegas remain on the decline.

Nearly 55 million passengers traveled through LAS in 2025, giving the airport its third-highest annual total.

While passenger numbers still declined from the prior year, the airport attributed its 2025 success to various changes, such as TSA wait times on flight information display screens, a new airport website and two new lounges.

POPULAR LAS VEGAS ATTRACTION SEATING THOUSANDS WILL EXPAND TO NEW VACATION DESTINATION

James Chrisley, director of the Clark County Aviation Department, told Reuters, “Our peaks are still peaks, and our valleys are softer.”

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LCVA) released its year-end summary for 2025 as well — and those numbers are worrisome to many. 

Nearly 55 million passengers traveled through Las Vegas, setting a record for the airport’s third-highest annual total. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)

There were 38,545,700 people who visited Sin City — down 7.5% from 2024, the report said. 

The highest visitation year ever recorded in Las Vegas was in 2019, with 42,523,700 people coming by. 

That was before a dip during the COVID pandemic, according to LCVA data posted on its website. 

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The noted visitor volume in 2025 closely mirrors the levels seen in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

Total occupancy in 2025 was 80.3%, with average room rates at $196.54 and a convention attendance of 5,988,200.

In comparison to 2024, convention attendance, visitors, occupancy and the daily roommate were all down.

las vegas casino empty

There were 38,545,700 people who visited Sin City last year — down 7.5% from 2024. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)

Steve Hill, LVCVA president, reportedly spoke about the effect that tariffs have had on both returning and potential new visitors.

“Some of the decisions our administration has made around international relations [have] caused a drop in tourism,” said Hill, according to local outlet KTNV Las Vegas.

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Many officials, hotel owners and travel experts are citing a drop in Canadian tourism as a major reason that tourism numbers have been down.

Now, Circa Resort & Casino has launched an “at par” promotion — making the exchange rate for Canadians equal at its properties.

harry reid airport las vegas travelers pass casino

Total occupancy in 2025 was 80.3%, with average room rates at $196.54 and a convention attendance of 5,988,200. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“Canadian [visitors] are down anywhere from 20% to 50%, depending on what month you look at over the course of the last year,” Casino owner Derreck Stevens previously told Fox News Digital.

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Reuters called Las Vegas “a city powered by leisure spending that just posted its sharpest annual visitor decline outside the pandemic.”

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Meanwhile, a tour guide told the outlet that travelers are bristling at how pricey Las Vegas has become. 

“Ten bucks for a bottle of water,” said the guide. “People don’t see a deal anymore.”

Reuters contributed reporting.

Ashley J. DiMella is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital. 

Swalwell campaign takes cash from Hunter Biden’s former ‘sugar brother’ lawyer

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FIRST ON FOX: Wealthy Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris bankrolled Hunter Biden’s legal defense and other bills when he was facing charges for federal firearms and tax crimes, and now he is helping finance the gubernatorial campaign of one of the most vocal defenders of Hunter, a new campaign finance filing reveals.

A campaign filing that was released on Tuesday revealed that Morris, who was dubbed Hunter’s “sugar brother,” for bankrolling his legal bills and lavish lifestyle, donated $29,900 to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., gubernatorial campaign on Feb. 2.

Swalwell, who reportedly helped orchestrate Hunter’s surprise press conference outside the Capitol in Dec. 2023 while he defied the House Oversight Committee’s subpoenas to testify behind closed doors, was one of the loudest critics of the GOP investigations into Hunter during the Biden administration.

“There is absolutely zero evidence Hunter or his father acted corruptly,” Swalwell said at the time. “So I’m not going to sit quietly and let MAGA Republicans do Trump’s bidding in Congress.”

ICE DIRECTOR FLIPS SCRIPT ON SWALWELL AFTER DEM LAWMAKER DEMANDED HIS RESIGNATION

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 10:Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, flanked by Kevin Morris, left, and Abbe Lowell, right, attend a House Oversight Committee meeting on January 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. The committee is meeting today as it considers citing him for Contempt of Congress. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)  (Kent Nishimura)

Morris and the younger Biden first met in 2019 at a campaign event for Biden’s then-Vice President father, and the pair eventually developed a burgeoning relationship at what Morris called one of “the lowest point[s]” in Hunter Biden’s life. Morris ended up forking over so much cash, more than $6.5 million, that Politico reported about concerns he could not keep footing Hunter Biden’s legal bill if the case went to trial, which it ultimately did not. 

Morris also reportedly helped pay for luxury housing for Hunter Biden, bought more than a dozen of the former president’s son’s amateur paintings and helped the young Biden pay his overdue tax bill.

During his time helping Hunter Biden, Morris faced multiple bar complaints, including from the Trump-aligned America First Legal, which accused Morris of violating California’s Rules of Professional Conduct after he was publicly photographed smoking marijuana while Hunter Biden, a recovering addict, was around visiting. 

Morris was also accused of trying to sneak onto the set of a movie about Hunter Biden’s misdealing, but was eventually cleared by the state bar association in California.  

SWALWELL VOWS TO MAKE ICE AGENTS ‘UN-HIRABLE’ IN CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS

A person close to the Hollywood attorney told Politico that the reason Morris decided to help Hunter Biden is that he saw that no one else was going to step up and support him.

Swalwell’s support at the 2023 press conference by reserving the “Senate Swamp,” a popular area near the Capitol that is often used for press conferences, raised questions at the time about whether the California congressman played a role in the then-first son’s decision to deny a congressional subpoena from Republicans seeking to question him about his alleged crimes and other financial dealings. 

Morris, who previously maxed out donations totaling over $6,000 to Swalwell’s House campaign in early 2023, and Swalwell stood beside each other during the viral press conference later that year.

“Degenerates of a feather flock together,” a longtime GOP strategist told Fox News Digital. “Eric Swalwell is literally Hunter Biden’s biggest cheerleader – from reserving the Senate Swamp to defending the Biden Crime Family’s litany of illicit activities.”

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, accompanied by his attorney Abbe Lowell

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, accompanied by his attorney Abbe Lowell leaves after speaking to reporters about the Republican investigation on his business dealings at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Kevin Morris are seen chatting in the background. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

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Morris and Swalwell also have ties to China that have raised questions among critics. In 2024, Morris confirmed to lawmakers that he still held a stake in a Chinese private equity firm that he took over from the president’s son. Morris initially acquired the shares after purchasing Skaneateles LLC, a company that Hunter had previously owned, in the fall of 2021 as pressure mounted for Hunter to divest amid concerns about his stake in the China-based company. 

Swalwell, meanwhile, has long-faced criticism over his ties to China after it was uncovered that he was allegedly the target of a Chinese spy influence operation during his early days as an elected official. The incident led to Swalwell getting booted off the powerful House intelligence committee several years later when the allegations became public.

Fox News Digital reported last month that despite Swalwell’s heavily criticized relationship with the Chinese, his gubernatorial campaign accepted multiple donations from a Chinese-based law firm and its sole U.S.-based attorney Keliang “Clay” Zhu.    

Representatives for Swalwell did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment in time for publication.

Russia calls for Iran, ‘all parties’ to show restraint amid US military buildup

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Russia warned Iran and “all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution” Thursday amid a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remark as the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and its strike group are moving from the Caribbean toward the Middle East. 

“Russia continues to develop relations with Iran, and in doing so, we call on our Iranian friends and all parties in the region to exercise restraint and caution, and we urge them to prioritize political and diplomatic means in resolving any problems,” Peskov said Thursday, according to Reuters. 

“Right now, we are indeed seeing an unprecedented escalation of tensions in the region. But we still expect that political and diplomatic means and negotiations will continue to prevail in the search for a settlement,” he added.

WORLD’S LARGEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN NUCLEAR TENSIONS SPIKE DRAMATICALLY

A F-18E fighter jet takes off from aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as it sails during NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise on Sept. 24, 2025, in the North Sea. (Jonathan Klein/AFP via Getty Images)

The move of the USS Gerald R. Ford would place two aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East more than two weeks ago. 

Negotiations between the United States and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program advanced Tuesday toward what Tehran described as the beginning of a potential framework, but sharp public divisions between the two sides underscored how far apart they remain. 

IRAN FIRES LIVE MISSILES INTO STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS TRUMP ENVOYS ARRIVE FOR NUCLEAR TALKS

the USS Gerald Ford

The USS Gerald R. Ford is heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalate and President Donald Trump demands full nuclear dismantlement.  (Jonathan Klein/AFP via Getty Images)

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the two sides reached a “general agreement on a number of guiding principles” and agreed to begin drafting text for a possible agreement, with plans to exchange drafts and schedule a third round of talks.  

Yet, Washington has publicly insisted that any agreement must result in the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program — including its enrichment capacity — along with limits on Tehran’s ballistic missile program and an end to its support for allied militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

USS Gerald R. Ford travels in North Sea

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, is seen in the North Sea during NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise in September 2025. (Jonathan Klein/AFP via Getty Images)

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Those demands go well beyond temporary enrichment pauses or technical adjustments. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report. 

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

Celebrity Infinity cruise ship loses control in Greece, with scary malfunction

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A cruise ship experienced an emergency scare off the coast of Greece this past weekend — requiring help from Greek authorities, according to the local coast guard.

One passenger took to Reddit to describe a chaotic scene aboard the Celebrity Infinity cruise ship on Sunday, Feb. 15. “Lost power off the coast of Piraeus (Athens) at 3 a.m.,” the Reddit user wrote.

“Saw multiple tugboats coming over. No air con (rooms are super stuffy), no lights, no running water, no flushing toilets, no hot water/coffee, no elevators,” the person continued on social media.

POPULAR CRUISE COMPANY ABRUPTLY SHUTS DOWN, DISRUPTING UPCOMING VACATIONS

“No ETA on fix. Heard ‘bravo, bravo, bravo’ over the announcements.”

“Bravo, Bravo, Bravo” (or “Code Bravo”) is a common emergency code used on cruise ships to signal a fire or another serious emergency.

A Celebrity Infinity cruise ship lost control in Greece recently, triggering an emergency rescue. (iStock)

The Hellenic Coast Guard’s Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center told Port Authorities of Piraeus and Keratsini about “the loss of control of a cruise ship… due to a malfunction in the electrical distribution panels, in the sea area outside the port of Piraeus,” according to a translated press release.

Four tugboats helped the Infinity arrive safely at the port. 

HAWAII CRUISE THROWN INTO CHAOS AFTER EMERGENCY AT SEA FORCES PORT CHANGE

The vessel’s next slated voyage, an 11-night trip from Piraeus (Athens), Greece, was canceled. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Celebrity Cruises for comment.

The cruise was scheduled to go to the Greek Isles and Turkey, according to Cruise Fever.

Four tugboats helped rescue the Celebrity Infinity

Four tugboats helped the Celebrity Infinity cruise ship, such as the one shown above, arrive safely at the port. (iStock)

The Celebrity Infinity is a mid-size cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises.  

The ship can accommodate up to 2,170 passengers. It went through a major renovation in 2015.

The ship with the malfunction was slated for a port call in Piraeus — the main port in Athens — on Feb. 15.

CDC REPORTS FIRST CRUISE NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK THIS YEAR, AS NEARLY 90 PEOPLE ARE INFECTED

Passengers were on a 13-day voyage that departed Barcelona on Feb. 3; it was due to end in Piraeus-Athens on Feb. 16. 

“The 1st Port Department of the Central Port Authority of Piraeus prohibited its departure until a certificate of damage repair was presented by the classification society monitoring it,” the press release from the local coast guard said.

Celebrity cruise emergency in Athens due to malfunction

The Celebrity Cruises emergency in Athens was due to a malfunction, according to a statement from authorities. (iStock)

The alert originally said the incident occurred on Feb. 14, but the coast guard later amended the statement, saying the emergency occurred on Feb. 15.

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“It’s been an interesting 24 hours. About 2:40 a.m. [the] night before last, I woke to a sound that sounded like an electrical transformer blowing. Sure enough, the ship lost power,” a passenger wrote on an Instagram account known as ttalkscruising. 

“By noon they were telling everybody they must exit the ship and find a hotel room.”

“We were very close to porting in Athens, Greece, so the tugs just pushed/pulled us in,” the passenger continued. 

“At first, they made leaving the ship optional, but by noon they were telling everybody they must exit the ship and find a hotel room.”

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Celebrity Cruises sent out a letter to booked passengers for the upcoming voyage to the Greek Isles and Turkey.

“We want to share an important update regarding our upcoming sailing on Celebrity Infinity,” the letter read, as Cruise Fever reported. 

scenic view of Greece

“While experts have been working diligently, we need additional assessments and repairs,” the company said in a letter to passengers. (iStock)

“During the previous voyage, the ship experienced a technical issue and while experts have been working diligently, we need additional assessments and repairs,” the company said.

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“After carefully considering all options, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the Feb. 16, 2026, sailing… We sincerely apologize for this unexpected change and [the] disruption this causes to your travel plans,” the letter continued.

“We forget how paralyzed a lack of technology makes us.”

“While we can’t give you back the time you invested in your vacation, we are committed to ensuring you feel fully supported as you adjust your plans,” it concluded.

The letter also detailed credits and refunds passengers would receive. 

Celebrity Cruises will issue refunds and credits

Celebrity Cruises told passengers it would be issuing refunds and credits. (iStock)

“Kudos to all the crew of the Celebrity Infinity! They handled this whole mess with grace. They were having to write down, by hand, every person as they exited the ship,” ttalkscruising added on Instagram.

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“This was a massive undertaking, and we forget how paralyzed a lack of technology makes us,” the passenger said.

“They strived to make everything as easy as it could be.”

Jessica Mekles is an editor on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. 

Pompeii archaeologists discover 2,000-year-old love notes with help of technology

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Archaeologists in Pompeii recently identified 2,000-year-old love notes — a discovery only made because of advanced technology.

The Pompeii Archaeological Park, in a Jan. 20 statement, said the messages were identified during research campaigns in 2022 and 2025, with the findings only now coming to light.

The wall inscriptions were found in a corridor linking the theater district to Via Stabiana in the park.

‘ARCHAEOLOGICAL SENSATION’ DISCOVERED AT ANCIENT ROMAN MILITARY CAMPS

One inscription appears to reference a woman named Erato, followed by the word “loves” — though the intended subject remains unclear.

Another read, “I’m in a hurry; take care, my Sava, make sure you love me!”

A married couple pictured in ancient Pompeii are seen at right. The newly revealed love notes add to a long list of recent findings emerging from ongoing research at Pompeii. (Pompeii Archaeological Park; DeAgostini/Getty Images)

“Methe, (slave) of Cominia, of Atella, loves Cresto in her heart,” a third message read. 

“May the Venus of Pompeii be favorable to both of them and may they always live in harmony.”

ANCIENT ROMAN FORT YIELDS 2,000-YEAR-OLD FRUIT THAT SURVIVED THE CENTURIES, PLUS OTHER TREASURES

The archaeological park noted the wall was excavated over 230 years ago — and experts did not expect “any new information or further stories” from the tourist-heavy area.

“Millions of visitors pass by [this wall] every year,” the statement said.

“Only the use of technology can guarantee a future for all this memory of life lived in Pompeii.”

Researchers digitally charted the wall to record the position of each inscription and identify connections between them.

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Using specialized lighting photography known as Reflectance Transformation Imaging, they captured images from multiple angles to reveal faint or worn markings that would otherwise be difficult to detect.

Looking ahead, researchers are developing a 3D digital platform to further analyze the graffiti — while the park plans to install protective roofing to help preserve the inscriptions for future visitors.

View of corridor, ancient inscriptions

Digital mapping efforts helped chart the exact position of each inscription and identify possible connections between the messages. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of Pompeii Archaeological Park, stressed the need to “inform the public of these new discoveries.”

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“We are working on a project designed to protect and improve understanding of the graffiti, which number over 10,000 across all of Pompeii — an immense legacy,” he said in a statement.

“Only the use of technology can guarantee a future for all this memory of life lived in Pompeii.”

View of ancient love notes on wall

The wall containing the newly identified graffiti was first excavated more than 230 years ago, surprising researchers with fresh discoveries. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)

A spokesperson for the Pompeii Archaeological Park highlighted the role of technology in a translated email to Fox News Digital.

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“Certainly, technology has helped scholars identify new inscriptions and brought new stories to light,” the official said.

Systematic excavations at Pompeii began in the mid-1700s, and the site has fascinated historians and visitors ever since.

Tourists walking through Pompeii in summer

“Millions of visitors pass by [this wall] every year,” said a spokesperson for the Pompeii Archaeological Park. (Eliano Imperato/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In November, excavators announced the discovery of an Egyptian vase inside a fast-food kitchen in Pompeii.

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Last year, archaeologists at the site garnered new insights about a Pompeii family’s fight for survival against the volcanic eruption.

Experts detect great white shark named Brass Bed caught cruising off Florida coast

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A great white shark has been cruising just off Florida’s coast.

The 9-foot, 433-pound female shark, known as “Brass Bed,” was detected northeast of Cape Canaveral earlier this month after her satellite tag transmitted a signal, researchers said.

Brass Bed was originally tagged in October 2025 near Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, researchers told news agency SWNS.

MASSIVE GREAT WHITE SHARK RETURNS TO FLORIDA WATERS AFTER EPIC YEAR-LONG ATLANTIC JOURNEY

Her latest ping places her along a documented winter migration route used by great white sharks moving south from Canadian waters.

John Tyminski, senior data scientist at OCEARCH, told SWNS the movement is consistent with seasonal patterns that researchers observe each year.

A 9-foot, 433-pound great white shark named Brass Bed was recently detected near Cape Canaveral, Florida, after being tagged in Nova Scotia. (SWNS)

“This is a common route that we see with white sharks at this time of year,” Tyminski said.

MASSIVE GREAT WHITE SHARK DETECTED BY RESEARCHERS OFF MISSISSIPPI COAST IN RARE GULF MIGRATION

He said that winter habitats for the species generally extend from the Carolinas south through Georgia and along Florida’s coast.

Some sharks continue even farther.

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“About two-thirds of the sharks that we’ve tagged have shown evidence of at some point going into the Gulf,” Tyminski said, according to SWNS. 

At 9 feet 2 inches long, Brass Bed is considered a juvenile female.

Overhead view of researchers on a boat securing a great white shark alongside the vessel in green ocean water.

The juvenile’s migration pattern is typical for white sharks during this season, experts said. (SWNS)

She was tagged through a collaboration between OCEARCH and the Tancook Islands Marine Field Station, led by marine scientist Nigel Hussey, Ph.D., SWNS said.

Brass Bed has proven somewhat elusive since being tagged.

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“She’s one that doesn’t seem to be spending much time at the surface, or at least her tag is not giving us very regular pings,” Tyminski said.

Her recent track, however, shows steady movement south along Florida’s east coast.

“Her tag is not giving us very regular pings.”

The Cape Canaveral area, where she was most recently detected, is known for its abundant marine life.

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“That Cape Canaveral area in general seems to be a fairly productive area,” Tyminski said. 

“There seems to be a lot of food around there. It’s generally considered a fairly sharky area.”

Underwater side view of a great white shark Brass Bed swimming just below the ocean surface, its mouth slightly open and sharp teeth visible in green-blue water.

The shark doesn’t appear to spend much time near the surface, or her tracking tag isn’t sending signals very frequently, said experts.  (SWNS)

Researchers will continue monitoring her movements to see whether she remains along Florida’s coast or heads farther west into the Gulf.

Fox News Digital recently reported on two other massive great white sharks. 

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A 12-foot, nearly 1,000-pound female great white named Ernst was detected off Alabama’s coast, marking one of the westernmost Gulf sightings on record.

Meanwhile, Contender, the Atlantic’s largest recorded male great white at 14 feet and 1,700 pounds, returned to Florida waters in January 2026.

Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. 

Fifth defendant found guilty in Sinaloa cartel meth conspiracy case

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A fifth defendant has been convicted in a sweeping Minnesota meth trafficking conspiracy tied to Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa Cartel, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was found guilty in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after a six-day trial before Judge Susan R. Nelson.

Prosecutors said Rodriguez was part of the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization,” which operated across Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025.

The organization moved massive shipments of meth, sometimes hundreds of pounds at a time, into the state, according to prosecutors. The organization was led by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 33, who previously pleaded guilty, along with co-defendants Juan Martin Elvira Jr., 36, Edward Gonzalez, 30, and Bruce Michael Orton, 44.

MEXICO FLIES 37 CARTEL MEMBERS TO US UNDER PRESSURE FROM TRUMP ADMIN

Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was found guilty in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. (iStock)

During a nearly yearlong investigation, law enforcement seized about 60 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills and more than $20,000 in cash. Authorities also raided stash houses in Columbia Heights, Hastings and Rochester.

exterior of U.S. District Court in St. Paul

The exterior of the U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Kerem Yucel / AFP via Getty Images, File)

In November 2025, officers stopped Rodriguez in a coordinated traffic operation and recovered three pounds of methamphetamine from his vehicle. Trial evidence showed he had received dozens more pounds for distribution, prosecutors said.

gavel in courtroom

Federal prosecutors secured a guilty verdict for Rodriguez after a six-day trial. (iStock)

MASSIVE HAUL OF METHAMPHETAMINE SEIZED IN ONE OF MINNESOTA’S ‘LARGEST METH BUSTS’ EVER

Federal authorities said the trafficking network was affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel, a Mexican transnational criminal organization long tied to major drug operations in the United States.

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Rodriguez will be sentenced at a later date.

Nantucket cocaine levels found to be above national average in wastewater data

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Nantucket may be the perfect summer destination for coastal New England vibes, but new data shows that the famously picturesque island off the coast of Massachusetts is not without some flaws.

Recent wastewater surveillance reporting shows once again, as it has before, that cocaine levels in sewer water have been well above the national average from July 2025 to February 2026. 

In October, levels spiked to 2,948.70 nanograms per liter, while the national average remained under 1,000.

HIV EPIDEMIC EXPLODES IN POPULAR HONEYMOON DESTINATION AS CRYSTAL METH USE SURGES

There was another spike of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter on Nantucket in December while the national average was just over 1,000, the same reporting shows.

Fox News Digital reached out to the town of Nantucket for comment, which noted its public dashboard with relevant data. “Nantucket, like communities across the country, is not immune to the growing public health crisis of substance misuse and overdose,” the town’s website acknowledged. 

Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, is showing cocaine levels nearly triple the national average in its wastewater surveillance. (iStock)

“With a seasonal population that can quadruple in the summer, the town faces the unique challenge of managing behavioral health risks with a limited yet consistent set of resources,” it also said. 

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There were an average of 40,000 visitors on most days in July and August between 2021–2022 — with peak days welcoming above 60,000, according to Cape and Islands, a local publication. 

Nantucket sunset waterside

In October 2025, cocaine levels spiked to 2,948.70 nanograms per liter, while the national average remained under 1,000. (iStock)

The same tests found below-average levels of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid blamed for overdoses around the country.

graphic depicting drug use

There was another spike of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter of cocaine on Nantucket in December while the national average was just over 1,000. (Town and County of Nantucket)

“During COVID, a lot of these communities, and most communities, decided that it was important for them to start testing the water to see if there were any spikes in COVID in the region,” Randolph Rice, a Maryland attorney and legal analyst, previously told Fox News Digital.

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“But what Nantucket has now decided to do as of the beginning of the summer is to actually start testing for other types of substances, particularly drugs, nicotine and other items… within the system there. And what they’re finding is that there is a high level of cocaine,” added Rice.

A beach in Nantucket

The town of Nantucket attracts celebrities, millionaires — and billionaires. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Nantucket, with a myriad of charms, attracts celebrities, millionaires — and billionaires. 

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Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick sold his Nantucket home in August for $4 million, as FOX Business reported recently. 

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Former President Joe Biden and his family head up to the island almost every year to celebrate Thanksgiving with family, according to multiple reports. 

Ashley J. DiMella is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital. 

American Airlines plane is grounded for missing the required ‘no smoking’ sign

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A flight from a major airline was delayed recently after a missing “no smoking” sticker within a row of seats forced the plane to remain at the gate.

A traveler shared on Reddit that the aircraft could not depart because one row was missing its required sign — and the incident began circulating online. 

“We’ve all boarded, and the captain just came out to tell us that an hour ago they discovered that row 18 was missing its no smoking sticker,” the passenger wrote.  

INQUIRY BEGUN AFTER AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT REPORTS MYSTERIOUS BLUE LIGHT WHILE TRYING TO LAND

“They have been waiting for JFK maintenance to print a new sticker because without it this plane isn’t legally allowed to fly.”

The plane passenger suggested a much simpler fix.

A flight was delayed recently when a required no-smoking decal, such as the one shown above, was found to be missing from one row of seats. (iStock)

“Can we not just whip out a Sharpie?” the passenger wrote.

In a Facebook discussion about the incident, one commenter pointed out that certain cabin signage requirements serve a broader safety purpose.

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“Ashtrays are required in restrooms,” the commenter wrote. “If someone violates the rules and smokes in the restroom, at least that person can put the cigarette out in an ashtray rather than throw it into a trashcan and create a fire hazard.”

Fox News Digital reached out to American Airlines for comment.

Interior of a commercial airplane cabin with passengers seated in rows during a flight.

Although a passenger proposed a quick and easy fix, federal regulations require specific cabin signage aboard planes. (iStock)

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital the airline had little flexibility once the issue was identified.

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“Once someone reported the sign missing, American Airlines had no choice but to delay the flight to address it,” he said.

He noted that under certain circumstances, the airline could potentially defer the replacement under its Minimum Equipment List, commonly known as the MEL — but only if the affected seats were blocked from use.

A woman is looking out the window of the airport at an American Airlines plane.

Once the “no smoking” sign was reported missing from a row of seats, the airline was required to delay the flight to comply with regulations, a travel expert said.  (iStock)

Leff noted that passengers generally understand that smoking is banned on planes — and that a crew announcement could clarify the rule if needed.

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“However, FAA regulations do not see it that way,” he added.  

A similar situation happened on a United Airlines flight, Leff noted.

“No Smoking signs [need] to be continuously illuminated without the ability of crew to turn them on and off.”

United previously grounded a fleet of planes after it failed to obtain an exemption related to “no smoking” sign rules. 

At the time, federal regulations required the signs to be capable of being turned on and off, a rule dating back to when smoking was allowed on flights, Leff said. 

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“Subsequent to that embarrassing incident, the FAA altered its rules (effective Oct. 22, 2024) to allow No Smoking signs to be continuously illuminated without the ability of crew to turn them on and off,” he said.

Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. 

CDC has issued a chikungunya virus outbreak alert for travelers to Bolivia

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A South American vacation destination is on alert, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuing an urgent warning of a virus outbreak.

Bolivia was hit with a Level 2 alert about the chikungunya virus on Feb. 10.

“There is an outbreak of chikungunya in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba Departments, Bolivia,” the alert read. 

CDC ISSUES URGENT TRAVEL ALERT AS VIRUS OUTBREAK HITS EXCLUSIVE SUNNY ISLANDS DESTINATION

“You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites.”

Common symptoms include a fever and joint pain, which start three to seven days after a bite from an infected mosquito, according to the CDC.

A travel advisory was issued for Bolivia following the chikungunya virus outbreak.  (iStock)

Headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash are other symptoms — with most people recovering within a week.

“Some [people] can have severe joint pain for months to years following acute illness,” the CDC’s site says.

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“Death from chikungunya is rare.”

The CDC recommends that travelers get the chikungunya vaccine and take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

Mosquito on someone's skin, dengue cases rising causing concern during spring break season

“You can protect yourself by preventing mosquito bites,” the alert noted.  (iStock)

Travelers should “use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that have screens on the windows and doors.”

The CDC recently issued a Level 2 advisory for the virus in the Seychelles, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.

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In December, the CDC issued Level 2 travel advisories for Cuba, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Guangdong Province in southern China — advising Americans to “practice enhanced precautions” when visiting these areas.

aerial view of bolivia coastline

Headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash are other symptoms — with most people recovering within a week. (iStock)

Bolivia also has a Level 1 alert for measles, posted in May of last year.

“Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world,” the alert noted.

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“All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel,” it added. 

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There were 323,300 international tourist arrivals in 2020, according to the World Bank.

Ashley J. DiMella is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital. 

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