LifeX Research Comments on the Continued Rise of Value-Based Care in Employer Benefits for 2026

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January 31, 2026

RPR Comando is back with “Marketing Funnels: Learn about the various stages, tactics, and pitfalls to steer clear of.” A marketing funnel serves as a roadmap for guiding potential customers from initial awareness to making a purchase. It’s about understanding the customer journey and mapping out each step they take along the way. This article first appeared on https://rprcomando.com/marketing-funnels-learn-about-the-various-stages-tactics-and-pitfalls-to-steer-clear-of/ #BookMarketing #VideoShorts #PressReleaseMarketing

sales funnel — Marketing Funnels: Learn about the various stages, tactics, and pitfalls to steer clear of. 12

RPR Tweet2 Copy — Marketing Funnels: Learn about the various stages, tactics, and pitfalls to steer clear of. 13

Marketing Funnels: Learn about the various stages, tactics, and pitfalls to steer clear of. 14

Drop in Canadian visitors to Las Vegas prompts casino owner’s ‘at par’ exchange deal

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January 30, 2026

LAS VEGAS TOURISM CRASHES TO EARLY 2000S LEVELS AS VISITORS FLEE THE CITY

Drop in Canadian visitors to Las Vegas prompts casino owner's 'at par' exchange deal

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Las Vegas casino owners are coming up with creative ways to entice visitors back to Sin City.

Many officials, hotel owners and travel folks are citing a drop in Canadian tourists 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.

Casino owner Derek Stevens told Fox News Digital he was inspired by his upbringing in Detroit.

“When the Canadian exchange rate got too far off a par with the U.S. dollar, I remember many times that restaurants, hotels, bars and such would put a sign out in front of their establishment,” he said.

Circa Resort & Casino owner Derek Stevens launches “at par” exchange rate promotion for Canadian tourists. (Michael Anthony for Fox News Digital)

The sign “showed a Canadian flag and a U.S. flag with an equal sign between them — or a Canadian dollar and a U.S. dollar with an equal sign,” he said.

Stevens said it was a welcome signal for Canadians from those establishments.

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He said that right now, Canadian tourism is “down so dramatically,” not just in Las Vegas but also in Hawaii and Miami.

“Canadian [visitors] are down anywhere from 20% to 50%, depending on what month you look at over the course of the last year,” said Stevens.

circa las vegas resort shown cuts live dealers

“Canadian [visitors] are down anywhere from 20% to 50%, depending on what month you look at over the course of the last year,” said a casino owner. (Circa Casino & Resort)

So far, the response from Canadians has been “bifurcated.”

“I would say half or maybe a little less are saying, ‘No, I’m not coming, no chance. I’m upset. I don’t feel welcome in the United States,'” said Stevens.

“The other half are like, ‘I appreciate the gesture. I appreciate the welcome. I’m going to make sure that I think about booking with you because I appreciate the fact that there’s someone welcoming us, because we didn’t feel welcome,'” he also said.

Las Vegas had 35.4 million visitors in 2025 through the month of November, according to the latest figures available from Vegas convention officials. (Getty Images)

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LCVA) released its year-to-date summary for 2025, which includes numbers through the month of November.

There were 35,457,000 people who visited Sin City — down 7.4% from 2024, the report says.

The latest month-end summary for November indicates that international visitors were down, with 239,500 tourists compared to 303,834 tourists last year.

Total occupancy in 2025 was 80.7% — with average room rates at $183.51 and a convention attendance of 5,682,200.

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

Melania Trump documentary ‘Melania’ opens in theaters nationwide this weekend

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January 30, 2026

GUCCI HEIRESS LAUNCHES NEW ‘UNITY’ HANDBAG WITH PROCEEDS BENEFITING MELANIA TRUMP’S ‘FOSTERING THE FUTURE’

Melania Trump documentary ‘Melania’ opens in theaters nationwide this weekend

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Something that pretty much any honest observer should be able to admit is that if Melania Trump was the first lady of a Democrat president, she would be the greatest fashion and style icon since Jackie Kennedy.

On Friday, “Melania,” a documentary about the first lady and the 20 days leading to the 2025 inauguration of President Trump opens in theaters nationwide, putting her squarely in the spotlight for once.

It is frankly remarkable, given that Melania is literally a fashion model, that while former presidents’ wives such as Jill Biden and Michelle Obama regularly graced glamorous magazine covers, Mrs. Trump is treated as the icy foreigner when she isn’t just ignored completely.

‘MELANIA’ is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30. (Melania Trump)

This cold shoulder from the legacy fashion and social pages, while obvious, does not mean that the first lady doesn’t have a lot of loyal fans. Quite the opposite: Among Trump supporters, especially women, she is wildly popular.

At Turning Point USA’s AmFest in Phoenix last month, many of the women I spoke with, mothers in particular, could not hold Melania in higher esteem, both as fashion icon and as someone with sway over the president.

One woman, in a sparkly custom MAGA jacket told me, “I think Melania is the only one Trump really listens to.”

The fans of the first lady are clearly the potential moviegoers that Amazon studios is after with the ambitious project, even though no matter how many see the movie, we all know it will be treated as a flop, a failure and a joke.

VANITY FAIR EDITOR RAGES OVER POTENTIAL MELANIA TRUMP COVER, PREDICTS HALF THE EDITORIAL STAFF ‘WILL WALK’

In fact, the debasement of ‘Melania” has already begun. Take for example a USA Today headline that blares, “Mocking Melania Trump’s documentary is an act of patriotism.”

The author of this strange and unhinged column asks, “For starters, there’s the question of why. Why do we need this documentary? Who asked for it, aside from the film’s namesake? And who cares?”

This elitist attitude on the left, while not surprising from writers such as this who have likely never met a Trump supporter, answers the question. People need or want this Melania documentary because these leftists blacklist her from everything else.

MELANIA TRUMP OPENS UP ABOUT SON BARRON’S CAMPAIGN ROLE, LIFE BEHIND THE SCENES BEFORE 2025 INAUGURATION

The cultural institutions of our country and the Western world are still controlled by the left, and though their power over the populace is waning, they retain goodies and prizes to hand out that are for true believers only.

This is how President Trump can settle wars across the globe and yet we know he won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s how the New York Post can break the Hunter Biden laptop story without a whisper of a Pulitzer, and it’s how the most stunning first lady in a generation can’t get on any magazine covers.

The film is already being knocked as a “vanity project,” but when entire cultural industries are blacklisting a person, as they are with Melania, how else can you reach your fans and tell your story?

MELANIA TRUMP TO RECEIVE PATRIOT OF THE YEAR HONOR AT FOX NATION’S PATRIOT AWARDS

I have no idea how many people will see “Melania.” I do know whatever the number is will be mocked, but for the millions of Americans who admire the first lady, who want to know more about her and role in the White House, the movie is a very rare treat.

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The larger problem of anti-conservative bigotry and censorship in our cultural institutions will take a long time to fix, but there are positive signs. Recent shakeups in the venerated halls of such places as CBS News, the Trump Kennedy Center and Florida’s university system, for example, seem to annoy all the right, or should I say, lefty, people.

Other institutions, like fashion magazines, Hollywood and late-night TV, well, they still have quite a ways to go to achieve fairness and balance.

MELANIA TRUMP NAMED FOX NATION’S ‘PATRIOT OF THE YEAR’ FOR GLOBAL CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY WORK

President Trump is fond of noting that the attacks he suffers are really meant for his supporters, that he is just the one standing in the way. On some level, the same can be said of his wife.

Melania Trump is the stand-in for women who prioritize their husbands and families, who are accomplished but do not insist on honorifics, who go to church but can also rock stilettos and seductive gowns when the situation calls for it.

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These are women who are mainly mocked in our society, and yet behind the scenes, they make much of our society function, a role many think Melania Trump plays in the White House, as well.

So good for Melania and good for her fans. They deserve this star turn, and if it makes a bunch of whiny liberals upset, then that’s just the tiara on top.

Strategies That Prioritize Social Media Presence

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January 30, 2026

RPR Comando is back with “Strategies That Prioritize Social Media Presence”. Having a robust social media presence is no longer optional for businesses – it’s essential. With billions of users scrolling through various platforms daily, companies have a golden opportunity to connect with their audience like never before. This article first appeared on https://rprcomando.com/strategies-that-prioritize-social-media-presence/ #BookMarketing #VideoShorts #PressReleaseMarketing

Strategies That Prioritize Social Media Presence 31

Trump strategy calls Israel ‘model ally’ in new national defense doctrine

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January 30, 2026

DIRECT AID TO ISRAEL SHOULD BE PHASED OUT TO ‘REDUCE US LEVERAGE,’ INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE GROUPS ARGUE

Trump strategy calls Israel ‘model ally’ in new national defense doctrine

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Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth released the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), a Pentagon blueprint that elevates Israel as a “model ally” and translates President Donald Trump’s national security doctrine into concrete military policy.

“Israel has long demonstrated that it is both willing and able to defend itself with critical but limited support from the United States. Israel is a model ally, and we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to secure peace in the Middle East,” the NDS states.

The document is now influencing parallel debates over the future of U.S. security assistance to Israel and whether the next Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should continue delivering traditional U.S. military aid to Israel amid dissenting voices that portray the alliance as a burden rather than a strategic asset.

According to the strategy, Israel proved its ability and willingness to defend itself following the Oct. 7 attacks, demonstrating that it is not a passive partner but an operational force that supports U.S. interests in the region. The strategy emphasizes empowering capable allies rather than constraining them, building on President Trump’s earlier push for regional integration through the Abraham Accords.

Israeli F-15 fighter jets accompanied two U.S. B-52 bombers through Israel’s airspace on Sunday. (Israel Defense Forces)

Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said the strategy reflects a broader American shift toward partnerships that strengthen both U.S. security and domestic industry.

“U.S. defense assistance to Israel in the MOU is spent in dollars here in America to support our industry,” Ruhe told Fox News Digital. “And like in the national security strategy, it then enables Israel to go and do more to protect U.S. interests.”

He said a future agreement would likely extend beyond funding alone. “A new MOU would also likely be broader and include things that are more 50-50 partnership, like joint research and development, co-production, intelligence sharing and things like that to reflect the changing partnership going forward,” Ruhe said.

The strategy also highlights the importance of revitalizing the American defense industrial base, noting that allies purchasing U.S. systems help strengthen domestic production while enabling partners to shoulder greater responsibility for regional security.

Avner Golov, vice president of the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, said the document makes clear that Israel is viewed not merely as a recipient of aid: “Israel is in the fight. We are protecting ourselves by ourselves. We just need the tools to do that. And by doing so, we enhance not only America’s standing in the Middle East, but also worldwide and contribute to the American economy.”

That framing comes as Israel and the United States prepare for negotiations over the next 10-year MOU, which governs U.S. military assistance to Israel. The current agreement, signed in 2016, provides $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing, along with $500 million a year for missile defense cooperation.

The Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, recently visited Israel as the official guest of the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Cooper and Zamir held an extended one-on-one meeting. This was followed by a meeting attended by additional commanders. The IDF says the meeting serves as another expression of the relationship between the commanders and constitutes an additional step in enhancing the close strategic relationship between the IDF and U.S. military and in strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit.)

The debate follows tensions during the Biden administration, when the White House paused the delivery of certain U.S. weapons to Israel in May 2024, including a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. At the time, Netanyahu warned that Israel “will stand alone” if Washington halted weapons deliveries, reflecting concern that limits or delays in U.S. military support could undermine Israel’s readiness and deterrence.

Experts have noted that U.S. leaders have not always approved every Israeli weapons request and that roughly 70% of Israel’s military imports come from the United States, underscoring the strategic calculus behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent push for greater independent production.

Golov criticized that approach, arguing it risks prioritizing optics over readiness. “I believe that is a short-term vision,” Golov said. “In the long term, Israel must first be prepared for the next round of escalation. If we are not ready, we will face another war. If we are prepared, perhaps we can deter it.”

PENTAGON WARNS FUTURE WARS MAY HIT US SOIL AS ‘DIRECT MILITARY THREATS’ GROW

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm El-Sheikh, on Oct. 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“Israel must remain the strongest army in the region, and that is also a fundamental American interest,” Golov said.

Ruhe said the debate reflects lessons learned from nearly two years of war. “You’ve got this sort of topsy-turvy world now where the Israelis are saying we don’t want to take any more U.S. money, and the Americans are saying, no, you’re going to take our money,” he said.

According to Ruhe, the conflict exposed vulnerabilities created by heavy dependence on U.S. supply chains and political delays.

“The war of the last two years showed that Israel can’t afford to be as dependent on the U.S. or continue to maintain the same defense partnership that it has because that creates a dependence,” he said. “Israel becomes vulnerable to U.S. shortages in weapons output or politically motivated embargoes and holdups that can impact Israel’s readiness.”

At the same time, Ruhe noted that Israel remains reliant on the United States for major platforms.

“Even Israel will say we’re utterly dependent on the U.S. for those big-ticket platforms,” he said, pointing to aircraft such as the F-15 and F-35 that Israel has already committed to purchasing.

For that reason, Ruhe argued that maintaining stable funding under the next MOU may be the most practical path forward.

“It’s actually much easier for Congress just to go ahead and approve that money,” he said, explaining that predictable funding reduces annual political battles on Capitol Hill.

TRUMP REWRITES NATIONAL SECURITY PLAYBOOK AS MASS MIGRATION OVERTAKES TERRORISM AS TOP US THREAT

An Israeli fighter jet takes off to launch airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen. (IDF)

Golov said Israel’s long-term objective should not be reducing ties with Washington, but deepening them. “I don’t want to reduce dependency,” he said. “I want to increase contribution to America.”

He described the emerging vision as a fundamental shift in how the alliance is structured. “We are moving from a 20th-century aid model to a 21st-century strategic merger,” Golov said. “Israel is the only partner that delivers a 400% return on investment without asking for a single American soldier.”

Golov said the proposed framework is built around three pillars: an industrial defense ecosystem, a joint technology ecosystem and a regional ecosystem connecting Israeli innovation, Gulf infrastructure and American power.

He emphasized that maintaining U.S. security assistance during the transition period is critical.

This picture taken from Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip shows Israeli military vehicles along the border with the Palestinian territory on April 24, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. ((Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images))

“We need a final ten-year ‘bridge’ with the current security aid MOU,” Golov said. “A sudden cut would be a dangerous signal of American retreat to our enemies and may hinder IDF preparedness.”

“I don’t know who the next president of the United States will be,” he added. “This is where our enemies can read it in a very dangerous way.”

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

Presence of Chinese cowboys uncovered by archaeologists at historic Oregon ranch site

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January 30, 2026

‘HUGELY EXCITING’ PREHISTORIC ARTIFACTS UNCOVERED DURING HUNT FOR LONG-LOST IRISH CASTLE

Presence of Chinese cowboys uncovered by archaeologists at historic Oregon ranch site

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Excavators working at a rugged eastern Oregon ranch recently uncovered evidence of Chinese immigrants working as cowboys — a role rarely associated with the American West.

Researchers from multiple state departments and institutions joined forces over the summer to excavate Stewart Ranch, a remote historic site in eastern Oregon’s Grant County.

The excavation, first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting, was a special collaboration with the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) and the Oregon Historical Society.

One of the archaeologists involved, Chelsea Rose, called the summer excavation “a happy accident” due to the excellent preservation of Stewart Ranch.

“To date, our team has uncovered ties between Chinese immigrants and more than 30 ranches in the area,” she told Fox News Digital.

A summer excavation at a remote Oregon ranch revealed artifacts suggesting Chinese immigrants worked as ranch hands and cowboys. (Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology; Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site)

“Some of these ranches are long gone, some are still operated or owned by the same families for generations — and others, like the Stewart Ranch, are preserved on public lands.”

Rose, the director of SOULA, said her team found bullets, food scraps and floor sweepings — including broken dishes, glass bottle fragments and “animal bones representing past meals.”

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH SECRETS OF LANCASTER COUNTY’S OLDEST TAVERN, BURIED FOR CENTURIES BENEATH PASTURE

Archaeologists also uncovered buttons and jean rivets. The artifacts may date from between the early 20th century and the 1930s, Rose estimated.

The meal remains were not unexpected; she pointed to a primary document that described one of the cooks as being famous for his mutton.

“This reinforces our need to gather more data… luckily, we have multiple ranches we are eyeing for next summer.”

“We found a lot of animal bones at the site that reflect shared meals eaten by the crew, including some mammal remains that are consistent with sheep,” she said.

“So it is possible we’re seeing the scraps of meals made by [Jim Lee, one of the cowboys] for hungry ranch hands after a long day.”

LOST 18TH-CENTURY SPANISH MISSION UNEARTHED AFTER DECADES OF SEARCHING OFFERS ‘RARE SNAPSHOT’

The ranch looks “much the way it did when Chinese cowboys and cooks were working there,” added Rose — an experience that felt like “going back in time.”

Researchers are still analyzing the artifacts found over the summer, which she said “will help us pin down some dates of the material we found.”

Archaeologists uncovered broken dishes, bottle fragments and animal bones believed to reflect meals shared by ranch crews. (Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology)

“Another complexity is that we can’t distill down the presence of Chinese Americans on the ranch to artifacts that were made in China,” she said.

“These men lived and worked in the region for decades, and would have had access to goods and supplies from Chinese stores… What they used and owned would reflect their personal preferences, economic standing and what stores they had access to.”

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Rose added, “This reinforces our need to gather more data. Luckily, we have multiple ranches we are eyeing for next summer.”

She said the “coolest” part was “having the same views and sense of place as it would have 100 years ago.”

“We know of at least two Chinese American men who ran their own ranches as well.”

“Usually when we are working on a site, we have to work a lot harder to imagine how the space would have been used or experienced in the past… Sometimes that means ignoring a nearby McDonald’s,” she said.

“While a few buildings have moved around over time, the Stewart Ranch house remains in place, the bunkhouse survives and the flow of traffic used by early residents remains clear to this day.”

Chinese immigrants first settled in southern Oregon during the Oregon Gold Rush in 1850 — and once represented nearly 80% of the miners in the area, she said.

“As gold waned, as it always does, these men had to pivot towards other opportunities, so it is no surprise many ended up participating in the growing sheep and cattle industry where they worked as buckaroos, ranch hands, sheepherders, cooks, farm hands and even as ranch foreman,” she said.

Chelsea holding gloves next to historical image of Chinese cowboys

“To date, our team has uncovered ties between Chinese immigrants and more than 30 ranches in the area,” said Rose (not pictured). (Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology; Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site)

“We know of at least two Chinese American men who ran their own ranches as well.”

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Unfortunately, restrictive legislation prevented many of these cowboys from bringing their families to the United States, meaning many of their legacies were never passed down to the next generation.

Rose emphasized the importance of the dig, as Chinese American cowboys were often overlooked in the historical record, despite having a big economic impact.

The Stewart Ranch excavation was described as a rare opportunity to experience a historic site largely unchanged for over a century. (Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology)

“Adding Chinese Americans to Oregon’s early ranching industry doesn’t take away from the many white families who worked hard to raise sheep and cattle under sometimes difficult circumstances,” she said.

“It adds richness and depth to the story. It allows us to look at the ways humans interacted and supported each other…how cool to be able to add them back to the stories where they belong. It’s Oregon history!”

Pakistan travel warning from State Department adds unrest, crime risk alerts for tourists

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January 29, 2026

OFFICIALS CHANGE TRAVEL ALERT FOR SPRING BREAK HOT SPOT WHILE WARNING OF ‘SEXUAL ASSAULTS’

Pakistan travel warning from State Department adds unrest, crime risk alerts for tourists

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The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for Pakistan, keeping the country at a Level 3: Reconsider Travel status, but with an additional warning for tourists.

Officials added an “unrest” indicator due to possible “armed conflict” — also adding a crime risk indicator as well.

There are three areas of the country that have a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, to which a “kidnapping” advisory was added.

In 2023, there were about 3.95 million inbound arrivals, according to government data.

Officials lowered the area between the Pakistan-India border from a Level 4 status to a Level 3.

The State Department has updated a travel advisory for Pakistan, maintaining a Level 3 status but with new warnings added. (iStock)

Terrorism is listed in the advisory, with a warning that violent extremist groups have carried out attacks in Pakistan.

“Terrorist attacks typically happen in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the former FATA, but they have also occurred in major cities such as Karachi and Islamabad,” the advisory says.

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Balochistan in the southwest is Pakistan’s largest province by land area; it borders Afghanistan, Iran and the Arabian Sea. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is located in the northwest.

Karachi is in the far south of the country — while Islamabad is in the north and inland.

In 2023, there were about 3.95 million people who visited Pakistan. (iStock)

Officials write that terrorists target transportation hubs, hotels, malls, places of worship, tourist spots and other places.

Travelers are also advised to avoid any protests, as the demonstrations can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces.

“U.S. citizens have been detained for participating in protests. You can also face detention for posting content on social media viewed as critical of the Pakistani government, military or officials,” it reads.

Officials lowered the area between the Pakistan-India border (pictured) from a Level 4 to a Level 3. (AP Photo/Jafar Khan)

Pakistan’s 7th Population and Housing Census done in 2023 by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics indicated that the country’s population stands at approximately 241.5 million people.

In the U.S., some 580,000 people identified as Pakistani, according to Pew’s 2021–2023 American Community Survey.

The State Department has four travel advisory levels to help travelers assess safety risks before visiting other countries.

The advisory levels are: Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions; Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution; Level 3 – Reconsider Travel; and Level 4 – Do Not Travel.

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

Manhattan DA seeks July trial date for Luigi Mangione murder case

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January 29, 2026

JUDGE REVEALS EARLIEST POTENTIAL START TIMES FOR LUIGI MANGIONE’S FEDERAL MURDER TRIAL

Manhattan DA seeks July trial date for Luigi Mangione murder case

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A lawyer for the accused assassin Luigi Mangione called the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s proposed trial date “unrealistic” as the former Ivy Leaguer’s legal team prepares for a parallel trial in federal court.

“This is the first time that the defense is hearing about this request,” Karen Friedman Agnifilo said in a statement Wednesday evening, after court filings revealed Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s office had requested a start date of July 1.

“The federal government already has a firm trial date set in September,” she said. “As a practical matter, Mr. Mangione’s defense team will require the remainder of the year to prepare for that trial. We will respond to the court about this unrealistic request in the coming days.”

Luigi Mangione, charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, appears in State Supreme Court in Manhattan during an evidence suppression hearing in his case on Friday, December 12, 2025. (Curtis Means for Daily Mail via Pool)

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett tentatively set federal jury selection for Sept. 8, with the trial to start either in the fall or winter, depending on how she rules on a defense motion to dismiss the two most serious charges.

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If the defense succeeds in dismissing the most serious charge, murder through use of a firearm, the potential death penalty would be removed, and the trial would begin earlier.

Brian Thompson in a blue button down shirt and blue zip-up smiles for the camera

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson pictured in an undated portrait provided by UnitedHealth. The executive was shot from behind and killed on his way to an investor conference in New York City in what prosecutors have described as a politically motivated assassination. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group via AP)

Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joel Seidemann called the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a “cold-blooded execution” in a letter to New York Judge Gregory Carro Wednesday.

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Read the letter:

Seidemann wrote that it was the NYPD that led the investigation, that Mangione was first indicted by a state judge and that federal prosecutors did not become involved until after the suspect had been arrested.

He said the state has an interest in taking Mangione to trial before the feds do.

POLICE SERGEANT DENIES HEARING LUIGI MANGIONE MOTHER’S ALLEGED DAMNING STATEMENT ABOUT CEO KILLING

police take crime scene photos in Manhattan where Brian Thompson was killed

A member of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit takes a picture of a shell casing found at the scene where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., December 4, 2024. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)

“In sum, the state has an overriding interest in trying this defendant for the cold-blooded execution of Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024,” he wrote. “It resulted in the tragic death of a guest to our city on our streets. Federal law supports our request that we proceed first, and our right to a speedy resolution of this case would be severely compromised should the federal trial proceed first.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which is handling Mangione’s federal case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the July 1 request.

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Mangione faces a stiffer potential sentence at the federal level if convicted. In New York, Judge Carro already gave Bragg’s office a blow when he dismissed terrorism charges that would have carried a maximum sentence of life without parole.

Bodycam footage of Luigi Mangione being questioned by police in an Altoona, PA McDonalds.

Luigi Mangione is confronted by Altoona, Pennsylvania police in a McDonald’s shortly before his arrest for allegedly murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Altoona Police Department)

If Mangione were convicted of second-degree murder in New York, parole would be on the table.

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He also faces lesser charges in Pennsylvania, where police arrested him days after Thompson’s murder in New York City.

Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, lived in Minnesota and came to the Big Apple for a business conference with Wall Street investors. Surveillance video shows a hooded gunman approach him from behind outside the host hotel and shoot him multiple times in the back.

Federally, Mangione faces charges including interstate stalking and murder through use of a firearm.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.

Most turbulent flight routes 2025 were identified by a Turbli data analysis

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January 29, 2026

FLIGHT ANXIETY EASED WITH ONE SIMPLE MENTAL TRICK, SAYS AUTHOR AND PODCAST HOST MEL ROBBINS

Most turbulent flight routes 2025 were identified by a Turbli data analysis

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Not all flight routes are created equal when it comes to turbulence.

A recent report from turbulence tracking site Turbli ranked the most turbulence-prone flight routes in the U.S. and around the world in 2025.

The organization analyzed nearly 10,000 flight routes connecting more than 550 of the world’s largest airports — using recorded flight tracks and turbulence forecast data, the analysis said.

Turbulence was measured using eddy dissipation rate (EDR), a standard aviation metric that captures how rough the air is during a flight.

Routes were ranked based on their average turbulence levels, with EDR values categorized as light, moderate, moderate-to-severe, severe and extreme.

A 2025 report ranked the most turbulence-prone flight routes in the world. (iStock)

The higher the average EDR score along a route — the more turbulence passengers are likely to experience, according to the analysis.

STANDING UP RIGHT AFTER PLANE LANDS FUELS VIRAL DEBATE ABOUT AIR TRAVEL ETIQUETTE

Here are the most turbulent routes in North America in 2025, according to the report.

1. Denver International Airport (DEN) to Jackson Hole Airport (JAC)

The roughly 406-mile route recorded the highest average turbulence score in North America at 18.18, placing it in the light turbulence category.

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

Trips from Denver to Jackson Hole were ranked the most turbulent route in North America in 2025. (iStock)

2. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) to Denver International Airport (DEN)

ABQ to DEN spans about 349 miles. It recorded an average turbulence score of 18.18 as well, placing it in the light turbulence category.

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In 2024, this route ranked the highest average turbulence with a score of 17.45, Turbli said.

3. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

This route covers roughly 205 miles and recorded an average turbulence score of 17.68, according to the data.

That places it within the light turbulence range based on eddy dissipation rate measurements.

4. Denver International Airport (DEN) to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Flights along this roughly 391-mile route drew an average turbulence score of 17.54.

Passengers fastening seat belts while seated inside a commercial airplane cabin.

Each of the top five routes fell within the light turbulence range. (iStock)

That reading falls within the light turbulence range.

5. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) to Denver International Airport (DEN)

Flights between Bozeman and Denver logged an average turbulence reading of 17.22 over a distance of about 524 miles, placing the route in the light turbulence category.

Outside the U.S., Turbli’s rankings showed turbulence was most pronounced on routes in South America and Asia, with several of the bumpiest flights crossing mountainous regions in Chile, Argentina and western China.

Airline passenger resting arm on seat armrest beside airplane window during flight.

Outside the U.S., the bumpiest routes were largely in South America and Asia, often over mountainous regions. (iStock)

Routes in Europe, Oceania and Africa generally recorded lower average turbulence levels, though certain short-haul flights still ranked high within their regions.

While turbulence can feel alarming, the Federal Aviation Administration has noted that it is a normal part of air travel and is often unpredictable, even when skies appear clear.