FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., will introduce legislation that would ban congressional stock trading on Wednesday, serving as the House companion bill to Sen. Josh Hawley's, R-Mo., "PELOSI Act" in the Senate.Alford's proposed bill would ban lawmakers and their spouses from holding, purchasing, or selling individual stocks while in office, but it allows investments in diversified mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or U.S. Treasury bonds. If passed, current lawmakers would have 180 days to comply with the legislation. Likewise, newly elected lawmakers must achieve compliance within 180 days of entering office."As public servants, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard and avoid the mere appearance of corruption,"Alford said in a statement. "Unfortunately, too many members of Congress are engaging in suspicious stock trades based on non-public information to enrich themselves.""These gross violations of the public trust make clear: we must finally take action to ban members and their spouses from owning or selling individual stocks," he added.CBS ANCHORS SALUTE OUTGOING '60 MINUTES' PRODUCER, SAY EFFORT TO SETTLE TRUMP LAWSUIT TIED TO CORPORATE MERGERUnder the proposed legislation, lawmakers who continue to make wrongful transactions would be required to hand over any profits they made to the U.S. Treasury Department. The House or Senate ethics committees could also impose a fine on such lawmakers amounting to 10% of each wrongful transaction.CBS ANCHORS SALUTE OUTGOING '60 MINUTES' PRODUCER, SAY EFFORT TO SETTLE TRUMP LAWSUIT TIED TO CORPORATE MERGERPresident Donald Trump himself endorsed banning trading for members of Congress in an interview with Time Magazine last month."I watched Nancy Pelosi get rich through insider information, and I would be okay with it. If they send that to me, I would do it," he said of a trading ban."You'll sign it?" the reporter pressed."Absolutely," Trump responded.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDemocrats in the House of Representatives have also expressed support for a ban, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries throwing his weight behind the proposal last week.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that she still has not been able to confirm whether she is under federal investigation for a "Know Your Rights" immigration webinar she held in February."I've asked them, they haven't responded to me, but you know, I was once again fully using the First Amendment to inform people of their constitutional rights. They say a lot of things, but I've written a formal letter, and they won't respond," Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News Digital.When asked what the fallout might be from the potential arrest of a lawmaker by the Trump administration, Ocasio-Cortez said that detention "without any actual grounds" would be a "tremendous sea change and escalation in what this administration is willing to do to bend laws, norms, et cetera, and how a normal functioning democracy works."Ocasio-Cortez also considered how Americas allies would think of an "authoritarian development" like the U.S. arresting one of its own sitting congress members.NYC COUNCIL MODERATES THRILLED AT HOMAN VISIT, PLEDGING TO HELP BORDER CZAR FIGHT PROGRESSIVE MONOPOLY"I sure hope that for all the saber-rattling that this administration is doing, that they really think about the global consequences of what it means for the United States," she said.In February, Ocasio-Cortez dared Trump "border czar" Tom Homan to follow through on a suggestion he would refer her to the Justice Department for prosecution in response to essentially advising illegal immigrants on how to avoid deportation."Im using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections. To that I say: Come for me, do I look like I care?" she said at a town hall in Queens shortly after the webinar.Homan said after the event, "I'm working with the Department of Justice and finding out where is that line So maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now."Homan told FOX Business that Ocasio-Cortez needed to read federal statutes and understand that entering the U.S. illegally is a deportable crime.HYSTERICAL TOWN HALL ATTENDEE INTERRUPTS AOC, YELLS ABOUT GENOCIDE IN GAZA: YOURE A LIAR!'In her letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Ocasio-Cortez asked for clarity on whether the DOJ has "yielded to political pressure" and weaponization attempts to confront elected officials they "disagree with.""Tom Homan has gone on multiple forums threatening political prosecution against me, citing resources I distributed informing my constituents and the American public of their constitutional and legal rights," she said."On February 13, 2025, Mr. Homan announced that he had asked the deputy attorney general to open an investigation, and that I will be in trouble now I am sure you aware of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution," the letter went on."Educating the public about their rights, especially in a time of rising uncertainty, is a key part of our responsibility as elected officials," she wrote.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"A government that uses threats of DOJ investigations to suppress free speech is a threat to all, regardless of political ideology."Ocasio-Cortezs response Tuesday appeared to indicate the DOJ had passed the March 5 deadline the lawmaker imposed in the missive.Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment.Fox News Digitals Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - Pete Buttigieg, who served as Transportation secretary for four years in then-President Joe Biden's Cabinet, says that his former boss' decision to seek re-election in 2024 "maybe" hurt the Democrats.Additionally, Buttigieg whose trip to Iowa this week sparked further speculation that he is seriously considering a 2028 White House run when asked if the Democratic Party would have been better off if Biden had ruled out running for a second term as president, acknowledged that "with the benefit of hindsight, I think most people would agree that thats the case."Buttigieg's comments as he took questions from reporters after holding a large town hall with veterans and military families in this eastern Iowa city on Tuesday night came amid excerpts from a new book titled, "Original Sin: President Bidens Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," which offer claims of a White House cover-up of the then-president's alleged cognitive decline.Biden dropped out of the White House race last July, one month after a disastrous debate performance with now-President Donald Trump that sparked a chorus of calls from fellow Democrats for the then-81-year-old president to end his re-election bid. He was replaced at the top of the ticket by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who ended up losing November's presidential election to Trump.NEW BOOK PLACES BLAME ON BIDEN FOR HARRIS 2024 LOSS TO TRUMPWhen asked whether Biden experienced cognitive decline, Buttigieg told reporters that "every time I needed something from him from the West Wing, I got it."BIDEN AIDES SCRIPTED EVERYTHING, ALLOWED HIS FACULTIES TO ATROPHY, NEW BOOK CLAIMS"The time I worked closest with him in his final year was around the Baltimore bridge collapse. And what I can tell you is that the same president the world saw addressing that was the president I was in the Oval with, insisting that we do a good job, do right by Baltimore. And that was characteristic of my experience with him," he added.Buttigieg won the 2020 Iowa presidential caucuses and came in a close second in the New Hampshire presidential primary before Biden surged to claim the party's nomination and later the White House.While Iowa's caucuses for half a century kicked off both major political parties' presidential nominating calendars, the Democratic National Committee demoted the Hawkeye State on their 2024 schedule, and it is unclear if Iowa will regain its early state status in the 2028 calendar.WHAT BUTTIGIEG TOLD FOX NEWS - IN IOWA- ABOUT A POSSIBLE 2028 RUNHowever, Buttigieg's visit, along with his announcement in March that he would pass on a 2026 run for a Democrat-controlled open Senate seat in battleground Michigan, his adopted home state, are seen as signals of his interest in a potential 2028 national run.Buttigieg told a Substack author in a live interview hours before the town hall that when it comes to 2028, he would consider "what I bring to the table."However, when asked by Fox News if the trip to Iowa where he also gathered with staffers from his 2020 campaign and was followed around by a videographer from his political group Win the Era was the beginning of an assessment period, Buttigieg said "right now, Im not running for anything and part of whats exciting and compelling about an opportunity like this is to be campaigning for values and for ideas rather than a specific electoral campaign. So that's what I'm about."When told about audience members who said they supported him in 2020 and would be interested in backing him again if he runs in 2028, Buttigieg said, "of course, it means a lot to hear that people who supported me then continue to believe in what I have to say."The Cedar Rapids event was hosted by VoteVets, a progressive group that represents veterans and military families in the political process. The group told Fox News that 1,800 people attended the event.

President Donald Trump signed a series of agreements with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.The agreements involved a purchasing agreement by Qatar for Boeing aircraft, as well as letters of intent and "joint cooperation" between Qatar and the U.S. The emir also signed an intent agreement to purchase MQ-9 drone aircraft.Al Thani said he had a "great" conversation with Trump prior to the signing ceremony on Wednesday, adding that the agreements have elevated the U.S.-Qatar relationship to "another level."The deepening U.S. relationship with Qatar has drawn fresh scrutiny this week, both due to Trump's visit and amid reports that his administration may accept a free jet from the Qatari royal family to temporarily replace the current Air Force One.TRUMP SAYS HE'LL DROP SANCTIONS ON SYRIA IN MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONSThe prospect has drawn bipartisan pushback, which Trump has met with indifference."Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I'm worried about is the safety of the president," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters on Tuesday.TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEETU.S. relations with Doha have come a long way since 2017, when Trump accused Qatar of harboring terrorism: "The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump said at the time.From there, Qatar became a major non-NATO ally to the U.S. in 2022 under President Joe Biden and is home to Al Udeid Air Base, one of the U.S.'s largest Middle Eastern bases and a key hub for U.S. Central Command operations.Qatar has been at the forefront of peace and hostage negotiations, especially in the war between Israel and Hamas. An Israeli delegation traveled to Doha on Tuesday to hash out a potential agreement on a hostage exchange and ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.In March, weeks of negotiations led by U.S. and Qatari mediators led to the release of American George Glezmann, who had been imprisoned by the Taliban in Afghanistan for more than two years. Dohas negotiators were also involved in the U.S.-Hamas deal to release the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, on Monday.The Trump Organization has also cinched a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar,partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that countrys sovereign wealth fund.Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said he may travel to Turkey for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, as he doesnt believe President Vladimir Putin would show if he isnt there."I dont know if hes showing up," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "I know he would like me to be there. And that's a possibility."Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Ankara for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, but its not yet clear if the Kremlin leader will show up.Russia had proposed restarting direct peace talks, and Zelenskyy challenged Putin himself to show up. Russia has refused to confirm whos attending the talks, while Zelenskyy has said he will only meet with Putin.ZELENSKYY AGREES TO MEET WITH PUTIN ON THURSDAYThe president noted that he has a "full day" scheduled in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Thursday, and hed planned on sending Secretary of State and interim national security advisor Marco Rubio.But, he added, "I don't know that [Putin] would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out. Marco's going and Marco's been very effective.""If we could end the war, I'd be thinking about that. Now, tomorrow, we're all booked out, and you understand that, we're all set, UAE tomorrow, and so we have a very full situation. Now, that doesn't mean I wouldn't do it to save a lot of lives and come back."At the White House before heading on his Middle East trip, Trump told reporters:"Dont underestimate Thursday in Turkey."Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are expected to join Rubio, in a glimmer of hope for negotiations that have seemingly stalled out in recent weeks.Zelenskyy stressed its time for negotiations between principals.RUBIO TAKES SOMBER TONE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE DEAL: 'CLOSE BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH'"If Putin is truly ready, not just in the media but in real life, to meet, then at the leaders level, we will do everything to agree on a ceasefire," he said. "Because it is with him that I must negotiate a ceasefire. He is the only one who decides."Putin on Sunday suggested peace talks in Turkey take place "without any preconditions" and did not say if he would attend.Putinspokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a delegation will be waiting in Istanbul, not Ankara, to speak with the Ukrainians onThursday.

A tourism tax was rocking the boats in the cruise industry, imposing a charge on passengers.A $42 immigration levy for every passenger on cruise ships that dock in Mexico was voted in by the countrys congress back in December, The Associated Press reported at the time.The Non-Resident Duty was to begin collection on Jan. 1 of this year.CRUISE DO'S AND DON'TS: TOP 5 THINGS THAT WILL GET YOU BANNED FOR LIFEThen, due to strong criticism, the tax was pushed back to July.Now the tax has been dropped to $5 and will be implemented on July 1, theFlorida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) confirmed to Fox News Digital."On behalf of the FCCA and our member cruise lines representing over 95% of cruise capacity in the Caribbean and Latin America we thank the Federal Government of Mexico for working with us to reach an in transit fee agreement," the FCCA told Fox News digital.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleThe association added that the move "safeguards cruise tourism to the country and aims to enhance the benefits for local communities whose livelihoods depend on it."The fee will gradually increase to $10 on Aug. 1, 2026, then will jump to $15 on July 1, 2027, through July 2028.Starting August 1, 2028, the fee will rise to $21.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERBefore the tax delay was announced, Fox News Digital spoke with Stewart Chiron, a Miami-based cruise industry expert known as "The Cruise Guy."He anticipated that some sort of "amicable solution" would be made between cruise industry executives following the initial tax announcement.He also said that cruise passengers may opt "to skip" visiting Mexico if they had to pay an additional fee.About 16.9 million passengers from the United States cruised in 2023, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.

Online scams are becoming more dangerous and convincing every day. Cybercriminals are finding new ways to gain not just your login credentials but full control of your computer and your bank accounts.Take John from King George, Virginia, for example. He recently shared his alarming experience with us. His story is a powerful warning about how quickly things can escalate if you respond to suspicious emails.Here is what happened to John in his own words: "I mistakenly responded to a false PayPal email notifying me of a laptop purchase. The message looked real, and I called the number listed. The person on the phone gave me a strange number to enter into my browser, which installed an app that took control of my PC. A warning popped up saying 'software updating do not turn off PC,' and I could see my entire file system being scanned. The scammer accessed my bank account and transferred money between accounts. He told me to leave my PC running and go to the bank, keeping him on the phone without telling anyone what was happening. I shut everything down, contacted my bank, and changed my passwords."Johns quick thinking in shutting down his computer and alerting his bank helped minimize the damage. However, not everyone is as lucky.Join the FREE "CyberGuy Report": Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals, plus instant access to myfree "Ultimate Scam Survival Guide" when you sign up!This type of scam is known as a remote access scam. It often begins with a fake email that appears to come from a trusted company like PayPal. The message claims there is an issue, such as an unauthorized charge, and urges the victim to call a phone number or click a link.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?Once the scammer makes contact, they guide the victim to enter a code into their browser or install a program, claiming it will fix the problem. In reality, this grants the scammer full control of the victims computer.Once inside, scammers often search for sensitive files, access banking websites, steal login credentials or install malware to maintain long-term access. Even if the immediate scam is stopped, hidden malware can allow scammers to reenter the system later.THE URGENT PAYPAL EMAIL SCAM YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO IGNOREJohns close call highlights several important lessons.Fake emails are harder to spot than ever: Scammers create emails that look almost identical to real ones from trusted companies like PayPal. They copy logos, formatting and even fake customer support numbers. Always double-check the senders email address and verify communications by visiting the official website or app directly instead of clicking links inside emails.Remote access scams can escalate fast: Once scammers gain control of your device, they can steal sensitive data, move funds between accounts and install hidden malware that stays behind even after the scammer disconnects. It often takes only minutes for serious damage to be done, making fast recognition critical.Psychological pressure plays a big role: Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency and fear. By keeping you on the phone and urging secrecy, they isolate you from help and rush you into making bad decisions. Recognizing when you are being pressured is key to breaking the scammers control.Fast action can make all the difference: By quickly disconnecting his computer and contacting his bank, John limited the scammers access to his accounts. Acting within minutes rather than hours can stop further theft, block fraudulent transactions and protect your sensitive information from being fully compromised.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREDONT CLICK THAT LINK! HOW TO SPOT AND PREVENT PHISHING ATTACKS IN YOUR INBOXTaking simple but strong security steps can protect you from falling victim.1. Never call a number listed in a suspicious email: Scammers often set up fake phone numbers that sound professional but are designed to manipulate you into handing over control or information. Always find verified contact information through a company's official website or app, not links/numbers provided in suspicious messages.2. Be skeptical of unusual instructions: No legitimate company will ask you to install software or enter strange codes to protect your account. If anything seems unusual, trust your instincts and stop the communication immediately.3. Install strong antivirus software on all devices:Antivirus programs can detect suspicious downloads, block remote access attempts and help prevent hackers from taking over your system. Having strong antivirus protection installed across all your devices is the best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware and attempt to access your private information. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.4. Use identity theft protection: These services monitor financial accounts, credit reports and online activity for signs of fraud, alerting you to suspicious transactions.See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.5. React immediately if you suspect a scam: Disconnect your device from the internet, contact your bank or credit card company immediately and change your passwords, especially for banking and email accounts. Monitor your accounts closely for unauthorized activity and report the scam to theFederal Trade Commission as well as the company that was impersonated. Acting quickly can prevent further access and limit the damage scammers can cause.6. Use multifactor authentication (MFA):MFA adds a critical layer of security beyond passwords, blocking unauthorized logins even if credentials are stolen. Enable MFA on all accounts, especially banking, email and payment platforms, to stop scammers from bypassing stolen passwords.7. Update devices and software immediately:Regular updates patch security flaws that scammers exploit to install malware or hijack systems. Turn on automatic updates wherever possible to ensure youre always protected against newly discovered vulnerabilities.8. Employ a password manager with strong, unique passwords: Avoid password reuse and use complex passphrases to minimize credential-stuffing attacks. Apassword manager generates and stores uncrackable passwords, eliminating the risk of weak or repeated credentials. Get more details about mybest expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.9. Never share screen access or grant remote control: Scammers exploit screen-sharing tools to steal passwords and manipulate transactions in real time. Legitimate tech support will never demand unsolicited screen access; terminate the call immediately if pressured.10. Invest in personal data removal services:These services automate requests to delete your personal information from data brokers and people-search sites, reducing publicly available details scammers could exploit for phishing or impersonation. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.PROTECT YOURSELF FROM TECH SUPPORT SCAMSJohns story is a reminder that online scams are evolving quickly and becoming more aggressive. Staying skeptical, verifying all suspicious messages and acting quickly if something feels wrong can make the difference between staying safe and losing sensitive information. Protect your devices, trust your instincts and remember it is always better to be cautious than to take a risk with your security.Have you or someone you know been targeted by a scam like this? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/Newsletter.Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved.

Government Accountability Institute President Peter Schweizer joins 'The Brian Kilmeade Show' to discuss President Donald Trump's new positioning with Syria and the alleged cover-up of Biden's decline.

Senator James Lankford also joins the show to discuss the fight over tax cuts in the new spending bill.

Senate Democrats told Fox New Digital that President Donald Trump's administration should not accept the $400 million jet from the Qatari government. (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy)