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Tesla will avoid a 30-day suspension of its dealer and manufacturer licenses in California after complying with a state order to stop using the term “Autopilot” when marketing its vehicles, state regulators said Tuesday.

The decision comes after the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) found in December 2025 that Tesla violated state law by misleadingly marketing its electric vehicles with the terms “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving.”

The regulator said Tuesday that Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company took “corrective action” and had stopped using the term “Autopilot,” and noted that Tesla already modified its use of the term “Full Self-Driving” by clarifying that driver supervision is required.

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“The DMV is committed to safety throughout all California’s roadways and communities,” California DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a statement. “The department is pleased that Tesla took the required action to remain in compliance with the State of California’s consumer protections.”

According to the DMV, Tesla’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) marketing materials beginning in 2021 used the terms “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving Capability,” along with the phrase, “The system is designed to be able to conduct short and long-distance trips with no action required by the person in the driver’s seat.”

However, the DMV said the vehicles “could not at the time of those advertisements, and cannot now, operate as autonomous vehicles.”

The DMV filed accusations against Tesla’s manufacturer and dealer licenses in November 2023, and the automaker Tesla discontinued use of the term “Full Self-Driving Capability” after noting that the system required driver supervision.

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Last year, the California Office of Administrative Hearings held a hearing before an administrative law judge, who issued a proposed decision in November finding that the term “Autopilot” violated state law.

The DMV had given Tesla 60 days to take corrective action. By complying, Tesla avoided a temporary suspension in California — its largest U.S. market.

According to its website, Tesla’s “Autopilot” feature allows vehicles to match the speed of traffic and assists with steering within a marked lane.

The “Full Self-Driving (Supervision)” feature alerts drivers of stop signs and traffic lights, and can slow the vehicle to a stop while approaching the signal, all with driver supervision.

FOX Business reached out to Tesla for comment.

Buffalo Wild Wings can keep calling its menu item “boneless wings,” a federal judge ruled Tuesday, dismissing a lawsuit that claimed the name amounted to false advertising.

U.S. District Judge John Tharp in Illinois issued a 10-page ruling allowing the sports bar chain to continue calling its menu item “boneless wings,” after a Chicago man filed a lawsuit accusing the restaurant of false advertising, saying the boneless wings were overpriced because they are essentially chicken nuggets.

While Aimen Halim argued in the lawsuit that Buffalo Wild Wings should call the product something different, like “chicken poppers,” Tharp said the argument had no meat on its bones.

“Halim did not ‘drum’ up enough factual allegations to state a claim,” Tharp wrote. “Though he has standing to bring the claim because he plausibly alleged economic injury, he does not plausibly allege that reasonable consumers are fooled by BWW’s use of the term ‘boneless wings.'”

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Halim sued Buffalo Wild Wings shortly after he visited the restaurant in January 2023, claiming he was deceived by the chain’s marketing.

Halim alleged that the boneless wings are just “slices of chicken breast meat deep-fried like wings,” and that customers would either pay less for the boneless wings or not purchase them at all if they knew what was in the product.

Halim said he later regretted buying the item after learning how it was made, which he claimed caused him to suffer “a financial injury as a result of defendants’ false and deceptive conduct.”

In his ruling, Tharp said that while boneless wings are “essentially chicken nuggets,” the product concept was not new, noting that Buffalo Wild Wings had sold them since 2003.

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“Boneless wings are not a niche product for which a consumer would need to do extensive research to figure out the truth,” he wrote. “Instead, ‘boneless wings’ is a common term that has existed for over two decades.”

Halim accused Buffalo Wild Wings of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, breach of express warranty, common law fraud and unjust enrichment.

Tharp also cited an Ohio Supreme Court ruling from 2024, where the court ruled that “[a] diner reading ‘boneless wings’ on a menu would no more believe that the restaurant was warranting the absence of bones in the items than believe that the items were made from chicken wings, just as a person eating ‘chicken fingers’ would know that he had not been served fingers.”

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Tharp added that a “reasonable consumer” would not think that the food chain’s boneless wings were “truly deboned chicken wings, reconstituted into some sort of Franken-wing.”

The court is allowing Halim to submit an amended complaint by March 20, although Tharp noted that it “is difficult to imagine” that he can provide additional facts that would demonstrate that Buffalo Wild Wings “is committing a deceptive act.”

FOX Business’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Federal regulators warned Friday that a multistate outbreak of a highly drug-resistant salmonella infection has been linked to moringa powder, a nutrient-dense plant supplement that has recently surged in popularity as a trendy “superfood.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducting a traceback investigation said the outbreak has been linked to certain Rosabella-brand capsules distributed nationwide by Ambrosia Brands LLC.

Moringa powder, used for medicinal and dietary purposes, is made from the dried leaves of the Moringa oleifera tree, which is native to India and often referred to as the “miracle tree.”

At least seven people across seven states were infected with the outbreak strain between Nov. 7 and Jan. 8, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Regulators said cases were reported in Washington, Arizona, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida.

SALMON SOLD AT BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB RECALLED OVER POTENTIAL LISTERIA CONTAMINATION

Three people were hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

The FDA said investigators have interviewed three infected individuals, all of whom reported consuming the capsules.

Regulators emphasized that the salmonella strain linked to the outbreak is resistant to all first-line and alternative antibiotics commonly used to treat salmonella infections. 

The FDA also announced that Ambrosia Brands LLC has agreed to recall certain lots of Rosabella-brand moringa powder capsules from the market.

SOME GIFT CARDS SOLD AT COSTCO ARE NOW WORTHLESS

The products were sold nationwide through Ambrosia Brands’ direct-to-consumer website, TikTok Shop and Amazon.

The company emphasized that none of the affected lots were sold by them on Amazon and that it does not have any authorized resellers on the platform.

They added that some unauthorized third-party sales to consumers may have occurred through eBay, Shein or other websites.

The recalled products are 60-count capsule bottles with expiration dates ranging from March 2027 to November 2027.

Lot codes include 5020591, 5020592, 5020593, 5020594, 5020595, 5020596, 5030246, 5030247, 5030248, 5030249, 5030250, 5030251, 5040270, 5040271, 5040272, 5040273, 5040274, 5040275, 5040276, 5040277, 5040278, 5040279, 5050053, 5050054, 5050055, 5050056, 5060069, 5060070, 5060071, 5060072, 5060073, 5060074, 5060075, 5060076, 5060077, 5060078, 5060079, 5060080, 5080084, 5080085, 5080086, 5090107, 5090108, 5090109, 5090113, 5090114, 5090115, 5090116, 5090117, 5090118, 5100039, and 5100048.

MORE THAN 191,000 AROEVE AIR PURIFIERS RECALLED OVER OVERHEATING, FIRE RISK

“We continue to diligently investigate, in collaboration with FDA, this possible link of the salmonella outbreak to Rosebella Moringa Capsule,” the company said in a statement. “We have discontinued use and purchase of all raw moringa leaf powder from the raw material supplier of the above referenced lots.” 

“Ambrosia Brands is conducting this recall voluntarily and takes this matter very seriously,” it added. “We apologize for the inconvenience and concern this recall may cause our customers.”

The company advised that consumers who purchased the lots should dispose of the product and not consume, sell or distribute it.  

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Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections within 12 to 72 hours of ingesting in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. 

Healthy people with the infection can often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In more serious and rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

Americans set a new record for domestic air travel in 2025 even as travel patterns shifted, a new analysis found.

AAA Northeast examined several years of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint data and found that over 904 million travelers went through a TSA checkpoint last year, an increase of 2.57 million passengers compared with 2024.

That figure marks a new annual record for domestic air travel, though the year-over-year increase was under 1% growth – much cooler than in prior years.

By comparison, the number of passengers going through TSA checkpoints was up 5.3% in 2024 from 2023, which had a 13% growth from 2022.

FRIDAY FLIGHTS NOW CHEAPEST AS TRADITIONAL TRAVEL BOOKING WISDOM DIES ACCORDING TO NEW DATA

Fewer travelers flew on Mondays and Tuesdays in 2025, with passenger volume declining by 0.39% and 3%, while more travelers caught flights on Thursdays and Sundays with growth of 1.89% and 1.87%, respectively.

AAA’s report noted that the data could reflect “softness in business travel early in the workweek and continued strength in leisure travel, which tends to occur closer to weekends.”

The data also showed that 2025 had lower passenger volumes in the first part of the year when compared with 2024, with four of the first six months of last year showing declining growth compared with 2024.

TRAVELERS WITHOUT REAL ID ARE ABOUT TO BE HIT WITH A TSA FEE

January 2025 saw passenger volumes rise by 1.75%, though February experienced a 2.97% decline. A 0.17% decline in March and 0.23% gain in April were followed by declines of 1.48% in May and 0.45% in June.

Passenger volumes rebounded around the Fourth of July holiday, with the month of July seeing 1.16% growth, and the momentum carried over through October when volumes were up 3.63% year-over-year.

The holiday travel season was slightly slower in 2025 than in 2024, as volumes were down 0.15% in November and 0.08% in December. AAA suggested the decline could’ve been due to the effects of the government shutdown, although it added that travel during the actual shutdown was 2.2% higher than the prior year after a 6.2% decline in the final shutdown’s final week.

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AAA also noted that there was an uptick in the number of extremely busy days with over 3 million passengers passing through TSA checkpoints. 

There were eight such days in 2025, as May 23, June 22, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27, Oct. 10 and Nov. 30 all saw passenger volumes top 3 million. By contrast, there were only two such days in 2024: July 7 and Dec. 1.

TSA also set the record for largest passenger volume twice in 2025: June 22 had 3.09 million passengers screened, while Nov. 30 broke the new record with 3.13 million passengers.

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Major fast-fashion retailer Shein has been officially banned from the University of Texas at Austin, one of the nation’s largest college campuses.

The move follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s January expansion of a 2022 directive, which now prohibits roughly 50 Chinese-affiliated companies, including Alibaba and Temu, from state devices due to cybersecurity and foreign interference concerns.

The University of Texas at Austin confirmed to FOX Business Tuesday that the state’s prohibited technologies list also extends to the campus Wi-Fi networks.

“This policy is intended to ensure compliance with the new regulations as well as enhance awareness of potential security risks and safeguard sensitive state and university data,” the school said, according to its website.  

TEXAS GOV ABBOTT ADDS POPULAR CHINESE ELECTRONICS, ONLINE SHOPPING COMPANIES TO ‘PROHIBITED’ TECH LIST

The campus ban on Shein — which surged into a multibillion-dollar global fast-fashion powerhouse in recent years by offering trendy clothes at hyper-affordable prices — has since received mixed reactions on social media.

While some expressed frustration over the change, others criticized Shein for its controversial manufacturing ethics and labor practices.

TEXAS THE LATEST STATE WITH A LAW BANNING FOREIGN ADVERSARIES FROM BUYING REAL ESTATE

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced in December that his office is investigating the e-commerce site for “potential violations of Texas law related to unethical labor practices and the sale of unsafe consumer products,” while also citing concerns over possible toxic and hazardous materials.

In December 2022, Abbott directed agency leaders to immediately ban employees from using TikTok and other Chinese-owned platforms on government-issued devices, calling them a “threat to Texas’ cybersecurity.”

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UT Austin later effectively blocked the popular social media app from its campus network in compliance with state regulations.

In January, Governor Abbott added 26 additional companies to the list of prohibited technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, e-commerce sites, and social media apps affiliated with the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.

Among the 54 prohibited sites, the banned companies include social media platform RedNote, AI platform DeepSeek, electronics giant Xiaomi, Alipay, and Baidu, China’s equivalent of Google.

“Rogue actors across the globe who wish harm on Texans should not be allowed to infiltrate our state’s network and devices,” Abbott said in a statement.

“Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate, and violate users and put them at extreme risk. Today, I am expanding the prohibited technologies list to mitigate that risk and protect the privacy of Texans from the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas.”

Warehouse club Costco is issuing a recall for certain gift cards sold at its locations nationwide.

The retailer said in a letter to members that customers who purchased Synergy restaurant gift cards between Oct. 27, 2025, and Jan. 26, 2026, are eligible for a refund for the remaining card balance.

The recall comes after Synergy World, a gift and loyalty card company, abruptly shut down last month after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. As a result, its gift cards can no longer be redeemed, leaving some consumers holding unusable balances with little immediate recourse.

SOME GIFT CARDS SOLD AT COSTCO ARE NOW WORTHLESS

Synergy’s gift cards were third-party products. While they were sold at Costco and redeemable at hundreds of participating restaurants nationwide, the cards were issued and managed by Synergy – not Costco or the restaurants themselves.

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Once Synergy shut down, the cards effectively became worthless.

“One of the biggest lessons that people should learn from this is that gift cards should be used sooner rather than later,” Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst, told FOX Business. “That’s especially true if the company involved is on shaky footing. However, with any gift card, you’re better off not letting it gather dust. Otherwise, you risk losing it, forgetting about it or just having it lose value. That’s the last thing anyone needs today.”

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Synergy initially said gift cards would be honored through early February, but later halted redemptions altogether, citing a surge in demand. The total amount of money tied up in unredeemed cards will not be known until bankruptcy filings are made public.

Schulz suggested that consumers keep the gift card’s receipt until it’s been used. That way, the refund process is more likely to be more hassle-free.

He also advised registering the gift card, when possible, which can help if the card gets lost. And, Schulz said paying for a gift card with a credit card can be beneficial to the consumer in the event that there is fraudulent activity that needs to be reported.

Trumponomics is booming right now in America and as the president reminds us, we are the hottest economy and the hottest country in the world.

We’re growing by 4 percent or even more. We’ve got booming productivity, vast AI and their data centers. Our advanced chips are the best in the world, we are the dominant energy power.

Our stock markets are making record highs. Private employment is surging. And both the trade and budget deficits are coming down.

That’s a backdrop for Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s superb speech to the Munich Security Conference.

And particularly, when Mr. Rubio says quote “we in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.”

Mr. Rubio made this very clear by saying America has no interest to operate a global welfare state or atone for the purported sins of past generations.

Nor does America have any interest in the cult of climate change, which unfortunately has caused the deindustrialization of Europe, from which their economies have yet to recover.

This was a brilliant speech by our secretary of state.

Using diplomatic language, he nonetheless gave Europe a spanking, especially on unlimited illegal immigration, and the end of sovereignty for their countries.

Enormous welfare states have prevented adequate defense spending in Europe. And globalism is basically a quote “dangerous delusion.”

He singled out the United Nations, which has played virtually no role in Gaza, the Ukraine, Iran, Venezuela narco-terrorism. And while the UN was failing, America under President Trump took the lead.

Free and unfettered trade failed because so many nations exercise protectionism, subsidies, closing markets all at the expense of America.

Mr. Trump’s trade reciprocity policy is putting an end to this.

Basically Mr. Rubio told the conference to close their borders, regain sovereignty, start re-energizing technology instead of attacking American tech companies, and end their climate cult.

Now, as our head diplomat, he was gracious in referring to our shared heritage from Italian explorers, to English settlers, to French fur traders, to horses, ranches, rodeos, and cowboys from Spain. 

And mindful of the bonds of Western civilization, including  as he put it, Christian faith, culture, heritage, and language.

And the speech was well received. A standing ovation.

Mr. Rubio has had a very big impact as a senator and now as our chief diplomat as secretary of state.

Whether he is going to have a big impact on Europe and other areas remains to be seen. Will they listen to his wisdom?

Hyatt Hotels Executive Chairman Thomas Pritzker announced Monday that he is stepping down effective immediately after documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  

The executive, 75, told the company’s board that he will not seek re-election at Hyatt’s stockholder meeting in May, ending his 22-year tenure as chairman. 

Pritzker acknowledged that he exercised poor judgment by failing to distance himself from the disgraced financier, who died in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, as well as Ghislaine Maxwell, who was also convicted of trafficking minors alongside him.

“My job and responsibility is to provide good stewardship,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Following discussions with my fellow Board members, I have decided, after serving as Executive Chairman since 2004, and with the company in a strong position, that now is the right time for me to retire from Hyatt.”

EPSTEIN DOCS REVEAL HOTEL MAGNATE TOM PRITZKER, KIN OF DEMOCRATIC ILLINOIS GOV

“Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret,” he added. “I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner. I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.”

Mark S. Hoplamazian will take on the dual role of chairman and chief executive, the company said.

Pritzker, the billionaire hotel magnate and a cousin of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, is among the high-profile individuals named in the millions of unredacted documents the DOJ unsealed earlier this year as part of the expanding investigation into the notorious sex trafficker and his ties to numerous prominent business and political figures.

According to the files, Pritzker and Epstein exchanged numerous emails, some of which included attempts to arrange dinner plans and invitations to various events, Fox 32 Chicago reported.

Virginia Giuffre, a prominent Epstein accuser who died in 2025, alleged in a May 2016 deposition that she had one sexual encounter with Pritzker during her abuse. In a January statement to FOX Business, Pritzker’s spokesperson vehemently denied the allegations.

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Pritzker has served as executive chairman since 2004, during which he helped steer the company through its 2009 public offering and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” Richard Tuttle, chair of the board’s nominating and corporate governance committee, said in a statement. 

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“The Board has engaged in thoughtful succession planning, and we are confident that Mark’s deep knowledge of Hyatt’s business, strong relationships with owners and colleagues, and proven track record as CEO of nearly two decades positions him well to serve as Chairman and continue driving Hyatt’s long-term success.”

FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.

A critical trust fund that helps finance Social Security benefits is on track to reach insolvency in 2032, when automatic benefit cuts would occur without action from Congress, a new report finds.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its 10-year budget and economic outlook which projected that Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund will be depleted in 2032 as spending outpaces the trust fund’s income – with the gap growing over time.

CBO estimates that spending from Social Security’s OASI trust fund will rise from $1.5 trillion this fiscal year to more than $2.5 trillion in 2036. After accounting for tax receipts and interest income, the projected deficit for the trust fund rises from $207 billion this year to $525 billion in 2032, when the trust fund is depleted, and continues to rise to $691 billion in 2036, assuming full benefits are paid out.

Social Security benefits are funded by payroll tax receipts along with the OASI trust fund, and once the trust fund is tapped out, the federal government would only be able to pay out in benefits what it receives from payroll taxes under the law – meaning benefits would face cuts without action by Congress.

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The CBO explained that “the government would continue to collect excise and payroll taxes designated for the funds, and the funds would continue to make payments. But because the government would not have the legal authority to make payments in excess of receipts, it would no longer be able to pay the full amounts scheduled or projected under current law.”

An illustrative scenario examined by the CBO finds that benefits paid to beneficiaries would be cut by 7% in 2032 and by an average of 28% per year from 2033 to 2036. It also notes that the process for cutting benefits isn’t outlined in federal law, and that different ways of cutting Social Security benefits to match incoming tax revenue would have different implications for the economy and budget.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a nonpartisan think tank, previously estimated based on a 24% benefit reduction that a typical couple aged 60 today who retires at the time of insolvency would face an $18,400 cut to their annual benefits. 

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST BUDGET DEFICITS IN US HISTORY?

The threat of insolvency looming over Social Security’s key trust fund comes as spending on the entitlement program is surging amid the aging of America’s population.

Social Security spending as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) averaged 4.5% from 1976 to 2025. It’s projected to rise from 5.2% of GDP this year to 5.9% in 2036. In dollar terms, Social Security spending is estimated at over $1.6 trillion in 2026 and is projected to rise above $2.7 trillion a decade from now.

Mandatory spending programs, including Social Security and Medicare, are key drivers of the rise in federal spending and budget deficits. For the 1976-2025 period, mandatory spending accounted for 11.2% of GDP, but it’s projected to reach 14.2% of GDP this year and rise further to 15% by 2036. 

NATIONAL DEBT SURPASSES $38 TRILLION MILESTONE FOR FIRST TIME IN US HISTORY AS SPENDING SURGES

Expenses from mandatory programs are projected to total $4.5 trillion in 2026, making up the bulk of the federal government’s more than $7.4 trillion in spending this year. A decade from now, mandatory spending is projected to account for over $7 trillion of the $11.4 trillion federal budget.

Discretionary spending, which covers federal agencies through the annual appropriations process in Congress, is expected to total nearly $1.9 trillion in 2026 and rise to $2.2 trillion over the next decade.

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Interest expenses incurred from servicing the national debt are also projected to increase from $1 trillion in 2026 to more than $2.1 trillion in 2036.

The days of booking your flights six months in advance to save a buck are officially over.

According to Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks Report, the early bird is now getting stuck with the bill, while a new wave of Friday flyers is reaping the rewards.

As domestic airfares tick up 3% this year, a massive shift in travel data reveals that Friday has dethroned the weekend as the cheapest day to both book and fly — saving savvy travelers hundreds on everything from quick trips to Las Vegas to international treks to Tokyo.

“Flight trends are constantly evolving and with Friday emerging as both the busiest day for air travel and also the most affordable, this leads us to believe it is a shift in business class behaviors driving this,” Expedia told Fox News Digital in a statement. “This opens up a great opportunity for leisure travelers [though] to start their weekend trips a day earlier, with Friday more affordable than Saturday departures.”

A NEW WAY OF COMMUTING IS CLOSER TO TAKING OFF IN THE U.S.

The report found that booking a flight on a Friday saves 3% versus booking during the weekend rush. Meanwhile, flying on a Friday versus Sunday can save travelers up to 8%.

August reigns as the most affordable month to fly, saving airline travelers an average of $120 per ticket – 29% cheaper than flying at the same time in December. Flights to Morelia, Mexico, Tokyo, Japan and Honduras are seeing 30%+ year-over-year price declines.

“This is the second year in a row where August has been the most affordable month to fly,” Expedia said. “It seems to be here to stay, so that offers American vacationers a great opportunity to take an affordable, big annual vacation during peak season.”

Domestic first-class fares have plummeted 27% year-over-year, as the report also signals a “micro-cation” boom with 25% of Gen Z and Millennials skipping hotels entirely and opting for 24-hour extreme day trips.

“Business travelers head home earlier in the week these days, so new opportunities are opening up for leisure travelers to save by choosing smarter travel days, like Friday for the best prices or Tuesday for fewer crowds,” Expedia Group Brands public relations head Melanie Fish said in a press release.

“With a year of data from Expedia’s Flight Deals now in – which highlights routes and dates priced at least 20% lower than the norm – July and October are emerging as two of the best months to travel to secure these high-quality fares,” she continued.

Additionally, the online travel agency broke down how to time the flying market and when to book as opposed to when to fly. The alleged “Goldilocks” booking window opens for domestic flights 15 to 30 days out and saves $130 compared to booking six months earlier.

If you’re trying to avoid crowds altogether, per Expedia’s data, Tuesday is the least busy day of the week to fly — with the slowest travel dates in 2026 predicted to be Feb. 25, March 4 and Nov. 18. On the other hand, the busiest dates to fly this year are predicted to be May 22, July 3 and Aug. 29.

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“September is still the second most affordable month, so we may see ‘big vacations’ extend into September for those budget-conscious travelers. With December being the most expensive month to fly, that could also lead travelers to shifting their trip types during that month to focus more on domestic stays, road trips or breaks close to home, versus hopping on a plane,” Expedia said.

Airports including Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas and Orlando were hailed as the affordability kings for having ticket prices 25% below the national average. At Washington Dulles, San Francisco and New York-JFK, you could break your budget by spending 25% or more than national average prices.

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Cheerios maker General Mills cut its annual sales and profit forecasts, citing weak consumer sentiment and a shift toward healthier and lower-cost food options that are pressuring demand for packaged products.

“Weak consumer sentiment, heightened uncertainty, and significant volatility have weighed on category growth and impacted consumer purchase patterns, resulting in a slower pace and higher cost of volume recovery than initially expected,” the company said in a statement ahead of its presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference on Tuesday morning. 

The shifting consumer landscape, driven in part by the growing preference for healthier options and increased adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, is adding further pressure to packaged food demand.

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General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening said during the company’s presentation at CAGNY that the growing competition for protein options is also a factor. General Mills has its own line of protein cereals.

“We expect GLP-1 and other anti-obesity medications to have a lasting influence in the food and nutrition landscape, nudging some consumers toward smaller portions and more nutrient-dense protein and fiber-forward foods,” Harmening said.

The chief executive also said the company recognizes that its lower- and middle-income consumers have increasingly focused on value as economic pressures continue to weigh on their budgets.

“Cost of living and housing pressures are reshaping spending patterns and value is a core expectation that is here to stay,” Harmening said.

Earlier this month, PepsiCo cut prices on core brands such as Lay’s and Doritos by up to 15% following a consumer backlash against earlier price hikes.

Peer Conagra, maker of Slim Jim meat snacks, has maintained its annual sales and profit targets despite reporting a muted second quarter.

General Mills, which left its annual outlook unchanged in December, has been grappling with muted demand as Americans curb discretionary spending and shift to cheaper pantry staples.

General Mills now expects annual sales to decline 1.5% to 2%, compared with its prior range of down 1% to up 1%.

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The company also forecast annual adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings per share will fall 16% to 20% in constant currency, versus its previous outlook for a 10% to 15% decline.

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Reuters contributed to this report.

Red Lobster is considering closing more locations as it continues to reevaluate its restaurant footprint in the wake of its 2024 bankruptcy.

The seafood chain shuttered roughly 130 restaurants when it went through the bankruptcy process and Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that the company is continuing to review its locations and leases as it considers ways to curb costs.

Adamolekun said in the interview that visits have risen, with sales up about 10% from last year, but they haven’t recovered to pre-bankruptcy levels and many of the chain’s locations need upgrades.

“There’s a lot of positive signs, but we inherited a very damaged brand, so there’s still work to do to repair all of that,” he told the Journal.

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Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May 2024 after it racked up steep losses amid reduced sales and losses generated from an endless shrimp deal that was originally priced at $20. 

The company is also dealing with the fallout from a 2014 move that sold off ownership of the chain’s real estate and saddled the company with lease payments. 

Some of those leases involve multiple restaurants, which Adamolekun said has made it difficult to close some poorly performing locations because their lease is linked with higher performing ones.

RED LOBSTER’S ENDLESS SHRIMP DEAL CREATED ‘A LOT OF CHAOS,’ NEW CEO DIVULGES ON BANKRUPTCY

The Journal reported that people familiar with the company’s discussions said Red Lobster would ideally have dozens fewer restaurants in its portfolio so that it could focus on higher-performing locations.

Adamolekun was hired as CEO by the chain’s new ownership in August 2024 after he led a restructuring effort at P.F. Chang’s. 

The company has cut roughly 10% of its corporate staff in recent months and the Journal’s report noted that Red Lobster is negotiating with seafood vendors as tariffs have pushed the costs of imported seafood higher.

EXPERTS SAY RED LOBSTER’S SHRIMP EXCUSE IS ‘SMOKE SCREEN’ FOR REAL PROBLEMS

Adamolekun told the Journal that once the company has dealt with struggling locations, Red Lobster could look to expand in upstate New York and New England, where it has a limited presence. 

He’s also considering franchise deals for international locations as well as selling more Red Lobster-branded products, like Cheddar Bay Biscuit mixes, through retail channels.

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FOX Business reached out to Red Lobster for comment.

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering airlines to certify their merit-based hiring practices as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign against DEI programs.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the new policy on Friday, saying airlines that don’t formally commit to merit-based hiring will be subject to FAA investigation. President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to cancel DEI hiring programs early on in his return to the White House.

“When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best. The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender—they just care that they are most qualified man or woman for the job,” Duffy said in a statement.

“Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines,” he added.

FEDERAL WATCHDOG URGES WHITE MEN TO REPORT POSSIBLE WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION; VANCE BOOSTS MESSAGE

Trump’s FAA mocked the direction the agency had taken under former President Joe Biden, calling the policies “absurd” and saying they “wasted time renaming cockpits to flight decks.”

Trump has moved to systematically dismantle DEI programs across the federal government, signing a pair of executive orders in his first days in office that directed agencies to identify and shut down DEI offices, terminate equity-focused grants and contracts, and throw out long-standing affirmative action requirements for federal contractors.

HEGSETH ENDING MILITARY EDUCATION TIES WITH HARVARD AMID TRUMP FEUD: ‘WE TRAIN WARRIORS, NOT WOKESTERS’

The president targeted DEI at the FAA in particular following a tragic plane crash in the nation’s capital last year that saw a passenger plane collide with a U.S. military helicopter over the Potomac River.

“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” Trump said. “Only the highest aptitude — you have to be the highest intellect — and psychologically superior people, were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers.”

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“We have to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent. The word ‘talent.’ They have to be talented geniuses,” he continued. “We can’t have regular people doing that job. They won’t be able to do it.”

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Tax filing season is underway and scammers are looking to take advantage of unsuspecting taxpayers through a variety of ever-evolving scams seeking money and personal information.

The International Association of Better Business Bureaus warns that tax scams typically originate with a phone call and tend to fall into two categories. 

In one, the supposed IRS agent tells the would-be victim that they owe back taxes and attempts to pressure them into paying with a prepaid debit card or wire transfer, threatening an arrest and fines for noncompliance.

The other popular tax scam tactic involves the scammer claiming they’re issuing tax refunds and asking for personal information to send the would-be victim their refund. That information may later be used for identity theft, and in the case of college students, they may be targeted with a claim that their “federal student tax” hasn’t been paid.

TAX FILING SEASON IS OFFICIALLY HERE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The BBB report notes that tax scammers may engage in a number of tactics to try to appear legitimate. They may give a fake badge number or name, and the caller ID may indicate that the call is coming from Washington, D.C., or use a serious “robocall” recording that sounds official.

Scammers may also send a follow-up email that uses IRS logos and colors along with language that makes the email appear legitimate.

When con artists attempt to target victims, they may try to push the would-be victim into taking action immediately before they have a chance to ask questions or otherwise process the information the scammer is throwing at them. 

HERE’S WHEN TAXPAYERS WILL GET THEIR REFUNDS

They may also demand payment through methods like wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, or other non-traditional methods because those are harder to reverse or trace. The real IRS will never demand immediate payment, require a specific form of payment, or ask for a credit or debit card number of the phone.

The BBB notes that the IRS will allow taxpayers to ask questions or appeal any amount of back taxes they owe.

Additionally, the IRS always initiates contact by mail – not by phone calls, texts, emails or social media – so taxpayers aware of that can be better prepared to parry a scammer’s attempts via phone or email. After the IRS sends a mailed letter to a taxpayer with outstanding debts, they may reach out by phone.

DATA BREACH EXPOSES PERSONAL DATA OF 25M AMERICANS

The IRS has also warned taxpayers about a mailing scam that attempts to trick victims into thinking they have a tax refund. 

Taxpayers receive a cardboard envelope with a fake letter that purports to be from the IRS regarding an unclaimed refund, which requests the taxpayer provide personal and financial information.

BBB recommends that taxpayers in doubt about whether phone calls or other outreach are legitimately from the IRS should contact the agency directly to tell them about the claims and request, which should allow them to confirm whether it was actually the IRS reaching out.

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It also suggests filing taxes as early as possible to avoid the threat of identity theft, as a scammer could attempt to use your information to file a fake return.

FIRST ON FOX – A group of Republican senators is urging Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to ensure that any sale of Russian energy giant Lukoil’s foreign assets results in permanent divestment from Moscow, warning against what they describe as potential “shell game” proposals that could return control to Russia. 

In a letter Monday, Sens. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., Steve Daines, R-Mont., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., voiced support for President Donald Trump’s sanctions strategy targeting Russia’s energy sector, but raised concerns that some proposed deals may undermine the administration’s foreign policy goals.

The senators said certain proposals under consideration could amount to temporary “caretaker or custodial arrangements” designed to revert ownership back to Lukoil if U.S. sanctions are lifted or tensions between Washington and Moscow ease.

They also warned that other potential transactions could involve a “buy-and-flip” approach that might place strategic oil and gas assets into the hands of U.S. adversaries, including China, potentially jeopardizing American national security and global energy stability.

INSIDE THE SEA WAR TO CONTAIN ‘DARK FLEET’ VESSELS — AND WHAT THE US SEIZURE SIGNALS TO RUSSIA

The letter follows the Treasury Department’s October 2025 sanctions on Lukoil and the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s requirement that the company divest its non-Russian holdings to non-blocked entities. 

It also comes amid ongoing divestment talks, including Lukoil’s Jan. 29 announcement of a conditional, non-exclusive agreement to sell its subsidiary Lukoil International GmbH, which holds its international assets, to the Carlyle Group, a U.S. investment firm.

The transaction would not include assets in Kazakhstan, according to the company.

LINDSEY GRAHAM SAYS TRUMP BACKS RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL

Lukoil International GmbH maintains operations and minority interests in oil and gas fields in Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Egypt and the Republic of the Congo, among other countries.

It also has stakes in several pipelines and owns refineries and thousands of retail stations across nearly 20 European countries.

‘THEY WERE SPYING’: SULLIVAN SOUNDS ALARM ON JOINT RUSSIA-CHINA MOVES IN US ARCTIC ZONE

The senators described the portfolio as strategically significant to global energy markets and warned that any sale must ensure the assets remain permanently outside Russian control.

“We cannot allow U.S. adversaries to regain control over these valuable assets that have funded so much of Russia’s aggression and must prioritize bids from firms that seek to invest in and build these assets to further American national interests,” Sheehy, Daines and Barrasso wrote.

Fast-food giant Wendy’s will close hundreds of its U.S. restaurants as it looks to focus on value and boost lagging sales in the domestic market.

In the October through December quarter, the fast-food giant reported same-store sales, or sales at restaurants open for at least one year, declined 11.3% in the U.S.

While Wendy’s previously announced late last year its intent to close underperforming restaurants, interim CEO Ken Cook provided more details on Friday during the company’s call with investors.

WENDY’S INTRODUCES NEW VALUE MENU WITH 3 PRICE TIERS

Cook said that the company shuttered 28 locations in the fourth quarter of 2025 and expects to close 5% to 6% of its 5,959 restaurants, or 298 to 358 locations, in the first half of this year.

The planned closures occur as the fast-food giant continues its turnaround plan dubbed Project Fresh. Announced in October 2025, Wendy’s said the strategy is “designed to revitalize the brand, reignite growth, [and] accelerate profitability.”

Part of its plan to win back customers is shifting its focus to value, as many core customers still feel strained by higher living costs.

THIS FAST-GROWING CHAIN SAYS ‘NO DISCOUNTS’ – AND IT’S PAYING OFF

“Learning from 2025 around value, we swung the pendulum too far towards limited-time price promotions instead of everyday value,” Cook said during the call.

Rivals like McDonald’s have seen success as they hone in on value for customers. The chain, which has focused heavily on value, reported that its U.S. sales rose 6.8% in the fourth quarter, the biggest jump in roughly two years. It’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, told investors on Thursday that McDonald’s focused on “delivering leadership in value and affordability, and our efforts are working.”

MCDONALD’S BRINGS BACK EXTRA VALUE MEALS TO LURE BUDGET-CONSCIOUS CUSTOMERS

Wendy’s joined McDonald’s and other fast-food chains in January when it launched a permanent value menu offering called “Biggie Deals.” It introduced new customization options across three price points: $4, $6 and $8.

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Cook also said 2026 will be a “rebuilding year” for the company, and noted the upcoming rollout of a new chicken sandwich and “cheesy bacon cheeseburger.” 

“Our focus this year is restoring relevance and rebuilding trust with customers through disciplined execution and marketing,” he said.

White House Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro touted what he called a “Goldilocks economy” under President Donald Trump while promising Americans the “biggest rebate” in U.S. history.

“When Americans get those rebate checks on tax day, that’s going to be the biggest rebate and broad-based in American history,” Navarro said Sunday. 

“In 2026, unless the geopolitics get in the way, it’s shaping up to be beautiful.”

Appearing on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Navarro pointed to the latest economic data showing inflation easing while job growth and wages rise. The consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.4% over the past year, beating expectations and marking an eight-month low in inflation.

TRUMP SPEECH SPARKS OPTIMISM AS ‘GANGBUSTER’ ECONOMY FORECASTED FOR 2026

“This is happening because of tariffs, not in spite of them, as the critics would say, because if there were any tariff inflation, it would show up in the core. It’s simply not doing that,” Navarro said.

“So everything is hitting on all major cylinders, and the best is yet to come.”

Navarro’s remarks come as the Supreme Court weighs Trump’s use of emergency tariffs, with the justices set to issue opinions Friday that could include a ruling on the policy.

BANK OF AMERICA CEO SEES STRONGER 2026 ECONOMY, SAYS WALL STREET MAY BE UNDERESTIMATING GROWTH

The ruling would determine whether the president can continue using emergency authorities to impose tariffs without additional congressional approval.

The administration has long justified Trump’s tariffs as a way to boost domestic manufacturing, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and counter what officials describe as unfair trade practices by other nations.

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Navarro reiterated that defense on Sunday, pointing to what he described as a resurgence in U.S. manufacturing.

“We had the ISM manufacturing index, which is dear to my heart, because I’m the counselor for trade manufacturing. That’s showing a very robust final jump in manufacturing,” he said.

Logan Paul’s big bet on Pokémon appeared to have paid off Sunday night.

The WWE star and social media influencer broke a world record when he sold his 1998 Japanese Pikachu Illustrator, graded as a PSA gem mint 10, for more than $16.4 million. It was the only card of its kind to receive the high grade by PSA, which graded 52 others. Comparatively, Beckett graded five similar cards, with the highest being a mint 9 grade.

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“Absolute madness,” Paul said describing the auction as it was taking place in a video posted to his Instagram.

Paul bought the card a few years ago in what Guinness World Records said at the time was the “most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at a private sale.” Paul would use the card as a prop for his WrestleMania 38 entrance as he turned his attention to pro wrestling.

Goldin Auctions Co. received the auction rights for Paul’s piece. The company described the card as an “unimaginable Holy Grail piece.”

RAISING CANE’S BEGINS 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH STAR-STUDDED SUPER BOWL WEEK CELEBRATION IN SAN FRANCISCO

At the initial height of the Pokémon craze in November 1997, CoroCoro Comic announced a contest for readers called the “Pokémon Card Game Illust Artist Contest.” Readers would be challenged to draw their own Pokémon card and send it into the magazine. The winners of the contest would receive 20 cards featuring their own illustration. Twenty other contestants received an “Excellence Award” in which they received a copy of the Pikachu Illustrator Card.

“The current hobby consensus is that 41 copies of this card were officially awarded and distributed, with this Logan Paul-backed piece the chief among them,” Goldin’s description read. “The card is accompanied by a custom wooden presentation box bearing Paul’s Maverick logo and a plaque that reads ‘Pokémon / Pikachu Illustrator / PSA 10 / 1 of 1.’

“Due to the scarcity, grand value, and pedigree of this Pikachu Illustrator, this is one of the most significant public offerings of a Pokémon card in the history of the hobby and a potentially once-in-a-lifetime sale.”

A.J. Scaramucci, the son of financier and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, purchased the card.

“Goodbye my friend,” Paul wrote on Instagram before the auction began. “What a privilege it’s been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world.”

The item is now considered to be the most expensive trading card in the world.

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A 1952 Mickey Mantle card previously held the record. It was sold in 2022 for $12.6 million.

X experienced a widespread outage early Monday, leaving thousands of users unable to access the social media platform.

According to Downdetector, a website that tracks service disruptions based on user reports, complaints surged to more than 41,000 around 8:40 a.m. ET, far above the typical baseline level.

Reports had first begun trickling in earlier in the morning, starting with about a dozen complaints before rapidly escalating.

The social media company did not immediately respond to FOX Business’s request for comment.

EUROSTAR FORCED TO CANCEL ALL SERVICES TO AND FROM LONDON AFTER ‘MAJOR DISRUPTION’ IN CHANNEL TUNNEL

By 9:09 a.m., complaints had been cut by more than half, falling to about 28,673 reports, though the number remained significantly elevated.

Reports continued to decline later in the morning, dropping to 17,360 by 9:19 a.m. and falling further to roughly 1,245 by 9:49 a.m., according to the site’s data.

HOW PARENTS CAN ENCOURAGE HEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA HABITS FOR THEIR KIDS

Downdetector’s outage heatmap showed the disruption affected users primarily in the United States, with hotspots in major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

X was also down temporarily in mid-January and again in November 2025.

AUSTRALIA BEGINS ENFORCING SOCIAL MEDIA LAW BANNING CHILDREN UNDER 16 FROM MAJOR PLATFORMS

The 2025 service issue was due to a widespread outage at Cloudflare, an internet infrastructure provider.

The disruption comes weeks after a major Verizon network outage that left millions of wireless customers without service for hours, one of several high-profile connectivity issues in recent months.

More than 191,000 Aroeve air purifiers have been recalled after dozens of overheating incidents and one reported fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The recall affects approximately 191,390 units of Aroeve brand air purifiers, regulators said.

“The air purifiers can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers,” the CPSC said in a recall notice.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER RECALLING 2,300 ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN US OVER FIRE RISK

Aroeve has received 37 reports of the air purifiers overheating, including one report of a fire, according to the agency. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

The affected products are model MK04 units manufactured before July 2025 with serial numbers beginning with “BN.” The air purifiers were sold in black and white.

THOUSANDS OF SMOKE DETECTORS RECALLED OVER POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD

The units were sold online at Amazon.com, Shopify.com, TEMU.com and TikTok.com from September 2024 through June 2025 for between $80 and $134, the CPSC said.

Aroeve received 37 reports of the air purifiers overheating, including one report of a fire.

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No injuries or property damage have been reported thus far.

Consumers are urged to stop using the air purifiers immediately and to contact Airova for a free replacement.

Authorities told FOX Business on Sunday that a couple, reportedly an award-winning pilot and his wife, died in a tragic plane crash last week after declaring an emergency landing “due to oil on the windshield.”  

Local media outlet KLTV said the couple’s dog was also on board and miraculously survived the devastating crash.

The incident occurred in East Texas last Wednesday around 5:30 p.m., when a Beechcraft A36 struck power lines while diverting to Brownsboro, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Authorities added that the small plane went down short of the runway in Murchison, according to KLTV.

The Florida Aviation Network (FAN) told FOX Business that the plane was owned by Ronn Timmermans, who is married to Barbara Zimmer. The couple were owners of Orlando-based aviation company AileRon T LLC. 

PLANE CRASH-LANDS ON TOP OF TOYOTA ON FLORIDA FREEWAY FOLLOWING ENGINE TROUBLE

“It is with deep sadness that it has been reported that Ron Timmermans (RJT) has ‘Gone West’ on February 11th, 2026,” the network said in an internal memo, referring to the fatal tragedy.

FAN noted that the couple reportedly “perished in an aircraft accident in east Texas.”

The Bonanza & Baron Pilot Training website notes that Timmermans was inspired by his wife, Barbara, to become a flight instructor, and the couple flew to many destinations across the U.S., Canada and the Bahamas.

Photos of the crash scene showed the Timmermans’ plane lying nose-down in the ground with its tail jutting dramatically into the sky. 

While the couple died in the incident, their small lapdog miraculously survived and was taken in by local residents at the crash site, KLTV reported. FAN noted that the dog was named Ziva.

“The dog was alive, and so one of the neighbors took the dog to take care of,” resident Mary Ann Shoulders said.

ALL 8 TIRES BURST IN HARROWING ATLANTA LANDING FAILURE INVOLVING PASSENGER JET

FAN described the veteran flight instructor as an integral figure in the flight community. He was named National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year in 2021 by an awards program associated with the Federal Aviation Administration. He also provided pro bono services to FAN since 2017 and acted as a host for the network. 

“Ron was an important part of training hundreds of pilots over the years,” the organization told KLTV. “He’s done hundreds of hours of interviews with people in the aviation industry. He’s the main host of our interviews online. He was the National Flight Instructor of the Year in 2021. He and Barbara will be greatly missed.”

The NTSB said the crash is under investigation and that officials retrieved devices from the plane that could contain data about the accident.

The wreckage was also recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

FOX Business reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration for more information. 

Costco is officially retiring a decades-old system customers have long found frustrating as part of its latest major digital overhaul.  

Customers will soon be able to place custom cake and deli tray orders directly through the company’s mobile app and website. Previously, shoppers were required to drive to Costco just to fill out paper order forms in-store. 

Executives of the major retailer said the upgrade, which would streamline orders from start to pickup, addresses an outdated process they described as “clunky.” 

“Very excited about what we have coming in the app,” CEO Ron Vachris said.

“We’ve got ordering cakes and deli trays online coming. So many of the things that we’ve heard from our members that could be a little bit clunky are now moving to a digital state, and we’re seeing great adoption right out of the chute.”

SOME GIFT CARDS SOLD AT COSTCO ARE NOW WORTHLESS

The new online ordering system is expected to include sheet cake options as well as customizable cakes, allowing customers to choose sizes, shapes, flavors, designs and inscriptions from a catalog of available cake options.

COSTCO’S POPULAR BARGAIN MEAL AT CENTER OF NEW LAWSUIT

The major retailer did not provide a specific date for when the system will be fully implemented across all locations. Fox 11 Los Angeles said customers can expect the “Order Grocery/Bakery” feature in the app by the end of 2026. 

If the feature follows a process similar to the current paper-based system, cakes and deli trays should be ready within 24 to 48 hours.

COSTCO’S LESSER-KNOWN MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS, EXPLAINED

The move will give customers easier access to Costco baked goods, especially for those who must travel long distances to reach a store. 

In a 2023 Reddit post, one social media user described Costco’s cake-ordering process as inconvenient and time-consuming.

“I live 40ish minutes from my local Costco, so yes, an online order process would be very nice,” the user said. 

Another responded, echoing the same sentiment.  

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“Same. I really don’t want to drive there two days in a row… when it’s my Birthday,” they wrote. 

Verizon has added on a step for customers wanting to unlock their fully paid-off devices by introducing a new waiting period in certain cases.

Under Verizon’s current device-unlocking policy, customers who pay off their payment agreement balance online or in the My Verizon app have to wait 35 days before their phone will be unlocked.

The same delay applies if a Verizon Gift Card is used to buy a smartphone or customers pay off the remaining balance.

The delay also applies to postpaid customers who pay off a device installment plan online or in the app. 

NEW IPHONE SCAM TRICKS OWNERS INTO GIVING PHONES AWAY

Customers who complete their installment agreements with scheduled monthly payments will continue to have their devices unlocked automatically after the final payment, according to the policy.

Customers may be able to avoid the 35-day delay by paying off the remaining balance in person, but only at a Verizon corporate store using what the company describes as a secure payment method.

These include cash, an EMV chip-enabled credit card or a contactless option like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Payments made online, in the app, by phone, at authorized retailers or through other non-secure methods may also trigger the 35-day waiting period.

HAGERTY ASKS FCC TO SANCTION VERIZON OVER DISCLOSURE OF SENATE PHONE DATA

A Verizon spokesperson said customers who meet the requirements for a faster unlock will usually receive it within 24 hours and added that the 35-day window is to allow time for fraud prevention, according to Ars Technica.

The policy change came after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eliminated Verizon’s longstanding requirement to automatically unlock devices 60 days after activation.

The change, for example, would limit customers’ ability to quickly unlock a phone before international travel to use a local SIM card abroad.

NEW IPHONE SCAM TRICKS OWNERS INTO GIVING PHONES AWAY

It could also make it complicated for customers hoping to sell a paid-off device immediately or switch carriers without interruption and find corporate stores.

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For prepaid customers, devices bought from Verizon stay locked for 365 days of paid, active service.

After that period, Verizon says it will automatically remove the lock, unless the device has been reported stolen or flagged for fraud.

FOX Business has reached out to Verizon for comment.

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has been selected to begin negotiations for a proposed underground transit system connecting Universal Orlando’s parks, following a vote by the Shingle Creek Transit and Utility Community Development District Board.

During its Feb. 11 meeting, the board authorized staff to enter contract negotiations with The Boring Company after determining its proposal best met the district’s request for an “innovative, future-ready, point-to-point solution.”

The project is intended to support transportation infrastructure improvements, including the planned Sunshine Corridor and transit needs tied to expansion around Universal Orlando.

The decision does not finalize a contract.

PILOT PROGRAM AT MAJOR AIRPORT TRACKS MOVEMENT, APPROVES INTERNATIONAL FLYERS’ IDENTITY

Any agreement would still require board approval, and officials said they will evaluate the project’s operational and financial feasibility before moving forward.

Fox 35 Orlando reported that the proposed underground transit system is intended to ease congestion along International Drive by linking Universal’s existing theme parks and CityWalk with Epic Universe, which opened last year.

The local station said the board’s vote comes after months of speculation and a competitive process that included proposals from other firms, such as Glydways.

While some competitors pitched elevated guideway systems designed to reduce construction time, the district ultimately opted to pursue an underground concept similar to The Boring Company’s “Vegas Loop” in Nevada.

TESLA ATTACK IN LAS VEGAS ‘CERTAINLY HAS SOME OF THE HALLMARKS’ OF TERRORISM, FBI OFFICIAL SAYS

“I think it would be a new opportunity to lessen traffic load and good for visitors as well,” said resident Scott Heinz, according to Fox 35.

Mary Walters-Clark, another resident, said the move could help ease congestion during peak hours by giving visitors an alternative to navigating heavy traffic and allowing them to better manage their time.

An ongoing dispute between Elon Musk and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has erupted on social media, renewing scrutiny of the tech titans’ past associations with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The public spat intensified following renewed attention to Epstein’s network and the latest release of Justice Department documents related to the case.

Both billionaires shared screenshots of emails drawn from the roughly 3 million pages of records as they traded accusations and defended their respective accounts of their interactions with Epstein.

Hoffman posted a 2012 email from Musk to Epstein asking which “day/night will be the wildest party on your island?”

The pointed barbs come with a history.

Musk and Hoffman were once part of the so-called “PayPal mafia,” a group of early PayPal leaders who went on to found or invest in some of Silicon Valley’s most successful companies. In recent years, however, the two have clashed publicly over politics and tech policy.

Responding to Hoffman’s post on X, Musk said he never followed through on any visit.

EPSTEIN EMAILS REVEAL BEHIND-THE-SCENES TALK OF FIRING FED CHAIR POWELL

“The big difference between you and me, Reid, is that you went and I did not,” Musk wrote on X, referring to Epstein’s private island, a location tied to allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking of children and teens.

“In fact, you went multiple times. First time was maybe a mistake, but not the second time you went,” the Tesla and SpaceX boss wrote.

EX-PRINCE ANDREW LEAVES ROYAL MANSION ‘IN DEAD OF NIGHT’ AFTER COMPROMISING EPSTEIN PHOTOS SURFACE: EXPERT

Musk later said he “came to [his] senses and declined to go,” adding that Epstein “tried to get me to go to his island so many times that eventually I just blocked him.”

Hoffman pushed back on Musk’s accusations, arguing that his dealings with Epstein were tied to fundraising for the MIT Media Lab rather than any personal relationship. He acknowledged the association was a mistake and said he regrets any involvement with Epstein.

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The renewed clash has once again drawn attention to Epstein’s vast network of powerful associates and the lingering questions surrounding those who had contact with him. 

While both men insist their ties were limited, the public exchange underscores how associations with Epstein continue to carry reputational and political consequences years after his death.

As Kevin Warsh prepares to take the reins at the Federal Reserve, a newly elevated Trump ally at the central bank is signaling how he believes the job should be done — and how the next chair should navigate a pivotal moment for monetary policy.

Speaking at the Dallas Federal Reserve, Governor Stephen Miran offered simple advice for Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

“Be forward-looking, not backward-looking,” Miran said. “If you’re going to be excessively backward-looking, you’re guaranteed to be behind the curve,” he added.

TRUMP NOMINATES KEVIN WARSH TO SUCCEED JEROME POWELL AS FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR

In Miran’s view, the current economic backdrop does not justify a strictly data-driven posture, diverging from the data-dependent approach that has defined the central bank under Powell.

“The time for data dependence is when you have enormous uncertainty. I don’t think we have enormous uncertainty.”

A LOOK AT THE UNFOLDING BATTLE BETWEEN TRUMP AND POWELL OVER FED POLICY

Miran’s comments offer an early glimpse of how one of the Fed’s newest voices views the balance between anticipating economic shifts and reacting to incoming data.

President Donald Trump tapped Miran in August, shifting him from leading the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors to a seat at the world’s most powerful central bank. He joined the board amid mounting turmoil at the Fed, including a legal clash between the Trump administration and Governor Lisa Cook and a Justice Department investigation involving Powell.

Cook’s case is before the Supreme Court and Powell has not been charged with any wrongdoing. 

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Warsh’s path to the Fed chair could face delays amid Republican opposition tied to the probe into Powell. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has said he will oppose consideration of Fed nominees until the administration concludes its investigation — a stance that carries weight given his seat on the Senate Banking Committee. 

With Tillis placing a hold on Warsh’s nomination, forcing it out of committee would require a discharge vote on the Senate floor — a maneuver that needs 60 votes and appears unlikely in a closely divided chamber.

Regardless of the timing of Warsh’s confirmation, Miran’s early remarks signal how the Fed’s policymaking framework and its dynamic with the White House could shift in the months ahead.

American Girl is marking its 40th anniversary with a bold redesign of its beloved historical dolls, prompting swift backlash on social media.

The Mattel-owned brand announced Wednesday the launch of its new “Modern Era Collection,” reimagining six of its most iconic characters with contemporary outfits and a smaller 14.5-inch frame, down from the brand’s traditional 18-inch dolls, according to a news release from Mattel.

“Discover the Modern Era Collection of 14.5-inch dolls and fashions — Felicity, Addy, Molly, Kirsten, Samantha and Josefina reimagined for today,” the American Girl website says.

AUTISTIC BARBIE JOINS MATTEL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LINE

The collection includes:

Each doll retails for $90 and is available for presale, with shipments expected by May 1, according to the American Girl website.

BARBIE MAKER MATTEL RAISES PRICES AMID TRUMP TARIFF FIGHT

Many fans have taken to social media to argue that the redesign missed the mark.

“Holy corporate these look soo cheap,” one Instagram user wrote under the brand’s announcement post.

“Do yall even ask ppl what they want to buy?” another commented.

“What?? Nooo, this ruins the whole point of the historical dolls!!” a third user said.

“Nooooo we like the classics and want the old outfits back,” another commenter wrote. “Listen to your millennial followers who are now buying stuff for their daughters.”

ICONIC TOY MAKER ‘CAPITALIZING’ ON NEW INDUSTRY TRENDS: ‘GAME PLAY IS HERE TO STAY’

American Girl’s historical dolls feature fictional 9-year-old to 12-year-old characters from various periods in American history. The dolls are paired with books and designed to teach history through the character’s perspective, according to the brand’s website.

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“As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue evolving for the next generation while staying true to telling stories that act as both windows and mirrors, empowering girls to see themselves as the heroines of their own story,” Jamie Cygielman, global head of dolls at Mattel, said in a statement.

Mattel and American Girl did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

Plenty of good economic news this week, with an outsize gain in jobs, especially private sector jobs. And a much lower-than-expected report on consumer prices.

All this with a stock market hovering near 50,000 amidst booming productivity, low energy prices, and a more than trillion dollar deregulation at EPA. And even a Gallup poll showing a 49-36% rebound in economic confidence.

So you sort of have to wonder why the Wall Street Journal runs an editorial that ‘America is Running out of Patience with Republicans’. 

If there ever was a real affordability issue, right now the Trump Economy is crushing it.

The latest reading from the strong January jobs report showed production workers getting an increase in pay and working more hours. What some economists, including myself, call the wage income proxy, which is hourly earnings times hours worked, jumped in January to 5.6% at an annual rate over the past three months.

Meanwhile, today’s CPI inflation report showed a 2.4% rise over the past three months, so that gives you a 3.2% real wage take-home pay number.  

Let me do it again: 5.6% on wages and hours worked, against only a 2.4% three-month CPI change.

Trumponomics is delivering. 

And the workforce is earning their pay hikes with a tremendous productivity run, and businesses remain very profitable with only a 1.1% increase in unit labor costs.

Technology is booming, demand for power is booming. President Trump is taking the shackles off oil, gas, and coal, so-called baseload energy, by getting rid of the Obama-Biden endangerment finding that was never put into law anyway. So average autos can probably come in somewhere around $2,400 cheaper. Scoring another for the middle class.

Factory construction is booming. It was one of the strongest parts in the January jobs report. And some of that can be directly traced to the President’s tariff-driven reciprocal trade policy.

Plus, 100% immediate depreciation write-offs, creating a huge business capital goods boom, where new investment means stronger employment and wages, and eventually consumer spending power.

While it may be true, as President Trump told me this week, that he and his team have to work harder to get the message out, the fact is the numbers are on his side.

And editorialists who dwell on tired old left-wing Biden-esque criticisms, should really just give it up.

Trumponomics is working, and a midterm election victory for Republicans is very much in sight.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a five-point plan to reform the Lone Star State’s property tax system to provide more relief to homeowners.

The Republican governor is making the property tax overhaul a key plank in the platform for his re-election campaign as he seeks a fourth term in office.

Abbott announced the plan Wednesday during a Taxpayer Empowerment event in Houston and said the five-point plan would impose tougher limits on local government spending, while also implementing tighter caps on property appraisals. The plan aims to eventually eliminate school district property taxes on homeowners.

“Texas is the state that’s most on fire in the entire United States of America. If you look at our economy, we’re ranked No. 1 for jobs, No. 1 for economic development, No. 1 for doing business,” Abbott told Fox News Digital. “What our goal is is to make sure we continue to pass policies that keep Texas attractive, and that’s why today I talked about my reforms to make sure we slash property taxes in Texas.”

THESE STATES ARE CONSIDERING ELIMINATING PROPERTY TAXES FOR HOMEOWNERS

The governor’s plan limits the spending growth of local governments to population growth plus inflation or 3.5%, whichever is lower, according to a report by FOX 7 Austin.

Abbott’s proposal would also raise the bar for local property tax increases by requiring the approval of two-thirds of voters for all local property tax hikes before they can be enacted. That would replicate a supermajority requirement for some statewide property tax increases at the local level.

Voters would also have a say in scaling back property taxes that have been enacted, and one pillar of the governor’s five-point property tax plan would allow 15% of voters in a given jurisdiction to sign a petition that puts a rollback on the ballot.

THESE 10 STATES OFFER THE BIGGEST PROPERTY TAX SAVINGS FOR AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS

The plan put forward by Abbott would also reform how appraisals are handled in Texas by requiring that properties undergo an appraisal once every five years instead of annually, which he thinks would make it easier for homeowners to predict their property taxes year-to-year.

His proposal would lower the cap on homestead appraisal increases from 10% per year to 3%, while also applying appraisal caps to all properties, including rental and commercial properties. Under current law, homestead appraisal increases are limited to 10% a year.

WALL STREET’S TEXAS MOVE GAINS STEAM AS NYSE TEXAS HITS 100-COMPANY MILESTONE

The fifth point in Abbott’s plan would allow voters to weigh in on a constitutional amendment that would eliminate school district property taxes for homeowners, and the state would fully fund public education, a move the governor said would cut property tax bills by half.

The governor plans to push his property tax plans through a statewide campaign as voters take their tax burdens into account ahead of this fall’s election, FOX 7 Austin reported.

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Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

Thousands of smoke detector fire alarms sold exclusively on Amazon are being recalled over a sound issue that could pose a fire hazard.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said in a notice that 11,000 LShome Photoelectric 3-Pack Smoke Detector Fire Alarms may fail to activate promptly if the sensing threshold of security warnings is set too high.

The alarms are white and circular, and have a light sound warning and test button. They are operated by 9-volt batteries.

ENORMOUS GROUND BEEF RECALL ISSUED OVER DEADLY E. COLI CONTAMINATION RISK ACROSS THREE STATES

The products were sold on Amazon from February 2024 through December 2025 and cost about $30, the CPSC said. The affected model number is XG-7D04-KZ9Z and the SKU number is CX-50YP-A5VN. Both are printed on the bottom side of the alarm.

Consumers should immediately stop using the product and can discard the smoke alarms in the trash, the agency said in the notice.

THOUSANDS OF POPULAR PRODUCTS, INCLUDING DIET COKE, PRINGLES, RECALLED OVER RODENT CONTAMINATION CONCERNS

No injuries or incidents associated with the recalled products have been reported, according to the CPSC.

The CPSC said consumers should contact lmm15957491237@163.com for instructions on how to receive a refund through Amazon.

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FOX Business reached out to Amazon for comment.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking a direct shot at the Trump administration, expanding a state mortgage relief program to $100,000 per household while accusing the White House of “turning its back” on California fire survivors. 

On Thursday, Newsom announced that disaster-affected homeowners now qualify for a full 12 months of mortgage payment relief, a significant increase from the previous three months, with a total increase to $100,000.

The maximum assistance per household skyrocketed from the original $20,000. According to a state press release, the funds are non-repayable grants with payments going directly to mortgage providers.

To date, $6.5 million has allegedly been paid to 793 recipients, primarily from the Palisades and Eaton fires, leaving a significant portion of the fund’s $1 billion budget still available.

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS FACE BRUTAL CHOICE ONE YEAR AFTER LOS ANGELES FIRES DESTROYED THEIR LIVES

Gov. Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The move signals an aggressive shift by Sacramento to bypass a stalled federal disaster package and provide direct cash infusions to high-income homeowners.

In a press release, Newsom also called President Trump’s response a “lie” and a “disgrace” as the state moves to fill a perceived federal aid gap.

“We’ve been on the ground, listening and adjusting to meet people’s evolving needs. That’s why we’re expanding this program — to close the gap between relief and long-term recovery and make sure folks get the help they need to move forward,” Newsom said.

But federal officials at the Small Business Administration and White House argue that $3.2 billion in federal loans are already approved but are being blocked by California’s “local permitting backlogs” and “red tape.”

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler previously called California’s state and local permitting backlog a “nightmare” that has dragged out wildfire recovery.

“With President Trump’s leadership and alongside EPA, the SBA is opening an expedited path to recovery for every borrower who has been held hostage by the bureaucracy of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass,” Loeffler said.

Though the Palisades and Eaton fires were contained by the end of January 2025, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation reports that they caused up to $53.8 billion in property damage alone.

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The department’s research also found extraordinarily high destruction rates, with the Palisades Fire destroying 56.3% of all assessed structures and 55.8% of single-family homes. The Eaton Fire destroyed about 50% of all structures and single-family homes.

Additionally, more than 160 lending institutions have already agreed to offer 90-day forbearance extensions beyond the legally required 12 months; and the state has pushed to use rebuilding funds to incentivize “all-electric” homes, costing anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 less than mixed-fuel homes but aligning with California’s climate mandates.

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Fox News’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.