Hospice CEO asks Congress how a provider can operate ‘out of a burrito stand in California’ with no oversight
The CEO of a California hospice advocacy group told congressional lawmakers Tuesday that fraud in the industry is flourishing across the state, questioning how numerous fraudulent providers can continue to operate under the nose of regulators. Sheila Clark, the president and CEO of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) — a nonprofit that pushes to improve access to quality end-of-life care — told the House Ways and Means Committee that some hospices operate in name only, meaning they have no patients or staff. Clark said the surge in hospice and home healthcare providers is a symptom of failures across multiple regulatory bodies that degrade patient protections and hurt taxpayers. NEW EXPOSÉ CLAIMS CALIFORNIA LOST AT LEAST $180B TO FRAUD UNDER GAVIN NEWSOM “You’d be amazed at how many hospices… the door you can walk up to in California and there is nobody there. Five months’ worth of mail that you can see stacked… nobody’s there,” Clark said. “And that passed a survey. How did that happen?” “How do you put a hospice in a burrito stand in California?” she quipped. “How do you put a hospice in an entire store in California? That all had to be vetted through licensure and through certification and accreditation.” Dr. Lynn Ianni, a licensed psychotherapist with nearly 40 years of clinical experience who also testified, said she was locked out of her own Medicare benefits for months after she was falsely enrolled in hospice care. “Imagine being told, in effect, that you are at the end of your life — when you are not — and then being denied access to care because of that error. It was not just frustrating,” she said. “It was terrifying.” MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY “A Medicare representative gave me the name of the hospice where I was supposedly enrolled,” Ianni added. “I looked it up. It appeared legitimate on the surface—listed on Medicare’s own website, with an NPI number, a named CEO, and an address. But the address led to what looked like a strip mall. The phone number went unanswered.” Republican lawmakers have called for investigations into Medicare fraud, particularly in blue states where reports have surfaced detailing hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent activity. The hearing came as the Trump administration has ramped-up efforts nationwide to combat healthcare fraud. The Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, recently suspended 447 hospices in the Los Angeles area over more than $600 million in suspected fraud. Another crackdown led to charges against more than a dozen people in a brazen multimillion-dollar scheme where people who weren’t even dying were used to bilk taxpayers out of more than $50 million. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed back on claims that his office has failed to act to combat the issue. “FACT: The state has no role in the Medicare billing or payment process,” his press office wrote on X earlier this month in response to a CBS report on hospice fraud in California. “We are glad the Trump Admin is taking action to combat fraud. Now, if Trump could stop pardoning fraudsters—and hold them accountable—that would be great!”
DeSantis says he’s taking up Jeffries’ invitation to ‘F around and find out’ on Florida redistricting effort
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ invitations to “F around and find out” on redistricting efforts in Florida, the next possible battleground in a nationwide struggle to gain partisan advantages from congressional district maps. “Please. Be my guest. I will pay for you to come down to Florida to campaign,” DeSantis said. “I’ll put you up in the Florida governor’s mansion. We will take you fishing. “There’s nothing that could be better for Republicans in Florida than to see Jeffries everywhere around this state.” His comments follow remarks from Jeffries on Wednesday morning. DAVID MARCUS: DEMOCRAT NEW ENGLAND IS THE MOST GERRYMANDERED REGION IN AMERICAN HISTORY “Our message to Florida Republicans is F around and find out. If they go down the road of a DeSantis dummy-mander … the electoral tide is turning in Florida,” Jeffries said. The standoff demonstrates both parties’ resolve to double down on gerrymandering as a strategy central to winning control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the upcoming 2026 midterms. Since President Donald Trump urged state lawmakers to expand the GOP’s 217-213 majority by eliminating five Democratic seats in Texas, states including North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, New York and Georgia have followed suit. Most recently, voters in Virginia approved a redistricting effort spearheaded by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, to turn her party’s 6-5 advantage in the Commonwealth into a 10-1 majority by extending Republican-leaning districts into Democratic strongholds. Florida is developing plans to be next. With a Republican trifecta and eight Democratic-held districts to carve up, DeSantis has called a special session this week to explore the Sunshine State’s options. “Today, I announced that I will be convening a special session of the Legislature focused on redistricting to ensure that Florida’s congressional maps accurately reflect the population of our state,” DeSantis said in his January announcement, citing changing demographics in the state. TRUMP HAILS TEXAS REDISTRICTING APPROVAL THAT COULD ADD FIVE GOP CONGRESSIONAL SEATS NATIONWIDE Florida’s state constitution forbids individual districts from being drawn “with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent.” Democrats, who have framed their redistricting efforts as retaliatory, have warned that Republicans are stretching their support too thin in some areas, diluting their advantage and inviting challenges in districts that haven’t been competitive in the past. Jeffries believes that might be the case in Texas, and it could be the case for Florida too. “The Florida Republicans are going to find themselves in the same situation as Texas Republicans who are on the run right now,” Jeffries said. “Under no circumstances are Texas Republicans picking up five seats. They’ll be fortunate if they get two or three, while in California, we are going to get all five. The Republicans are dumbly meandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast.” BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE Florida legislators have yet to unveil what their potential redistricting effort could look like. Republicans hold 20 of the state’s 28 seats.
Murphy defends ‘Awesome’ post on Iranian ships evading US blockade, says it was ‘sarcastic’
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said he was being sarcastic when he called reports that Iranian ships had slipped by a U.S. blockade “Awesome” in a post to X on Monday, responding to the news that as many as 26 vessels had avoided U.S. detection. Murphy brushed off criticisms that he had celebrated shortcomings in President Donald Trump’s military strategy. “It’s so unbelievably disingenuous. Obviously, all these Republicans know that I was being sarcastic. They just don’t really want to actually have to answer for the fact that this war has gone off the rails,” Murphy said. “Republicans don’t want to talk about that, so they try to create fake outrage over sarcasm.“ Murphy’s defense of his phrasing highlights the tension Democrats have navigated since the U.S. first began hostilities with Tehran: pushing back on parts of the Trump administration’s Iran strategy without inadvertently sounding sympathetic of a geopolitical adversary. GOP REP MASSIE JOINS DEMOCRATS IN OPPOSITION TO US IRAN STRIKES Like many Democrats, Murphy panned Trump’s decision to bomb Iran and, more recently, voiced criticisms of plans to impose a naval blockade on Iran in an attempt to shake Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping. “Let’s talk about Trump’s insane plan to fix Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz: helping them close the Strait,” Murphy said of the administration’s strategy earlier this month. “He is compounding one mistake after another.” LIZ PEEK: IRAN WAR COULD BECOME THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT ENSURES TRUMP’S LEGACY GOP skeptics responding to his post believe Murphy is celebrating the defeat of a strategy he thought was ill-advised to begin with. “A sitting U.S. Senator is actively rooting for Iran. Crazy as hell. TRAITOR,” the Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative account, wrote in a post of its own. Murphy told Fox News Digital those criticisms were overblown, calling them a deflection of the war’s political toll. CRUZ SAYS TRUMP’S MOVE TO STRIKE IRAN ‘MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION’ OF HIS PRESIDENCY “You’re talking about a war that’s cost American taxpayers billions of dollars that’s allowed for Iran to control the Strait,” Murphy said. “Over a dozen Americans have been killed. There doesn’t seem to be any endgame.” Asked to comment on Murphy’s post, at least one other Senator declined to weigh in. “I’m not familiar with that,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., told Fox News Digital.
High-ranking DHS official sidelined over allegations of ‘sugar daddy’ relationship, luxe gifts and drug use
Fox News has learned a high-ranking Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official is on administrative leave after an investigation was launched into the leader’s alleged “sugar daddy” relationship, lavish spending and drug use, according to a DHS official. The probe unfolded after a formal complaint was filed against Julia Varvaro, 29, the DHS deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism, the Daily Mail first reported. The man at the center of the allegations, described as a divorced father named “Robert,” told the outlet he spent $40,000 on her during a three-month relationship that began on dating app Hinge before discovering she had a profile on a website called Seeking, which markets itself as “a space where love and luxury meet.” He alleged that her Seeking profile was under the name “Alessia” and sought “mutually beneficial” relationships with “masculine men.” Varvaro firmly denied the claims when questioned by the Daily Mail. LIBERAL JOURNALIST CLAIMS ICE ACCEPTED HER RECRUITMENT APPLICATION WITHOUT PROPER VETTING The outlet reported that, prior to the pair’s falling out, Robert took Varvaro on numerous posh getaways to Aruba, Italy and Switzerland, purchasing her a $3,500 Bottega handbag and taking her to the high-end jewelry store, Cartier. He added that, during their travels, Varvaro flexed her government position in TSA security lines and claimed she could get VIP access to the Winter Olympics, allegedly bragging, “ICE works for me.” In his formal complaint to the DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which was reviewed by the Daily Mail, Robert said he believes Varvaro is “under financial stress” and that her actions pose a severe national security risk. A DHS OIG spokesperson told Fox News Digital the office has “a longstanding policy neither to confirm nor to deny the existence of any specific investigation,” and could not provide additional details or comment on the matter. CARDI B ISSUES WARNING TO ICE AT CALIFORNIA CONCERT KICKOFF: ‘WE GON’ JUMP THEY A—-‘ He also told the outlet he witnessed her use marijuana on nearly a dozen occasions and take recreational Xanax. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Varvaro described the situation as a “mad ex-boyfriend putting crap together. I didn’t know it was bad to go on vacation with your boyfriend.” The outlet said Varvaro admitted to being expedited through Dulles Airport security but denied using marijuana, seeking VIP Olympic access or having sugar daddies pay for her college, insisting that her request to Robert for a credit card in her name was “kind of a normal thing.” The scandal comes less than a month after photos were released of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s husband, Bryon, which appeared to show him cross-dressing in private messages to three different women. Fox News previously reported rumors of an alleged affair between Noem and her top advisor, Corey Lewandowski, contributed to her dismissal from her DHS post. She now serves as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas. The CIA, Hinge and Seeking did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Varvaro could not immediately be reached for comment.
Nepal’s home minister resigns, second cabinet exit in one month
Sudan Gurung steps down after less than a month in office, citing questions about his investments and other matters. By AFP and Reuters Published On 22 Apr 202622 Apr 2026 Nepal’s minister of home affairs has resigned, saying there have been questions about his investments and other matters. He is the second minister to withdraw from the country’s month-old government. Sudan Gurung announced his departure on Wednesday, stressing that questions should be investigated, without giving further details. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “I have resigned from the position of Home Minister with effect from today,” the 38-year-old posted on his social media accounts. “For me, morality is greater than a position, and there is no greater power than public trust … Public life should be clean, leadership should be accountable,” added Gurung, who took office on March 27. Dipa Dahal, press adviser to Prime Minister Balendra Shah, confirmed the reception of Gurung’s resignation. Shah will take charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs until a new appointment is made, Dahal added. Gurung came into the spotlight after he ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his home minister, Ramesh Lekhak, in connection with an investigation into their roles during a crackdown on youth-led protests last September. Rapper-turned-politician Shah, 35, became prime minister after his three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which had promised to control corruption, provide good governance and transparency, was swept into power in last month’s parliamentary election. During his three-year stint as mayor of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, Shah gained popularity for his reforms. Earlier this month, the government formed a five-member commission led by a former Supreme Court judge to investigate the assets of politicians and officials. Advertisement The commission was a part of the government’s 100-point reform agenda issued after Shah took office. Shah dismissed his labour minister earlier this month after RSP ruled Dipak Kumar Sah had misused “the dignity of his position” to get his wife appointed as a member of the board of directors of the country’s Health Insurance Board. Nepal currently ranks 109th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Adblock test (Why?)
Fires ignited by Ukrainian drones rage at Russian oil refinery
NewsFeed Hundreds of firefighters are trying to contain fires at Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery, days after it was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack. Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova is at the scene. Published On 22 Apr 202622 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Trump calls Iran’s leadership ‘fractured’. Is it, and who’s in charge?
United States President Donald Trump has described the Iranian leadership as “seriously fractured” as he announced an extension to a ceasefire. Trump said on Tuesday that the ceasefire would be extended to allow more time for negotiations and appeared to be suggesting that Iran’s leadership is in disarray. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list He added that the US naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports would remain in place. Three weeks ago, Trump claimed the US military campaign had succeeded in its goal of forcing a change in Iran’s government and the US was now dealing with “a whole new set of people” in charge of the country. On April 11, Iran sent a delegation led by parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, to begin talks with the US. So is Iran’s government “fractured”? We take a look at the key Iranian stakeholders and power centres in Iran and how their approach to US negotiations may differ. Who are the key figures in Iran, and are they ‘fractured’ over talks with the US? Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Khamenei is the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli air strikes on Tehran on the first day of the war on February 28. Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Iran’s new supreme leader on March 8, according to state media reports. The 56-year old has never run for office or been elected but has for decades been a highly influential figure in the inner circle of his father, cultivating deep ties with the the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Advertisement Observers said the younger Khamenei’s ascension is a clear sign that more hardline factions in Iran’s establishment have retained power and could indicate that the government has little desire to agree to a deal or negotiations with the US in the short term. Since his ascension, however, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public. On March 13, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed Iran’s new supreme leader had been wounded in US-Israeli strikes. An April 11, a Reuters news agency report that quoted three people close to the supreme leader’s inner circle said Khamenei was still recovering from severe facial and leg injuries suffered in the air strike that killed his father. The sources were quoted as saying he was taking part in meetings with senior officials through audioconferencing. Al Jazeera could not independently verify these claims. According to state media reports, Khamenei has been active in making decisions on the war. In a message read on Iranian state TV on April 18, Khamenei warned that the Iranian navy was ready to inflict “new bitter defeats” on the US and Israel as tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Ghalibaf, 64, has served as Iran’s parliamentary speaker since 2020. He was commander of the IRGC air force from 1997 to 2000. After that, he served as the country’s police chief. From 2005 to 2017, he was the mayor of Tehran. Ghalibaf stood in elections for president in 2005, 2013, 2017 and 2024. He withdrew his bid for president before the election in 2017 when Hassan Rouhani won a second term. Last month in the early days of the US-Israel war on Iran, it was suggested that Ghalibaf was the Trump administration’s “pick” to lead the country after the war ended. He has also been the main Iranian official leading negotiations with Washington since they began on April 11 in Pakistan. In an overnight post on X on Tuesday, Ghalibaf wrote that Iran is “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield” after Trump threatened Tehran with “problems like they’ve never seen before” if the two-week ceasefire ended this week without a deal. Ghalibaf expressed anger at Trump for “imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire”. “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” he said. The ceasefire was supposed to have ended on Wednesday, but shortly before its expiration, Trump extended it until Iran “can come up with a unified proposal”. Advertisement Within Iran, however, Ghalibaf’s willingness to engage in negotiations with the US has been criticised by some people who have accused him of “betrayal”. According to a report on Monday by the Iran International TV channel, some critics of Ghalibaf have said on social media platforms in Iran that the parliamentary speaker’s suggestion that peace talks with the US were progressing was “worrying”. “There is no good in negotiation except harm,” one critic said. But Ghalibaf has defended undertaking negotiations with the US. In a televised interview on Saturday, he said diplomacy does not mean “a withdrawal from Iran’s demands” but is a way to “consolidate military gains and translate them into political outcomes and lasting peace”. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Iran’s military power structure is often described as opaque and complex. The nation operates parallel armies, multiple intelligence services and layered command structures, all of which answer directly to the supreme leader, who serves as the commander in chief of all the armed forces. The parallel armies comprise the Artesh, Iran’s regular army, which is responsible for territorial defence, defence of Iran’s airspace and conventional warfare, and the IRGC, whose role goes beyond defence and includes protecting Iran’s political structure. The IRGC also controls Iran’s airspace and drone arsenal, which has become the backbone of Iran’s deterrence strategy against attacks by Israel and the US. After the US and Israel struck Iran and killed Ali Khamenei, the IRGC promised revenge and launched what it called “the heaviest offensive operations in the history of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic against occupied lands [a reference to Israel] and the bases of American terrorists”. Since then, it has struck US military assets and infrastructure across the Gulf region. Some experts said Iranian officials negotiating with the US are more closely aligned
Who is Hassam Ahmed? 12th pass fraud doctor arrested over forced religious conversion allegations from Lucknow’s KGMU; Here’s how he lured female students
A ‘fraudster’ doctor from Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University (KGMU) was arrested over allegedly plotting religious conversions and luring female students into love affairs. The doctor has been identified as Hassan Ahmed.
West Bengal Election 2026: What’s behind Rahul Gandhi’s cancelled rally amid permit row
According to West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar, denying Rahul’s visit is “pure insecurity masked as administration.” He said that both Trinamool and the BJP were “rattled” by rallies Rahul Gandhi held in Malda and Murshidabad that saw massive crowds thronging the public meetings.
Delhi SHOCKER: 22-year-old daughter of senior IRS officer found dead, allegedly strangled with mobile cable at her Amar Colony residence
In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old daughter of an IRS officer was found murdered at her residence in Amar Colony, South East Delhi. As per reports, the woman was sexually assaulted and later murdered by strangulation with a mobile charging cable