An investigation has exposed a nearly $20 million insurance scam in Nepal involving guides who allegedly fake or induce mountainside rescues, including by lacing the food of some hikers near Mt. Everest, according to a report by The Kathmandu Post.

Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, where some adventurous individuals go to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. 

The mountain sits on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

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The Kathmandu Post reported that after it highlighted the fraud in 2018, the government established a fact-finding committee, issued a 700-page report and declared reforms. 

But last year, the Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) reopened the matter and discovered that the fraud was increasing.

The outlet indicated that the CIB probe points out two main fraudulent scenarios.

One involves guides suggesting to tired adventurers who do not want to walk back that if they feign illness, a chopper will pick them up, according to The Kathmandu Post.

The outlet reported that, in the other scenario, guides and hotel staff, according to the CIB probe, have been coached to scare trekkers at high altitude, where altitude sickness can occur. They allegedly claim that the trekkers are in danger of dying and that only immediate evacuation will spare them. 

In some instances, investigators discovered that Diamox (acetazolamide) tablets, utilized to prevent altitude sickness, were given in conjunction with excessive water intake to cause the symptoms that would give grounds for a rescue, the outlet reported. 

In at least one instance noted in the investigation, guides allegedly laced food with baking powder to cause people to be unwell, the outlet stated.

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Police recorded a case in which four individuals were picked up on one chopper flight, but insurance claims were filed as more than one separate rescue, the report noted.

The framework tying the system of mass fraud together was detailed in police interrogations, according to the outlet, which reported that hospitals shell out 20% to 25% of the insurance money to trekking businesses and 20% to 25% to chopper rescue operators in return for patient referrals. 

Trekking guides and their businesses get a boost from inflated invoices, the outlet suggested. In some instances, tourists are offered money to join in the scam, The Kathmandu Post added.

In the period between 2022 and 2025, investigators found a whopping 4,782 foreign patients serviced at implicated hospitals, with 171 cases verified as fraudulent rescues, the outlet reported. During that span, Era International Hospital raked in deposits of over $15.87 million for such activities and Shreedhi International Hospital got more than $1.22 million, the outlet reported.

Mountain Rescue Service carried out 171 fake rescues from an overall 1,248 charter flights, scoring around $10.31 million from insurers, the outlet reported, adding that Nepal Charter Service executed 75 fake rescues out of 471 flights, claiming $8.2 million. Everest Experience and Assistance was allegedly tied to 71 suspicious rescues out of 601 flights, with claims of $11.04 million.

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CIB charged 32 people last month with offenses against the state and organized crime, the outlet reported, noting that nine individuals were arrested while others were said to be absconding.

Individuals from Mountain Helicopters, Altitude Air and Manang Air, which was rebranded as Basecamp Helicopters, as well as physicians and administrators with Swacon International Hospital, Shreedhi International Hospital and Era International Hospital were among the individuals who have been charged, the outlet indicated.

Iran is pushing back on President Donald Trump’s claim that it requested a ceasefire, with an official calling the statement "false and baseless in a blunt public denial.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, made the remarks rejecting Trump’s claim on Wednesday, according to a report on Iranian state television.

Trump made the claim about Iran requesting a ceasefire in a Truth Social post Wednesday morning. But the president indicated that the U.S. will only entertain the prospect once the Strait of Hormuz is open for ships.

"Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!" Trump asserted in the post.

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Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, however, issued its own statement saying the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces.

"This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States," it said.

Iran has effectively shut the critical oil choke point, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, sending oil prices soaring.

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U.S. gas prices jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 on Tuesday. Analysts say that high fuel costs will trickle into groceries as businesses’ transportation and packaging costs pile up.

Trump also told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of his televised address Wednesday night that the U.S. would be finishing its war in Iran soon, but he wouldn’t give a timeline.

"I can't tell you exactly. ... We’re going to be out pretty quickly," he said.

But once the U.S. leaves, he said, "We’ll come back to do spot hits" on targets, as needed.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump’s Department of Education has launched "yet another investigation" into Fairfax County, Virginia, after police say that an adult illegal immigrant student allegedly groped a dozen minor girls at a high school he attended.

The Education Department announced Monday that it is opening the investigation following reports "from 12 high school girls who have credibly accused one male student — an illegal immigrant — of sexual assault."

This comes after outraged Fairfax County parents expressed disgust, frustration and fear about Fairfax County High School’s handling of complaints alleging that 18-year-old illegal alien Israel Flores Ortiz groped several girls from behind on school grounds.

According to the department, this is the latest in a "long list of investigations" it has opened into schools in deep blue Northern Virginia.

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Flores Ortiz, 18, is facing 13 counts of assault and battery for allegedly inappropriately touching female classmates at a Fairfax County school. 

Fairfax police were alerted on March 5 by Fairfax High School about reports of multiple assaults on campus. An arrest warrant was issued, and Flores Ortiz turned himself in on March 7. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Flores Ortiz is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration in 2024. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said a detainer has been filed for him by federal authorities and that he could face removal from the country.

Parent Stacy Langton told Fox News Digital last week that "it's terrifying as a parent, because when I send my daughters to school, I think they're safe in the care of the school."

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"And in this case, they absolutely were not safe, and I don't know what parent wouldn't be completely distraught at the idea that their daughters could be getting sexually battered while they're changing classes," said Langton.

A spokesperson for Fairfax County Public Schools confirmed the investigation, telling Fox News Digital that it "received the complaint yesterday and is reviewing it." 

The spokesperson said that the school system is "prepared to fully cooperate with the U.S. Department of Education’s inquiry."

"We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and are continuing to work closely with them as their investigation into this matter moves forward," the spokesperson said, adding, "to maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we cannot share additional details at this point."

They said that "in addition to the law enforcement investigation, Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid has requested that FCPS retain an independent outside law firm to conduct a comprehensive review of this matter."

The spokesperson shared that the firm McGuireWoods "will conduct this thorough, objective, and independent review."

"The goal is clear: to establish a definitive understanding of what occurred, when it occurred, and confirm that all policies, procedures, and regulations were properly followed," the spokesperson said, adding, "The safety of our students and staff remains a top priority."

The system previously released a statement saying that it prioritizes the safety of students and staff.

"While Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is unable to comment on specifics due to federal and state privacy laws, we prioritize student and staff safety, and we fully investigate any time someone shares that an incident has occurred at school, or that they do not feel safe at school," the district said at the time. 

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In addition to the Fairfax County incidents, the Department of Education said it is investigating several other incidents in Northern Virginia schools involving female students filing complaints about inappropriate conduct in female-only spaces by men allowed in under gender identity policies.

The department said that "Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology, race-based admissions systems, far-Left indoctrination, and unlawful discrimination has inflicted immeasurable harm on our students," adding, "It must stop." 

Former Biden White House staffer Yemisi Egbewole posted a TikTok video on March 25 criticizing what she described as inappropriate adult clothing at Disneyland, recounting her recent visit to the California theme park and arguing that social norms in child-focused spaces are being eroded.

"There is something absolutely sinister about an adult who actively chooses not to wear appropriate clothing in an environment that is marketed towards children, and we need to talk about it more," Egbewole said.

"Because we have allowed people to do it … not have a say on how people express themselves. But in doing so, we have eroded rules."

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Egbewole framed her remarks around what she described as unwritten societal expectations that govern behavior in family-oriented settings.

"Rules that don't have to be on a board … but rules that exist in society without having to say so," she said.

Describing her visit to Disneyland, Egbewole pointed to a specific moment that she said underscored her concern.

"I also don't need to see somebody in almost chaps when I'm looking at a toddler meeting Daisy and Donald for the first time," she said.

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She also addressed criticism she expects from those who view such concerns as overly restrictive.

"And it's almost like if you say it out loud, people are like, ‘What is this, the Puritan movement … is this 'The Crucible?’" she said.

Egbewole rejected that framing and called for clearer distinctions between adult and child-centered environments.

"'Let women be women, let people be people.' No. No. We have to claw back these spaces," she said.

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She referenced similar concerns raised about other public venues, including the Houston rodeo, describing what she sees as a broader trend.

"Adults are walking around, and they think it's a club, but this is really a fairground. It's a carnival for children," Egbewole said. "They're meeting animals… it's like 4-H."

Egbewole contrasted those settings with spaces she described as appropriate for unrestricted self-expression, pointing to her experience at a Beyoncé concert.

"There are adult spaces where you can wear what you like. I went to see Cowboy Carter … we all wore what we wanted. Do you understand the difference?" she said.

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Egebewole also pushed back on the idea that individuals should be free to dress however they want in any environment.

"And I'm scrolling through TikTok… ‘Y'all just gotta let people live how they want.’ No, I don't," she said. "Not when we're bringing kids to see Mickey and Minnie."

"We as adults know the rules. And you know what? Children do too, because they notice, and it's uncomfortable," she said. "We maintain societal order by rejecting the inappropriateness of people who know better."

Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for additional comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Ukraine is scrambling to recover thousands of children taken by Russia, and Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska is crediting Melania Trump for helping spotlight the effort.

"The community that has been created by the first lady, Melania Trump, is very important," Zelenska said in a special interview on "The Sunday Briefing."

"I'm very grateful to her for getting involved in this," she added later, her words translated from Ukrainian. "She deeply understands how important this subject is, and I am sure that her involvement is very helpful, because her advocacy attracts attention."

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Zelenska said the effort to bring the children home depends on a growing coalition of countries working together to identify their whereabouts and pressure Russia to return them.

So far, about 2,000 children have been brought back to Ukraine, but she warned the current pace is far too slow.

"If we go as slow as this, it will take dozens of years to bring them all back," Zelenska said.

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"It's very important that as many countries as possible join us [in the effort to find them]."

Ukraine is reportedly still searching for roughly 20,000 children believed to have been "forcibly relocated" by Russia since the start of the war in 2022. The Trump administration boosted the effort last week with a fresh $25 million in funding.

Investigations have found that many of the children have been taken to a network of more than 200 facilities across Russia and occupied territories, where they are subjected to "re-education" programs, placed with Russian families and more.

Some sites have also been linked to military-style training for some children, according to research from Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab.

Zelenska said efforts to locate the children are complicated by a lack of reliable information, accusing Russia of making it difficult to track their whereabouts.

Detroit Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle seems pretty comfortable at the major league level, but one veteran doesn't want him too comfortable.

McGonigle made the Tigers' Opening Day roster, and he showed why he deserved it by notching four hits in his MLB debut.

McGonigle was back in action on Friday in San Diego against the Padres, and in the top of the second inning, he launched a ball to deep center field that traveled 403 feet. However, Jackson Merrill leaped and robbed McGonigle of his first home run.

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In the bottom half of the inning, after Merrill doubled, McGonigle appeared to compliment Merrill on his catch, which Merrill thanked him for.

But that did not come before Merrill joked about McGonigle's big Opening Day.

"You got four yesterday!" Merrill said to the rookie.

McGonigle became the 21st player in MLB history to have four hits in his MLB debut and the first to do it since J.P. Arancibia in 2010.

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Merrill's home run robbery provided a boost early on, but McGonigle got revenge with a game-winning two-run single in a four-run eighth inning for Detroit en route to a 5-2 victory.

The Tigers choked a double-digit AL Central lead last season but still managed to get to the American League Division Series after defeating the same team who overtook them in the standings in the Cleveland Guardians.

The Padres played more October baseball as a wild-card team as the Los Angeles Dodgers took another NL West title before repeating as World Series Champions.

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Former "Superman" actor Dean Cain has swapped capes for badges.

At this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the 60-year-old former "Lois & Clark" star doubled down on his decision to join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a move he made in August 2025.

"I'm Dean Cain, and some of you might be wondering why a former Superman actor is on stage at CPAC? Well, the answer is simple," he told the Texas crowd. "It’s because I believe in truth, justice and the American way."

As Cain was met with a roaring crowd, he outlined what "the American way" meant to him.

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"Number one, individual rights… Number two, equality of opportunity, not outcome. That means no DEI, no CRT. And yes, on merit – no matter your race, your religion, your social status, it doesn’t matter, you earn it."

Cain, who has been vocal about his conservative views for years, continued, "Number three, competition. The ability to compete fairly without the government getting in your way. No men in women’s sports."

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He then shifted gears from philosophy to action. He called out pushes to "defund the police" and "defund ICE."

"Now, the theme here today is action, not words. And right now, I’m giving you a bunch of words. So what about action? Well, when extremists on the left screamed 'defund the police,' I joined law enforcement. When the leftists shrieked, as they are shrieking now, 'defund ICE,' I joined ICE."

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Cain didn’t hold back on his take on Hollywood either.

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"And when Hollywood said, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re a conservative, you’re canceled,’ I said, ‘You know what? We’re going to create a new platform called Proud American Studios, and I’m going to do a podcast called "The Homeland," and I’m going to celebrate the United States of America, the greatest nation the world has ever known.’"

The crowd erupted in applause and chants of "U-S-A."

"And we’re going to fight. We’re going to fight to keep it that way. So truth, justice and the American way, OK? God bless you all for being here."

Cain’s decision to join ICE wasn’t about politics — it was personal.

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He’s been involved in law enforcement for nearly a decade, first as a deputy sheriff, then as a reserve police officer. But it was the criticism of ICE agents that pushed him to take further action.

"Our ICE agents, who are amazing men and women, are incredible. And they're black, and they are brown and green and yellow and Japanese and whatever. They're a cross-section of Americans," Cain previously told Fox News Digital. 

"They are doing their job, the job that Congress wrote the laws for them to support and uphold, and they're doing the job of deporting people who are here illegally."

He continued to explain his stance on illegal immigration.

"If you're a legal citizen here in this country, no worries, you're great, but if you're here illegally, you've broken the law to begin with."

He argued that ICE agents deserve respect for doing the job that many are too afraid to do.

"The fact that these men and women who are doing their jobs are getting vilified, I had to stand up with them and for them because I think it takes people standing up to change the culture."