Desmond Milligan

【叡明－津田学園】力投する津田学園の先発・桑山＝阪神甲子園球場で2025年8月7日、藤井達也撮影 高校野球・夏の甲子園1回戦（7日） ○津田学園（三重）5―4叡明（埼玉）● 　津田学園の佐川竜朗監督は試合後、延長十二回を完投したエース左腕・桑山晄太朗の頑張りを、こんな言葉でたたえた。 　「今日、彼は初めて自分の後ろにいる仲間を信頼したんじゃないか。そこに彼の成長が見えましたね」 　3イニングのタイブレークを乗り切った末の勝利。桑山にとって、殻を破るピッチングになった。 　最速は149キロを誇り、スライダーも曲がり幅や球速に変化をつけて操れる。 　ただ、これまでは自分が抑えるという責任感ゆえに、練習で自身の世界に入り込むことがあった。 　今夏の三重大会の期間中も調整に専念するのではなく、ウエートトレーニングや走り込みをしてきた。捕手の犬飼悠之介は桑山について「自由人。練習もずっと1人で考えてやっている」と語る。 Advertisement 　この試合、三回までは被安打1と上々の立ち上がり。ただ、2巡目以降は「（自身）初めての甲子園で、観客も多くて、普段とは違った」（桑山）。少しずつ高めに浮き始めた球を捉えられた。 【叡明－津田学園】延長タイブレーク十二回裏津田学園無死一、二塁、サヨナラで叡明を破り、喜ぶ津田学園の選手たち＝阪神甲子園球場で2025年8月7日、岩本一希撮影 　ただ、苦しい場面で守備に助けられた。3―3で迎えた延長十回は、併殺と三振で無失点に抑えた。 　十一回に1点を失ったが、その裏に味方が追いつくと、「脚のいろいろなところがつりそうだった」。それでも「3年間で最後。気力しかない」と気持ちを入れ直した。 　十二回1死一、二塁でも「低めに、コースを間違えないように」。ここも併殺に仕留め、サヨナラ勝ちを呼び込んだ。 　試合後、桑山は充実感をにじませながら振り返った。「なかなか試合が決まらない中でも、気持ちは切らさずに、思い切って腕を振って投げました」 　そして、続けた。「あとはバックに任せて、信じて、投げました」 　言葉に実感がこもっていた。【深野麟之介】 View the full article

　ボディービルダーでタレント・横川尚隆（３１）の近影にフォロワーが仰天した。 　７日までにインスタグラムで「あと１２ｋｇくらい絞る　やっとぱんっぱんの（クマの絵文字）さんから卒業できる」とつづった横川。極太の腕筋を見せた自撮りをアップし、「＃お前もボディビルダーにならないか＃どうも筋肉です」とハッシュタグを付けた。 　今年２月の投稿で「平均して９８ｋｇになってしまった　人生最高体重人生で一番ぽちゃぽちゃ」と大きくなった姿を見せ、「別人みたい」「誰？」と反響を呼んだ横川。 　今回の投稿にはフォロワーが「デカイ！」「でかっ！！！！！！！」「ますます大きくなりました」「馬の太ももぐらいある笑　マジ尊敬」「肩から脚生えてる」「とんでもないデカさですなあ」「これ脚どうなっちゃうんだ？」「どんどんデカくなってる」「もうわけわからんレベル」「国宝だろ」と驚いていた。 View the full article

友人と過ごした「ずーっと笑ってた夜」 　お笑いコンビ「霜降り明星」の粗品の元妻で、元タレントの秋山衣梨佳さんがインスタグラムを更新。友人と過ごした夜の様子を公開した。 　「ずーっと笑ってた夜」とつづり、友人と訪れたカフェでの様子を公開。金髪ヘアでグレーのキャミソールからのぞく両腕にはタトゥーが。友人と動画を撮影しながら笑いがこぼれ、終始楽しんでいる様子がうかがえる。 　また、マレーシアの街角で佇む様子も投稿し「横顔も美しいんですね」とコメントが寄せられた。 秋山衣梨佳さん(上)(インスタグラム@akiyamaerikaより) 秋山衣梨佳さん(インスタグラム@akiyamaerikaより) 　秋山は、2011年にアイドルとしてデビュー。21年霜降り明星の粗品と結婚、23年に粗品が秋山と離婚していたことを自身のYouTubeのライブ配信で明かし、話題になった。 View the full article

　8月6日放送の『水曜日のダウンタウン』（TBS系）の内容が物議を醸している。この日は、「説教中でもやっぱり身の安全が第一説」が検証された。 　この企画では、先輩芸人から説教を受けている最中、「プールに波が押し寄せてくる」「長いふんどしに火がつく」という2つの内容が放送されたが、とりわけ批判を集めたのがプールのネタだった。 　番組ではニセのロケ企画をおこなったあと、先輩芸人が後輩に “ダメ出し” をする流れとなった。スタッフに聞かれないよう人目につかないプールのなかにおびき出すが、そこでは芸人の “身長差” が強調されていたと語るのはスポーツ紙記者だ。 「ターゲットとなったのは、『いぬ』の太田隆司さん（身長153cm）、『素晴らしき人生』のりょうちゃん（148cm）でした。太田さんの仕掛け人・スリムクラブ真栄田賢さん（183cm）、りょうちゃんの仕掛け人・みなみかわさん（184cm）とは30cm以上の差があります。 　プールの水深は1.2m。ターゲットの芸人さんは立っているのもやっとですが、そこに波が次々と押し寄せ、溺れそうになりながら先輩の “ダメ出し” に耳を傾ける様子が映し出されました」 　この姿に、X上では否定的な声が並んだ。 《水曜日のダウンタウン？の波のやつ何がおもしろいん？なんで見て笑っとられるん？こわすぎるやだかわいそうやあんなん》 《水曜日のダウンタウン観てるけど、プールの波のやつちょっと笑えない…かも溺れそうになったことあるから見てられない》 《シンプルにみててしんどい。この番組だから許されると言っていいのか、、子どもが真似しませんように》 　こうした声が聞かれる理由を、前出のスポーツ紙記者が語る。 「『水ダウ』は、これまでも時流や季節柄を反映したネタを多く放送してきました。過去には過剰なコロナ対策をイジる企画で『コロナで亡くなった人もいる』といった批判を受けています。 　今回も、夏ということでプールを出したのでしょうが、このシーズンは水難事故も多く報告されています。身長の低い芸人を水深のあるプールに立たせて、波にのまれそうになる演出は、一部の視聴者にとっては抵抗感のある内容だったのでしょう」 　実際、X上では《水曜日のダウンタウン多分責められると思うけどめげずに頑張って。でも今回の波のやつは無し》と、“アンチ” ではない番組ファンからの苦言も並ぶ。 「もちろん、出演した芸人にとっては大人気番組で笑いが取れるわけですから、“おいしい” でしょう。ただ、誰かを傷つけるようなドッキリには視聴者が抵抗感を強く持つようになってきました。こうした攻めた演出をいつまで続けられるのか、気になりますね」（芸能ジャーナリスト） 　はたして、どれぐらいの人が笑えたのか。 View the full article

【旭川志峯－広陵】四回表旭川志峯1死三塁、石田が適時打を放つ＝阪神甲子園球場で2025年8月7日、岩本一希撮影 高校野球・夏の甲子園1回戦（7日） 旭川志峯（北北海道）－広陵（広島） 　試合開始は午後7時29分。夜のとばりが下りた甲子園で、旭川志峯が鮮やかな先制劇を見せた。 　四回1死三塁。打線は広陵先発の堀田昂佑が操る低く沈む変化球に苦しめられていたが、左打席に入った石田健心は、その低めの変化球を拾い、前進守備の間を破る中前適時打とした。 　打率3割超だった北北海道大会から好調で、第1打席でもチーム初安打となる三塁打を放った。甲子園出場に貢献してきた中軸打者としての実力を、強豪相手にも示した。 Advertisement 　チーム名が2023年に「旭川大高」から「旭川志峯」に変わってから初の甲子園。春の北海道大会では初戦で敗れ、主将を2人置くなど、チーム名だけではない変革の先につかんだ3年ぶりの晴れ舞台だった。 　山本博幸監督は広陵の投手陣を「球威も制球も良く、なかなか北海道にはいない」と評していたが、「旭川志峯」としてのあいさつ代わりの攻撃を見せた。【吉川雄飛】 View the full article

美國總統特朗普（Donald Trump）8月7日在社交網站發文，要求大型科技企業英特爾（Intel）行政總裁陳立武（Lip-Bu Tan）辭職。在此前一天，有美國共和黨參議員去信英特爾董事會，質疑陳立武「與中國企業的關係」。在美股開盤前，英特爾跌約3%。 特朗普在社交平台發文主張，英特爾行政總裁存在高度利益衝突問題（highly conflicted），必須立即辭職，他稱「這問題沒有其他解決方法」。 在此之前的8月6日，美國共和黨參議員科頓（Tom Cotton）去信英特爾董事會主席Frank Yeary，信件題為「行政總裁與中國的關係令人擔憂」，內容包括「2025年3月，英特爾任命陳立武為新行政總裁。據報道陳立武控制著數十家中國企業，並持有數百家中國先進製造和晶片企業的股份。其中至少有8家公司與中國人民解放軍有聯繫。」 路透社4月曾報道，陳立武本人或透過其創立、經營的風險基金，投資過逾600間中國公司，報道指在2012年3月至2024年12月期間，他向數以百計中國先進製造和晶片公司投資至少2億美元。 如今科頓質疑陳立武與中國企業的關係，他又在信件內談以陳立武過去任職的前公司Cadence最近捲入的一宗刑事案。 科頓在信中質問英特爾董事會是否知悉在陳立武擔任Cadence行政總裁期間，該公司曾收到傳票。科頓又詢問英特爾採取哪些措施來解決這些問題。 陳立武（Lip-Bu Tan）是出生在馬來西亞的華人。（Intel官網）現年65歲的陳立武生於馬來西亞，畢業於新加坡南洋大學、美國麻省理工學院，2008年起擔任電子設計自動化（EDA）巨頭Cadence的行政總裁，2025年3月起擔任英特爾行政總裁。 中美關稅戰8月12日會否捲土重來　關鍵看普京能否搞定特朗普《衰仔樂園》繼續惡搞國土安全部　特朗普政府隔空掀罵戰巴西總統：特朗普正破壞多邊主義　將給中印打電話討論如何應對 View the full article

麻雀樂團｜《強人》系列金牌監製羅永賢Marco、夥拍其最佳拍檔黃偉強編審的《麻雀樂團》，逢周一至五晚八點半翡翠台播映，主要演員有譚俊彥、李佳芯、郭柏妍、姜大衛、韋家雄、何啟南、黃庭鋒、胡敏芝及謝東閔！8月6日焦點劇情是劇中「麻甩三兄弟」的「反枱」戲碼。 韋家雄嘅扭計又係神來之筆。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）三兄弟酒吧攤牌戲。（官方提供）圍繞「人」和「情」出發的《麻雀樂團》，8月6日焦點劇情是劇中「麻甩三兄弟」的「反枱」戲碼。這場長達約五分半鐘的兄弟攤牌戲，除了是三位好戲之人飆戲之作，亦是《麻雀樂團》編劇團隊功力的見證，簡單又生活化的「麻甩式對白」，已集合溫情及搞笑於一身，令不少網民看畢會心微笑。劇情講述阿威（韋家雄飾）因發現了阿強（何啟南飾）與宗叔（姜大衞飾）暗地見面，在阿久（譚俊彥飾）面前向阿強大興問罪之師，阿久見狀不但沒有發難，更企圖扯開話題保護阿強。自知紙包不住火的阿強，向相識四十年零四個月的兩位好兄弟直認「衰貪錢」，並坦盪盪指出自己不但與兩位好兄弟比較一事無成，就算是與昔日的街邊檔「報紙仔」比較亦一樣失敗，因著自卑、不甘愈說愈激動的阿強，更以手指猛戳桌面憤恨謂：「我唔想成世人好似乜都冇做過咁呀」，再追加一句：「我做咗廿幾年嘢，我未曾試過有間房架」，更是道盡了營營役役一世卻看不到前景的打工仔。 好兄弟傾偈，就係要咁傾。（官方提供）好兄弟傾偈，就係要咁傾。（官方提供）當阿威（韋家雄）篤爆阿強（何啟南）時，阿九（譚俊彥）第一個反應竟然係想引開阿威注意力。（官方提供）當阿威（韋家雄）篤爆阿強（何啟南）時，阿九（譚俊彥）第一個反應竟然係想引開阿威注意力。（官方提供）當阿威（韋家雄）篤爆阿強（何啟南）時，阿九（譚俊彥）第一個反應竟然係想引開阿威注意力。（官方提供）而整場戲的高潮位，是阿久「反高潮」的反應，他先問阿強office有冇窗，令不少網民直呼「估你唔到」，再問宗叔出幾錢收買他；當得知是200萬後，阿久先爆出一句激氣，但接下來是超出預期的一句：「你係咪想激死我呀…我係你呀，我開三球半呀！」而二人對話期間，韋家雄的難以置信樣已為場口增添不少喜感，再加上他最終忍不住拋出一句：「喂，搞咩呀，呢個時候係咪應該爆佢樽啦？！」之後更和阿久來個「麻甩式打鬧」，三人合力炮製出一場「逆思維反枱戲」，看完盡是窩心。 +3有無綫「御用奸人」之稱的何啟南，是無綫「十大奸人」之一，曾演過的反派多不勝數，包括《一笑渡凡間》的無惡不作富二代「龐少爺」、《迷》的屈Dee哥、《十八年後的終極告白》的棺材哥及《破毒強人》的心計大毒販石一東（花灑）等，除了「擅長」姦淫擄掠、不少角色均是心狠手辣的黑道人士，難怪何啟南曾笑言「出街會嚇親人」。其實是次是監製Marco刻意幫何啟南「從良」，令不少網民大感驚喜，驚嘆何啟南終於不用再做奸角！ +6其實Marco是次為劇集選角，主要以「適合度」出發，反其道想將演員最真實、最突出的特質呈現於觀眾面前。Marco受訪時坦言與啟南相識多年，並坦言想將真正的何啟南展現出來：「咁多年嚟觀眾睇到嘅佢都係好高傲、好奸同好有壓力嘅角色，我私下認識嘅佢其實係好踏實嘅人，所以我今次將呢個江湖大佬拉番去好『地』嘅位，由著筆挺西裝變做著爛鬼背心踢拖嘅，希望帶出到個反差感，同埋其實啟南嘅喜劇節奏都好準架，希望大家會鍾意。」 +4麻雀樂團｜爆肚激到譚俊彥起勢掟嘢攤牌戲另一大亮點，自然是表情生鬼又出位的韋家雄！飾演李佳芯哥哥的韋家雄，爆炸頭＋過氣太陽眼鏡＋色彩鮮艷西裝＋娘爆頸鏈＋花喱碌恤衫＋粗豪聲線，獲網民封「TVB市井王」！原來這個吸睛造型亦是監製Marco的意思，他笑言整個造型重點是要一味夠out：「韋家雄其實轉數好快，再加埋佢好有喜感嘅肢體語言，佢做呢個過氣江湖大佬呢其實係好有嗰種味道！其實佢個造型我得一個英文字，就係個out字，好花嘅恤衫、好攣嘅頭，佢真係為咗咁去電架，仲要加咗撮白色嘢。」談到轉數快，為人搞笑的韋家雄，在片場中以「爆肚」馳名，譚仔透露拍攝《麻雀樂團》其中一場戲時，被韋家雄無厘頭一句爆肚：「泌尿科聖手、專業抓龍筋...原來係麻甩佬嚟嘅！」「激」到反射式掟嘢，豈料卻因拍入鏡頭效果好，獲導演加戲要求再掟多幾次，十分搞笑。 +6麻雀樂園｜莊易羚演技大爆發　獲網民肯定：事前做咗好多準備功夫麻雀樂團劇情1-10集｜譚俊彥能否擊敗姜大衛？李佳芯面臨考驗麻雀樂團｜李佳芯大鬧譚俊彥老牛食嫩草：你知唔知醜㗎？麻雀樂團｜譚俊彥用公公遺物增年代感　李佳芯Ali戴眼鏡變林亞珍麻雀樂團｜譚俊彥因為一奇怪習慣　同呢位上位小花有親密關係麻雀樂團｜李佳芯缺席宣傳活動　譚俊彥擔大旗造勢吐真實感受 View the full article

Worksuite aspires to be your one-stop business solution to handle and automate as business tasks and save your time so that you give more time to core business decisions. Demo: https://codecanyon.net/item/worksuite-project-management-system/20052522 https://workupload.com/file/wqw3Sq7rLJ9 https://www.upload.ee/files/18092031/worksuite-551nulled.rar.html https://pixeldrain.com/u/tnDeE4Lw https://www.mirrored.to/files/ZFPXWBCZ/worksuite-551nulled.rar_links https://krakenfiles.com/view/qUTlKZc7dQ/file.html https://katfile.com/lse305fas21t https://ddownload.com/iojkughth4xx https://bowfile.com/4OB5i https://1fichier.com/?9krmmol8r4ktd5chl7bz https://1cloudfile.com/3uGyc View the full article

Introducing WhatsCloud - a powerful Laravel-based SaaS platform designed specifically for WhatsApp marketing. With over 2 billion active users worldwide, WhatsApp has become a prime channel for businesses to connect with their audience and expand their reach. WhatsCloud empowers businesses to leverage the potential of WhatsApp by offering a comprehensive suite of features. Users can seamlessly integrate multiple Cloud APIs to send targeted messages to their desired audience, allowing for effective communication and engagement. The platform also provides robust tools for managing business operations, ensuring smooth and efficient interactions with customers. Demo: https://www.codester.com/items/44677/whatscloud-seamless-cloud-api-integration-saas https://workupload.com/file/YPtajeCYqgG https://www.upload.ee/files/17778024/whatscloud-83nulled.rar.html https://qiwi.gg/file/tCyy9057-whatscloud-83nulled https://pixeldrain.com/u/pf4457n3 https://www.mirrored.to/files/HHGON0D5/whatscloud-83nulled.rar_links https://krakenfiles.com/view/U8ujQVXmcG/file.html https://katfile.com/rh7rrwcc3uy0 https://hxfile.co/zx7fdp0daycq https://ddownload.com/3xxfwq7yvdwt https://clicknupload.site/flt6q0xbx6fe https://1fichier.com/?5o883cr7nvvc8amzzw73 View the full article

Charity – Nonprofit Charity System with Website is perfectly built for charity, nonprofit, non-governmental organization (NGO), donation and fundraising campaign with outstanding and amazing features. the system preferred to work on the languages of Arabic, English and German. Checkout the demo to learn more . Native admin Demo: https://codecanyon.net/item/charity-nonprofit-charity-system-with-website/23709006 https://www31.zippyshare.com/v/NXbRzAbY/file.html http://ul.to/wsd0psxj http://uploadboy.me/mjp4c24dcppf/charity-102.rar.html https://www.upload.ee/files/10791777/charity-102.rar.html https://upload.ac/n8sead7id2hu https://ulozto.net/file/VW00ilgpp9Q1/charity-102-rar https://novafile.com/h3e95k2j9vrp https://myfile.is/nb9fN8C5n0 https://mirrorace.com/m/2VLrn https://megaupload.is/Z08dN4C4nc https://dropapk.to/dy2oq1jyjfhy http://dl.free.fr/g9xojDe25 https://ddl.to/1sbj9tfzqv3t https://dbree.org/v/de3b5f https://bayfiles.com/dd9aNfC9n8 https://anonfile.com/b598NfCdn7 https://1fichier.com/?rvl6enqd4gmw1egj8nev View the full article

Una isla privada en el Caribe, una finca frente al mar en Florida y un rancho en Nuevo México son solo algunas de las propiedades que el multimillonario caído en desgracia Jeffrey Epstein acumuló antes de su muerte. Sin embargo, es su antigua casa adosada de Nueva York la que vuelve a acaparar la atención, en medio de las preguntas constantes sobre la denominada “lista de Epstein”. The New York Times nos regala un nuevo vistazo al interior de la mansión de Manhattan de 2.600 metros cuadrados y 40 habitaciones, la cual fue puesta a la venta por USD 88 millones en 2020. Jeffrey Epstein agasajó a ricos y famosos en su mansión de Manhattan (Wikimedia Commons)Un tigre disecado, cuadros de mujeres desnudas y una primera edición de la escandalosa novela Lolita de Vladimir Nabokov son algunas de las rarezas que se encuentran en su interior. PUBLICIDADThe Times ha publicado un nuevo alijo de fotografías y cartas del fallecido financiero caído en desgracia que reflejan su peculiar gusto por el diseño de interiores y su ajetreado círculo social, que lo veía recibir con frecuencia a celebridades y personas influyentes en su casa de siete plantas. El periódico señala que “docenas de globos oculares protésicos enmarcados decoraban la entrada” de la propiedad, mientras que la escultura de una mujer vestida de novia y sujetada a una cuerda colgaba sobre el hueco de la escalera central. En el interior de la mansión se aprecia un desnudo, mientras que en el centro de la imagen se ve un tigre disecado (Mega)Las fotografías también muestran un tigre disecado sobre una alfombra de felpa en una habitación bien iluminada con una araña en lo alto. Se ven estanterías, repisas de chimenea y vitrinas llenas de fotos enmarcadas de Epstein con personas famosas que conoció, desde el Papa Juan Pablo II hasta Fidel Castro. PUBLICIDADOtra contiene una foto antigua de Epstein con Donald Trump y su futura esposa Melania Trump; la imagen está recortada para excluir a la exnovia y cómplice de Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, quien actualmente cumple una condena en Texas. Una sala de masajes dentro de la enorme propiedad (US District Attorney’s Office)Trump no ha sido acusado de ningún delito por su pasada relación con Epstein y actualmente demanda a The Wall Street Journal por informar que una vez envió al delincuente sexual un dibujo “subido de tono” por su cumpleaños. Sigue recibiendo presiones de sus propios partidarios para hacer públicos los expedientes del Departamento de Justicia sobre los delitos del financiero. Según los informes, la mansión de Epstein, construida en 1932, también contaba con una sala de masajes. La habitación estaba igualmente decorada con obras de desnudos y tenía en su interior una bola y una cadena ornamentales de plata, así como estantes con lubricantes. La escalera principal de la mansión de Epstein (US District Attorney’s Office)Los acusadores de Epstein han alegado en anteriores ocasiones que la propiedad de Central Park estaba equipada con una red de cámaras de CCTV, una de las cuales parece apreciarse en las fotografías obtenidas por el NYT. PUBLICIDADCabe mencionar el ejemplar verde de Lolita, de 1955, dado que la novela narra el deseo sexual de un hombre mayor por una menor de edad. También inspiró un repugnante apodo para el avión que Epstein utilizaba para trasladarse desde y hacia su isla privada de Little St. James: el “Lolita Express”. Traducción de Martina Telo View the full article

警視庁と東京地検の違法捜査の検証結果が公表され、記者会見する大川原化工機の大川原正明社長（中央）ら＝東京都千代田区で2025年8月7日午後4時58分、和田大典撮影 　冤罪（えんざい）の根源には踏み込まず――。「大川原化工機事件」で警視庁が7日に発表した検証報告書では、肝心な点が未解明のまま残された。捜査に疑問を持ってきた捜査員、ぬれぎぬを着せられた大川原側からは厳しい目が向けられている。 　あらぬ疑いをかけられた大川原化工機は検証報告書の公表後、記者会見を開いた。求め続けてきた検証結果だったが、大川原正明社長（76）が「個人個人の責任に深く突っ込んでいない」と語るなど不満を指摘する声が相次いだ。 Advertisement 　大川原側代理人の高田剛弁護士は、警視庁が冤罪の原因を「捜査指揮系統の機能不全」と結論付けたことに強い違和感を覚えたという。「事件が欲しくてたまらない管理官と係長が暴走し、無理な省令解釈を作って、大川原の従業員をだまして供述調書を取ったというのが事件の構図だ。警視庁に不都合な事実を検証し切れていない」と訴えた。 大川原化工機事件に関する警視庁の検証報告書では未解明な点が多数残された 　大川原社長とともに逮捕され、約11カ月間勾留された元取締役の島田順司さん（72）は任意の取り調べで「不正輸出はしていない」と何度も訴えたが、一度も調書にされなかった。隠し録音したボイスレコーダーには「なんで供述している通り書いていただけないのですか」と繰り返す様子が記録されている。 　警視庁は今後、不正輸出事件で取り調べの録音・録画をする方針で、島田さんは「一歩進んだ」と評価した。一方で、再発防止策の全体像には「徹底、強化、充実など当たり前の言葉が並んでいるだけ」と失望を隠さなかった。 　会見には、勾留中にがんが見つかり被告の立場のまま亡くなった元顧問の相嶋静夫さん（享年72）の長男（51）の姿はなかった。代わりにメッセージが読み上げられ、「我々が望んだ第三者を入れた検証にならずに遺憾。本事件でもはや警視庁、検察庁は国民の脅威になってしまった。深く反省し、国民の信頼を得られることを望む」とした。 　大川原側が捜査の責任を問うために起こした訴訟では、3人の警部補が証人出廷して捜査を批判した。警視庁側は3人の証言を裁判で「壮大な虚構」と否定したため、大川原側が撤回を求めていた。検証報告書では「将来にわたって職員が自由に意見を述べることを萎縮させかねない点においても不適切」と撤回した。島田さんは「当たり前だ」と受け止めを語った。【遠藤浩二】 View the full article

【旭川志峯－広陵】六回裏広陵1死一、三塁、草島の犠飛で生還する三塁走者の白髪＝阪神甲子園球場で2025年8月7日、藤井達也撮影 高校野球・夏の甲子園1回戦（7日） 旭川志峯（北北海道）―広陵（広島） 　広陵の中井哲之監督は試合前、神妙な面持ちで語った。 　「反省すべきことを反省してきて、この大会を迎えている。生徒の頑張る力を信じたい」 　大会前に明るみに出た、野球部内で1月に起きた暴力事案について、初めて言及した。 　そう願った中井監督の思い通り、不慣れなナイターの試合でも選手たちは冷静だった。 　四回に旭川志峯に1点を先制されたが、その裏の攻撃で2死から3番・高橋海翔（かいと）が思い切り振り抜き、右中間を破った。相手の中継プレーにミスが出ている間に、高橋は一気に生還して追いついた。 　昨秋の広島大会は2回戦で敗退。春夏の甲子園で続いていた連続出場は今春に「4」で途絶えたが、その悔しさをバネに、実力の一端を示した。【村上正】 View the full article

プロ野球・巨人 【巨人－ヤクルト】ヤクルト戦に先発した巨人・田中将＝東京ドームで2025年8月7日 巨人―ヤクルト（7日・東京ドーム） 　ミットからこぼれ落ちる白球とともに、白星がするりと遠ざかった。日米通算199勝目を逃し、ベンチの巨人・田中将大はぼうぜんとグラウンドを見つめた。 　1点リードの六回。エラーと四球で2死一、二塁のピンチを招いて降板した。マウンドを継いだ船迫大雅はヤクルトの中村悠平に左前打を許し、二塁走者・村上宗隆が本塁に突入。外野からの返球は素早く、タイミングはアウトに思えた。しかし、捕手が捕球できず、球審が両手を横に広げた。六回途中2失点と粘った田中は勝利投手の権利を失い、「ランナーを残してマウンドを降りて悔しい」と反省を口にした。 Advertisement 　3カ月の調整期間の成果は垣間見えた。45歳の石川雅規と投げ合い、四回2死まではパーフェクトピッチングを披露。軸足にしっかりと体重の乗った直球には力があった。課題だったスプリットもコーナーに決まった。 　三回先頭の打席では石川から二塁打を放ち、先制のホームも踏んだ。日米通算200勝まで残り「2」。足踏みは続くものの、確実に前進している。【牧野大輔】 View the full article

記者会見に臨む迫田裕治警視総監＝東京都千代田区で2025年8月7日午前10時35分、新宮巳美撮影 　大川原化工機の冤罪（えんざい）事件で、警視庁と東京地検の違法捜査の検証結果が公表された。明らかになったのは、幹部や捜査員、検事らによる失態。再発防止策を示した各機関は今後、姿勢を改めることができるのか。（肩書は当時） 初めて退職者までさかのぼるも 　警視庁と警察庁が処分または処分相当とした捜査関係者のうち、地方公務員法上の懲戒処分に該当するのは、外事1課の渡辺誠管理官と宮園勇人係長＝いずれも退職＝の2人のみだった。ほかは内規に基づく「監督上の措置」以下の処分にとどまった。 　懲戒処分は免職、停職、減給、戒告の4種類がある。それ以下の内規に基づく処分は訓戒や注意などがある。今回、懲戒処分相当の2人は減給だった。 　警視庁が退職者までさかのぼり、処分相当として公表したのは初めて。幹部は「できる限り重い処分を検討した結果」と説明するが、17人は懲戒処分に当たらないとされた。 　また、役職別にみると、14人は課長以上の幹部で、現場捜査員は減給相当の2人を含めて5人のみ。国家賠償訴訟で大川原化工機の元取締役への取り調べが偽計的で違法だと認定された50代の男性警部補も警務部長訓戒にとどまった。 検察「萎縮しかねない」 … View the full article

PARIS - Depuis des années, il veillait sur les usagers du métro parisien dans cette station. Alors que la mosaïque représentant le visage du chanteur Georges Brassens à la station Porte des Lilas, sur la ligne 11, a été détruite par des travaux réalisés fin juillet, la RATP a affirmé ce jeudi 7 août auprès du Parisien vouloir mettre en place un nouvel hommage. Malgré l’opposition d’associations de sauvegarde du patrimoine, des travaux de remise en état de la station Porte des Lilas avaient été effectués autour du 26 juillet, détruisant la mosaïque ainsi que celles des lilas qui l’accompagnaient, un triptyque réalisé à la fin des années 1980 par l’artiste Michel L’Huillier. Les amendes de la RATP vont couter plus cher pour dissuader la fraude dans le métro parisien Cet hommage à l’interprète du titre Les Lilas représentait sur sa mosaïque centrale Georges Brassens de profil, fumant la pipe. « Pendant les vacances, ils en ont profité, ils ont tout cassé », a dénoncé Michel L’Huillier auprès du Parisien (voir la photo dans le tweet ci-dessous). « Pendant les vacances, ils ont tout cassé » : Brassens effacé de la station de métro Porte-des-Lilas https://t.co/T4u4WgSLO6 — Le Parisien | 93 (@leparisien_93) August 7, 2025 Un nouvel hommage envisagéDe son côté, la RATP rappelle auprès du journal que la station Porte des Lilas présentait « un état dégradé, affectant à la fois le confort et la sécurité des voyageurs ». « La conservation des fresques s’est révélée incompatible avec les exigences tenant à la préservation de la pérennité des ouvrages et la continuité de l’offre de transport », poursuit-elle. PUBLICITÉLa régie de transports assure cependant vouloir y maintenir la mémoire de Georges Brassens. Elle affirme avoir proposé à Michel L’Huilier une nouvelle collaboration, afin de réaliser une œuvre en hommage au chanteur décédé en 1981 ainsi qu’à une « artiste féminine ». L’artiste indique quant à lui n’avoir pour l’instant reçu aucune proposition de cet ordre, tout en voyant ce projet de la RATP comme une « bonne nouvelle ». L’homme qui a allumé une cigarette avec la flamme du Soldat inconnu sanctionné par Retailleau Face à Rachida Dati et Michel Barnier à Paris, le PS choisit l’ex-ministre Frédérique Bredin View the full article

ACCRA (Reuters) -Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has asked Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to also act as defence minister after a military helicopter crash in which the defence minister was among those killed, the president's office said on Thursday. The helicopter was flying to gold mining town Obuasi with five officials including Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed and three airforce crew on board when it crashed. None survived, and Ghanaian authorities did not immediately give an explanation for what might have caused the crash. Forson was tapped to serve as finance minister in January after Mahama returned to power. (Reporting by Emmanuel Bruce; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexander Winning) View the full article

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli security cabinet is set to meet Thursday evening to discuss a possible expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, a move that — if happens — would come despite fierce opposition from many in Israel, including the families of hostages who remain in Hamas captivity. The meeting comes on a day when at least 29 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes and shootings across southern Gaza, according to local hospitals. Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis said 12 of the fatalities were from people attempting to access aid near a distribution site run by a U.S. and Israeli-backed private contractor. At least 50 people were wounded, many from gunshots, the hospital said. Neither the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation nor the Israeli military, which helps secure the group's sites, immediately commented on the strikes or shootings. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of operating in densely populated civilian areas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been meeting this week with top advisers and security officials to discuss what his office said are ways to “further achieve Israel’s goals in Gaza” after the breakdown of ceasefire talks last month. An Israeli official familiar with the matter said the Security Cabinet is expected to hold a lengthy debate and approve an expanded military plan to conquer all or parts of Gaza not yet under Israeli control. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal decision, said that whatever is approved would be implemented gradually and in stages with the idea of increasing pressure on Hamas. Such a step would trigger new international condemnation of Israel at a time when Gaza is plunging toward famine. It also has drawn opposition across Israel, with hostage families saying it could threaten their loved ones. Israel's army chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has warned that the plan would endanger the hostages and further strain Israel's army, which has been stretched thin during a nearly two-year war, according to Israeli media. The comments appear to have exposed a rift between Netanyahu and his army. Opposition to expansion of the war Demonstrations were planned across Israel on Thursday evening to protest the expected Cabinet decision. On Thursday morning, almost two dozen relatives of hostages being held in Gaza set sail from southern Israel towards the maritime border with Gaza, where they broadcast messages from loudspeakers on boats to their relatives in Gaza. The families denounced Netanyahu’s plan to expand military operations. Yehuda Cohen, the father of Nimrod Cohen, an Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza, said from the boat that Netanyahu is prolonging the war to satisfy extremists in his government and to prevent it from collapsing. “Netanyahu is working only for himself,” he said, pleading with the international community to put pressure on Netanyahu to stop the war and save his son. Israel returns body of Palestinian activist for burial Israeli authorities returned the body of a Palestinian activist allegedly killed by an Israeli settler last week, after female Bedouin relatives launched a hunger strike to protest the authority’s decision to hold his body in custody. The hunger strike was a rare public call from Bedouin women who traditionally mourn in private. Witnesses said Awdah Al Hathaleen was shot and killed by a radical Israeli settler during a confrontation caught on video last month. Israeli authorities said they would only return the body if the family agrees to certain conditions that would “prevent public disorder.” Despite dropping some of their demands, family members said Israel set up checkpoints and prevented many mourners from outside the village from attending. The plight of Palestinians in this area of the West Bank, known as Masafer Yatta, was featured in “No Other Land,” an Oscar-winning documentary about settler violence and life under Israeli military rule. Al Hathaleen, a political activist and an English teacher, was a contributor to the film and close friend of its Palestinian co-directors. Aid organizations denounce Israeli policies Two major international aid organizations published reports on Thursday denouncing Israeli policies in Gaza. Human Rights Watch called on governments worldwide to suspend their arms transfers to Israel in the wake of deadly airstrikes on two Palestinian schools last year. Human Rights Watch said an investigation did not find any evidence of a military target at either school. At least 49 people were killed in the airstrikes that hit the Khadija girls’ school in Deir al-Balah on July 27, 2024, and the al-Zeitoun C school in Gaza City on Sept. 21, 2024. Doctors without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF, accused the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution sites of causing “orchestrated killing” rather than handing out aid. According to the United Nations, more than 850 people have died near GHF sites in the past two months. MSF runs two medical clinics very close to the GHF sites and said it had treated nearly 1,400 people wounded near the sites between June 7 and July 20, including 28 people who were dead upon arrival. MSF also treated 41 children who were shot near GHF sites. The organization said it has also treated almost 200 patients with physical assault injuries from chaotic scrambles at GHF sites, including head injuries, suffocation, and multiple patients with severely aggravated eyes after being sprayed at close range with pepper spray. GHF did not immediately answer a request for comment. But it has said that its contractors have not shot anyone at its sites. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. They still hold 50 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals. Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but says around half the dead have been women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government but is staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and other independent experts view its figures as the most reliable casualty count. Israel has disputed the figures but hasn’t provided its own. ___ Associated Press writers Josef Federman contributed from Jerusalem and Natalie Melzer contributed from Nahariya. View the full article

Drugmaker Eli Lilly says its oral, daily GLP-1 pill may offer similar weight loss results as weekly GLP-1 shots. Eli Lilly said Thursday that the company's orforglipron pill can offer up to an average of 27.3 pounds of weight loss, according to results from two of its Phase 3 trials that included more than 3,000 overweight or obese adults. Darron Cummings/AP - PHOTO: A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. sits outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis on April 26, 2017."With orforglipron, we're working to transform obesity care by introducing a potential once-daily oral therapy that could support early intervention and long-term disease management, while offering a convenient alternative to injectable treatments," Kenneth Custer, an executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said in a statement. "With these positive data in hand, we are now planning to submit orforglipron for regulatory review by year-end and are prepared for a global launch to address this urgent public health need." This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. View the full article

曾被劉鑾雄點名，在《愛‧回家之開心速遞》飾演「食屎陳師奶」一角的孫慧蓮最近驚現ViuTV劇集《社畜再培訓先導計劃》，在劇中飾演「HR」陳子豐的媽媽，因兒子欺負同學仔而見家長，令不少網民感到驚喜又有親切感。 好驚喜呀！（截圖）孫慧蓮在劇中飾演諸事八卦又貪小便宜的「陳師奶」。（《愛·回家之開心速遞》劇照）87歲特約演員孫慧蓮在《愛‧回家》飾演諸事八卦又貪小便宜「食屎陳師奶」成功「入屋」，獲劇組安排愈演愈多戲，成為Icon人物之一。現實中，孫慧蓮是位退休的小學老師，曾經擔任過訓導主任，主要負責教授體育科，更是羅家英師長。孫惠蓮因非常熱衷演藝工作，可惜因為舊式的家庭觀念以及演藝界的風氣，因此不敢入行，不過適逢已到退休年齡，自己的兒女已經長大成人在美國生活，機緣巧合下見到港台招聘演員，就嘗試寫信應徵，豈料成功順利加入港台工作，隨後更拍攝不少電視節目。 孫慧蓮曾經分享指入行教書時年僅21歲，當時家英哥是五年級學生。（IG/@wang_liza）孫慧蓮曾重提自己的學生羅家英：「家英哥係我最早期觀塘官立小學嘅學生，係第二屆嘅，1960年嘅插班生。」隨後提及於教書生涯中，遇到的同事都親切友好，尤其是退休前任教的將軍澳官立小學：「嗰班同事真係好年輕，差唔多同我啲仔女咁大，所以我真係當佢哋係自己嘅兒女，Ben sir（歐陽偉豪）都係我嘅同事。」 孫惠蓮靠「食屎陳師奶」成功入屋（節目截圖）孫惠蓮靠「食屎陳師奶」成功入屋，不過就被人誤會。（節目截圖）不過自己就不太介意。（節目截圖）點擊下圖看更多相關圖片： +7 View the full article

麥詩敏2015年起任職無綫新聞部，曾擔任首席主播及總編輯，獲得不少網民留意，憑專業形象加靚樣被封為「女神主播」。2023年6月宣布離開效力8年的TVB，離巢後於同年10月加入HOY TV主持飲食健康節目《健康寧飲食》，同時在2024年起主持《健康關注組》及港台電視《盤點政策》第三輯。 麥詩敏被封為「女神主播」。（電視截圖）麥詩敏幕前形象大方專業。（IG/@glorrrrr）冇做主播後，麥詩敏在HOY TV主持《健康寧飲食》。（[email protected]）她不時在社交平台分享生活點滴，最近惡劣天氣不斷降臨香港，她也出了一條片講述「惡劣天氣下主播如何返工？」麥詩敏指如果惡劣天氣令到交通癱瘓，公司會有專車接送，不過人數眾多的情況下，有機會是一起搭同一架車。 麥詩敏出了一條片講述「惡劣天氣下主播如何返工？」（片段截圖）麥詩敏也提到，惡劣天氣下，公司會為員工安排免費「打風餐」，通常是一個飯盒加一盒飲品。至於工時，正常情況下是依照自己本來的更表，但萬一因交通問題令到下一更同事遲到，便需要超時工作。至於大家最關心的問題，就是「有冇多啲人工或者補貼」，麥詩敏只是搖一搖頭，不用言語大家都知道答案了。 麥詩敏只是搖一搖頭，不用言語大家都知道答案了。（片段截圖）麥詩敏於2025年1月獲任命為廉政公署社區關係市民諮詢委員會委員，積極投身公共事務。2024年9月，她與拍拖10年的圈外男友舉行婚禮，生活步入新階段，親友圈中掀起熱烈祝福。 麥詩敏婚紗造型令人眼前一亮。（IG@glorrrrr）麥詩敏婚紗造型令人眼前一亮。（IG@glorrrrr）麥詩敏婚紗造型令人眼前一亮。（IG@glorrrrr） View the full article

President Trump is threatening to federalize the District of Columbia — and the catalyst is an unusual one. In the early hours of Sunday, a young man was allegedly beaten in an attempted carjacking in the nation’s capital. The man in question is Edward Coristine, who had a burst of fame earlier this year owing to the combination of his role in Elon Musk’s quasi-official Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his nickname: “Big Balls.” Trump on Tuesday afternoon posted a message on social media that included a photo of a bloodied Coristine and the president’s sentiments that crime in Washington was “totally out of control.” Although Trump neither named Coristine nor made any reference to his DOGE role, he added that “if D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run.” Asked at a White House event with Apple’s Tim Cook on Wednesday afternoon about overturning home rule for D.C., Trump replied, “We’re going to look at that. In fact, the lawyers are already studying it.” Those remarks mark a new phase in Trump’s tumultuous relationship with the city. Here are the main takeaways. What can Trump do?Trump would struggle to fully federalize D.C. because doing so would require a repeal of the law that gives Washington its current measure of self-government — the Home Rule Act of 1973. Repeal would need the approval of the House and the Senate. Trump might well be able to get such a measure through the lower chamber, but he would struggle mightily to overcome Democratic resistance in the Senate. Trump would need a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes, and there are only 53 Republicans. However, as The Washington Post and others have noted, a president does have other powers that can be used at his discretion. One enables Trump to take control of the district’s police — the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) — on a temporary basis. Asked about that on Wednesday afternoon, Trump replied, “We’re considering it, yeah.” He could also call out the National Guard, which he also suggested Wednesday afternoon was under consideration. In full states, that power rests with the governor — though of course that did not prevent Trump from calling out the National Guard in California in June, despite the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). Trump also has all kinds of other leverage to get what he wants in D.C., owing to how closely the city’s fortunes are tied to the federal government. But full federalization seems a big stretch. Violent crime is in decline in WashingtonTrump’s claim that violent crime is “out of control” is a subjective judgment. But if his intent was to suggest that such crime is rising, that’s incorrect. The latest figures from the MPD show violent crime overall as having declined 26 percent relative to this time last year. Declines are seen across every category: Robberies are down 29 percent; assaults with a deadly weapon are down 20 percent; and sex abuse, the category that includes rape, is down 48 percent. Murders are down 12 percent. Those figures are all the more impressive because the crime figures last year were markedly down from the year before. Homicides fell 32 percent in 2024 as a whole relative to 2023. The 2024 figures were heralded by the Department of Justice in early January — when former President Biden was still in the White House — as representing the lowest level of violent crime in the district “in over 30 years.” A delicate balancing act for the D.C. mayorDistrict of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) was a Trump foe in his first term. Her stance was most clearly on display in 2020 when she greenlighted the renaming of a street within view of the White House as “Black Lives Matter Plaza,” following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. But Bowser has been more conciliatory this time around, as seen when she praised the efforts of a task force that was set up by Trump in a March executive order. Much of her changed tone is to do with economics. During last year’s election campaign, Trump pledged to move up to 100,000 federal jobs out of the D.C. region, which would be fiscally disastrous for the city. His cuts to agencies are already having an effect. Bowser’s position is also a reflection of how much sway the Republican-controlled Congress has over the district. The D.C. budget got a $1.1 billion hole blown in it in March, when a federal government funding bill forced a return to 2024 budget levels. Trump’s words this week call Bowser’s strategy into question. Her relatively mild approach to Trump in his second term also holds its own political dangers in a fiercely Democratic city. Former Vice President Kamala Harris received almost 93 percent of the vote in the district last November. D.C. has long been a GOP targetTrump has lashed out at Washington plenty of times before — and not only in terms of supposedly “draining the swamp.” In 2023, he complained about driving through the city and seeing “the filth and the decay, and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti.” During the same period he also judged the district to be a “filthy and crime ridden embarrassment to our nation.” This time around, Trump has allies who want to push the antagonism toward the district even further. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) earlier this year introduced legislation aimed at repealing the Home Rule Act. But clashes between Republicans and the district are nothing new. For a start, the long-running campaign for full statehood is adamantly opposed by the GOP because its success would in effect guarantee two extra Democratic senators. Back in the days of D.C.’s most controversial mayor, the late Marion Barry (D), a GOP-led Congress took back much of the control over the district’s finances, hamstringing Barry in his fourth and final term. Separate from partisan politics per se, the history of D.C.’s relationship with the federal government is deeply intertwined with race and racism. The city had a measure of self-government in the early 19th century — until the right to vote was extended to include Black men, whereupon Congress seized control within a few years. Between then and the 1970s, presidential appointees ran the city — an increasingly untenable paternalism in a city that was then majority-Black. Black Washingtonians are no longer an outright majority, but they continue to represent a plurality of the district’s population. A strange coincidenceThe fact that the precipitating incident for Trump’s latest volleys at the district revolves around Coristine is a curious coincidence. It also provided some opportunity for mischief for headline writers. “Trump threatens D.C. takeover to avenge ‘Big Balls’” was New York Magazine’s framing of the story. There is no doubt that an incident occurred. Two people, both aged 15, have been charged with unarmed carjacking in the matter. There is also no evidence that the incident had anything to do with Coristine’s role in the government or his position with DOGE, which has come under tremendous criticism in Washington, D.C. If any other 19-year-old had been the target of an alleged carjacking in the Capitol city, however, it is unclear that it would have received the attention of this incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden (Oreg.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) are launching an investigation into UnitedHealth Group (UHG) over its actions reportedly steering seniors away from hospital visits for the sake of cutting costs. In a letter to UHG CEO Stephen J. Hemsley, Wyden and Warren cited reporting from outlets including The Guardian that said his company was paying nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers of sick patients. The senators wrote that UHG representatives told them bonus programs for nursing homes are offered to encourage “adherence to certain quality measures.” One of these programs allows for nursing homes to receive bonuses if they reach certain levels of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates and cholesterol medication adherence rates, while also maintaining a hospital admission per thousand rate below a certain threshold. They also pointed to UHG institutional special needs plans, provided through its subsidiary Optum, which reportedly disincentivize “medically-necessary hospitalizations and emergency room visits.” These plans also reportedly pressure nursing home residents to sign “do not resuscitate” (DNR) and “do not intubate” (DNI) orders. At the time of The Guardian’s reporting in May, UHG denied it was preventing hospital transfers or pushing patients to sign DNRs and DNIs. “Put simply, these allegations suggest that UHG appears to be prioritizing its bottom line at the expense of the health and safety of nursing home residents enrolled in UHG I-SNPs. Nursing home residents and their families should not live in fear of a for-profit health care company withholding care when it is most critical,” the lawmakers wrote. Though they expressed their support for evidence-based models that reduce “unnecessary hospitalizations of nursing home residents,” Wyden and Warren noted a briefing with UHG representatives did not resolve their concerns surrounding these reports. The lawmakers requested information on UHG’s I-SNP model, Optum’s policies on transferring residents on I-SNP to the hospital as well as information on its bonus programs. “Any attempt to take advantage of vulnerable nursing home residents is unacceptable, especially to pad a for-profit insurance company’s revenues. It is vital that UHG respond to these alarming reports and provide prompt, detailed responses to our questions,” wrote Wyden and Warren. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

President Trump is facing a Ghislaine Maxwell problem. Publicly releasing testimony from Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted in 2021 on sex trafficking charges, could help satisfy Trump supporters who have clamored for more transparency around the Epstein case. But further elevating Maxwell would keep the Epstein controversy front-and-center after Trump and top GOP leaders in the House have spent weeks trying to tamp down outrage among their own base. At the same time, Trump’s comments about Maxwell have in recent days fueled allegations from Democrats that he has something to hide because of his past ties to Epstein. Trump’s name reportedly appears in the Epstein files, though the president has repeatedly distanced himself from Epstein and has not been accused of wrongdoing. Trump has declined to rule out a pardon for Maxwell, saying only that he has the power to do it but hasn’t thought about her case. The administration raised eyebrows by moving Maxwell to a lower security prison in Texas. And Trump has continually praised Deputy Attorney Todd Blanche — his former personal attorney — for sitting down with Maxwell for interviews. “I didn’t discuss it with him, but anything he talked about with her, or the fact that he did that, not unusual, number one, and most importantly is something that would be totally above board,” Trump told reporters of Blanche’s conversations with Maxwell. Administration officials are weighing whether to publicly release some of Maxwell’s testimony to Blanche. The furor over the Epstein case, especially among some of Trump’s vocal supporters, had engulfed the White House in recent weeks and infuriated the president, who felt it was overshadowing better headlines. The outrage has died down, coinciding with lawmakers leaving for August recess. But Maxwell’s situation threatens to reignite the controversy, depending on what Trump and the administration do. Offering sympathy or clemency for Maxwell would invite bipartisan scrutiny, sources said. And releasing more information could come with legal restrictions. “There’s no question they’re trying to thread the needle,” one White House ally told The Hill. CNN and Fox News reported that top administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Blanche were set to join Vice President Vance at his residence on Wednesday night to discuss how to handle the ongoing Epstein saga, among other topics. Vance’s office pushed back on the reporting, with a spokesperson asserting there was “never a supposed meeting scheduled at the Vice President’s residence to discuss Epstein Strategy.” Many Trump supporters, including some in Congress, have pushed for additional disclosures after the FBI and Justice Department last month stated Epstein did not have a “client list” and that his 2019 death at his New York City jail cell was a suicide. Some prominent Trump allies have for years promoted conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death and claims that a client list would reveal ties between Epstein and prominent Democrats. Epstein, accused in several cases of sex trafficking young girls, ran in high-powered circles with figures that included Trump, former President Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and a number of other celebrities and ultrawealthy people. House GOP leaders sent members home a day early for August recess amid a logjam created by a push among some members to release more Epstein-related files. With lawmakers on recess and other issues taking over the news cycle, Trump has gotten some respite from the backlash related to Epstein. But the administration’s interactions with Maxwell, and Trump’s own comments about her, have kept interest in the case simmering. Maxwell met with Blanche over two days in recent weeks to share information about the Epstein case. ABC News reported that Maxwell did not say anything during the interviews that would be harmful to Trump. In the wake of those interviews, Maxwell was transferred from a low-security prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison in Texas. Officials have not said why. “I didn’t know about it at all. No, I read about it just like you did. It’s not a very uncommon thing,” Trump said when asked Tuesday if he’d approved of the transfer. The administration is now weighing whether to release audio or transcripts of the interview. Doing so would likely aid Trump in distancing himself from Epstein and satisfy some members of his base who would like to see more transparency. But it may also renew attention on the Epstein case as a whole, something Trump has attempted to squash. Maxwell, for her part, is asking for the Supreme Court to intervene in her case, and her attorney has said she is seeking “relief” from her prison sentence. Sources cautioned that Trump, who famously in 2020 said he wished Maxwell well, must tread carefully in how he handles her case to avoid it creating a larger controversy. “The president wants to move on. But they may come out with something slightly more transparent, a little more meat on the bone,” the White House ally said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

A bipartisan duo in the Senate has been garnering attention for a pitch aimed at shoring up the solvency of Social Security. The idea, pushed by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), calls for investing $1.5 trillion over the next five years into an investment fund that would then be given 70 years to grow. “It is something to save Social Security and to save the benefits flowing to the people, frankly, will either already depend on them or will depend upon them going forward,” Cassidy told The Hill last month. Here’s what lawmakers – and some experts – have said so far. How it worksWhile the senators have yet to release text for the plan, Cassidy said the government would create an investment fund separate from the existing Social Security trust funds, into which the government would place $300 billion annually over the next five years. That money would be invested into stocks, bonds and other investments, and Cassidy said it would be held “in escrow for 70 years.” “Any dividends being paid, for example, flow back into the investment fund. As that occurs, we also repeal the law requiring that benefits be cut to match income,” Cassidy told The Hill. The Treasury Department would be responsible for making up the payments for those 75 years, at which point the fund would pay back the Treasury Department and use its remaining funds to supplement Social Security payments, according to the senators. Cassidy argued the plan would not add to the national debt, which currently stands at well over $30 trillion. “The reason is that if you have money in an escrow account, you could always just empty the escrow account and pay off the Treasuries required to do the initial funding,” he said. “And so, even though we’re borrowing that money, it does not increase our nation’s indebtedness and the investment income will exceed the interest that accumulates on the money borrowed.” Cassidy estimated the plan could “generate at least 70 percent of the borrowing required to pay the benefits over the next seven decades.” What are the next steps?The senators have said they’re still collecting input on their plan, but the pitch is similar to a previous effort headed up by Cassidy that involved a coalition of senators from both sides of the aisle. “In a previous Congress, we had seven Republicans and seven Democrats. We’re putting that coalition back together,” Cassidy said. As the senators continue to “socialize” the idea, Cassidy said there’s more than a handful of Republicans that have said “they will openly support or they look forward to supporting, but they just plan to learn a little bit more.” “We really felt like we have to socialize the idea more before we get down to legislative draftsmanship,” Kaine also said of the idea, noting they’ve been hearing feedback from some experts. “I think that if I had to summarize feedback, it would be this can be a really important part of our solution,” Kaine told The Hill. “It probably is not the entire solution, which we know.” Kaine said turning around a projected shortfall for the program in the next decade will likely “take a bunch of different things,” but said the plan “can be a really important ingredient that nobody was really thinking about.” “And then that makes the path towards solvency a little bit easier,” he added, suggesting the “novel” idea being explored by him and Cassidy could mean Congress doesn’t have to look to more “painful” options to extend the lifetime of the program. The criticismsWhile the senators have drawn support over the bipartisan effort and for bringing more attention to the subject, some experts have raised questions over the pitch. In a collection of some reactions from retirement experts published by the Briefing Book last month, voices from prominent think-tanks American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Brookings Institution weighed in on the plan. “Senators Bill Cassidy and Tim Kaine deserve praise for drawing public attention to Social Security’s funding shortfall,” Sita Nataraj Slavov, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) who focuses on public finance and the economics of aging, said as part of the piece. “Unfortunately, their proposal does not improve the program’s finances because it avoids imposing the tax increases or benefit reductions that are necessary to keep it solvent.” Gopi Shah Goda, director of the Retirement Security Project and a senior fellow at Brookings, also said in the piece that borrowing funds as suggested in the senators’ plan “would likely raise interest rates and slow growth, and avoids the difficult but important work of modernizing the program so that it can continue to provide important protection to seniors in a sustainable manner.” In an interview on Tuesday, Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the AEI focused on Social Security reform, compared the idea to a “pension obligation fund” seen in some states. “The only thing that has to happen for this to lose money is for stocks to earn a lower return than bonds,” he said. “States that have tried these pension obligation bonds, some of them come out ahead. Some have lost money,” he said. “It’s a risky proposition. Social Security’s go-broke dateIn their annual report released in June, a board of trustees of the program’s accounts found that the combined trust funds for Social Security are projected to run out in 2034. The report projected that the program’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) fund would be able to cover “100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033,” while the Disability Insurance (DI) trust fund is estimated to be able to pay “100 percent of total scheduled benefits through at least 2099.” But when the projections are combined, the resulting fund is estimated to only be able to cover “100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2034, one year earlier than reported last year. The report cited last year’s passage of legislation repealing two key tax rules as a key factor behind the timeline shift, projecting the law would lead to increased benefit levels for some workers. However, that timeline could get even tighter after the recent passage of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” The Trump administration’s chief actuary for the program released an estimate this week projecting the trust funds will begin to see lower levels of tax revenue of Social Security benefits starting this year. With the recent tax changes, the Office of the Chief Actuary at the Social Security Administration projected depletion of the combined OASI and DI trust funds will accelerate from “the third quarter of 2034” under the recent board of trustees’ report baseline to “the first quarter of 2034 following implementation of the law.” What are the chances of Social Security action this Congress?While there’s support on both sides of the aisle for ways to shore up solvency for the program, changes to the program or how it’s funded is a heavy lift in Congress. Cassidy, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee, said he’s spoken to the chairman about a potential hearing on the legislation. Others are hopeful of further action on Social Security. “We all want to do something about it before the deadline,” Sen. Angus King (I-Vt.) said when asked about the plan, but added it “would be ahistorical” to see action to help shore up solvency for the program in this Congress. “The last time, when Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan fixed it, my understanding is they were about six months from insolvency. So, maybe we are going to have to wait that long, but I hope not,” King said, noting “the longer we wait, the harder it is to fix.” “I’m hoping that we can. As I say, there are a number of different discussions going on,” said King, who previously headed up the bipartisan effort with Cassidy in 2023. While King said he is “not involved at this point,” he added that he is “listening and there are several groups that are talking about Social Security.” “Everything is difficult in every Congress, it seems especially difficult these days. And the closer we get to an election, the less results I think we get,” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) also said last week. “But there is a certain demand for efforts to make sure that Social Security is solvent today and in the future.” “But they will be hard to come by,” he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article