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The latest public opinion poll in Japan is a caution to the Sanae Takaichi government that it shouldn't allow the military buildup to consume the country's economic vigor. The Takaichi Cabinet's approval rating has fallen to 50.2 percent, its lowest level since she took office, while 71.7 percent of respondents say they are worried about Japan's fiscal health.日本最新民意调查是对高市早苗政府的一个警示：不应让军事扩张消耗国家的经济活力。高市内阁的支持率已降至50.2%，为其上任以来最低水平，同时71.7%的受访者表示担忧日本的财政健康状况。The immediate trigger may be a proposed cut in the consumption tax on food. The majority of respondents were worried the tax reduction could make it difficult for the government to sustain its social security system as Takaichi has failed to offer any alternative source of revenue to fill the fiscal gap to be left by the tax cut.近期的直接导火索可能是拟议中的食品消费税削减。多数受访者担心，减税可能使政府难以维持社会保障体系，因为高市早苗未能提出任何替代收入来源来填补减税留下的财政缺口。In fact, Takaichi appears to be promising everything at once: lower taxes, higher military spending, massive industrial investment, stronger security ties and faster growth. Japan's balance sheet, however, will not play ball.事实上，高市早苗似乎同时承诺了一切：降低税收、增加军费、大规模产业投资、强化安全同盟和加快经济增长。然而，日本的资产负债表不会配合。She wants to protect households from inflation while maintaining an expansive fiscal and investment agenda. But the most conventional way to fight persistent inflation and support a weak yen is to allow the central bank to tighten monetary policy. The problem is that Japan cannot raise interest rates without confronting its debt mountain. This is the bind at the heart of Takaichi-nomics.她希望保护家庭免受通胀影响，同时维持扩张性的财政和投资议程。但对抗持续通胀和支撑疲软日元最常规的方法是允许央行收紧货币政策。问题在于，日本无法在不面对巨额债务的情况下提高利率。这正是“高市经济学”核心的困境。Takaichi's answer has increasingly been to promise investment and military spending as engines of "national renewal". But Japan has an aging population, a shrinking workforce, weak domestic demand and a shortage of resources. The proposed 370 trillion yen ($2.32 trillion) investment program over 14 years may help strategic industries, but no amount of government subsidy can substitute indefinitely for productivity growth, labor reform and a sustainable social security system.高市早苗的应对之策越来越多地是将投资和军费开支作为“国家复兴”的引擎。但日本面临人口老龄化、劳动力萎缩、国内需求疲软和资源短缺等问题。拟议中为期14年、总额370万亿日元（约合2.32万亿美元）的投资计划可能有助于战略产业，但再多的政府补贴也无法无限期替代生产率增长、劳动力改革和可持续的社会保障体系。The proposed domestic investment is to be accompanied by the cut in the food consumption tax from 8 percent to 1 percent. A complete elimination would represent roughly 5 trillion yen a year in lost revenue, so even the proposed reduction would leave a substantial hole. Meanwhile, the fiscal year 2027 military budget request stands at a record 8.9 trillion yen, and the final tally is on track to exceed 10 trillion yen as additional appropriations pile on.拟议的国内投资将伴随食品消费税从8%降至1%的减税措施。完全取消该税种每年将损失约5万亿日元的收入，因此即便是拟议中的削减也会留下巨大的财政缺口。与此同时，2027财年的军费预算申请已达创纪录的8.9万亿日元，随着追加拨款的叠加，最终总额有望突破10万亿日元。This is where the rhetoric of "national strength" collides with the realities of the country's national debt. Japan already carries one of the heaviest public-debt burdens in the developed world. The 10-year Japanese government bond yield recently climbed to 2.95 percent, its highest level in about three decades. The Japanese Finance Ministry is preparing 36.6 trillion yen for government-bond principal and interest payments in fiscal year 2027, a 17 percent increase from the previous year.这正是“国家实力”的豪言壮语与国债现实相碰撞之处。日本已是发达国家中公共债务负担最重的国家之一。日本10年期国债收益率近日升至2.95%，为约三十年来的最高水平。日本财务省正为2027财年准备36.6万亿日元的国债本息支付，较上一年增长17%。The danger is a feedback loop: more spending requires more borrowing; more borrowing can raise investors' concerns; higher yields increase interest costs; higher interest costs consume fiscal space; and shrinking fiscal space makes every subsequent policy choice harder.危险在于形成了一个反馈循环：更多支出需要更多借贷；更多借贷可能引发投资者的担忧；更高的收益率推高利息成本；更高的利息成本挤占财政空间；而缩小的财政空间使后续每一项政策选择都更加困难。The Takaichi government has invested a considerable stake in promoting Japan's military, economic security and national identity. It has pressed ahead with controversial legislation on imperial succession and a backup capital, while its security policy is a de facto neo-militarist to-do list.高市政府在推进日本军事、经济安全和民族认同方面投入了大量精力。它强推了关于皇位继承和备份首都的争议性立法，而其安全政策实质上是一份新军国主义的待办清单。Yet unlike the right-wing forces, voters appear less interested in recovering yesterday's military "glory" than paying tomorrow's grocery bills.然而，与右翼势力不同，选民似乎对恢复昨日的军事“荣光”兴趣不大，更关心如何支付明天的生活账单。In other words, Takaichi's main interest is remilitarization, while issues such as people's livelihoods and alleviating the burden on households take a back seat. The poll numbers on historical issues indicate that Japanese society is not unanimously behind her neo-militarist agenda. That is a big political gap.换言之，高市早苗的主要兴趣在于重新军事化，而民众生计和减轻家庭负担等问题则被置于次要位置。有关历史问题的民调数据表明，日本社会并未一致支持她的新军国主义议程。这是一个巨大的政治裂痕。The strongest mandate in the world cannot repeal arithmetic. Takaichi's ruling coalition may have won a Lower House majority, but it still faces resistance in the Upper House, and her popularity is already losing some of its protective cushion.世界上最强大的政治授权也无法废除算术法则。高市的执政联盟虽在众议院赢得多数席位，但在参议院仍面临阻力，而她的支持率已在失去部分保护屏障。Takaichi vows to make Japan stronger. But strength is not measured by the number of missiles, submarines and warplanes a government can finance, but whether a country can pay its bills, maintain policy credibility and improve its people's well-being.高市早苗誓言要让日本更强大。但强大的衡量标准不是政府能资助多少导弹、潜艇和战机，而是一个国家能否支付账单、保持政策可信度并改善民众福祉。No country can become stronger in the long run by confusing military expenditure with economic vitality. Takaichi has a choice between political theater and economic discipline.长远来看，没有任何国家能通过将军事开支与经济活力混为一谈而变得更强。高市早苗需要在政治秀场和经济纪律之间做出选择。But even as the Japanese public grapples with the rising cost of living, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Australia and India last week, advocating Japan's "counterstrike capabilities" and promoting weapons exports. These moves reflect Takaichi is recklessly pursuing the wrong choice of expanding military and related industries while trying to cut taxes.然而，就在日本民众应对生活成本上升之际，日本防卫大臣小泉进次郎上周访问了澳大利亚和印度，鼓吹日本的“反击能力”并推动武器出口。这些举动反映出高市早苗正在不计后果地追求错误的道路——在削减税收的同时扩张军事及关联产业。The more rational choice would be to embrace the trade-offs required for "national renewal": a credible tax base, structural reform, monetary-policy independence and spending that prioritizes the economy's long-term capacity. The neo-militarist drive should be discarded.更理性的选择应该是接受“国家复兴”所需的权衡取舍：可靠的税基、结构性改革、货币政策的独立性，以及优先考虑经济长期能力的支出安排。新军国主义的驱动力应当被摒弃。Japan's strained fiscal reality should serve as a stark warning to Takaichi: sacrificing public welfare for military expansion is a path to ruin. The problem, however, is that you can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.日本紧张的财政现实应当成为对高市早苗的严厉警告：以牺牲公共福利为代价追求军事扩张是一条毁灭之路。然而，问题在于，你永远叫不醒一个装睡的人。bind /baɪnd/困境aging population /ˈeɪdʒɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən/人口老龄化military budget request /ˈmɪlɪtəri ˈbʌdʒɪt rɪˈkwest/军费预算申请additional appropriations /əˈdɪʃənəl əˌprəʊpriˈeɪʃənz/追加拨款rhetoric /ˈretərɪk/豪言壮语principal and interest payments /ˈprɪnsəpəl ənd ˈɪntrəst ˈpeɪmənts/本息支付feedback loop /ˈfiːdbæk luːp/反馈循环

The House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, will install security cameras in the Diet building starting in fiscal 2027.

衆院議院運営委員会の理事会に臨む与野党の理事ら、９日午前、国会内皇族数の確保策を盛り込んだ皇室典範改正案は１０日の衆院本会議で採決され、与党などの賛成多数で可決、参院に送付される見通しだ。 The House of Representatives' steering committee decided at a board meeting Thursday to put the government's bill to revise the Imperial House Law to a vote by the full Lower House on Friday.

The House of Representatives' steering committee decided at a board meeting Thursday to put the government's bill to revise the Imperial House Law to a vote by the full Lower House on Friday.

会談に臨む自民党の梶山弘志国対委員長と中道改革連合の重徳和彦国対委員長、８日午前、国会内自民党は８日、高市早苗首相が出席する衆院予算委員会の集中審議開催に応じる考えを、中道改革連合に伝えた。 Japan's House of Representatives is expected to approve a bill to revise the Imperial House Law as early as Friday after opposition parties on Wednesday agreed to return to parliamentary debates in the Lower House following concessions by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to their demands.

Japan's House of Representatives is expected to approve a bill to revise the Imperial House Law as early as Friday after opposition parties on Wednesday agreed to return to parliamentary debates in the Lower House following concessions by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to their demands.

Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, passed a bill to revise the law on national referendums on constitutional amendments by a majority vote at a plenary session on Friday.

A Japanese parliamentary panel Friday approved a bill submitted by the government to reform the country's retrial system.

Tokyo High Court and the Miyazaki branch of Fukuoka High Court in southwestern Japan ruled Friday that the last House of Representatives election, held in February, was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparities.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday approved a bill to cut the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, by about 10 pct.

Yohei Kono, former speaker of Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, who is also known to have written a landmark 1993 statement over wartime comfort women, died on Monday at the age of 89, people close to him said Wednesday.

Sendai High Court and Hiroshima High Court's Matsue branch both ruled Tuesday that the Feb. 8 election for Japan's House of Representatives was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparity.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is looking at a proposal to automatically reduce the number of proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives if a ruling-opposition panel fails to reach a deal within a year.

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In today’s episode, Ben O’Shea reveals how Chinese spies are targeting us on LinkedIn. Plus, the Albanese Govt’s tax reforms pass the Lower House & Donald Trump’s anti-slavery tariffs explained.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government's bill to reduce the capital gains tax discount and restrict negative gearing, has passed the lower house. Vehicle theft has again surged in Victoria while declining in every other state. And The top earning women who made the Forbes list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government's bill to reduce the capital gains tax discount and restrict negative gearing, has passed the lower house. Vehicle theft has again surged in Victoria while declining in every other state. And The top earning women who made the Forbes list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Naha branch of Fukuoka High Court ruled Wednesday that the Feb. 8 election for Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the country's parliament, was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparities.

Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, on Tuesday passed a bill to establish a disaster management agency, which oversees the government's disaster prevention and response measures.

Two high courts in Japan on Tuesday ruled that the February general election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the country's parliament, was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparities.

A Japanese parliamentary panel on Thursday discussed a draft outline of an emergency clause that may be included in the Constitution as part of a planned amendment to the country's fundamental law.

One Nation has just made history by securing its first-ever federal lower house seat. With Pauline Hanson eyeing the Lodge, the message to Canberra is loud and clear: Australians are fed up. But is this a genuine endorsement of hard-right policies, or a protest against the cost-of-living crisis and housing stress? Today, we’re joined by The New Daily’s Political Editor Amy Remeikis to unpack whether the old 'blue vs red' era of Australian politics is officially over. Plus, we speak with Charlotte Mortlock, founder of Something Better Australia, about her grassroots mission to build a new political force that moves beyond the fringe.

Joining the show from the ground in Albury, Federal Politics Editor Michael Pachi describes the scene as One Nation's Farley secured nearly 40% of the primary vote.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The finance journalist says changes to capital gains tax concessions and negative gearing are only likely to have a 'symbolic effect' on housing affordability.Mentioned in this episode:The Making of One NationSearch for "The Making of One Nation" - new episodes out weekly.The Making of One Nation

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are slated to resume later this month working-level talks on cutting the number of the House of Representatives seats by 10 pct.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party proposed Thursday that a House of Representatives council on the electoral system include a plan to reduce the number of seats in the lower chamber of parliament in future discussions.

The South Australian election has triggered a federal political crisis, with One Nation displacing the Liberals as the primary alternative to Labor and securing its most significant electoral foothold in nearly 30 years. As the Coalition grapples with whether to pivot right to reclaim regional voters or overhaul its suburban appeal, the result has forced a panicked Parliament House to recognise the populist surge as a permanent disruption to the traditional political order.

Iran is vowing to strike Gulf infrastructure if the US follows through with a threat to hit its electricity grid tomorrow.US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Tehran to fully re-open the Strait of Hormuz  by tomorrow, or the US will completely destroy Iran's ‌electricity plants.The war on Iran is now in its fourth week - Israel has admitted that it will likely last several more weeks, while Tehran continues to show off its ability to carry out attacks.US Democrats are urging the Trump administration to stop the war, which they say Americans never wanted.  Vote-counting is continuing today after Saturday's South Australian election - with independent Geoff Brock now confirmed as the winner of the vast northern seat of Stuart - fighting off a challenge from One Nation candidate Brandon Turton.Eight seats remain in doubt, including three where One Nation is in the lead - Mackillop, Narungga and Hammond.So far Labor has won 32 Lower House seats, compared to four for the Liberals and one for One Nation.Australia's only manganese smelter Liberty Bell Bay in northern Tasmania has appointed voluntary administrators, consulting group EYThe smelter employs more than 200 people and has been in care and maintenance since May.ASIC has recently  filed to shut down the smelter after the operators repeatedly failed to submit their annual financial documents.

The head of the International Energy Agency says Asia is at the forefront of the current oil crisis. Last week Dr Fatih Birol described the current circumstances as "the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market".The head of the agency says he feels that decision-makers do not appreciate the depth of the problem.Iran has threatened to attack electrical plants in the Middle East powering American military bases, as US President Donald Trump's deadline on opening the Strait of Hormuz approachesMr Trump has warned that Iranian power plants would be targeted if Tehran failed to "fully open" the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours.Meanwhile, Israel and Iran are continuing to trade strikes, with a wave of attacks reported across Tehran and Tel Aviv.One Nation remains in contention to win additional Lower House seats following South Australia's election, with vote counting continuing today.One Nation has already gained one Lower House seat, compared to four for the Liberals and 32 for Labor.The party is well placed in Hammond, to the east of Adelaide, with One Nation's candidate Robert Roylance polling 27 per cent of the primary vote.There are also close contests in MacKillop and Narungga, with the Liberals and One Nation battling for those seats.

rWotD Episode 3231: Kirstie Marshall Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Monday, 9 March 2026, is Kirstie Marshall.Kirstie Claire Marshall (born 21 April 1969) is an Australian aerial skier and Victorian state politician.Marshall was an ex-gymnast who became an aerial skier at Mount Buller, Victoria. During her skiing career Marshall won over 40 World Cup medals, including 17 World Cup gold medals. Marshall competed in aerial skiing as a demonstration sport at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, and as a medal event at the 1994 Lillehammer and 1998 Nagano games, where she came sixth and fourteenth, respectively.In December 2002, aged 33, Marshall was elected as a Member of Parliament in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the Labor Party.On 26 February 2003, she was ejected from the Lower House chamber for breastfeeding her 11-day-old baby, Charlotte Louise. A section of the Parliamentary rules, namely Standing Order 30, states: "Unless by order of the House, no Member of this House shall presume to bring any stranger into any part of the House appropriated to the Members of this House while the House, or a Committee of the whole House, is sitting." As there is no age limit to 'strangers in the House' (non-elected persons), only MPs and certain parliamentary staff are allowed in the House during sitting times.Subsequently, the Speaker of the House set aside a room in which female MPs can feed their children without violating the Standing Orders.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:19 UTC on Monday, 9 March 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Kirstie Marshall on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Matthew.

Iran claims a strike on the USS Abraham Lincoln as the Mideast conflict continues, President Trump predicts that Cuba will "fall soon," the U.S. grants India a 30-day waiver to buy Russian oil, Sudan's army retakes a strategic city, Hungary is accused of taking Ukrainian bank staff hostage, reports claim that the U.S. military used Anthropic's Claude AI in strikes against Iran, a House panel advances a kids' online safety bill, Jimmy Lai won't appeal his 20-year sentence in Hong Kong, Polymarket removes its nuclear detonation betting market, and Germany's Lower House passes a wolf-hunting bill. Sources: Verity.News

地方公聴会を８日、中央公聴会を１０日に開催することを議決した衆院予算委員会、３日午後、国会内衆院予算委員会は３日、２０２６年度予算案の採決の前提となる地方公聴会を８日に、中央公聴会を１０日に開催することを与党の賛成多数で議決した。 Japan's House of Representatives Budget Committee on Tuesday approved a ruling bloc-backed plan aimed at securing Lower House passage of the government's fiscal 2026 budget bill on March 13, despite opposition objections.

参院本会議で立憲民主党の田名部匡代幹事長の代表質問を聞く高市早苗首相、２５日午前、国会内高市早苗首相は２５日、参院本会議の代表質問で、自民党の全衆院議員にカタログギフトを配布したことについて「法令上、問題はない」との認識を示した。 Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday defended her distribution of a gift catalog to all House of Representatives lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who won Lower House seats in the Feb. 8 general election.

Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi captured a historic supermajority for her Liberal Democratic Party in yesterday's election, meaning the LDP holds two-thirds or more seats in the Lower House, and giving her the scope to pursue her fiscal agenda. The Nikkei 225 rallied 5.5% today, crossing the 57,000 threshold for the first time. Other Asian markets rallied this morning following the recovery in the US indices on Friday. Nevertheless, last week marked a rotation out of Big Tech and into smaller companies and dividend growth stocks. Gold is back up above USD 5,000 after whipsawing last week. Louis Chua, Equity Research Asia, joins the podcast today to talk about the likely impact of the Takaichi victory on Japan's financial markets, and Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis, provides his analysis of the moves in the IT sector and what the charts suggest might lie ahead.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (01:14) - Markets wrap-up: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content (06:47) - Japan elections: Louis Chua, Equity Research Asia (11:56) - Technical Analysis update: Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis (14:20) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The poll projects that the Liberal Democratic Party and its partner will have two-thirds of the 465 lower house seats.

Lee Hardman, Senior Currency Analyst, and Abdul-Ahad Lockhart, Currency Analyst, discuss the outlook for the JPY ahead of this weekend's Lower House election in Japan. The GBP has also taken a hit in recent days, what have been the main drivers of the weaker GBP?

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet has adopted a decision to dissolve the House of Representatives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken by phone with his Brazilian counterpart, urging both nations to better defend their shared interests and those of the Global South (01:12). The lower house of Japan's National Diet has formally dissolved ahead of a general election (05:30). U.S. President Donald Trump says the White House is negotiating a deal to secure Washington's total access to Greenland with no time limit (18:14).

New gun control and anti-hate laws have passed the lower house of parliament in response to the Bondi terror attack at a Jewish festival, which killed 15 people last month. They are expected to pass into law, but the process has been far from harmonious. - Tsev kis xeev siab tau pom zoo tsim tsab cai gun control thiab anti-hate laws tshiab siv coj los tawm tsam nrog tej xwm txheej neeg phem tua neeg ntawm thaj ntug hiav txwv Bondi beach rau lub caij tseem muaj tej neeg Jews lub koom txoos, uas tau ua rau muaj 15 tug neeg Australia raug ob txiv tug neeg phem tua tuag thiab tas sim neej. Tsis tas li ntawd los tsev kis xeev siab kuj tau pom zoo tsim ob tsab cai no coj los ua cai siv lawm thiab, tab sis yeej tsis muaj cov kev pom zoo raws tib seem.

After fiery debate in Canberra this morning, Labor's gun reforms have passed parliament's lower house.

New gun control and anti-hate laws have passed the lower house of parliament in response to the Bondi terror attack at a Jewish festival, which killed 15 people last month. They are expected to pass into law, but the process has been far from harmonious.

After fiery debate in Canberra this morning, Labor's gun reforms have passed parliament's lower house.

After fiery debate in Canberra this morning, Labor's gun reforms have passed parliament's lower house.

New legislative developments and coalition movements in Congress, disagreements at the Mercosur summit, new right-wing alliances in South America, two Latin American movies shortlisted for the Oscars, a new deep-sea livestream, and much more!Thanks for tuning in!Let us know what you think and what we can improve on by emailing us at info@rorshok.com. You can also contact us through Instagram @rorshok__argentina or Twitter @Rorshok_ARGLike what you hear? Subscribe, share, and tell your buds.No Christmas Eve leftovers? No problem: here are 10 places open on Christmas Day:https://buenosairesherald.com/what-to-do-in-argentina/what-to-do-in-buenos-aires/no-christmas-eve-leftovers-no-problem-here-are-10-places-open-on-christmas-day“La IA y el colapso del futuro”, by Mookie Tenembaum: https://noticias.perfil.com/noticias/opinion/la-ia-y-el-colapso-del-futuro.phtmlCheck out our new t-shirts: https://rorshok.store/We want to get to know you! Please fill in this mini-survey: https://forms.gle/NV3h5jN13cRDp2r66Wanna avoid ads and help us financially? Follow the link: https://bit.ly/rorshok-donate

Brazil's lower house has approved exempting up to 5,000 reais ($940) a month from income taxes, which would more than double the current exemption and meet a key priority of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's 2022 election campaign. The bill passed the House unanimously on October 1 and will now head to the Senate, where Lula said he expects final approval for the measure, which has drawn broad public support. Lula described the vote on X as "A victory in favor of tax justice and the fight against inequality in Brazil, benefiting 15 million Brazilian workers." In the bill sent to Congress in March, Lula's leftist government proposed to offset the loss of state revenue by introducing a minimum effective tax rate for high-income individuals—a tax that must be paid regardless of the amount of deductions and credits the taxpayer might have. The new minimum effective tax would apply to people who earn over 600,000 reais (approximately $113,000) a year, ramping up from zero to 10% for those who earn over 1,200,000 reais (some $226,000) annually. That legislation would target some 141,000 wealthy individuals in the country, who on average currently pay an effective tax rate of 2.5%, according to Brazil's Finance Ministry. If the measure passes the Senate, Lula would then sign the reform into law, and it would come into effect on January 1, 2026. "Income tax exemption is not a favor from the state, it is the acknowledgment of a right, a step forward in the country's social justice, ensuring more money on the table for those earning up to 5,000 reais," Speaker Hugo Motta said on social media, after the approval. Carla Beni, an economist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, said that the proposed exemption helps correct imbalances in which many of the rich pay proportionately less tax than the poor, and that it would help the economy. "People will either spend more, save or, pay off debts," Beni said. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

The venerable historical preservation organization celebrates LGBTQ+ History Month with an LA County-wide programming series where the past and the future intermingle. One Institute Executive Director Tony Valenzuela talks about the trailblazing histories and vibrant cultural contributions around the festival theme “Reclaiming Freedom” (interviewed by Jason Jenn). And in NewsWrap: a report from the international track and field governing body World Athletics finds that up to 60 event finalists would not have passed its newly instituted genetic sex test, the U.S. government straddles a line between erasing its transgender citizens and labeling them dangerous terrorists, U.S. President Donald Trump puts the blame on trans rights in his diatribe over the current federal budget standoff, reparations for gay men in Tasmania who were victims of the Australian state's laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing are approved by the Lower House, Filipina designer Veejay Floresca is Project Runway's first trans winner and Vietnam's entrant in the Miss Universe pageant will be transgender star and singer Nguyen Huong Giang, the Australian horror movie "Together" has been pulled from Chinese cinemas after censors used AI to replace one of the male grooms in a gay wedding with a woman, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg consider whether to discuss his gay sex life with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, and more international LGBTQ+ news reported this week by Marcos Najera and Ava Davis (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the September 29, 2025 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

A far-right party which came to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic recently showed itself to be a contender to Japan's centrist political establishment, when it grew from one seat, three years ago to 15 seats in the recent elections. Known as Sanseito, the party is led by Kamiya Sohei, whose YouTube videos spread conspiracy theories about vaccinations. Its political platform is a nationalist ‘Japanese first' agenda and warns against a ‘silent invasion of foreigners'. Whilst for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party coalition, the election results were bruising. The LDP lost its majority in the Upper House, having already lost control of the Lower House last year. But its embattled Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, whilst facing calls from within his party to resign, has said he has no plans to quit. Against this backdrop, there's a growing unease amongst Japanese voters over issues like immigration, over-tourism and the economy and Sanseito are tapping into that. Joining us to discuss Japan's political climate are Kenneth Mori McElwain, professor of Comparative Politics, University of Tokyo, Japan; Dr Fabian Schäfer, chair of Japanese Studies, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany; Jeffrey Hall, author and lecturer, Kanda University of International Studies, Eastern Japan; Dr Kristi Govella, associate professor of Japanese Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, UK.Presenter: William Crawley Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Evie Yabsley Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production management assistant: Liam Morrey Editor: Tara McDermott

New figures out this morning show first home buyers are being buoyed by lower house prices and being able to tap into their Kiwisaver funds. Cotality chief property economist Kelvin Davidson spoke to Corin Dann.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 11th of December and here are the headlines.In Parliament, the Opposition is in full swing as tensions rise. Rahul Gandhi met Speaker Om Birla, pushing for a discussion on key issues, including the Adani row. He also requested that derogatory remarks made against him in the Lower House be expunged. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned after the Opposition demanded the removal of Vice President Dhankhar. On Tuesday, Opposition MPs filed a no-confidence motion, accusing him of partisan behavior. The situation continues to heat up with both sides standing firm.In a creative protest, Opposition MPs greeted their BJP counterparts with the national flag and red roses, urging the House to continue its proceedings and discuss important issues, including the Adani row. This gesture included Congress, DMK, JMM, and Left party MPs. The protest took place at Parliament steps, with leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra showing their support for the cause. The move is a direct response to the political gridlock over ongoing matters in the House.Bangladesh confirmed on Tuesday that 88 incidents of communal violence targeting minorities, mostly Hindus, occurred after the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Interim government spokesman Shafiqul Alam said 70 people were arrested in connection with the attacks. This announcement came after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri raised concerns about the safety of minorities during talks with Bangladeshi officials, calling the incidents regrettable. The violence has drawn significant international attention and criticism.Actor Mushtaq Khan has shared his ordeal after claiming he was kidnapped in Meerut. Invited to an event, Khan was allegedly abducted, tortured for 12 hours, and demanded to pay a crore in ransom. His business partner stated that the kidnappers withdrew Rs 2 lakh from Khan's and his son's accounts. Khan managed to escape after hearing the morning azaan, thinking a mosque was nearby. This unsettling incident follows comedian Sunil Pal's similar claims of abduction.MIT's suspension of Indian-origin research scholar Prahlad Iyengar has sparked controversy. Iyengar, a PhD student in Electrical Engineering, was suspended after writing a pro-Palestine essay for a student journal. His suspension has led to an open letter from university faculty demanding his reinstatement. Iyengar was barred from campus until January 2026, and the student magazine that published his essay has been banned. The suspension has raised questions about academic freedom and expression at prestigious universities.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express