Explainer-How will Japan pick its next leader?

Explainer-How will Japan pick its next leader?

TOKYO (Reuters) -With Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about to resign, according to a source close to the premier, attention turns to who will next steer the world's fourth-largest economy. The process to pick Japan's next leader is more complicated than before as Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan for most of the post-war period, and its junior coalition partner lost their majorities in both houses of parliament during his tenure. PARTY LEADERSHIP RACE First, the LDP must pick a new president to replace Ishiba. In the last party leadership race in September 2024, candidates needed to secure 20 nominations from the party's lawmakers to be eligible to run. Candidates will embark on a period of debates and campaigns across Japan culminating in a vote by lawmakers and rank-and-file party members. In the last race, there were nine contenders, and Ishiba won in a run-off. LDP VOTE Based on the last leadership race, each lawmaker has a vote with an equal number distributed among the rank-and-file members in the first round of voting. A candidate securing a simple majority in that poll becomes party leader. If no one secures a majority, a run-off vote follows between the two candidates with the most votes. In the second round, each lawmaker again gets one vote, but the share of the rank-and-file drops to 47 votes, one for each of Japan's prefectures. In the unlikely event of a tie, the winner will be decided by lot. That has never happened in a leadership contest, but was used in 2010 to decide who would chair the LDP's upper house caucus. PARLIAMENT VOTES Since the party does not have a majority in either house, it is not guaranteed that the LDP president will become prime minister. In 1994, the LDP formed a three-way alliance with its arch rival, the Japan Socialist Party and a smaller startup party to regain power, having socialist leader Tomiichi Murayama elected as prime minister. Based on historical precedent, the more-powerful lower house will first vote on their choice for prime minister. Lawmakers can nominate any candidates from the chamber, and historically the leaders of opposition parties have been put forward for the vote. Any candidate who secures a simple majority in the first round wins approval. If no one secures a majority, a run-off poll follows, between the two candidates with the most votes. Voting then passes to the upper house, where a similar process begins, although only members of the lower house are eligible to be prime minister. If there is a disagreement between the houses, the choice of the lower house prevails. This happened in 2008 when the lower house chose the LDP candidate and the upper house picked an opposition candidate. The new prime minister may also call a snap general election to seek a national mandate. (Reporting by John Geddie and Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)

byAlpha World

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September 07, 2025

Explainer-How will Japan pick its next leader?

Explainer-How will Japan pick its next leader? TOKYO (Reuters) -With Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba about to resign, according to a ...

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DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100k and $250k to should stay secret

DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100k and $250k to should stay secret

The Justice Department on Friday asked a federal judge overseeing the case of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to denya request from NBC Newsto unseal the names of two associates who received large payments from him in 2018, court documents show. TheJustice Department citedprivacy concerns expressed by the two individuals as the reason for not making their names public. The first associate received a payment of $100,000 from Epstein and the second associate received a payment of $250,000, both in 2018, days after the Miami Herald began publishing a series of investigative stories where victims criticized a plea deal he received in Florida in 2008. As part of the plea agreement, Epstein secured a statement from federal prosecutors in Florida that the two individuals would not be prosecuted. The payments became public after Epstein was indicted and arrested in New York in 2019 and asked to be released on bail. Federal prosecutors in New York filed a memorandum on July 16, 2019, that argued Epstein should remain in jail to prevent him from tampering with witnesses. They cited the payments he made to the two individuals, which began two days after the Miami Herald began publishing its stories on Epstein's plea deal, also known as a nonprosecution agreement, or NPA. Prosecutors wrote that on Nov. 30, 2018, Epstein "wired $100,000 from a trust account he controlled, to an individual named as [REDACTED] a potential co-conspirator — and for whom Epstein obtained protection in — the NPA." Prosecutors also wrote that "this individual was also named and featured prominently in the Herald series." Prosecutors added that "the same records show that just three days later, on or about December 3, 2018, the defendant wired $250,000 from the same trust account to [REDACTED], who was also named as a potential co-conspirator — and for whom Epstein also obtained protection in — the NPA." The prosecutors continued: "This individual is also one of the employees identified in the Indictment, which alleges that she and two other identified employees facilitated the defendant's trafficking of minors by, among other things, contacting victims and scheduling their sexual encounters with the defendant at his residences in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida." Prosecutors said in the filings that Epstein's payments may be evidence of "efforts to influence witnesses." "This course of action, and in particular its timing," they said, "suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co-conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations." Last month,NBC News sent a letterasking U.S. District Judge Richard Berman to unseal the redacted names because Epstein is deceased, the criminal proceedings have ended, and the Justice Department said in a memo in July that there would be no additional charges filed against uncharged third parties. Bermangave federal prosecutorsuntil Sept. 5 to respond. In aSept. 5 reply letter, Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, wrote, "Individual-1 and Individual-2 are uncharged third parties who have not waived their privacy interests; indeed, both Individual-1 and Individual-2 have expressly objected to the unsealing of their names and personal identifying information in the July 2019 Letter." Clayton said the two unnamed individuals sent letters to the U.S. attorney's office expressing their concern but that those letters are under seal. The judge has given NBC News until Sept. 12 to respond to the Justice Department's request that the names remain secret. It is not known when Berman will make a ruling on NBC News' request.

byAlpha World

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September 07, 2025

DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100k and $250k to should stay secret

DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100k and $250k to should stay secret The Justice Department on Friday asked a federal judge ...

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Harper homers and NL East-leading Phillies beat Marlins 4-2

Harper homers and NL East-leading Phillies beat Marlins 4-2

MIAMI (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Brandon Marsh doubled twice and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Saturday. Jesús Luzardo struck out eight over six innings of two-run ball for the NL East-leading Phillies. Luzardo (13-6) allowed five hits and walked four. Phillies star slugger Kyle Schwarber went 0-for-3 and was hit twice. Schwarber remains at 49 homers since hewent deep four timesagainst Atlanta on Aug. 28. He hit a drive to the warning track in the ninth that was caught by centerfielder Jakob Marsee. After winning three of four at the New York Mets Aug. 28-31, the Marlins have lost five straight. Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto threw out Agustín Ramírez and Maximo Acosta on unsuccessful stolen base attempts in the first and seventh. Harper gave the Phillies a quick lead with a two-run homer in the first. He drove a fastball from Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara over the wall in center for his 24th home run. Philadelphia padded the lead in the fourth on Harrison Bader's run-scoring single and Bryson Stott's sacrifice fly. Miami narrowed the deficit in the bottom half, when Eric Wagaman doubled and Javier Sanoja added an RBI infield single. David Robertson and Matt Strahm followed Luzardo with scoreless innings each before Jhoan Duran closed for his 27th save. Alcantara (8-12) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out four. Key moment After he issued walks to Wagaman and Sanoja, Luzardo ended his outing by retiring Troy Johnston on a flyout for the third out in the sixth. Key stat Harper has 33 RBIs over his last 50 games. Up next RHP Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.92 ERA) will start the series finale for the Phillies on Sunday while the Marlins have not announced a starter. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byAlpha World

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September 07, 2025

Harper homers and NL East-leading Phillies beat Marlins 4-2

Harper homers and NL East-leading Phillies beat Marlins 4-2 MIAMI (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Brandon Marsh doubled twice and the Philadelp...

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No. 8 Clemson rallies from 16 down to beat Troy

No. 8 Clemson rallies from 16 down to beat Troy

Cade Klubnik threw two touchdown passes in the second half to rally No. 8 Clemson to a 27-16 victory over visiting Troy on Saturday in a game that was delayed for 90 minutes in the first half because of a lightning storm. Adam Randall carried 21 times for 112 yards and a touchdown as Clemson (1-1) overcame a 16-point deficit against the Sun Belt Conference squad, which was gunning for its first-ever upset of a top-10 team. Klubnik completed 18 of 24 passes for 196 yards and one interception. But after hearing boos in the first half, Klubnik fired both of his touchdown passes to Bryant Wesco Jr., who finished with seven receptions for 118 yards. Wesco's play was key as Clemson was without standout receiver Antonio Williams, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Ricardo Jones and Ronan Hanafin also keyed the rally, making interceptions in the third quarter that the Tigers turned into 10 points. Goose Crowder completed 19 of 31 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown for Troy (1-1), but his three interceptions were costly. Crowder got Troy off to a quick start on its opening possession, completing 4 of 4 passes, including a 44-yard touchdown strike to Tray Taylor to put the Trojans up 7-0. After Clemson went three-and-out on its ensuing possession, the game was called because of the approaching storm. When play resumed 90 minutes later, Troy continued to thrive. On the penultimate play of the first quarter, with Clemson threatening to score, Luke Hodge forced a Randall fumble and Justin Powe scooped the ball and ran 53 yards, setting up a 37-yard field goal by Scott Taylor Renfroe that put Troy up 10-0. Later in the quarter, Hodge made a big play again when he tipped a Klubnik pass and TJ Thompson caught the fluttering ball at the Clemson 4 and barreled into the end zone for a 16-0 lead. Clemson got a small measure of momentum late in the second quarter with a 27-yard field goal from Nolan Hauser. Then in the second half, the Tigers dominated, outgaining Troy in yardage 202-95. --Field Level Media

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September 07, 2025

No. 8 Clemson rallies from 16 down to beat Troy

No. 8 Clemson rallies from 16 down to beat Troy Cade Klubnik threw two touchdown passes in the second half to rally No. 8 Clemson to a 27-16...

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Pritzker hits Trump over deportation meme: ‘This is not a joke. This is not normal’

Pritzker hits Trump over deportation meme: 'This is not a joke. This is not normal'

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) lambasted President Trump on Saturday for joking aboutimmigration enforcement efforts, includingplans to target Chicago, calling the president a "wannabe dictator." "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city," Pritzker wrote onsocial platform Xin response to a meme shared by Trump. "This is not a joke. This is not normal." "Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man," he added. "Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator." Trump earlier Saturday posted an image generated by artificial intelligence (AI)to his Truth Social platformthat showed his likeness as a law enforcement official. The background includes an image of Chicago burning, several helicopters and text that reads "Chipocalypse Now" — a nod to the 1979 movie "Apocalypse Now." In the caption, the president wrote, "I love the smell of deportations in the morning… Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The comment comes just a day after hesigned an executive orderto rebrand the Defense Department to theDepartment of War. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) railed against the post in a Saturday social media post, stating it is "beneath the honor of our nation." "But the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution," Johnsonwroteon X. "We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump." Trump late last month signaled his administrationwould look to the Windy Citynext in its efforts to tackle crime and illegal immigration. The White Housealready confirmedthat is looking to use a Navy base near Chicago to support itsmigrant detention efforts. The president has alsothreatened to deployNational Guard troops to the city, pointing towhat he called successin hisfederal takeoverof Washington, D.C., to aid in theexpected crackdown. While his moves in the nation's capital are protected under the federal district'sHome Rule Act,Illinois is a sovereign state. Any effort to deploy troops to Chicago without the governor requesting assistance would likely result in alegal battle, like the onethat played outinLos Angelesover deportation raids. Local officials in The Prairie State havepushed backon the administration's threat, suggesting Trump is overstepping his authority. Johnsonsigned a protective orderlate last month to combat the potential deployment of soldiers. The city's Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights also rolled outan updated websiteearlier this week withstep-by-step guidanceon how immigrants can protect themselves. Pritzker hasblasted Trumpfor suggesting that major cities should be asking the federal government forassistance with law enforcement, citing dwindling crime statistics and calling the request "an insult." The president has also floatedNew OrleansandBaltimoreas potential targets. 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.

byAlpha World

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September 06, 2025

Pritzker hits Trump over deportation meme: ‘This is not a joke. This is not normal’

Pritzker hits Trump over deportation meme: 'This is not a joke. This is not normal' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) lambasted Presiden...

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