While Democratic candidates suffered major losses in this year’s U.S. elections, elsewhere on the ballot voters supported liberal positions. In the wake of tightening federal and state restrictions on abortion, historic ballot measures enshrining the right to an abortion passed in seven states, while other initiatives to raise the minimum wage and codify marriage equality also won by wide majorities. We’re joined by Chris Melody Fields Figueredo of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center to examine the role of ballot measures, a form of direct democracy, in elections, and why this “powerful tool” may be at risk as conservatives flood elected office. “Because we are resisting, we are winning on these progressive issues, they are trying to take that power away from us.”

With former U.S. President Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term, we speak with Pakistani author and columnist Fatima Bhutto. Bhutto is an award-winning author and writes a monthly column for Zeteo on world affairs. She criticizes Kamala Harris’s campaign for relying heavily on celebrity endorsements and vague appeals to “joy” while silencing dissent on Gaza as the Biden administration continues backing Israel. “You don’t need to be a man to practice toxic masculinity, and you don’t need to be white to practice white supremacy,” says Bhutto.

“Why is it that the issues that most of the public agrees with — healthcare, living wages, voting rights, democracy — why is it that those issues weren’t more up front?” We speak to Bishop William Barber about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s failed election campaigns, Donald Trump’s election as president and the urgent need to unite the poor and working class. Barber is the national co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, president and senior lecturer at Repairers of the Breach and a co-author of the book White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy. He urges the Democratic Party to recenter economic security and poverty alleviation in its platform and draws on historical setbacks for U.S. progressive policies to encourage voters to “get back up” and “continue to fight.”

We speak with Dutch Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani about the latest developments in the Middle East as Israel continues its deadly assaults on Gaza and Lebanon. Qatar recently announced it will no longer act as mediator for ceasefire talks, saying the two sides were not serious about reaching a deal to stop the fighting. “This entire process from the outset has been a complete charade,” Rabbani says of the U.S.-backed ceasefire negotiations, urging Egypt to follow suit and also stop acting as a mediator. Rabbani also discusses how a second Trump administration could deal with the region, saying Trump’s “erratic” behavior makes predictions difficult, but that signs point to a more aggressive posture toward Iran.

Dutch Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani discusses the violence that broke out last week between visiting Israeli soccer fans and pro-Palestinian protesters in Amsterdam. The Dutch authorities made over 60 arrests, and at least five people were hospitalized as a result of the clashes, which local and international leaders were quick to brand as antisemitic, even though observers in Amsterdam have said it was Israeli hooligans who instigated much of the violence. Rabbani says that while it’s common for rival teams’ fans to get into skirmishes, what happened in Amsterdam was different. “What we’re talking about here in Amsterdam is not a clash between the hooligans of two opposing sides, but rather these Israeli thugs attacking people who, in principle, had nothing to do with the game, and then afterwards being confronted by their victims,” Rabbani says.

American Coup: Wilmington 1898 premieres tonight on PBS and investigates the only successful insurrection conducted against a U.S. government, when self-described white supremacist residents stoked fears of “Negro Rule” and carried out a deadly massacre in Wilmington, North Carolina. Their aim was to destroy Black political and economic power and overthrow the city’s democratically elected, Reconstruction-era multiracial government, paving the way for the implementation of Jim Crow law just two years later. We feature excerpts from the documentary and speak to co-director Yoruba Richen, who explains how the insurrection was planned and carried out, and how the filmmakers worked to track down the descendants of both perpetrators and victims, whose voices are featured in the film.

Young gamers in the UK can now transport themselves inside the iconic world of Doctor Who for a limited time in Nightfall, the BBC’s online multiplayer game.

Read The Customer Used “Call Corporate”: It Was Not Very Effective

Customer: "Well if you're not going to be doing [possibly illegal thing] for me then I suppose I will just need to call your Corporate office!"
Me: *Not skipping a beat.* "Well, actually I think you’d be better off contacting Jane Lastname at the regional office; here’s her card."

Read The Customer Used “Call Corporate”: It Was Not Very Effective

The AAR Maharashtra, in the case of M/s. The Nisarga Consultancy, In Re [Order No. GST-ARA-21 of 2023-24/2024-25/B-55 dated July 31, 2024] ruled that no tax will be leviable on work allotted by Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikar ("MJP") as per of Jal Jeevan Mission ("JJM") which is a mission of Government

The Hon'ble Delhi High Court in the case of JV Creatives (P.) Ltd. v. Principal Additional Director General, DGGI, Gurugram Zonal Unit [W.P. (C) No. 10042 of 2024 dated July 23, 2024] dismissed the writ petition filed against the order of provisional attachment passed under Section 83 of the Central

The Hon'ble Madras High Court in the case of M/s S.R.S. Construction v. The State Tax Officer (Data Analytics) [Writ Petition (MD) Nos. 16214 & 16276 of 2024 dated July 19, 2024] set aside the orders which have been signed by the same officer in dual capacity, holding that such orders are liable to

The Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of Hitachi Energy India Ltd. v. State of Karnataka and Ors. [Writ Petition No. 14111 of 2024 dated July 02, 2024] allowed the writ petition and further affirmed that the date of provisional acknowledgment for appeal filed would be considered as the date o

The Hon'ble Madras High Court, in the case of M/s Sri Shanmuga Motors v. State Tax Officer [Writ Petition No. 11737 of 2024 dated June 03, 2024] had set aside the Appellate Order and directed the Department to hear the appeal on merits which has been filed beyond the condonable period for filing of

The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of The Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes v. M/s Shankara Infrastructure Materials Ltd. [arising out of SLP (Civil) No. 5504 of 2022 dated October 14, 2024] granted leave and allowed appeal, wherein M/s. Shankara Infrastructure Materials Ltd. ("the Resp

In this digital world where staying connected is like breathing, we often rely on public charging stations to keep our devices juiced up. But hold your horses! While these stations might seem like a lifesaver, especially in busy places like airports,

Smart home technology is no longer a luxury reserved for the affluent. With advancements in technology, affordable smart home devices are now within reach for tech enthusiasts in India. These gadgets offer convenience and efficiency without straining your budget. Smart lighting

Efforts to shape the policies of President-elect Donald Trump through Elon Musk are already underway. On Friday, Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), a nonprofit AI advocacy group, initiated a public petition urging Trump to appoint Musk as his special adviser on

Amazon's Children's Day Store is now open, featuring an array of products specially discounted for the occasion, including top-selling Android tablets ideal for e-learning. With price reductions of up to 75% on select items such as headphones, tablets, and kids' smartwatches,

The latest update to Nothing's operating system is now available for users with the Phone (2a), as the company rolls out the second open beta for Nothing OS 3.0. While this version is currently exclusive to the Phone (2a), users of

Over the next few weeks and months, you'll see social media posts discussing how companies cannot offer holiday bonuses or will have to cut employees due to Trump's tariffs (proposed or enacted).

Some of these stories may be fiction or cautionary tales that illustrate the price the average American pays for a politician's decision.

But I can 100% tell you this is a reality many business owners in the manufacturing sector now face.

If you aren't aware of how tariffs work, it's relatively simple. The company importing the goods from a foreign country pays the fee. If a company has to pay 20%, 60%, or 200% more to bring that item into the United States, who ultimately bears that cost? The American people.

Over the last few days, I have been talking at length with my factory representatives, figuring out how much of an item I need to order now to offset any expanded costs later. In addition, we are looking at where we can move manufacturing to outside of China (hard mode, not a lot of places outside of China or Europe produce boardgame components at the scale our industry uses).

I've been speaking with my shipping representatives about the increasing freight costs we expect to see with a rise in tariffs. We're already paying extreme freight prices, which will only go up as demand increases. The last time tariffs were levied on Chinese manufactured goods, freight costs went up.

Now I am in a position that forces me to examine how much we may need to raise prices if the most extreme of the proposed tariffs goes into effect.

I'm also trying to do right by my staff. But I can only do so much, you know? How long can business owners incur these costs, protect our staff, and not have consumers pay through the nose? Can I accept breaking even for the time being to keep my people employed and our games affordable? But what happens when the company starts losing money?

Many CEOs and business owners are staring down this reality right now. This isn't just a theoretical exercise. We have to plan for the worst.

So, what do I plan to do about this? I will be even more present in my local and state business associations that have direct links to policy makers in D.C. I will take every opportunity to speak directly to those who have a say in this new administration about why this isn't good for the economy. I'm just a tiny player in the world of manufacturing. But I do know the power of my voice. And more importantly, I know the power your voice holds as well.

You can start putting pressure on your elected (or newly elected) officials by writing, calling, or contacting them through their open channels (many of them love social media). Tell them you do not want these proposed tariffs, and let them know how these cost increases will impact you. Hold them to their promises. Make your voice heard. 

We are all in this together. 

– Meredith Placko

Warehouse 23 News: A Great Deal Of Adventure!

Excitement is in the cards with the Decks of Destiny for The Fantasy Trip. This collection of resources and reference material contains adversaries, rumors, combat options, and more to make your games of TFT fast and furious. Download this set today from Warehouse 23!

I recently asked the question about which Steve Jackson Games product and game is last alphabetically, which we answered here. In that earlier question, I alluded to the other question. Namely:

• What is the first item alphabetically that is currently available for sale, and . . .

• What is the first item alphabetically that is a complete game and currently available for sale?

This one is trickier for a couple of reasons. As Magesmiley noted on the forums when talking about the "Omega" question, somewhat of a software-sorting question hides here. There's also a bit of an oddity in the second question we're asking today that makes this more challenging. Still, let's see if we can't muddle toward an answer . . .

. . . Which we'll divulge sometime soon. As ever, feel free to share your answers on the forums!

– Steven Marsh

Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action

There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

Dear Sir,

We have a godown in Porur, and we pay rent every month after TDS is deducted. Recently, my friend mentioned that RCM is applicable for commercial rent payments to an unregistered person (URP). Could you please clarify my doubts?

Our company has changed the name recently, what is the process for update the new name in our GST portal, is it posible only after change the name on PAN data base

I had bought a Pre-const house for 55lac and paid Stamp duty on 55lac during registration.
I made 54,00,00 payments in installments and now making the last installment of 1 lac

On the 26QB form

Total Value of Consideration (Property Value) -₹55,00,000
Payment type*-Installment
Whether it is last installment ?*-Yes
Whether stamp duty value is higher than sale consideration ?* - Dont know what to choose
Total amount paid/ credited in previous installments, if any (A) * ₹54,00,000
Amount paid/credited currently (B) *-₹1,00,000
Total stamp duty value of the property (C) *₹55,00,000

Now under
Tax Deposit Details, I am getting
Amount on which TDS to be deducted (D)*₹55,00,000, which looks wrong.

Should this not be the amount currently paid ₹1,00,000. What am I doing wrong?

Note*I was suggested in the forum to enter ₹1,00,000 in box (C), but it still calculates the total amount of ₹55,00,000 in (D)

IF WE FILE AN APPEAL AGAINST ORDER ISSUED UNDER SECTION 154, FOR PARTIAL ALLOW OF TDS AND LIABILITY TO PAY DEMAND IS MORE THAN 1,50,000 THEN IT IS MANDATORY TO PAY 20% OF DEMAND ISSUED UNDER SUCH RECTIFICATION ORDER?

Sir,

Payments made for software license but hit by Circular No.21/2012, consequently, no tax deducted u/s 194J.

Whether the said amount would still be booked under royalty?

Hi,
This question is w.r.t Final payment of TDS for property sale.
This is for 2 buyer and 1 seller.
Below is about 80% share of 1 seller.

Total Value of Consideration (Property Value) - 81,04,500 INR

Total amount paid/ credited in previous installments, if any (A) - 61,59,420 INR
Amount paid/credited currently (B) - 3,24,180 INR
Total stamp duty value of the property (C) - 64,83,600

Amount on which TDS to be deducted (D) is directly getting calculated at - 64,83,600 INR.

Ideally, since it is last installment, amount on which TDS to be deducted needs to be visible as 3,24,180 INR. However, it is showing 64,83,600.

Kindly help and update what needs to be filled in A, B & C so that I pay TDS of 1% on 3,24,180 INR only.

In a pre-Budget meeting with Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) urged the government to continue tax reforms and boost capital expenditure in the Union Budget for 2025-26....

Focus of the meeting was business performance, upgrading digital technology services, and fostering business growth in activities allied to agriculture and micro and small industry...

Invoice Management System (IMS) is an optional facility introduced from October 2024 on GST Portal, on which the invoices/records saved/furnished by the supplier in GSTR-1/1A/IFF...

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal's recently launched Invoice Management System (IMS) is set to significantly decrease the number of notices issued over Input Tax Credit (ITC) discrepancies...

For January, the most recent month for which data is available, the TCI came in at -1.71, a significant improvement over December’s -6.1 and November’s -7.94. That was preceded by October’s -11.25, its lowest level since the April 2020 all-time low, at -28.66. The September TCI reading came in at -2.35.

Ready to welcome a steady incoming flow of conference attendees, introduce the world to a host of new industry innovations and provide a full lineup of fun events all week long, ProMat 2023 opened its doors to the world at 10 a.m. CST this morning.

The national average decreased 6.2 cents, to $4.185, following a 3.5-cent decline, to $4.247, for the week of March 13.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) expressed what it called its “grave concerns” about media reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be on the verge of granting the state of California waivers to implement potentially harmful and unrealistic emissions rules on the industry. Under California rules, new Class 8 heavy truck models would be zero-emission next year. Diesel and gasoline-powered drayage trucks must retire after 18 years to guarantee that they meet a zero-emission requirement by 2035.

Phoenix-based Knight-Swift Transportation, already the biggest player in the TL market at $4.5 billion revenue last year, is buying Chattanooga, Tenn.-based U.S. Xpress, which ranked ninth in TL revenue last year at $2.2 billion. The deal is valued at $808 million, including assumption of $484 million of debt.

DSV said that the objective of these acquisitions are three-fold: to augment its position within the semiconductor industry; align with its new Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport operations; and support its growing cross-border services into Latin America. It added that these acquisitions are expected to be made official next month.

Researchers find that medication abortion provided at home with a Zoom or text link to a medical provider is extremely safe and effective

TikTok’s “sleepy girl mocktails” remind us how important magnesium is for sleep and health

Physicists found that the music of Johann Sebastian Bach contains mathematical patterns that help convey information

En Colombia han ardido más de 500 incendios, incluso en sus delicados y únicos humedales del altiplano, uno de los ecosistemas de más rápida evolución de la Tierra

Virtual-reality could assist researchers in decoding how emotions spur a decision to commit a crime

A long-awaited study of people with ME/CFS revealed differences in their immune and nervous system. The findings may offer clues about long COVID

Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission is the first U.S. soft landing on the moon since Apollo 17. It’s also a sign of private industry’s growing role in space