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Square launches Online Checkout for SMEs

US-based digital payments company Square has launched...




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Square launches Online Checkout for SMEs

US-based digital payments company Square has launched Square Online Checkout, designed for SMEs looking to transition to ecommerce.




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Theaters Shutter, Studios Postpone, Checking-In On How The Entertainment Industry Is Changing Amid The Outbreak

Pedestrians walk by the Castro Theatre that has a marquee announcing that they are closed due to a statewide ordinance banning gatherings of more than 250 people in San Francisco, California. ; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

FilmWeek®

Hollywood has come to a stand still. The film and entertainment industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak as theaters close, film releases and events are being postponed, and studios are putting a pause on film production.

The gravity of the coronavirus is being felt all throughout the country and Hollywood is not coming out of the outbreak unscathed. Social distancing measures being enforced to help control the outbreak has studios and theatres taking a huge hit. It’s predicted that about 170,000 people in the film industry will lose their jobs. Many of the lowest-paid positions and freelance jobs have been the first to go. From events to films, the industry is trying to strategize around the outbreak with no clear picture on how long these conditions could last. Hollywood unions, activist groups and nonprofits are coming together to help provide some kind of emergency relief for workers who are getting hit the hardest. It’s been a period of economic shock for the entertainment industry and it’s still too early to see what Hollywood could look like after the outbreak is over.

Today on AirTalk, we check-in with people in the entertainment industry who have been impacted by the outbreak and where might Hollywood go from here. If you work in entertainment, we'd like to hear from you! How are you coping as most productions are shut down? Join the live conversation by calling 866-893-5722.

Guest:

Andrew Wallenstein, co-editor-in-chief at Variety; he tweets @awallenstein

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




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UCheck

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Qualys BrowserCheck

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FLOODING CONTINUES TO IMPACT TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE REGION TONIGHT - Drivers should plan to check Virginia 511 before their Friday morning commute

SALEM – Throughout the afternoon and evening, crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation have been responding to the immediate concerns of downed trees, mudslides and high water throughout southwestern Virginia. Crews will continue to monitor roadways overnight. As of 10 p.m., roads in all 12 counties of the district have been affected by the heavy rainfall resulting in numerous closures of primary and secondary roads today. Some of the primary roads affected include portions of Interstate 81, Route 220 through Roanoke and Franklin County, Route 419 in Roanoke, Route 58 in Patrick County and Route 57 in Henry County. As streams and rivers swell and water recedes, conditions will continue to change, so motorists should drive with caution and check the latest road conditions before travelling tomorrow morning. The most up-to-date information about flooded roads is available at www.511Virginia.org . To access the list of flooded roads, look for the text views section of the site and search under road conditions.  VDOT encourages motorists to stay off the roads tonight, if possible, and not to drive through ponding water or around barricades.  As water recedes, VDOT will inspect structures and roadways before they can reopen or be repaired.  Some roads may require lengthy closures depending on the extent of damage and how soon repairs can be completed. To report downed trees or debris on state maintained roads, citizens can contact VDOT’s customer service center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD. For emergencies, dial 911. Follow us on Twitter at @VaDOTSalem and @511southwestva  for the latest updates on road conditions.




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Motorists urged to check for deadly Takata airbags during COVID-19

5 May 2020

Nearly 200,000 vehicles fitted with potentially deadly airbags are still on the roads, and more than 8,000 of these are considered so dangerous they should not be driven at all, according to the latest ACCC figures on the compulsory recall of Takata airbags.

In addition, a significant number of vehicles fitted with a different type of faulty Takata airbag are yet to be remedied. These vehicles, which are fitted with Takata NADI airbags, are considered so dangerous that manufacturers are offering to buy back the vehicles or to provide a loan vehicle until replacement parts are available. We are aware that there have been two deaths and two injuries in Australia resulting from misdeployments of Takata NADI airbags. 

Motorists are being urged to check now if their vehicles are fitted with these recalled Takata airbags, as car dealerships are still operating and providing replacement airbags free of charge. 

“Even during this pandemic, replacing faulty airbags is an essential and potentially life-saving task, especially as vehicles may be being used by essential workers and care-givers,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

“It will also be more important than ever that as more people start to use their cars again, they check that their airbags are safe. Affected Takata airbags can misdeploy and send sharp metal fragments into the vehicle at high speed, and cause serious injury or death to its occupants.”

“Drivers should check online or with their dealer or manufacturer whether their vehicles are subject to this compulsory recall or the voluntary recall of Takata NADI airbags, and never ignore a notice of recall from your car’s manufacturer,” Ms Rickard said.

Globally there have been 29 deaths and over 320 serious injuries reported, including one death and one serious injury in Australia relating to airbags affected by the compulsory recall.

Over four million airbags in more than three million vehicles in Australia were originally affected by the Takata compulsory recall due to these potentially deadly airbags.

More than 88 per cent of airbags have now been rectified, and about six per cent have been reported by suppliers as written-off, stolen, unregistered, exported or modified and unable to be replaced.

Figures from the ACCC’s latest quarterly update on the compulsory recall show that about five per cent (over 228,000) of faulty airbags remain in more than 196,000 vehicles.

In particular, motorists are in danger if they have a critical vehicle containing an airbag that poses a heightened risk of causing injury or death. There still more than 8,000 of these vehicles remaining on the roads, and drivers can check the Product Safety Australia website if their vehicle is affected.

“Vehicles with critical airbags should not be driven. Please contact your dealer to arrange for your vehicle to be towed to the place of repair free of charge so you do not have to drive it,” Ms Rickard said.

The ACCC is also conscious of the impact COVID-19 is having on Australian consumers and businesses.

“We understand dealerships are still operating and are offering the services outlined in the compulsory and voluntary recall notices. Both the ACCC and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications will be closely monitoring any changes to these arrangements,” Ms Rickard said.

Consumers can also search for vehicles affected by the Takata compulsory recall by entering their number plate and state or territory at: IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au or by texting 'Takata' to 0487 AIRBAG (247224).

A list of vehicle manufacturer helplines and contact details is available at: Vehicle manufacturer helplines & contact details.

Takata fast facts

  • In total about 3.62 million airbag inflators (88.1%) have now been rectified in about 2.64 million vehicles.
  • This excludes 259,025 airbag inflators (6.3%) in 216,138 vehicles reported by suppliers as unrepairable (written off, scrapped, stolen, or modified and unable to have the airbag replaced). 
  • There remains 228,764 airbag inflators (5.6%) in 196,299 vehicles outstanding for replacement.
  • As at 31 March 2020, there are 1,895 vehicles with critical-alpha airbags and 6,471 vehicles with critical non-alpha airbags outstanding for replacement.
  • Vehicles with critical airbags should not be driven, and drivers are entitled to have their vehicles towed to the dealership to have the airbag replaced for free. 

Notes to editors:

  • The Takata airbag recall is the world’s largest automotive recall, affecting an estimated 100 million vehicles globally.
  • It is the most significant compulsory recall in Australia’s history, with over four million affected Takata airbag inflators and involving more than three million vehicle recalls.
  • Takata airbags affected by the compulsory recall use a chemical called phase-stabilised ammonium nitrate (PSAN). The ACCC’s investigation concluded that certain types of Takata PSAN airbags have a design defect. The defect may cause the airbag to deploy with too much explosive force so that sharp metal fragments shoot out and hit vehicle occupants, potentially injuring or killing them.
  • In addition to the compulsory recall of vehicles fitted with Takata PSAN airbags, eight vehicle manufacturers have also issued voluntary recalls for some vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2000, which may have been fitted with a different type of faulty Takata airbag, being a NADI airbag.
Release number: 
89/20
ACCC Infocentre: 

Use this form to make a general enquiry.

Media enquiries: 
Media team - 1300 138 917
Audience




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12 Essential Tips to Add to Your Moving Check List

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Parks Heating & Cooling Partners with the Charlotte Checkers

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Mesothelioma Victims Center Asks A Navy Veteran with Mesothelioma to Call About Differences Between VA Disability Checks and Compensation Settlements and Why The Most Skilled Lawyers Are Needed

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U.S. Treasury Department Issues Guidance Clarifying Qualifications for Paycheck Protection Program

NECA is pleased to report that the U.S. Treasury Department released new guidance on April 7, 2020, clarifying that companies with under 500 employees do qualify for loans under the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This change comes after association staff raised concerns with Congressional leaders and officials at the Small Business Administration and the Department of Treasury.




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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculators

Tracking expenses is an important part of maximizing PPP loan forgiveness. Once you identify which expenses are eligible for PPP forgiveness, it’s time to start keeping track of these expenses and calculate your potential forgiveness amount. The Anders CARES Act Research and Response Team put together tracking tools you can use to make it easier...

The post Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculators appeared first on Anders CPA.




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NECA Legislative Top Three 4/10/20: NECA Secures Paycheck Protection Program Qualifications and Additional Funding

1. Administration Calls for Additional Funding for PPP

One of the most popular programs created in the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), has released over $70 billion to small businesses to help them remain viable during this pandemic. Due to the large demand, the Administration has requested additional funding for that program in a letter to Congressional leaders.

NECA’s look Ahead: Senate Democrats requested an additional $250 billion for hospitals and local governments in addition to funding for the PPP while Republican leaders argued that funding for the PPP is the only account that requires additional immediate funding at this time. The Senate adjourned on April 9, 2020 unable to pass additional funding for the PPP under unanimous consent.

2. Treasury Guidance Clarifies Qualifications for PPP Borrowers

With the passage of the CARES Act, many agencies have been scrambling to enact the reforms and programs developed in rapid time. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program, which allows substantial loans to be granted under favorable terms by the Small Business Administration, came under scrutiny for potentially requiring businesses to meet both size and revenue requirements instead of just the size requirements (under 500 employees) originally required. While this scrutiny came from an over-cautious interpretation of an earlier guidance, the Treasury Department offered additional guidance to make it clear to borrowers that they may meet either the revenue standards listed under a given NAICS code or qualify by having less than 500 employees. 

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA worked with key leaders once the CARES Act was signed into law to attain greater clarity on this issue for our contractors. This new change will give NECA contractors the predictability they need to move forward with the new SBA loan program. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the CARES Act and continue to maintain in constant conversation with Congressional staff and agency officials to communicate the needs of our members. 

3. DOD Releases Rule on Payment to Small Business Contractors

Earlier this week the Department of Defense (DOD) released a final rule on the defining and implementation of accelerated payments to classified small businesses under DOD contracts. The rule (DFARS Case 2018–D068) which finalizes the implementation of a section from 2019’s National Defense Authorization Act urges the federal government to pay small business contractors within 15 days of the receipt of a proper invoice. While this is only a goal for the federal government and not a direct mandate, which NECA advocated for in the past, we view this final rule and its upcoming full implementation as a positive step forward.

NECA’s Look Ahead: We encourage NECA contractors to read the final rule and monitor its implementation on DOD contracts. With your feedback and on-the-ground experiences, we will be better able to make lawmakers and agency officials aware of its progress.




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NECA Legislative Top Three 4/17/20: Paycheck Protection Program Loan Funds Run Dry

1. OSHA Issues Additional Guidance on COVID as Recordable Illness

On April 10, 2020, OSHA released updated enforcement guidance for recording cases of COVID-19. The guidance clarifies that OSHA’s recordkeeping requirement for COVID-19 as a recordable illness applies to those in the healthcare industry and emergency response organizations. OSHA will not enforce its recordkeeping requirements to employers outside of these sectors.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA has been working with OSHA to make this clarification to ensure that NECA contractors are not responsible for recording COVID-19 on their OSHA 300 logs on the basis that it is impossible to prove COVID-19 was contracted on the jobsite.

2. GSA Issues Order Allowing Electronic Signatures for Bonding

NECA Government Affairs has worked with allied groups in the construction industry to push the General Services Administration (GSA) to issue an order allowing bonding vendors and sureties to use electronic signatures instead of the typically required ‘wet’ signatures. By doing so, our contractors can receive bonding, necessary on a majority of jobs, sooner and with less unnecessary contact during these challenging times.  We are pleased to announce that this reform was recently issued. While this strictly applies to only GSA contracts, NECA government affairs, along with others, is working to spread this reform to the entirety of the federal government.

NECA’s Look Ahead: Our contractors commend the GSA for their prompt response and reasonable revision. NECA will continue to work with the GSA and other construction industry groups to push for responsible reform and the removing of barriers to our industry’s reinvigoration.

3. NECA Calls for Additional Funding for Paycheck Protection Program

NECA and many of its Chapters joined over two hundred trade associations in sending a letter to Congress to urge emergency funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP has been very successful and widely utilized by the construction industry according to the Small Business Administration. The program ran out of funding on April 16, 2020.

NECA’s Look Ahead: With both the House and the Senate officially out of session until May, it  seems unlikely that Congress will be able to agree to and pass by unanimous consent, NECA remains committed to urging Congress to continue to fund this important program and return to Washington D.C. to start critical negotiations for Phase IV COVID-19 legislation. 




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Where is My Stimulus Check?

As CARES Act stimulus money is being distributed, the IRS has created a tool for taxpayers to find out when they can expect to receive payment or to enter banking information for direct deposit. To find out if you’re eligible… Read More

The post Where is My Stimulus Check? appeared first on Anders CPAs.




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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculator

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Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors

Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors aconstanza Mon, 05/04/2020 - 12:47

Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors

According to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program is allowing construction firms to add and retain employees, despite declining demand for work.

“A large share of construction firms promptly received loans funds under the Paycheck Protection Program, enabling many of them to hire or retain employees despite a surge in project cancellations,” according to the report.

AGC noted that the job-saving measure appeared to be working, but it cautioned that longer term recovery measures, such as new infrastructure funding and establishing a recovery fund, are needed.

“Most contractors report they have applied for the new federal loans, which are intended to enable small businesses to keep employees on their payrolls,” said Ken Simonson, AGC’s chief economist. “This program has already delivered funds to nearly half of the survey respondents, and many of them have already brought back furloughed workers or added employees, even though more clients are halting and canceling projects.”

Simonson noted specifically that 44% of the 849 firms responding to the survey reported having already received funds, which began on April 3. Another 15% said their applications had been approved, but they had not yet received funding. Another 8% were awaiting a reply to their applications, and 7% had applied, but were told that no more funds were available.

Partly because of the loans, 13% of respondents said they had added workers.

“Although the loan program has helped, it will cover only a limited part of company expenses and is not enough to offset the huge drop in projects,” Simonson said.

He noted that half of the respondents reported clients have ordered halts to projects that were already underway, and more than 25% reported that clients have canceled projects that had been expected to start as far out as June, or even later.

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Amazon's Great Indian Sale's here. Check out the top deals

There will be up to 70% on from small businesses that includes up to 50% off artisan handloom and handicrafts. Up to 75% on 'interesting finds' from startups, 40% off on women-made products, up to 80% off on fashion, accessories and home products.




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