Internasional Kastra Jatim - Alaska Airlines Clamps Down on Emotional Support Animals on Flights

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Alaska Airlines Clamps Down on Emotional Support Animals on Flights

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  The airline says it will permit service dogs only, following a move by the U.S. Department of Transportation to reclassify the types of service animals allowed on flights.

If you’re flying on Alaska Airlines starting in mid-January, don’t plan on boarding with your support pig or miniature horse.

The airline, acting in the wake of new federal guidelines aimed at reining in a range of at times exotic animals that passengers have brought onto commercial planes as emotional support animals, kept it simple in announcing on Tuesday what it would allow: only qualified service dogs that are able to lie on the floor or be held in one’s lap.

Ray Prentice, director of customer advocacy for Alaska Airlines, which said it was the first major airline to publicly change its animal policy in light of the updated federal guidelines, said the airline’s decision was a positive step

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Alaska Airlines Clamps Down on Emotional Support Animals on Flights

Internasional Kastra Jatim - “This regulatory change is welcome news, as it will help us reduce disturbances onboard, while continuing to accommodate our guests traveling with qualified service animals,” Mr. Prentice said in a statement. The airline said that starting Jan. 11, it would permit only service dogs that are trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

A Dec. 2 ruling from the U.S. Department of Transportation that amended the department’s Air Carrier Access Act grants airlines the authority to classify emotional support animals as pets rather than service animals. Under the ruling, only dogs that meet specific training criteria are allowed as service animals for people with physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disabilities.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Alaska Airlines Clamps Down on Emotional Support Animals on Flights

Internasional Kastra Jatim - The new regulatory ruling has been criticized by advocates for disability rights, who said the restrictions would weaken protections for people with disabilities by limiting the definition of a service animal. According to formal guidance released by the Department of Transportation in 2019, common service animals include dogs, cats and miniature horses.

“While it is no secret that we still remain far from a truly accessible transportation system in this country, the D.O.T. rule will only serve to exacerbate existing inequities for people with disabilities participating in air travel and will instead almost exclusively accommodate the interests of the airline industry,” Curt Decker, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, said in a statement this month. 

Despite the criticism, airlines and others in the air travel industry, Internasional Kastra Jatim - such as the lobbying group Airlines for America, have celebrated the recent changes, saying they will do more to diminish the misbehavior of animals on flights and help deter individuals who abuse rules concerning service animals.

In the past, passengers have tried to travel with a variety of animals, from the mundane to the downright unusual, such as pigs, monkeys and birds. (One unsuccessful attempt even included a peacock.)

The Americans With Disabilities Act defines dogs and miniature horses as service animals “that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Under the act, dogs that provide only emotional support are not designated as service animals.

Alaska Airlines’ revised policy will allow for a maximum of two service dogs per guest and will include psychiatric service dogs. Internasional Kastra Jatim - Passengers will also have to submit a form, developed by the Department of Transportation, that confirms that a dog is a service animal and has received appropriate training and vaccinations.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - You could receive your $600 stimulus check as soon as tonight, Treasury says

Internasional Kastra Jatim - You could receive your $600 stimulus check as soon as tonight, Treasury says

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  Stimulus money could be coming to your account tonight.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin tweeted on Tuesday evening the department "has delivered a payment file to the Federal Reserve for Americans' Economic Impact Payments." His tweet continued: "These payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as tonight and will continue into next week."

Americans who have direct deposit set up through the Internal Revenue Service could be receiving their stimulus payment as early as Tuesday night. Paper checks will begin to be mailed Wednesday, according to a press release from the Treasury Department. Mnuchin also tweeted that you can check your payment's status later this week at http://IRS.gov/GetMyPayment.

However, not everyone qualifies for the payment. USA TODAY reporter Jessica Menton goes over who qualifies and who isn't getting stimulus money.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - You could receive your $600 stimulus check as soon as tonight, Treasury says

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  The new round of stimulus includes $600 direct payment to individual Americans who earned up to $75,000 in 2019, or $1,200 for couples filing jointly who made up to $150,000. That is less than the payments of $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for couples approved in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in March. 

This current round provides $600 per child, up from $500 in the spring.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - You could receive your $600 stimulus check as soon as tonight, Treasury says

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  The size of the benefit would be reduced for those earning more than $75,000, or $150,000 per married couple, similar to the last round of stimulus money. The amount will decrease by $5 for every $100 of income above those thresholds, phasing out entirely at $87,000 for individuals and $174,000 for couples. Internasional Kastra Jatim - There is no cap on the number of children a household can claim, so, for instance, a family with two adults and two children of four would could receive up to $2,400.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Once you go electric, you don’t go back: survey shows less than 1% of EV owners want to go back to gas

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Once you go electric, you don’t go back: survey shows less than 1% of EV owners want to go back to gas

Internasional Kastra Jatim - A new survey shows that once you go electric, you don’t go back as less than 1% of EV owners want to go back to gasoline-powered vehicles. The poll was conducted amongst UK electric vehicle (EV) drivers using Zap-Map. 2,000 electric car drivers responded to the survey, which showed that the vast majority won’t be going back to gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles:

“The results are strong evidence of the fundamental shift in consumer attitudes in favour of environmentally friendly cars. In the poll, which was carried out in November 2020 with over 2,000 respondents, 91% said “no thanks” to replacing their EVs with a petrol or diesel vehicle; and in stark contrast less than 1% were hankering for a return to fossil fuels. 9% said they were not sure.”

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Once you go electric, you don’t go back: survey shows less than 1% of EV owners want to go back to gas

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Interestingly, all-electric vehicles are getting a better satisfaction rating than plug-in hybrids.

Zap Map reports:

“The majority of respondents were first-time EV drivers, with 73% stating their current vehicle was their first EV, and 52% making the purchase within the last year. Driver satisfaction was notably higher for both battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with EV drivers reporting a satisfaction score of 91 out of 100 (BEV 92, PHEV 84), compared with only 72 for petrol or diesel vehicle ownership.”

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Once you go electric, you don’t go back: survey shows less than 1% of EV owners want to go back to gas

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Amongst all-electric vehicles, the VW ID.3 achieved a 100% satisfaction rating followed by Tesla Model 3 and Kia e-Niro both at 96%. Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-Founder of Zap-Map, commented on the results of the survey:

“Our latest poll shows the strong and enduring impact of switching to a clean car. The evidence in favour of electric vehicles grows more compelling with each one of our surveys, even in a year as disruptive as 2020.”

In the UK, 2020 has been a strong year for electric vehicles with sales increasing while the broader automotive market saw a decline. The result is that the electric vehicle market share has more than tripled to 9.7% of all new car sales in the country. 

Internasional Kastra Jatim - McConnell blocks Senate Democrats' move to pass $2,000 coronavirus checks

Internasional Kastra Jatim - McConnell blocks Senate Democrats' move to pass $2,000 coronavirus checks

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  The majority leader teed up a bill to increase the payments, repeal liability protections for tech companies and create an election study commission — things Trump demanded. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday shot down a Democratic bid to answer President Donald Trump's call for increased direct coronavirus payments to Americans, but the measure's ultimate fate in the GOP-controlled chamber is unclear.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moved to pass the bill by unanimous consent, which meant it would advance if no other senator objected. But McConnell quickly objected to the measure, which would have increased the size of the checks to $2,000 from $600.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - McConnell blocks Senate Democrats' move to pass $2,000 coronavirus checks

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  Democrats pushed for McConnell to hold a full vote on the measure as soon as possible, but McConnell was vague about his plans in remarks on the Senate floor. He noted that Trump, who had voiced his displeasure with the size of the direct checks in the Covid-19 relief bill passed last week, has called for more scrutiny of the 2020 election and stripping liability protections from major tech companies in addition to the increased payments for struggling Americans.

McConnell said all three are "important subjects," and "we will begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus," but provided no further details. Combining those priorities into a legislative package could gain some GOP support but also lose Democrats, possibly making the ultimate passage of the increased direct payments more difficult.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - McConnell blocks Senate Democrats' move to pass $2,000 coronavirus checks

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  McConnell did just that by the end of the day, putting a bill on the Senate calendar that would increase the stimulus payments to $2000 as well as repeal Section 230 — the big tech protections — and create a bipartisan election commission.

Schumer noted that bill would have no chance of passing in the House and urged Republicans to pressure McConnell hold a vote on the measure passed by the House on Monday.

“Sen. McConnell knows how to make $2,000 survival checks reality and he knows how to kill them," Schumer said, adding, “Will Senate Republicans go along with Sen. McConnell’s cynical gambit or will they push him to give a vote on the standalone House-passed CASH Act?”

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  Responding earlier Tuesday to McConnell's blocking of the payments increase that Schumer tried to advance, Trump tweeted, "Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP. $600 IS NOT ENOUGH!"

Trump's support for the increased payments — which he pushed aggressively only after Congress passed a relief bill that included the $600 in direct checks that his administration had asked for — had gotten additional Republican senators to come out in favor of it.

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who are locked in a tight election runoff battle with Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in Georgia that will determine control of the Senate, voiced support for the bill on Tuesday.

"President @realdonaldtrump is right — I support this push for $2,000 in direct relief for the American people," Perdue tweeted on Tuesday morning.

A full vote on the measure would force Republican senators to go on record about providing the direct aid to U.S. households just days before the special runoff elections in Georgia on Jan. 5.

After Schumer's bid failed, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he will try to force McConnell's hand by delaying a separate vote this week to override Trump's veto of the annual defense authorization bill — a move that potentially could keep Perdue and Loeffler in Washington rather than out campaigning. McConnell had said he planned to hold a vote on the veto override on Wednesday.

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  "Let me be clear: If Senator McConnell doesn’t agree to an up or down vote to provide the working people of our country a $2,000 direct payment, Congress will not be going home for New Year’s Eve," Sanders said in a statement Monday. "Let’s do our job."

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from Covid complications days before being sworn in

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from Covid complications days before being sworn in

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Luke Letlow, a Republican elected U.S. representative to Louisiana's 5th district, was 41 years old

A U.S. Congressman-elect from Louisiana who was 41 years old died Tuesday evening from complications of Covid-19, his spokesman announced Tuesday night. Luke Letlow, a Republican, was elected as U.S. representative for Louisiana's 5th Congressional District in a December runoff.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from Covid complications days before being sworn in

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Letlow spokesman Andrew Bautsch confirmed the congressman-elect’s death at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport on Letlow's Facebook page. "The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time," Bautsch said in a statement. "A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time."

Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two young children, Bautsch said. His death occurred less than a week before the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards urged people in the state to pray for Letlow’s family, and he will order flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of his funeral.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from Covid complications days before being sworn in

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Letlow announced on Dec. 18 that he tested positive for Covid-19, days later tweeted that he was being treated at a hospital, and on Wednesday his representative said he'd been transferred to another hospital where he was stable in the intensive care unit. Louisiana's Congressional delegation, including House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, said in a statement that "we are devastated to hear of Luke Letlow's passing."

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Stimulus payments will begin to arrive 'tonight': When the IRS will send your second check

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Stimulus payments will begin to arrive 'tonight': When the IRS will send your second check

Internasional Kastra Jatim - The IRS and US Treasury is ready to send out the second stimulus checks starting tonight. When is your date, and why Jan. 15 matters. Starting tonight, those who have direct deposit set up with the IRS can start looking for their second stimulus payments, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "These payments may begin to arrive in some accounts by direct deposit as early as tonight and will continue into next week," Mnuchin tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

Mnuchin said checks going out through the mail will start to go out on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump signed the new COVID-19 relief bill that includes a second stimulus check for up to $600 per person on Sunday, and the IRS is on a tight schedule to send out this new round of direct payments, following rules that may result in some people having to wait weeks or even months to get paid.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Stimulus payments will begin to arrive 'tonight': When the IRS will send your second check

Internasional Kastra Jatim - The IRS and US Treasury planned to begin sending the second stimulus payments to those who qualify within a week after the bill was signed -- first through direct deposit, followed by paper checks and EIP cards, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. (We created a calculator to generate a personalized estimate for your stimulus payment, and here's what could happen with a third stimulus check in 2021.)

Here's when to start looking for second stimulus check, and what you can do to check on the status of your payment. This story was recently updated.

Direct deposit payments begin arriving Tuesday night

On Tuesday, the IRS said, "The initial direct deposit payments may begin arriving as early as tonight for some and will continue into next week." The IRS said eligible individuals do not need to take any action to receive this second payment, and the IRS will use the direct deposit information it has on file to make the payment.

The IRS cautioned that some "may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of January 4, 2021."

Stimulus checks in the mail starting Wednesday

The IRS said for those without current direct deposit information on file with the government, the IRS will send the payment as a check or EIP debit card in the mail. Those payments will begin to be mailed starting Wednesday, Dec. 30, the IRS said. 

How to check the status of your stimulus payment

The IRS said it is updating its Get My Payment tool for the second round of payments and anticipates those receiving checks will be able to check the status of both the first and second payments in a few days. The Get My Payment portal is available in English and Spanish.

What about prepaid debit cards?

The IRS said that to speed delivery of the payments, it will send a limited number of payments out by Economic Impact Payment prepaid debit card and notes that some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check.

The IRS cautions that those who are eligible but don't receive a direct deposit should watch their mail for a check or EIP debit card. The cards will arrive in a white envelope that displays the US Department of the Treasury seal, the IRS said.

Why is Jan. 15, 2021, an important date to know?

Jan. 15 is the cutoff date in the $900 billion stimulus bill by which time the IRS and US Treasury must stop sending checks as part of this round of delivery. If you don't receive your full second stimulus check money by Jan. 15, you will need to claim all or part of the missing amount when you file your federal tax returns in 2021 through the Recovery Rebate Credit. You'll also be able to claim any money the IRS still owes you from the first round of payments.

People who receive their stimulus payment through direct deposit are unlikely to be affected. But there is potentially a distinct disadvantage for people who don't have direct deposit set up with the IRS.

Tying the delivery of a second stimulus check to the 2020 tax return will almost certainly delay delivery for many people, since a wide variance in circumstances will cause some people to file taxes as early as January and others as late as April 15, or even later if they need to request an extension. It also isn't clear how quickly the IRS would process the payments.

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Stimulus payments will begin to arrive 'tonight': When the IRS will send your second check#

How quickly could the IRS deliver my second direct payment?

Internasional Kastra Jatim -  Now that Trump has relented and signed the new stimulus bill into law, the IRS and Treasury are ready to send the first batch of payments via direct deposit this week, compared with the 19 days it took to set up the online tools and schedule distribution of the first stimulus check.

"Most of these will be direct deposits. We call them 'checks in the mail,' but most will be direct deposits," Mnuchin said Dec. 21. "It will be within three weeks. We are determined to get money in people's pockets immediately. So that will be within three weeks." 

As of last summer, 75% of the first round of stimulus payments were sent straight to people's bank accounts using direct deposit, the Treasury said, which brings hope for the majority of people to receive their second payment before Jan. 15.

In the chart below, we map out the payment schedule for the second round of checks, plus a projection if Congress approves a third stimulus check next year, after Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20.

Internasional - US Affirms Prohibition of Investing in Companies Linked to the Chinese Military

Internasional - US Affirms Prohibition of Investing in Companies Linked to the Chinese Military

Internasional Kastra Jatim - WASHINGTON. The United States government (US), Monday (28/12), affirmed an executive order that prohibits owners of capital in their country from buying securities issued by companies that are suspected of being controlled by the Chinese military. The assertion came after a number of government agencies in the US said it was difficult to implement the order issued in November.

US Affirms Prohibition of Investing in Companies Linked to the Chinese Military

The US Treasury Department issued guidance stating that the executive order released last month applies to investments in exchange traded funds and index funds. The prohibition also applies to investing in subsidiaries of Chinese companies that the US Government claims is owned or controlled by the Chinese military.

Internasional - US Affirms Prohibition of Investing in Companies Linked to the Chinese Military

Internasional Kastra Jatim - The confirmation in the form of a frequently asked question was published on the website of the Ministry of Finance, last Monday. The announcement came after Reuters and other news agencies reported on the emerging debate in the Donald Trump Administration over the implementation of the guidelines. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense have rejected the Ministry of Finance’s offer to simplify executive orders, said the sources quoted by Reuters.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday (28/12), the announcement ensures the US does not contribute to the development and modernization of China’s military, intelligence and security services.

“This should allay concerns that US investors may unconsciously support (Chinese military-controlled companies) through other direct, indirect or passive investment,” he said.

The White House has banned investors in the US from buying securities issued by 35 Chinese companies suspected of having affiliations with the Chinese military, starting November 2021. Some media reported that the US Treasury is trying to exclude subsidiaries of the 35 companies from being targeted by the White House order.

Internasional - US Affirms Prohibition of Investing in Companies Linked to the Chinese Military

Internasional Kastra Jatim - Guidelines released on Monday stipulate that the ban also applies to “any subsidiary of a company suspected of being linked to the Chinese military, once the subsidiary has been publicly registered by the Ministry of Finance. The announcement added that the ministry would list public companies, which are 50% or more owned or controlled by companies linked to the Chinese military.

“The Treasury Department’s published FAQ represents a clear victory for the US security community in its quest to maintain strong capital market sanctions,” said Roger Robinson, a former White House official who supports restricting Chinese companies’ access to US capital. The executive order, issued last November, gave teeth to a law passed in 1999 that mandated the Ministry of Defense to compile a list of companies linked to the Chinese military.

The Pentagon, which has fulfilled that mandate this year, has named 35 names on a list of companies linked to the Chinese military. Names on the list include oil company CNOOC Ltd and China’s top chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. Since the executive order issued last November, index compilers in the US have removed the names of several companies on the list from the index-forming group of stocks.