Small businesses struggle with rising fuel prices - March 21, 2022

Companies with Russian ties are working to navigate their business after sanctions leveled on Russia over recent weeks curbed the flow of goods and money between the country and Western markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Nestle for its powerful list of multinational companies maintaining Russian business operations as many other companies including Koch Industries, Credit Suisse and Renault grappled with increased pressure to punish Russia. Rising fuel prices are taking a toll on small businesses, with more than half of polled owners reporting that higher energy prices were affecting their businesses. The recent challenge compounds pandemic-related obstacles like supply-chain issues, a tight labor market and rising interest rates. With no further COVID-related relief funds from Congress in sight, the Small Business Administration announced it will extend the deferment periods for disaster loans once again. Dr. Anthony Fauci predicted an uptick – not a surge – in coronavirus infections despite the current decline in cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. As more mask mandates are abandoned, a new poll found Americans’ emotional and physical health is bouncing back. Nearly 65% of respondents now favor governments lifting all COVID-19 restrictions, but three in four say they’d go back to masking if infections increase. The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to propose new disclosure rules that would require companies to report their contributions to greenhouse gas emissions as well as how climate change might affect their business. Allergy season is getting worse as the climate changes, according to new research. Hotter temperatures are causing some plants to produce more pollen and a study found that if carbon emissions remain high allergy season could begin 40 days earlier. Pollen seasons since the 1990s have gotten substantially longer and start earlier. While millions of students held off going to college during the pandemic, programs at community colleges in sk