Safe and Sound: News You Might Have Missed This Week

There’s a lot going on in the world, and it can be hard to stay on top of everything. So, here’s five things you need to know that you might have missed this week.

1. UK’s Gatwick Airport Struggling With Drone Problem

The second-busiest airport in the UK has been forced to close for long stretches over the past few days as it struggled to provide safe airspace due to rogue drones. According to the BBC, police “have so far failed to locate the ‘industrial specification’ drones or their pilot and had been considering plans to shoot a device down. The Pilot’s union, BALPA, said new tracking devices had been installed to notify of any drones. Despite re-opening on Friday morning, Gatwick was on high alert, and was forced to suspend flights again in the afternoon, UK time.

2. Uber’s Self-Driving Cars Back on the Road

Uber has brought their self-driving cars back onto roads for testing, nine months after one of their cars hit and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. The cars will be confined to a one-mile loop around Pittsburgh’s Strip District for the time being, won’t go over 25 miles per hour, and have two people in them at all times. The company is working closely with regulators to get the program back on track.

3. Australian Govt Blocks Industrial Manslaughter Law

A push to introduce a specific federal law that would enable safety authorities to prosecute negligent bosses over the death of employees in their care has stalled. The Federal Government is refusing to consider introducing the law, called for by unions and the families of people who have died on the job, and recommended by a Senate inquiry, because it says a similar law in place in the Australian Capital Territory hasn’t reduced workplace deaths.

4. Wegman’s Cauilflower E.Coli Scare

Another week, another food recall due to contamination fears. This time, it’s cauliflower sold by Wegmans in stir-fry, rice and veggie blend packs. The cauliflower is possibly contaminated with E.Coli and was distributed to 98 Wegman’s stores in the US. This is the latest in a long line of food recalls in 2018, highlighting the need for better supply chain monitoring and testing.

5. California’s Gas Pipeline Safety Scandal

Pacific Gas & Electric has been accused by California’s Public Utilities Commission of falsifying safety records around gas pipelines between 2012 and 2017, leaving the pipelines insufficiently marked and creating the danger that the lines could be damaged by construction or other work. The regulator has accused the utility of knowingly disregarding the safety standards, even after a deadly pipeline explosion in 2010.

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