July 2020 SM Online

FLOOD RISKS
The number of people affected by riverine floods is projected to rise from 65 million in 2010 to 132 million in 2030, according to data from the World Resources Institute Aqueduct Floods tool. 

LOCKDOWN DRILLS
The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools released guidance around school lockdown drill design, content, and variables.

SECURITY COMPETENCY MODEL
The ASIS Foundation partnered with the University of Phoenix to create an Enterprise Security Competency Model.

CHINA
By building a strong technology base, China is also seeking to enhance its security and national power by acquiring intellectual property and trade secret information, according to an analysis by James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

DRONES
A RAND Corporation analyzed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's use of drones and found that the department is vulnerable to drone-enabled cyberattacks.

REFUGEE CRISIS
More than 4 million Venezuelans have left the country, most since 2015, driven by widespread poverty and chronic shortages of food, medicine, and other necessities, according to a Wilson Center report, Understanding the Venezuelan Refugee Crisis.

FOOD POISONING
Blue Bell Creameries pled guilty to charges that it shipped contaminated food products in 2015 and will pay $19.35 million to settle part of the case with the U.S. Department of Justice.

HARASSMENT
Scotland is considering adding age and sex as protected classes, and expanding its Hate Crime legislation to include “stirring up” such crimes.

GUN CONTROL
Canada banned assault-style weapons on 1 May 2020.

PANDEMIC MEASURES
India ordered all public and private sector employees to use a government-backed contact tracing app and maintain social distancing in offices.

CORRUPTION
Bank Hapoalim agreed to pay more than $30 million for its role in a money laundering conspiracy.

SEXUAL ASSAULT
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos released new regulations for schools on how to handle issues of sexual misconduct, relieving colleges and universities of some legal liabilities.

NUCLEAR WASTE
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ordered its waste monitors to work from home, citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

CORONAVIRUS
A U.S. district court dismissed a case against Smithfield Foods, Inc., after determining the matter is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Occupational Security and Health Administration. Employees claim that the company failed to adequately protect them from the novel COVID-19 virus while working in the meat processing plant. 

HARASSMENT
Best Buy was not liable for one employee's racist comment to another because the harassment could not be imputed to Best Buy, concluded the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

AGE DISCRIMINATION
Baltimore County will pay $5.4 million to settle a long-running age discrimination lawsuit.