Silicon Valley Tech News Roundup of the Week – May 9th
Tesla fined $750.000 for air quality violations
From 2015, Tesla’s factory in Fremont committed 33 air quality violations. They included exceeding the omissions limit, installing equipment without permits, and failing to conduct the required omissions testing (among others).
In a settlement with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the penalty for these violations amounts to $1 million. Tesla has to pay $750.000 directly to the district. The company will also receive a credit of $250.000 for the balance when it installs a microgrid system in one of the communities in the area that belong to the “Community Health Protection Program.” The grid includes solar panels and a power storage system.
Tesla rectified all of the violations.
Ransomware attack shuts down Colonial Pipeline
Colonial Pipeline halted all of its operations on Friday due to a ransomware attack. The company maintains a 5500-mile system that transports 2.5 million barrels of fuel each day from the refineries in Houston, Texas, to the New York Harbor. Hackers use malware to encrypt a company’s files and ask for ransom in return for restoring access.
Colonial Pipeline confirmed the attack and stated they are working with law enforcement and federal agencies. Likewise, the company has hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the attack. While Colonial Pipeline stated they are working on resolving the issue, there is no information on when the company plans to resume its operations.
Melinda and Bill Gates divorcing
In a statement on Twitter, Melinda and Bill Gates announced they were divorcing after 27 years of marriage. The couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, and their fortune is estimated at $124 billion. On May 3rd, when the couple announced the divorce, Bill Gates transferred $1.8 billion of stock into Melinda’s name.
The couple also confirmed they planned to continue working at the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.” The foundation places great importance on public health. During the pandemic, the foundation committed $1.75 billion to support the global response to Covid-19. It allocated funds to sub-Saharan Africa and Asia to strengthen the systems and infrastructure to improve disease detection and testing capacities. Likewise, the Foundation funded grants for further vaccine research and awarded grants to support community-based organizations that help groups at higher risk of contracting the disease in the US.
