Business Briefs – September 28, 2016

Air Rage Incidents Reported By Airlines on the Rise

WASHINGTON (AP) – Incidents of unruly passengers on planes are increasing, and more effective deterrents are needed to tackle the problem, a global airline trade group said Wednesday.

There were 10,854 air rage incidents reported by airlines worldwide last year, up from 9,316 incidents in 2014, according to the International Air Transport Association.

A majority of incidents involved verbal abuse, failure to follow crew instructions and other anti-social behavior. Eleven percent included physical aggression toward passengers or crew or damage to the plane.

FDA Approves ‘Artificial Pancreas’ To Manage Diabetes

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal regulators have approved a first-of-a-kind “artificial pancreas,” a device that can help some diabetes patients manage their disease by constantly monitoring their blood sugar and delivering insulin as needed.

The device from Medtronic was approved Wednesday for patients with Type 1 diabetes. About 5 percent of the nation’s 29 million Americans with diabetes have this type.

Type 1 diabetes patients now have to manage their insulin through multiple injections throughout the day or a drug pump that delivers it through a tube.

Anheuser-Busch Pays $6M to Settle India Bribery Accusations

WASHINGTON (AP) – Anheuser-Busch InBev will pay $6 million to settle charges by U.S. regulators that a joint venture in India paid off government officials to boost sales and production, then tried to quiet an employee who raised the issue.

The joint venture in which AB InBev had a 49 percent interest used third-party sales promoters to make payments to Indian officials in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday.

The law is typically used to prevent bribery.

Ford Recalls Focus Hatchbacks For Latch Release Problem

DETROIT (AP) – Ford is recalling about 74,000 Focus hatchback cars with manual transmissions in the U.S. and Canada because the hatches can be unlatched too easily while the cars are moving.

The recall covers certain Focus hatchback and RS vehicles from the 2013 through 2017 model years. The company says the hatch can be unlocked and unlatched by pushing a single button when the cars are traveling under 4 miles per hour. Federal safety standards require two actions to unlock doors and operate the latch release.

Ford says it doesn’t know of any accidents or injuries caused by the problem.