NOAA’s National Hurricane Center confirmed on Aug. 6 that its midseason update maintains a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season forecast, with only Tropical Storm Bertha having formed in the basin so far. The agency attributed the quieter-than-average season to atmospheric and oceanic conditions including sea surface temperature patterns. NOAA emphasized that

Industries that rely heavily on patents, trademarks and copyrights account for 44% of U.S. gross domestic product and employ one-third of the American workforce, according to an economic study released Aug. 3 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The study found that IP-intensive industries provide higher-paying jobs on average

A federal court shut down a sprawling credit repair network of 17 companies on Aug. 10 after the Federal Trade Commission alleged the operation scammed consumers out of nearly $200 million. The companies allegedly made false promises to remove accurate negative information from credit reports. The court issued a temporary

The Federal Trade Commission issued a formal policy statement on Aug. 7 announcing it will no longer pursue enforcement actions under disparate-impact or unfair-discrimination theories. The shift significantly changes the regulatory landscape for businesses using algorithmic systems, lending tools and hiring technology. The move reverses an enforcement posture used in

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology successfully transmitted quantum-entangled particles across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, an achievement announced Aug. 5 that represents a significant step toward building a practical quantum communications network. The demonstration moves quantum communications technology from laboratory theory toward real-world deployment, with profound

The Federal Trade Commission announced Aug. 7 it will no longer pursue consumer protection enforcement claims based on disparate-impact legal theories, removing a tool that civil rights groups have relied on to challenge practices that disproportionately harm minority consumers. The policy statement marks a significant departure from prior FTC enforcement

A federal court temporarily halted a $200 million credit repair fraud scheme operated by a network of 17 related companies on Aug. 10, the Federal Trade Commission announced, in one of the agency’s largest consumer protection enforcement actions of the year. The temporary restraining order freezes the defendants’ assets and

The U.S. economy lost 23,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in July, the first monthly decline in more than a year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Aug. 7. The decline marks a sharp reversal from months of positive payroll growth and is likely to intensify debate in Washington over economic conditions,

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its seasonal hurricane outlook, maintaining its prediction for a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, the agency announced Aug. 6. Tropical Storm Bertha was active in the Atlantic basin at the time of the forecast update. Below-normal seasons historically produce fewer named storms and major