​DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA

While U.S. companies saw increasing sales performance in China over the past year, access and uncertainty about policies towards foreign companies are undermining American companies' confidence in China. The finding is from the 2017 US-China Business Council Annual Member Survey​, which surveyed more than 200 American companies doing business in China about the business climate and the top challenges for American companies in China. One major area of concern was intellectual property protection, with 94 percent of respondents saying they remain concerned about intellectual property rights enforcement in China.

LAB SAFETY

For the report High-Containment Laboratories: Coordinated Efforts Needed to Further Strengthen Oversight of Select Agents​, the U.S. Government Accountability Office examined the oversight of the more than 200 labs in the United States that conduct research on hazardous pathogens such as anthrax bacteria.

PARTNERSHIPS

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released an industry guide designed to facilitate partnering with the private sector in creating technologies that will address national security concerns. 

ELECTION SECURITY

States and localities can take various measures to help ensure that the upcoming midterm elections are secure, according to a recent report, Nine Solutions to Secure America's Elections, issued by the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank. ​

CYBER STAFFING

The cybersecurity workforce gap is on pace to increase 20 percent from 2015—leaving 1.8 million unfilled positions by 2020, according to the most recent Global Information Workforce Study​.

CYBERCRIME

A new U.S. law​ creates an institute to train local law enforcement and other partners to investigate and prevent cybercrime.

CRIME STATISTICS

Crime in the United States, 2016, is the FBI's annual compilation of crime statistics reported by more than 16,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies. The most recent report​ shows that violent crime rose from 2015 to 2016. Aggravated assault made up more than 64 percent of this type of crime. Robbery followed at 26.6 percent, rape accounted for 7.7 percent, and murder made up 1.4 percent.

EXCESSIVE FORCE

A jury must decide whether a police officer used excessive force when he tased a man for nearly two minutes, a U.S. court of appeals said in a ruling​ that revived a plaintiff's suit.

DISABILITY

American Airlines Inc. and Envoy Air Inc. will pay $9.8 million to settle charges that they denied accommodations to disabled workers.