A Texas court dismissed charges related to a U.S. foreign bribery investigation involving Portuguese banker Paulo Jorge Da Costa Casequeiro Murta, ruling the U.S. violated the Speedy Trial Act by failing to bring Murta to trial within the 70-day limit set in the statute (United States v. Paulo Jorge Da Costa Casqueiro Murta, S.D. Tex. #4:17-00514).
A Texas court dismissed charges related to a U.S. foreign bribery investigation involving Portuguese banker Paulo Jorge Da Costa Casequeiro Murta, ruling the U.S. violated the Speedy Trial Act by failing to bring Murta to trial within the 70-day limit set in the statute (United States v. Paulo Jorge Da Costa Casqueiro Murta, S.D. Tex. #4:17-00514).
Amazon is talking to Verizon, T-Mobile and Dish Wireless about a deal to offer free or low-cost wireless service to Prime members, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing unidentified sources. “We are always exploring adding even more benefits for Prime members, but don’t have plans to add wireless at this time," an Amazon spokesperson emailed. “Don’t bet on it,” said MoffettNathanson’s Craig Moffett. “Telecom isn’t the first industry to have been turned upside down by the very notion that Amazon might enter their business, and it surely won’t be the last,” Moffett told investors: “Amazon quite obviously could do this if they wanted to” and could do it for free “even though the annual wholesale cost of providing wireless service for even a single line would likely be higher than the annual price of a Prime subscription.” Moffett noted regulatory issues could give the company pause. Rules for customer information in telecom “are MUCH stricter than what Amazon faces today” and “introducing that regulatory risk would be unwise, in our view,” he said. Industry analyst Jeff Kagan said on the TD Ameritrade Network Friday that Amazon is now a much bigger company than 10 years ago and is “into everything.” Amazon “tried once before, so did Facebook … but they all flopped,” he said. Ten years later, Comcast and Charter have had success with wireless offerings and “the entire wireless marketplace is full of resellers,” Kagan said. “If Amazon wants to get in, I think they could be successful this time,” he said. Kagan noted a $10/month offering would be low, but most people can already get $15/month service from other providers.
T-Mobile got a stay from the U.S. District Court for Northern California in the carrier’s lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission. T-Mobile asked the court to pause its review of the CPUC’s USF contribution overhaul until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals resolves the carrier’s appeal of the district court’s March 31 preliminary injunction denial (see 2305160003). The CPUC didn’t oppose. “In light of the statement of non-opposition, the court grants the motion to stay,” wrote Judge Laurel Beeler in a text entry in case 3:23-cv-00483-LB. The court sets a status hearing for May 16 at 11 a.m. “and will continue the stay if the Ninth Circuit has not ruled,” Beeler said.
In a vote late on May 24, 214 members of the House of Representatives voted to override President Joe Biden's veto of a resolution that aimed to end the two-year pause on anti-circumvention deposits for some solar panel imports from Southeast Asia. There were 205 members who voted to continue the policy, and Congress needs a two-thirds majority to override a veto.
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President Joe Biden informed the House of Representatives that he vetoed their resolution that aimed to end a two-year pause on anti-circumvention duties for panels and cells from some Chinese companies with manufacturing in Southeast Asian countries.
T-Mobile and the California Public Utilities Commission disagreed whether the U.S. District Court of Northern California should go ahead with a review of the CPUC’s USF contribution overhaul (case 3:23-cv-00483). T-Mobile wants the district court to pause the case until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals resolves the carrier’s appeal of the district court denying preliminary injunction (case 23-15490), said a joint case management statement filed Thursday. If the court wants, T-Mobile is prepared to file a motion seeking to hold the case in abeyance, it said. The CPUC wants to proceed on the merits now, said the filing: The agency doesn't think the 9th Circuit review will provide much guidance for the district court's merits review. The agency plans to seek dismissal and suggests the district court set a deadline for such a motion at a May 11 case management conference, it said. T-Mobile and subsidiaries Monday filed their opening brief in the 9th Circuit case (see 2305020038).
The Senate passed a resolution to end the duty waiver on solar panels from Southeast Asia that the Commerce Department says circumvent antidumping and countervailing duties, but the president has promised to veto the resolution.
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.