The ITA states that it is rescinding this AD duty new shipper review because it has determined that it cannot rely on the commercial documents submitted to the ITA in Shanghai Ocean's request for a new shipper review.
The future of Eidos remained unclear Tues. as the publisher said that although “it continues to keep all options under review,” it was “in preliminary discussions with a small number of parties in relation to possible business combinations.” Eidos didn’t name any of the parties, saying the discussions were only “at a preliminary stage and there can be no certainty as to whether they will lead to an offer being made.” Eidos said its board didn’t “expect to be in a position to make a further announcement ahead of the company’s full year results” in early Sept. The publisher revealed in June that it was reviewing all “strategic alternatives available” to it, including a possible sale of the company (CED June 18 p5).
321 Studios was dealt another blow as U.S. Dist. Court, N.Y., Judge Richard Owen imposed a worldwide ban on the manufacture and distribution of its Games X Copy software. The Entertainment Software Assn. (ESA) said the decision gave videogame companies “a major victory in the fight to ban products that facilitate technology-cracking and software piracy.” ESA said 321 Studios “agreed to the preliminary injunction on the eve” of a hearing on a motion by Atari, Electronic Arts and Vivendi Universal Games requesting that the court block 321 Studios from distributing its game-cracking software. In their suit against 321, the game publishers claimed that 321 Studios’ Games X Copy was illegal because it violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by circumventing the technological protection measures used by entertainment software publishers to prevent game piracy. ESA Pres. Douglas Lowenstein said “we are extremely pleased that 321 Studios agreed to stop manufacturing and distributing its game-cracking software.” He said the technology used by 321 Studios “clearly violates the protection that game publishers enjoy under the DMCA and we are optimistic that the final outcome of this case will reflect that.”
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a fact sheet announcing its preliminary affirmative antidumping (AD) duty determinations for certain frozen or canned warmwater shrimp from Brazil, Ecuador, India, and Thailand, which will be effective upon publication in the Federal Register.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing the results of the preliminary review of certain petitions it received in connection with its 2003 Annual Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) Review.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding: (1) FDA policies on the importation of prescription drugs, and (2) FDA's discretionary enforcement policy regarding the personal importation of certain unapproved new drugs.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that it is postponing the preliminary antidumping (AD) duty determinations on certain circular welded carbon quality line pipe from Mexico and South Korea an additional 50 days, until no later than September 29, 2004 (from August 10, 2004).
In its first full week available, Warner’s comedy Starsky & Hutch was the top-rented DVD in the U.S., Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended July 25 showed. Rentrak said the title earned $9.15 million on DVD in the week, for $9.23 million to date. Last week’s #1 DVD -- New Line’s The Butterfly Effect -- slipped to #2, earning an additional $5.38 million on DVD, for $20.16 million to date. Other new DVDs that saw strong rental demand in the week were Disney’s Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen ($3.63 million, $3.69 million to date), Warner’s The Big Bounce ($3.29 million, $3.33 million to date) and Artisan’s Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights ($2.47 million, $2.51 million to date).
In its 4th week available, Activision’s Spider-Man 2 on PS2 was again the #1-rented videogame in the U.S., Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended July 25 showed. The title earned an additional $711,808 in the week, for $3.03 million to date. The Xbox version was again #4, earning $326,728 in the week, for $1.52 million to date, while the GameCube version jumped into the top 10 at #10 (up 2, $142,262 in the week, $591,370 to date). Electronic Arts (EA) also had 3 SKUs in the top 10: NCAA Football 2005 for PS2 at #2 (up one, 2nd week, $507,394 and $973,100), the Xbox version at #6 (up one, $221,655 and $442,834) and Need for Speed Underground for PS2 at #8 again in its 36th week ($155,502 and $9.55 million). Atari and Take-Two Interactive’s Rockstar Games label each had 2 top 10 titles. Atari’s were DRIV3R for PS2 at #3 (down one in its 5th week, $453,932 and $2.58 million) and the Xbox version at #7 (down 2, $220,174 and $1.40 million). Rockstar’s were Red Dead Revolver for PS2 at #5 (up one, 12th week, $278,310 and $3.25 million) and the Xbox version at #9 (up one, $146,676 and $1.87 million).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of the following antidumping (AD) duty administrative reviews: