Some lawmakers and advocates believe Capitol Hill’s inability to agree on an additional COVID-19 aid bill that includes broadband funding presents an opening for the issue to become a focus during the presidential and congressional campaigns this fall, they told us. Congress provided some related funding in March via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003250046).
DOJ's restructuring its Antitrust Division Civil Enforcement Program is a good move that will closely mirror the FTC’s organization, antitrust attorneys said in interviews. DOJ said the realignment will allow more “vigilant enforcement” and “deeper expertise in technology trends.” The department is creating an Office of Decree Enforcement and Compliance and a Civil Conduct Task Force. The restructuring includes redistributing “matters among its six civil sections in order to build expertise based on current trends in the economy,” it said.
Some lawmakers and advocates believe Capitol Hill’s inability to agree on an additional COVID-19 aid bill that includes broadband funding presents an opening for the issue to become a focus during the presidential and congressional campaigns this fall, they told us. Congress provided some related funding in March via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003250046).
DOJ's restructuring its Antitrust Division Civil Enforcement Program is a good move that will closely mirror the FTC’s organization, antitrust attorneys said in interviews. DOJ said the realignment will allow more “vigilant enforcement” and “deeper expertise in technology trends.” The department is creating an Office of Decree Enforcement and Compliance and a Civil Conduct Task Force. The restructuring includes redistributing “matters among its six civil sections in order to build expertise based on current trends in the economy,” it said.
Some lawmakers and advocates believe Capitol Hill’s inability to agree on an additional COVID-19 aid bill that includes broadband funding presents an opening for the issue to become a focus during the presidential and congressional campaigns this fall, they told us. Congress provided some related funding in March via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003250046).
Two U.S. citizens, Muzzamil Zaidi and Asim Naqvi, and Pakistani national Ali Chawla were charged with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after they allegedly arranged for transport of U.S. currency from the U.S. to Iran for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2018 and 2019, the Justice Department said Aug. 19. After the U.S. sanctioned Khamenei in 2019 (see 1906240046), all three allegedly were involved in collecting U.S. currency from donors through a “religious tax” authorized by Khamenei, sometimes transporting the money first to Iraq, then Iran. The Justice Department alleges Zaidi and Naqvi structured the shipments to “avoid reporting requirements.” Zaidi, who resides in Iran; Naqvi, who lives in Houston; and Chawla, who lives in Iran, each face a maximum 20-year prison sentence for violating the IEEPA.
The FCC deactivated the disaster information reporting system for the 24 Iowa counties affected by the recent derecho, said a public notice Wednesday. The deactivation was at the request of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Coordinating Center for Communications and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the PN said. The final report, also released Wednesday, said there were 21,570 cable and wireline subscribers without service, outages at 1.9 % of cellsites in those areas, and eight FM stations and one AM remain down.
The FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program, which ends in October, has been a success and led to “some of the most advanced drone operations in the world,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday during a virtual conference sponsored by the agency and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. An FAA official downplayed the need for more spectrum for drones, which is being examined by the FCC.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two United Arab Emirates-based companies and a business owner for supporting sanctioned Iranian airline Mahan Air, an Aug. 19 news release said. The designations target Parthia Cargo, Delta Parts Supply FZC and Iranian national Amin Mahdavi, who owns Parthia Cargo. OFAC said the companies provided “key parts and logistics services” that help Mahan Air sustain its fleet of “western manufactured aircraft.” The parts and services also help the airline transport terrorists, “lethal cargo” and technical equipment to Syria and Venezuela.
Qualcomm’s victory before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals strengthens the hand of patent holders like Huawei, which could create national security risks, tech industry officials and antitrust attorneys said in interviews. A Qualcomm proponent said the FTC shouldn’t seek an appeal in a case that would put “more bad law on the books against” the agency (see 2008110065).