In this Monday, July 9, 2018 file photo, Harvey Weinstein arrives to court in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
Lawyers for Harvey Weinstein want to appeal a court ruling that lets an aspiring actress' lawsuit equating Hollywood's casting couch to sex trafficking move forward.
The lawyers filed papers in Manhattan federal court Monday asking a judge to let them immediately appeal his ruling two weeks ago that gave the lawsuit the green light.
Kadian Noble said that Weinstein molested her in 2014 in a Cannes, France, hotel room.
Judge Robert Sweet ruled that the lawsuit was fairly brought under sex trafficking laws because the proverbial casting couch could be considered a "commercial sex act."
Weinstein's lawyers argued there was no legal precedent for the ruling. They said the sex trafficking statute could not be used if there was no allegation of trafficking women.
Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.
The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.
The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.
DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.
"While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.
The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.
The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.
DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More
