Spector's lawyers, who touted his appearance in opening statements, still plan to call Lee as their star forensic witness, even though prosecutors will be able to present the same evidence that convinced Fidler of misconduct to the jury weighing the murder charge against Spector.

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Congress, the Treasury Department, the National Association of Securities Dealers, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board are weighing in, troubled by the fact that broker-sold plans may charge a load and often have annual expenses of more than 2%.

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Regulatory measures are also weighing on profits in the sector, including cuts in roaming charges and mobile termination fees, which national operators charge one another to use their networks.

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