US Virgin Islands demands $190 million from JPMorgan in Epstein case

By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. Virgin Islands said it wants JPMorgan Chase to pay at least $190 million, and possibly much more, to resolve its lawsuit accusing the largest U.S. bank of ignoring the disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking. In a Friday filing in federal court in Manhattan, the territory…

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US Republican 2024 hopefuls defend Ukraine support at Iowa conservative forum

By James Oliphant (Reuters) -Republican U.S. presidential contenders attending a forum of Christian conservatives in Iowa that typically focuses on social issues found themselves on Friday having to explain their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia to a skeptical crowd. The forum in Des Moines, sponsored by the Family Leader, an influential Iowa…

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Black Mirror: Actors and Hollywood battle over AI digital doubles

By Dawn Chmielewski (Reuters) -Like a plot from the anthology television series “Black Mirror,” the Screen Actors Guild says it is battling the studios for control over the digital replicas of performers that could be used “for the rest of eternity.” The studios counter that they have offered groundbreaking protections from misuse of images. Artificial…

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S&P 500 ends down with banks mostly lower, indexes post weekly gains

By Caroline Valetkevitch NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P 500 ended down slightly on Friday, with bank and financial shares mostly lower on the day following quarterly reports that kicked off earnings season, but all three major U.S. stock indexes posted solid weekly gains. Offsetting some of the declines, UnitedHealth Group’s stock rallied following its…

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‘Pay up!:’ Hollywood actors, writers team on picket lines

By Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Striking Hollywood actors joined film and television writers on picket lines for the first time in 63 years on Friday, cheering and chanting outside major studios with calls for higher streaming-era pay and curbs on use of artificial intelligence. The twin strikes will add to the…

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US House to weigh bill allowing older pilots, other aviation reforms

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on legislation to raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age to 67 from 65 and make other aviation reforms, Republican House leaders said Friday. The House bill, approved 63-0 by the Transportation Committee in June, would reauthorize Federal…

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