SAN FRANCISCO — California's gig economy law applies to some 70,000 truck drivers who can be classified as employees of companies that hire them instead of independent contractors, giving them a right to overtime, sick pay, or other benefits, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of...
Suspect, Police K-9 Killed in Bakersfield Gunbattle
BAKERSFIELD — A vehicle theft suspect fatally shot a K-9 dog in southeast Bakersfield and then was killed by return fire from officers, police said. The shooting occurred Tuesday night when officers attempted to stop a reported stolen vehicle on Highway 58, the Bakersfield Police Department said in a statement....
US Indicts 3 on Hate Crime Charges in Death of Ahmaud Arbery
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department brought federal hate crimes charges Wednesday in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, charging a father and son who armed themselves, chased and fatally shot the 25-year-old Black man after spotting him running in their Georgia neighborhood. Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory, were charged along...
California Mulls Letting Adults Add Parents to Health Plans
SACRAMENTO — California could become the only state to let adult children add their parents as dependents to their health insurance plans, a policy proposal aimed at increasing insurance coverage among low-income people living in the country illegally who aren't eligible for government-funded coverage. Former President Barack Obama's health law...
US Eyes Major Rollback in Iran Sanctions to Revive Nuke Deal
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is considering a near wholesale rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran in a bid to get the Islamic Republic to return to compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear accord, according to current and former U.S. officials and others familiar...
Fed Keeps Key Rate Near Zero, Sees Inflation as ‘Transitory’
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy is quickly strengthening, inflation is showing signs of picking up and the nation is making progress toward defeating the viral pandemic. But on Wednesday, Chair Jerome Powell made clear that the Federal Reserve isn't even close to beginning a pullback in its ultra-low interest rate...
Feds Search Rudy Giuliani’s NYC Home, Office: AP Sources
NEW YORK — Federal agents raided Rudy Giuliani’s Manhattan home and office on Wednesday, seizing computers and cellphones in a major escalation of the Justice Department’s investigation into the business dealings of former President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor once celebrated for his leadership...
AP Analysis: The Expected COVID Baby Boom May Be a Baby Bust
NEW YORK — When most of the U.S. went into lockdown over a year ago, some speculated that confining couples to their homes — with little to entertain them beyond Netflix — would lead to a lot of baby-making. But the statistics suggest the opposite happened. Births have fallen dramatically...
US to Limit Immigration Arrests at Courthouses Under Biden
WASHINGTON — Immigration arrests at courthouses will be more limited than they were under President Donald Trump in a change of policy announced Tuesday by the Biden administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would no longer be authorized to carry out routine arrests at courthouses, a practice that Homeland Security...
US Catholic Bishops May Press Biden to Stop Taking Communion
When U.S. Catholic bishops hold their next national meeting in June, they’ll be deciding whether to send a tougher-than-ever message to President Joe Biden and other Catholic politicians: Don’t receive Communion if you persist in public advocacy of abortion rights. Biden First Catholic President to Support Abortion Rights At issue...