California court says Uber, Lyft drivers are employees

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California appeals court on Thursday upheld an order requiring Uber and Lyft to treat their California drivers as employees instead of independent contractors, less than two weeks before voters will be asked to exempt the ride-hailing giants from the state's gig economy law. The...

California court orders Uber and Lyft to treat drivers as employees, not contractors

Trump campaign tapes voters at drop boxes, threatens lawsuit

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Trump campaign has been videotaping people as they deposit ballots in drop boxes in Philadelphia in what it says is an attempt to catch violations, surveillance that the battleground state’s Democratic attorney general suggested could amount to illegal intimidation. The...

Walmart sues US in pre-emptive strike in opioid abuse battle

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is suing the U.S. government in a pre-emptive strike in the battle over its responsibility in the opioid abuse crisis. The government is expected to take civil action against the world's largest retailer, seeking big financial penalties, for the role its pharmacies may have played...

Judge permits sex assault case against Joint Chiefs member

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff sexually assaulted a former top aide during a Southern California trip. Air Force Gen. John Hyten has denied the allegations brought by former Army Col. Kathryn...

Epstein ex Maxwell denied getting Prince Andrew sex partners

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend denied introducing Britain’s Prince Andrew to underage sex partners in a defensive and combative deposition made public Thursday, calling the prince's accuser an “awful fantasist.” “Are we tallying all the lies?”...

Seattle, Portland, New York sue over Trump's 'anarchy' label

SEATTLE (AP) — New York, Seattle and Portland — three cities recently labeled “anarchist jurisdictions” by the U.S. Justice Department — filed a lawsuit Thursday to invalidate the designation and fight off the Trump administration's efforts to withhold federal dollars....

Lawsuit of Michael Jackson sexual abuse accuser dismissed

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has dismissed the lawsuit of one of two men who alleged that Michael Jackson abused them as boys in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland." Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young on Tuesday found that James Safechuck, 42, could not sue the two corporations...

Oregon vineyards lose lawsuit against nearby pot operation

MCMINVILLE, Ore. (AP) — Two Oregon wine grape growers have failed to convince a state judge their grapes would be marred by odors from a neighboring marijuana operation. Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Easterday ruled that Smera Vineyard and Maysara Winery haven’t met their burden of...

Supreme Court puts curbside voting on hold in Alabama

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday put on hold a lower court order that would have permitted curbside voting in Alabama in November. The justices' vote was 5-3, with the court's three liberals dissenting. As is typical when the Supreme Court acts on an emergency basis, the justices in the...