- At least 10 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Far from eye, Hurricane Milton's deadly tornados rampaged Florida
- At least 10 dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes
- Argentina held, Bolivia stun Colombia in 2026 qualifiers
- Socceroos have 'nothing to fear' from Japan
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial set for May 2025
- Bolivia stun Colombia in World Cup qualifiers
- Internet Archive reels from 'catastrophic' cyberattack, data breach
- Greece earn late win against England in Nations League, Italy-Belgium stalemate
- Trump biopic 'The Apprentice' hits US theaters weeks before election
- Pavlidis dedicates 'special' Greece win over England to tragic Baldock
- Wall Street stocks retreat from records on US inflation data
- 'Like a quake': Beirut shaken after deadliest strikes on centre
- Fallen giants Ghana in AFCON trouble after Sudan draw
- Asian leaders meet in Laos with US, Russia on world turmoil
- England gamble backfires as Pavlidis fires emotional Greece to victory
- Obama stumps for Harris, Trump talks US protectionism
- New-look France ease past Israel in Nations League
- Belgium fight back to draw with 10-man Italy in Nations League
- 'Get a life': Hurricane whips up US election storm
- Japan stay perfect in World Cup qualifying
- Relief as Lebanon evacuees dock in Turkey
- Lebanon says 22 dead in Israeli strikes on central Beirut
- NBA boss Silver sees games back in China 'at some point'
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Table tennis and Netflix push Ukraine teen into French Open contention
- Civilians flee Gaza's Jabalia in tightening Israeli siege
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 18
- At least 10 dead in Florida from tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton
- Warhol's rare 'Queen' collection opens at Dutch museum
- Three-time NBA champion Green retires
- MLB Twins up for sale after 40 years
- S.Sudan floods affect 893,000, over 241,000 displaced: UN
- Solar storm could impact US hurricane recovery efforts: agency
- Windies sweat on injury to 'crucial' Taylor at World Cup
- Lebanon says 11 dead, 48 injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
- Panama lashes out at EU over tax haven 'outrage'
- Erdogan says Gaza 'shame of humanity', calls for permanent ceasfire
- TD Bank to pay more than $3 bn to US in money-laundering case
- SAfrica prosecutors drop criminal complaint against president
- 'Good opportunity': Nagelsmann upbeat despite Germany's long injury list
- Hurricane whips up bitter US election battle
- Cameroon bans media talk of president's health amid rumours
- NFL MVP Jackson and rookie phenom Daniels set for showdown
- Chad's capital under threat as floodwaters rise
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
- No answers on strike on reporters in Lebanon one year on: watchdog
- Ramharack picks four wickets as Windies beat Bangladesh in Women's T20 World Cup
- France's City of Light switches to climate-resilient power cables
- Djokovic hails Nadal 'legacy' as Alcaraz in 'shock' over retirement
Strippers get bill of rights in US state
Strippers in the US state of Washington have won workplace protections after the governor signed a bill of rights putting them on the same leal footing as people in any other job.
The legislation, signed into law on Monday by Governor Jay Inslee, is some of the most far-reaching in the country, and sets standards for safety and pay.
"Strippers are workers, and they should be given the same rights and protections as any other labor force," said Washington state Senator Rebecca Saldana, who sponsored the bill.
"If they are employed at a legal establishment in Washington, they deserve the safeguards that every worker is entitled to, including protection from exploitation, trafficking, and abuse."
The law mandates the provision of panic buttons in areas where dancers might be alone with customers, and requires clubs to have specially trained staff on hand to deal with security issues.
It also sets out requirements for clear contracts that would limit the amount a club could charge a stripper -- many of whom are independent contractors.
The law also moves to allow alcohol to be served in clubs, adding a possibly significant stream of revenue that will help clubs fund the measures.
The legislation was crafted with input from Strippers Are Workers, a campaign group that represents sex workers.
"For five years we have organized and built consensus with dancers to develop a bill that will address issues in the Washington adult entertainment industry and get dancers more workers' rights and protections," the group said ahead of the signing of the bill.
The group said Washington was unusual for not allowing the sale of alcohol in strip clubs.
"Alcohol service has been found, by strippers and scientific research, to actually make clubs safer and more equitable," it said. "Dancers deserve to do their work equitably, safely, and without stigmatization."
Strippers in new Zealand marched on parliament in January demanding better employment rights and reforms to the adult industry.
And strippers at a bar in Los Angeles voted last year to unionize in a bid to better protect themselves for what they say is exploitative practices.
M.Fischer--AMWN