
-
Sinner's former physio to blame for failed dope tests, says ex-physical trainer
-
Germany slams Trump tariffs, US tech titans in crosshairs
-
Trump tariff blitz sparks retaliation threats, economic fears
-
Search for Malaysia's long missing MH370 suspended
-
Hungary announces ICC withdrawal as Israel's Netanyahu visits
-
Trump's tariffs sting Asian giants, including US allies
-
India says 'examining the implications' of US tariffs
-
Evenepoel set to make injury return at Tour de Romandie
-
USA sole bidder for 2031 Women's World Cup, UK set to host in 2035 - Infantino
-
McLaren's Norris says it's 'our turn' for success
-
Lessons and liquids: buried alive in Myanmar's earthquake
-
Trump tariffs spark fears for Asian jobs, exporting sectors
-
Stocks and dollar sink, havens rally as Trump tariffs fan trade war
-
Runners fly to North Korea for first post-Covid Pyongyang Marathon
-
Hamilton rubbishes claims he's lost faith in Ferrari
-
Nintendo Switch 2 sparks excitement despite high price
-
Sri Lanka's crackdown on dogs for India PM's visit sparks protest
-
S Korea police raise security levels ahead of impeachment verdict
-
China vows 'countermeasures' to sweeping new US tariffs
-
Trump jolts allies, foes and markets with tariff blitz
-
France says EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs
-
Tsunoda vows to bring 'something different' after Red Bull promotion
-
Verstappen not happy with Tsunoda-Lawson Red Bull swap
-
Experts accuse 54 top Nicaragua officials of grave abuses
-
Remains of 30th victim of Los Angeles fires found
-
EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs: France
-
How Trump's 'liberation day' tariffs will impact China
-
Malaysia suspends search for long-missing flight MH370
-
Search for long-missing flight MH370 suspended: Malaysia minister
-
Europe hits out at Trump tariffs, keeps door open for talks
-
Myanmar's junta chief to head to Bangkok summit as quake toll surpasses 3,000
-
Lawson vows to prove he belongs in F1 after shock of Red Bull axing
-
Australia sweats through hottest 12 months on record: official data
-
Livestock theft is central to jihadist economy in west Africa
-
South African artist champions hyenas in 'eco-queer' quest
-
Danish PM in 'unity' Greenland visit amid US takeover threats
-
Taiwan says US tariffs 'highly unreasonable'
-
Lawson says ruthless Red Bull axing was 'tough to hear'
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Thunder roll on
-
Trump escalates trade war with sweeping global tariffs
-
Japan says US tariffs 'extremely regrettable', may break WTO rules
-
South Koreans anxious, angry as court to rule on impeached president
-
Juve at in-form Roma with Champions League in the balance
-
Injuries put undermanned Bayern's title bid to the test
-
Ovechkin scores 892nd goal -- three away from Gretzky's NHL record
-
Australian former rugby star Petaia signs for NFL's Chargers
-
China says opposes new US tariffs, vows 'countermeasures'
-
Athletics world watching as 'Grand Slam Track' prepares for launch
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Cavs top Knicks
-
Quake-hit Myanmar's junta chief to head to Bangkok summit

Building workers in torrid Texas say water-break ban is 'a law that kills'
Perched on a platform as he painted an enormous wall, Maynor Alvarez felt cramps in his arms and legs and thought he might vomit. He wanted to come down, but the supervisor's order was clear: "Keep working."
The crushing heatwave that has blanketed much of the southern United States for nearly a month has taken a particularly high toll on construction workers, who are often exposed to temperatures exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius).
And the region is bracing for more heat records to be broken this weekend.
"I've suffered heat strokes on several occasions," the 42-year-old Alvarez told a group of co-workers outside the Houston City Hall on Friday. "Do you know what it feels like? Cramps in the legs and arms, headache, the urge to vomit, your heart racing.
"When I complain to my supervisor down below, he just tells me to keep producing...
"I come down anyway because I can't stand it... If I stayed five more minutes, I wouldn't be here to tell this story."
The workers were there to protest a law recently signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott which prevents cities like Austin and Dallas from requiring that construction workers be allowed regular water breaks.
The new Law 2127, which takes effect in September, targets local regulations -- on a broad range of issues from labor, to agriculture to finance -- that go beyond state law.
The measure, approved by the state's Republican legislature and governor, is ostensibly intended to prevent cities and counties from conflicting with state law -- but it also weakens the power of local authorities, which are often much more liberal.
For Guatemalan-born Alvarez, the impact is clear: "This is a law that kills," he said.
Some 12 miles (20 kilometers) further north, 28-year-old Juan -- who declined to give his last name -- was on a ladder working to complete a wall on a building under construction. The day was scorching hot, the sun was blindingly bright, and a mist seemed to envelop people passing on the asphalt below.
Wearing a helmet, a reflective vest, protective glasses and a kerchief to keep the sun off his neck, Juan said the heat left him feeling nauseated.
"Just when I take a drink of water, I get dizzy, I want to vomit because of the heat," he told AFP. "I need something else, a Coca-Cola, a Gatorade -- and cold -- just to be able to keep going."
His 21-year-old colleague Edwin, who like Juan is Mexican-born, comes prepared with a cold drink as he readies to work under the sun after finishing a job inside the building. "I'm almost used to it," he said, "but this year the heat is stronger."
- Cost of complaining -
Complaining about the heat can carry a cost, said Alvarez: one may not be scheduled to work as many shifts. So people are reluctant to speak up.
Luz Martínez, another construction worker protesting outside the Houston City Hall, said she had worked in a 20-story building where it was prohibited to bring water. Workers had to go down to the ground level to hydrate outdoors.
"On July 4, the holiday, we were remodeling a school, in an enclosed area with the air conditioning turned off, because they didn't want to pay for the electricity. I remember a colleague falling over because of the heat. He fainted and started vomiting."
"Those places are extremely hot... we're dying," she said. "For them to take away our water, our hydration breaks, is not fair."
The workers were galvanized by the death of a 46-year-old colleague, Felipe Pascual, in mid-June. He collapsed while doing cement work at a construction site on the outskirts of Houston.
Texas holds the unfortunate distinction of having had the most heat-related deaths among construction workers: 42 from 2011 to 2021, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Cristian Canela, a representative of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, said periodic water breaks are a necessity for people working under the sun.
It's not possible for construction workers to always be in the shade, he said. "I mean, that's common sense, you're a construction worker. But at least you have those water breaks. I think it's essential."
Of Governor Abbott's ban on water breaks, he said, "That's insane."
The conditions, Canela added, are "killing the workers right now."
M.A.Colin--AMWN