By Eman Kamel and Hamad MohammedDOHA (Reuters) – Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary began his career in 2001 helping cover the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan and subsequent fall of the Taliban. Never in the 20 years since did he imagine Kabul would once again fall to the Islamist militant group, he said.Fearing reprisals, Sarwary and his family were evacuated to Qatar along with more than 150 other people, including other journalists and artists, a few days before Thursday's deadly Islamic State suicide bombing https://www.

https://wsau.com/2021/08/27/afghan-journalist-sarwary-leaving-was-most-painful-journey-of-my-life/

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(Reuters) – A sharp upturn in infections due to the Delta variant and a slowdown in vaccinations have pushed governments to make COVID-19 shots mandatory for health workers, other high-risk groups or dining out.A growing number of countries are also making shots compulsory for public servants or travelers. In some of the strictest measures in the world, Italy will require a COVID health pass from all workers.Here are some countries' vaccine mandates:ITALYThe Italian government made it obligatory for all workers either to show proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery from infection.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/16/factbox-countries-making-covid-19-vaccines-mandatory/

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has put 100 National Guard troops on standby to help police protect the Capitol if needed, the Pentagon said on Friday, ahead of Saturday's planned rally supporting people charged with taking part in the deadly Jan. 6 riot.Hundreds of far-right demonstrators are expected in the District of Columbia for the 'Justice For J6' rally, a reference to the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump in an attempt to stop certification of President Joe Biden's election victory.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/17/100-national-guard-troops-available-for-saturdays-capitol-demonstration-security-pentagon/

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By Sakura MurakamiTOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo Olympic organisers plan to give away about 150,000 condoms at next month's Games, but are telling athletes to take them home rather than use them in the Olympic village where social distancing rules and coronavirus measures are the top priority.Large numbers of condoms have been given out at the Games since the 1988 Seoul Olympics to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and organisers said the International Olympic Committee had requested their continued distribution.

https://wsau.com/2021/06/13/olympics-take-your-condoms-home-social-distancing-and-sex-in-the-olympic-village/

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WTF Colorado / CC MADISON, WI (WSAU) — State Senator Patrick Testin's Star-Spangled Banner Act has passed the Assembly and is now scheduled for a Senate committee hearing next week.The bill calls for all taxpayer-funded venues- ranging from something as big as Fiserv Forum to as small as your local bar-league softball complex- to play the national anthem before any game. The Stevens Point Republican says he has been pleasantly surprised with the amount of bipartisan support the bill received, especially given the amount of division over symbols such as the flag or anthem.

https://wsau.com/2021/06/24/206286/

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By Sudipto GangulyTOKYO (Reuters) – World champion Dalilah Muhammad, world record-holder Sydney McLaughlin and European indoor champion Femke Bol stayed on course for a gripping Olympic showdown in women's 400 metres hurdles as athletics entered day two of competitions in Tokyo.It was another busy morning of running, jumping and throwing at the oval-shaped Olympic Stadium on a stifling day though a bit of cloud cover brought some respite for the athletes and those present as the session progressed.

https://wsau.com/2021/07/30/olympics-athletics-triumvirate-keep-400m-womens-hurdles-showdown-on-track/

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By John McCrankNEW YORK (Reuters) – The New York Stock Exchange said on Wednesday it will require anyone accessing its trading floor at 11 Wall Street to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus as of Sept. 13, according to a memo to the floor community seen by Reuters.'Based on recent shifts in public health conditions as well as updated recommendations from federal, state and local authorities, NYSE will implement several changes to its health and safety policies,' said the memo, which was signed by NYSE Chief Operating Officer Michael Blaugrund.

https://wsau.com/2021/08/11/nyse-to-require-vaccinations-for-trading-floor-access/

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Joe Harris scored 20 points as the Brooklyn Nets survived a rough shooting night by Kyrie Irving and withstood a late charge by the Boston Celtics to record a 109-104 victory on Friday in New York.The Nets moved a half-game ahead of the idle Philadelphia 76ers into the top spot in the Eastern Conference.Jeff Green added 19 for the Nets, who shot 43 percent and withstood Irving missing 15 of 19 shots. Irving still nearly posted a triple-double, winding up with 15 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.

https://wsau.com/2021/04/24/nba-roundup-nets-nip-celtics-claim-1st-in-east/

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RIO DE JANEIRO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil's cross-chamber congressional commission on tax reform has been disbanded and another path for restructuring and simplifying Brazil's complex tax system must be found, lower house speaker Arthur Lira said on Tuesday.Blaming 'technical' issues, Lira's announcement on TV Camara came only hours after the tax reform bill's coordinator, Congressman Aguinaldo Ribeiro, had said lawmakers would be able to suggest amendments to the bill this week before its delivery to Congress next Tuesday.

https://wsau.com/2021/05/04/brazil-tax-reform-hits-another-obstacle-as-joint-chamber-commission-scrapped/

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Milwaukee Brewers MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) — The St. Louis Cardinals bookended Thursday's matinee with the Milwaukee Brewers by scoring single runs in both the first and ninth innings for a 2-0 win.Nolan Arenado singled home a run in the first to score Tommy Edman. That was followed by a throwing error committed by pitcher Angel Perdomo in the 9th that allowed Lane Thomas to score the insurance run.The Brewers managed just five hits on the day led by two knocks from Luis Urias. Travis Shaw and Daniel Vogelbach each recorded a double as well.

https://wsau.com/2021/05/13/184773/

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Cruise operator Royal Caribbean is cancelling a new line that had been scheduled to run from Israel to Greece and Cyprus from next month, citing regional security concerns.The sailings out of Haifa port would have been the first for Royal Caribbean's new ship 'Odyssey of the Seas' and were intended to exploit a travel corridor being set up among the three countries for travellers vaccinated against COVID-19.'Due to the unrest in Israel and region, Odyssey has not been able to complete the preparations required,' the company said late on Saturday in what appeared to be a reference to fighting over Gaza and tensions on Israel's border with Lebanon.

https://wsau.com/2021/05/16/royal-caribbean-cancels-new-cruise-line-from-israel-over-unrest/

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(Reuters) – The World Boxing Organization (WBO) on Saturday ordered Anthony Joshua to defend his heavyweight title against mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk after the Briton's bout with domestic rival Tyson Fury was thrown into doubt.Joshua, who also holds the IBF and WBA titles, was set to face Fury – who holds the WBC belt – on Aug. 14 in Saudi Arabia. But Fury was ordered by an American arbitrator on Monday to fight Deontay Wilder for a third time before Sept. 15.The WBO said http://www.wboboxing.

https://wsau.com/2021/05/22/boxing-wbo-orders-joshua-to-defend-heavyweight-title-against-usyk/

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(Reuters) – Revance Therapeutics Inc said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had declined to approve its DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection to treat moderate to severe frown lines. (Reporting by Amruta Khandekar; Editing by Maju Samuel)

https://wsau.com/2021/10/15/revance-says-u-s-fda-declined-to-approve-frown-line-treatment/

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By Tyler Clifford(Reuters) – A non-profit ethics watchdog on Friday called for a probe into whether White House press secretary Jen Psaki violated federal law with an apparent endorsement from the White House podium of a Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia.Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, said it filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), asking that it investigate whether Psaki violated the Hatch Act by advocating for the election of Terry McAuliffe.

https://wsau.com/2021/10/15/biden-aide-psaki-may-have-violated-ethics-law-watchdog/

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(Reuters) – The Bank of England's new chief economist, Huw Pill, said inflation in Britain could surpass a 'very uncomfortable' 5% and the question of whether to raise interest rates was a 'live' one at its early November meeting, the Financial Times reported.Pill told the newspaper in an interview published on Thursday that the decision facing the Monetary Policy Committee was 'finely balanced' and added: 'I think November is live.''I would not be shocked — let's put it that way — if we see an inflation print close to or above 5% (in the months ahead).

https://wsau.com/2021/10/21/boe-chief-economist-says-uk-inflation-could-top-5-ft/

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LE HAVRE, France (Reuters) – French scallop fishermen said they were fed up with British vessels enjoying what they called unfair access to shellfish in their waters and demanded local authorities tougher action be taken.Paris and London are locked in a row over access to British territorial waters for French fishermen in the wake of Brexit. French authorities on Thursday were holding a British scallop boat after it failed to show a permit for dredging off northern France.'There has to be an end to this fraud,' Pascal Coquet, president of the National Scallop Fishermen's Committee said.

https://wsau.com/2021/10/28/end-this-fraud-french-scallop-dredgers-demand-after-british-vessel-held/

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Daniel / CC MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — Marshfield Police are looking for a semi and trailer that left deep ruts in the law at the Hamus Nature Preserve and Recreation Area on Monday.According to a police report shared with the media the vehicle drove into the park and was attempting to turn around on the lawn, which caused several ruts.A nearby security camera was able to capture the incident while also picking up some identifying information on the vehicle such as a license plate number, trailer number, and DOT number.

https://wsau.com/2021/11/02/semi-and-trailer-causes-lawn-damage-in-marshfield-park/

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BERLIN (Reuters) – German automaker BMW reported third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes of 2.88 billion euros ($3.33 billion) on Wednesday, beating analysts' expectations of 2.34 billion euros, as it offset reduced deliveries with higher prices.The company's net profit was 2.58 billion euros, with an EBIT margin in its automotive division of 7.8%.'A better product mix and good price setting of new vehicles alongside a stable pricing trend of used vehicles strengthened the financial performance of the business,' a company statement said.

https://wsau.com/2021/11/03/bmw-offsets-low-deliveries-with-increased-prices-for-higher-q3-profits/

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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden's gold medal hopes in cross-country skiing at the Beijing Olympics were dealt a blow when sprint specialist Linn Svahn said she would miss the Games due to a shoulder injury.Svahn said doctors informed her after an operation two months ago that her shoulder, which she damaged in a fall in Ulricehamn, Sweden last February, would not heal in time.'Yesterday I lay on the floor, hugged my dog and just cried. It was probably the first time I cried like that in two, three years,' the 21-year-old told Swedish newspaper Expressen.

https://wsau.com/2021/11/10/olympics-swedens-svahn-to-miss-games-due-to-shoulder-injury/

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By Steve Gorman(Reuters) – The National Rifle Association (NRA) said on Tuesday it has canceled its upcoming annual convention, which was set to open late next week in Houston, citing public health concerns posed by the recent surge in COVID-19 cases.The announcement came amid court action https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/nras-unabated-corruption-justifies-shutting-it-down-new-york-says-2021-08-17 brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James seeking to dissolve the NRA, accusing the nation's leading firearms lobby of failing to root out rampant internal corruption.

https://wsau.com/2021/08/24/nra-gun-lobby-cancels-annual-u-s-meeting-citing-covid-19-surge/

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By David MorganWASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top Republican in the House of Representatives lashed out at President Joe Biden on Friday over the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in Afghanistan but stopped short of joining calls from other Republicans for the Democratic president to resign or face impeachment.House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy instead asked Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call lawmakers back from an August break to consider legislation that he said would prevent a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan until all Americans are out of the country.

https://wsau.com/2021/08/27/u-s-republicans-blast-biden-over-afghanistan-deaths/

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PARIS (Reuters) – Paris St Germain said on Monday they had signed a two-year partnership deal with fashion house Christian Dior.PSG said Dior would design their official wardrobe, and that the partnership marked the first time Dior had signed a deal in this way with a sports club.Kim Jones, artistic director of Dior men's collections, had designed a series of new creations for the PSG team for the next two seasons, added PSG. Until the Dior deal, PSG had a clothing partnership with Germany's Hugo Boss.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/06/soccer-psg-sign-two-year-deal-with-fashion-house-dior/

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Young guns Carlos Alcaraz and Leylah Fernandez continued to impress at the U.S. Open on Sunday, the teenagers storming into the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.Alcaraz, 18, beat Germany's Peter Gojowczyk 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-0 to become the youngest men's player in the professional era to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals.'I felt the energy of the crowd pushing me up … without the crowd, it couldn't be possible to be here,' he said.Fernandez, who upset defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round, took down 2016 winner Angelique Kerber 4-6 7-6(5) 6-2.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/06/tennis-u-s-open-day-seven-2/

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By Chibuike Oguh(Reuters) – Warburg Pincus LLC is seeking to raise $16 billion from investors for its latest flagship global private equity fund, its biggest ever, according to people familiar with the matter.The New York-based firm is in the early stages of raising Warburg Pincus Global Growth 14, and prospective investors are already looking to make commitments to the fund, said the sources, who requested anonymity because the matter is confidential.A spokesperson for Warburg Pincus declined to comment.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/16/exclusive-warburg-pincus-seeks-16-billion-for-private-equity-fund-sources/

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(Reuters) – Kwon Soon-woo became the first South Korean to win on the ATP Tour since Lee Hyung-taik in 2003 after the 23-year-old defeated Australian James Duckworth 7-6(6) 6-3 in the Astana Open final on Sunday.Kwon trailed 6-3 in the first set tie-break before saving three set points in the ATP 250 event in Nur-Sultan.The world number 57, playing in his first ATP final, went on to clinch the win and end South Korea's 18-year wait for a tour-level title since Lee's victory at the Sydney International.

https://wsau.com/2021/09/27/tennis-kwon-the-first-south-korean-to-win-on-atp-tour-in-18-years/

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BEIJING (Reuters) - China's internet companies have blocked users from sharing a lengthy article written by former Premier Wen Jiabao in tribute to hi...

https://wsau.com/2021/04/20/china-censors-article-by-former-premier-amid-tightening-internet-controls/

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(Reuters) - Myanmar anti-coup activists launched protests on Wednesday calling for the release of prisoners detained by the junta, as the military gov...

https://wsau.com/2021/04/21/myanmar-sees-blue-shirt-protests-over-detentions-junta-outlaws-unity-government/

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to Saudi Arabia and Oman on Thursday for talks with government officials...

https://wsau.com/2021/04/28/u-s-special-envoy-for-yemen-to-travel-to-region-on-thursday/

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By Kanishka Singh(Reuters) – Britain's NHS (National Health Service) Test and Trace system is reducing the size of its contact tracing workforce after a decline in coronavirus cases in the country.'Just as we increased numbers working in the trace service over the winter, we are now responding to the reduction in case numbers we've seen this spring', a spokeswoman for the Department for Health and Social Care said in an emailed statement on Friday.'We are continuing to respond to changes in demand and reflect staff numbers accordingly', the statement added.

https://wsau.com/2021/04/30/britains-nhs-test-and-trace-reducing-size-of-contact-tracing-workforce/

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By Martyn HermanLONDON (Reuters) – Manchester City are on the brink of a third Premier League title in four seasons after a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday secured with goals by Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres.Chelsea's 2-0 home win over Fulham cemented them in fourth place while leaving their London rivals facing almost certain relegation and Brighton & Hove Albion took a massive leap towards safety by beating visiting Leeds United 2-0.Everton's hopes of qualifying for Europe suffered a blow as they went down 2-1 at home to Aston Villa.

https://wsau.com/2021/05/01/soccer-man-city-on-brink-of-title-chelsea-bolster-top-four-hopes/

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