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CHENGDU: Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif mounted a spectacular comeback to overcome Germany’s Alexander Widau 2-1 in a pulsating Group ‘B’ clash at the Civil Aviation Flight University’s Tianfu Cam­pus Gymnasium during the World Games on Monday. The high-stakes encounter had fans gripped as momentum swung wildly between the two maestros. Widau drew first blood, dominating the opening frame 43-29 with clinical precision. Undeterred, Asif responded with a masterclass in the second frame, crafting a tournament-high break of 109 to level the match with a resounding 116-09 frame score. The deciding frame proved a tense, cautious affair. Pakistan’s most decorated cueist ultimately…

Trump rings the opening bell on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on December 12, 2024 after being named TIME’s “Person of the Year.”Spencer Platt/Getty Images The Trump administration is teeing up what could be the biggest shakeup in U.S. housing finance since the 2008 crisis—a pair of IPOs that might value Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at a combined $500 billion. The plan, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and is still being finalized by the administration, would see the federal government sell between 5% and 15% of each company, potentially raising…

LONDON: Crystal Palace twice came from behind to stun a new-look Liverpool and win the Community Shield for the first time on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Wembley on Sunday. New signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scored for the Premier League champions, but Palace responded through Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr before winning an error-strewn shootout 3-2. Mohamed Salah blazed over from the spot, while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by an inspired Dean Henderson as Palace built on winning their first ever major trophy by beating Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final. The…

CINCINNATI: Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka got their title defenses off to smooth starts as they powered into the third round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. The men’s and women’s top seeds, each ranked number one in the world, were both competing for the first time since Wimbledon — where Sinner lifted the title and as Sabalenka bowed out in the women’s semi-finals. Sinner crushed Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in steamy afternoon weather while Sabalenka beat 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 under the lights of the night session. Sabalenka needed 54 minutes and a…

Oleksandra Yagello | Moment | Getty ImagesAs some popular travel credit cards boost annual fees and amend benefits, experts say it’s time to reassess which cards — if any — merit a spot in your wallet.”Annual fees are not inherently bad; you just need to make sure that you’re getting value from [the card],” said Ted Rossman, an industry analyst at Bankrate. “It’s getting harder to maximize, though.”In June, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card raised the annual fee to $795. That’s a 45% jump from $550, its previous annual cost.More from Personal Finance:Paying for college gets increasingly difficult as tuition…

CHENGDU: Pakistan’s top cueist, Muhammad Asif, began his World Games snooker challenge impressively, defeating China’s Liang Xiaolong 2-0 here at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China Tianfu Campus Gymnasium on Sunday. Asif, Pakistan’s most successful player with three IBSF titles and the nation’s sole representative at the multi-sport event, secured the Group ‘A’ victory convincingly. The 43-year-old Asif took the first frame against the home hope 79-50 and followed with a commanding 77-24 win in the second frame. “This win means a lot to me,” Asif said after the match. “I’m happy with my performance and hope to keep…

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan acknowledged a dilemma over the fifth bowler and said they would take a late decision on their team combination for Tuesday’s series decider following their defeat in the second one-day international on Sunday. Pakistan, who won the opening ODI by five wickets, posted a competitive 171-7 in 37 overs in a rain-truncated match but West Indies prevailed by five wickets to draw level in the three-match series. Pakistan’s part-time duo of Saim Ayub and Salman Agha conceded a combined 66 runs in seven wicketless overs as West Indies cruised home. “You could say our fifth bowler…

Player of the match Muneeba Ali’s hundred helped propel Pakistan women to a consolation win over Ireland on Sunday in the final Twenty20 International of the series that was won 2-1 by the Irish team. Coming into this encounter, the Green Shirts were 2-0 down in the series, with Ireland winning the first T20I by 11 runs on Wednesday and four wickets on Friday. Batting first at Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin, the Irish side got to a respectable 155-4 before centurion Muneeba and Aliya Riaz combined for an unbeaten 101 run partnership to make easy work of the…

Sales tax free week at the Connecticut Post Mall, in Milford, Conn. Aug. 19, 2024.Connecticut Post/hearst Newspapers | Hearst Newspapers | Getty ImagesEvery year, a handful of states offer shoppers a temporary tax break to encourage spending. This year, some of those “sales tax holidays” are happening as President Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten to hike prices.These holidays waive state sales tax (and sometimes local levies) on certain purchases for a set period. While eligible items vary by state, many include categories like back-to-school shopping or supplies for disaster preparedness.”Sales tax holidays are politically popular because everyone likes tax relief,” said Katherine…

Bartender Athena Young cleans glasses while speaking to the Review-Journal about the “no tax on tips” policy at Atomic Kitchen in Las Vegas, Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Las Vegas Review-journal | Tribune News Service | Getty ImagesMaddy Lopez, a bartender in Los Angeles, has spent 25 years working in the restaurant industry, where tips can make up a significant portion of a worker’s income. When she heard about President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” which includes a section called “no tax on tips,” she said her first reaction was: “It’s a little too good to be true.”Lopez said that in her…