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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan booked a place in the Asian Volleyball Federation quarter-finals after beating Chinese Taipei in a five-set nail-biter in Manama, Bahrain on Thursday. The Pool ‘C’ fixture was one of the most exhilarating encounters of the tournament so far, filled with high-paced rallies, incredible comebacks, and outstanding individual brilliance from both sides. Pakistan took an early lead by winning the first two sets 25-20 and 25-22, showing confidence and control on the court. However, Chinese Taipei responded strongly, taking the third and fourth sets 25-21 and 25-16, pushing the match into a decisive fifth set. In a dramatic and…

CNN  —  As if a global trade war wasn’t enough for businesses and consumers to contend with, it’s looking increasingly like the Israel-Iran conflict could reach the brink of a full-blown war. While the conflict is playing out thousands of miles away from US soil, Americans may not be able to escape the economic impact of it. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters Wednesday after the central bank’s latest monetary policy meeting that officials are monitoring the situation. “What’s tended to happen is when there’s turmoil in the Middle East, you may see a spike in energy prices, but…

CNN  —  President Donald Trump on Thursday continued his extraordinary and targeted verbal attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling for a massive 2.5-point reduction in interest rates. Despite appointing Powell to the role in 2017, Trump has frequently chastised the Fed chair for keeping rates higher than the president would like. On Wednesday, after a monetary policymaking meeting, the Fed said it would be maintaining rates between 4.25% and 4.5%, noting that the economy remains strong but the path of inflation is uncertain in part because of the enormous tariffs that Trump has placed on foreign goods. “‘Too…

LONDON: Czech Republic’s Jakub Mensik plays a return against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain during their Queen’s Club Championships match on Wednesday.—AFP LONDON: British number one Jack Draper survived a scare to reach the Queen’s Club quarter-finals with a gritty 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(7/5) win over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin on Wednesday. Draper was rocked by the world number 21 in the first set of the second round tie at the Wimbledon warm-up event. But the 23-year-old hit back to level the match before taking the final set tie-break to complete his comeback in a tense encounter lasting two hours and 13…

BANGLADESH batters Mushfiqur Rahim (L) and Liton Das run between the wickets during the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.—AFP GALLE: Bangladesh continued their dominance over Sri Lanka on the second day of the first Test on Wednesday, finishing at a commanding 484 for nine — despite a few late breakthroughs by the hosts. The Tigers resumed on 292 for three overnight and turned the screws on a batting-friendly wicket, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto extending their record-breaking partnership. The 264-run partnership finally en­d­ed when Shanto fell for 148, decei­ved in…

CNN  —  Despite unprecedented immigration raids, a massive domestic policy agenda and now the prospect of actual war, President Donald Trump’s first five months in office have nevertheless been dominated by his trade war. He notched some recent wins, but Trump is rapidly running out of time to seal the deal. Or, more accurately, deals. More than 100 of them. After pausing his “Liberation Day” tariffs that sent levies surging for dozens of countries’ exports to the United States, Trump has sought to make a number of bilateral trade deals that would open American businesses’ access to foreign markets and…

PAKISTAN captain Ammad Butt in action during the FIH Nations Cup match against New Zealand at the National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.—courtesy FIH KUALA LUMPUR: In a pulsating contest at the National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday, Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the FIH Nations Cup remained intact despite a heart-wrenching 4-3 defeat at the hands of table-toppers New Zealand in their final Pool ‘B’ outing. With qualification hanging in the balance, the Green Shirts knew that a victory would seal their progression. However, they were up against a New Zealand side that had exhibited perfect form throughout the…

Staff members remove a sign following a press conference after the House passage of the tax and spending bill, at the U.S. Capitol on May 22, 2025 in Washington, DC.Kevin Dietsch | Getty ImagesRepublicans’ “big beautiful” bill, if enacted as drafted, would make some of the biggest changes to the federal student loan system in decades.GOP House and Senate lawmakers’ proposals would eliminate several repayment plans, keep borrowers in debt longer and roll back relief options for those who become unemployed or run into another financial challenge.The House advanced its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in May.…

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks during a news conference following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2025.Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesA multitrillion-dollar tax package issued Monday by the Senate Finance Committee would offer a tax break for drivers on auto loan interest, but it doesn’t seem to be available for used cars, tax experts said.The Senate GOP tax plan is part of a broader domestic policy bill that Republicans are trying to get to President Trump’s desk by the Fourth of July, and aims to partially fund…

CNN  —  Still no movement. For its fourth meeting in a row, the Federal Reserve opted to leave unchanged its key short-term interest rate — which influences a host of rates on consumer financial products and bank accounts across the United States. That means that once again anyone with savings that they want to invest in stable, low-risk, interest-yielding assets is in luck. It may be especially good news for retirees, who are usually advised to keep a year’s worth of living expenses in interest-bearing accounts so that they won’t have to sell stocks from their portfolio when the market…