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Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesA majority of Americans — 74% — say they are somewhat to very informed about how Social Security works, according to a new survey from AARP. Yet the results show they could stand to know more about certain program features.Almost all respondents, 96%, say Social Security is important, regardless of their age or political affiliation.Even with Social Security’s popularity, confidence in the future of the program has dropped 7 percentage points in the past five years — to 36% in 2025 down from 43% in 2020, AARP found.Social Security provides monthly benefit checks to…

Blackstone is partnering with Wellington and Vanguard to bring private assets to the masses. The Trump administration is getting on board and Main Street investors could benefit, so long as they know the risks. Jack Bogle became a legend by popularizing low-cost passive index funds at the Vanguard Group, which he founded in 1975 after spending the first 23 years of his career at Wellington Management. “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack,” he famously mused. That philosophy—be the market, don’t try to beat it—spawned generations of index fund-loving, buy-and-hold “Bogleheads” who have made Vanguard…

MANAMA: Pakistan’s Ahsan Ramzan stormed into the semi-finals of the IBSF Under-21 World Snooker Championship with a dominant display on Wednesday, while the nation’s challenge in the 6-Red event concluded after hard-fought knockout battles here at the Crowne Plaza hotel. The 19-year-old Ahsan delivered a commanding performance to secure his semi-final berth. In the quarter-finals, Ahsan — who won the world amateur title in 2022 — overwhelmed India’s Mayur Garg 4-0 (103(58)-42(32), 82(35)-0, 56-39, 74(48)-23), showcasing consistent scoring and control. This followed his victory in the all-Pakistani last-16 clash earlier on Wednesday, where he defeated compatriot and Under-17 world champion…

CNN  —  “It’s ultimately up to the president to decide.” That’s more or less the go-to line for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and a host of other top Trump aides and White House officials when they share the administration’s plans for tariffs and trade negotiations. With the August 1 deadline for higher tariffs rapidly approaching, President Donald Trump has a week to make a number of critical decisions about trade that could shape the future of the US and global economies. Trump in early April paused most of his so-called reciprocal tariffs. They’re set to resume…

NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a U-turn has decided to attend the Asian Cricket Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported on Wednesday. The ACC meeting taking place in Dhaka will decide the fate of this year’s Asia Cup, which India is scheduled to host in September. Sources within the BCCI have confirmed that the board has indeed decided to attend Thursday’s meeting virtually. “Yes, we have decided to attend the meeting virtually,” a BCCI source told the Hindustan Times on the condition of anonymity. Earlier, amid rising political…

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Wednesday decided that a letter highlighting the rationale and objective of the national team’s participation in the 2025-26 FIH Pro League will be sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for final decision after the International Hockey Federation invited the country for the event. The Pro League matter was discussed in the 34th meeting of PSB board, which met in Islamabad with Adviser to Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Rana Sanaullah in the chair. During the meeting, the participants were told that that PSB had no funds for the said event. However, the…

Workers leave the Department of Education building during a rain shower in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.Wesley Lapointe | The Washington Post | Getty ImagesEducation Dept. says it’s responding to court orderStudent loan forgiveness is paused for IBR borrowers because of court actions involving the Biden administration-era SAVE, or Saving on a Valuable Education, plan, the department said.Former President Joe Biden touted SAVE as the most affordable income-driven repayment plan in history, but its generous terms soon became a point of controversy for Republicans.In February, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with GOP-led states that sued…

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (not pictured), in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 22, 2025. Kent Nishimura | ReutersPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday said the administration is considering ending capital gains taxes on home sales to boost the housing market. When asked about the idea in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump told reporters, “we’re thinking about that.””If the Fed would lower the [interest] rates, we wouldn’t even have to do that,” he said. “But we are thinking about no tax on capital gains on houses.”Under current…

NAIROBI: Janeth Chepngetich on Tuesday stunned a strong field at the Kenyan trials to claim the women’s 10,000m title and earn a maiden appearance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The 26-year-old held off challenges from two world record holders, Agnes Jebet Ngetich and Beatrice Chebet. Janeth Chepngetich is no relation to women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich, whose provisional suspension for doping earlier this month has cast a shadow over Kenya’s preparations for Tokyo. “I had set a strategy from the beginning. I wanted to control the pace and offer a chance to my competitors (to see…

Back-to-school shopping is a little more stressful this year.With inflation picking up, and President Donald Trump’s new tariff rates threatening to drive prices even higher, some parents are worried about making ends meet.Roughly 20% of back-to-school shoppers said buying supplies for the new year is straining their budgets, according to a new report by Bankrate, which polled more than 2,600 adults in June.A separate report, by Intuit Credit Karma, found that 39% of parents said they can’t afford back-to-school shopping this year. Meanwhile, 44% said they plan to take on debt to cover the cost of school supplies, up from 34% in 2024. More from Personal Finance:Trump’s ‘big beautiful…