India's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly said on Wednesday (8) the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament has been called off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The event, which had Pakistan as original hosts, was scheduled for September with the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka frontrunners to stage the tournament.
"Asia Cup has been cancelled. It was due in September," Ganguly, who turned 48 on Wednesday, said in an instagram chat with an Indian television station.
Ganguly's statement comes after Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan said last month the Asia Cup would go ahead as scheduled in either Sri Lanka or the UAE.
The tournament was not to be held in Pakistan due to India's refusal to tour the country over political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The International Cricket Council this month will also decide on the future of the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled for October-November in Australia.
If these tournaments are scrapped, it will pave the way for this season's lucrative Indian Premier League -- which was postponed amid the nationwide lockdown -- to find new dates.
"We don't know when will IPL happen because it is difficult to get a window," said Ganguly.
"ICC is trying that World T20 takes place in October. Because ICC generates a lot of revenue from this.
"Till the time we get clear cut directions from ICC we cannot talk about IPL. Because we don't have a window as we travel to Australia in December."
Ganguly said the Board of Control for Cricket in India would be keen to host the IPL, which is estimated to generate more than $11 billion for the Indian economy.
"We will try hard to and make it happen, because it is very important for India," said the former Indian captain.
"We will try and host it in India, that will be our first target. Try and find a place where there are three-four venues and no Covid.
"But if it cannot happen then we will think about taking it overseas. So all options are open. We will have to wait and watch."
The Sri Lankan and UAE cricket boards have already shown interest in hosting the T20 tournament, which attracts global superstars.
It was recently reported that New Zealand have also thrown in their hat to host the popular event but Ganguly said these were all rumours.
"All these are stories," said Ganguly. "There were reports that New Zealand can host IPL, but nothing like this has been discussed in BCCI."
The world's wealthiest T20 tournament has twice been held outside India in years that it clashed with national elections.
South Africa hosted the second IPL in 2009, and the first half of the 2014 season took place in the UAE.
Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper stepped out with their girlfriends, Ines de Ramon and Gigi Hadid, for a double date in New York City, adding a splash of glamour to the city’s nightlife. The two Hollywood stars, both known for keeping their private lives fairly low-key, were photographed leaving Cote Korean Steakhouse in Manhattan on the evening of 13 June.
Their partners, both dressed chicly yet effortlessly, walked hand in hand with their famous beaus, making this a rare public outing.
From bromance to double date: Brad and Bradley make it a night to remember
Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper have shared a close friendship over the years, with Brad even crediting Cooper for helping him get sober. During an awards speech in 2020, Pitt openly thanked The Hangover star, saying, “I got sober because of this guy, and every day has been happier since.”
Brad, dressed in a shiny blue button-down shirt and black velvet trousers, was seen holding hands with Ines de Ramon, who wore a soft beige off-the-shoulder dress and nude heels. Meanwhile, Cooper kept things relaxed in a black T-shirt and jeans, with Gigi Hadid beside him in a casual white tee, silver trousers, and a denim jacket. The couples strolled out of the restaurant smiling, seemingly unfazed by the flashing cameras.
Pitt and de Ramon were first linked in 2022 after his long separation from Angelina Jolie. They kept their romance under wraps until making their red-carpet debut together at the British Grand Prix in July 2024. Pitt later shut down online speculation that their appearance was timed for film promotion. “No, dude, it’s not that calculated,” he said.
Gigi and Cooper go public while Brad moves forward post-divorce
Gigi Hadid made her relationship with Cooper social-media official in April on her birthday. She shared a photo of the couple kissing, calling herself “lucky to be 30” and expressing gratitude for love, motherhood, and life’s ups and downs. The supermodel co-parents daughter Khai with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik, while Cooper shares an eight-year-old daughter, Lea, with Irina Shayk.
Brad, having recently finalised his lengthy divorce from Angelina Jolie, appears to be moving into a calmer phase of life. His next big-screen appearance will be in F1, set to release on 27 June, co-starring Javier Bardem and Damson Idris.
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Yvette Cooper told parliament that any adult who engages in penetrative sex with a child under 16 will now face the most serious charge of rape. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE UK government on Monday introduced new laws to tackle grooming gangs and apologised to the thousands of victims believed to have been sexually exploited across the country.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that any adult who engages in penetrative sex with a child under 16 will now face the most serious charge of rape. The move is part of a nationwide crackdown on grooming gangs.
The announcement coincided with the release of a report by parliamentarian Louise Casey, which examined the decades-long grooming scandal that has affected multiple towns and cities across Britain.
The report highlighted institutional failures, noting that young girls and women were often blamed for their own abuse.
On Friday, seven men were convicted in the latest grooming trial in the UK. Jurors heard that two victims were made to have sex “with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses”.
One victim said social workers had considered her “a prostitute” from the age of 10.
In a separate case, three other men appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday. They denied charges of raping a teenage girl in Rotherham between 2008 and 2010.
Although the age of consent in the UK is 16, Casey’s report said too many grooming cases involving 13 to 15-year-olds had been dropped or downgraded when the children were wrongly viewed as having been “in love with” or having “consented to” sex with adults.
The report pointed to a “grey area” in the law for 13 to 15-year-olds, where charging decisions were “left more open to interpretation”. While this was meant to avoid criminalising teenage relationships, it had in practice helped “much older men who had groomed underage children for sex”.
National inquiry launched
Prime minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that a national inquiry would be launched, one of the 12 recommendations made by Casey.
The inquiry will be led by a national commission with statutory powers to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath and will oversee all local investigations.
“It will go wherever it needs to go,” Starmer said on Monday.
Victims have long demanded a national inquiry. Jayne Senior, an early whistleblower, told AFP on Monday that the outcome “will depend on who leads it” and what powers they are given.
Senior, who is mentioned in the Casey report, said the government had still not protected whistleblowers. She also asked what action would be taken against police officers who had obstructed her efforts to bring perpetrators to justice in Rotherham.
The Casey report said ethnicity was often ignored, with two-thirds of perpetrators’ ethnicity not recorded, making national assessments unreliable.
“We found many examples of organisations avoiding the topic altogether for fear of appearing racist, raising community tensions or causing community cohesion problems,” the report stated.
However, local data from West Yorkshire collected between 2020 and 2024 showed that 429 out of 1222 suspects, or 35 per cent, self-defined as Asian.
Cooper said Asian men, particularly those of Pakistani background, were “overrepresented”. She added that ethnicity and nationality will now be recorded mandatorily.
Casey noted that “it does no community any good to ignore” evidence of disproportionality “in any form of offending, be that amongst perpetrators or victims”.
Long-term abuse
The issue received global attention in January after tech billionaire Elon Musk criticised the UK government on his X platform for not agreeing to a national inquiry.
Casey wrote that gangs targeted vulnerable adolescents, including those in care or with learning or physical disabilities. In many cases, a man would present himself as a boyfriend and offer gifts and affection.
“Subsequently, they pass them to other men for sex, using drugs and alcohol to make children compliant, often turning to violence and coercion to control them,” she wrote.
According to the report, this pattern of abuse has changed little over time. Grooming often now begins online, with locations shifting from parks to vape shops and hotels that allow anonymous check-ins.
Gangs have operated in towns and cities across England, including Rotherham and Rochdale in the north, and Oxford and Bristol in the south, for nearly four decades.
“On behalf of this, and past governments, and the many public authorities who let you down, I want to reiterate an unequivocal apology for the unimaginable pain and suffering that you have suffered, and the failure of our country's institutions through decades, to prevent that harm and keep you safe,” Cooper told parliament.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The strike highlights long-standing concerns among Louvre staff
The Louvre Museum in Paris, the world’s most-visited art institution, was forced to shut its doors to the public for most of Monday, 17 June, as workers staged a spontaneous strike in protest over chronic overcrowding and deteriorating working conditions.
Thousands of ticket-holding visitors were left waiting in long queues beneath the museum’s iconic glass pyramid, with no clear explanation provided on-site. Many expressed frustration over the lack of communication and the disruption to their plans.
Staff protest against 'untenable' conditions
The walkout took place during a scheduled internal meeting, during which gallery attendants, security staff and ticket agents decided to withdraw their services. According to the CGT-Culture union, the protest was triggered by “unmanageable crowds”, insufficient staffing and unsafe working conditions.
Sarah Sefian of CGT-Culture said, “We can’t wait six years for help. Our teams are under pressure now. It’s not just about the art – it’s about the people protecting it.”
The strike highlights long-standing concerns among Louvre staff, including inadequate facilities for both visitors and employees. These include limited restrooms, a shortage of rest areas, and extreme temperature swings within the museum that also pose a risk to the artworks.
Louvre’s overtourism problem
Over 8.7 million people visited the Louvre in 2023 – more than double the capacity the building was designed to handle. Despite a daily visitor cap of 30,000, staff say that the volume, combined with inadequate infrastructure, turns the museum experience into a daily “physical ordeal”.
Central to the issue is the popularity of the Mona Lisa, which draws around 20,000 people a day to the Salle des États. The crowding in this room often prevents visitors from appreciating the surrounding Renaissance masterpieces. Some tourists describe the experience as overwhelming, with little chance to enjoy the art amid the noise, heat, and crowding.
Renovation plans and funding concerns
In January 2025, President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a €700–800 million “Louvre New Renaissance” plan to address the museum’s pressing issues. Under the plan, the Mona Lisa will be relocated to a purpose-built gallery with timed entry. A new entrance near the Seine River is also expected to be completed by 2031 to alleviate congestion at the existing pyramid entrance.
However, Louvre staff remain sceptical about the project’s impact. While the plan promises improved display conditions and a modernised visitor experience, unions have criticised the government for allowing annual state subsidies to fall by over 20 per cent in the past decade, despite increasing footfall.
“We take it very badly that Monsieur Le President makes his speeches here in our museum,” said Sefian. “But when you scratch the surface, the financial investment of the state is getting worse with each passing year.”
A leaked internal memo from Louvre President Laurence des Cars echoed many of these concerns. The document described failing infrastructure, including leaks and temperature fluctuations, as well as poor basic visitor services such as signage, food and restrooms.
Limited reopening possible, full closure expected Tuesday
Some striking staff indicated they might briefly reopen a limited “masterpiece route” on Monday evening to allow access to key artworks, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. However, the museum is officially closed on Tuesdays and is expected to resume normal operations on Wednesday.
Visitors affected by the strike may be allowed to reuse Monday’s tickets on another day, subject to availability.
Financial outlook and restoration timeline
The Louvre’s full renovation is expected to be financed through a mix of ticket revenue, government contributions, private donations, and proceeds from international partnerships, including licensing from the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Ticket prices for non-EU visitors are expected to increase later in 2025.
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Unlike other major Parisian sites, such as Notre Dame Cathedral and the Centre Pompidou – both of which are undergoing state-funded restorations – the Louvre remains underfunded and overstretched. Staff argue that without immediate action, both the museum’s collection and its workforce are at risk.
President Macron, who delivered his 2017 election victory speech at the Louvre and used it prominently during the 2024 Paris Olympics, has promised a revitalised museum by the end of the decade.
For now, however, the Louvre remains emblematic of the broader overtourism challenges facing cultural landmarks across Europe. With no short-term solutions in place, both staff and visitors remain caught between ambition and reality.
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These impressive numbers also reflect Nintendo’s strategic stock management ahead of launch
Nintendo’s highly anticipated Switch 2 console has broken global sales records, becoming the fastest-selling games console in history. The Japanese gaming giant confirmed that more than 3.5 million units were sold worldwide in the first four days following launch.
In a post on social media platform X, Nintendo announced that the Switch 2 had surpassed the launch performance of every previous Nintendo console. It has even outpaced competitors such as Sony’s PlayStation 5, which shipped 3.4 million units in its first four weeks, and the PlayStation 4, which sold 2.1 million units in its first month.
Record sales in the US and Japan
The United States has been the standout market, where the Switch 2 sold 1.1 million units in its first week. According to Nintendo, this marks the most successful launch week for any console in US history. Notably, the attach rate for Mario Kart World, the flagship launch title, reached 80% among US buyers.
Nintendo Switch 2 set a new all-time launch week unit sales record for video game hardware in the US, with over 1.1 million units sold during the week ending June 7, 2025 (excludes sales from the My Nintendo Store). The record was previously held by PlayStation 4.
In Japan, the Switch 2 sold 947,931 units in its first week, excluding sales from the My Nintendo Store. Given Japan’s significantly smaller population compared to the US, this figure highlights strong local demand. These impressive numbers also reflect Nintendo’s strategic stock management ahead of launch. The company had promised to keep scalping to a minimum by ensuring adequate supply, a move that appears to have paid off.
Performance in the UK
In the UK, traditionally one of Nintendo’s weaker markets, the Switch 2 still became the fastest-selling Nintendo console of all time. However, it ranks fourth overall in UK launch sales, behind the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 4.
Early success despite limited exclusives
The sales figures are particularly noteworthy given the limited first-party exclusive titles available at launch. Mario Kart World has led the line-up, with third-party titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition following closely in popularity.
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Third-party support at launch is strong but largely features existing titles. Only two exclusive third-party games — Konami’s Survival Kids and the budget release Fast Fusion — are currently available for the console.
Nintendo’s first-party offering is expected to expand significantly in the months ahead. Upcoming titles confirmed for release before Christmas include Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The company has also teased Splatoon Raiders, a spin-off of its popular multiplayer franchise, though a release date has yet to be announced.
Long-term outlook
Nintendo has set a sales target of 15 million units for the Switch 2 by the end of March 2026. Given the momentum from its record-breaking launch and solid upcoming release schedule, industry analysts suggest the console is well on course to exceed that figure.
The Nintendo Switch 2’s rapid success marks a strong start to the console’s lifecycle and sets the stage for what could be another defining chapter for the company in the global gaming market.
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Raveena Tandon boards Air India flight days after AI171 crash
Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon flew with Air India just days after the airline’s London-bound AI171 flight crashed in Ahmedabad, claiming 270 lives. Her flight experience, shared through heartfelt Instagram posts, offered a glimpse into the quiet grief and emotional strength of passengers and crew still processing the tragedy.
‘A solemn journey’: Raveena shares moving message from flight
On Monday, Tandon boarded an Air India flight and shared images of herself on board, along with a message that reflected the sombre atmosphere. “The crew’s welcoming smiles were tinged with sadness,” she wrote. “Silent passengers and crew bonding with unspoken condolences and subtle confidence. Condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. A wound that will never heal.”
Her words came days after the 12 June crash of AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which plunged into the B.J. Medical College hostel just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. The devastating accident killed 241 people on board and 29 others on the ground. Only one person, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, survived with minor injuries. Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Tandon added, “New beginnings… to rise and fly again against all odds… a will to overcome and be strong again. Jai Hind.”
Support for crew grows as investigation continues
Tandon isn’t the only public figure to express support for Air India. Comedian Vir Das also took to social media days earlier, calling the airline’s crew “the best in the sky,” acknowledging the immense emotional toll on them. “I cannot imagine how hard it is for them to do their job right now, having lost their own,” he wrote on X.
Veteran actress Zeenat Aman, too, spoke about her emotional experience on an Air India flight following the crash. “I found myself overwhelmed with emotion as I buckled my seatbelt,” she shared, echoing the collective grief felt by many.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has recovered the flight’s black boxes and is investigating. Air India and the Tata Group have announced compensation packages of £95,000 (₹1 crore) for families of the deceased and £23,750 (₹25 lakh) as interim relief.