Babar Azam gave a batting masterclass to lead Pakistan to a nine-wicket win in the third Twenty20 international against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
Babar hit 122, his first T20 international century, and shared a record Pakistan first wicket partnership of 197 with Mohammad Rizwan (73 not out) as Pakistan chased down a challenging target of 204 with two overs to spare.
Virtually the only flaw in a dazzling batting display by the Pakistan captain was when he was dismissed with only seven runs needed, nudging an attempted ramp shot off Lizaad Williams to South African wicketkeeper and captain Heinrich Klaasen.
Rizwan embraced his captain as he started on his way back to the dressing room while several South African players ran to congratulate him after an innings of almost flawless timing and placement.
He hit 15 fours and four sixes off 59 balls.
Speaking in Urdu at the post-match presentation, Babar said he was delighted with his performance.
"I stick to my strengths," said Babar who earlier Wednesday had replaced India skipper Virat Kohli as the world's top-ranked one-day international batsman.
Babar gave credit to Rizwan, who for the second time in the series remained unbeaten in a successful run chase.
He pointed out that Rizwan was fasting during Ramadan but nevertheless was involved throughout the match both as wicketkeeper and batsman.
It was the ideal riposte by Pakistan, who took a 2-1 lead in the four-match series after being well-beaten in the second match in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Babar and Rizwan shared the fourth-highest partnership in all T20 internationals, while Babar made the highest individual score by a Pakistan batsman, beating 111 not out by Ahmed Shehzad against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2014.
Babar's previous highest score was 97 not out against the West Indies in Karachi in 2018.
It was Pakistan's highest successful run chase, eclipsing the 189 for six they made against the same opponents in Johannesburg four days ago.
It continued a run of outstanding form by Babar in Centurion after he hit 103 and 94 in two one-day internationals earlier in the tour.
The final T20 international will be played at the same ground on Friday.
"They batted really well, they made a lot of good balls look bad," said Klaasen.
The skipper admitted South Africa had failed to capitalise on a hard-hitting opening stand of 108 between Aiden Markram (63) and Janneman Malan (55).
By contrast, Babar praised his bowlers for coming back strongly after being punished by the South African openers.
South Africa finished with 203 for five but it was not enough on a ground with a reputation for high scoring.
"We maybe lost a bit of momentum at the end," said Klaasen.
"We tried a lot of things but our display in the field was poor."
Two misfields in the second over enabled Pakistan to get off to a quick start, while Rizwan survived a straightforward catching chance to backward point off Beuran Hendricks when he had 51.
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.
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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.
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People carry the coffin containing the body of Akash Patni, who died after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed during take-off from an airport, in Ahmedabad, June 17, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
FIVE days after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 270 people, officials on Tuesday said that 135 victims have been identified through DNA testing, and 101 bodies have been handed over to their families.
According to authorities, DNA tests are being conducted to confirm the identities of victims as several bodies were charred or severely damaged.
“Till Tuesday morning, 135 DNA samples have been matched, and 101 bodies have already been handed over to the respective families. Of these 101 deceased, five were not on board the flight,” Ahmedabad Civil Hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi said.
He added that the 101 deceased belonged to different parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and Diu. Joshi earlier said he hoped DNA profiling of all victims would be completed by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, PTI reported.
The crash occurred on June 12, shortly after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm. The plane, which was bound for London, crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad.
There were 242 people on board the flight. Of them, 241 died and one person survived. The crash also killed 29 people on the ground, including five MBBS students.
Air India chairman addresses staff after crash
Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran on Monday addressed employees in a town hall at the airline’s headquarters near New Delhi. The meeting, attended by 700 staff, came days after what is being described as one of the deadliest air disasters in a decade.
“I’ve seen a reasonable number of crises in my career, but this is the most heartbreaking one,” he said, a Tata Group spokesperson told Reuters.
“We need to use this incident as an act of force to build a safer airline,” Chandrasekaran told the staff.
The Tata Group owns Air India, and Chandrasekaran is also the chairman of the conglomerate.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost altitude shortly after takeoff and crashed into buildings, resulting in a large fire. Only one passenger survived, and around 30 people on the ground also died. The flight was heading to Gatwick Airport near London.
The Indian government and Air India are reviewing the crash, focusing on several technical aspects, including engine thrust, the position of the flaps, and why the landing gear remained open.
“We need to wait for the investigation … It’s a complex machine, so a lot of redundancies, checks and balances, certifications, which have been perfected over years and years. Yet this happens, so we will figure out why it happens after the investigation,” Chandrasekaran, 62, said.
Both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder have been recovered, and authorities said these will be critical for the ongoing probe.
Impact on airline and Boeing
The crash has come at a time when Air India is trying to modernise its fleet after years of losses and operational issues during government ownership. Since acquiring the airline in 2022, the Tata Group has announced plans to develop it into a "world-class airline".
The crash also adds pressure on Boeing, which has been facing safety and production concerns in recent years.
On Monday, a separate Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft heading from Hong Kong to New Delhi returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue.
Chandrasekaran said, “It’s not easy to face criticisms. We are going to get through this. We need to show resilience.”
Ongoing efforts in Ahmedabad
Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, many families continue to wait to collect the bodies of their relatives. Medical teams are working on identifying victims using dental samples and other methods. Only 99 DNA matches had been confirmed by Sunday evening, and 64 bodies had been handed over at that point, Dr Joshi said.
Authorities are continuing the identification process as part of the larger effort to assist grieving families and determine the cause of the crash.