Pakistan's Babar Azam was compared to India's Virat Kohli as one of the world's leading batsmen after his unbeaten fifty on the opening day of the first Test against England on Wednesday.
When bad light forced an early close at Old Trafford, Pakistan were 139-2, with Babar 69 not out and Shan Masood unbeaten on 46.
But left-handed opener Masood was twice missed on 45 by England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler either side of a lengthy rain break, with off-spinner Dom Bess the unlucky bowler on both occasions.
The prolific Babar has now reached a half-century in five successive Test innings, with his previous five matches yielding four hundreds.
"If this lad was Virat Kohli, everyone would be talking about it but because it is Babar Azam, no one is talking about it," said former England captain Nasser Hussain while commentating for Sky Sports.
"He's young, he's elegant, he's got all the swagger," he added.
"They keep going on about the 'Fab Four (Kohli, Australia's Steve Smith, New Zealand's Kane Williamson and England captain Joe Root) -- it's the 'Fab Five' and Babar Azam is in that."
England coach Chris Silverwood said: "We know we're up against a very good batsman."
Pakistan were 43-2 when Babar came in after captain Azhar Ali, who had won the toss, fell lbw for a duck to Chris Woakes.
- Stylish Babar -
Babar started cautiously but after lunch he unfurled an array of stylish attacking shots en route to a 70-ball fifty featuring nine fours.
He struck express paceman Jofra Archer down the ground before driving Bess for another boundary to bring up Pakistan's hundred.
Bess, however, should have removed Masood for 45 when he took the left-hander's outside edge but Buttler dropped the chance.
When play resumed in the early evening after a long rain delay, Root was soon bowling his occasional off-breaks in tandem with Bess to try and keep the match going under grey skies after Archer had pitched short to Babar.
But even with two spinners bowling and the floodlights on, the umpires still called a halt at 6:12 pm (1712 GMT) before the ground was bathed in sunshine soon afterwards.
There was still time, however for Buttler to miss stumping Masood after the batsman charged down the pitch.
The mistakes will revive discussion about the wicketkeeper's place in the side with Ben Foakes, arguably a superior gloveman, waiting in the wings.
"The game is pretty funny...you get an element of fortune every now and then," said Masood.
Silverwood defended Buttler by saying: "No one means to miss them. He's very capable of doing something very special for us tomorrow."
The conditions favoured England's four-man pace attack, who had been involved in last month's 2-1 series win over the West Indies, completed at Old Trafford.
But Azhar's decision to bat first was understandable given Pakistan are playing two leg-spinners in Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan, who are expected to be more effective on a wearing pitch.
"We always knew the new ball was going to be a struggle in England," said Masood after batting for nearly three-and-half hours against the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Woakes and Archer.
"It's not an easy gig being an opening batsman in this country but with it comes an opportunity to give the team a good start, especially when you bat first."
Masood and fellow opener Abid Ali did well to survive the first hour before Archer struck by bowling Abid with a full-length ball having made him wary of coming forward with several short-pitched deliveries.
As was the case during the West Indies series, the three-match campaign is taking place behind closed doors on health grounds, with Pakistan denied the vibrant and vocal support they usually enjoy in England.
Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Vaughan hit out at the early stoppage for bad light.
"I can't get my head round the fact TV companies are paying a huge amount of money, fans are watching the only Test cricket going on in the world from home, yet we've lost out on so much cricket," he told BBC's Test Match Special.
"There were two off-spinners bowling and we went off for bad light. It just doesn't make sense. When is Test cricket going to learn?"
Lots of individuals learn about the Dow Jones Index on financial news and radio shows and think that it is something you can just purchase like an equity. It gets talked about as a way to measure if the overall economy or stock market is performing well or badly. However new investors get confused about the possibility of investing directly in it. This article delves into the mechanism of the index and investing in it, making the otherwise complex world of market indexes accessible to everyone.
Learning What the Dow Jones Actually Is: Instead of a stock or mutual fund itself, the Dow is really a stock market index. It follows the performance of 30 of the country's largest publicly owned companies. It does not function as an individual company or tradable commodity. It is more of a thermometer for some sectors of the economy, indicating how large companies are performing. The firms listed in this index are from a broad variety of industries, and the list is kept small to concentrate on industry leaders.
Why You Can't Buy It Like a Stock: One of the important things that investors must know is that the Dow is not an investment vehicle itself. You cannot go on a brokerage site and order to buy the index directly. There is no stock symbol or ticker by which you can buy it. It is simply an estimated value that also mirrors the movement of its 30-member stocks. Individuals tend to confuse it with a fund, but really it is simply an accumulation of information based on weighted values of those companies' stock prices.
The Role of ETFs and Mutual Funds: Certain mutual funds and ETFs actually replicate the Dow Jones Index today by maintaining their holdings in sync with the existing index composition. That assists investors in gaining exposure to all 30 companies simultaneously, without the need to purchase each stock individually. It's not an exact one-to-one correlation, but it's close enough for the majority of investment strategies. These products allow the average investor to easily gain access to the performance of the companies that compose the index.
What the Index Represents in Market Behavior: The Dow Jones Index performance provides an overview of the performance of these blue-chip firms as a group. It is regarded by several analysts and investors as an indicator of the general economic environment. When the Dow is up, it usually indicates good market sentiment. If it's down, it can indicate trouble in major sectors. Although it does not cover all the major firms in the U.S., its narrow scope still covers sufficient economic activity to be a significant indicator.
Why the Index Is Price-Weighted: There is something interesting about the way the Dow is calculated. It is price-weighted, which means that firms with higher stock prices will have more of an impact on how the index moves. This contrasts with other indices based on market capitalization for weighting. Due to this approach, a highly valued stock may influence the Dow Jones Index Overview more than that of a lower-valued stock, regardless of the latter being in a larger company.
Monitoring Dow Movement Through Quotes: In order to keep pace with the market, investorsmonitor the Dow Jones Index quotethat represents the prevailing value of the index. Such quotes are revisedduring trading hours and assist investors in observing the trend in which theindex is moving. This quote does not represent the actual buying or selling ofthe index itself, but it is employed for observing how the index respondstowards news, earnings, and macroeconomic variables
Limitations of the Dow Index: While it is crucial, however, the index is not perfect. It is limited to just 30 stocks, so it doesn't capture the entire range of the market. It is also not accounting for reinvestment or dividends in its calculation. The price-weighted approach can make the index misleading in ways that aren't necessarily representative of economic reality. These are flaws that mean that although it's useful, it cannot be the sole metric of market health an investor uses.
Comparison of Dow with Other Indices: There are numerous other indices in the financial sector which are utilized for comparison. The S&P 500, for example, consists of 500 firms and utilizes market cap-weighting to provide a wider perspective of the economy. Nevertheless, the Dow Jones Index overview remains a headline-grabber and a source of reference for major discourse regarding the financial markets. Its simplicity and extensive history render it inviting for both mature investors as well as beginners.
Learning the Strategy Behind Dow-Based Investing: Investors who wish to track the movement of the index usually pursue a passive approach. They use Dow-following funds in order not to need to choose specific stocks. This simplifies matters for those who wish to invest for the long term without keeping a vast portfolio. Knowing how they operate, are organized, and track the Dow Jones Index stats enables individuals to make more informed decisions regarding their financial future.
What Makes the Dow's Value Move: A number of factors can affect the Dow's movement. These consist of economic figures, interest rate announcements, as well as changes in industry trends. Experts take time to interpret how these factors could affect the dow jones index quote. Some investors even have a specialization in predicting short-term value changes in the index by following these factors closely and using market timing strategies.
How the Dow Affects Investor Confidence: When others see the index going up steadily, it serves to build investor confidence. The Dow Jones Index outlook is often spoken of in financial news and investor meetings because it serves as a psychological benchmark. Even investors who do not invest in it directly or in its replicant ETFs track it anyway. The majority of retirement accounts, pension funds, and long-term investment portfolios incorporate the performance of the Dow into their overall investment strategy.
Although you cannot invest in the Dow Jones Index directly, there are a wealth of products available that enable you to track its performance quite closely. ETFs and mutual funds do this to most investors. If you know how to go about it, you can ride on the coattails of some of America's biggest companies and use the index as part of a well-rounded investing plan. The Dow Jones Index is still one of the world's most well-known markers of economic wellness and investor attitude.
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Diane Abbott has been suspended again by Labour after repeating comments about different forms of racism in a radio interview.
THE LABOUR PARTY has suspended Diane Abbott, the UK’s longest-serving female MP, after she repeated remarks on racism that had previously led to her suspension.
Abbott, a prominent figure in British left-wing politics and the first Black woman elected to parliament, was initially suspended by Labour in 2023 after she said the prejudice faced by Jewish people was similar to, but not the same as, racism.
She later apologised and withdrew the comments. Just weeks before the national election in July 2024, Abbott, 71, was readmitted into the Labour Party following internal criticism over her suspension.
Asked in an interview with BBC Radio on Thursday if she regretted the episode, she said: "No, not at all."
"Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don't know.
"But if you see a black person walking down the street, you see straight away that they're black. They are different types of racism," Abbott said.
A Labour spokesperson said Abbott had been administratively suspended while an investigation takes place.
Prime minister Keir Starmer has pledged to tackle antisemitism within the party after allegations of discrimination and harassment against Jewish people under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Starmer has also taken disciplinary action against other Labour MPs during his time as leader, including four lawmakers suspended on Wednesday for organising opposition to the government's welfare reforms.
(With inputs from agencies)
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This is Mittal’s ninth honorary doctorate and his third from a UK institution. (Photo: Getty Images)
SUNIL BHARTI MITTAL, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, has been awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration by the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, the company said on Thursday.
The University of Bath is ranked among the UK’s top ten universities and is placed within the top 10 per cent globally, the statement added.
“Founder and Chairman, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the University of Bath, United Kingdom (UK),” the company said.
This is Mittal’s ninth honorary doctorate and his third from a UK institution. He was previously awarded the Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) by the University of Leeds in 2009 and the Doctor of Civil Law (Honoris Causa) by Newcastle University in 2012.
“I’m honoured to receive this recognition from the University of Bath, an institution renowned for its intellectual rigour, spirit of enterprise, and engagement with the world beyond the classroom,” Mittal said.
“We are very proud to honour Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal’s considerable achievements in enterprise, leadership and service to society. Not only has he built a world-leading global enterprise but his humanitarian work has impacted the lives of over 3.7 million children through education and rural development,” said Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Zafar Gohar of Middlesex bowls during the Vitality Blast Men's T20 match between Kent Spitfires and Middlesex at The Spitfire Ground on July 13, 2025 in Canterbury, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)
FORMER Pakistan international Zafar Gohar has been signed by the Oval Invincibles for the upcoming edition of The Hundred. The left-arm spinner was one of 32 players selected in the Vitality Wildcard Draft, the final round of player recruitment for the tournament.
Gohar, 30, was born in Lahore and played one One-Day International for Pakistan against England in 2015 and a Test match against New Zealand in 2021.
He represented Gloucestershire as an overseas player between 2021 and 2024 before joining Middlesex ahead of the 2025 season as a local player, having obtained a British passport, a statement said.
Now eligible to play for England, Gohar will take part in The Hundred for the first time. The competition runs from August 5 to 31.
Gohar said his move to Middlesex and aim to qualify for England were motivated by opportunities in domestic cricket. “I have put myself forward for the drafts in previous years but hadn’t been picked up before, so to now have the chance to play in The Hundred is very exciting,” he said.
Gohar is one of two British Asian players selected in this year’s Wildcard Draft, alongside fast bowler Ajeet Singh Dale, who has been picked by Welsh Fire.
Six other British Asian players were selected in the main draft earlier this year, including Rehan Ahmed, Jafer Chohan, Mahika Gaur, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid and Saif Zaib.
The Wildcard Draft offers opportunities to players who were not selected earlier, based on their performances in the Vitality Blast.
Notable signings in this year’s Wildcard Draft include England fast bowler James Anderson, selected by Manchester Originals, and Rocky Flintoff, who joins Northern Superchargers. Flintoff, 17, will play under the coaching of his father, Andrew Flintoff.
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Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot caught on Coldplay kiss cam during Boston show
Coldplay’s kiss cam at Gillette Stadium unexpectedly captured Astronomer CEO Andy Byron in a seemingly intimate moment with HR head Kristin Cabot.
Both executives, reportedly married to other people, were seen reacting nervously when spotlighted.
Chris Martin joked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” prompting online uproar.
The clip has gone viral across TikTok and X, with social media speculating on a workplace romance.
What was meant to be a fun crowd interaction during Coldplay’s concert at Gillette Stadium turned into a viral public scandal involving Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. A kiss cam segment led to a highly uncomfortable moment that’s now exploded online, sparking affair allegations and potential professional fallout.
Viral video from Coldplay concert sparks internet speculation of workplace affairReddit
Who is Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and why is he trending?
Andy Byron, CEO of the £1 billion (₹10,800 crore) software firm Astronomer, has found himself at the centre of an unexpected controversy after being captured in a close, seemingly affectionate moment with Kristin Cabot, his company’s top HR executive. The footage was aired live on Coldplay’s kiss cam during their Boston concert, where Byron and Cabot were seen together, arms wrapped around each other.
Andy Byron’s LinkedIn profile image LinkedIn
As soon as the camera caught them, both reacted in visible panic. Byron pulled away and tried to hide behind a barrier while Cabot covered her face. The awkwardness of the moment was made worse when frontman Chris Martin remarked from the stage, “Oh look at these two... either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.” The crowd erupted in laughter, but online, the situation took a more serious tone.
How did the Coldplay kiss cam video go viral?
Within hours, the clip hit social media platforms like X and TikTok, where it racked up millions of views. Users were quick to speculate that the two executives were engaged in an extramarital affair. Comments ranged from mocking to furious, with many tagging Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, in sympathy posts.
— (@)
Some viral comments included:
“You wouldn’t act like that unless you had something to hide.”
“Imagine your affair being exposed by Chris Martin in front of 60,000 people.”
“Their reaction confirmed everything. They outed themselves.”
The video has since been dubbed by users as the “Coldplay Cheater Cam,” and has led to wider conversations around workplace relationships.
What do we know about Kristin Cabot?
Kristin Cabot, who joined Astronomer less than a year ago, describes her role as Chief People Officer as one focused on trust and employee engagement. Her own LinkedIn bio says she “wins trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants”, a line many have now highlighted ironically in light of the scandal.
Though Cabot’s marital status hasn’t been officially confirmed, internet sleuths pointed out she appears to wear a wedding ring in her profile photos. Neither she nor Byron have made any public statements since the video surfaced.
Kristin CabotThe Sun
Will Astronomer respond to the alleged affair?
As of now, Astronomer has not released a formal response. The company, headquartered just a few hours from the concert venue, is known for its Astro platform, a data orchestration tool powered by Apache Airflow used by several Fortune 500 firms.
With two of its most senior executives now under intense public scrutiny, calls are growing online for the company to investigate the incident, especially given HR policies around internal relationships.
Coldplay has continued with its tour dates, but this Boston show may be remembered more for its unintended drama than its music. Meanwhile, Byron and Cabot have not been seen in public or online since the video’s release.