Azeem Rafiq, a Pakistan-born Englishman, has thrown his country’s cricket establishment into turmoil by revealing in detail how he experienced racial harassment and bullying during a short-lived career. Tragic as his own professional journey has ended up becoming, it is possible that his powerful testimony on Tuesday to a British parliamentary select committee will bring about much-needed change in cricketing cultures not just in England but elsewhere in the world. That can only be a good thing.
In his testimony, Rafiq spoke eloquently about his struggles as a person of colour in a cricket community dominated by white men. His revelations ranged from being repeatedly called a “P***”, a derogatory term used in Britain to describe people of Pakistani heritage, to being forced to drink alcohol as a teenager by those who were aware of his Islamic faith. He battled back tears when he spoke about having received little support from the management of the Yorkshire County Club, where he was a longtime player, after his wife gave birth to a stillborn baby in 2017; thereby suggesting that there would have been more sympathy and support had he been white.
Rafiq played for Yorkshire, in England’s premier domestic cricket circuit, over two stints that spanned almost a decade. After securing a release from his contract with the club in 2018, he now runs a fish and chips shop in the northern English town of Barnsley. He is only 31 years old, so it’s not unreasonable to assume he could have played at the elite level for a few more years.
“Do I believe I lost my career to racism? Yes, I do,” he told the committee.
The names of several high-profile cricketers, including those who either played or continue to play for the England national team, have emerged in Rafiq’s testimony. One such name is that of former England and Yorkshire captain Michael Vaughan, who in 2009 allegedly told a group of teammates of Asian descent that there were too many of them in the county side. Vaughan, now a commentator and writer, denies the allegation.
Rafiq also expressed disappointment about Joe Root, the current England captain who, like Vaughan during his playing days, is part of the Yorkshire county team. Rafiq described Root as a “good man” who would, nonetheless, have seen and heard other teammates making racist remarks yet did nothing about it. For his part, Root has denied ever witnessing a racist incident while playing for Yorkshire.
Some might say Root is being disingenuous. But even if one were to assume this to be the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if cricketers would remain silent, especially when players close to them are in the line of fire. Cricket, like any other team sport, is built around “mate-ship” and players have one another’s back. And yet, of course, if Root was indeed protecting his mates, that would be disappointing for all those who have otherwise been impressed with his ambassadorial role as the national team captain.
That only makes Rafiq’s testimony and the media interviews he has given over the past few months even more courageous. He is risking life and limb – he is known to have received threats from unknown sources during this period – for bringing to light a problem that continues to infest the game all over the world.
Darren Sammy is a case in point. Last year, the World Cup-winning captain from the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia was angry and disappointed upon discovering that a nickname given to him by his teammates in the annual Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise competition was in fact a derogatory term. Some of his Indian teammates used to call him “kalu” – meaning "black" – to his face, even describing it as a term of endearment, even though it isn’t. Sadly, Sammy is not the first player to have been called “kalu” and he's unlikely to be the last.
The question to ask, then, is while one must not condone racism or bullying, how much of these racial slurs and bullying tendencies stems from a lack of understanding or knowledge of foreign cultures. It's painfully apparent that some cricketers, particularly the younger ones, genuinely don't know that what they consider to be banter, can be outright racist for someone from a different cultural context.
This is where team managements bear a great deal of responsibility. It’s all well for cricket's custodians and tournament organisers to publish their codes of conduct on racism, which they do. In fact, it has become fashionable for organisers to announce a “zero tolerance” towards racism. But what does zero tolerance really mean? Can one assume that all players, whatever their backgrounds, will know what actions, gestures, remarks or words are considered racist and what aren't? There has to be a more concerted effort to educate up and coming players about what's acceptable and what isn't.
The English county championship has, for decades, been a wonderful platform for cricketers from across the globe to make a name for themselves. But for non-white players to complain about racism – even to this day – can only mean that cultural awareness continues to lack at the ground level and, therefore, something needs to be done to tackle it. For any club, building a team can no longer be just about winning games and trophies; it also has to be about developing genuine kinship, which, among other things, has to involve breaking down cultural barriers between players from different backgrounds.
The same needs to apply to the IPL, which has been around for just 13 years, but is showcased as a 21st-century cricket competition that is big on diversity. Teams need to do more than just talk the talk about stamping out racism.
As for Rafiq, his career is undoubtedly over. But if his painful testimony can help begin the process of tackling racist attitudes and other forms of bigotry in both domestic and international cricket, it will be his most significant contribution to the game – far more impactful, perhaps, than his on-field performances were for Yorkshire.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
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BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SPECS
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
