Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Lord Patel praises Rafiq for speaking out on racism

Lord Patel praises Rafiq for speaking out on racism

YORKSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET'S new chairman, Lord Kamlesh Patel, on Monday (8) praised Azeem Rafiq for speaking out over racist abuse as he apologised to the former player.

Pakistan-born Rafiq accused Yorkshire of failing to deal adequately with racist abuse he suffered while playing for the county, saying he had been driven to thoughts of suicide.


The club apologised to the 30-year-old in September, but subsequently said they would take no disciplinary action against any of their staff.

Yorkshire were widely criticised, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) suspending their right to host international matches and sponsors, including Nike, walking away.

Lord Patel's appointment was announced last week following the resignation of his predecessor, Roger Hutton.

"Azeem is a whistleblower and should be praised as such, he should never have been put through this," the peer told a press conference at Yorkshire's Headingley headquarters in Leeds.

"We're sorry for what you and your family have experienced and the way in which we've handled this.

"I thank Azeem for his bravery in speaking out. Let me be clear from the outset, racism or discrimination in any form is not banter."

Lord Patel's reference to "banter" came after that word was said to have been used in the county's report to describe a racist term directed at Rafiq.

The new chairman also said Yorkshire had settled a separate employment tribunal with the former spinner.

"Absolutely no restrictions have been placed on Azeem on what he can or cannot say about his experiences," Lord Patel insisted.

"The settlement does not involve a non-disclosure agreement."

Lord Patel added he was also commissioning a specialist independent review of the county's processes and procedures on diversity and inclusion.

He also said he had spoken to the ECB about restoring international cricket at Headingley, but said Yorkshire would have to first "address the root causes" that had led to the suspension.

While he revealed he had yet not been fully able to digest Yorkshire's report into Rafiq's allegations, Lord Patel said: "What I've seen so far does feel uncomfortable. It makes me feel the process wasn't as well completed as it should have been."

Lord Patel said he would release the report to those who had a "legal interest" rather than simply make it public.

This would include, he explained, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the chairman of a parliamentary committee that is expected to hear testimony from Rafiq and several senior Yorkshire figures on November 16.

Lord Patel said he had spoken to Rafiq for six and a half hours since his appointment as chairman on Friday.

"It was difficult and it was actually quite sad," Patel told the press conference.

"It was tough for me, it was incredibly tough for him. You did feel 'why would we do this to any human being'?"

Patel revealed he had asked Rafiq to "sit on his shoulder" and "challenge him" on how he handles matters from this point onwards.

"It would be a shame not to work together to seek his help to find a way forward," he said.

More For You

Corbyn- Zarah Sultana

Zarah Sultana with Jeremy Corbyn during a protest outside Downing Street demanding the UK government to stop all arms sales to Israel. (Photo: X/@zarahsultana)

X/@zarahsultana

Zarah Sultana leaves Labour, plans new party with Corbyn and independents

FORMER Labour MP Zarah Sultana has announced her resignation from the party and plans to launch a new political party alongside ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other independent MPs and activists.

Sultana, who represents Coventry South, lost the Labour whip last year for supporting the removal of the two-child benefit cap.

Keep ReadingShow less
Human brain continues forming neurons

Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain

iStock

Human brain continues forming neurons well into old age, study finds

Key points

  • New neurons continue forming in the brain’s hippocampus into old age
  • Study confirms presence of neural progenitor cells in adults
  • DNA carbon dating and single-nucleus RNA sequencing were used
  • Research shows variation in neuron production between individuals
  • Findings could aid treatments for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders

Human brain shows ongoing neuron formation into older age

A new study has confirmed that the human brain continues to produce new nerve cells well into late adulthood, challenging previous assumptions about age-related decline in neurogenesis. The findings, published in the journal Science, provide fresh insight into how adaptable the brain remains over a lifetime.

Neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons form in the brain, is known to occur in the hippocampus — a region involved in memory. While previous research has suggested that this process continues throughout life, there has been limited concrete evidence of the presence of neural progenitor cells in the adult brain.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Michael Madsen

Michael Madsen’s top 10 unforgettable movie roles

Getty Images

10 iconic Michael Madsen roles that made him Hollywood’s ultimate tough guy

Quick highlights:

  • Michael Madsen was known for blending menace with vulnerability across a 200-film career.
  • His breakout role as Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs remains one of the most iconic villains in cinema.
  • Roles in Kill Bill and Donnie Brasco cemented his status as a cult favourite and Tarantino regular.
  • He also surprised audiences with emotional performances in Free Willy and Thelma & Louise.

Some actors chase stardom. Michael Madsen wasn’t one of them. He didn’t charm you with a smile; he unnerved you with a stare. His voice wasn’t smooth; it was gravel scraped over concrete. He played men who lived in the shadows, spoke in grunts or chillingly calm threats, and carried violence like a familiar tool. But damn, when he was on screen, you couldn’t look away.

Madsen didn’t act tough; he was tough, and not in the movie-star sense. In a real, broken, beautiful way. These 10 roles aren’t just career highlights. They’re pieces of a man who gave us something rare: the truth, hidden in hard men with soft edges.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bangladesh seeks US deal to shield garment industry from tariffs

Workers are engaged at their sewing stations in a garment factory in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, on April 9, 2025. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Bangladesh seeks US deal to shield garment industry from tariffs

BANGLADESH, the world's second-biggest garment manufacturer, aims to strike a trade deal with the US before Donald Trump's punishing tariffs kick in next week, said the country's top commerce official.

Dhaka is proposing to buy Boeing planes and boost imports of US wheat, cotton and oil in a bid to reduce the trade deficit, which Trump used as the reason for imposing painful levies in his "Liberation Day" announcement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kent County Show 2025

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who grew up in Brenchley

Getty Images

Kent County Show opens with royal visit from Duchess of Edinburgh

Key points:

  • Day one of the Kent County Show begins at Detling Showground near Maidstone
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh visits the event for the first time in 16 years
  • Organisers expect up to 70,000 visitors over the weekend
  • Farming and rural life are at the centre of the three-day programme
  • Highlights include live camel racing, equine sports, livestock displays and more

Kent County Show opens with royal visit

The Kent County Show returned to Detling near Maidstone on Friday, marking the start of a major three-day celebration of farming, food, and rural living. The event opened with a special visit from the Duchess of Edinburgh, who is attending for the first time in 16 years.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who grew up in Brenchley near Tunbridge Wells and serves as patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO), met with farmers, equine exhibitors, and local businesses on her tour of the showground.

Keep ReadingShow less