China could ‘veto’ US access to the world, Trump document says Politics China could “effectively veto” the US’s access to trading in the Indo-Pacific if the world’s second largest economy continues to build up its military forces, the Trump administration’s national defence strategy paper has said, putting Keir Starmer’s Chagos deal under intense scrutiny. A document published by President Trump’s Department of War has described China as [...]
Will the Afghan leak win votes for Nigel Farage? Don’t be so sure Opinion Nigel Farage and Reform UK have made hay out of the government’s embarrassing leak and subsequent cover-up of information concerning Afghan asylum applications. But it may not be the vote-winner he thinks, says William Atkinson “The supreme function of statesmanship,” according to Enoch Powell, “is to provide against preventable evils’” Considering that, what should we [...]
Afghanistan coach Trott admits ‘concern’ about gender apartheid Sport Afghanistan cricket coach Jonathan Trott admits he is “concerned” by the gender apartheid enforced by the Taliban regime which has led to calls for an England boycott. The England and Wales Cricket Board rejected a plea from nearly 200 UK politicians to refuse to play Afghanistan at the men’s Champions Trophy on Wednesday in Pakistan. [...]
Champions Trophy: What competition tells us about politics in sport February 23, 2025 It feels like cricket forces upon itself a major tournament every year. There’s T20 Cricket World Cups, 50-over World Cups and – taking place now in Pakistan – the Champions Trophy. Despite being ditched on multiple occasions, and not being held since 2017, the Champions Trophy is under way. But it is, in reality, an [...]
Afghan Women’s Team first recipients of MCC Global Refugee Cricket Fund January 31, 2025 The Afghan Women’s Team will be the first recipients of the MCC Global Refugee Cricket Fund, it was announced on Friday. Marylebone Cricket Club and the MCC Foundation have launched the fund to help those in cricket who have been displaced due to conflict. The Afghan Women’s Team were forced into exile from their native [...]
Afghanistan boycott ‘not way to go’, says England captain Buttler January 21, 2025 England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler has insisted that a boycott of their upcoming match against Afghanistan over the Taliban’s treatment of women is not “the way to go about it”. The England and Wales Cricket Board has faced growing pressure from politicians and activists to boycott next month’s fixture with Afghanistan, part of the Champions [...]
Majority of Brits back England cricket boycott of Afghanistan match January 8, 2025 The majority of Brits have backed calls for England to boycott upcoming cricket matches against Afghanistan in protest of the Taliban’s gender apartheid. Research from YouGov shows just 14 per cent of Brits say England should continue matches against the nation, with the two teams scheduled to play each other in the Champions Trophy in [...]
Downing Street asks ICC to support Afghan women amid boycott calls January 7, 2025 Downing Street has waded into the debate surrounding a potential England boycott of next month’s match with Afghanistan, calling on the International Cricket Council to “deliver on their own rules”. England are scheduled to take on Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy in Pakistan on 26 February but there have been calls for the England and [...]
Bread and Roses: Jennifer Lawrence doc is a troubling success November 22, 2024 Produced by Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, Bread and Roses is a documentary that captures a modern crisis happening right now. It analyses modern Afghanistan, and the effects of the 2021 offensive that saw The Taliban seize control. The film focuses on the effect it has had on women, whose rights to work, education, and privacy [...]
T20 World Cup: The Taliban shadow ruining great Afghanistan run June 26, 2024 When Afghanistan run out at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium to take on South Africa in the T20 Cricket World Cup tomorrow, it’ll mark a monumental moment in the history for the cricketing nation. For it will be their first semi-final in a major competition with, under former England international Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan becoming [...]