England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA

Jofra Archer reports racist abuse and is 'struggling for motivation' after Test ban


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Jofra Archer has revealed he received racist abuse on social media after breaching biosecurity protocols and being dropped by England.

The fast bowler has passed on details of the abuse to the English Cricket Board and is seeking to have action taken, and added he was struggling for motivation ahead of the third Test against the West Indies on Friday.

"Some of the abuse I have taken over the past few days on Instagram has been racist and I have decided that enough is enough," he wrote in the Daily Mail.

"Since Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace footballer, was abused by a 12-year-old online I drew a line and I will not allow anything to pass, so I have forwarded on my complaints to the ECB and that will go through the correct process.”

Archer was fined and warned by the English Cricket Board and forced to isolate on his own after being left out of the second Test at Old Trafford, which England won by 113 runs on Monday to level the series at 1-1

The 25-year-old went home last week instead of heading straight from the first Test in Southampton to Manchester under the strict health guidelines laid down for the series. Once the breach had been discovered, he had to spend five days in isolation but has since twice tested negative for Covid-19 and is eligible to play in the third Test starting on Friday.

"I found I was struggling for motivation in the circumstances when it came to returning to bowling in the nets," he wrote.
"When I walked outside of my room for the first time since being placed into self-isolation for breaking the Covid-19 protocols, I heard the cameras clicking with every single step I took.

  • England's Jos Buttler catches out West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood on day five of the Manchester Test on Monday. Reuters
    England's Jos Buttler catches out West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood on day five of the Manchester Test on Monday. Reuters
  • England's Chris Woakes celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Shane Dowrich duringthe final day of the second Test in Manchester. AFP
    England's Chris Woakes celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of West Indies' Shane Dowrich duringthe final day of the second Test in Manchester. AFP
  • West Indies' Jason Holder, left, and Shamarh Brooks during day five of the Manchester Test on Monday. PA
    West Indies' Jason Holder, left, and Shamarh Brooks during day five of the Manchester Test on Monday. PA
  • England's Sam Curran, right, celebrates the dismissal of West Indies' Shamarh Brooks. AP
    England's Sam Curran, right, celebrates the dismissal of West Indies' Shamarh Brooks. AP
  • Jason Holder of West Indies is bowled by Dom Bess. Getty
    Jason Holder of West Indies is bowled by Dom Bess. Getty
  • England's Ben Stokes, left, with West Indies' Jason Holder after England wrap up the Test on the final day in Manchester. AFP
    England's Ben Stokes, left, with West Indies' Jason Holder after England wrap up the Test on the final day in Manchester. AFP
  • England's Ollie Pope takes the winning catch to dismiss West Indies' Kemar Roach. PA
    England's Ollie Pope takes the winning catch to dismiss West Indies' Kemar Roach. PA
  • England's Jos Buttler takes the catch to dismiss West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood. AFP
    England's Jos Buttler takes the catch to dismiss West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood. AFP
  • West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood falls in an attempt to play a rising delivery from England's Ben Stokes. AP
    West Indies' Jermaine Blackwood falls in an attempt to play a rising delivery from England's Ben Stokes. AP
  • England's Chris Woakes appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of West Indies' Shamarh Brooks. PA
    England's Chris Woakes appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of West Indies' Shamarh Brooks. PA

"The whole spectacle made me feel uneasy. I know what I did was an error of judgment and I have suffered the consequences of that. I haven't committed a crime and I want to start feeling myself again.

"I spoke briefly to the doctor about how I'm feeling and also to Ben Stokes on Monday night. Ben tried to advise me on how to deal with being in the spotlight of international sport.

"He vowed to back me and support me. Now, I need to be 100 per cent mentally right so that I can throw myself into my cricket this week."

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  • 400m Olympic running track
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
While you're here
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

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6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m

Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.

8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m

Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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  • Wear a protective helmet
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Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

Results

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash

8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel

9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

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1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

The specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: nine-speed

Power: 542bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh848,000

On sale: now