Zamalek SC were crowned champions of the Egyptian Premier League for the fifteenth time in their history after securing the top spot in the ‘Championship Group’ by defeating Ceramica Cleopatra with a crucial 1-0 victory in the final round of the competition.

Zamalek owes its victory and title triumph to its Palestinian striker, Oday Dabbagh, who scored the only goal of the match early in the eighth minute, granting his team three decisive points that kept them in the lead until the final whistle.

Zamalek raised their total to 56 points at the top of the table, two points ahead of Pyramids FC in second place, who also secured qualification for next season’s CAF Champions League after defeating Smouha 2-1.

Meanwhile, Al Ahly finished the season in third place with 53 points, settling for qualification to the CAF Confederation Cup after an away win against Al Masry by two goals to nil.

Zamalek storm to top

Zamalek’s title came after a competitive season that saw an intense battle for the top spot until the very last round. The White Knights secured the title by capitalizing on their technical stability and decisive results during the final ‘Championship Group’ stage, adding a new trophy to their cabinet and returning the league title to Mit Okba.

Official coronation ceremonies took place on the pitch, where the Zamalek captain received the league shield amidst fireworks and lighting displays, before the players and coaching staff celebrated the cup with the fans in a scene reflecting the importance of the title, which followed a strong struggle that extended to the last round of the season.

Featured image via Getty/Ahmad Hasabullah

By Alaa Shamali

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has basically admitted buying both the Kentucky and Georgia Primary elections.

Ed Gallrein’s victory in KY and Clay Fuller’s win in GA ensures two outspoken pro-Israel voices are positioned to fill seats previously held by outspoken detractors, Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Our community was proud to help pro-Israel candidates win these races.

— AIPAC (@AIPAC) May 20, 2026

In Kentucky, Republican Thomas Massie lost to fellow Republican and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.

Trump made the fight personal. He had promised retribution against several Republicans, including Massie, over the Epstein files, US support for Israel, and battles over spending.

Until this week, Kentucky voters had routinely elected Massie with around 30 percentage points.

Clay Fuller won Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. He beat nine other candidates to secure a spot in the November general election. Fuller won a previous election in April to serve the remainder of former US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s 2025-27 term. Greene resigned after a spat with Donald Trump.

AIPAC and unapologetic Zionists

Both winners are unapologetic Zionists.

Thomas Massie never took a penny from the Zionist Lobby. Ed Gallrein, on the other hand, has benefited from over $15m of the super PAC’s funding.

Rep. Thomas Massie has been unseated by AIPAC’s Ed Gallrein in what is now the most expensive House primary in U.S. history. #KY04 https://t.co/CI2C8xuVql pic.twitter.com/M0HxFlJhz5

— AIPAC Tracker (@TrackAIPAC) May 19, 2026

Trump mega-donors and AIPAC donated millions of dollars to oust Massie. It was the most ever spent on a House primary race – all because Massie stood up to Trump on Gaza and Epstein.

AIPAC spent $9 million to take out Rep. Thomas Massie.

Trump megadonors spent another $7 million.

It was the most ever spent on a House primary race—all because he defied Trump on Gaza and Epstein.

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NO, billionaire super PACs should not buy our elections. One person, one vote.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 20, 2026

33 million dollars just to unseat one congressman who refused to give billions to Israel and wanted to expose the Epstein files. https://t.co/lVB9kMRp76

— Joel Webbon (@JoelWebbon) May 20, 2026

In Georgia, Clay Fuller has been repeatedly endorsed by both AIPAC and pro-Israel publications.

AIPAC said in its endorsement:

Voters in Georgia’s heavily Republican 14th District now have the opportunity to elect a representative who reflects the values of thousands of pro-Israel Georgians and understands the importance of the U.S.-Israel partnership in making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

It appears that AIPAC is not even attempting to hide its influence on US politics anymore.

Jesus Christ lmao they’re just SAYING IT https://t.co/B3xKjpHJQI

— Peter Twinklage (@PeterTwinklage) May 20, 2026

AnTIseMiTisM

Obviously, to even suggest that Israel may be influencing US politics is AnTIseMiTisM.

It’s not an antisemitic conspiracy theory when a foreign lobby openly brags that they bought two congressional seats with candidates who will be loyal to Israel. pic.twitter.com/V6EMwsSvaW

— Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) May 20, 2026

The reality is, though, that what Israel wants, Israel gets.

They’re openly telling you a foreign nation controls America https://t.co/EP3XghnKx8

— Toad (@LearnToToad) May 20, 2026

Trump bangs on about making America great again. Yet AIPAC having so much control over the US government is literally the opposite of America First.

To make matters worse, Trump said out loud:

I’m right now at 99% in Israel. I could run for prime minister, so maybe after I do this, I’ll go to Israel and run for prime minister.

Trump has a higher approval rating in Israel than he does in the US.

Maybe he should go try ‘Make Israel Great Again’ – which is impossible for a genocidal settler state. And would start by calling it Palestine.

Oh. He just said that out loud. Oh. https://t.co/vAJiaINlj2

— Joe (@electionsjoe) May 20, 2026

Epstein class

It’s also no surprise that both Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene were fierce advocates of releasing the Epstein files. Of course, that was a huge problem for Trump and his pedo-pals.

My good friend @RepThomasMassie lost tonight.

He lost because he had the guts to stand up to the Epstein class and against the war.

He won voters under 45 by 30 points.

Tonight, I say to this voters who feel rejected by Trump. We welcome you. Join our coalition to take on a… pic.twitter.com/tAGJjtct5b

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) May 20, 2026

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Standing up to the Epstein class was always going to upset the rich and powerful.

Thomas Massie: “I vote with Republicans 91% of the time. And the 9% I don’t, they’re taking up for pedophiles, starting another war, or bankrupting our country.”

An absolute mic drop. pic.twitter.com/5p41O5C5tI

— James Li (@5149jamesli) May 18, 2026

Whether people agreed with him or not, Thomas Massie built a reputation for refusing to bend under pressure. In today’s political climate, standing firm on principle even when it costs you politically is something many voters still respect. https://t.co/64cxZa52I3

— GrahamHodsdonsTV (@Jesusdsavi0r) May 20, 2026

Imagine if we swapped the word ‘Israel’ with literally any other country. Russia? China? North Korea? There would be an absolute meltdown across the media and political class. So why is Israeli influence in US politics now the norm?

Featured image via Jon Cherry / Getty Images

By HG

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This is finally the end of spygate. An independent League Arbitration Panel has upheld Southampton’s expulsion from the Championship play-off final, and dismissing the team’s appeal.

As a result, Hull City will face Middlesbrough at Wembley on 23 May for the Championship play-off final. The decision upholds the earlier disciplinary commission’s sanctions. It brings a swift, uncompromising end to the saga.

Spygate saga

The saga — dubbed as Spygate — has had a relatively short-lived timeline. Middlesbrough lodged a formal complaint after a photo emerged showing a man allegedly observing their training ground. Subsequently, the English Football League (EFL) charged Southampton with multiple breaches for unauthorised filming of training sessions involving Oxford, Ipswich and Middlesbrough.

The panel upheld the ruling was proportionate while Southampton was of the view it was “manifestly disproportionate” — despite admitting to spying. Suffices to say that the arbitration panel wasn’t in agreement. In fact, two separate panels arrived at the same conclusion in quick succession.

Fallout and next steps

Southampton have apologised and pledged to “respond with humility,” acknowledging the damage to supporters, staff and the club’s reputation. The EFL’s remit covers club-level sanctions; the FA may now examine whether individual staff should face separate charges. These could include bans or further disciplinary measures. The written reasons for both the disciplinary commission and the arbitration panel will be published. This will offer the full evidence trail for public scrutiny.

Beyond the immediate embarrassment, the consequences are stark. Promotion to the Premier League carries huge financial rewards. These rewards are estimated in the hundreds of millions. So, to be missing out because of a regulatory breach is a heavy price. The four-point deduction next season is also a hefty sporting penalty. It could affect Southampton’s campaign long after this controversy fades from headlines.

Final word

However, questions about governance, oversight and how clubs police staff behaviour remain unanswered. The EFL process has run its course and now the FA and the wider football community will watch how the club rebuilds trust. For supporters and neutrals alike, the episode is a reminder that off-field conduct can be as decisive as what happens on it.

Featured image via Warren Little/Getty Images

By Faz Ali

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are bragging about simply doing its job once again. The DWP is making a big fuss of the fact that they’re recruiting 500 new staff to clear the Access to Work backlog.

The department is making it sound like this is something they’re doing out of the goodness of their hearts, but it comes after multiple politicians have criticised their handling of Access to Work

The DWP announced:

As part of its efforts to move from a welfare state to a working state, the DWP is taking action to address the backlog by recruiting nearly 500 new members of staff to speed up processing times and help people get the support they need quicker.

The change is part of a range of measures to break down barriers for sick or disabled people left behind by the previous Government.

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DWP backlog grows

The actual figure is 480, and this rounding up by 20 matters because of the sheer number of people waiting for Access to Work. In March, the minister for disabled people, Stephen Timms, answered a written question about how many claims had been processed since October 2025 and what the backlog was.

He confirmed:

From the period 10/10/2025 to 23/02/2026 51,924 Access to Work claims have been processed. As of the 23/02/2026 there were 66,749 applications awaiting a decision.

Crucially, that 51,924 isn’t the number of claims that had been approved; they’d just been processed. Conveniently, the DWP hasn’t published complete figures on how many claims were approved and denied since March 2025.

According to Decode, as of April 2026, an average PAYE employee is waiting around 38 weeks for their application to be referred to a case manager, while the average wait for a reconsideration is 33 weeks. More worryingly, self-employed disabled people are waiting on average 86 weeks to be referred. As John Pring at Disability News Service recently reported, self-employed disabled people have been put to the back of the queue and are suffering as the DWP tries to make it look like they’re supporting more people into employment.

There are currently 749 Access to Work advisors, so if they manage to employ 480, that’ll only be 1,229 advisors across the whole scheme. And that’s a big if, considering how bad DWP job retention is. It’s also important to note that whilst the DWP is bragging that they’ve ‘already recruited’ 157 since they took over, 118 of those were actually just redeployed work coaches.

If we’re looking at just the 66,749 applications that were waiting in February, without considering that figure will probably have gone up in the last three months, that’s 54 cases per advisor. And that’s assuming they actually do manage to recruit that many staff.

Taking credit for something they’ve been forced to do

However, the main thing here is that the DWP is once again taking credit for something they’ve been forced to do.

With more and more disabled people pushed into work, there will obviously be a surge in demand for Access to Work, but the department was left shame-faced in April when it was forced to admit there was essentially no plan for this.

It’s also a bitter pill to swallow that the DWP does apparently want to help disabled people get Access to Work support when they’ve been quietly cutting it for ages. In March, top DWP civil servants gave evidence at the Access to Work Inquiry. During this, they came under fire for not only the delays, but also for how much they’re completely stripping away previously agreed support.

Neil Coulling, best known for saying the carers’ scandal was the carers’ fault, once again attempted to wriggle out of it:

We were making mistakes on cases in 23, 24, as we attempted to clear that backlog, as Peter suggested, in too much of a hurry,

So those cases are coming up now for renewal, and they are producing lower awards, and people are saying, ‘Why have I got a lower award? Nothing has changed in my life.’

But we’d wrongly gave them a job aide, normally for 100% of the time, and we should have given them about 20% of the time. Because the job aides are not designed to do the work, they’re meant to support, lift the disabled person to the same level of… an employee.

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It’s clear that after coming under so much scrutiny recently, the DWP have panicked and rushed out a recruitment drive. It’s typical, however, that this is only being done because they’ve been humiliated and not because they actually want to support disabled people, which is clear from the way they continually demonise them.

I wish I could be surprised by the fact that they’re bragging about something they had to do to save face, but nothing the DWP does shocks me anymore.

Featured image via Getty/Catherine Ivill

By Rachel Charlton-Dailey

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In a post on X, Naftali Bennett, opposition leader and head of the ‘Together Party,‘ criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for harming Israel’s hasbara (‘public diplomacy’ better characterised as ‘propaganda’) with social media antics, and pointed out ways to improve hasbara.

Naftali Bennett, who hopes to unseat Netanyahu in Israel’s next election, published a detailed plan Tuesday to fix Israel’s “hasbara disaster” — proposing a “powerful national hasbara authority,” a “consciousness war room,” and an international alliance against disinformation.… https://t.co/NA1Imlvfry

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) May 20, 2026

Israel pretend PR is their problem

Bennett’s diagnosis is that Israel is suffering a ‘PR’ crisis after several countries, including Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Canada, summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their capitals to express their ‘indignation’ over Israel’s treatment of the abducted Gaza flotilla activists.

His prognosis is better PR.

The videos posted include showing Global Sumud Flotilla activists with their hands tied behind their backs, kneeling with their heads touching the floor. Another video showed Gvir intimidating and shouting at the handcuffed activists.

Bennett is not disgusted by the treatment of the detainees. His concern is that it was filmed and shared.

To undo the international condemnation, he suggests a powerful national hasbara authority, professional management of hasbara replacing political appointees with experts, a consciousness and technology war room, uniting all private hasbara efforts into one national campaign, and an international alliance against disinformation. Of course, given that this is Israel we’re talking about it’s safe to understand ‘disinformation’ in this context as ‘outright lies that barely disguise the facts.’

Palestinian prisoners

Given that Ben Gvir has carried out such antics before, including wearing a hangman’s noose badge while giving orders to abuse Palestinian political prisoners, the hypocrisy of Western leaders who only now summon Israeli ambassadors over the flotilla incident is clear.

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese also made the point that the flotilla is trying to draw attention to Palestinian detainees suffering in Israeli prisons, linking it to world leaders’ complicity with apartheid Israel.

World leaders: the flotilla is desperately trying to draw your attention to the plight of the Palestinians. Torture, rape, broken bones, beating to death, inflicted on men women children.
Their unbearable suffering is the consequence of (your?) complicity with Apartheid Israel. https://t.co/KyrMAcJBNv

— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) May 20, 2026

She reshared the Cradle report that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar was also scrambling to distance Gvir’s videos from Israel.

Israel’s systematic rape of Palestinian detainees is widely documented. So are other forms of torture, which include strip searches and forced nudity, urinating and spitting on detainees, breaking bones and teeth, forcing detainees to imitate animal sounds, and humiliation by making detainees wear diapers, among others.

Never mind the torture, the rape, or the broken bones. The rot is deep when Bennett’s thinks PR is Israel’s problem, and not sustained genocide facilitated by the West.

Featured image via Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

By The Canary

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The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) have submitted a formal complaint to the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the regulator of barristers in England and Wales.

It concerns senior barristers David Pannick KC, Anthony Grabiner KC, and Stephen Hockman KC in their role as patrons of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).

The complaint raises concerns that repeated references to the barristers’ professional status in UKLFI correspondence may have amplified the authority and perceived seriousness of legal threats and allegations directed at individuals and organisations engaged in lawful advocacy, cultural work, education, and public expression relating to Palestine.

It argues that this dynamic has increased pressure on recipients, often non-lawyers, required to respond to complex legal claims without equivalent resources or representation.

ELSC and PILC ask the BSB to determine whether this use of professional status engages the Bar Standards Board Code of Conduct, including the duties of integrity and independence, and the requirement to maintain public confidence in the profession.

The complaint focuses on whether senior legal standing has been invoked in a way that materially strengthens pressure on recipients engaged in protected expression.

UKLFI, founded in 2011, describes its mission as opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and what it calls the “delegitimisation of Israel”. It has described its patrons as:

some of the most distinguished members of the legal profession in the United Kingdom.

Complaint suggests UKLFI is exerting undue pressure

The complaint argues that the repeated foregrounding of senior barristers in correspondence may elevate the perceived legal weight of UKLFI’s communications.

The complaint comes on behalf of a cross-sector coalition including teachers, migrant organisations, student unions, NGOs, healthcare professionals, and cultural practitioners, all of whom have submitted impact statements.

It situates these concerns within a wider pattern documented by ELSC across education, healthcare, culture, workplaces, and grassroots organisations, with UKLFI appearing 128 times in the ELSC Britain Index of Repression, a database recording the systematic repression of Palestine solidarity in Britain.

Across these sectors, teachers, students, healthcare workers, cultural practitioners, and activists are among those most frequently affected. As outlined in the complaint, the cumulative effect is a chilling environment in which individuals and organisations adjust or withdraw lawful Palestine-related activity in anticipation of legal or institutional escalation.

ELSC and PILC have asked the BSB to:

• Investigate the involvement of the named barristers in relevant correspondence.
• Assess compliance with the Bar Standards Code of Conduct.
• Issue guidance on the use of professional titles in communications with non-lawyers and civil society organisations.

An ELSC spokesperson said:

This complaint points to a pattern of legal intimidation through the use of senior legal status in correspondence targeting individuals and organisations engaged in Palestine advocacy, escalating pressure on non-legal actors and amplifying perceived legal risk.

The effect is a chilling environment that deters lawful public support for Palestine, particularly amid a mass global movement in response to the situation in Gaza. As our report On All Fronts sets out, these mechanisms are deliberate attempts to erase Palestinian from public consciousness.

This narrows democratic space, threatens freedom of expression, and must be examined by the regulator to protect public confidence in the legal profession.

A spokesperson for PILC added:

The legal profession carries real authority, and that authority should never be used, or appear to be used, to intimidate people or organisations engaged in lawful campaigning and public debate.

For small charities and grassroots campaign groups showing solidarity with Palestine, receiving legal correspondence that appears to carry the backing of some of the most senior figures at the Bar can be deeply intimidating, particularly where they do not have access to legal advice of their own.

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This complaint asks the Bar Standards Board to consider whether the prestige and professional status associated with King’s Counsel has been used in a way that falls short of the standards expected.

At the heart of this complaint is the public interest, that is protecting democratic participation, safeguarding freedom of expression, and ensuring that people are not discouraged from speaking out or organising lawfully because of the fear of legal intimidation.

Featured image via Chris J Ratcliffe / Getty Images

By The Canary

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Sussex Police have identified the three sisters whose bodies officers recovered from the sea in Brighton. Originally from Uxbridge, the family now faces unimaginable grief after losing their daughters in such tragic and unexpected circumstances.

Jane Adetoro, Christina Walters, and Rebecca Walters – aged 36, 32 and 31 – died in the sea off Brighton beach. At this early stage, investigators have found no evidence suggesting third-party involvement or criminal intent.

Nevertheless, the police have not eliminated this possibility and are appealing for any witnesses in the area of Black Rock car park in Madeira Drive.

Someone called police at 5:45am on 13 May after spotting a person in the water. Emergency services then recovered the bodies of the two other sisters nearby.

Their father, Joseph, spoke to the BBC and said:

Jane, Christina, and Becky were more than daughters to me; they were my joy, my strength, and the beautiful light that filled our family with happiness and love.

Adding that this horrific tragedy has:

left an emptiness that words cannot heal.

Police formally name sisters recovered from the sea off Brighton beach.

Police have formally identified the three women whose bodies were recovered from the sea off Brighton beach earlier this month.

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The women were sisters from the Uxbridge area of London and have been named as…

— Brighton’s Official 1# Page (@imjustbrighton_) May 20, 2026

Joseph: “your spirits live on in our hearts every day.”

One theory in the police investigation of the death of these three sisters is reported to be that they potentially chose to go into the sea and, having not been familiar with the very real dangers due to seaweed and shale, “got into difficulty”.

However, police are actively pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and are now scouring CCTV footage to piece together the sequence of events that led to the sisters’ deaths.

The three women reportedly travelled from Brighton Palace Pier, where CCTV captured them, before heading towards Brighton Marina. They have also appealed for anyone in the area to contact them if they are aware of any information in connection to this mysterious and deeply concerning loss of precious life.

Thankfully, they are providing the family with support from specialist officers through their unimaginable grief.

Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, Sian Berry, told BBC Radio Sussex that the response has made her proud of the people of Brighton and said:

What I’ve seen since this tragedy first happened is the city just really pulling together and caring deeply about what happened to these women, while knowing nothing about their story.

Bella Sankey, City council leader in Brighton and Hove, has also shared her heartbreak at this news:

To learn today that these three beautiful women were sisters makes this troubling situation even more heartbreaking.

Three sisters found dead near Brighton Beach in England have been identified as their father shares a heartbreaking tribute remembering them as the “light” of the family. Read more #OnTheGrio: https://t.co/Elsal6AIho

— theGrio.com (@theGrio) May 21, 2026

Joseph: “You were deeply loved, and you will always be deeply missed”

According to the BBC, the father paid tribute to his daughters whose “presence made life more meaningful”, saying:

Each of you was unique and precious in your own special way.

Your smiles brightened dark days, your laughter brought comfort, and your presence made life more meaningful.

Though your time on earth was short, the impact you made will remain in our hearts forever.

You were deeply loved, and you will always be deeply missed.

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The local community has understandably reacted with deep shock and grief to this traumatic news, with people rallying together to support one another through the tragedy.

Police continue to investigate the case and have not yet reached any final conclusions.

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said the force would “leave no stone unturned” as officers work to establish exactly how the sisters lost their lives.

Featured image via Getty/Bryn Lennon

By Maddison Wheeldon

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Last month, I uncovered excerpts from the “IDF diary” of Jonathan Kestenbaum, the former Israeli soldier and current Labour peer who was serving as a board member of Labour Together. But on May 18th, according to Companies House, Kestenbaum resigned as a director of the disgraced think tank.

Labour Together rebrands

The organisation has desperately been trying to rebrand this month. It has adopted a different name, “ThinkLabour”, and brand new website.

Alison Phillips, the organisation’s CEO, told journalist Peter Geoghehan yesterday:

ThinkLabour is a very different organisation today compared to Labour Together then and what was done does not reflect and represent what we stand for and how we operate today under my leadership.

However, ThinkLabour has the same company number as Labour Together Limited, still registered as operating on Companies House. Alongside Alison Philips, the active directors are registered as Mike Craven, appointed in March 2024, and new addition Nicholas Forbes, appointed on May 12th.

Kestenbaum’s diary

Although the relaunch was announced on May 14th, with ThinkLabour promising to be “a unique political organisation dedicated to helping Labour govern confidently”, Kestenbaum remained a director until the beginning of the following week.

In Kestenbaum’s written account of his Israeli military service, he describes:

chasing a nine-year-old boy who broke a 30-day curfew to try to retrieve bread from a gutter.

And:

rounding up a group of elderly Palestinians who slipped into a field at night to pick a bucket of tomatoes.

In one anecdote, he remembers detaining a group of teenage Palestinians and then being asked by another officer:

How many dogs have you brought?

Kestenbaum writes:

Once the man opposite you is a dog, anything goes.

In his diary, he refers to the Israeli state as “our country”, and a 1988 article in the international edition of the Jerusalem Post reports that Kestenbaum had “settled in Israel three years ago”. On Companies House, however, Kestenbaum’s nationality is listed solely as British. He now joins a long list of former Labour Together directors that includes Trevor Chinn, Morgan McSweeney, Josh Simons, although his positions at Five Arrows Limited and the JPMorgan Japanese Investment Trust are still extant.

Support from Ed Miliband and LFI

In 2010, Kestenbaum was nominated by the Labour Party hierarchy to the House of Lords. Ed Miliband, Labour leader at the time, is one of those reported to be eyeing Keir Starmer’s position, particularly if Andy Burnham loses the Makerfield by-election.

Like Starmer, Miliband is a long-time supporter of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI). At the lobby group’s 2011 annual lunch, Miliband declared:

I’m grateful to Israel, I respect Israel, I admire Israel and that is why I’m proud to be here to be [as] part of Labour Friends of Israel…

Under my leadership, I will ensure that the Labour Party remains a strong and steadfast friend of Israel.

Josh Simons

Labour Together has long been tainted by Morgan McSweeney’s concealing of over £730,000 in donations whilst serving as director, using the organisation as a vehicle to propel Starmer into power, but the think tank’s downfall has been accelerated by revelations that former director Josh Simons set private investigators on journalists reporting on McSweeney’s actions.

Geoghehan’s report yesterday revealed that McSweeney and Paul Ovenden, Starmer’s former head of communications, were told about Labour Together’s infamous “investigation” two years ago.

Simons has now resigned his parliamentary seat in order for Labour “saviour” Andy Burnham to have a clear run at Starmer. In the past, Simons has received donations from Mike Craven, a former press officer to Tony Blair and the second current Labour Together Limited director.

All the same cronies

Upon their launch, ThinkLabour said:

this is much more than a new logo or a change of name.

But on Companies House – for now, at least – they are still Labour Together Limited, with Simons, McSweeney, et al. amongst their alumni.

Featured image via the Devon Daily

By Em Colquhoun

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Tube drivers in the RMT union have rearranged strike action that had been due on 19 and 21 May.

The union, which represents just under half of London’s underground network drivers, said:

At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues.

The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress.

In the absence of such progress, tube drivers will strike on Tuesday 2 June and Thursday 4 June.

The dispute concerns what the RMT calls the imposition of a “a fake four day week”.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey previously said:

We have approached negotiations with TfL in good faith throughout this entire process. But despite our best efforts, TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions in a bid to avert strike action.

This is extremely disappointing and has baffled our negotiators. The approach of TfL is not one which leads to industrial peace and will infuriate our members who want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute.

It appears that TfL has managed to drive a wedge between the RMT and Aslef, the other union representing tube drivers. Aslef believes that the shift changes are worth it for the extra days off. Meanwhile, the RMT regards the length of the working day as the sticking point. It cites fatigue and safety as primary concerns.

Featured image via Hans-Peter Merten / Getty Images

By The Canary

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Less than a month before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) national team has been stumped by another Ebola outbreak. As a result, the Congolese Federation has had to halt their preparation programme for the World Cup. In the interest of public safety, both FIFA and US health authorities are closely monitoring the situation. On 17 May, the  World Health Organisation declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency.

Ebola put preparations on hold

Reuters reported that due to the threat of transmission, the team had to cancel the preparatory camp and farewell ceremony scheduled in the DRC capital, Kinshasa. Instead, these preparations will be held in Belgium to mitigate the risks. This change ensures the team can play in this year’s World Cup — the largest yet.

US authorities have adopted stringent health measures and advised people travelling from the DRC and Uganda to reconsider non essential travel. The measures they have adopted include special monitoring and examinations of anyone that has visited the two countries in the last 21 days. 

The latest strain — otherwise known as “Bondibogio” — is responsible for more than 130 deaths and 600 suspected cases so far, according to the WHO.

DRC matches to go ahead as planned

For now, the team’s World Cup preparations will resume in Belgium, as they prepare for the scheduled matches against Denmark and Chile. Houston will be the team’s next pitstop which will host the team throughout the tournament.

The Houston Chronicle revealed that local authorities are coordinating with FIFA and national health authorities, developing special protocols applied during the Congolese national team’s stay. These measures also hope to allay public fears and prevent a state of panic and commotion during World Cup activities.

Despite these concerns, health experts suggest the chances of the virus spreading in the US are negligible — emphasising the effectiveness of newly developed preventive measures.

The crisis carries additional dimensions for the DRC national team, preparing to participate in its first World Cup since the 1974. They’ll be playing in a group that includes Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan, and despite complex health and logistical challenges testing their resolve, the team will no doubt give it their best shot.

Featured image via Michel Lunanga/Getty Images

By Alaa Shamali

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