In North Carolina, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper continues to far outraise Republican Michael Whatley, growing a massive cash disparity in one of the most closely watched Senate races this year.

Cooper raised $13.8 million to Whatley’s $5 million in the first quarter of the year, according to disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission. That encompasses both the run-up to and aftermath of their effectively uncontested primaries in early March.

Cooper entered the second quarter with $18.5 million in cash on hand while Whatley reported having more than $2.5 million in the bank.

North Carolina is a top target for Democrats. Cooper, the swing state’s most recent governor, draws on his broad name ID to pull in a sizable fundraising haul. Most polling shows him with a double-digit lead over Whatley.

National Republicans are planning to give Whatley, the former RNC chair, a major boost. Senate Leadership Fund has pledged $71 million to the Senate race.

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Protestors have blocked numerous major roads across the north of Ireland in response to fuel price increases resulting from the illegal US-Israeli led war on Iran. The highly effective disruptive actions mirror those that have taken place in the south of the island over the past week. Slow moving tractors held up traffic on the Sydenham bypass and West Link in the Belfast area. The Belfast Telegraph reported protests still ongoing in County Tyrone well into Tuesday evening. There were at least eight sites of protest in total.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) responded by issuing fines. In a statement, they said:

…a number of other persons were cautioned for public order offences.

People Before Profit (PBP) MLA Gerry Carroll said the police had behaved “disgracefully”. The West Belfast Assembly member also highlighted how the:

Irish Government’s majority has been shrunk by the cost of living protests.

Taoiseach Martin hit by backlash on cost of living failures

This is in reference to the fallout following a confidence vote on Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s regime that resulted in two TDs leaving the government for the opposition benches. Leading licker-of-the-US boot Martin now has 92 TDs backing him. 87 are needed for a majority in the Dáil. The government ultimately won the confidence vote by a margin of 92 to 78.

The Irish government responded in brutish fashion at the weekend to fuel protests. They brought in the army, while the Garda needlessly deployed pepper spray, including against a 14 year old boy.

Martin has faced intense criticism, both for the response to the blockades, and for allowing things to escalate to that point. Sinn Féin’s leader Mary Lou McDonald described the government as:

Arrogant and incompetent. Half measures don’t cut it. We need to see the maximum reduction in fuel prices at the pumps. The people have no confidence in this useless government. They should back their bags and go.

Martin ultimately said the government would provide €505 million in funds to tackle the fuel price crisis his government helped to generate.

Carroll concluded his X post by saying all the above showed:

…a simple truth: a cost of living movement can rattle our failed status-quo. Workers & unions can lead the charge!

In a longer statement, People Before Profit called on those groups to step forward:

We must demand that our unions enter the fight. Workers did not cause this crisis. Energy companies, war-makers and a government that serves corporate interests did. The unions have the membership, the resources and the leverage to force real change on the cost of living. It is time to use them. Every trade union branch, every shop steward, every community organisation should be discussing what action can be taken and building for it now.

Belfast — Far right hijacking protests fuel protests

They criticised unions for failing to lead thus far on the cost of living crisis, leaving a vacuum for the far right to exploit::

Some of the loudest figures attaching themselves to these protests are cheerleaders for Trump, for racism, and in some cases for Israel. They want to blame migrants, LGBT people or whoever else is convenient, instead of the profiteers, war-makers and politicians actually responsible.

Failed presidential aspirant Conor McGregor is one such clown. The washed-up ex-MMA fighter has previously voiced anti-immigrant ‘Ireland for the Irish’ views. In an X post, McGregor gave his support to protestors, while attempting to push immigration as a central woe alongside the cost of living. He railed against:

[The government’s] complete failure on housing, their refusal to ease the crushing cost of living crisis, the disastrous handling of immigration that has overwhelmed their communities and services and the shocking way that they have treated ordinary Irish people in recent days.

A farmer protesting near Belfast was quoted by the BBC offering a similar formulation:

We have money for everything else – we can spend overseas, we can help people coming to this country, we can’t help our own people.

As we’ve recognised before, the class configuration of the protests is complex. PBP suggest that the movement is currently:

…led by people who own companies, employ workers and have access to expensive machinery.

Nonetheless, they correctly point to:

…a real mix of people in and around this movement, including many working class people looking on sympathetically.

The imperfect politics of those involved shouldn’t be a reason for the left not to seize low hanging fruit for progressive organisers – the cost of living crisis exacerbated by illegal wars abroad.

Pro-Palestine group BDS Belfast had an idea along those lines, showing the similar treatment Palestine protestors and fuel protestors received, even if the latter were granted slightly more leeway by the state. In an Instagram post, they said:

We’re all bearing the costs of illegal US and Israeli violence. The Irish government must end its support for these crimes NOW!

One struggle, against those in power harming us all.

Solidarity

Featured image via the BelfastTelegraph

By Robert Freeman

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A file released by the ‘Israeli’ government shows the notorious Zionist terror group Lehi, also known as the Stern Gang, attempted to partner with the Nazis to fight Britain during World War 2.

The Haganah, a larger and more organised Zionist terror force, created the documents in 1941 while spying on Lehi. The Haganah largely cooperated with Britain during the war against the Axis powers. They were later involved a series of murderous attacks against British forces in Palestine, and gave their approval for the bombing of the King David Hotel.

Haaretz say the file was:

…kept in the IDF [sic] archives and later transferred to the State Archives. About three years ago, Haaretz requested that it be declassified. It was recently scanned and uploaded.

In it, the Haganah’s founder Eliyahu Golomb reports discovering that Lehi leader Avraham Stern had connections with the Nazi regime. A document in the file lays out Stern’s strategy:

With the outbreak of World War II… Stern argued that there is no better time for a war of independence than during wartime. Britain’s forces are tied down… and it would be possible to overcome them. The question of orientation seemed simple to him.

The Jews are a party in the war and therefore cannot be neutral. Britain betrayed the Jewish people and will never allow the establishment of a Jewish state. On the other hand, Germany has no special interest in Palestine, and since the Nazis want to cleanse Europe of Jews, nothing is simpler than transferring them to their own state.

Stern: attempted Nazi pact to counter British conniving

Stern’s notion of British betrayal likely relates to the switch in stance Britain adopted towards Jewish groups in Palestine in the late 1930s. Concerned that Arab support was ebbing away due to their backing of a Jewish homeland in this part of West Asia, Britain began to change its policies.

Most notably, the then-hegemon produced the White Paper of 1939, which restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine and made it harder to sell land to non-Arab peoples. This callous imperial manoeuvring that varyingly produced resentment on all sides was key to Palestine’s grim fate that worsens to this day.

Stern’s views were far from novel. Years earlier in 1933, Zionists had signed the Transfer or Haavara Agreement. This was a deal with:

…the Nazi government that allowed some wealthy German Jews to immigrate to Palestine in exchange for purchasing German goods that were then exported to the Jewish community in Palestine.

At the time, Jewish groups worldwide had set up a boycott of German goods in response to the Nazis’ racist policies. The agreement suited both signatories. The Nazis would take a step towards the ethnic cleansing of Germany and gain much needed capital. The Zionists would get equipment to aid the development of their proto-state, and an influx of new people who could assist in their ultimate goal of ethnically cleansing Palestine. 

To this day, the Zionist settler-colony is happy to partner with anti-semites if it suits the narrow interests of its fanatical, expansionist land theft project. Stern’s wartime plans were along much the same lines, looking to “reach a practical agreement with the Germans” in a belief that the:

…Jews of Europe should be recruited into a special army that would fight its way to Palestine and conquer it from the British.

Lehi foresaw:

…shared interests between German policy and Jewish national aspirations.

However, Haaretz claim:

Lehi’s contacts with the Nazis ultimately came to nothing.

Vicious Zionist terror legacy continues

Post-war, the Stern Gang played an infamous role in the Nakba. This was the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in which Zionist terrorists killed 15,000 Palestinians and drove around 750,000 from their homes. The Gang helped carry out the Deir Yassin massacre, where Zionist murderers slaughtered over 100 Palestinians. Those killed “were tied to trees and burned to death”. Others were “lined up against a wall and shot by submachine guns” including “women, children and the elderly”. Ex-Lehi member Yitzhak Shamir went on to serve twice as prime minister of so-called ‘Israel’.

The terror group dissolved after World War 2, but its vicious, racist mentality lives on in contemporary ‘Israel’. Stern may not have got his wish to partner with the Nazis, but the Zionist entity has gone one better — it has become the closest modern equivalent to the Third Reich, as it continues its holocaust in Gaza.

Featured image via the Canary

By Robert Freeman

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A group of three anti-genocide protesters have been imprisoned without bail until at least 1 May, after appearing at Westminster magistrates’ court on the morning of 14 April. The three, members of People Against Genocide, have been charged over a direct action protest against Keysight Technologies. A supporter explained why they took the action:

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People Against Genocide reports that the US-owned company makes radar and electronic systems that it supplies to Israeli murder-drone makers Elbit Systems. The group shared footage of the action, which was featured on Channel 4 News:

People Against Action has targeted other locations belonging to Keysight Technologies have been targeted in the UK over the past year.

The three people charged are Steven Davies, 57 (pictured above), Ian Roberts, 51, and Dolores Gnapi, 34. The firm claims that they caused more than £2m of damage to its facility during the protest.

The refusal of bail fits the Starmer government’s pattern of attempting to “make the process itself the punishment.” This is part of the government’s ‘lawfare’ war on anti-genocide and pro-Palestine journalism, speech and protest.

Featured image via Barold

By Skwawkbox

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A day of family fun, unity and heritage is coming to Wearside this May Day Weekend. On Saturday 2 May, Sunderland Left Alliance will host Sunderland May Day Fest in the heart of the city centre.

The event, running across two locations in Sunniside, will celebrate Sunderland’s May Day heritage.

From 11am – 2pm Port Independent will be filled with family friendly heritage crafts such as rosette and placard making, Hope Stars, and talks on the history of May Day. There will also be an Indy book sale from PM Press and a book swap with Sunderland Literacy Aid.

Then from 2pm onwards, Diego’s Joint will be host to live music, theatre and speeches from some of the city’s brightest talents. Forum Theatre will present an interactive piece on how to talk to your right wing family.

There will be music from Slalom D, James Thoroughgood and many others, with poetry and speeches from organisations across the region.

The event will come just days before all 75 seats in Sunderland Council are up for re-election. In this turbulent political climate, Sunderland Left Alliance aims to remind residents of not only our heritage, but how much the city can thrive when we come together for good.

Founder of Sunderland Left Alliance Auburn Langley said:

Politics is more than just elections. To build the world we want, we not only need to relearn how to work together, but have some fun with it!

Sunderland May Day Festival will take place on Saturday 2nd May from 11 am. To find out more visit the Facebook page.

Featured image supplied

By The Canary

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The Labour peer now running right-wing, Zionist sabotage outfit ‘Labour Together’ has been revealed to be a former IOF soldier and ‘religious Zionist’. Activist journalist Jody McIntyre uncovered financier Jonathan Kestenbaum’s record, which has not been mentioned by Labour or Labour Together.

McIntyre believes Kestenbaum’s military history has been mostly ‘scrubbed’ from the web. However, he found one remaining mention of Kestenbaum’s training in the use of clubs and tear gas on Palestinians and his participation in a “brutal” curfew imposed to “break the spirit” of a Palestinian town in the occupied West Bank:

Kestenbaum was national secretary of the [religious Zionist] Bnei Akiva movement in his native England, and studied at the London School of Econom­ics and at Cambridge University. He settled in Israel three years ago, is married, and has recently become a father.

He was called to serve a stint in the IDF reserves in August, and found an outlet for his frustrations in the diary below, a record of his day-to-day anguish. Kestenbaum says the very thing he and his colleagues were not prepared for were the moral questions posed by service in the admin­istered territories, although they were taught how to use clubs and tear.

Coloniser in uniform

Kestenbaum’s unit was ordered to bring the town “to heel”, isolating it and cutting off power:

McIntyre noted that Kestenbaum’s Wikipedia page was updated minutes after his revelations went public, to include a mention of his period in the IOF:

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A post shared by Jody McIntyre (@jodymcintyre_)

Kestenbaum’s activities were also mentioned in a 1998 US article, which quotes him recording his “shame”:

The hatred [for the IDF] is not surprising, considering that during the last 17 months, the army has shot and killed about 400 Palestinians, wounded thousands of others, thrown more than 6000 of them into prison, blown up more than 200 of their homes, and kicked 45 of them out of the country.

It is not only that, as the reservist Jonathan Kestenbaum wrote in a diary he kept of his time in the West Bank town of Qabatiya last year, ‘When a child of 3 looks at me with hatred, I feel ashamed of what I am doing.’

Kestenbaum appears to have recovered from his “shame”, however. He went on to hold a directorship of pro-Israel propaganda outfit BICOM for seven years.

Labour Together at the centre of it again

Labour Together was exposed as a key player in the anti-Labour sabotage campaign to lose the 2019 general election in order to oust then-leader Jeremy Corbyn. Morgan McSweeney, who admitted using the ‘Labour antisemitism’ scam as a primary tool of this sabotage, went on to become Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign manager and then his chief of staff. However, McSweeney resigned in disgrace in February 2026 over his part in plush senior jobs Starmer gave to corrupt pal of child-rapist Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Mandelson.

Before McSweeney’s resignation, while Labour Together was being managed by Josh Simons, another Starmer front-bencher, the organisation paid a US firm to spy on and attempt to discredit journalists who were investigating Labour Together’s funding and activities. Simons resigned from the front bench after being outed. Front-benchers Steve Reed and Lisa Nandy continue to be closely linked to the group.

Labour Together declined to comment.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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Keir Starmer’s government has moved closer than ever to crushing our protest rights in the UK, with his highly controversial Crime and Policing Bill moving to the final stages. And amid Israel’s ongoing war crimes throughout the Middle East, it seems crystal clear that Starmer’s efforts aim primarily to silence criticism of UK complicity.

Starmer’s Crime and Policing Bill seeking to ‘kill protest rights’ on Israel’s behalf

Starmer has already shown his authoritarian instincts openly. But Amendment 312 to the Crime and Policing Bill would let police effectively shut down protests via a vague concept of “cumulative disruption”. And despite opposition, MPs voted on 14 April to move the massive bill to its final stage.

Civil society groups have criticised the bill for ‘hollowing out‘ our right to protest and turning it into a ‘privilege’ that governments can simply take away when it doesn’t suit them. Faith leaders and a UN expert have joined them in calling it out too. And countless politicians have been vocal, with Labour peer Peter Hain saying:

this is a wholly unnecessary and damaging course of action that the government does not need to be taking

Labour MP Apsana Begum, meanwhile, clarified that:

The expansive police powers in the Crime and Policing Bill are a direct response to the demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine.

This connection is essentially common knowledge. And Your Party claimed Starmer’s moves show his cabinet is “desperate to repress the movement for Palestine“, with Jeremy Corbyn saying:

The government is fed up with people protesting about genocide.

Pro-Israel lobbyists have played a key role in securing Starmer and other right-wingers’ control of the Labour Party in recent years. And as Liberal Democrat peer Paul Strasburger has insisted:

in its attempts to crack down on pro-Palestinian protest, the government is eroding our democratic freedoms more broadly

Strasburger also mentioned the unlawful proscription of non-violent direct-action group Palestine Action, saying:

The authoritarian protest measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, and the misuse of terrorist proscription powers in the case of Palestine Action, are not isolated developments.

Freedoms won over centuries of popular struggle continue to be dismantled on behalf of the genocidal Zionist entity 3,000 miles away

Surreal to watch in real-time

Britain is well and truly occupied pic.twitter.com/68fLCXwAPX

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) April 15, 2026

This isn’t just about Palestine. It’s about democracy itself

Labour MP Andy McDonald led opposition in parliament to Amendment 312. Begum joined him, along with MPs like Mary Kelly Foy, Kim Johnson, and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Johnson slammed how the “vast expansion of anti-protest powers” had:

sneakily come through the back door

And McDonnell echoed this, highlighting the dangers of rushing the amendment through alongside “many amendments that were supportable”. The government, he lamented, was contributing to the ongoing:

erosion of basic civil liberties won by people protesting over centuries

As Labour MP Clive Lewis stressed, the government:

knew this wouldn’t survive proper scrutiny – so they denied MPs the time to give it any.

The Independent reported that:

The change was written in to the Bill by the Government during its House of Lords stages, meaning MPs had not been able to scrutinise it in the chamber until Tuesday.

Numerous politicians highlighted how the crackdown on protest rights today would have limited the Suffragettes or anti-apartheid campaigners of the past. And they warned of how a government even further to the right may use such powers in the future. As Strasburger stressed, the consequences of the government’s crackdown:

extend far beyond any single movement.

The measures, he asserted:

are part of a wider shift in how protest is being treated in Britain, from a protected democratic right to something increasingly conditional on the judgement of those in power at the time and local police.

And if we don’t stop Starmer’s cabal from “killing free speech” now, he warned, citizens in the future may remember us as:

the generation that let it slip away

As the House of Lords considers the amendments and parliament moves to approve a final draft of the bill, we must all do our best to avoid becoming that generation.

Featured image via the Canary

By Ed Sykes

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The TEFL Academy has released a report, The Great Gen Z Exodus. And it reveals that Britons are no longer waiting until their 30s to leave the UK. They’re doing it in their 20s, in record numbers, as economic pressure and shifting career priorities reshape life decisions.

In June 2025, departures among those aged 20–29 reached 130,000–140,000. This is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels of around 92,000–95,000 in 2018. Meanwhile, emigration among those in their early 30s has fallen from around 78,000–81,000 in 2018 to 55,000–65,000 in 2025.

Together, this points to a clear shift towards earlier, opportunity-driven migration, with young professionals choosing to build their futures abroad sooner rather than later. This marks a fundamental shift in when Britons choose to leave the UK, with migration decisions happening earlier in life than ever before.

Mobility in pursuit of stability

The findings draw on a new survey of 4,000 Gen Z and young Millennials, alongside national migration statistics, labour market data and international mobility research. Together, the evidence points to a structural shift in how young Britons define success, stability and opportunity. They increasingly see international mobility as a necessary pathway to achieving those goals.

The findings form part of The Great Gen Z Exodus and Young Millennials report, conducted by The TEFL Academy in March 2026. It combines official UK migration statistics with a survey of 422 Gen Z and young Millennial adults aged 18–34 exploring international work opportunities.

The research provides insight into why Britain’s young workforce is increasingly looking abroad for employment. And it reveals a growing confidence gap in long-term prospects at home. Many respondents view international mobility as a strategic way to build stable careers and improve quality of life.

Teaching English abroad is emerging as one of the most accessible pathways for graduates and young professionals seeking global work experience.

Record youth exodus from the UK

Official migration data shows that the rise in young Britons leaving the UK is not a sudden spike. Rather it’s a clear post-pandemic acceleration driven by shifting economic realities and changing career priorities. Data from the Office for National Statistics Long-Term International Migration series (ONS LTIM) highlights how youth emigration has evolved over time.

Before the pandemic, emigration among young adults was relatively stable. In 2019, around 176,000 Britons aged 20–39 left the UK, reflecting a steady flow of young professionals seeking opportunities abroad (ONS LTIM 2019). During the pandemic, however, global movement temporarily stalled. In 2020, the number of young people leaving dropped sharply to around 115,000, as border closures and uncertainty forced many to delay or abandon plans to move overseas (ONS LTIM 2020).

The post-pandemic rebound has been both rapid and sustained. By 2022, pent-up demand was released, with approximately 200,000 young adults emigrating in a single year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and signalling a structural shift rather than a temporary fluctuation (ONS LTIM 2022).

Since then, the trend has continued upward, but with a notable generational shift. By the year to June 2025, Gen Z emigration reached its highest level on record, with an estimated 130,000-140,000 leaving the UK, while young Millennial departures declined to around 55,000-65,000. This marks a clear transition, with Gen Z now driving the majority of youth emigration (ONS YE June 2025).

Overall, around 195,000 Britons under the age of 35 left the UK in the past year, meaning 76% of all British emigrants are now young adults, according to analysis from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. This equates to hundreds of young professionals leaving the country each day during their most economically productive years.

A generation under economic pressure

Taken together, the data points to a post-pandemic inflection point, where delayed mobility has evolved into a longer-term behavioural shift, with Gen Z leading a new wave of global, opportunity-driven migration.

Survey responses from The TEFL Academy’s research reveal the economic pressures shaping these decisions. Among respondents aged 18–34, more than 86% agreed that UK wages do not reflect the cost of living, while around 79% said they feel constant financial pressure living in the UK.

Many also reported that it has become increasingly difficult to “get ahead”, with respondents rating the impact of cost-of-living pressures on their ability to progress at 4.29 out of 5 on average.

Despite strong personal ambition, confidence in the UK’s long-term economic outlook appears weak. Respondents rated their optimism about their long-term future in the country at an average of 2.44 out of 5, suggesting widespread uncertainty about the prospects available to young professionals.

These perceptions mirror wider national research. According to the British Council, 72% of UK adults aged 18–30 say they would consider living and working abroad, while 63% believe their standard of living is worse than that of their parents’ generation.

Housing insecurity compounds the problem: polling from the Adam Smith Institute shows that 65% of young people expect housing affordability to worsen, while around half say most people their age struggle to make ends meet.

Separate research from Currencies Direct suggests the trend may accelerate further, with 38% of people aged 25–34 and 36% of those aged 18–24 already considering leaving the UK to live or work abroad.

What young Britons are seeking abroad

Survey responses from individuals exploring TEFL qualifications highlight how strongly international mobility features in the career planning of people already interested in working abroad. Among respondents aged 18–34:

• 33% said they have already moved abroad.
• 26% said they are actively planning to move.
• 30% said they are seriously considering relocating.
• 11% said they are not currently planning to leave the UK.

While the survey reflects individuals already interested in international work opportunities, the findings illustrate how teaching English abroad is increasingly viewed as a practical pathway for young professionals seeking global experience and career mobility.

For many respondents, leaving the UK is less about escape and more about strategic life planning. Among those who had already moved abroad, the most commonly cited motivation was improving overall quality of life, which received an average rating of 4.45 out of 5. Expectations of better work-life balance also ranked highly, with an average rating of 4.03 out of 5.

Many participants also viewed international mobility as a long-term career strategy rather than a short-term decision. Respondents rated the idea that moving abroad is a strategic choice rather than an emotional one at 3.47 out of 5, while 54% agreed that staying in the UK could hold back their long-term potential.

The research also points to a broader generational shift in career mindset. Respondents rated the importance of developing global skills at 3.93 out of 5, while attitudes toward traditional career stability appear to be changing, with many indicating that the idea of a lifelong job in the UK holds less relevance for their generation.

Where young Britons are going

Destination trends suggest young professionals are targeting regions that offer clearer economic and lifestyle advantages. Among respondents actively considering relocating abroad:

• 47% identified Asia as their preferred destination, attracted by lower living costs and strong demand for English teachers in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.
• 26% were considering Europe, particularly destinations such as Spain and Portugal that combine cultural proximity with lifestyle appeal.
• 17% cited Australia or New Zealand, often drawn by higher wages and working holiday opportunities.
• Smaller shares pointed to the Middle East (6%), where tax-free salaries and rapid career progression are appealing, and Africa (4%), often driven by heritage connections or lifestyle motivation.

For many graduates, teaching English abroad represents one of the most accessible international career pathways. TEFL qualifications can be completed online and provide access to teaching opportunities across Asia, Europe and Latin America, allowing young professionals to gain international experience while earning an income.

The career impact of going global

Broader labour market research suggests that international mobility can have long-term career benefits. Studies across global labour markets show that professionals who gain international work experience often experience faster career progression, stronger cross-cultural skills and higher long-term earning potential.

As a result, many young professionals, increasingly view the decision to move abroad as an investment in their future career trajectory rather than a temporary lifestyle choice.

Rhyan O’Sullivan, managing director at The TEFL Academy, said:

Young Britons aren’t running away from the UK, they’re running toward opportunity. For many graduates, teaching English abroad offers a practical way to gain international experience, improve quality of life and build global careers.

With an estimated 5.5 million UK citizens already living abroad, The TEFL Academy’s research suggests that younger generations are redefining success as the ability to build a stable, fulfilling life wherever opportunity exists, rather than being tied to one country.

Featured image via the Canary

By The Canary

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More than a hundred MPs, holocaust survivors, artists, authors and performers — many of them Jewish — have presented a letter to the Met Police condemning the force’s — no doubt political — decision to deny the annual Nakba Day march its usual route so that a fascist march can dominate central London.

The 16 May march will commemorate the Nakba (catastrophe) of around 800,000 Palestinians being violently driven from their homes and land to create the ‘state’ of Israel. The Met has refused to sign off on its route application. Instead it is giving priority to a “hate march called by racist thug ‘Tommy Robinson’” in opposition to the Nakba commemoration.

The letter reads:

Public Letter

The Metropolitan police must not favour the far right over Palestine.We are appalled to hear that the Metropolitan Police have refused permission for the Palestine movement to march to commemorate Nakba day on 16 May on its proposed route and instead given over the political centre of London to a hate march called by racist thug ‘Tommy Robinson’ in response

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The far right has targeted the Palestine movement before. They have done so aggressively with verbal and physical violence directed at the movement and the police.

The Palestine movement marches on the nearest Saturday to Nakba day every year, and they informed the police of their intention to hold the 16 May march in central London on 18 December 2025. While the police have refused their route, Tommy Robinson’s demonstration has been granted Kingsway, the Strand, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Square.

We call on the police to immediately reverse this shameful decision. We call on everyone of good conscience to join us for Palestine on 16 May. We will march.Signed by:

As well as Palestine solidarity campaigners, MPs and union leaders, the letter is signed by Holocaust survivors Stephen Kapos and Agnes Kory, as well as many leading Jewish and non-Jewish figures, including:

Alexei Sayle, writer and comedian
Andrea Kapos, filmmaker
Andrew Feinstein, author and former ANC MP
Arthur Neslen, journalist
Brian Eno, artist and musician
Francesca Martinez, writer and comedian
Gideon Mendel, photographer
Jen Brister, comedian
Juliet Stevenson, actor
Karishma Patel, journalist
Khalid Abdalla, actor
Matt Black, musician
Maxine Peake, actor
Michael Rosen, author
Mike Leigh, filmmaker
Miriam Margolyes, actor
Misan Harriman, photographer
Norma Cohen, actor and writer
Paloma Faith, musician
Prof Anne Karpf, writer and academic
Rachael Clyne, writer
Taj Ali, writer photographer and filmmaker

Stop the War’s Chris Nineham and MP John McDonnell gave their view on the Met’s move and the Starmer regime’s war on pro-Palestine protest:

In a statement on its Instagram page, the coalition of anti-apartheid groups organising the march also said that it rejected the Met’s decision and called for an immediate change:

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A post shared by Stop the War Coalition (@stwuk)

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By Skwawkbox

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Most people you know will use Meta applications. But do they know the corporate giant is also paying Israeli extremists amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza and illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank?

Meta incentivising hate, violence, and illegality

Digital rights group 7amleh has released a new report showing Meta isn’t just failing to remove or limit “violent, racist, and inciting content against Palestinians” but is:

financially enabling it through monetization programs

7amleh doesn’t see this as:

a technical flaw or procedural gap, but rather a practice that incentivizes harmful content, normalizes violations, and amplifies their impact

Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. But it’s Facebook that’s the focus of the report, which documents:

dozens of Israeli extreme right wing and settlement related Facebook pages that are actively monetized by Meta

Such pages, it clarifies:

promote or legitimize military operations and violence against a protected civilian population

And Meta’s monetisation, which has apparently “failed to assess or mitigate the human rights risks associated”:

functions as a mechanism that rewards and supports the settlement expansion movement

As a result, the corporation:

risks contributing to internationally wrongful acts

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal. There is also an overwhelming consensus among experts that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. And although the ICJ will take time to make an official ruling, it accepted in 2024 that this was plausible and called for action.

Breaking its own rules

Meta very clearly took sides early on in the genocide (as did other major global corporations). And as 7amleh’s report explains:

Hebrew content that includes incitement, dehumanization, and explicit calls for violence has been allowed to circulate widely, with limited enforcement

Palestinian content creators, on the other hand, have been:

structurally barred from accessing monetization tools solely because they are based in Palestine

Meta, a report summary says, has essentially created:

a dual system: on one hand, Palestinian digital and economic participation is suppressed; on the other, pages that promote settlement activity, violence, and incitement against Palestinians are financially rewarded.

The company has monetised:

Israeli right-wing pages and accounts, including those linked to the settlement movement, far-right public figures, and media outlets known for incitement.

But it also seems to have gone against its own rules, as the report:

documents cases involving entities that should be ineligible for monetization under Meta’s own policies, such as government bodies.

7amleh wants Meta to stop excluding Palestinians from monetisation, end the monetisation of pages and accounts inciting hatred and violence, and enforce its policies fairly. It also calls for independent audits and a fair appeals process.

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By Ed Sykes

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