Donald Trump’s “coercive” diplomatic efforts in the Middle East left Arab leaders in “stunned silence”, according to a BBC expert.

The US president is trying to broker peace in the region after he and Israeli forces attacked Iran at the end of February.

Iranian troops then effectively closed the major oil waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, causing a global energy crisis.

The two sides continue to fight even as they claim to be deep in the negotiation process over a possible ceasefire.

Trump is now attempting to force more Arab countries to join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 US-brokered agreements which normalise relations between Israel and some neighbouring nations, as part of the peace process.

“It was an absolutely remarkable moment,” Tom Bateman, the BBC’s State Department correspondent, told Radio 4′s Today programme.

“According to reports of that call, Mr Trump had said I want you to join the Abraham Accords, to normalise relations with Israel, as part of this process.

“To which there was said to have been a stunned silence.”

Trump has since told Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan to join the Accords or risk not being part of the new deal to open the Strait.

“It felt like there was a partial threat involved in this sense of trying to pressure them, to get them involved in this diplomatic process with the Israelis,” Bateman said. “I think that is going to down again, with a kind of stunned silence.”

He said the countries are yet to formally respond.

The specialist also pointed out that the president is attempting to do two things at once.

“Trump is trying to at the moment undo the problem that was caused by the American-Israeli attack on Iran – which is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the global energy crisis – and use fixing that as a coercive attempt to get Arab countries and others like Pakistan to beef up their diplomatic ties with Israel,” Bateman said.

The reporter noted that it is clear Arab Gulf countries are “extremely keen” that this issue is resolved and de-escalated is avoided.

He added that current negotiations with Iran are “largely about re-opening the Strait of Hormuz and easing the global energy crisis”.

That means essentially “kicking off into another couple of months the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme and Iran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions.”

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This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Euphoria season three.

Euphoria’s current season has had many viewers up in arms over its various graphic scenes – but the show’s latest twist has raised eyebrows for a very different reason.

Now, you know the drill. We’re about to say what that reason is, so if you’ve not watched the episode yet, we’d recommend hanging on until you have.

Last chance, OK? Because this is a really, really big spoiler.

Well, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Following Monday’s instalment of the award-winning US drama, viewers were shocked not just to see that Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate, had been killed off, but also the grisly way his character met his end.

Over the course of the season, Nate has landed himself in a whole lot of financial trouble, which has had major consequences for the character.

After being buried alive under his own housing development, it was discovered that Nate had died at the hands – or, rather, fangs – of a rattlesnake, who slid its way into that same enclosure.

Nate’s gruesome fate, particularly as the character thought in his final moments that the snake had come to save him, proved to be real nightmare fuel for many Euphoria fans watching along on social media:

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson told Esquire: “There’s this kind of funny thing where I know what the audience wants in terms of justice or karma and with that in mind, I always think, ‘Well, how can I give it to them?’. How can I give them what they want, but make it so horrific and anxiety-inducing that by the time it happens, the audience isn’t so sure they wanted it?”

He added: “It’s like, ‘Oh, you wanted him to get his comeuppance…? Okay’. That feeling of complicity with the audience is always an interesting note to play inside of this sort of larger structure.

“You end up going, ’Oh God, I don’t know. Should he have had it better? Did he deserve it?’ Those kinds of questions are always exciting to pose to the audience.”

The season finale of Euphoria – widely believed to be the last ever episode of the show – will premiere on Monday 1 June on Sky and Now in the UK.

When a woman gives birth, the conversation around her care shifts almost immediately to the baby. How is the baby feeding? How is the baby sleeping? How much does the baby weigh?

These are important questions, but they often come at the expense of asking how the mother is doing.

One of the most persistent misconceptions I see is the idea that postpartum recovery is quick. There is almost an expectation that by six weeks, a woman should somehow transform overnight, as if turning from a pumpkin into a princess.

The reality is very different.

Recovery tends to follow a loose sequence, though every woman’s experience will differ depending on her birth, her baseline health and the support around her.

The earliest improvements are typically visible within the first two to six weeks. The uterus contracts back towards its pre-pregnancy size, initial soreness from perineal stitches/tearing or C-section scars begins to ease, and the heaviest postpartum bleeding gradually subsides.

What takes longer are the changes that run deeper.

Even after straightforward vaginal deliveries or elective C-sections, the pelvic floor undergoes significant strain with full recovery taking anywhere from several months to over a year. For many women it requires consistent physiotherapy rather than simply time.

Abdominal muscle separation, known as diastasis recti, affects the majority of women to some degree and frequently goes undiagnosed because it is not routinely screened at the six-week check.

Hormonal recalibration is perhaps the most underestimated of all, particularly for women who are breastfeeding, as oestrogen levels remain suppressed throughout, affecting everything from joint stability and bone density to mood, libido and vaginal comfort.

It is evident that six weeks marks only the very beginning of a long recovery. Medically speaking, it can take up to two years for a woman’s body, mind and hormones to fully recover after birth.

Genuine emotional and psychological equilibrium, the feeling of being settled in your body and your identity again, is often the very last thing to return, and for many women it arrives quietly and gradually somewhere in the second year, long after the world has stopped asking how you are.

The emotional landscape is equally complex. While early mood changes are common and do not always indicate postpartum depression, many everyday challenges go underreported.

Fatigue that becomes overwhelming, a sense of identity loss and a level of anxiety that can feel physical are all widely experienced and often undertreated.

Other countries have recognised the importance of structured postpartum care.

In the Netherlands, new mothers receive professional support with guidance on recovery, feeding and newborn care. In many parts of Asia, a dedicated period of rest and support is standard practice.

In comparison, the UK model of a single six-week check feels limited. Historically, it was introduced as a basic screening appointment, not a comprehensive recovery assessment, and it has not meaningfully evolved since.

Yet more support leads to better outcomes for mothers and babies.

In the absence of consistent support, more women are turning to tools that help them stay connected to their own recovery. I am proud to be a medical advisor to Carea, a women’s health app built to address this gap.

Until systems evolve to reflect the reality of postpartum recovery, women need better tools, clearer information and stronger support networks.

Recovery after birth is not a six-week process. It is a gradual, complex journey that deserves the same level of attention and care as pregnancy itself.

Dr Gergana Peeva is medical advisor at Carea, a pregnancy and postpartum wellbeing platform designed to support mums’ mental and physical health, and consultant obstetrician and clinical lead at Bliss Clinic.

Red pill. Blue pill. Black pill.

As a parent, it can be hard to figure out what kids are talking about at the best of times, without having to decode incel-oriented language. (Incels, or involuntary celibates, believe they’re unable to form sexual relationships with women due to a combination of their looks and societal structures.)

But unfortunately, such are the times we live in.

Speaking to Joeli Brearley and Elliott Rae on their To Be A Boy podcast this week, Meadhbh Park, the author of Blackpilled, suggested the black pill ideology is now “bigger than” the red pill ideology online.

“I think the red pill has lost a lot of its fire … The black pill has morphed into the mainstream,” she claimed.

But what does this actually mean? And why should parents be on top of these terms?

If you watched Adolescence back when it debuted on Netflix, you’ll already have some understanding of what red pill means.

Per UN Women, red pill ideology, or to “be red-pilled”, means to wake up to a reality that the world favours women over men. “In reference to the movie The Matrix, it suggests that people who disagree have taken the blue pill,” explained the site.

Red pill was associated with “an anti-feminist world view that women have too much power in society, that men need to reclaim their power back … and that it’s time that we revert back to rigid norms of the 1950s,” said Park on the podcast.

“And then the incels created a more nihilistic version of that saying: well women have too much power, society is going to the dogs, it’s not how it used to be, there’s too much modernity, too much tech, too much social media, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” she added.

And that is what the black pill ideology is all about. Brittanica notes it’s become an “extreme extension” of red pill philosophy.

“In a way, the red pill teaches men tips and tricks about how to scam the system … where you can trick a woman into bed, you can scam your way into making money, you can lie and cheat your way to the top and you can make it,” said Park.

“The black pill is basically the nihilistic version of: everything is wrong but, for some men, there’s nothing you can do. There are no tricks you can use, no tips or scams. If you’re too ugly (in their minds, that’s how they put it) for society, you’re never going to be able to make it as a man, or find a woman, or do anything of note. So, you have only limited options available to you.”

Educate Against Hate suggests those subscribing to the black pill may be more inclined to self-harm, whereas those subscribing to the red pill might take extreme action against others.

It’s worth noting that kids using these terms isn’t necessarily an indication that your child is engaged in incel subculture – that said, you shouldn’t brush it off if they do talk about it. Instead, explore where they’re heard these terms and what they know about them.

Park noted that “kids use it [black-pilled] all the time” in comments or conversation – and it has almost become like another way to say “hopeless” or “no hope for”.

That said, some kids will be engaging with or, at the very least, seeing black pill content if they spend more time online, Park suggested, so it’s important to keep an eye on their internet use and any behaviour changes.

She suggested when kids become quieter, more insular and spend large amounts of time, that can be a red flag.

Some children are more susceptible to online radicalisation if they have low self-esteem, lack belonging, or they’ve been bullied or discriminated against and it’s left them feeling isolated.

According to ACT (Action Counters Terrorism), some early signs of radicalisation to be mindful of include:

• They are becoming increasingly isolated,
• It feels like they’re talking from a script,
• They are unwilling to engage with you regarding their views,
• They are becoming intolerant of other people’s views,
• They are becoming increasingly angry about issues or events they feel are unfair or unjust
• They are being secretive about their online use and who they speak to.

If you’re concerned, you can call the ACT Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764, or speak to your child’s school who can make a referral to Prevent to get them support.

When I’m on the sixth kilometre of a long run, the last thing I want to do is smile.

But the author of Slow Jogging: Get Fit, Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun With Easy Running, Dr Hiroaki Tanaka, said that’s what I should aim for to achieve a healthier, happier run.

He recommended trying a “smiling” or “niko niko” pace for better blood pressure and increased fitness.

Science says runners can seriously benefit from the practice, which has helped to get me back into running after a long break.

It means a “smiling” pace (“niko” means smiling in Japanese).

In other words, it’s a slow, easy pace.

So much so, Dr Tanaka told the Sydney Morning Herald back in 2016, that you can “talk at ease, or if you are running alone, sing your favourite songs”; it can start as slow as three to five kilometres an hour, though everyone’s different.

More experienced runners might plod along at seven kilometres an hour.

In his research, Dr Tanaka found that the practice seemed to lower participants’ blood pressure (even those who began “niko niko” running at 75).

Science has since backed his approach.

Per Anglia Ruskin University, “slow running may in some ways be more beneficial than training at higher intensities”.

That’s partly because “zone 2 training,” which sees runners jog working out to about 60-70% of their max effort, has been linked to lower strain, stress, and risk of injury. Like niko niko training, zone 2 training puts runners at a “pace which raises your heart rate, but is still slow enough that you can hold a conversation.”

This can improve your base-level fitness. The slower pace gets your heart near or at its maximum oxygen output without stressing your other muscles as much (zone 2 training keeps your body below the lactate threshold, which is when your body starts producing lactic acid that makes your muscles ache).

That means you can keep your body, including your heart, working harder than usual for longer.

Running more slowly has been shown to improve the pace of already-fast runners, too.

Elite runners typically spend about 80% of their training time in zone 2.

I’ve been off the running path for almost a year, with some short-lived returns, thanks to an injury.

But running incredibly slowly on my return has been hugely beneficial (even if, to be honest, jogging at a slower pace than you know you can manage is agonising).

In general, it is good running advice to start the sport so slowly that you find your pace almost embarrassing. Injuries are the number one reason new runners quit, and are commonly caused by doing too much, too fast.

My most recent fastest pace is nigh on six minutes, which is far from my previous peak. Not only have I not had any injuries yet – touch wood – but I’ve also stopped obsessing over my time.

That means I enjoy the scenery and sounds of my local park a lot more. And it’s made my return to the hobby a lot more sustainable, too.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, I reccomend giving “niko niko” training a try, too: it might just make you smile.

To many, the news that Josh Widdicombe is set to take over as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing may have come as a bolt from the blue.

Later this year, the comedian will take over at the helm of Strictly alongside TV personality Emma Willis and professional dancer Johannes Radebe, marking the first time the series has been fronted by a team of three.

At this point, Josh has been a fixture on our screens for almost 15 years – known for his work on comedy panel shows, presenting podcasts and as one of the resident hosts of The Last Leg.

But if you’re not as familiar with Strictly’s new addition’s career as you’d like to be, allow us to bring you up to speed….

After graduating from uni with a degree in linguistics and sociology, Josh got himself a job in the book shop Waterstones’ children’s department, before pursuing a master’s degree in magazine journalism.

“I then moved to London and got a job writing for the children’s magazines Dora the Explorer, Angelina Ballerina and Mr Bean for John Brown Media,” he recalled to The Telegraph in 2021.

Josh claimed he “got the job because, having worked in the children’s department at Waterstones, I knew an unhealthy amount about kids’ publishing for a 21-year-old”.

From there, he briefly worked for The Guardian’s website, and worked as a sub-editor for a sports outlet, but it’s fair to say his heart wasn’t in it.

“[I] had no eye for detail,” he admitted. “Chelsea and Liverpool were both knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition, a huge deal, and I got both scorelines the wrong way round on a double page.”

In fact, Josh only got into performing stand-up as a means to pursue his true passion of being a comedy writer.

He told The Telegraph: “I had no desire to perform but I enrolled on a comedy course, which gave me the confidence to book my first gig.”

Josh eventually made it to the final of So You Think You’re Funny? in 2008, before landing his own headlining show in 2011.

The show, titled If This Show Saves One Life…, earned four stars in Chortle, who predicted his brand of “safe” but “well-crafted” observational humour could make him the next Michael McIntyre.

It also earned him nominations at the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards and Malcolm Hardee’s “most likely to make a million quid” title.

A year after his headlining show at Edinburgh, Josh became regular on Channel 4’s now-defunct comedy series Stand Up For The Week, as well as debuting on the panel show Mock The Week.

Over the years, he’s since popped up in all the usual places, including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, QI and Have I Got News For You.

During Channel 4’s coverage of the London Paralympics in 2012, the nightly series The Last Leg aired, featuring Josh alongside Adam Hills and Alex Brooker.

Initially a look back over the day’s events at the Paralympics, it proved so popular that when the tournament was over, The Last Leg remained on the air, instead becoming a weekly series reflecting on current affairs, politics and world news.

Earlier this year, it wrapped up its 34th series, with Channel 4 having already confirmed that Josh will remain with the show for its 35th later in 2026, as it will not clash with his hosting duties on Strictly.

Besides The Last Leg, he’s been a permanent part of panel shows like Dave’s Hypothetical and BBC Two’s Insert Name Here.

In fact, Josh appeared on the very first season of Taskmaster in 2015, where his competitors included comedians Romesh Ranganathan, Frank Skinner, Roisin Conaty and Tim Key.

Josh went on to win the series – with his stand-out moment undoubtedly coming when he left host Greg Davies stunned by having the comic’s name tattooed on his foot.

Two years later, he joined Bob Mortimer, Noel Fielding, Katherine Ryan and Rob Beckett on Taskmaster’s first ever ‘champion of champions’ series – which he also won.

He’s also a Mastermind champion, winning a celebrity special of the popular quiz show thanks to his knowledge of his specialist subject, Blur.

A football devotee (despite his past foray into sports journalism not exactly going swimmingly), he previously hosted the Radio 5 Live series Fighting Talk with sports presenter Georgie Thompson, before launching his own nostalgic podcast about the game called Quickly Kevin, Will He Score?.

The show ran for seven years, before coming to an end in 2024 with a live show at London’s Palladium theatre.

He now co-hosts the podcast Parenting Hell with fellow comic, and dad, Rob Beckett.

They initially launched the series as Lockdown Parenting Hell during the pandemic, and kept it going after it proved to be a hit with listeners.

Josh – which he created and co-wrote – ran for three seasons, featuring the comedian as a fictionalised version of himself, living in a flatshare with characters played by Elis James and Beattie Edmondson.

Jack Dee played the trio’s landlord, with Beattie’s mum Jennifer Saunders also putting in regular appearances.

Josh is married to TV producer Rose Hanson, whose credits include numerous comedy shows including Alan Carr’s Chatty Man, Would I Lie To You?, Live At The Apollo and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

The couple married in 2019 and share two children, eight-year-old Pearl and five-year-old Cassius.

Well, another of Josh’s most memorable TV appearance was in 2021, when he took part in the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?.

Through his time on the show, Josh learned that he is descended from Tudor nobility, and is even a distant relative of Queen Elizabeth I through her aunt, Mary Boleyn.

He also has a book, Watching Neighbours Twice A Day, which tells his life story through the lens of the 90s TV he enjoyed in his youth.

In addition to his on-screen work, Josh has previously lent his voice to the hit animated shows Big Lizard and Bluey.

No, in 2024, he competed in Strictly’s annual Christmas special, performing with Karen Hauer, who left the show in the lead-up to the announcement that Josh would become its new host.

Josh and Karen scored 36 out of 40 points for their Charleston to Let It Snow – for which they, naturally, were dressed up as penguins – with Drag Race UK finalist Tayce lifting the Silver Star trophy that year.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to our screens later this year.