Over the last few seasons, Netflix has become infamous for trying Bridgerton fans’ patience when it comes to its release schedule.

Since its second outing, each season of Bridgerton has premiered after an agonising two-year wait, leaving devotees champing at the bit by the time new episodes actually arrive on the streaming service.

Well, it seems our patience is finally being rewarded.

On Thursday morning, Netflix’s chief content officer announced that Bridgerton’s long-awaited fifth season is set to debut “next year”, meaning there’ll only be a year between seasons this time around.

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Now all we need is for them to drop the whole thing at once, rather than leaving us on a month-long cliffhanger between episodes, and we’ll be really over the moon.

It was previously confirmed that Hannah Dodd’s Francesca Bridgerton will be taking the lead in the hit period drama’s fifth iteration, which will mark the first time a same-sex relationship has taken centre stage in the show.

Viewers will follow Francesca as she falls in love with Michaela Stirling (played by Masali Baduza), her late husband’s cousin, in a switch from the original Bridgerton novel, in which the character’s love interest is a similarly-named man called Michael.

Showrunner Jess Brownell teased earlier this year: “What is most exciting about season five is that it is going to be a season about queer joy. It is not going to be a season about queer trauma.

“There are going to be difficulties for the characters and conflict in the same way there is for every Bridgerton character. But we are still always grounding our love stories in the fact that this series is about joy. It’s about humour.”

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Brownell also revealed: “If there’s anything really specific about this season, it is the yearning. It’s big-time yearning.

“Those of us who know what it’s like to be in a sapphic relationship or have a sapphic crush understand that’s so baked into the experience.”

Bridgerton’s first four seasons – as well as the spin-off prequel series Queen Charlotte – are now streaming on Netflix.

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Whether we admit it or not, we’ve all had ups and downs with our mental health. It’s completely normal: we live in a stressful world (we lived through a pandemic for crying out loud!).

Thankfully, we have made huge strides towards normalising conversations about our mental wellbeing over the last decade.

And while there’s no shortage of advice about how to manage stress (ever heard of meditation and exercising regularly, honey?) there is one habit we’re yet to openly admit to turning to for some relief.

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If you haven’t guessed it already, I’m talking about masturbating. That’s right – flicking the bean, rubbing one out, jerking off. Whatever you want to call it.

Although most of us (85% to be precise) masturbate at least weekly, a survey by sex toy company So Divine and erotic platform Ersties finds, less than half (42.5%) of us talks about it. What’s more, 28% of people feel that masturbation is openly discussed.

Look, I know what you’re thinking: that’s private! Why would I talk about it? Well, because it has huge benefits for our mental and physical health.

As well as a smorgasbord of research proving that having an orgasm can boost our mental and physical wellbeing, lots of us are masturbating precisely for that reason!

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Six in 10 (60%) people say masturbation was important to their overall mental and physical wellbeing, So Divine’s research shows. Meanwhile, 38% says masturbating helps them with stress relief, and a further 32% say it helps. them sleep.

So to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, I asked the experts just why masturbation is so important for our mental wellbeing, and found 15 of the best sex toys for masturbation.

What are the mental health benefits of masturbating?

Not to state the obvious here, but we all know masturbating feels pretty darn good. But it’s not just about that.

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“Masturbation can have a range of mental health benefits because it creates an opportunity for emotional regulation and body connection,” explains Cat, head of creative, community, and education at porn platform Ersties.

“It may help people sleep better, improve relaxation, reduce stress and can even be used as a form of meditation when approached mindfully.”

Research shows that having more orgasms is linked to higher self-esteem, lower stress, and more effective life coping skills.

But mindful masturbation, or shifting the ‘goal’ away from having an orgasm to touching yourself without pressure, can also be particularly beneficial for mental health, Cat highlights.

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“By paying closer attention to how the body and mind respond during masturbation, people may uncover unmet needs, tension, emotional triggers or areas where they want to grow in confidence and communication,” she says.

Best sex toys for masturbating

Whether you’re a regular wanker (in the best way), or we’ve convinced you of its many perks, I’ve found 15 sex toys to help you on your solo play voyage.

While most of the toys on this list are for people with vulvas (the orgasm gap still exists, after all), I’ve included a couple for penises, too.

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I’ve also included options suitable for beginners, to more experienced players.

How I tested the best sex toys for masturbating

Having written about sex for the last six years, I’ve tested many a pleasure product in my time.

To find the best ones for using solo, I, well, used them solo – all in the name of work, you understand. For each toy, I considered whether it was best used with a partner or by myself, as well as how easy it would be to test out different kinds of stimulation.

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As always, I also took into account their material, power, waterproof rating, sound levels, and ergonomics.

My first vibrator was a fuck off huge rabbit from Lovehoney. Admittedly, it was a little intimidating. If you’re after something that won’t get in the way quite so much, this teeny teal option sits atop your fingers, so you can figure out how to get yourself off without having to wield a giant wand. It’s also pretty quiet, so you can switch off the part of your brain wondering if your neighbours can hear.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Not sure how you’ll feel about vibrations? For a delicate landing on your clitoris, this lipstick-shaped vibrator has a super squishy tip. It’s powered by a humble five vibration settings, which range from a gentle tickle to a definite buzz – ideal if you’re just starting on your self love journey.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Ann Summers is its name, and dual stimulation is its game. Seriously – the brand is the reason we have the rampant rabbit in the UK. This one looks slightly different to other models on the market thanks to being curved, which means the shaft is much bendier, and can reach those internal hot spots, while the ‘bunny’ ears tuck neatly against your C-spot. Sweet.

Level: intermediate.

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If the word ‘chic’ was a vibrator, this would be it. This stone-seeming object is in fact a pleasure device, but you wouldn’t assume so if you saw it left out on a dressing table. Switch it on using the simple one-button control to power up through five vibration speeds, and experiment with the sensations emitted through the rounded tip or the long sides. Do yourself a favour: while you’re there, bag yourself some of its amber and tonka bean scented-body wash, it’s pH friendly and, just trust me, you’ll love it.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Although we all have a ways to go to feel more normal talking about masturbation, there’s another (surprising) barrier to overcome: men not talking about sex toys. While sex toys have been framed as a means of empowerment for women, men are criminally quiet about their love of wanking widgets. But (ahem) we know you’re buying them. This one from Bellesa is a fan favourite because it mimics a real life blowjob by blending vibration and suction stimulation all inside a snug silicone sleeve.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Suction vibrators are the new (or newer, at least) vibe on the block, beloved because they stimulate the sensation of oral sex. Honestly, I was sceptical at first, but you have to try it to believe it. If this is your very first stopover in suction town, going for a cheaper, battery-powered option like this one from ROMP could be a good start. It uses the same technology as more advanced suction models, but with just six modes to choose from. It’s also reasonably priced, as sex toys go, so you can test the waters before you commit to something more spenny.

Level: begginer to intermediate.

If you’re in a position to splash out over £100 on a pleasure product, good for you (cries in journalist). Should you be so fortunate, LELO is simply the best of the best. This SILA vibe might look like a fancy version of any old suction vibrator, but it in fact sends sonic waves to your C-spot via that wide mouth. Look, it’s rated 4.6 stars for a reason.

Level: intermediate to advanced.

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All of Smile Makers Collection‘s toys are beginner-friendly. But this flame-shaped one is designed specifically to engulf the entire perimeter of your labia. The bulbous center rests on the external portion of your clitoris (the protruding nub around an inch above your vagina, FYI) while the sides cover your labia, to send its six vibration modes across your entire genitals. You decide whether you want to leave it there for hands-free fun, or experiment with moving it around. Either way, things are about to get hot!

Level: beginner-friendly.

If you’re more confident in the kind of stimulation you like (namely: dual clitoral and penetrative) you might want to consider levelling up to a more advanced toy. This one from Biird is still pretty beginner-friendly because it’s completely hands-free, but it has the choice to blend your choice of seven suction settings and six vibration modes. And when you have a blended orgasm, you’ll never go back…

Level: intermediate to advanced.

Rabbits have double (or sometimes triple) motors, which, unfortunately for your peace of mind, means they’re noisier than most. Good news: this one from Bellesa is not only almost completely silent (seriously, I turned it on next to my partner and they didn’t notice) but has a thick C-spot stimulator to cover more surface area.

Level: beginner to intermediate.

It’s not just outer beauty that counts, but did you know that masturbating can help boost blood flow to your face and improve your skin? Not to mention the numerous physical benefits… This unassuming beauty blender shape isn’t made of foam, but instead by squishy silicone that buzzes to the tune of three speeds and six patterns.

Level: beginner-friendly.

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Everyone and their mum has heard of Fleshlights, and that’s on them being the pioneers of this kind of penis toy. If vibrations aren’t your thing, this masturbator is lined with the brand’s signature Superskin, which is covered in bumps and nubs to give the sensation of real penetration.

If 2020 was defined by the Rose suction toy, then 2026 is about to be the year of the Lem. As well as being discreet enough to not have to stuff beneath layers of socks and underwear in your room, this toy has 12 suction intensities and patterns, which is perfect for figuring out just how much pressure you like without compromise.

Level: beginner to intermediate.

Not convinced by toys with a fancy shape? This pebble-shaped toy is as simple as you can get. It’s still as discreet as, say, a lemon, but doesn’t skimp on power. Loading with three vibration speeds and seven patterns, it has plenty of potential for playing. Add to that the fact that you can use the sides, flat side, or round tip to rub whatever areas you please, and you have yourself a perfect toy for beginners.

Level: beginner-friendly.

As the OG sex toy (throwback to the Hitachi ‘massager’) magic wands are really the bread and butter of the industry. But the full-sized options are, admittedly, a little intimidating, which is why we’re fans of this much more accessible silicone-coated option from So Divine. Use it to warm yourself up by dragging it over your nipples, between your thighs, and over your shoulders before heading south.

Level: beginner-friendly.

How to integrate masturbation into your wellness regime

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We might do a face mask, yoga, or meditate to unwind. But if you’re curious about integrating masturbation into your wellness routine, Cat has offered her top tips.

No goal

“For people wanting to integrate it into a wellness routine, the biggest advice is to remove the goal oriented mindset,” she says.

“Don’t focus on whether you orgasm or whether you’re doing it ‘right’.”

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Get curious

“Focus instead on curiosity, touch and noticing how your body feels,” Cat adds. “Some people find it helpful to create a calming environment with music, low lighting or by putting their phone away to reduce distractions.”

Reflect

“It can also help to reflect afterwards,” Cat explains. “Mindful masturbation is ultimately about learning what your body likes, dislikes and needs without shame.

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“Treat it as an act of self-awareness and self-kindness rather than performance. This can help people build a healthier and more accepting relationship with both their body and their sexuality.”

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DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 44

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has made questioning the state’s commitment to green energy a key plank of his gubernatorial platform.

Not so long ago, he had an entirely different focus. Back in 2017, the Republican served as a green energy company executive who was seeking a multibillion dollar federal contract to build a border wall comprised of solar panels.

“The best thing about it is we could sell the energy to Mexico,” Blakeman said at the time during an appearance on Fox News. “So in fact, they would be paying for the wall. It’s a win, win, win.”

Blakeman created Sustainable Technology LLC soon after President Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and quickly began promoting the idea of having the government pay a private company to build the promised wall along the Mexican border.

His pitch? The months-old company would be the perfect vehicle to manage the massive construction project thanks to its unique steel mesh design: “You can see through it,” Blakeman said of his 30-foot tall wall. “There’s no graffiti that can be put on it.”

The plan also involved the feds guaranteeing the bonds needed to fund Blakeman’s barrier building. The company, his thinking went, would then sell around $120 million of energy annually and that would cover “between a third and a half of the price.”

Trump wound up briefly flirting with the idea of a solar wall. “The rumor is, he saw us on [Fox News] and he saw our design and he started talking about it as a viable idea. I don’t know that to be a fact, but that is the rumor,” Blakeman said on Fox Business.

“Solar wall, panels, beautiful,” Trump said at a rally 10 days later. “Pretty good imagination, right? My idea,” he said while pointing to himself.

These days, Blakeman is a much less aggressive proponent of solar power — at least in the state he’s hoping to govern.

“Our carbon footprint is miniscule compared to the rest of the world, here in New York state,” he said in Albany last week. “When you look at the cost-benefit analysis, you don’t get the return from green energy.”

Long Island environmentalists say it’s “bizarre” to hear Blakeman’s attacks on solar power after a tenure in town and county government when he was largely silent on the issue.

“There are solar panels all across the county he serves,” Citizens Campaign for the Environment’s Adrienne Esposito said. “Thirty years ago, we were working with groups across Long Island to get 1,000 homes to have solar roofs. Today, it’s like one out of every 10 homes has solar panels. So its success is growing and it’s been widely embraced by members of the public and businesses.”

In a visit to Schoharie County last month, Blakeman criticized state efforts to install solar panels in rural neighborhoods.

“Here in New York, it doesn’t make any sense,” he said, pointing to the fact that the panels are occasionally covered in snow. “This is a scam.”

Still, he doesn’t oppose it everywhere — and specifically pointed to a “beautiful state” on the border.

“I’m a big proponent of solar energy. I think it’s great in Arizona,” Blakeman said in Schoharie. “When you have 350 days a year of sunshine and the mean average temperature’s about 80 degrees all year long, yeah, it makes sense there.” — Bill Mahoney

From the Capitol

TAXING TIMES: New York lawmakers are weighing a statewide tax on cash real estate purchases, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s office confirmed.

It’s not clear how the tax would be structured or what dollar amount would trigger it. The discussion is being held as state officials are poised to grant a similar tax for New York City.

The proposal was panned by the Real Estate Board of New York.

“New Yorkers are already the most heavily taxed residents in the country, and the City’s budget issues will not be solved by more taxes,” said the group’s president, James Whelan. “On the back of $500 million in a new second-home tax, putting even more costs on home buyers and sellers will further discourage transactions and threaten existing revenue collected by the State, City, and MTA.”

Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman

STICKER SHOCK: Democratic socialist congressional candidate Chuck Park seems to be a fan of the work of someone else running for Congress: upstate GOP contender Anthony Constantino.

Park, the lefty challenger for Rep. Grace Meng’s Queens seat, has spent $3,180 — across 15 disbursements — on campaign materials from Sticker Mule, the sprawling sticker and printing business owned by Constantino. The irreverent Republican is locked in his own primary battle with Assemblymember Robert Smullen for Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat.

Constantino is a rapper, former boxer and massive pro-Trump sign owner who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

When Playbook asked Park if he had a comment on his campaign’s Sticker Mule spending habits, he attacked his opponent and the support she receives from a pro-Israel PAC.

“My opponent is taking hundreds of thousands in donations from AIPAC and weapons makers, but we can talk about where I buy stickers for volunteers,” Park said. “I’d be happy to compare my campaign’s finances with Rep. Meng’s at a debate.”

Meng’s campaign declined to respond to Park’s attack.

Financial records related to Park’s run for Congress — or lack thereof — also made headlines today for a different reason. City & State reported this morning that Park is four months late on filing his personal financial disclosure form. — Jason Beeferman

PIED-A-RETURN: Democratic state lawmakers aren’t finished discussing an annual surcharge on luxury second homes outside of New York City.

The statewide proposal, initially championed by Albany state Sen. Pat Fahy, was excised from state budget talks, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters this week.

But Assembly Democrats were told recently in a closed-door meeting that the matter may resurface next year after it’s reviewed by state tax officials, according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversation.

Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman

FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

SLEEPY SCHLOSSBERG: Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg spent the day defending himself after The New York Times published a deep dive into his campaign’s internal operations.

The paper reported that Schlossberg’s campaign has experienced extremely high turnover — something we’ve covered at length in this newsletter — and that Schlossberg opted to take a nap or not show up during key campaign calls, the Times reported.

Schlossberg also pulled out of a Working Families Party candidate interview in January and at least one candidate debate.

In response to the piece, Schlossberg fired off posts on X in an apparent attempt to defend himself. In one, he posted a photo of himself where he appears to be sleeping. “Needed a quick nap !!” he said.

Schlossberg went on CNN today too, telling the network’s host Dana Bash: “Once you’re declared the frontrunner, and early voting starts in less than a month, everyone’s got something to say,” he said. “People are trying to figure out how our campaign has been so successful. — Jason Beeferman

IN OTHER NEWS

— ‘BETTER WHEN DEAD’: Congressional candidate Alex Bores’ father wished death on Zionists and justified the bombing of a child in a screed of online posts. (Jewish Insider)

— GUESSING GAME: Inconsistent market valuations for luxury New York City homes are muddying efforts to determine which properties will be targeted under Hochul’s proposed second-homes tax. (The New York Times)

— BIG PRICETAG: Erie County is directing most of its $29 million surplus to a $21 million civil rights settlement, and the county attorney is waving off questions from lawmakers. (Buffalo News)

Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.

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Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry wants to be a kingmaker. But his efforts to elevate Rep. Julia Letlow’s Senate campaign is irritating other Republicans in the state.

The first-term GOP governor has become a central figure in President Donald Trump’s revenge tour, working to boost Letlow to take down Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is viewed by MAGA supporters as insufficiently loyal to the president. Landry has publicly endorsed her and dispatched his chief of staff to advise her campaign. Behind the scenes, he’s been urging major donors to financially support Letlow, according to six people familiar with his pressure campaign.

But his aggressive efforts are annoying Louisiana Republicans, who see him as overstepping to prop up a candidate who is struggling to dominate as the front-runner, given her relatively low name ID and the rise of another MAGA candidate: State Treasurer John Fleming.

Nearly a dozen GOP lawmakers, strategists and party leaders said in interviews that they’ve long been frustrated by his efforts to strong-arm the party over his legislative priorities and see the Senate race as the latest salvo.

“We’re in some crazy territory where there are yes men all around the governor, and they don’t do anything he doesn’t want them to do, and they do everything he wants them to do,” said Kelby Daigle, St. Martin GOP parish chair, who supports Cassidy.

One prominent Louisiana businessperson, granted anonymity to speak freely, said Landry had asked dozens of executives on a conference call earlier this year to donate to Letlow. The person, a Cassidy supporter, promptly hung up.

“Governor Landry has gone all-in on Letlow and is pot committed at this point,” said a Louisiana Republican strategist, granted anonymity to speak freely. “It’s a gamble that could pay off big or drain his political capital.”

The May 16 primary is likely headed to a run-off, and any combination of candidates may qualify. Polling shows Letlow with a slight lead over Fleming, with Cassidy in third.

Getting Letlow to the finish line would be a huge boost for Landry in the eyes of the White House, which has set its sights on ousting Cassidy, who angered the MAGA base with his 2021 impeachment vote against the president. Still, the governor may not be the most compelling messenger himself: He’s facing sinking approval ratings in Louisiana, dropping to 43 percent in March, down from 58 percent the prior year. And his reputation as a highly transactional governor is exhausting other Republican leaders.

“All this is him thinking that he can rig certain outcomes as a toady for the President,” said another GOP operative, who is unaffiliated with any of the Senate campaigns. The problem for Landry, the Republican said, is “people in Louisiana are fiercely independent. They don’t want to be told what to do.”

Landry and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

“This narrative is absurd,” said Katherine Thordahl, Letlow campaign spokesperson. “Governor Landry is a friend and an ally, but he does not run Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s campaign. This is yet another desperate attempt by Rep. Letlow’s opponents to muddy the waters because they are losing this race.”

Letlow was first elected to the House to fill the seat of her former husband, who died from Covid in 2020, days before being sworn in. She’s the first woman to serve in Congress in Louisiana. And she has earned the backing of both Trump and the Make America Healthy Again movement, whose PAC has pledged $1 million in support, despite Cassidy’s attempts to paint her as inadequately conservative for previously supporting diversity initiatives in higher education.

Her strongest supporter is Landry, a close ally of the White House who has moved further onto the national stage since becoming governor in 2024. Trump named him special envoy to Greenland last year, and he was one of the first Republican governors to welcome federal agents into their states when the U.S. Border Patrol was dispatched to New Orleans.

But in Louisiana, Republicans say Landry has created a culture of fear, with frequent comparisons to Huey Long, the former governor and populist political boss. Few are willing to speak out against him. “Often people in his own party get punished more than the Democrats,” said state Rep. Aimee Freeman, a Democrat.

Landry is known to bulldoze Republicans in the state legislature to get his priorities through — and readily punish detractors by wielding his line-item veto. Last year, he killed 16 spending projects in districts held by GOP lawmakers who voted against his top legislative priority.

In another display of power, he chose to delay the state’s House races from May 16 to mid-July following the Supreme Court’s rejection of Louisiana’s congressional map, sending the election system into chaos.

“This is unchecked power,” said Daigle, the GOP parish chair, of Landry’s decision to suspend House elections, which occurred after more than 42,000 ballots were cast. “We are in what I would say is some dangerous territory here, constitutionally speaking.”

Landry’s GOP detractors in the state say the Senate race is just another example of Landry sharply wielding his bully pulpit, from his push to get big donors to back Letlow to blasting Cassidy at any opportunity. 

Landry was behind the decision in 2024 to change the state’s electoral system, which used to combine all candidates into a single primary that any voter could participate in. The state now uses closed partisan primaries, which was seen as laying the groundwork for defeating Cassidy, given his unpopularity with the base. Cassidy must now win over those voters, who turn out in droves in primaries, without being able to rely on votes from Democrats and others who have padded his numbers in the past.

Cassidy’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Letlow could use the boost: Her war chest amounts to less than a quarter of Cassidy’s cash on hand. But her opponents have seized on Landry’s involvement. Cassidy filed an FEC complaint accusing Landry’s top political fundraiser of campaign finance violations while approaching donors on behalf of Letlow. And Fleming has accused Landry of being behind millions in negative advertisements going after his record on immigration and opposition to carbon sequestration, an issue that he has campaigned heavily on. Landry and Courtney Guastella, his top fundraiser, have not addressed the allegations publicly and didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Fleming, in an interview, said that voters “are just not buying” the attacks against him, citing his standing in the race. He and Landry have clashed over his Senate run, and Fleming has accused the governor of blocking his attempts to reach out to the White House to speak with Trump about his campaign.

Fleming has also accused the Letlow campaign of dangling a job with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get him out of the race. The Letlow campaign has denied that allegation.

“So it just goes to show you really how desperate they are to try to get her elected,” he said.

And Landry maintains some defenders in the Louisiana GOP. State Sen. Alan Seabaugh said he doesn’t begrudge Landry for wielding his influence over the party to affect the outcome of the Senate race — or to veto bills as he pleases.

“He’s the governor. That is his authority,” he said. “Why Letlow? He desperately doesn’t want Bill Cassidy to get reelected.”

Kelsey Brugger contributed reporting.

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The President of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, made new statements regarding the Iranian national team’s visa crisis 28 days before the start of the 2026 World Cup. He confirmed that the matter has not been resolved yet, and his country is awaiting official guarantees from FIFA.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Taj as saying that the Iranian Federation will hold a decisive meeting with the International Football Federation (FIFA) in the coming days, in an attempt to end the visa crisis related to the delegation’s entry into the United States.

Taj stated that “no visas have been issued yet,” adding that the Iranian Federation has not received any official clarifications regarding the names of the individuals approved for visas, which increases the state of ambiguity before the World Cup.

He explained that the national team players may be forced to travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for visa fingerprinting procedures, noting that there are efforts underway to move these procedures to Antalya to alleviate logistical pressure and avoid traveling to Ankara.

World Cup supposed to be free from political contempt

The President of the Iranian Federation stressed that FIFA is the party responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the participation procedures, stating that FIFA is required to provide clear guarantees that allow the Iranian national team to travel to the United States, play its matches, and return without obstacles.

Canadian authorities had refused to grant Mehdi Taj an entry visa due to the sanctions imposed on him, adding a new dimension to the challenges facing the Iranian delegation before the tournament, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to Reuters news agency.

The Iranian national team is scheduled to be in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup finals, where they will begin their campaign against the New Zealand national team in Los Angeles on June 15, as part of Group Seven competitions.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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New revelations seem to show Israeli participation in increasing US efforts to crush Latin America’s left and consolidate far-right power in the region.

News outlet Canal Red and Honduran journalists have given the public access at Hondurasgate to audio files and documents that reveal shady dealings by an elite network looking to ensure US dominance in Latin America.

At the centre of the story are the war-criminal US regime of Donald Trump, convicted drug trafficker and far-right ex-president of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández, Argentina’s far-right president Javier Milei, and the genocidal government of Israel.

The new US war on Latin America, with help from Israel and the local far right

Key facts include that:

• Ahead of the 2025 election in Honduras, in which the US regime was clearly meddling, Trump pardoned Hernández (the “kingpin” who was in a US jail serving a 45-year sentence). Israel had paid for his release, and Trump apparently wanted him to regain power in Honduras. Hernández ally Nasry Asfura — the “façade” — won the election.
• Hernández sought to use public money to spread propaganda (in collaboration with the Trump regime) and destabilise left-wing governments across Latin America. In one audio, he advocated the use of violence, saying “if you want to keep people controlled, you need to oppress them“.
• The target would be “the cancer of the left” in Honduras and throughout Latin America. Mexico and Colombia, currently under left-leaning governments, would be key targets.
• The money for destabilisation efforts would come from Honduran public coffers, from Javier Milei’s network, and from Israel. Reactionary International describes the strategy as “the systematic conversion of Latin American states into dependencies of a US-Israeli axis, using money, media, military infrastructure, religion, and organised crime”.
• The reaction to the leaks was tens of thousands of cyberattack attempts in just one day, mainly seeming to originate from the US and Israel.

US imperialism changed strategies, but never went away

The US spent decades during the Cold War fuelling death and destruction in Latin America to get its way. And the elitist far-right alliance behind Donald Trump is seeking to resuscitate that full-on campaign of terror.

There have long been numerous players in US efforts in Latin America, including:

• Honduras, which was a key military hub for US destabilisation. Brutal pro-US regimes led Honduras to have one of the world’s highest murder rates. The US backed a coup there in 2009 when things started to slip away from its control. And the efforts to stop the left in 2025 seemed to follow this pattern too.
• Israel, which has a long record of supporting the far right in Latin America, which has returned the favour. This dynamic stems from the left’s historic support for Palestinian rights and anti-colonial causes more broadly. In particular, Israel has been the most consistent supporter of the US embargo on Cuba.
• Argentina, whose far-right dictatorship in the 1980s secretly got arms from Israel. Now under the self-proclaimed “most Zionist president in the world” Javier Milei, Argentina is the Latin American country with most dual nationals participating in Israel’s genocide.
• The billionaire class, which uses forces like the Atlas Network to push its class war against ordinary people forwards. Far-right figures like Milei and Hernández are very much on board with the mission.

More recently, the Trump regime has been enlisting as many pliant far-right leaders to its cause as possible. And while Iran’s resistance to US-Israeli aggression has diverted Trump’s attention slightly, his war-hungry team are still fully intent on stamping US authority on Latin America.

Resistance in knowledge and action

Trump started 2026 off by following through on regime-change threats against Venezuela. Then he intensified the US stranglehold on Cuba. And amid the Hondurasgate revelations, he has reminded Latin America what he wants:

Imperialism aside, the Trump administration considers Venezuelans who come here to be illegals but a Venezuelans in Venezuela to be Americans.

Got it. https://t.co/8ppaf6FF66

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 13, 2026

Colombia has national elections at the end of May. And Colombian president Gustavo Petro has been openly questioning how right-wing forces may be interfering, especially as the election software from Honduras’s elections comes from the same people handling Colombia’s vote count.

But Trump’s overt and covert attempts to increase US dominance in Latin America are absolutely meeting resistance. And it’s not just from journalists revealing dodgy backroom dealings. It’s also from the ground strategies of the organised left.

CNN, for example, now admits that Cuba has responded to increasing US hostility with:

one of the fastest solar revolutions on the planet

Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, meanwhile, has reacted to Hondurasgate by insisting:

As long as we stay close to the People, [the forces trying to destabilise the left] won’t do anything to us…

The billionaire class in charge of the US empire may have drug traffickers and genocidal war criminals on its side. But its victory isn’t inevitable, as long as ordinary people are fully aware of this campaign and willing to take action to oppose it.

By Ed Sykes

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This article contains major spoilers for the most recent instalment of The Boys.

With fans still reeling from the shock death of a lead character in the penultimate episode of the The Boys (season 5), creator Eric Kripke has opened up about what went into the decision.

Now, before we go any further, we are about to say the name of the character who died. So, make sure you’ve watched the episode before you go on reading any further, OK?

So, as you hopefully know by now, episode seven of The Boys’ final season saw Tomer Capone’s Frenchie sacrificing himself in order to save Kimiko Miyashiro.

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During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Eric Kripke said it was always the plan to “kill off one of The Boys” as the show reached its climax.

“You can’t have a shot at victory unless it costs your heroes something that’s really hard,” he insisted.

“I always think The Lord Of The Rings was so good at that, and Game of Thrones was so good at that. For narrative momentum, your heroes have to pay a steep price – because that’s how it works in the real world.”

Once he and the team came to this conclusion, they began “going through each character and deciding what was going to be the most heart wrenching”.

“I think we knew early on it was going to be Frenchie,” he said, pointing out that “in so many ways, Frenchie and Kimiko are the heart of the show”.

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He continued: “Despite what killers they are, they’re both so emotionally sweet. We knew this would have real maximum destruction, and I think it had to happen.

“They would not have a chance of winning if Frenchie doesn’t sacrifice himself.”

Meanwhile, in a recent interview with the LA Times, Tomer admitted he’s not been able to bring himself to watch Frenchie’s death yet.

“It’s the longest character I ever had in my career, and I can’t. Something tells me not yet,” he shared.

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Tomer continued: “I wasn’t surprised when I heard from Eric that Frenchie was continuing on to the big field [in the sky].”

He added: “I had this feeling. I didn’t want to say it out loud. It’s like, at this point, the fifth season, we all felt it. We knew where it was going.”

Following Wednesday’s instalment, there’s now less than a week to go until The Boys comes to an end for good.

While spin-off series Gen V has also been cancelled, its creators previously insisted that its central players would appear in “other VCU projects on the horizon”.

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Trade union leaders, representatives and activists from across the UK are calling on the Labour government to reject the proposed Rosebank oil field, warning it would undermine climate commitments, fail workers in the long term, and risk contributing to human rights abuses abroad.

Major unions and more than 1,900 additional trade unionists published the open letter on 14 May 2026. This follows a year of union climate action which the TUC backed after COP30.

The unions supporting the letter include:

• UNISON.
• NEU (National Education Union).
• PCS (Public and Commercial Services Union).
• CWU (Communication Workers Union).
• UCU (University and College Union).
• Equity.
• FBU (Fire Brigades Union).
• BFAWU (Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union).
• IWGB (Independent Workers Union of Great Britain).
• UVW (United Voices of the World).

The unions represent firefighters, ambulance staff, network management in gas sector, teachers, nurses, cleaners, civil servants and more. They stress that Rosebank is a ‘climate-wrecking project’ set to produce CO2 equivalent to 70 percent of UK annual emissions. This makes it incompatible with the UK’s obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement.

The signatories also argue that approving Rosebank will stall the UK’s energy transition and leave Scotland’s oil and gas workers at risk.

Jobs in the industry have more than halved over the past decade. To date, Rosebank’s rig was built in Dubai, then retrofitted in Norway – something which unions have called a betrayal.

The trade unionists behind the letter stress that the UK must focus on the long-term wellbeing of workers. It needs to invest in the clean energy industries of the future, creating secure, long-term jobs to support workers to transition.

Rosebank – huge risk, negligible benefit

Rosebank has faced increasingly intense political and public opposition in recent years, given the field will do nothing to provide energy security or lower bills in the UK at a time when the nation gears up for yet another conflict-driven price shock.

Despite repeated claims since Trump and Netanyahu’s war on Iran began, new oil and gas fields like Rosebank will not reduce the UK’s reliance on gas imports. In fact, even if Rosebank gets the green light, it will only reduce our national dependency by 1%.

The field’s reserves are mainly oil for export, set to sell on the international market. They will not power British cars or industry, with the profits benefiting Shell and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund while the UK taxpayer effectively covers most of the development costs thanks to huge tax breaks.

The project could also send over £200m towards Delek Group – an Israeli fuel conglomerate that the UN flagged for human rights violations in Palestine. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign has warned the UK government that it risks breaching its own obligations under international laws on these grounds, should it allow Rosebank to go ahead.

With a government decision due over the next couple of months, trade unionists are urging more members and organisations to sign on. You can read the letter in full here.

Andrea Egan, general secretary of UNISON, commented:

With the Iran war, UNISON members are more worried than ever about their energy bills and transport costs. New oil fields won’t do anything to reduce the prices they pay in the coming months; they will delay action for real energy security and climate justice through a shift to renewables.

At the same time, the likelihood that Rosebank will lead to significant losses for the UK Treasury, while corporations, including one linked to Israeli war crimes, pocket billions, should outrage us all. I know it outrages public service workers.

The government needs a genuine focus on how we get affordability now, get a safe and sustainable future, and get real just transition for workers.

This starts with investing in those public services that pave the way to a low carbon economy and recognising that jobs in Education, Health, Social Care alongside the many other sectors UNISON organise in are inherently Green jobs.

That’s why UNISON says no to Rosebank.

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Steve Wright, general secretary of the FBU, said:

Firefighters are on the front line dealing with the wildfires and floods which are more frequent and dangerous because of climate change. There is no option for a safe future other than a transition away from fossil fuels.

We also know that companies extracting oil and gas from Rosebank would sell their product at the highest price on the global market to maximise profits. So the way to shield the UK from future oil price shocks is not North Sea drilling but a transition to renewable energy.

Sarah Woolley, general secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, commented:

Whether it’s working in kitchens in heatwaves or seeing climate change contribute to rising food prices, our members can see that climate change is a trade union issue.

The government can choose to expand North Sea drilling by approving Rosebank and funnelling more money to oil company shareholders, or they can focus on solutions to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs and ensure our energy is affordable.

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Featured image via the Canary

By The Canary

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