Politics
Bruce Blakeman’s solar phase
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.
We’re all about biodiverse gardens here at HuffPost UK, and no-mow May is a great time to rewild your backyard.
But sometimes, as is the case with invasive Japanese knotweed (which can cause structural damage to your home if not treated ASAP), certain plants are better off out of your yard.
So, we thought we’d ask the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)’s chief horticulturalist, Guy Barter, about which ones you should banish on sight (and others you should keep a careful eye on, as well as the ones you should bear with).
1) Plants not to let grow in the first place
“Some alliums, such as:
- three-cornered garlic, and
- crow garlic
are extraordinarily tricky to winkle out as they leave little bulbils behind when uprooted,” the gardening expert told us.
“Never let them gain a lodgement in the first place, ideally.”
Three-cornered garlic (AKA three-cornered leek) is an invasive species that can smother native wildflowers. It’s an offence to cause it to grow in the wild, and it can be removed by hand-weeding the bulbs.
Crow garlic, meanwhile, spreads very easily and can take over your garden if you’re not careful. Fork out seedlings or smother plants with e.g. cardboard and bark.
2) Plants to stop in their tracks
“In general, gardeners would be unwise to leave invasive weeds such as:
- bindweed,
- ground elder, and
- couch grass
to their own devices,” Barter told us.
“Not only are they very invasive, but [they] are [also] hard to dislodge.”
Bindweed, while sometimes beneficial for wildlife, can be very hard to remove from your garden due to its enormous and rapidly spreading roots. It can be controlled by placing physical barriers at least 45cm into the ground, deadheading flowers, smothering young plants, mowing often, and forking out seedlings.
Ground elder can lead to a “carpet of leaves”. Fork out plants, smother them, place a barrier 45cm or more deep around them, mow more, and pull off new growth.
And couch grass, which can spread like wildfire, can be forked out or smothered.
3) Plants to keep a close eye on
“Many garden plants are very ‘willing’ and although valuable in places where other plants won’t grow, can run amok in fertile, sunny, moist soil,” Barter said.
- Solidago,
- certain bamboos,
- montbretia,
- mind-your-own-business [Soleirolia soleirolii],
- borage,
- horseradish, and
- mint
“Come to mind,” he added.
That’s not to say they need to be removed, though.
“Constant vigilance and an occasional going round with a spade ensure these plants stay in [their] lane. Repeat transgressors must go, however.”
4) Plants to let grow, despite being a bit of a pain
Slightly annoying plants can still be worth it, considering how useful they are to your garden’s ecosystem.
“Some unwanted plants like:
- nettles,
- green alkanet,
- thistles,
- sow thistles, and
- hedge mustard,
although apt to spread, can be given a little slack in view of their value to insects.”
Politics
Why are US CEOs lining up meet what they called the funder of the largest state sponsor of terrorism?
Just about ten days ago, the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that China was buying 90% of Iran’s energy, “so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism.”
Bessent may have got the country wrong, as it has been the USA that is the destabilising power in the world. So if anyone is funding war and destruction, it is the USA.
Just this year, it has assassinated sovereign state leaders, kidnapped a head of state, started an illegal war against Iran, increased the stranglehold of Cuba, killed civilians in acts of perfidy in the Caribbean sea, armed Israel to kill innocents in Lebanon, and continued its genocide in Palestine.
Today, Bessent, along with Trump and a dozen American CEOs, is in China for bilateral talks.
The United States is perfectly willing to lecture Beijing on terrorism while dispatching its corporate elite to cut deals and chase market access.
Highly awkward and unusual situation
Biden, in his two terms, did not visit China. The last visit to China by a US head of state was by Trump, nine years ago.
Presumably, the China hawks in the US, like Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton, who are unable to distinguish between Singapore and China, would have criticised Biden too much, so he avoided it.
Cotton’s clip on not knowing the difference between two Asian countries went viral, and he was still posting about menacing “Communist China” filling his beloved America with dangerous products while his MAGA hero was in there.
TikTok’s CEO did not “dodge” your stupid questions: He made it very clear that he’s SINGAPOREAN, not Chinese.
Do you understand that Singapore is a different country?
Tom Cotton doesn’t care because he’s a neo-McCarthyite demagogue who wants war on China pic.twitter.com/3l3MHFEcLJ https://t.co/V2SajF1GRL
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) February 3, 2024
The cultish MAGA does indeed allow Trump to get away with anything.
Even the hawkish Washington think tanks are trying to sell this self-confessed “highly awkward” visit.
Rush Doshi of the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations:
This meeting is coming at an unusual time. It’s coming at a time when there is a detente right now between the U.S. and China, an uneasy kind of equilibrium. But in the backdrop is Iran. The very fact that a U.S. president is going to China while he’s also having his military blockade Chinese ships in the Strait of Hormuz is a highly awkward and unusual situation.
Doshi said that while Trump was bringing a smaller “but very impressive” delegation of about a dozen CEOs to China, including Elon Musk, Wall Street financial heads, Boeing, and Qualcomm, representing a diverse range of industries, which is a smaller group than the 40 CEOs he took to the Gulf in 2025.
China — CEOs galore
So why are the CEOs there? The answer is simple — whether the US likes it or not, China is a resolute competitor and trading partner. They are there to “unlock regulatory approvals, market access, and investment opportunities.”
Musk is there because China is weighing curbs on exports of solar manufacturing equipment to the United States, which could threaten plans by Tesla to build new factories or expand existing ones to boost local production, according to Reuters.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told Reuters last month that the US plane maker was counting on the Trump administration to help unlock a long-awaited major order from China 500 737 Max jets.
Cargill is there because the US wants China to increase its purchases of agriculture from the United States, according to Bloomberg.
Meta is there seemingly because China recently blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Chinese-founded AI startup Manus, Bloomberg implies.
Washington has previously restricted sales of advanced semiconductors primarily from Nvidia to China in an effort to limit the country’s AI development. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was reportedly added late to Trump’s delegation to China. The USA took some of these restrictions away in January, but China has refused to buy any so far.
War on Iran
If the USA is looking for subservience from China, like it commands from the UAE, Israel, or the UK, this is unlikely.
Chinese company that tracked US bombers over Iran wears sanctions with pride https://t.co/98pS2k9ZtR
— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) May 13, 2026
China’s South China Morning Post reported that a Chinese company that tracked US bombers over Iran, despite sanctions, wears sanctions with pride. The report said:
Chinese satellite imagery firm MizarVision, which rose to fame with its analysis of American military deployments in the US-Israel war on Iran, is treating its addition to the US sanctions list as a badge of honour in its hiring campaign.
Chinese company that tracked US bombers over Iran wears sanctions with pride https://t.co/98pS2k9ZtR
— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) May 13, 2026
Looks like Trump and Bessent are stuck with doing business with the “funders of state-sponsored terrorism.”
Featured image via the Canary
By The Canary
The Telegraph‘s desperation to attack Polanski has plumbed new depths — complete fiction. Apparently, the ‘boob-whisperer’ smears, false allegations about the Red Cross and lies about Polanski’s council tax aren’t cutting through. (The dock fees where he moored his boat were supposed to cover it and only one person moored there had been asked for council tax in 35 years). So the paper — adding ‘news’ would be excessively generous — has made up a letter it presents as being from Polanski. It isn’t, but this is only stated right at the end of the dross, marked by an asterisk.
Astonishingly, the hack who made up the drivel was prepared to put his name to it: Guy Kelly. Kelly’s ‘journalistic’ reputation is forever ruined, but no doubt he’s been rewarded quite handsomely by his new, Israel-fanatic bosses.
Drivel
But oh, what drivel it is. Kelly’s self-description says he’s been “attempting to be funny for the Telegraph for over a decade”. Attempting is the heavy-lifting word in that sentence, very very clearly. The only achievement of any note in the article is that Kelly manages to completely make things up without demonstrating any evidence of even an acquaintance with humour. That’s quite a trick. ‘Funny-brackets-attempted’ in this case means falsely claiming Polanski said he used to:
- be Formula One champion
- be part of the unit that killed Osama Binladen
- blow bubbles into spirit levels
And that’s basically it, apart from signing off as if Polanski thinks he used to be an admiral. It’s not even Terry and June-level (un)funny.
The rag’s new owners have said that anyone who isn’t prepared to show fealty to Israel should leave. And the Israel lobby is desperate to smear Polanski. But maybe there’s a hint in Kelly’s pre-takeover output that he hasn’t had to be dragged too hard into a position to keep his job.
Telegraph — Pleasing the new boss
In September 2025, before the paper was bought by the ultra-Zionist Springer dynasty, the Telegraph’s Kelly was already penning a puff piece about Jonathan Hall. Hall is Starmer’s ‘Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation’. Unsurprisingly, Hall supports the Starmer regime’s war on anti-genocide protest. Even less surprisingly when he has gushed about having “dear family members” in Israel’s occupation military.
The piece implies that criticism of Hall’s pro-Israel position and his support for an unlawful attack on UK rights is because Russia doesn’t like him. Not because of aiding and abetting genocide, oh no. It’s all Putin and those nasty Russians. Even that’s a better standard of invention than the Polanski piece, mind.
But while Kelly might think, unbelievable though that is, that he’s just trying to be ‘funny’ in his smear on the Green leader, others don’t. Like historian @thelefttake, for example, who has urged Polanski to sue:
The Telegraph has published a disgusting fake letter written from the perspective of Zack Polanski which makes a number of false claims which he never made for “comedic effect”.
Only it isn’t funny and I would encourage Zack to hire a serious defamation lawyer or it won’t end. pic.twitter.com/nWa2cGxzSO
— thelefttake (@thelefttake) May 13, 2026
She and others pointed out that the asterisk-hidden confession that the article is a lie, buried right at the bottom of the piece, won’t be picked up by AI bots. But the false claims will — and will be regurgitated to users as if it were true:
This is the point yes, hence why action should be taken.
These people know that these claims get recycled by AI text scrapers and grifters without the layer of satire. The point is to muddy the waters and they wouldn’t dare do it to any other politician.
— thelefttake (@thelefttake) May 13, 2026
Others pointed out how reminiscent the attacks on Polanski are of the media war on Jeremy Corbyn when he was Labour leader:
flashbacks pic.twitter.com/59PrPcux55
— Arthur ☭
(@KarlMarxFan17) May 13, 2026
A lesson from the past
The level of desperation is obvious. But the nonsensical made-up smears — including the ‘Labour antisemitism’ scam ultimately brought Corbyn down. Corbyn’s over-willingness to apologise and his reluctance to hit the liars with legal action empowered the smears. Polanski has shown signs of the same tendency — and he needs to stop.
Tellingly, the one smear that never went far — and in fact worked in Corbyn’s favour — was the one in which he took prompt legal action.
In 2018, then-Tory MP Ben Bradley claimed that Corbyn had been a spy for Communist Czechoslovakia. Corbyn set the lawyers on the Tory smearer. The frit Bradley eventually forked out cash to one of Corbyn’s favourite charities and pay Corbyn’s legal costs to avoid a court case. But most memorably, he had to not only post a grovelling apology on Twitter for his “false and untrue” defamation. He also had to include a request to everyone who read it to also “Please retweet”.
The humiliation went hugely viral, penetrated the public’s consciousness and set Corbyn’s smearers back significantly.
Now that was funny. Polanski should sue. Not only for his own benefit but for the sake of a country that desperately needs a resurgent left with a leader who hits back at the smear tactics of the morally and politically bankrupt.
Featured image via the Canary
By Skwawkbox
Cabinet members are preparing to tell Keir Starmer later today that he must announce a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, HuffPost UK has been told.
Senior ministers will personally confront the prime minister within hours to say that he has got to go.
One Labour source said two-thirds of the cabinet are now opposed to him continuing as PM.
Some MPs who signed a so-called “loyalty letter” backing Starmer earlier this week are also now telling colleagues he has to stand down, it is claimed.
It comes amid confusion over whether or not health secretary Wes Streeting – who held showdown talks with Starmer yesterday – will announce his own leadership campaign.
Two members of his team told HuffPost UK that he does not currently have the support of the 81 MPs he needs to formally mount a challenge.
One ally said he did have more than the number required at one point, but that some of them have now peeled off.
A supporter said: “Wes has got the numbers, but things are shifting.”
An MP who is backing Streeting said: “I’m confident that Wes has got the numbers.
“Two-thirds of the cabinet have expressed privately that Keir can’t continue and were expecting them to go in to see him later today and tell him that he’s got to set out a timetable to go.
“There is increasing hope that he will realise that his time is up.”
But an ally of the prime minister, who has insisted he will fight any attempt to unseat him, insisted nothing had changed.
“The Labour Party rules are clear – if anyone has the numbers they can go to the party and say they want to challenge the leader,” the ally said. “That hasn’t happened.”
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
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.
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.”
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.
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!
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.
“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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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’.”
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.
“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.”
A big section of the SpaceX rocket Falcon 9 is predicted to crash into the moon on August 5, astronomer Bill Gray said on his site, Project Pluto.
Gray is the creator of various software, some of which tracks “near-Earth” objects, asteroids, comets, and items in orbit.
His calculations found that the “upper stage” part of the rocket – or the bit which carries the “payload” of the vessel, where the important part, be it people or tracking equipment, lies – should hit the Einstein crater of the moon next month.
There are no people on board. Per ScienceAlert, the Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket, which means “its first, larger stage returns to Earth and alights on a barge so it can be refilled and re-flown, while the second stage remains in orbit”. That second part is the bit that’s set to hit the moon.
When exactly will the collision happen?
The astronomer’s best estimation so far is August 5, 7:44am UK time.
Will we be able to see the crash from Earth?
Not without special equipment, BBC Sky At Night suggests.
Why is the rocket section loose?
It’s normal to leave this part of a rocket in orbit. They’re often designed to detach.
Hundreds of Falcon 9 rockets have been launched, Gray added, with many of their upper stages orbiting or falling back down to Earth. Some are orbiting the sun.
The one projected to hit the moon in August has been orbiting the Earth for about a year. It was the 10th rocket launched by the company, whose CEO is Elon Musk, in 2025.
Gray called loose bits of spacecraft and other manmade debris in orbit “space junk” and said the issue is increasing “steeply”.
How big is the upper stage of the rocket?
It’s about the size of a five-storey building, the astronomer said.
Why do we think it’s going to crash into the moon?
Gray used his own software to identify the predicted trajectory. “Space junk”, he explained, usually behaves quite predictably: it’s guided by the gravity of celestial bodies around it, like the Earth and moon. That should make tracking and predicting their movements easy.
But these objects are also “pushed around by sunlight,” he added. This is a very slight force, but it adds up over time, and as the object moves around, it’s hard to say exactly how much sun will hit it.
As a result, the astronomer explained, “I can be sure it will impact near the time and place I’ve predicted, but those varying forces mean that the actual impact will be at least a little off from that time and place”.
How fast will the rocket be?
It’s predicted to zip along at 8,700km an hour.
Which part of the moon will the rocket hit?
It’s set to hit the “Einstein crater,” which BBC Sky At Night said sits at a “10 o’clock” position from the perspective of the Earth.
Will this be dangerous?
Almost certainly not, the expert said. We’ve even sent items to crash into the moon on purpose before.
But the broader issue of “space junk” might be something we should worry about more, Gray stated.
It can ruin stargazers’ view, might pollute our upper atmosphere on re-entering Earth, and crash into other bodies and other bits of “junk” too.
“The worst-case scenario would be the Kessler effect: we have enough junk in orbit so that a few collisions generate shrapnel that causes more collisions, generating still more shrapnel until just about everything is colliding,” Gray said.
In response to the Louisiana state Senate redrawing a congressional map to eliminate a majority-Black district, one resident warned Republicans ahead of the midterm elections: “The MAGA party is the last breath of the Confederacy … the midterms gonna come, y’all gonna get wiped out.”
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.
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
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