Politics
The Zelig-like DNC autopsy author
Programming note: We’ll be off this Monday but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday.
DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 52
ALBANY AUTOPSY ANGST: National Democrats entrusted their 2024 autopsy to a strategist entwined with another long-ago party calamity: the Obama-era implosion of the New York Senate.
Paul Rivera previously served as a key adviser to state Senate Democratic leader John Sampson, a Brooklyn lawmaker who led an infamously dysfunctional majority for part of 2009 and into 2010 — and was later convicted of federal fraud charges.
Rivera arrived in the Senate with a strong resume after working on gubernatorial and presidential campaigns, including Al Gore and John Kerry. Staffers and lawmakers alike found him to be an inscrutable, enigmatic aide who murmured advice in the background. It was the kind of shapeless profile many advisers hone in power centers across the globe, but seemed especially befitting a state Capitol known for its bewildering opacity.
“The man lurked in the shadows. No one knew where he came from,” former Democratic Senate press aide Travis Proulx said. “It was like a ship in the night working with him. Of everyone I’ve ever worked with he stands out as the man behind the curtain. No one knew how he got there.”
Rivera did not return five phone calls and text messages seeking comment on Thursday and Friday. Sampson also did not return messages seeking comment.
The strategist has little national profile, but his involvement in crafting the widely panned autopsy report was befuddling to Albany Democrats who recall with unease a deeply broken era of New York politics. They still shudder when thinking about their unhappy two-year state Senate majority during the Obama years.
Rivera’s Zelig-like reputation was fostered during that benighted era and even lawmakers struggled to figure out where his power flowed from in the building.
“You never know who he was really loyal to, on whose behalf he was acting,” said former Democratic state Sen. Diane Savino.
Rivera’s name does not appear on the Democratic National Committee’s 192-page report on the 2024 election, formally released Thursday after it was published online by CNN. The autopsy was widely criticized by party officials, ex-Harris campaign aides and former Biden staffers.
The report did not include any references to the party’s challenges over Israel and Gaza, while only making passing references to President Joe Biden’s decision to step aside — widely considered two crucial reasons for the party’s failure two years ago.
DNC Chair Ken Martin apologized for the document in a long statement. But that hasn’t stemmed widespread calls for him to resign the leadership post he’s held for less than 18 months.
Democratic alumni of the fractious state Senate Democratic conference in Albany were flabbergasted that the national party would hand such an important job — analyzing why droves of Americans backed President Donald Trump’s unlikely White House return — to a strategist associated with a disastrous era for Empire State Democrats.
“He sold himself as a guy who knew everything and that he was a master of politics,” Savino said of the former Senate aide’s Albany tenure. “He didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about.”
Read more from POLITICO’s Nick Reisman.
From the Capitol
MICAH’S SUPERNATURAL VOTE: Assemblymember and former teen magician Micah Lasher seemingly made a miraculous journey to New York City from Albany on Thursday.
And Lasher — who is running for the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler — is refusing to answer questions about how it happened.
The assemblymember apparently was able to cast his vote from Albany at around 4:50 p.m. and make it to Manhattan’s Upper West Side in time for a 7 p.m. candidate forum.
Anyone who’s ever driven the roughly 150 miles from Albany to New York City knows that timetable stretches the limits of reality — unless you’re driving well over the speed limit and get a lucky streak of zero traffic congestion.
Lasher’s campaign refused to say where he physically was at the time he voted, and then ignored multiple follow-up calls from Playbook.
The vote was on a budget bill that included a slate of measures designed to protect immigrants from the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement tactics. Lasher has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the campaign trail, and even traveled to Minnesota in January to join protests against the federal agency.
Earlier today, Lasher touted passage of the bill, saying “I am incredibly proud to have authored this legislation to protect the dignity and safety of all.”
Assembly rules state members need to be in the “bar of the House” in order to be considered present. The “bar” is defined as “the entire Assembly Chamber and lobbies contiguous thereto as designated by the Speaker.”
As our Playbook colleague Bill Mahoney reported last month, members have taken advantage of the policy by routinely being absent from the chambers during votes and debates. Instead, many clock in during the morning and then spend session elsewhere in the Capitol or the adjacent Legislative Office Building. Because they’re technically checked-in and considered present, the members are automatically counted as a “yes” vote on legislation — even if they’re holed up somewhere else in the Capitol complex.
But there’s no indication the “bar” of the House extends to the Catskill exit of the New York State Thruway — a reasonable, but still tight, starting point for someone hoping to make it all the way to West 97th St. in 130 minutes.
And if members do need to leave town early, they’re instructed to tell Assembly leadership so they don’t get mistakenly counted in the vote tally when they’re in another zip code.
Assemblymember Alex Bores, who is also running for the congressional seat — along with Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg and former Republican Trump antagonist George Conway — made it to the forum late because he voted for the bill and also took time to explain his vote on the floor.
After Bores apologized for his tardiness at the forum, which was hosted by a group of tenant associations, he expressed befuddlement at how Lasher was seemingly able to beam across the Hudson Valley and also cast his vote.
“You got to tell me the route that gets me here in two hours. That’s remarkable,” Bores said, in a video reviewed by Playbook. “You voted on it?”
“I did,” Lasher said, giving a nod. — Jason Beeferman
BURSTING INTO TIERS: A package of changes to the Tier 6 pension plan have been finalized as state budget talks come to an end, two people familiar with the conversations said.
“Tier 6 is done,” said one of the people, who was granted anonymity to relay the closed-door negotiations.
The changes will allow teachers to retire at age 58 after 30 years of service. Employee contribution rates for many public workers will fall to 3 percent of their pay checks. The total cost stands at more than $550 million a year spread out between the state government, municipalities and school districts.
The provision is expected to be tucked inside the transportation and economic development budget bill.
The overhaul represents a major victory for labor, which has detested the less-generous pension tier since its 2012 inception.
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman.
FROM CITY HALL
SIGNS OF LIFE: The zombie charter revision commission created by former Mayor Eric Adams will release a report next week listing proposed changes to the City Charter the body may pursue — even as state legislation seeks to kill the outfit altogether and ensure it stays dead.
The report, which was obtained by Playbook, is set to appear in the City Record Tuesday. In addition to the prospect of open primaries, it suggests more reforms to the city’s land use process, prohibiting elected officials from giving themselves pay raises and making it harder to change term limit laws. The report also muses about making permanent several mayoral offices relating to combating hate crimes and antisemitism and forcing City Hall to fund future charter revision commissions. That last one is key.
This particular commission was created on the last day of Adams’ tenure and is being spearheaded by his first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro.
The rogue body is advancing proposals that would make life difficult for Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Open primaries, for example, would empower more moderate candidates and complicate the mayor’s reelection prospects. The report also recommended putting to voters several executive orders related to combating antisemitism that were signed by Adams — also in the waning days of his term — and left to lapse by the current mayor. The expiration of the executive orders predictably sparked consternation with many Jewish residents.
The commission has been criticized as an abuse of the process by city and state government ethics organizations — even by those who support the concept of open primaries. And while Mamdani has starved the commission of funds, Albany went a step further by passing legislation Thursday that effectively dissolves the body.
The mayor has been playing coy about what he will do (despite being the person who asked for the state provision in the first place). He said at a press conference Thursday he is still considering his options.
The commission remains undeterred, however. It plans to sue over the state legislation while plowing ahead with its work. A public hearing remains on the schedule for next week.
Kayla Mamelak Altus, a commission member, said state lawmakers are attempting to silence the will of the people, who would otherwise be able to help shape the commission’s eventual ballot questions.
“That should send chills down the spines of all New Yorkers who care about having a voice in our local democracy,” she said in a statement. “This attempt to retroactively dismantle a legally constituted Charter Revision Commission in the middle of its work flies in the face of municipal home rule.” — Joe Anuta
FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
BREWING SUPPORT: City Council member and Upper West Side fixture Gale Brewer has endorsed Stephanie Ruskay in the race for an open state Assembly seat covering the vote-rich enclave.
“We need leaders who are smart, compassionate, and deeply rooted in the communities they serve,” Brewer said in a statement shared exclusively with Playbook. “That’s why I’m proud to support Stephanie Ruskay for State Assembly.”
Ruskay, who would be the first female rabbi elected to the state Legislature, is running for the seat being vacated by Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who himself is vying for an open congressional seat.
In addition to Brewer, who has represented the area over two stints in the Council, Ruskay is being backed by a number of sitting officials including City Comptroller Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and City Council member Shaun Abreu.
She’s locked in a battle with Eli Northrup, a public defender who has received endorsements from local Democratic clubs and organizations farther to the left in a proxy war between different wings of the Democratic Party. — Joe Anuta
IN OTHER NEWS
— PRESSURE FROM WITHIN: Hundreds of immigrants detained at a Newark immigration detention center went on a hunger and labor strike, demanding the facility’s closure, their release and visits from elected officials. (Gothamist)
— PLAY NICE!: Kathy Wylde, former head of the Partnership for New York City and a key business broker, is again playing go-between for Mamdani and corporate leaders. (New York Post)
— FARE FIGHT: World Cup fans are opting for $20 buses over $98 train rides to MetLife Stadium, amid backlash over steep transit prices. (The New York Times)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
In the UK, tops come off at the slightest whiff of sunlight – I’ve seen people walking around shirtless when I’ve still been wearing a jacket.
But the French have said: no more.
A number of French resorts are taking a stand against summer shirtlessness by slapping offenders with fines if they don’t cover up.
According to The Times, a number of resorts – including Deauville and Narbonne – have introduced penalties for those who don’t keep their tops on in public places, on the grounds of “hygiene and decency”.
While this state of attire is perfectly acceptable for the beach, in Narbonne, people are banned from being shirtless, wearing swimwear or walking barefoot in parts of the city centre – and anyone not following this rule may face a fine of up to €150 (£130).
Deauville has also reportedly raised its fines for being shirtless from €17 (approx £15) to €150 (£130).
Other places such as Nice, Cannes, Arcachon, Les Sables-d’Olonne and La Grande-Motte have similar rules in place, per The Connexion, with varying penalties for not abiding by them.
There’s been growing discontent over half-naked tourists for a while now. Last year, the mayor of Les Sables-d’Olonne, Yannick Moreau, took to Facebook to ask for “a little decorum, please”.
He reiterated that it’s “forbidden to walk around shirtless or in a swimsuit in Les Sables-d’Olonne” – and anyone breaking the rules could be fined up to €150 (£130).
Sorrento, Portofino, Positano and Capri in Italy; Barcelona in Spain; and Albufeira in Portugal have similar rules in place so that toplessness and swimwear is reserved only for the beach.
According to the Mirror, fines for flouting the rules can reach up to €1,500 (£1,300) in Albufeira.
In 2023, the Croatian city of Split also issued a ban on wearing a bikini and/or going shirtless in the old city centre – following the lead of Dubrovnik.
To avoid being caught out, if you’re on holiday and not at the beach or pool, it’s probably best to keep your top on!
On Sunday, Nigel Farage published the first in what he promised would be a series of essays. It’s a new initiative from the Reform UK leader to speak – unfiltered by the media – directly to the British public.
There’s plenty to sink one’s teeth into: the essay is 7,000 words, with a bibliography numbering over 80 sources. Nor does it pull any punches: titled, ‘Britain is a two-tier state – against white people’, Farage goes through education, healthcare, housing, policing, even the military, showing in each case how Britain’s obsession with identity politics has disadvantaged white British citizens.
Inevitably, criticism has centred on Farage’s strident tone, rather than the substance of what he says. But whatever people’s quibbles over language, I find it hard to find fault with his core arguments.
Like Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch did recently, Farage takes aim at the Public Sector Equality Duty as the basis for much of the state’s two-tierism. But he goes further than her in calling for abolition of the 2010 Equality Act.
He is right to do so. This Brown-era legislation has done the opposite of what its name implies. It hasn’t created a more harmonious society. In fact, it has done the opposite. One presumes that, in place of the Equality Act, Reform will look to introduce more narrow legislation focused on outlawing direct discrimination, closer to the original Race Relations Act.
Farage is at his strongest when he reminds you of the history that should guide our current policy. For why indeed should ‘Homes Fit For Heroes’ – initially a plan to help returning First World War soldiers – now house economic migrants, while veterans go without a roof over their heads? Farage is helped by the multitude of absurdities modern Britain throws up. As he points out, among the beneficiaries of Britain’s generosity are the first lady of Sierra Leone and a Hamas fugitive – both given social housing while Brits wait patiently in line.
Of course, legislation isn’t the only problem. Rather, as Farage points out, it is the ecosystem of quangos that so often act as the enforcers of this diversity dogma – from the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s insistence on racial equity in policing outcomes to the Office for Students’ requirement for ‘Access and Participation Plans’.
The question now is how to get to the sort of colour-blind society I – and most of us – would like to see. We clearly do not have that society as of now. Indeed, recently revealed policing guidance, which explicitly says a commitment to anti-racism ‘does not mean treating everyone “the same” or being “colour blind”’, makes that clear.
Farage provides some hints in the form of future legislation. The ‘Policing (Equal Treatment) Act’, to be legislated within the first 100 days of a Reform government, is one example. Denying foreign nationals access to welfare, capping the recruitment of foreign doctors and prioritising the recruitment of British medical students, and requiring every school to fly the Union flag and mount a portrait of the King, are others. This is more substance than we have seen from many previous opposition parties, particularly so far from an election.
Even those who take exception to Farage’s arguments should support party leaders laying out their case in this level of detail, for all to dissect and debate. Former Spectator editor Fraser Nelson’s charge that Farage is taking to Substack ‘to avoid scrutiny by anyone who may point out his carefully crafted misrepresentations’ is an unconvincing one. Indeed, it is ironic that it is the party that the commentariat love to paint as rabble-rousers, peddlers of empty slogans and bereft of policy substance, which is the first to produce such a piece.
It’s unclear who actually wrote the essay. I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect Farage to have done it all himself – and nor should he. It could be the work of Amarjeet Johal, the highly regarded staffer working for Reform’s policy chief, James Orr. Or one of the clutch of new hires that Reform have made in recent weeks – Sam Ashworth-Hayes, poached from the Telegraph, and James Graham and Karl Williams from the think-tank world. Whoever held the pen, it shows the fruits of Reform’s quiet work building up its team into an increasingly high-powered intellectual and policy-focussed machine.
Judging by this first essay, they – and Farage – have plenty to say. The party now looks to have the confidence to take on the establishment not just on the doorstep, but in the realm of policy, too.
Ameer Kotecha is CEO of the Centre for Government Reform. He was formerly a senior diplomat, serving as the head of the British consulate in Russia between 2023 and 2025.
The irony of where Donald Trump signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran on Wednesday was not lost on social media users.
The president put pen to paper at the Palace of Versailles in France, which also hosted the signing of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles agreement to formally end World War I between defeated aggressor Germany and the victorious Allies.
That treaty imposed massive reparations on Germany which, historians argue, caused economic hardship and sowed the seeds of Nazism and World War II.
The criticized Iran-US agreement, however, will, alongside the commitment to reach a final peace deal within 60 days, also include a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, which has been likened to reverse reparations.
Listen 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.
Donald Trump has signed an initial deal to end his war against Iran within the next 60 days – but just what did the countries agree to?
The US president signed the “memorandum of understanding” in France’s Palace of Versailles last night, while his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed electronically.
Both vowed to reach a final agreement over the next two months.
It comes after growing pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping lane, which Iran closed in retaliation to US–Israel strikes back in February.
A US official has since revealed that the 14-point memorandum contains a set of stunning concessions from America, despite the White House’s attempts to paint it as a “major win” for the US.
That includes $300 billion paid in reparations to Iran and a suggestion Tehran could charge vessels for using the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the official signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday.
What Is In Trump’s Iran Preliminary Deal?
1. Cessation of all hostilities – and refraining from interfering in one another’s affairs
This includes an immediate termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, while the final deal will confirm a permanent end to the war.
The US and Iran have also accused one another of meddling in the other’s domestic affairs since the conflict began.
Trump called for Iranian protesters to overthrow the Islamic Republic regime earlier this year and Iranian agents have been accused of attempts to assassinate the US leader.
2. A promise to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon
Israel’s ongoing action against Hezbollah – the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon – and occupation of the “security zone” in the south of the country has been a major sticking point in the attempts to end the Iran war.
While the US is keen for an off-ramp for the conflict, Israel has signalled it does not believe it needs to abide by any US-Iran deal to protect Lebanon.
However, the memorandum will push Trump to actively discourage Israel’s offensive in Lebanon or risk compromising his Iran deal.
3. An end to the US naval blockade and sanctions
The US will remove its naval blockade against Iran within 30 days of signing the memorandum so Iran can resume exports and imports – helping its struggling economy.
But that means Trump has sacrificed a key card in negotiations.
America also promised to remove its forces from the “proximity” of the country within 30 days of signing the final deal.
The US even vowed to terminate all types of sanctions against Iran, including the export of oil, in exchange for nuclear commitments.
4. Iran offers no charge for “60 days only” on commercial vessels
Iran has discovered just how effective its control over the Strait of Hormuz can be on the global economy – and how lucrative.
While it never imposed fees on ships or tankers passing through the shipping lane before the war with the US and Israel, Iran is suggesting it may start slapping charges on vessels in two months’ time.
That’s a blow to the US, considering the White House was keen to return commerce to prewar conditions.
5. US and regional partners to pay $300 billion to Iran
It looks like Trump is paying for the damage the US and Israel imposed on Iran’s infrastructure through its aggressive strike action.
However, the inclusion of “regional partners” suggests America’s Persian Gulf allies might have to cough up instead.
Still, Trump has often mocked Barack Obama for paying Iran $1.7 billion to secure his own 2015 nuclear deal – an agreement Trump exited, calling it “horrible” and “one-sided”.
The US is also granting Iran access to its frozen assets (worth at least $24 billion) upon the “implementation of the MOU”.
The money can go to “any ultimate beneficiary” – including the Iranian military.
6. Iran promises not to procure or develop nuclear weapons
The US and Iran have agreed to resolve the nuclear issue, the central reason for Trump’s February strikes on Tehran, though the memorandum was loose on details.
Iran has promised to maintain the “status quo” of its nuclear programme, which is currently in ruins, until a final agreement is reached.
It said it would not to “procure or develop nuclear weapons” – the same vow Iran made in 1970 and a key pillar of its 2015 nuclear deal with Obama.
Iran also pledged to dilute its enriched nuclear material to below the level required to make a nuclear bomb.
However, it stops short of offering to surrender its stockpile.
That’s a US climbdown compared to 2015, when 97% of Iran’s stockpiled was sent to Russia.
It’s unclear if Iran will keep the nuclear material or if it will have to close its major facilities.
Trump has also insisted that Iran will agree to a “new, far stronger” inspection regime but that is not part of the memorandum.
Why Now?
Trump admitted at the G7 summit in France that he needed to sign the Iran deal to avoid “economic catastrophe” after almost four months of war.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz immediately hit a fifth of global oil supplies, meaning prices went up around the world.
Trump has faced plenty of international pressure to end the war so the international economy can get back on a steady footing.
He claimed his European allies “love this deal” after he had used the G7 summit to discuss the details of the deal “with the closest friends and allies, the heads of countries”.
Trump’s interference in Iran has proven to be deeply unpopular with American voters – YouGov found 64% disapprove of it – but some Republicans are not happy with the memorandum, either.
Senator Bill Cassidy called it the “worst foreign policy blunder in decades”, writing on X: “Reagan is rolling over in his grave.”
The president appeared to respond by claiming he no longer wants to be friends with those who dislike his deal, calling them: “Stupid and bad people.”
What Next?
Trump has already cast some doubt over whether this initial deal will hold, particularly when it comes to Iran’s nuclear programme.
At his press conference on Wednesday, he told reporters: “It’s a memorandum of understanding.
“If it doesn’t get done in 60 days, that’s all right, we go back to bombing.”
The entire war has also put the US-Israel relationship on unsteady footing.
Trump claims the US still has an “amazing partnership” with its ally in the Middle East, but said he had urged Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a “softer touch” when it comes to his military activities in Lebanon.
“I love them as a partner. They were terrific but they could do a much better job with Hezbollah. On that, I don’t think they’re doing well,” he said.
Iranian leaders have also framed the deal as a victory, but hardline voices within the regime fear any deal with the US looks like appeasement amid their own economic pressure.
Listen 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.
On a recent episode of The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, co-hosted by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, Tom was asked about the best movie he’d ever made.
The Forrest Gump actor replied: “I do not watch these movies after the first time, really, because they never change. And there are movies that have moments in it that I cannot watch, because I didn’t get there.
“And sometimes these are the big moments. I simply did not get there,” he shared, suggesting that he didn’t feel the emotion the scene required.
“And I know it, and I was confounded by any number of things,” he continued.
Richard asked him to name one such moment, to which he replied: “There is a moment. Okay. Yeah, I’ll tell you.”
“There is a moment… that was painful for me in Cast Away in which I am back and Chuck [the main character played by Tom] is back in Kelly [his on-screen fiancée, played by Helen Hunt]’s house.
“And he gives her her watch back. And there’s a moment where I just think, ‘I’m not there’. All it is is a turnaround on me. But I do this gesture that I just think is false, and is me, and is not Chuck,” he stated.
Tom said that the scene is so hard for him to watch back, he has to physically leave when it’s playing.
“If the movie is on, I will get up and leave the room before that scene comes on,” he shared with the hosts.
Marina asked him if he knew he’d feel that way at the time of filming, to which Tom replied he didn’t.
“It wasn’t until I actually saw it, when it went down. And I think that, ‘oh, we were just moving on there and I wasn’t there’,” he revealed.
Still, that’s not to say the Oscar winner isn’t proud of any of his output.
“When I happen to land on a couple of minutes of an old episode of [TV show] Bosom Buddies, I remember all of [co-star Peter Scoleri]’s lines.
“I have no idea what I say next, but because I was watching him do it, we were so close and we were so tight. So the only time [feeling proud about a rewatch] happens [is when I think], ‘I don’t remember doing that’.
“But it’s not a thing. I can’t linger on [old success]. I don’t sit there and say, ‘oh, watch this movie, watch this moment that comes up, we really nailed that’,” he ended.
“All I could say [is], ‘I was cold.’ You know, ‘it looks like I’m warm… I was really freezing that day’, you know, something like that…”
You can watch the interview in full here.
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In 2026, being a healthy person can get pretty expensive. As well as the fact our stress levels are higher than, well, ever, trying to get a doctor’s appointment in the UK is almost impossible, and every week there’s a new health fad that is unclear whether you should buy into or not.
Whether you’re someone to likes to splash out on wellness products, or keep it pretty minimal with a few supplements and regular exercise, there’s a lot to be said for being able to stock up on the essentials for less.
Thankfully, Amazon has made our lives much easier (and cheaper) by offering a ton of early deals for health, wellbeing, and fitness products ahead of Amazon Prime Day.
To get you prepared for the big day(s) we’ve rounded up the best early deals to shop now and how to prepare for when the sale event hits next week.
What is Amazon Prime Day?
Every year, Amazon Prime runs a sale that runs across multiple days, with discounts across products in hundreds of categories.
That includes discounts on your favourite wellness brands, including on supplements, workout gear, tech, and clothing.
When is Amazon Prime Day 2026?
We’re pleased to announce that it’s officially time to warm up, because this year Amazon Prime Day falls on 23rd June, and will run through to the late hours of 26th June.
To get involved, make sure you’re signed up to be an Amazon Prime member ahead of the big day.
The best health, wellbeing, and fitness early Amazon Prime Day deals to shop now
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We’re all constantly slouched over our desks, so anything you can do to treat you poor neck at the end of the day is a plus. This heated neck massager comes highly rated thanks to the motors mimicking human hands, and it even comes with an adjustable heat setting for added pampering after a day at the office, a great gym session, or simply a neck kink.
I’m a sucker for chocolate, cake and biscuits. Lord help me if there’s a brownie in my eye-line.
Despite knowing full well such sugary treats aren’t great for my health (a diet high in sugar has been linked to everything from dementia and tooth decay to cancer), my brain still caves whenever one finds its way in front of me. Or even if they’re sat in a cupboard nearby…
If, like me, you give in to cravings at the drop of a hat, a dietitian has shared a relatively simple mindset trick that might just help you finally combat them.
Why do we get cravings?
Food cravings happen for several reasons, one of which is our brain chemistry, according to The Temple Clinic.
When we eat something tasty, our brains release the feel-good hormone dopamine. Your brain then wants to repeat this feeling, making it all too easy to reach for the sugar in future.
Your body might also crave sugary foods or carbs when your blood sugar levels drop – although often, reaching for a biscuit can simply result in a blood sugar crash not long after.
Hormones can also play a part in our cravings, added the clinic. Cortisol, our stress hormone, can encourage us to reach for dopamine-boosting foods.
Speaking to Today.com, registered dietitian Joy Bauer noted we’ve got “two systems running” at the same time – one signals our biological need for food, while the other is fuelled by our “hedonic system” (which centres around pleasure and reward).
“In a world where tempting food is everywhere (ahem!) on every corner, in every feed – that reward system can get loud. Loud enough to drown out the signals telling you you’ve already had enough,” she explained.
If your brain easily takes you to temptation central, Bauer wants you to try one simple reset.
The mindset trick that can help beat cravings
The expert recommends for snackers to “pause before you pounce”, giving yourself five or 10 minutes before you grab something to eat “because cravings tend to rise like a wave and then soften on their own”.
During those empty minutes, she advises naming the feeling behind the craving – are you tired, stressed or maybe even bored? – as determining “the real driver takes a surprising amount of the power out of it”.
This trick has been recommended by the NHS, too. A patient leaflet from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust calls it “urge surfing”.
“Some people notice waves of desire; the way urges can build and then diminish has been compared to a wave in the ocean and this is where the name urge surfing comes from,” they explain.
Five other ways to fight cravings
If that doesn’t work for you, here are some other techniques to try:
- Have a drink of water – Healthline noted that sometimes thirst can be confused with hunger or cravings.
- While you’re ‘urge surfing’, find alternative activities to pass the time until the craving or urge has passed – this could be going for a walk, messaging a friend, completing a task at work, doing something you enjoy (ie. knitting or colouring).
- Increase your fibre intake. There’s been a bit of an obsession with fibremaxxing in recent times – and it seems the trend could help curb sugar cravings. Miranda Pascucci, Head of Clinical Education and dental therapist at TePe, previously shared that “when meals are more filling and fibre-rich, people are often less likely to graze on sugary snacks throughout the day”.
- Chew gum – there’s some research to suggest chewing gum can help combat cravings for high energy snacks.
- Get plenty of sleep – sleep deprivation can disrupt your hormones which can, in turn, result in cravings.
The former Top Gear host said: “the prostate, 10% of it’s dead… the 10% where the cancer is”. He said that the cancer had been caught early.
The episodes also revealed Jeremy sitting on a hospital bed, stating some of the treatment had gone “awry”. In the footage, he added, “I’m going to be here for a little while. I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you in season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t… Take care, everyone.”
Since then, Clarkson’s Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper has given fans an update.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in an exclusive, he said: “The spirits are high, which is good”.
He added, “If anything like this happens to any of your friends and you just said to my best mate, you’ve gotta be supported through that whole journey.
“And that’s where I’ve been, I’ve been right by his side and his spirits are really good, so thank you… He’s strong-minded, he’s got a strong mind on him, which is good.”
The 66-year-old has received a lot of well wishes, including from Piers Morgan, with whom he has shared a tumultuous relationship.
In an X post, Piers said: “I was surprised when Jeremy Clarkson texted me on Boxing Day to say how much he liked my… ad urging men to get tested for prostate cancer. Now I understand. I wish my old sparring partner all the best with his treatment. Guys, have a PSA [Prostate-Specific Antigen] test, it may save your life.”
In the past, Clarkson told The Times, that he regularly gets checked for the disease. He said he’d seen “too many friends go down with prostate cancer”, adding, “all it takes is a moment or two” to see how you’re doing.
Kaleb had a similar message in the Daily Mail interview.
“Catching anything early is quite important,” he said.
“That’s the main thing, but you’ve gotta keep checking. People can sit there and say I’m busy, busy, busy,” the farmer and author continued.
“But actually sometimes you’ve gotta go, I’m gonna just have to check and see if I’m okay.”
The Met Office has said some parts of England are likely to experience heatwave-level temperatures this weekend, rolling into next week.
Temperatures are expected to reach the high 20s across the UK, with the potential for 32°C to be reached in the south of England on Sunday and potentially 34°C or higher on Monday.
The Met Office confirmed conditions will remain “noticeably humid”.
As a result of the hot spell, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has upgraded its heat-health alert to an amber one across southern and eastern England, while a yellow alert has been issued for the Midlands.
Why is there a heat health alert in place?
The UKHSA warned that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups, like the elderly.
An amber heat-health alert is now in place for the East of England, South East, South West and London until 8pm on Tuesday 23 June.
A yellow heat-health alert is in place for the West Midlands and East Midlands during this time. Other regions of England are currently unaffected.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, noted periods of warm weather “can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun”.
Advice for staying safe in the sun
- Staying hydrated.
- Keeping your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun.
- Try to avoid direct sunlight, especially between 11am and 3pm when UV levels are highest. If you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly.
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening.
- Brush up on the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke so you know what to do if you or someone else has them.
When will the heatwave end?
In the UK, a heatwave occurs when a location records at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. This threshold can vary from place to place.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster, Gregory Wolverson, said: “Some areas in the south and southeast of England are likely to see heatwave criteria met over the weekend, with the potential for temperatures to reach the low 30s in the warmest locations.”
He suggested there is a “slight chance” that these toasty conditions may carry on deeper into next week as well.
“There is currently a 40% chance of exceeding the current UK June maximum temperature record of 35.6°C, set in 1957 and 1976,” he added.
But while temperatures are estimated to be high – especially in the south – we might not see wall-to-wall sunshine and blue skies, as there “may be more cloud around”.
Coupled with high humidity, the forecaster said “it may feel rather oppressive at times”.
There’s also a chance of thunderstorms in some areas, which could bring heavy downpours.
Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight has claimed that expensive period dramas like his show could soon be “killed off” by the BBC.
The broadcasting giant is trying to achieve budget cuts amounting to £500 million over the next two years, The Independent reports. It also recently announced it’s axing hundreds of TV and news jobs.
Speaking to The Times, Steven said that even though he thinks Peaky Blinders would still be commissioned today, he’s not so sure about new entries to the beloved (but costly) format.
“Period drama is expensive because you’ve got to remove all the satellite dishes [from shooting locations] and all of that practical stuff,” he explained (think of the field day the internet had when a Starbucks cup was spotted in a Game of Thrones scene).
“So it may mean that commissioners skew towards contemporary [shows] because there’s a certain cost that they’re not going to have to pay,” he added.
In 2025, The Times of India reported that budgets for period dramas in particular had “skyrocketed”. Some reports suggest that Netflix’s The Crown cost the streamer an eye-watering $130 million (roughly £97 million), for instance.
Recently, the BBC has paired up with other broadcasting companies like BritBox for period dramas like The Other Bennet Sister.
“Some of the best drama that’s come out of this country has been period drama – it’s what we’re really good at. So if suddenly Jane Austen was off the menu, that would be a shame,” Stephen, who is currently working on a Bond script, continued.
The 66-year-old also expressed concern about the quality of programming overall following any cuts.
“We are reaching the point where the unique thing about the BBC is the quality of what it produces,” he stated.
“Once that goes, if that goes, then it would have much more of an effect on the BBC than it would anywhere else. The BBC’s USP [unique selling point] is its quality, so any cuts will inevitably affect quality.”
Speaking to BBC 4 Radio previously, the broadcaster’s interim director general, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said of the cuts: “We need to look at everything, and at a scale of £500m inevitably there are going to be some big and some difficult choices, but we do need to step through this carefully.
“For audiences, the job in hand now over the next three or four months is to work through how we make those changes without damaging the services that we know are critical to the BBC across radio and television and online.”
On their page addressing the cuts, the BBC said its three guiding principles for programme closures are “to sustain output with the highest audience value and impact, [to] meet audiences where they are, reducing spend elsewhere, [and to] make the BBC simpler and faster”.
You can read The Times’ interview in full here.
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