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The Lead: A Mis‑Timed Pandemic ThrillerGuardian reviewer Erin Kellyman returns to the plague‑infested screen in Woken, a 2023‑made post‑apocalyptic thriller that aims to ride the post‑Covid zeitgeist but ultimately falters under its own ambitions.The Narrative Setup: Amnesiac Survival on a Plague‑Ravaged IslandKellyman plays Anna, an amnesiac, heavily pregnant woman who awakens in a rundown cottage on an isolated island, unaware that a pandemic is sweeping the region. Guided by the unsettling neighbour Helen (Maxine Peake) and a dubious husband James (Ivanno Jeremiah), Anna’s reality unravels when infected castaways arrive on a swan‑shaped pedalo, prompting a violent confrontation that reveals the island’s true horror.Visual and Thematic Influences: Echoes of Children of Men and Social‑Realist Brit Sci‑FiDirector Alan Friel frames the story against brooding shale cliffs, using muted interiors and seagrass‑fringed impressionism to highlight Anna’s fragility. The film nods to the social‑realist British sci‑fi lineage of Never Let Me Go and Children of Men, especially in its bleak world‑building and the later shift toward clandestine labs, ligament‑weaving surgery units, and fascistic hazmat squads.Critical Verdict: Strong Performances Undermined by a Disjointed PlotWhile Kellyman’s “wide‑eyed, floundering” performance and Peake’s authoritative presence earn praise, the narrative never fully gels. The first half feels like “tepid domestic parlour games” dressed in visual flair, and the second half’s sci‑fi revelations feel regurgitated, making the film’s climax feel like a “certifiable debt” to its inspirations.Future Outlook: Post‑Covid Horror Must Find Fresh GroundWoken will be available on digital platforms from 25 May 2026, but its mixed reception signals that the genre needs more originality than pandemic‑centric melodrama. For filmmakers, the lesson is clear: compelling visuals and strong acting cannot compensate for a story that fails to innovate within an increasingly saturated post‑pandemic horror market.

The Rediscovery of a Forgotten VisionaryGordon Stevenson, a multifaceted artist who made significant contributions to New York's late-70s no wave scene, is about to experience a posthumous renaissance. Four decades after his death, Stevenson has been largely remembered as merely a footnote in other people's stories. However, this is about to change dramatically with the discovery of a storage unit filled with his lost work, including jewelry, collaborations with mail-art pioneer Ray Johnson, and even clues to the whereabouts of a surviving print of his notorious film, Ecstatic Stigmatic.The Early Life and InfluencesStevenson's story begins not in the gritty streets of New York, but 900 miles south in the small town of Dublin, Georgia. Born into a family of "emotionally repressed stoics," he was a maths prodigy with a taste for Flannery O'Connor, Nietzsche, and Sartre. His intellectual pursuits and unconventional lifestyle created a rift with his parents, who expected him to follow a more traditional path. Offered a maths scholarship at Georgia Tech, Stevenson instead chose the liberal arts campus of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, further widening the divide with his family.The New York YearsIn 1977, Stevenson and his partner Mirielle Cervenka relocated to New York, a city that photographer Julia Gorton described as "a nihilistic playground for people with trauma." The city was "very destroyed by the drugs and violence," according to Maripol, a European émigré designer and filmmaker who later worked with Grace Jones and Madonna. "But there was freedom. That the city was bankrupt meant low rents. Creative people could afford to live there," Maripol recalls.The Artistic LegacyStevenson's artistic contributions were multifaceted. He and Cervenka founded the jewelry brand LHOOQ, which "repositioned the jewellery for the punk market" by upcycling vintage trinkets. His "memento mori" series focused on crosses and skulls, anticipating gothic fashion and showcasing a macabre sensibility. In music, he joined Lydia Lunch's Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, a band that was, according to Gorton, "really intense, abrasive, not friendly – just a perfect band." Jim Sclavunos, who later drummed for Sonic Youth and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, remembers Stevenson as "a very striking presence, depraved in the right ways." His most ambitious work was the film Ecstatic Stigmatic, a $5,000 production inspired by Catholic mysticism and the Jonestown massacre, which Sclavunos found "surprised by how good it was. A lot of no wave cinema looked juvenile. But Ecstatic Stigmatic was very shadowy, sleazy and sexual."The Impact on Contemporary CultureThe rediscovery of Stevenson's work comes at a time when there is renewed interest in the no wave movement and its influence on contemporary art and music. His story offers insight into the creative ferment of late-70s New York, a time when the city's financial struggles paradoxically created space for artistic experimentation. The letters Stevenson wrote to his parents, which his family has recovered, provide a personal window into this period, chronicling life in the downtown demimonde and his experiences as one of New York's first Aids patients. As his sister Barbara Stevenson notes, "Gordon always belonged in New York," and with this rediscovery, his rightful place in the city's artistic pantheon is finally being secured.

The Lead Electric trucks are increasingly challenging diesel's dominance in Australia's transportation sector, with manufacturers demonstrating impressive capabilities while the country faces rising fuel costs and energy security concerns. The Electric Truck Performance Breakthrough Electric truck manufacturers like Windrose have conducted successful trials in Australia, including an extreme test pulling 68 tonnes up the notorious Mount Ousley escarpment from Port Kembla to Sydney. Bo Christensen, a fleet electrification specialist who followed the Windrose prime mover in last year's trial, noted: "It's a very tough run, but we were overtaking pretty much all the trucks going up the hill. We did it pretty comfortably." Windrose trucks claim a range of almost 700 kilometers and can be recharged from zero to 60% in about 35 minutes, with planned upgrades expected to improve these specifications in the next two years. The Financial Impact Analysis The ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the US-Israel war on Iran and conflicts over the Strait of Hormuz oil shipping route, have sent diesel prices soaring and highlighted Australia's reliance on imported fuel. In response, the Australian government announced a $10 billion fuel security package, including $3.2 billion to store a billion more liters of diesel and jet fuel. Meanwhile, Windrose has already sold 10 electric trucks in Australia at $450,000 each, with the company's founder Wen Han aiming to sell "hundreds" more this year and 20,000 by 2030 as part of a global target of 100,000 trucks. The Industry Transformation Australia's transportation landscape is experiencing a significant shift with multiple electric truck manufacturers entering the market. Research from Mov3ment shows Volvo, Sany, Daimler, Foton and Deepway are all selling in Australia, with 332 electric trucks and vans sold in Australia last year—triple the previous year. Major companies including Ikea, Woolworths, Australia Post, Coles, Coca-Cola and Temple & Webster have introduced electric trucks, partnering with logistics firms like Linfox, Toll and ANC. Zenobē is also deploying a new fleet of 30 trucks in Melbourne and Sydney for Winnings. The Future Outlook Despite the growing presence of electric trucks, Australia has "radically fallen behind" global adoption rates, with only 0.7% of new truck sales being electric compared with 20% in China, 7% in Germany and 2% in the UK. The Energy Futures Foundation estimates that up to 80% of Australia's truck fleet could be electrified with existing technology, with more than half of Australia's diesel trucks set to reach their usual replacement age in the next five years. Bruce Hardy, executive director of the Energy Futures Foundation, warns: "If we don't offer a meaningful pathway [to electric] then we lock-in diesel trucks for another 15 years."

The Historic Victory Bulgarians have rejoiced in their country's first victory at the Eurovision song contest as fans welcomed home the singer whose party anthem Bangaranga proved an unexpected breakthrough hit. "Dara is yet more proof that Bulgaria can win," declared the new prime minister, Rumen Radev, of Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, known simply as Dara. He hailed "a young artist who, thanks to her talent and professionalism, has managed to rise above all the complexities and prejudices surrounding the [Eurovision] voting process". The Competition Landscape The final, which took place in Vienna on Saturday night, was boycotted by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland over Israel's participation. Outside the venue, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators had marched past chanting "boycott Eurovision". In the event, Israel's entry, Michelle, sung by Noam Bettan, came second on 343 points; while Dara's Bangaranga scored 516 points. The United Kingdom, once again, performed poorly, with its entry, Ein, Zwei, Drei by Look Mum No Computer AKA musician Sam Battle, finishing 25th (last) with a tally of just 1 point. A Nation's Unified Celebration The surprise Bulgarian success was met with delight in the south-eastern European country, where Dara, 27, was toasted by the foreign minister as the country's greatest young ambassador and proof that "talent, courage and hard work" can pay off. Ina Dobreva, Dara's former acting teacher in her home town of Varna, said she was delighted for her old student and that she fully deserved her victory. The win, she added, was a much-needed ray of hope at a turbulent time in the country. Bulgaria's Political Context "Bulgarians really needed to have a moment like this where we can gather around common happiness," Dobreva said. Bulgaria, an EU member state, has undergone years of political instability, recently holding its eighth election in five years. "I didn't expect Bulgaria to win, so it was quite nice to see that for the first time, we actually managed to do it," said Kristina Dureva, 25, a recruitment specialist from Sofia. International Recognition Ilayda Kayalar, 21, an interior design student also from the capital, said that winning the Eurovision cemented Bulgaria's EU integration while helping to bolster the country's popularity on the international scene. "I'm really happy today," said Kayalar. "Winning [the Eurovision] means that Bulgaria is finally known for something." The Road to 2027 Dara said that in a turbulent world Bangaranga represented "a quiet belief that everything's going to be all right". She told a press conference: "Nobody believed that we can win and that Bangaranga can win, and having this love from all the juries and all the audience tonight. It feels like a dream. I don't know if I am sleeping or is it reality?" Bulgaria is already turning its mind to 2027, according to the general director of BNT, the public broadcaster. Both the mayor of Sofia and Burgas, a port city on the Black Sea, are reported to be lobbying for their city to host next year's edition. A Triumphant Welcome Home Dara made a triumphant arrival in Sofia on Sunday evening, with Vasil Terziev, the mayor of Sofia, saying: "She will be greeted with a red carpet."

The Auction Floor: A Microcosm of the UK Housing CrisisAt the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in central London, a frantic scene of numbered paddles and gavel blows unfolded as a woman shouted, “That’s my house,” while her 20‑year home was auctioned off. The episode encapsulated the human toll of a market where mortgage arrears and rising living costs are pushing long‑term residents into public sales.Escalating Auction Volumes and Repo‑Driven ListingsProperty auctions have become a major channel for disposing of distressed assets. In 2025, Essential Information Group reported that nearly £5.9 bn of residential and commercial stock changed hands at auction, up from £5.5 bn the previous year. Repossessed homes now account for more than 20% of auction inventory, driven by higher mortgage rates and the broader cost‑of‑living crisis.14,025 mortgage repossession orders were issued in England and Wales in 2024 – the highest in five years.300 properties across England and Wales were listed for sale at the London auction, ranging from a £1 guide‑price boarded‑up house in the north‑east to multi‑million‑pound estates.£5.9 bn in Auction Sales Highlights Market ShiftThe jump to £5.9 bn signals a structural shift: auctions are no longer a niche for “homes‑under‑the‑hammer” but a mainstream venue for high‑quality properties. Examples from the day include:A one‑bedroom basement flat in Pimlico sold for just over £450,000.A four‑bedroom townhouse in Wapping fetched £800,000.A Devon bungalow with garden sold for £327,500.Buyers’ premiums of 2‑5% are added to these prices, further boosting auction house revenues.Why Auctions Are Becoming a Mainstream Buying ChannelIndustry insiders note a changing perception. Alex Greaves, a buying agent at Ridgestone Property, expects weekly repossession lots at auction and sees “an uptick” in central London listings. Liam Gretton, an estate agent in Wirral, likens high‑value homes at auction to selling a Picasso – the venue guarantees exposure and swift settlement.Younger buyers are also entering the arena. First‑time purchaser Alice Helps, 26, secured a Somerset semi‑detached house for £178,000 after a virtual bid, illustrating how auctions can provide a pathway onto the property ladder when traditional new‑builds are unaffordable.Future Outlook: Auctions and Affordable‑Home AccessAs mortgage pressures persist, the auction market is likely to expand further. Analysts anticipate:Continued growth in repo‑driven listings, especially in London and the South East.Greater adoption of online bidding platforms, lowering the psychological barrier for first‑time buyers.Potential policy scrutiny over the transparency and consumer protection standards of auction sales.If these trends hold, auctions could become a pivotal mechanism for delivering affordable housing, but they also risk cementing a market where distressed sellers have limited bargaining power.

The Lead: Neymar's Substitution Fury Brazilian forward Neymar has stirred up a storm with his recent on-field behaviour and comments as he looks to make a comeback to the national squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 34-year-old has not represented his country since October 2023 and is in a race against time to prove his fitness before the tournament squad submission deadline. The Substitution Incident: A Technical Error That Sparked Controversy Neymar was mistakenly substituted during Santos's Serie A match against Coritiba after match officials signalled the wrong player number. The striker was left fuming after the fourth official held up the substitution board with Neymar's number 10 on display, forcing the player to come off the pitch in the 65th minute. Robinho Jr came on to replace Neymar, who refused to leave the field and ended up receiving a yellow card for his behaviour. The Santos captain then gesticulated at the official, snatched the substitution slip from him, and showed it to television cameras to prove that teammate Gonzalo Escobar was to be substituted instead. Santos lost the match 3-0 and are close to the relegation zone with 18 points from 16 games. The club later confirmed the match official made an erroneous substitution. "The fourth official got the substitution wrong," Santos said in a post on X. "This was confirmed by the television coverage and by the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable error that was not corrected." The World Cup Dilemma: Fitness, Form, and Selection Pressure The famous number 10's place in the World Cup squad has been the biggest talking point in local media and among his fans in recent weeks. Neymar has spent the past few months trying to prove his fitness for the June 11 to July 19 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has scored six goals in 15 appearances for Santos since returning from knee surgery in February. However, despite making a comeback for his boyhood club, Neymar has spent time on the sidelines due to muscle injuries and niggles. Brazil's leading goal scorer with 79 goals, two more than all-time icon Pele, has publicly expressed his desire to make a return for the Selecao. The decision is now down to head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who will lead Brazil at the World Cup and remain in charge of the team until 2030. Ancelotti's Calculated Decision: Balancing Talent and Fitness Ancelotti has repeatedly said Neymar will need to prove his fitness to be considered for national team selection. "When you have to choose, you have to consider many things," Ancelotti told the Reuters news agency. "Neymar is an important player for this country because of the talent he has always shown. But he has had problems and is working hard to recover. He has improved a lot recently and is playing regularly. It is obviously not such an easy decision for me. We have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully." Teammates have lobbied for Neymar's inclusion, while supporters remain split between affection and anxiety over whether his body can still keep pace with his imagination. "I know full well that Neymar is much loved, not only by the public but also by the players," Ancelotti said. "This is also a factor, because we have to consider the atmosphere that will surround Neymar's call-up." Neymar's Response: Defying Critics and Proving His Worth Neymar said on Sunday he had to endure "nonsense" criticism as he worked his way back from serious injuries and is satisfied he has done all he can to prove he is fully fit and deserves a place in the squad. "Physically, I feel great. I've been improving with every game," Neymar said after the controversy-hit game for Santos. "I've done my absolute best – it wasn't easy. I'll admit it wasn't easy. It's been years of hard work, and also of a lot of nonsense being said about my condition and what I was doing. It's really sad the way people talk about it. I worked hard, quietly, at home, suffering because of what people were saying, and it all worked out. I've made it to where I wanted to be in one piece. I'm happy with my performance, with everything I've done so far … Whatever happens, Ancelotti will certainly call up the 26 best players for this battle." Tactical Considerations: Where Neymar Fits in Brazil's Plans Even if he is fully fit, Neymar will also need to fit into Ancelotti's plans for his World Cup squad. Ancelotti says he wants four forwards who can run, press, and track back, a demanding template for a player who has struggled to string together a sustained run of matches. The Italian, however, said Neymar had shown signs of progress. "He has improved his fitness a lot in recent matches," Ancelotti said. "He has played some very good matches lately. His fitness has improved. He can maintain a high intensity in a match. But there are matches and matches." Ancelotti said the decision to select Neymar would be his alone. "I haven't been pressured by anyone to call up Neymar. I have complete autonomy," he said. "The decision will be 100% professional. I will only take into account how he is performing as a footballer. Nothing else." The Road to World Cup 2026: Final Selection Looms Ancelotti is expected to name his preliminary squad on Monday. He can list up to 55 players, but the final squad, to be confirmed by June 1, will be trimmed down to 26. The selection process comes at a critical time for Brazil, who will be one of the favorites to win the tournament across three North American nations. For Neymar, the coming weeks represent perhaps the most important period of his career as he balances the desire to represent his country with the physical limitations that have plagued his recent seasons. The football world watches with anticipation to see if the talented number 10 can overcome these obstacles and add one more chapter to his already storied career.

The Lead Adèle Exarchopoulos, known for her role in the 2013 film 'Blue Is the Warmest Colour', stars in 'Garance', a film about an actor struggling with alcohol addiction. The film, directed by Jeanne Herry, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Exarchopoulos' Performance Exarchopoulos plays Garance, a young actor who adores the character of the same name in Marcel Carné's movie classic 'Les Enfants du Paradis'. Her performance is praised, particularly in scenes where she performs on stage. However, the film's portrayal of addiction is criticized for being superficial. The Film's Flaws The film's depiction of Garance's struggles with addiction is seen as glib and unsatisfying. The character's recovery is swift and easy, with Garance quitting drinking without much struggle. This is contrasted with the more nuanced portrayals of addiction often seen in films. The Impact of 'Garance' 'Garance' is part of a long line of films that tackle the topic of addiction. While Exarchopoulos' performance is praised, the film's superficial portrayal of addiction may not resonate with audiences looking for a more realistic depiction. The Future of 'Garance' Despite its flaws, 'Garance' is likely to generate buzz due to Exarchopoulos' involvement. The film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival ensures it will be seen by a wide audience, and Exarchopoulos' fans will likely be eager to see her performance.

The Hollywood Backlash Against #MeTooCate Blanchett has lamented that the #MeToo movement "got killed very quickly" in Hollywood, while speaking at the Cannes film festival. In a wide-ranging conversation on Sunday, the acclaimed actress expressed concern that the tide of #MeToo has been turned in an industry where she has been outspoken about gender equality.Blanchett's Observations on Gender Disparity"It got killed very quickly, which I think is interesting," said Blanchett. "There are a lot of people with platforms who are able to speak up with relative safety and say this has happened to me. And the so-called average woman on the street, person on the street, is saying me too. Why does that get shut down?"Blanchett detailed her daily experiences on film sets, stating: "I'm still on film sets and I do the headcount every day. There's 10 women and there's 75 men every morning."The Evolution of Gender Representation in FilmIn 2018, when Blanchett was president of the jury at Cannes, she participated in a red-carpet protest with 81 other women, representing the total number of female directors who had been selected for the Cannes competition lineup, compared with the 1,866 male directors who had been selected over the same period."I love men, but what happens is the jokes become the same," she said. "You just have to brace yourself slightly, and I'm used to that, but it just gets boring for everybody when you walk into a homogeneous workplace. I think it has an effect on the work."Industry Perspectives on ChangeJulianne Moore also spoke at Cannes on the weekend about gender disparity on film sets, saying she believed numbers had improved in the last decade. Speaking at a Kering Women in Motion talk on Saturday, Moore recalled being one of two women on a set around 2016. "I can remember being on a set not too long ago where the only women were me and the third AC [assistant camera]," she said.Blanchett's comments come as she prepares to star in The Brutalist director Brady Corbet's next film, an "X-rated" feature set in the 1970s, alongside Selena Gomez and Michael Fassbender.

Smallie by Eden McKenzie‑Goddard is a debut novel that intertwines a 1960s Caribbean migration story with a present‑day Home Office removal notice, exposing the personal toll of the Windrush scandal.Dual Timeline Reveals the Machinery of ExclusionThe narrative alternates between 1961, when 19‑year‑old Lucinda Brown sails from Barbados to England in search of the father of her child, and 2026, when she receives a terse Home Office letter declaring her an illegal immigrant after 50 years in the country. This structure lets McKenzie‑Goddard juxtapose the intimate details of Lucinda’s daily life—her cramped Hackney flat, long cleaning shifts, and fraught relationships—with the cold, bureaucratic logic that can erase a lifetime of belonging in an instant.Financial and Publishing ContextPublisher: VikingRetail price: £16.99Length: just under 300 pagesRelease date: 2026While modest in size, the book’s production values and pricing place it squarely in the mainstream literary market, ensuring wide accessibility for readers interested in contemporary British fiction.Why the Novel Reshapes the Windrush NarrativeSmallie moves beyond reportage by giving voice to the “invisible” lives reduced to paperwork. Through Lucinda’s son Mark’s description of a removal van as “a cage,” the novel illustrates how state decisions become personal trauma. The inclusion of a Conservative MP son mirrors real‑world political debates, forcing readers to confront the paradox of families caught in the very policies they help shape.Literary Merits and Stylistic ChoicesProse described as lyrical yet restrained, avoiding overwriting.Use of Caribbean dialect adds authenticity and warmth.Cliffhanger‑driven pacing gives the novel a propulsive energy.Some secondary relationships feel under‑developed, a minor drawback in an otherwise dense work.These elements collectively position Smallie alongside classics like Andrea Levy’s Small Island, but with a sharper focus on the fragility of belonging.Future of British Immigrant LiteratureAs one of the first novels to tackle the Windrush scandal head‑on, Smallie is likely to become a reference point for future writers exploring post‑colonial British identity. Its success may encourage publishers to invest in more stories that blend personal narrative with systemic critique, expanding the literary canon around migration and state power.