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The Rise of Frances Chang's Unique Sound Frances Chang, a Brooklyn-based musician, is gaining attention for her distinctive songwriting style, which is both magnetic and uncanny. Her music is often compared to artists like Cate Le Bon, Astrid Sonne, and Julia Holter. Exploring Chang's Musical Style Chang's songs are characterized by their internal logic, evoking a sense of uncanny domesticity. Her music features casual piano refrains, rainy percussion, and softly flaring synths. Her new single, 'No Avatar,' showcases her conversational and serene vocals. This Week's Best New Tracks Lambchop – Weakened: A simple yet beautiful ballad featuring Kurt Wagner's vocals, backed by guitar, choir, and Justin Vernon on banjo. Silvana Estrada and PabloPablo – Antes de Ti: A elegant song featuring Estrada's cuatro and a liquid, orchestral pivot. Josh da Costa – Proving Me Right: A new wave anthem with a chorus reminiscent of Sparks. Martin Brugger – Knees, Hands, Shoulders, Teeth: Ambient music with softly clanking, mournful sounds and traces of Kentucky post-rock. Bedouine – On My Own: A ballad with classic piano-driven MOR and affecting vocals. Resonant Bodies – Failed Hornpipe for Jacken: A refined and hopeful song featuring nyckelharpa and hammered dulcimer. Liz Lawrence – Exploded Into Flowers: A powerful tribute to her sister, with a robust repeating melody. Discover More New Music Subscribe to the Guardian's rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify or transfer it to Apple, Tidal, or other services to explore more new music.

The Threat to a Historic Cinema The survival of one of the UK's oldest independent cinemas, the Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP) in east Oxford, is under threat due to its landlord, Oriel College, refusing to extend its lease. The cinema, which opened in 1911, has been a staple in the community, entertaining generations of students and residents, including Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes. The Cinema's History and Current Status The UPP recently became a community-owned business after more than 1,200 supporters raised funds to keep the cinema operating in the Grade II-listed building. Despite its historical significance and community support, plans to secure its long-term future have been dashed by Oriel College's reluctance to approve an extension that would allow further investments and renovations. Financial Challenges and Community Impact The cinema's operating costs have increased by 25% over the last four years, and it remains on a financial knife-edge. Micaela Tuckwell, the UPP's executive director, stated that grants are available to improve the cinema's energy efficiency and accessibility, but these improvements cannot go ahead without Oriel agreeing to extend the current lease past 2037. The Future of the Cinema A campaign and petition to save the UPP has gathered 22,000 signatures, and the MP for Oxford East, Anneliese Dodds, has raised the UPP's future in parliament. The cinema is known for its alternative and artistic programming, with foreign language films accounting for more than a fifth of ticket sales. Despite the post-pandemic fall-off in national audiences, the UPP reported a 20% increase in ticket sales, with a quarter of its sales to under-25s.

The Historic Abbey Road Listening SessionStudio Two at Abbey Road was transformed into an intimate setting for a remarkable event as Paul McCartney surprised 50 competition-winning fans with an exclusive preview of his new album, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane." The legendary musician, dressed casually in an armchair with just his guitar and memorabilia surrounding him, created a living-room atmosphere in the very space where The Beatles recorded most of their iconic hits between 1962 and 1970.A Personal Journey Through Music and MemoryOver 90 minutes, the world's most successful living songwriter took fans on a deeply personal journey, sharing memories of his youth in Liverpool, anecdotes about his friendship with John Lennon and George Harrison, and insights into his songwriting process. As each track played, McCartney mouthed the lyrics and mimed along to the instruments, visibly moved by the emotional connection to his work.The Making of "The Boys of Dungeon Lane"The album began, McCartney explained, with a chance discovery five years ago during a meeting with producer Andrew Watt. While idly playing guitar, he stumbled upon an unfamiliar chord that evolved into a three-chord sequence, becoming the opening track "As You Lie There." The record, billed as his most personal to date, turns inward to postwar Liverpool, his parents' resilience, and early adventures with The Beatles, with McCartney playing a wide array of instruments across the tracks.Emotional Connections to the Past"This was a lot of memories of Liverpool for me," McCartney shared, "but also any days we've left behind. Everyone's got them – school, old mates." The album's title track references Dungeon Lane near the River Mersey, where he roamed as a boy, and contains what he called a "secret code" and promise made to Lennon at his childhood home: "I stand by what I said, the promise that I made will never be broken."The Legacy ContinuesOutside the studio, tourists continued to gather at the famous zebra crossing immortalized on The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover, seemingly unaware of the historic moment unfolding nearby. This intimate preview at the hallowed ground where The Beatles created so much of their musical legacy represents a full circle moment for McCartney, who continues to find new inspiration while honoring his extraordinary past.

The Accusation Against Rebel Wilson Rebel Wilson has been accused in court of being a liar who made up terrible claims about her colleagues and completely rewrote history. The Pitch Perfect star copped the blunt assessment in the dying hours of a fiery defamation battle where she is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in musical comedy The Deb which Wilson directed, co-produced and starred in. The Defamation Claims MacInnes claims Wilson defamed her in a series of social media posts that suggested she is a liar and a sellout who walked back a sexual misconduct complaint to further her career. The posts claimed MacInnes confided to the older actor – and later recanted – she felt uncomfortable when the film’s co-producer Amanda Ghost asked to have a shower and a bath together. The Inconsistencies in Wilson's Evidence MacInnes’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC accused Wilson of a “complete revision of history” littered with dishonesty during her emphatic closing address in the Federal Court on Friday. She noted the Bridesmaids actor testified she told local producer Greer Simpkin about the alleged complaint on the day it was made to her, but that had been contradicted in court. Simpkin gave evidence she had not heard that Wilson claimed her co-star felt uncomfortable about the incident until it was relayed by Ghost a week later. Wilson's own witnesses have discredited her, Chrysanthou told the court. The Impact on MacInnes MacInnes has suffered devastating harm as a result of the social media posts and hasn’t worked since she starred in a stage production – a role which she had previously secured, her barrister said. “My client has been unable to eat, unable to sleep, has been distressed … (she) fears what Rebel Wilson is going to do to her next,” Chrysanthou said. “No young woman dreams of being pulled into the spotlight by a celebrity and maligned”. Wilson's Response But Wilson testified the young star doesn’t appear to have sustained any damage to her reputation or career, pointing to the lead role and a six-figure record deal MacInnes has secured. “She’s changed her story, she’s flip-flopped and she’s been given huge benefits,” she said.

The Geopolitical Fracture at the Venice BiennaleThe world's most prestigious art exhibition, the Venice Biennale, was transformed into a flashpoint for geopolitical dissent on its preview day. A strike organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga) aimed to bar Israel from the event due to its ongoing war in Gaza, resulting in a chaotic shutdown of multiple national pavilions just 24 hours before the public opening.The Anatomy of the Biennale ShutdownThe protest was not merely symbolic; it physically altered the visitor experience. The Austrian pavilion, which featured a standout work, remained closed for the entire day, while several others shuttered their doors intermittently. The disruption was widespread, affecting the Belgian, Dutch, Japanese, Macedonian, and Korean pavilions. Even the British and Spanish pavilions faced closures, reopening only after securing additional staff to manage the Italian cultural workers' strike.Disruption Metrics: A Snapshot of ChaosOrganizer: Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga)Pavilions Closed: Over a dozen, including Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Japan, Macedonia, and KoreaSupport Actions: Artists added references to Palestine, hung flags, and displayed posters reading "Palestine is the future of the world."Historical Precedent: This follows a pattern of disruption, including the 1968 student occupation and the 1970 Communist party protests that led to award suspensions.From Art to Activism: The Institutional CrisisThis year's edition underscores a critical shift in how international institutions handle geopolitical conflicts. The crisis began earlier in the week when the jury resigned en masse after refusing to consider entries from countries with leaders facing international arrest warrants. Furthermore, the UK government refused to send a minister to open the British pavilion, citing the inclusion of Russia. The closure of the Israeli pavilion—initially due to a private event—added fuel to the fire, while the Russian pavilion had already been forced to shut down temporarily due to a Pussy Riot protest.The Future of Cultural DiplomacyThe Venice Biennale 2026 signals that art institutions can no longer remain neutral in the face of global atrocities. As the "cultural boycott" movement gains momentum, we can expect more international events to face similar disruptions. The question for the art world is no longer just about aesthetic merit, but about the moral responsibility of hosting nations and the resilience of the artistic community against political pressure.

Standout Art Pieces at the 2026 Venice Biennale The 2026 Venice Biennale features several standout art pieces that are worth noting. Here are some of the most notable ones: Florentina Holzinger's Post-Apocalyptic Pavilion Florentina Holzinger's pavilion is a post-apocalyptic installation that features her suspended upside down from the clappers of a large bell. The pavilion also includes a woman riding a speedboat in circles, two others suspended at the top of a pole, and another sitting entirely submerged in a tank. The installation is transgressive and thought-provoking, and it quickly became the talk of the town. Sanya Kantarovsky's Eerie Seances Sanya Kantarovsky's paintings are like stills from very intense films. His show features book-lined rooms with incredible Murano glass chandeliers, and it culminates with an incredibly detailed sculpture of the head of a boy, also in Murano glass. The atmosphere is like a weird seance between the centuries. Gabrielle Goliath's Hypnotic Mourners Gabrielle Goliath's performance, Elegy, is a ritual of mourning for women killed in acts of sexualized or racialized violence. The performance features operatically trained female performers holding a single high note, and it is both hypnotic and moving. Carrie Schneider's Photographic Curls Carrie Schneider's photographic curls are a 1.5km-long installation that repeats over and over a still from Chris Marker's 1962 film La Jetée. The installation is thought-provoking and visually stunning. Lydia Ourahmane's Coin-Slot Art Lydia Ourahmane's sculptural show features components drawn entirely from the city of Venice. The show includes a beautiful new wooden pier, a bead curtain of Murano glass, and a contraption once used in a church to illuminate a Bellini. The installation is touching and thoughtful. Lawrence Abu Hamdan's Audio Detective Work Lawrence Abu Hamdan's installation, 450XL: the Story of a Fugitive Sound, investigates human rights abuses using sound as evidence. The installation features 15 screens resembling protest placards and is both thought-provoking and visually stunning. Zhanna Kadyrova's Origami Deer Zhanna Kadyrova's origami deer are a series of paper sculptures that are both beautiful and moving. The installation features a huge concrete deer dangling irresolutely from a crane on a flatbed truck, and it is accompanied by touching footage of the origami deer's journey.

The Film's Premise A new short film, Vitória Régia (Amazon Water Lily), has imagined a future where a far-right coup in Brazil succeeds, and the Amazon rainforest is surrendered to the United States. The film depicts a dystopian scenario where Brazilian democracy is annihilated, and the military takes power. A Nightmarish Scenario The film's plot centers around a scenario where Jair Bolsonaro's plot to seize power after the 2022 election is successful. The military takes control, censoring the media, purging ideological 'deviants,' and transferring control of the Amazon to Washington in exchange for its support of the coup. The Data Analysis The film highlights the potential consequences of such a coup, including the exploitation of the Amazon's natural resources by US interests. The film's director, Denis Kamioka, noted that the film was shot in March 2025, nearly a year before Donald Trump's administration took a similar stance in Venezuela. The Impact Analysis The film's lead actor, Alice Braga, said that the film became 'almost a documentary' given the similarities between the film's plot and real-life events. The film aims to draw attention to the threats facing Brazil's Indigenous peoples and their centuries-long quest to defend their traditional lands. The Prediction The film's creators hope that it will serve as a warning about the dangers of far-right extremism and the importance of protecting democracy and the environment. With Bolsonaro's politician son Flávio poised to challenge the leftwing incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for the presidency, the film's message is more relevant than ever.

The Cross-Border Attack Afghanistan's Taliban-led government has accused neighbouring Pakistan of killing three civilians in a cross-border attack, which Kabul has condemned as a 'war crime'. The Incident Details The incident on Monday marked the latest test of a fragile ceasefire between the two countries, brokered by China in April, following months of cross-border fighting that left hundreds dead and injured. Afghanistan's deputy government spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, said on X that 14 others were injured in the attack. He accused Islamabad of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, a health centre, and mosques in Dangam, Kunar province, which lies along the border with Pakistan. The Diplomatic Fallout Islamabad has dismissed the allegations. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting suggested Kabul may have staged the destruction, saying in a post on X that images released by Afghanistan showed damage inconsistent with artillery strikes. It said the incident could be part of a 'propaganda effort' to discredit Pakistan, following cross-border attacks in March and April that killed nine people and that Islamabad blamed on its neighbour. The Security Situation The rise in tensions comes as one person was killed late on Monday in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border, when security forces foiled a suicide attack at a checkpoint. Several others were injured as security personnel opened fire on the attacker's car, which was packed with explosives and heading towards a military post. The vehicle exploded before reaching its target. The Expert Analysis Director of the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) Muhammad Amir Rana told Al Jazeera that Pakistan faces multiple challenges in carrying out cross-border attacks. 'Precision is a real problem for Pakistan when it comes to its cross-border strikes. Effective and foolproof intelligence is the critical missing link – without it, controlling collateral damage becomes the central challenge.' 'What we are also seeing is that Pakistan's security situation has worsened considerably since the war on Iran began on February 28.' The Future Outlook Rana added he was not hopeful of a diplomatic breakthrough anytime soon. 'Pakistan's diplomatic capital is growing and it is not willing to offer any concessions to Kabul, while the Afghan side is asking why it should concede anything.'

The Lead At least four people have been killed in political unrest after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party won the state election in West Bengal, police and party officials say. The Election Results and Violence Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls in its first-ever victory in the key eastern state, home to about 100 million people, winning 206 of the 294 assembly seats. The results led to clashes between rival party supporters in the state capital, Kolkata, and other West Bengal districts. The BJP reported two of their workers were killed. The TMC party also reported two of their workers were beaten to death. The Data Analysis A senior police officer confirmed four deaths in clashes and said one officer had been shot in the leg. The violence resulted in the vandalism of public property and TMC party offices. The Impact Analysis The BJP's victory in the largely Bengali-speaking state is one of its most significant since Modi was first elected prime minister in 2014, expanding its dominance beyond the Hindi-speaking heartland of north and central India. The TMC party, led by Mamata Banerjee, had ruled West Bengal since 2011. The Prediction The Election Commission of India directed West Bengal's top officials to enforce "zero tolerance" towards any incidents of post-poll violence. Analysts say the BJP's win could have significant implications for the state's politics and potentially lead to further unrest.