Thriller

• England advanced to the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals to face Norway following a dramatic last-16 victory over Mexico. • In a separate sporting development, Tottenham Hotspur signed midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United on Monday. • The transfer is reported to be a club record for Spurs, with the deal valued at up to £100 million ($132.75 million).

• Beijing-based Z.ai recently released the GLM-5.2 AI model, which has earned praise from Silicon Valley for its ability to handle complex tasks with minimal prompts. • The model is noted for rivaling US counterparts while operating at a fraction of the cost, drawing comparisons to the "DeepSeek moment" of January 2025. • This development occurs despite stringent US export controls designed to prevent China from accessing the advanced hardware and inputs necessary for AI development.

• Germany and Sweden secured dominant victories in their respective World Cup matches on Sunday. • Japan and the Netherlands engaged in a high-scoring thriller, while Ivory Coast narrowly defeated Ecuador. • These results shape the group standings and momentum as teams compete for advancement in the tournament.

• Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in a three-game thriller at the Singapore Open 2026 quarter-finals. • The fourth-seeded Indian pair secured their victory with a final score of 19-21, 21-17, 21-13, overcoming an early deficit to advance. • This result levels the international head-to-head record between the two pairs at 1-1, marking a critical win for the Indian duo in the tournament.

• Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew defeated Japan's Watanabe Koki in a semi-final thriller on Saturday, May 30, to advance to the BWF Singapore Open final. • This victory marks the first time in 24 years that a home player has reached the men's singles final of the tournament. • In the other semi-final, a French player secured a spot in the final by defeating Indonesia's Alwi Farhan in straight sets (21-14, 21-11) in 41 minutes.

What began as a tiny space above the founder’s stables became the beating heart of the city’s performing arts. Its leader Jimmy Fay reflects on recent hits and reveals what audiences can expect from the theatre’s anniversary year‘The Lyric gives voice to everyone in Northern Ireland,” says the theatre’s boss, Jimmy Fay. “It’s a beacon.” Fay views the 2026 programme, celebrating 75 years of the Lyric, as an opportunity to showcase current creative talent, as well as honouring the theatre’s past.One of the plays from the repertoire that Fay was keen to revive is Christina Reid’s Tea in a China Cup, from 1983. With a cast including Marie Jones, the new production – which runs in May – is directed by Dan Gordon, who performed in the original. Reid’s play traces the daily lives of Protestant working-class women in Belfast across three decades, from the second world war to the Troubles, with humour and poignancy. Continue reading...

Killhouse is based on real-life story of civilian couple saved from battlefield by Ukrainian drone operatorsIt is being billed as Ukraine’s answer to Saving Private Ryan, updated for an age of drones.The war movie Killhouse is an action thriller which shows off the latest in battlefield technology. Released this week, it features cameos by figures well known in Ukraine, including the nation’s former military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. One missing person is Donald Trump. The film is conveniently set in 2024, when Washington and Kyiv were allies. Continue reading...