Wall-E is a beautiful Pixar Disney film following the eponymous robot and his adventure to bring humanity back to Earth – but watching this film again in the age of Coronavirus brings some harrowing truths to the surface.
Set in the future but more relevant than ever today, WALL-E depicts a suffocated planet Earth – so strewn with litter humans have been forced to leave. As they float in space, robots have been left to clear up their mess back home.
Described as a romance set in a dystopian future constructed as a children’s tale, WALL-E hints at days to come. And they may be here sooner than we might have thought.
Wall-E Pixar
During the first months of lockdown, we saw our beaches litter-free for the first time.
Pavements and walkways were clean and pollution levels were at an all-time low. People were realising their appreciation for nature and the joy it brought them during their permitted hour of outdoor exercise.
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But a relaxation in the rules has brought a lacklustre attitude to our surroundings. The sunlight we had once soaked up from our windows or from a quick walk around the block suddenly became a calling card to race to the beach.
Within hours, tourist spots were overcrowded and left in a disgusting state – with locals forced to tidy the leftover piles of debris.
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It has become clear that some are fed up of finding litter strewn across their paths and walkways – with one nineteen-year-old sharing his despair at the scene of Formby Beach.
“It looked disgusting and I felt like I had to do something,” said Matthew Baines.
“I went to clear up on a number of occasions, but as an individual I collected around 10-15 bin bags full of rubbish.
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“If you bring things to the beach, you should take it home with you, you carried it on to the beach, why can’t you carry it off the beach?”
Matthew Baines @ Formby Beach
As well as the environment, WALL-E also deals with the elements of separation, dependency and affinity – three topics that have proven particularly prevalent during the past 100 days or so.
Humans in the movie are bed bound, glued to a screen and unable to do anything without the aid of a robot, whilst WALL-E himself longs for a physical connection.
In waking life, being without the ones we love for such an extended period of time has been extremely difficult – and many of us are still waiting for that first hug when this is finally all over.
Wall-E Pixar
Technology has helped us stay connected with friends and family, but mental health has been a huge factor for many – especially those who have struggled to find motivation to get out of bed.
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It it this growing reliance on tech for basic needs – such as turning on a light or winding up the blind – that WALL-E warns of.
Memes have circulated social media about whether we will forget how to socialise when we go back into society. But for all the romantics out there, Wall-E does offer some hope – suggesting that true love prevails any disaster and humanity can work together no matter what.
For an hour-and-a-half, sit down and watch WALL-E this weekend.
It’ll hit you harder now than it ever did before.
Wall-E is currently available to rewatch on Disney +
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Rules around booking driving tests in UK change from today to make system ‘fairer’
Emily Sergeant
The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.
It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.
Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.
While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.
Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.
The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.
“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.
“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.
“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”
Featured Image – Pxfuel
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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
Jess Walmsley -
4th July 2020 
