Hasn't been much news of the ekpyrotic model since WTC911. Actually we had assumed there would be no news at all until the gravitational blueshift had been observed, at which time we could all switch over.
By the time we observe the blueshift, the contraction will have already been underway for 15 billion years. This phase of the universe will be mostly over and we will have only just arrived. But such news will not change my plans for the weekend.