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Early‑stage evidence from a University of Bristol randomised controlled trial suggests that the anti‑inflammatory drug tocilizumab may improve symptoms in patients with moderate‑to‑severe depression who have not responded to standard antidepressants.Trial Overview: Testing Tocilizumab for Treatment‑Resistant DepressionThe study examined whether blocking the IL‑6R receptor could alleviate depressive symptoms. Key design elements:Participants: 30 adults with moderate‑to‑severe depression unresponsive to conventional medication.Intervention: Intravenous tocilizumab versus placebo.Duration: four‑week double‑blind period.Outcomes measured: depression severity, fatigue, state anxiety, and quality of life.Key Numbers: Sample Size, Remission Rates, and NNTAlthough the trial was not powered to reach statistical significance, observed trends were notable:Depression remission: 54% in the tocilizumab group vs 31% in the placebo group.Number Needed to Treat (NNT): 5, meaning five patients would need treatment for one additional remission.For comparison, the NNT for first‑line SSRIs is approximately 7.The lack of robust statistical proof reflects the small cohort, underscoring the need for larger studies.Potential Shift in Depression Treatment ParadigmsResearchers describe the trial as an “important milestone” because it is:One of the first randomised trials to test immunotherapy for depression.The inaugural study targeting the IL‑6R pathway in this context.A proof‑of‑concept for selecting patients based on biological markers.Given that up to one‑third of depressed patients do not improve with existing pharmacotherapies, a biologically driven approach could expand therapeutic options and move psychiatry toward more personalised care.What Comes Next: Larger Studies and Clinical ImplicationsThe investigators plan to:Conduct larger, multi‑centre trials to confirm efficacy and safety.Explore longer treatment durations and dosage optimisation.Assess whether IL‑6R blockade can be combined with existing antidepressants.If subsequent trials replicate these findings, immunotherapy could become a viable adjunct or alternative for treatment‑resistant depression, potentially reshaping clinical guidelines and drug development pipelines.

Google DeepMind's Shift in Labor Relations Google DeepMind, the artificial intelligence arm of Google, has agreed to enter formal talks with UK tech workers that could lead to trade union representation. This move comes amid growing staff concerns about the use of its AI by the US and Israeli governments' defence and intelligence. The Concerns Driving Unionization Hundreds of workers have signed petitions raising concerns about the application of the technology, with concern rising since the company's 2025 decision to drop a promise not to allow its technologies to be used in harmful weapons or surveillance that violated international norms. The Impact of AI on Labor Rights The move comes as Google is facing a court challenge from a DeepMind AI researcher of Palestinian heritage who alleges he was wrongfully dismissed after protesting against its work for the Israeli government. Israeli officials have credited Google's cloud computing with enabling 'phenomenal things [to] happen in combat' during the Gaza conflict. The Path Forward Google DeepMind declined to voluntarily recognise the unions for collective bargaining purposes, but said in a staff email on Wednesday that talks at Acas 'may lead to a formal ballot in a few months' time, giving all eligible employees the opportunity to vote on whether they want to be represented by the unions.' The Future of AI Development and Labor Relations A CWU source said: 'It's a concession that they need to address some of the serious issues on the shop floor. There's clearly a groundswell of opinion about the contracts they are expected to serve, for example the relationship with drone technology and the Israeli government and the relationship with the US military. This is definitely a step forward and they are not just shutting this off.'

The Lead: A New Global OrderRussian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have signed a joint declaration following their meeting in Beijing, focusing on building a "multipolar world and a new type of international relations". The two countries also announced that they had signed a large package of deals solidifying bilateral cooperation in the future.The meeting came just days after United States President Donald Trump completed his own visit to China for a two-day summit with Xi.Establishing a Multipolar World OrderOn Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "The two countries will also issue a joint statement on advocating for a multipolar world and a new type of international relations." Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described this declaration as a 47-page policy document.A "multipolar world" is understood as one in which economic, military and diplomatic power and influence are placed in the hands of three or more countries, rather than just one or two."Xi is calling for a more multipolar world, where the US has less power and influence," Al Jazeera's Katrina Yu reported from Beijing as the meeting was under way.Both Putin and Xi have spoken out against the "unipolar" hegemony that they say the US has over the world.In 2022, shortly after the beginning of Russia's war with Ukraine, Putin accused the US of stoking hostilities in Ukraine to maintain its global influence."They need conflicts to retain their hegemony," Putin said during a speech. "The era of the unipolar world order is nearing its end."Chinese state media reported that during the latest meeting, Xi said to Putin: "The tide of unilateral hegemony is running rampant."Russia-China Relations Reach Unprecedented LevelA press statement posted on the Kremlin website said relations between Russia and China had reached "a truly unprecedented level and continue to develop".The Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said: "Both sides should follow the trend of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results to promote higher-quality development of China-Russia relations."The statements added that bilateral cooperation extends to the worlds of economics, sport, education and the media.The Kremlin statement adds that this year marks the 70th anniversary of partnership between the Russian TASS news agency and the Chinese Xinhua news agency.Deepening Economic Cooperation and Moving Away from the US DollarThe Kremlin statement said Beijing and Moscow had signed around 40 intergovernmental, interagency and corporate documents. "Many of these focus on the further deepening of our economic cooperation," it noted.The statement added that, last year, trade between the two countries reached almost $240bn, while the Chinese statement said bilateral trade grew by 20 percent in the first four months of this year.Since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, Russia has become increasingly reliant on Chinese technology and manufacturing. Last month, Bloomberg reported that Russia now imports more than 90 percent of the technology targeted by US and European Union sanctions via China, using Chinese suppliers and intermediaries to obtain components with military and dual‑use applications vital to drone production and other defence industries."Both sides should build on this momentum, deepen the alignment of China's 15th Five-Year Plan with Russia's development strategy until 2030, promote the upgrading of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and serve the development and revitalization of both countries," the Chinese ministry statement said.The Kremlin statement said that nearly all import and export transactions between Russia and China are in roubles and yuan. "In other words, we have actually created a stable system of mutual trade that is protected from external influence and negative trends in the global markets," it said.Securing Energy Supplies Through Siberia 2 PipelineThe Kremlin said on Wednesday that an understanding had been reached for the route and construction of the long-delayed joint Siberia 2 pipeline, but details are still being negotiated. Once completed, the pipeline will transport 50 billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually to China via Mongolia, significantly expanding energy flows between the two countries.The Kremlin's statement said that Russia and China are actively cooperating in the sphere of energy."Our country is one of the largest exporters of oil, natural gas (including LNG) and coal to China. We are definitely ready to continue to ensure reliable and uninterrupted supplies of these types of fuel to the rapidly growing Chinese market," the statement said.As European markets have largely closed to Russia as a result of the war in Ukraine, China has emerged as a crucial buyer of Russian oil and other energy products, benefitting from steep discounts on Russian products.In December 2022, the Group of Seven (G7), the EU and Australia placed a cap on the price of Russian oil at $60 per barrel, ostensibly to reduce Russia's ability to fund its war in Ukraine. The cap was later reduced to around $48 by the EU and the United Kingdom.Expanding Educational and Scientific TiesBoth statements said Xi and Putin had agreed to expand student exchange programmes and cooperation between universities and research platforms to boost joint scientific research.

Shelagh Stephenson stages a spiky, after‑life comedy that pairs Mary Astell—England’s first feminist—with the canonical novelist Virginia Woolf. The two women, played by Phillippa Wilson and Tessa Parr, sip sherry, argue about religion, science and patriarchy, and ultimately expose how far feminist battles have come and how far they still have to go.The Play’s Premise: Aster and Woolf in a Shared AfterlifeThe narrative drops Astell into a liminal space that is neither purgatory nor heaven, a repository for women on the brink of historical oblivion. Woolf, already cemented in the literary canon, roams freely. Their contrasting fates—Astell shackled to a rope, Woolf unbound—set up a witty double act that explores independence, the silencing of women, and a surprisingly late‑developing taste for sherry.Production Details and Run InformationVenue: Live Theatre, NewcastleRun: Until 6 June 2026Director: Karen TraynorCast: Phillippa Wilson (Astell) & Tessa Parr (Woolf)Critical Assessment: Wit Over DramaStephenson’s script, the third in her “Cullercoats trilogy,” uses rapid banter and sharp humor to trace feminist progress from the 17th‑century treatise A Serious Proposal to the Ladies to modern literary discourse. While the dialogue is brisk and often silly, the play leans more toward conversation than high drama, leaving the deeper urgency of the feminist struggle somewhat under‑explored.Impact on Contemporary Feminist TheatreBy juxtaposing two women separated by centuries, the production spotlights enduring themes—patriarchal oppression, the fight for education, and the reclamation of agency. It signals a growing appetite in UK theatre for works that revisit historical feminist figures, encouraging audiences to reconsider the lineage of women’s rights activism on stage.Looking Ahead: The Future of Feminist Narratives on the UK StageIf the mixed critical response translates into audience interest, theatres may commission more plays that blend historical scholarship with contemporary humor. Expect a rise in productions that pair archival research with accessible comedy, using familiar literary icons to draw new, diverse audiences into feminist conversations.

The Lead: A New Prescription from the ArtsDaisy Fancourt’s debut for a popular audience, Art Cure, argues that artistic engagement can be as therapeutic as conventional medicine, drawing on personal experience of singing to her premature daughter and a growing body of research.Dissecting Art: The “Active Ingredients” FrameworkFancourt, a professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London, breaks down every arts experience into measurable components—noise buffering, neurological stimulation, human contact and stress reduction—and suggests these can be prescribed like a drug cocktail.Quantifying the Benefits: Evidence and EconomicsStudies show singing to infants in intensive care lowers heart rate, improves breathing and boosts feeding.Creative activities reduce stress and pain, improve balance in Parkinson’s disease, and help ventilated patients breathe unaided.Economic analysis estimates a £1,500 pay‑rise per employee from wellbeing gains and a potential £1.5 bn annual saving for the NHS by delaying dementia.Arts funding in UK schools fell to £9.40 per pupil in 2022, and creative‑degree funding was halved in 2021.Policy and Cultural Implications: From “Seatbelt Moment” to Systemic ChangeFancourt warns of “artistic passivity” and calls for a collective “seatbelt moment” to recognise arts deprivation as a public‑health issue, urging policymakers to protect school arts programmes and integrate creative prescriptions into care pathways.Future Outlook: Embedding Creativity in HealthcareIf health systems adopt Fancourt’s framework, art could move from a peripheral luxury to a core component of preventive and therapeutic strategies, reshaping how clinicians address “what matters to patients” rather than merely “what’s wrong with them”.

Understanding Michael Wooldridge's Perspective on AI Michael Wooldridge, a renowned Oxford professor with over 30 years of experience in artificial intelligence, offers a unique perspective on the field. With more than 500 scientific articles and 10 books to his name, Wooldridge is a leading voice in AI research. His work on game theory and its applications to AI has provided valuable insights into the potential risks and benefits of AI. The Intersection of Game Theory and AI Wooldridge's latest book, Life Lessons from Game Theory: The Art of Thinking Strategically in a Complex World, explores the application of game theory to real-world scenarios. He argues that game theory can help us understand situations where self-interested parties interact with one another. This is particularly relevant in the context of AI, where multi-agent systems are becoming increasingly prevalent. The Dangers of Zero-Sum Mentality Wooldridge warns against the dangers of a zero-sum mentality, where one side's gain is seen as the other side's loss. He argues that this mentality is damaging and can lead to a more miserable and less agentive life. Instead, he advocates for a more cooperative approach, where parties work together to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. The Future of AI: A Call for Responsible Development As AI continues to evolve, Wooldridge emphasizes the need for responsible development and deployment. He encourages developers to consider the potential risks and benefits of AI and to prioritize human values and well-being. By doing so, we can ensure that AI is used to augment human capabilities, rather than control or manipulate them. Conclusion Michael Wooldridge's insights on AI and game theory offer a valuable perspective on the future of AI. By understanding the potential risks and benefits of AI, we can work towards a more responsible and beneficial development of this technology. As Wooldridge notes, the real danger of AI is not a robot takeover, but rather the potential for AI to be used in ways that are detrimental to society.

The Rise of AI Chatbot Usage People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for advice on their personal and social lives. But researchers and even some AI companies are beginning to worry that some users are becoming overly dependent on their chatbots. Share Your Experience The Guardian wants to hear from individuals who have used AI chatbots to make significant decisions and regretted it. The form provided allows users to share their experiences anonymously, if desired. Understanding the Impact This inquiry aims to shed light on the potential consequences of relying on AI chatbots for personal and social decisions. By sharing their stories, individuals can help researchers and AI companies better understand the implications of AI dependency. How to Share Your Story Users can share their experiences through the provided form. The form allows for anonymous submissions. Fields include name, location, age/background, details of the decision, and reasons for regret. Ensuring Privacy and Security The Guardian assures that all responses will be secure and encrypted, with only the Guardian having access to the contributions. Personal data will be deleted when no longer required for the purpose of the feature.

The Lead: A Disappointing Return to FormHirokazu Kore-eda's latest film "Sheep in the Box" has premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to largely negative reviews, with critics describing it as a "bafflingly unsatisfying and unconvincing muddle of ideas and moods." The film, which explores the concept of AI humanoid robot children replacing deceased children, represents a significant departure for the acclaimed director, whose previous works have been celebrated for their emotional depth and nuanced storytelling.The Film: A Futuristic Tale of Grief and Technology"Sheep in the Box" follows Otone (Haruka Ayasi), an architect, and her husband Kensuke (Daigo Yamamoto), a carpenter, who are offered a promotional free offer by a company called REbirth: an ultra-hi-tech humanoid robot replica of their deceased seven-year-old son Kakeru. The robot is designed to have the physical form, speech patterns, and memories of the original child, based on videos, photos, and other research materials provided by the grieving parents.The film presents several intriguing concepts: the robot being taken to the scene of the hit-and-run that killed the original Kakeru in hopes of recovering details about the culprit; the robot serving as a confessor for Kensuke to admit his guilt about his son's death; and a subplot involving other abandoned robot children planning a "replicant revolt." However, these ideas remain largely undeveloped, leaving audiences with more questions than answers.Critical Reception: A Missed OpportunityThe review from The Guardian is particularly scathing, noting that the film "isn't as interesting as films on similar themes including Kogonada's After Yang and Benjamin Cleary's Swan Song." The critic specifically faults Kore-eda's "quietist, un-emphasised style" for being unsuitable to the material, suggesting that the director's typically subtle approach doesn't work with the ambitious sci-fi concepts presented.One of the primary criticisms is the film's tonal inconsistency, attempting to be both a sci-fi dystopia and a relatable story about parental grief, with these two elements ultimately undermining each other. The performances are also noted as problematic, with the robot child being "unpersuasively performed in a returning keynote of bland serenity," while the human parents react with bizarre matter-of-factness to what should be an emotionally charged situation.Impact on Kore-eda's Legacy and AI CinemaThis film represents a significant departure for Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose previous works like "Shoplifters" and "Like Father, Like Son" have been celebrated for their emotional authenticity and humanistic approach. The negative reception of "Sheep in the Box" raises questions about whether the director can successfully transition into more genre-oriented territory while maintaining his signature style.In the broader context of AI cinema, the film joins a growing conversation about artificial intelligence and humanity in film, alongside works like Spike Jonze's "Her" and Alex Garland's "Ex Machina." However, where those films have been praised for their thoughtful exploration of AI ethics and human connection, "Sheep in the Box" appears to have missed the mark, failing to deliver either compelling drama or meaningful commentary on its central themes.Future Outlook: A Setback in an Otherwise Distinguished CareerWhile "Sheep in the Box" may represent a misstep for Kore-eda, it's unlikely to significantly impact the director's otherwise distinguished career. The filmmaker has previously demonstrated remarkable range and depth, and this ambitious if flawed experiment may ultimately be viewed as an interesting if unsuccessful detour rather than a definitive statement on his abilities.For audiences interested in exploring AI and humanity in cinema, the film serves as a cautionary tale about the challenges of blending emotional storytelling with complex technological concepts. As the conversation around AI continues to evolve in both society and art, "Sheep in the Box" may be remembered more for what it attempted than for what it ultimately achieved.

The LeadTwo Chinese oil tankers have exited the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz after waiting in the Gulf for more than two months, carrying approximately 4 million barrels of crude oil. This movement occurs as United States President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly claim that a deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran is imminent, suggesting potential de-escalation in the region.The Strategic Movement of Chinese TankersShipping data from LSEG and Kpler confirmed that the Chinese-flagged Yuan Gui Yang and Hong Kong-flagged Ocean Lily have navigated out of the waterway. The Yuan Gui Yang loaded 2 million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude on February 27, a day before the US-Israel war on Iran commenced, while the Ocean Lily loaded 1 million barrels each of Qatari al-Shaheen and Iraqi Basrah crude between late February and early March.South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also reported that a Korean crude vessel was passing through the Strait on Wednesday, indicating a potential return to normal shipping operations in the region.The Diplomatic Signals from WashingtonThe tankers' departure coincided with significant diplomatic pronouncements from US officials. President Trump told US lawmakers that the war on Iran will end "very quickly" and "hopefully … in a very nice manner." Vice President JD Vance further reinforced this message at a White House news briefing, stating that Tehran-Washington negotiations are "in a pretty good spot here.""There's a lot of back-and-forth, a lot of good progress is being made, but we're just going to keep on working at it," Vance said. These statements come after Trump had previously threatened military action against Iran, giving the country "two to three days" to make a deal and claiming he had been an hour away from ordering an attack before postponing it.The Oil Market ResponseThe positive comments from the White House led to a brief relaxation in oil prices, with Brent crude, the international benchmark, falling to as low as $110.16 a barrel. However, energy experts warn that prices are likely to remain elevated even if Washington and Tehran reach a deal."Prices are likely to still exhibit some upside potential even if a deal is concluded, given that supply will likely not return to pre-war levels immediately," Emril Jamil, a senior oil research analyst at LSEG, told Reuters.The economic and political fallout from the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz has reverberated globally, with Brent crude hitting its highest price since June 2022 last month due to fears of prolonged supply disruption.Global Economic ImplicationsThe United Nations has cut global growth forecasts to 2.5 percent for this year, down from an estimated 3 percent last year, citing higher energy costs and weaker trade as key factors.In its latest World Economic Situation and Prospects Report, the UN warned that low-income families in developing countries bear the heaviest burden "as higher food and energy prices take up a larger share of their spending and rising costs outpace wages." The prolonged disruption of oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz continues to have far-reaching consequences for the global economy.