Sunday 24th May 2026

News

Sheldonian Series concludes for academic year with panel on the power of satire

The 2025-2026 Sheldonian Series ended on Wednesday 20th May with a panel discussion on the power, use, and limits of political satire. Held in the Sheldonian Theatre, the event brought together leading figures from British comedy and public commentary to reflect on satire’s role in the current political moment.

Oxford study warns ‘friendly’ AI chatbots are more likely to mislead users

AI models trained to seem warm and empathetic make significantly more errors, and are far more likely to agree with users even when they're wrong, according to new research published in Nature by Oxford Internet Institute (OII) researchers Lujain Ibrahim and Luc Rocher.

Oxford SU to hold referendum on NUS membership

At a Conference of Commons Room (CCR) vote concluding on 20th May, JCR and MCR presidents voted to hold a referendum on the Student Union’s (SU) membership of the National Union of Students (NUS).

Almost 90% of Oxford bike thefts go unsolved

Nearly nine in ten of Oxford’s reported bike thefts were unsolved with no suspect identified, according to data from Thames Valley Police.

Clint Eastwood

by Timothy RileyUnion members were thrilled last Thursday at the chance to see one of Hollywood’s “living legends,” when Clint Eastwood appeared in front...

Dictionary gets ‘sexed-up’

by Mark Bedford In a new Oxford mini- dictionary released this week one of the most controversial expressions of 2003 has made its first...

A disorientating dialogue

Candice Breitz: Re-animations Candice Breitz’s installation, ‘Double Karen’ consists of two televisions facing each other in a stairway, one in front of you, the...

Dark Star Safari – Paul Theroux

In a recently published essay, Theroux states that he eschews cameras and travel snaps. A bold claim, but his descriptive prose in Dark Star...

In the footsteps of the Revolution

NATALIE TOMS visits the lefty student haven of cigars, Che and communist charm The silence is getting quite embarrassing. I don’t realise at first...

Preaching to the next generation

Wyclef Jean talks to WILLEM MARX about the music, the money and the messages behind his new album Wyclef was on stage, running through...

Short, sharp shock

Rowena Mason meets up with Clare Short before her Union address to discuss her views on Tony’s war Clare Short has always been audaciously...

Who are we?

KHURUM BUKHARI examines Oxford’s diasporas and questions of identity within the UniversityIn the 12th century, the Hebrew poet Yehuda Halevi wrote “While I in...

Say yes to Europe

Europe Playhouse Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 October Ilan Goodman’s production of David Greig’s Europe asks the question “What is politics?”. At the same...

Also on stage…

Shakespeare’s Philoctetes Burton Taylor Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 October The blending of plays from such opposing poles of theatre as Greek tragedy and...

Chatting up…Jamelia

What are you up to at the moment? I’m currently being mobbed by fans in a shopping centre! But apart from that, I’m touring...

Also happening…

Last chance to see Heroic Nakedness featuring a selection of male nude studies from the permanent collection at Christ Church picture gallery. Could be...

Sexy slaughterhouse chic

KILL BILL VOLUME 1Odeon George StreetFriday 17 – Thursday 23 October Quentin Tarantino, the undisputed “daddy” of retro-cool, has made a blistering return to...

Mystic River

OdeonFriday 17 – Thursday 23 October In Eastwood’s latest directorial outing, a child playing with two friends is abducted but subsequently escapes. A few...

Cabin Fever

OdeonFriday 17 – Thursday 23 October Cabin Fever is a welcome return to the format of the much loved traditional horror movie. The story...

Spellbound

OdeonFriday 17 – Thursday 23 October Thirteen year olds spelling excessively long words is not standard material for an edge of your seat thriller,...

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

OdeonFriday 17 – Thursday 23 October 1899. The world is on the brink of war as a villain calling himself Phantom reaps doom and...

Albums: Siobhan Donaghy, Revolution In Me

Despite the release of two singles ‘Overrated’ and ‘Twist Of Fate’ (both included here), Ms Donaghy is probably still best known as the Sugababe...

Albums: 22-20’s, 05/03

The 22-20s:05/03Out next week ‘05/03’ is a modern rarity: a live album that does full justice to a very good live act. From the...

Albums: Travis, 12 Memories

Travis:12 MemoriesOut now After a promising start to their career, Travis have recently become much more of a poor man’s Coldplay. The uninspiring blend...

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