63 h. ago The Six Billion Dollar Man review – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s rise, fall and limbo

Cannes film festivalFocusing on the rogue’s gallery of hypocrites and crooks surrounding him, Assange himself is in the background of a pretty definitive examinationJulian Assange sits at the centre of this gripping account of the WikiLeaks founder’s rise, fall and protracted seven-year limbo inside the Ecuadorian embassy. Eugene Jarecki’s documentary takes its title from the price the incoming Ecuadorian government supposedly charged the Trump administration for helping furnish his extradition to the US, thereby reneging on a promise of political asylum. If The Six Billion Dollar Man doesn’t rebuild Assange, exactly, that’s because it’s more interested in comprehensively demolishing his enemies. Compared to the hypocrites, scoundrels and crooks who surround him, the man himself looks almost virtuous.Actually Assange is mostly a background presence here. He’s more talked about than talking up; a karmic victim of his own success. While even his supporters admit to his personal failin...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Every person that clashed with him has left’: the rise, fall and spectacular comeback of Sam Altman

From Elon Musk to his own board, anyone who has come up against the OpenAI CEO has lost. In a gripping new account of the battle for AI supremacy, writer Karen Hao says we should all be wary of the power he now wieldsThe short-lived firing of Sam Altman, the CEO of possibly the world’s most important AI company, was sensational. When he was sacked by OpenAI’s board members, some of them believed the stakes could not have been higher – the future of humanity – if the organisation continued under Altman. Imagine Succession, with added apocalypse vibes. In early November 2023, after three weeks of secret calls and varying degrees of paranoia, the OpenAI board agreed: Altman had to go.The drama didn’t stop there. After his removal, Altman’s most loyal staff resigned, and others signed an open letter calling for his reinstatement. Investors, including its biggest, Microsoft, got spooked. Without talent or funding, OpenAI – which developed ChatGPT and was worth billions – wouldn’t even ex...

Politics

7 d. ago The rise and fall of Versace: Can Prada's £1 billion buyout save Donatella's legacy?

News that ailing brand Versace had been sold last month to its Italian rival for £1 billion rocked the fashion world. Will the new owners help the brand get its bling back

Economics

9 d. ago 2025 UK festival predictions: Who could rise and who could fall this summer?

We shake our Magic 8 Ball to predict who’ll have a good summer festival season and perhaps who won’t...

Politics

1 week ago Logan Paul's furious response to Liver King's steroid scandal exposed in Netflix documentary

A new Netflix documentary has explored the rise and fall of Liver King, the fitness influencer who built a huge following by promoting an extreme ancestral lifestyle online

Politics

1 week ago Who is Gérard Depardieu? The rise and fall of disgraced French actor convicted of sexual assault

More than 20 women have publicly accused the 76-year-old of sexual misconduct in the past, but this is the first time a case has gone to trial

Events

1 week ago A timeline of the rise and fall of French movie star Gérard Depardieu

For over half a century, Gérard Depardieu stood as a towering figure in French cinema, a titan known for his commanding physical presence, instinct, sensibility and remarkable versatility.

Events

1 week ago Greece is booming again. This time, will it last? | Paul Taylor

The public finances look strong and new construction signals rebirth – or the hubris that heralds yet another collapseCranes are finally whirling over a long-blighted stretch of wasteland on the Athens Riviera, just 6 miles from the Acropolis, which has been a symbol of Greece’s rise, fall and rise again over the past two decades. Yet it remains to be seen whether the country’s latest economic spring will prove more durable than past spikes in its historical cycle of boom and bust.The Ellinikon construction site, soon to feature luxury residences, the tallest apartment building and largest shopping mall in the country, two hotels, a marina, a resort complex and sports, recreational and cultural facilities, is an ambivalent symbol of peak Greece. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago From UFC to HMP: The rise and fall of the 'Italian Stallion'

Pietro Menga was once a promising UFC prospect - but an Encrochat sting brought about his downfall

Politics

2 w. ago Prince William and Kate inspired huge rise in sweet royal name but fall in another

The most influential celeb baby names have been unveiled, including some young Royals.

Politics

3 w. ago UK house prices fall in April as stamp duty taxes rise, data shows

Month-on-month drop of 0.6% was below zero growth forecasted by economists, Nationwide says

Economics

3 w. ago Julian Assange makes rare public appearance at Pope Francis’ funeral

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had received support from Pope Francis while he was in HMP Belmarsh

Politics

3 w. ago Julian Assange makes shock appearance at Pope Francis's funeral

Julian Assange was pictured with his son standing in St Peter's Square among throngs of mourners today

Events

3 w. ago WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral

A photo of Julian Assange and his family was shared on X along with a message from his wife Stella.

Politics

3 w. ago Julian Assange and his young son are spotted among the mourners at Pope Francis' funeral in Rome

The Wikileaks cofounder was pictured with his son among the hundreds of thousands of gathering mourners on Saturday.

Politics

4 w. ago Liver King unmasked: Netflix’s explosive documentary reveals truth behind raw meat influencer’s £75m empire

Whether you’re fascinated, horrified, or just curious, this doc about the rise and fall of the star who ate raw liver daily and fooled millions is a must-watch

Economics