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The historic 1977 role Al Pacino turned down out of sheer confusion: “They offered me a fortune”
In 1977, Al Pacino was offered a lucrative deal to play Han Solo in the original Star Wars but turned it down because he simply didn’t understand the script. Having already reached leading-man status thanks to roles in The Godfather, Pacino was accustomed to weighing dramatic scripts on their emotional merit, but found the space…
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Rival AI executives propose safety measures while Trump rejects the warnings
Sam Altman and Elon Musk publicly backed a call from Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei to slow the pace of artificial intelligence development, producing a rare show of unity among rival tech leaders. Amodei warned that an unchecked “swarm” of AI agents could become capable of “taking over the entire internet” within a year, citing…
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“A lot of people think they’ll lose their jobs if they get creative. But our career is based on doing what we want”: When Opeth gambled on their future by ditching metal and embracing prog on Heritage
In 2011, Swedish band Opeth released their tenth studio album, Heritage, marking a dramatic departure from the death metal sound that had defined their previous two decades. The record dropped the band’s signature growled vocals and heavily distorted guitars in favour of a progressive rock style, a shift that unsettled some long-standing fans but reflected…
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‘Too little, too late’: Critics perplexed and suspicious of AI leaders’ call for a slowdown
A three-point plan from Anthropic’s chief executive, Dario Amodei, to slow the pace of “frontier” AI development has met with widespread scepticism, even as it attracted rare public support from rivals Sam Altman of OpenAI and Elon Musk. The proposal follows a turbulent week in which a resigning Anthropic researcher warned that AI could pose…
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THR and SAG-AFTRA Toast This Year’s Top TV Talent at Emmy Nominees Night
The Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA jointly hosted Emmy Nominees Night on Saturday at the Chateau Marmont, bringing together stars from this year’s leading awards contenders ahead of Monday’s ceremony. The event, sponsored by Snapchat and Waymo, served as a pre-show gathering for casts and creators of shows such as The Pitt, Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, Hacks…
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The Guardian view on the government’s corporate reforms: entrenching neoliberalism, not ending it | Editorial
The Guardian’s editorial criticises a 12-week government consultation on corporate reporting, arguing it prioritises shareholder interests over those of workers and wider society despite Andy Burnham’s stated ambition to move beyond neoliberalism. The consultation was launched as part of the Starmer government’s drive to cut “red tape” for businesses, but the piece argues that in…
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Trump downplays AI risks after dire expert warnings and calls to slow development down
US President Donald Trump has dismissed warnings about the dangers of artificial intelligence, saying “negative forces” were raising fears about things that “won’t happen”. His comments, made during a visit to Ireland, came just days after a former Anthropic researcher warned there was “a strong chance” AI could cause human extinction “in the immediate future”,…
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4 Hit Songs From 1966 That Feel Like Letting Loose
American Songwriter has picked out four hit songs from 1966 that capture a mood of carefree abandon, arguing that music from this year is especially good for letting your hair down and forgetting daily worries. The selection spans surf rock, pop, and the psychedelic-tinged sounds emerging in the mid-1960s, reflecting the era’s musical diversity. -…
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Obama reportedly urges Democrats to prioritize safety plan for AI
Barack Obama has privately urged Democratic leaders to make artificial intelligence safety and regulation a central, public policy priority, warning that the technology is advancing rapidly under private control and could pose real dangers without proper oversight. Speaking to House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries at a closed-door fundraiser in Manhattan, Obama argued the party needs…