Knitwear, jumpsuits and Cluedo: Traitors fashion explained 18 minutes ago Share Save Grace Dean Share Save BBC Crime writer Harriet was not fully convinced that Rachel was a Traitor - until she saw her wear a red dress the day after a pivotal moment in the show. "She'd gone in looking so sleek and professional… whereas before, she was dressed up more in child-friendly sort of yellows and dungarees...
Knitwear, jumpsuits and Cluedo: Traitors fashion explained 18 minutes ago Share Save Grace Dean Share Save BBC Crime writer Harriet was not fully convinced that Rachel was a Traitor - until she saw her wear a red dress the day after a pivotal moment in the show. "She'd gone in looking so sleek and professional… whereas before, she was dressed up more in child-friendly sort of yellows and dungarees and like a Minion," Harriet told BBC Local. For contestants on the reality TV show The Traitors, it is not just what they say or how they act that shapes their fellow players' opinions of them - it is how they dress. "What we wear says a huge amount about us," says Carolyn Mair, a stylist and author of The Psychology of Fashion. Some of the contestants used their outfits "very carefully and very well", she says. "Their clothing becomes their character." 'How could I be a Traitor if I'm wearing knitwear?' The most recent series of The Traitors, which ended on Friday, was "the most fashionable yet", says Mair. "Fashion has become part of the show's attraction." As well as Claudia Winkleman's extravagant gothic looks, some of the contestants' outfits on this year's series blew up online, from Jade's playful cardigans and Jessie's yellow colour palette to Stephen's jumpsuit and Harriet's scarves. The outfits worn by Traitor Stephen - including knitwear, a jumpsuit and tucked-in shirts - were the focus of many of these articles and social media posts. "He wanted to be seen," says Mair. "He was choosing to be noticed." She says that his "playful" outfits made him look "open and trustworthy" and made other people feel comfortable. In the final episode of The Traitors: Uncloaked, Stephen admitted that his outfit choices were bold an attempt to distract Faithfuls from his expressive and red face. He told the audience: "I thought if I wore clothes that are a bit flamboyant and loud then maybe they'd just be going 'oh Stephen you look really great today'. "Rather than looking up here...
'We knew the truth': How parents uncovered Scottish hospital's infected water scandal Just now Share Save Calum Watson BBC Scotland Share Save BBC Karen Stirrat and Charmaine Lacock have fought for years to learn the truth about hospital-acquired infections at Glasgow's flagship hospital For years they felt stonewalled, lied to and gaslit. Now they're angry. Karen Stirrat and Charmaine Lacock are ...
'We knew the truth': How parents uncovered Scottish hospital's infected water scandal Just now Share Save Calum Watson BBC Scotland Share Save BBC Karen Stirrat and Charmaine Lacock have fought for years to learn the truth about hospital-acquired infections at Glasgow's flagship hospital For years they felt stonewalled, lied to and gaslit. Now they're angry. Karen Stirrat and Charmaine Lacock are mothers of children they say were exposed to infections while being treated for cancer at Glasgow's flagship "super hospital". They were some of the first parents to voice fears that something in the way the buildings were constructed was inherently unsafe. Dozens of vulnerable children like theirs with cancer or blood disorders became even more unwell while being treated at the hospital. Some of them died. Yet for years the body that runs the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus refused to accept evidence that water and ventilation systems could be to blame for infections. "From the very beginning we campaigned, with other families, and we got slated for that," says Karen. "We knew the truth, but we kept getting told we were just imagining things." A week ago, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde performed a jaw-dropping U-turn. The health board, the equivalent of an NHS Trust elsewhere in the UK, now says it accepts that on the "balance of probabilities" the hospital environment, particularly the water system, caused some infections. In its closing submission to a public inquiry it also admits that: the hospital opened in 2015 before it was ready there was "pressure" to deliver the project on time maintenance in the early years was insufficient infection control doctors who tried to raise the alarm were badly treated The belated admissions, which contradict some positions taken by the health board during the six-year inquiry, have been welcomed. But they have also left parents frustrated - and in some cases furious - that it's taken so long. "For them to now backtrack... i...
A 91-year-old grandmother in northeastern China has amused internet users with her passionate reactions to TV dramas, including becoming angry and even hitting the TV set when she sees her beloved characters being wronged. The nonagenarian, who lives in Dalian in Liaoning province, captured significant online attention after her granddaughter, Liu, shared videos showing her strong reactions while ...
A 91-year-old grandmother in northeastern China has amused internet users with her passionate reactions to TV dramas, including becoming angry and even hitting the TV set when she sees her beloved characters being wronged. The nonagenarian, who lives in Dalian in Liaoning province, captured significant online attention after her granddaughter, Liu, shared videos showing her strong reactions while watching these dramas. In the clips, she can be seen slapping the TV set and berating the characters, as reported by Xianfeng News. Watching TV dramas is the grandmother’s favourite pastime, and the two shows she has been binge-watching lately are Chang Xiang Si, known in English as “Lost You Forever,” and Lian Hua Lou, which translates to “Mysterious Lotus Casebook.” Advertisement The former series is an ancient-costumed love story, while the latter is a suspenseful tale set in ancient times. Binge-watching dramas is her favourite pastime, and she indulges whenever she has free time at home. Photo: Sohu “If she dies, can you live? Have you ever thought about that?” the grandmother is filmed shouting in fury at a male character. “You’ve hung her on a tree! She is bleeding all over! Look at what you’ve done!” Advertisement In another video, she condemns another character, saying: “This villain is so bad! I must call the police to catch him. His sins will seek him out.”
Some Hong Kong taxi drivers are bypassing new rules that limit the number of mobile devices mounted at the front of vehicles to two by installing large monitors – a move that an industry leader has warned endangers road safety. The amended Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations, which took effect on Sunday, allows a maximum of two mobile devices to be placed within the driver’s forward field o...
Some Hong Kong taxi drivers are bypassing new rules that limit the number of mobile devices mounted at the front of vehicles to two by installing large monitors – a move that an industry leader has warned endangers road safety. The amended Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations, which took effect on Sunday, allows a maximum of two mobile devices to be placed within the driver’s forward field of vision, including the windscreen and dashboard. It also stipulates that the diagonal length of each device must not exceed 19cm (7.5 inches). The revised rules are expected to have a greater impact on the taxi industry, as about 40,000 cabbies have long been accustomed to competing for orders from various apps and checking traffic conditions by mounting multiple mobile phones behind the wheel. Advertisement However, some drivers have devised workarounds, including streaming several apps onto one large monitor. In one instance, a taxi driver displayed three apps simultaneously on a monitor in front of him in addition to using a mobile phone. Advertisement “I have been using this for one day and so far so good,” the driver said in a video clip widely circulating online. Another taxi driver was seen with a large tablet – appearing to exceed the 19cm limit – showing 10 apps at once, according to another social media post.
The new year kicked off with the blockbuster public market debuts of two Chinese artificial intelligence high-flyers – Zhipu AI and MiniMax – making them the world’s first publicly listed large language model (LLM) start-ups. The listings put them ahead of US rivals including Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Amazon.com-supported Anthropic, which have yet to reach public markets. Both Chinese companies ...
The new year kicked off with the blockbuster public market debuts of two Chinese artificial intelligence high-flyers – Zhipu AI and MiniMax – making them the world’s first publicly listed large language model (LLM) start-ups. The listings put them ahead of US rivals including Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Amazon.com-supported Anthropic, which have yet to reach public markets. Both Chinese companies have been backed by heavyweight investors, including state-linked funds and big tech groups such as Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. Advertisement Less visibly but just as significantly, however, some of China’s dedicated gaming companies have also been bankrolling the rise of the country’s top AI developers. These include miHoYo, the maker of Genshin Impact – one of the most successful mobile games ever produced by a Chinese developer – and 37 Interactive Entertainment, a prolific backer of China’s AI ambitions. Advertisement
Large insider purchases are typically viewed positively by the market. Although it's been several years since GameStop (GME 0.65%) truly went parabolic, the stock has stayed in the limelight and maintained a fervent crowd ever since. Chewy founder Ryan Cohen got involved in the stock in the early days of meme mania, but didn't become CEO until late 2023. Cohen has been trying to figure out the com...
Large insider purchases are typically viewed positively by the market. Although it's been several years since GameStop (GME 0.65%) truly went parabolic, the stock has stayed in the limelight and maintained a fervent crowd ever since. Chewy founder Ryan Cohen got involved in the stock in the early days of meme mania, but didn't become CEO until late 2023. Cohen has been trying to figure out the company's direction, especially considering that the brick-and-mortar video game strategy is clearly a declining business. But it's also clear that Cohen is a big believer in GameStop's future. Recently, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings revealed that Cohen had purchased 500,000 shares of GameStop stock, at an average cost of approximately $21.12 per share. That's a total purchase price of over $10.5 million. Cohen now owns over 9% of the company's outstanding shares. Insider buying like this tends to signal bullish sentiment. Is it time for investors to take another look at this famous meme stock? Is GameStop becoming a promising company? Since becoming CEO, Cohen has tried several strategies to revitalize the business. GameStop has waded into the world of collectibles and used firm capital to purchase Bitcoin, mimicking a Bitcoin treasury strategy. The stock is down about 21% over the past year. Through the first nearly 10 months of 2025, GameStop has seen about a 5% decline in hardware, its largest business, which involves selling video game consoles and other related hardware. The company's software business, which now accounts for the smallest share of revenue, has seen revenue plummet 27% year over year. However, GameStop's collectibles business, which includes the sale of apparel, toys, trading cards, and gadgets, has seen revenue grow 55% in this period. GameStop has also been reducing expenses and selling off assets by shrinking its brick-and-mortar footprint. Through the first nearly 10 months of the year, the company significantly increased operating ...
I joined the Tories for the partying, says Kemi Badenoch 9 minutes ago Share Save Kate Whannel political reporter Share Save BBC Studios Audio Kemi Badenoch has led the Conservative Party since 2024 Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she initially joined the Conservatives for the "party aspect of it - socialising, drinks, hanging out with other young people". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Dese...
I joined the Tories for the partying, says Kemi Badenoch 9 minutes ago Share Save Kate Whannel political reporter Share Save BBC Studios Audio Kemi Badenoch has led the Conservative Party since 2024 Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she initially joined the Conservatives for the "party aspect of it - socialising, drinks, hanging out with other young people". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Badenoch said that after university all her friends had "gone all over the world" and she thought joining the party would be "a fun thing to do". She met her husband through her membership of the Conservatives and dedicated one of her record picks - Wet Wet Wet's Love is All Around - to him. The interview was recorded on 19 January, a week after three high-profile Conservatives had defected to Reform UK including former minister Robert Jenrick. Asked how she would steady the Tory ship, Badenoch said: "I think defections are part of the ship being steadied. "And while it is always sad to lose people who used to be on the team, losing people who were not team players and were more focused about their own personal ambition rather than the country's ambition is actually helpful for showing what kind of party we are." Badenoch took over leadership of her party in 2024 following its worst-ever general election defeat. Since then her party has fallen in the opinion polls, being overtaken by Reform UK, and suffered big defeats in the 2025 local elections. Badenoch said the Conservative Party had been around for more than 200 years and that after being elected leader in 2024 her "mission" was to "make sure that we didn't just disappear". She added she had a "long-term strategy" to win back voters but there would be "setbacks in between". "Quite often, the thing you're doing for the long term is not that helpful in the short term." 'We'll all look stupid together' Her musical choices for the programme included The Story of Tonight from the musical Hamilton and Baz Lu...
Key Points Rigetti has been a hot stock. However, the company's technology lags in accuracy. Missing out on a government program and the delay of its new quantum system further speak to the company's accuracy issues. 10 stocks we like better than Rigetti Computing › Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) was one of the hottest quantum computing stocks in 2025, with its shares climbing more than 45%, and...
Key Points Rigetti has been a hot stock. However, the company's technology lags in accuracy. Missing out on a government program and the delay of its new quantum system further speak to the company's accuracy issues. 10 stocks we like better than Rigetti Computing › Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) was one of the hottest quantum computing stocks in 2025, with its shares climbing more than 45%, and they are already up more than 10% in 2026, as of this writing. However, I wouldn't touch the stock with a 10-foot pole. Can speed top accuracy? In the world of quantum computing, Rigetti is perhaps best known for the speed of its quantum computing systems, which have been estimated to be more than 1,000 times faster than those from competitor IonQ (NYSE: IONQ). However, where the company trails is in accuracy. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » One of the biggest problems facing quantum computing today is that the systems are very error-prone. Because quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, instead of traditional computing bits, the systems are much less stable. Traditional computing bits are in a fixed state of being a 0 or a 1, but qubits are in what is called a state of superposition, which means they have the potential to be either until acted upon. This is analogous to a spinning coin that can be either heads or tails. However, this state also leaves qubits vulnerable to failure due to outside forces like vibrations and temperature changes. Rigetti has struggled on the accuracy front, having achieved two-qubit gate fidelity (a measure of accuracy) of just 99.5%, compared to 99.99% for IonQ. While that sounds like it isn't far behind, it is below the 99.9% that is generally recommended by data scientists to even begin other forms of error correction through software. Meanwhile, the company was not one of the 11 selected to advance to Stage B of the Quantum Benchma...
Key Points The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) criteria ensure it seeks out high-quality companies rather than just high dividend yields. Energy and Industrial companies make up around 31% of SCHD. SCHD has averaged over 12% annual total returns since it began trading on the market. 10 stocks we like better than Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF › Most people wouldn't turn down the chance to ...
Key Points The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) criteria ensure it seeks out high-quality companies rather than just high dividend yields. Energy and Industrial companies make up around 31% of SCHD. SCHD has averaged over 12% annual total returns since it began trading on the market. 10 stocks we like better than Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF › Most people wouldn't turn down the chance to hit the $800,000 mark, especially if they could do so relatively passively. It's not something that will happen overnight, but with consistency and patience, an ETF like the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) can help make it happen at its current pace. As an added bonus, hitting that mark could mean $24,000 in annual dividend payouts. That's money that can be put to good use, especially during retirement. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Why invest in SCHD? SCHD mirrors the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which picks its companies based on financial stability, strong cash flow, and a proven track record. It's why SCHD contains many "boring" businesses rather than younger, "flashier" companies. Over 19% of its holdings are energy companies, and over 12% are industrial companies. Its top five holdings are Lockheed Martin (4.63%), Chevron (4.19%), Merck & Co. (4.11%), Home Depot (4.07%), and Bristol Myers Squibb (4.05%) These companies may not produce triple-digit returns in a short period, but they provide reliability that you should value in dividend stocks. This is especially true when you're investing long-term, which should always be the goal with dividend stocks and ETFs. Since SCHD's criteria act as a natural vetter, you don't have to worry much about yield traps. How SCHD can get you to $800,000 Since SCHD began trading in October 2011, it averaged 12.6% annual total returns. Past results don't guarantee future perfo...
House This Week Passed $839 Billion Defense Bill Bursting With Pork Authored by Alan Mosley via AntiWar.com, The House of Representatives on Thursday approved an $838.7 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, moving one of the largest appropriations measures in US history toward final passage in the Senate. In a 341-88 vote that crossed party lines , lawmakers advanced the sprawling defense and...
House This Week Passed $839 Billion Defense Bill Bursting With Pork Authored by Alan Mosley via AntiWar.com, The House of Representatives on Thursday approved an $838.7 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, moving one of the largest appropriations measures in US history toward final passage in the Senate. In a 341-88 vote that crossed party lines , lawmakers advanced the sprawling defense and related appropriations package, underscoring persistent majorities in both parties willing to expand military outlays even amid growing concerns about fiscal discipline. The total exceeds the Pentagon’s original FY 2026 budget request by $8.4 billion but still falls far short of more than $50 billion in additional funds the Defense Department sought after submitting its budget to Congress. That gap reflects, among other things, a stark $26.5 billion in “funding discrepancies” between the Pentagon’s request and the broader reconciliation bill – essentially accounting errors that left vital programs underfunded and were partly addressed by the House’s topline increase. via Openthebooks.com To fiscal conservatives and critics of Washington’s military spending consensus, those discrepancies signal deep structural problems in defense budgeting: an inability to accurately forecast needs, manage programs, or adhere to prudent fiscal stewardship. Lining up nearly three dozen major weapon systems, force structures, and procurement lines every year, the Pentagon’s budget process has consistently produced overruns and unpredictable spending swings that funnel money to entrenched interests rather than identified national priorities. Yet the House markup did not merely bridge gaps; it added money to programs that the services themselves did not request – or, in some cases, explicitly asked to cancel . Lawmakers tacked on $897 million for the Navy’s sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter program , directed a contract award for engineering and development, and preserved $1.1 billion for the Air...