secretly

Stephen Graham secretly joins forces with huge rapper in bid to help make 90s brand Stone Island cool again

It was a clothes brand beloved by football hooligans for decades before becoming distinctly uncool when Arsenal-supporting PM Keir Starmer picked up one of the £150 polo shirts.

But now fashion company Stone Island is undergoing another major rebrand — and has just pulled in Stephen Graham and Skepta to help make it happen.

Stephen Graham has signed up to front Stone Island’s latest rebrand as the label bids to win back its cool after Starmer was spotted wearing one of its £150 polosCredit: Getty
A fashion insider says rapper Skepta brings edge and real integrity to Stone Island’s latest campaignCredit: Getty

I’m told Adolescence actor Stephen and the rapper filmed a top-secret new campaign in London last week in a bid to breathe fresh blood into the brand.

My fashion mole said: “Stephen’s stock is now sky high after Adolescence, and Stone Island want credibility.

“Stephen brings this in spades. It’s a serious deal and they think it’s going to be hugely popular.

“He is the man of the moment thanks to Adolescence, plus he’s a very cool, low-key individual, which is what Stone Island loves.

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“Bringing Skepta in on the deal keeps it edgy. He is an incredible musician and brings real integrity to Stone Island.

“His fan base is massive and there is a huge, untapped audience Stone Island thinks they can reach with him in their clothes.

“The shoot was kept under lock and key but it’s very moody and very cool, with them walking the streets in Stone Island clobber, with the famous compass badge on show.

“It’s likely the advert will be released in the coming weeks, with billboards and a massive push on social media.”

In my teenage years, Stone Island was the uniform of my school’s hardest, and definitely most stupid, kids.

Posh boy

It’s recently had a resurgence, with posh boy DJ Cassius Taylor, whose grandad was the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth, coming on board in 2024 to give the Italian company a refresh.

Stone Island is hoping to restore its edgeCredit: Stone Island

He said at the time he wanted to bring the influence of the British arts scene to the brand, with Ed Sheeran and later American film director Spike Lee all seen wearing Stone Island clobber.

If anyone can make it cool one more, it’s Stephen and Skepta.

Now the company just needs to put a blanket ban on Sir Keir wearing its clothes ever again.

Keep your chin up, Olivia

Olivia Attwood stepped out for her first night since announcing her divorce but left the Bafta Rising Star bash earlyCredit: Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty Ima
Fresh from news of the Pussycat Dolls reunion, Ashley Roberts was feline flirty in this sheer dressCredit: Getty

On her first night out since revealing she is getting divorced, I thought Olivia Attwood might be nursing a broken heart.

But it almost looked like she’d hurt her neck, too, when the reality star turned up to a showbiz London bash in this crop top, which resembled a fuzzy brace.

The ex-Love Islander recently split from footballer Bradley Dack and didn’t seem in the spirit to let her hair down at Glamour and EE’s Bafta Rising Star party in Knightsbridge, leaving after just an hour.

And fresh from news of the Pussycat Dolls reunion, Ashley Roberts was feline flirty in this sheer dress.

Other celebrities at the bash included AJ Odudu and Radio 6 Music’s Beth Ditto, who was one of the last guests standing.

You can cast your vote now on who you want to see win the Rising Star gong at the EE Baftas, which will take place on February 22.

Hopefully there’s more familiar faces letting their hair down then.

Shop ahoy for Cruz

Cruz Beckham hit Retro Man in Notting Hill with bandmates from The Breakers and girlfriend Jackie Apostel, spending £250 on clothes for the groupCredit: Getty

Cruz Beckham shopped until he dropped with his bandmates The Breakers – but he kept it thrifty.

One of my pals saw the youngest son of Posh and Becks at trendy clothing shop Retro Man in Notting Hill, West London, where he spent £250 on clobber for the group.

He was also joined by his girlfriend, songwriter Jackie Apostel.

“Cruz might be absolutely loaded but he kept to a budget when he was shopping for the band,” my mate told me last night.

“They bought a £10 scarf, a top for £20 and a vest which was supposed to be £15 but the shop owner knocked off a fiver. All of them got decked out for £250.

“Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie was there and helped them choose things. They were in a really good mood and Cruz was joking around, saying the band were the next ‘Fab Four’.”

Cruz and The Breakers are on Chris Evans’s Virgin Radio UK Breakfast show this morning to promote their single For Your Love, which is out today.

Other new releases include Blue by Mae Stephens, as well as Charli XCX’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack, featuring a track co-written with Stranger Things’ Joe Keery, also known as singer Djo.

Hailey’s nightie on the town

Hailey Bieber turned heads at the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights in a daring sheer dressCredit: Getty

Hailey Bieber gave husband Justin an early Valentine’s Day treat when she walked the red carpet in this sheer dress.

The beauty mogul wore the daring lacy outfit to the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights.

Given how racy I’ve heard the flick is, perhaps it will help spice things up at home.

She attended the event during a whirlwind promotional tour to launch her beauty brand Rhode in Oz.

Videos have shown thousands of fans lining the streets to catch a glimpse of her there, which shows how her star power has rocketed in the past few years.

It really is amazing what a bit of lip gloss can do.

Cyn sucks with Drac autocue

Cynthia Erivo has faced a backlash from West End audiences for using an autocue in her first performances of DraculaCredit: Getty

West End audiences are out for blood after accusing Cynthia Erivo of not learning her lines for a new production of Dracula.

The Wicked actress has given her first few performances of the show, but some punters were less than impressed by the fact she is using an autocue for lines.

To be fair, Cynthia is playing all 23 parts in the play, which means she had a hell of a lot to learn.

But some people have said she simply isn’t prepared for the part if she doesn’t know the script.

With tickets costing up to £225, I can see why they might be ticked off.

To make matters worse, the show is filled with complex filmed sections, which meant the autocue was clearly visible on massive screens.

Taking to TikTok, one peeved theatre-goer said: “It was an incredible design. It had all of this amazing tech and a stage management team that were working their butts off – it was incredible to see them at work.

“And amongst all of it you had a central performer who didn’t know her lines. She had autocues at the side of the stage that at times got caught on camera.”

“Absolutely appalling. I think at one point she was keeping an earpiece in. Was she being fed her lines by a voice off stage in the wings?”

Some have defended her, insisting the show is still only in the preview stage.

But with its official opening night on Tuesday, it sounds like Cynthia had better sink her teeth into that script.

Duff tour heads to lucky UK

Hilary Duff is gearing up for the biggest tour of her career, hitting arenas worldwideCredit: AP

Hilary Duff is heading out on the biggest tour of her career so far.

She will play arenas around the world after exceptional demand for a handful of intimate shows last month.

The former Disney child star launches The Lucky Me Tour in Florida on June 22, then brings it to the UK and Ireland in September with support from La Roux.

Hilary, whose first album in a decade, Luck . . .  Or Something, will be out a week today, will visit Dublin’s 3Arena on September 6, followed by Cardiff’s Utilita Arena, London’s O2 Arena, Manchester’s AO Arena and finally OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

A pre-sale begins on Tuesday, with tickets going on general sale next Friday.


Chain of Hope’s annual celebrity art auction is back, with Gillian Anderson, Olivia Colman, Mel B and Emma Bunton showing off creative skills alongside Fatboy Slim and Graham Norton.

The artwork is on display and available to buy at London’s Saatchi Gallery. The charity helps children from overseas who have heart disease.

Given Taylor Swift is a fan of Graham and cast him in her Opalite video, I wonder if she will snap up his work for the good cause.


Jason on track for Crimbo

Jason Manford is already planning a festive album, following in the footsteps of Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue and Michael BubleCredit: Getty

It’s only February, but Jason Manford is already planning his next Christmas – complete with new tunes.

The comic reached the Top Ten with his album A Different Stage in 2017 and now wants to put out a festive album, just like Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue and Michael Buble.

Speaking to Bizarre as part of a campaign to lift the nation’s mood with savoury snacks Cheez-Its, of all things, he said: “Because I do the pantos, I keep thinking about Christmas albums. That would be nice.”

‘Silly’ Greg in 1,000-mile relief ride

Greg James is taking on a 1,000-mile tandem bike challenge for Red Nose Day, adding to his impressive Comic Relief record

Greg James is taking one for the Radio 1 team by braving this year’s Red Nose Day challenge.

Unfortunately for the Breakfast Show host, it’s one of the hardest.

Greg, who has already done two Comic Relief challenges and raised more than £2million during his time at the station, is cycling 1,000 miles on a tandem bike.

He will be setting off from Weymouth in Dorset on March 13, then riding through Wales and England before ending up in Edinburgh on Red Nose Day, seven days later.

As well as his fellow Radio 1 DJs, Greg is going to be joined by special guests along the way.

He completed five triathlons in five days in 2016. Two years later, Greg completed Pedal to the Peaks, in which he cycled and climbed Scafell Pike, Snowdon, and Ben Nevis.

At the time, Greg vowed he’d never take on another challenge.

But there must be something in the water as he’s busy getting his Lycra on and training.

He said: “Here I am again. I thought I’d never be so silly to say yes to Comic Relief again, but why not make it a hat-trick?”

We’re right behind you, Greg.

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China Secretly Testing Nuclear Weapons And Covering Its Tracks, U.S. Alleges (Updated)

The U.S. government has accused China of secretly conducting at least one “yield-producing nuclear test” in recent years despite the country having a stated moratorium on such activities. Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to engage in new nuclear testing “on an equal basis” with China and Russia, but it remains unclear what that might mean and what action has been taken. The new test allegation also comes as American officials continue to call for a new nuclear arms control treaty that includes China to succeed the New START agreement with Russia, which sunset yesterday.

“Today, I can reveal that the U.S. government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons,” Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, said during a speech at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland this morning. “The PLA [China’s People’s Liberation Army] sought to conceal testing by obfuscating the nuclear explosions because it recognized these tests violate test ban commitments.”

Then Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno seen descending into a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facility at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota during an inspection in 2019. US State Department

China is a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), but has never ratified it. The same is true of the United States. Both countries have stated self-imposed moratoriums on yield-producing nuclear testing. The CTBT does not prohibit sub-critical testing, which does not involve a full-fledged nuclear reaction. China’s last acknowledged critical-level nuclear test was in 1996. The last U.S. test of that kind was in 1992.

“China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world,” DiNanno added. “China conducted one such yield-producing nuclear test on June 22nd of 2020.”

China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons… China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world. China conducted one such…

— Under Secretary of State Thomas G. DiNanno (@UnderSecT) February 6, 2026

The CTBT’s primary verification method is a global network of hundreds of seismic monitoring stations.

As an aside, the last official nuclear test in Russia came in 1990, just before the fall of the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom, France, India, and Pakistan also conducted yield-producing nuclear tests at various points in the 1990s. North Korea is the only country known to have conducted such tests since 2000, with the detonation of five devices in separate instances between 2006 and 2017.

The video below offers an excellent graphical representation of the extent of known nuclear testing, covering detonations between 1945 and 1998.

A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 – by Isao Hashimoto




At the time of writing, the U.S. government does not appear to have provided further details about the newly alleged Chinese nuclear testing. When American officials arrived at their current assessments about these activities is also unclear.

The U.S. State Department made no mention of any such testing in China in its most recent routine international arms control compliance report, published in April 2025. That report did reiterate previous U.S. accusations that Russia has engaged in supercritical nuclear testing in violation of its commitments to multiple test ban treaties, something DiNanno also highlighted in his speech today. Russia is a signatory to the CTBT and had previously ratified it. Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked that ratification in 2023 after the country’s parliament, or Duma, passed a law approving that action.

The Pentagon’s annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments, published in December 2025, also makes no mention of Chinese nuclear testing.

President Trump may have alluded to this allegation in an interview with CBS News‘ “60 Minutes” last November.

“They [China and Russia] don’t go and tell you about it,” Trump said. “You know, as powerful as they are, this is a big world. You don’t necessarily know where they’re testing. They — they test way under — underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening with the test.”

“You feel a little bit of a vibration. They test and we don’t test,” Trump continued. “But Russia tests, China — and China does test, and we’re gonna test also.”

In an earlier compliance report, the State Department had raised concerns about work China was observed doing at its Lop Nur nuclear test site in 2019. That report was notably published in June 2020, the same month Under Secretary DiNanno says the PLA conducted the yield-producing test.

“China’s possible preparation to operate its Lop Nur test site year-round, its use of explosive containment chambers, extensive excavation activities at Lop Nur, and lack of transparency on its nuclear testing activities – which has included frequently blocking the flow of data from its International Monitoring System (IMS) stations to the International Data Center operated by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization – raise concerns regarding its adherence to the ‘zero yield’ standard adhered to by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in their respective nuclear weapons testing moratoria,” the report explained.

Following Trump’s interview in November 2025, Chinese authorities had pushed back and reiterated the country’s stated commitment to its moratorium on nuclear testing.

“China notes that the U.S. continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives,” Chinese Ambassador Shen Jian, Deputy Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, said today following Under Secretary DiNanno’s remarks, according to Reuters. “It (the United States) is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.”

For years now, China has been engaged in a massive expansion of its nuclear arsenal, both in terms of warheads and delivery systems, something that was showcased at a military parade in Beijing last September. This has included the construction of huge new fields of silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles and work on a system that involves launching a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle into orbit, among other new capabilities. The U.S. government has assessed that the Chinese have around 600 warheads in their stockpile at present, but that this number is on track to grow to 1,000 by 2030 and to 1,500 by 2035.

It should also be pointed out that the United States and Russia are both generally assessed to have roughly 4,000 warheads each. The U.S. figure has been declining in recent years, while the Russian one has been growing, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank in Washington, D.C.

As noted, successive U.S. administrations have been pushing for a new nuclear arms control regime that includes China. Negotiations in the past have focused more heavily on bilateral agreements with Russia, and the Soviet Union before it. The most recent of these deals, New START, expired as scheduled yesterday, following the conclusion of a one-time five-year extension. There are still unconfirmed reports that the U.S. and Russia may be working on an interim and non-legally-binding arrangement to keep the New START limits at least for some amount of time, as you can read more about here.

“New START was signed in 2010 and its limits on warheads and launchers are no longer relevant in 2026, when one nuclear power is expanding its arsenal at a scale and pace not seen in over half a century and another continues to maintain and develop a vast range of nuclear systems unconstrained by New START’s terms,” Under Secretary DiNanno also said in remarks today. “[China’s] buildup is opaque and unconstrained by any arms control limitations.”

“Rather than extend ‘NEW START’ (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” President Trump had written yesterday on his Truth Social platform.

Trump:

Rather than extend “NEW START” (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future. pic.twitter.com/MPlDNeTWLZ

— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 5, 2026

“The President’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile,” U.S. Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio also said during a press conference on Wednesday in response to a question about New START.

SECRETARY RUBIO: The President has been clear that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China — because of their vast & rapidly growing stockpile. pic.twitter.com/FiYVUsBAVb

— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 5, 2026

Chinese officials have repeatedly rebuffed calls to join negotiations on a new nuclear arms control agreement.

The allegations Under Secretary DiNanno raised today prompt new questions about the future of U.S. nuclear testing, as well. As mentioned, there has been little elaboration on exactly what President Trump meant by his announcement last year about future testing “on an equal basis” with Russia and China. At that time, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright had downplayed the possibility of a resumption of American yield-producing nuclear tests.

“Since the President’s statement, we have received many questions about what he meant,” DiNanno said during his speech in Geneva today, before diving into the accusations about Chinese and Russian tests. However, the Under Secretary did not explicitly say whether or not this meant the United States intends to conduct its own testing at this level going forward. He did say later on in his remarks that the U.S. government is committed to efforts to “restore responsible behavior when it comes to nuclear testing.”

You can read more about what it would actually take for the U.S. government to resume full-scale nuclear testing in this previous TWZ feature.

The end of New START has already been fueling renewed concerns about a new nuclear arms race, and one that would not necessarily be limited to the United States, Russia, and China.

Following today’s revelations in Geneva, more details at least about the new U.S. allegations about Chinese nuclear testing activities may begin to emerge.

Update: 1:50 PM EST –

In light of today’s remarks from Under Secretary DiNanno, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s (CTBTO) Executive Secretary Robert Floyd has issued a statement.

”The CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (IMS) is capable of detecting nuclear test explosions with a yield equivalent to or greater than approximately 500 tonnes of TNT, including detecting all six tests conducted and declared by the DPRK [North Korea]. Below 500 tonnes is roughly 3 percent of the yield of the explosion that devastated Hiroshima,” Floyd says. “Mechanisms which could address smaller explosions are provided by the Treaty but can only be used once the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enters into force. That is why it is important that the nuclear arms control framework includes the entry into force of the CTBT.  The need is more urgent now than ever.”

“Regarding reports of possible nuclear tests with yields in the hundreds of tonnes, on 22 June 2020, the CTBTO’s IMS did not detect any event consistent with the characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion at that time. Subsequent, more detailed analyses have not altered that determination,” he adds. “Any nuclear test explosion, by any state, is of deepest concern.”

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Joseph has been a member of The War Zone team since early 2017. Prior to that, he was an Associate Editor at War Is Boring, and his byline has appeared in other publications, including Small Arms Review, Small Arms Defense Journal, Reuters, We Are the Mighty, and Task & Purpose.




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