A French teacher stabbed to death last week by an Islamist former pupil was to be laid to rest on Thursday, after a funeral in the northern city of...

Modelo Especial is now officially America's best-selling beer, dethroning Bud Light from the top spot it has largely held for the past two decades.

Earle's transformations for events like Coachella are brought to life by Oakley's expert hands in a perfect blend of artistry and innovation

Thousands of expatriate Indians have begun thronging Australia’s largest entertainment and sporting arena in Sydney to welcome Indian

Whether you live in Europe or are just visiting as a tourist, authorities have a recommendation: Stay inside

When SAG-AFTRA announced a strike this summer, Cameron Bailey, the longtime chief executive of the Toronto International Film Festival, dusted off his COVID-19 playbook

Sometimes hosts offering to rent their vacation home, RV or car through peer-to-peer sharing sites don’t show up at the time they promised to exchange keys

The surprise hit of high summer, colourful crochet is everywhere right now. What started on the spring/summer 2023 catwalks as more of a laidback, seaside-inspired look – with cream, custard and khaki beach dresses at Gabriela Hearst, Khaite and Ulla Johnson – has bloomed into a rainbow-bright riot on the high street. The fabric – which is created by using a hook to weave loops of yarn – has fallen in and out of fashion throughout the decades. The hippy heyday of the Seventies saw a massive boom in crochet clothing, in particular garments made from a patchwork of ‘granny squares’. More recently, London Fashion Week designer Christopher Kane (known for his love of ‘granny chic’) put black and blue crochet on the catwalk, styled with leather and latex. Singer Harry Styles – known for his love of Seventies styles – has inspired fans to weave their own crochet cardigans after he was spotted on stage in a patchwork design. According to Klarna Shopping Index research, shoppers are embracing the retro look in a big way, with sales of crochet items up 81% year on year. The most popular garments are trousers (up 269%), shirts (193%) and skirts (140%). So how should you wear the trend now? This year’s revival is all about fun in the sun. A mesh dress or cover-up is a beachwear must-have if you’re jetting off somewhere hot on holiday. For a subtle Seventies look, team a bright crochet vest with wide-leg or flared jeans or denim cut-offs. Heading to a festival? Go bold with a ‘granny square’ dress in a cocktail of colours or co-ord set in this season’s hottest hue: emerald green. Accessorise your look with some vintage-style cork sole wedges or espadrilles (another classic trend that’s making a comeback right now) and add a woven beach bag for a cute finishing touch. Here’s our pick of the best crochet pieces to shop this summer… Boohoo Premium Patchwork Crochet Knitted Dress, £32 (was £38) Simply Be Orange Wide V Neck Crochet Jumper, £30; Blue Crochet Straw Hat, £10.80 (was £18); Pink Wide V Neck Crochet Jumper, £27 (was £30); Bright Blue Crochet Wide Leg Trouser Co-ord, £30 Pep&Co at Poundland Cerise Pink and Yellow Striped Bodycon Dress, £14 (in store only) Roman Multi One Size Cotton Blend Crochet Cape, £28 (was £35); Light Denim Stretch Denim Mom Shorts, £24 Matalan Pink Crochet Look Long Beach Dress, £19 Monsoon Sleeveless Crochet Top with Lenzing Ecovero Green, £50; Winnie Wrap Midi Skirt Black, £55 V by Very Crochet Flared Sleeve Top, £14 (was £22); V by Very Crochet Shorts Green, £8.50 (were £18) Bimba y Lola Orange Crochet Top, £44 (was £110) Accessorize Pink Raffia Crochet Beach Shopper, £15.20 (was £38) Esprit Robyn Cotton Hobo Bag in Crochet Knit, £46, La Redoute FatFace Penelope Tile Crochet Sliders, £47.20 (were £59)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was a hit in Japan after wearing socks for the local Hiroshima Carp

Is it just me or have we reached peak hair tools? Between the Dyson Airstrait, ghd’s Duet Hot Air Styler, and the much anticipated restock of Amika’s Blowout Babe Thermal Brush, it seems we all want to achieve beautiful, bouncy hair — no matter the cost.

A Russian warship fired warning shots at a dry cargo ship in the Black Sea on Sunday, after the Russian defence ministry said it intercepted the Palau-flagged “Sukru Okan” ship heading towards Ukraine. Issuing a statement, Russia said its Vasily Bykov patrol ship open fired with an automatic weapon at the vessel after its captain did not respond to their request to halt for an inspection. "To forcibly stop the vessel, warning fire was opened from automatic weapons," the Russian defence ministy said. A Ka-29 helicopter carrying Russian soldiers was then scrambled to inspect the ship. While Russia claims the ship was heading towards Ukraine’s port of Izmail, Refinitiv shipping data showed the ship was heading north towards the coast of Bulgaria, reported Reuters. "After the inspection group completed its work on board, the Sukru Okan continued on its way to the port of Izmail," the Russian defence ministry said. Shipping databases list the Sukru Okan as a Palau-flagged vessel with a tonnage of 2155 whose home port is Istanbul. The Black Sea handled about 95 per cent of Ukrainian grain exports before Russia’s invasion, according to Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Earlier last month, Russia ended a UN-brokered grain deal that ensured Ukraine could get its agricultural produce to market via the Black Sea and Moscow cautioned that it would deem all ships heading to Ukrainian waters to be potentially carrying weapons. Ukraine, a major supplier of corn, wheat, barley and vegetable oil to the world, shipped 32.9 million metric tonnes of grain under the nearly year-long deal designed to ease a global food crisis. It has been able to export an additional two million to 2.5 million metric tonnes monthly via the Danube River, road and rail through Europe. Those are now the only routes to ship Ukrainian grain, Mr Glauber earlier told the Associated Press. Ukraine’s response including sea-drone attacks on a Russian oil tanker and a warship at its Novorossiysk naval base, next door to a major grain and oil port, has added to these new dangers for transport in the Black Sea. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Russia vows retaliation after Ukraine launches attack on key Crimea bridge Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting rescue workers in latest missile strikes Moment sea drone ‘hits Russian tanker’ near Crimea captured in dramatic footage The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott has announced his resignation - just months after swapping his role at the Formula 1 team. Elliott has been with the team for 11 years and has overseen eight constructors' world championships and seven drivers' titles, six for Lewis Hamilton and one for Nico Rosberg. However, his surprise departure comes just six months after he moved back to a role based at the factory in Brackley, with James Allison returning as technical director based predominantly in the paddock. Elliott has come under scrutiny as a result of Mercedes’ unique ‘no-sidepod’ design and their subsequent lack of pace and porpoising problems last year. George Russell’s victory in Brazil last year has been Mercedes’ only race win in the last two seasons. Mercedes announced the surprise shake of their management team back in April, with key personnel Alisson and Elliott swapping jobs. The shuffle, driven by Elliott, came as Mercedes target a return to the top of the sport after struggling to adapt to a change in regulations last year. However, despite some signs of progress in recent weeks, Mercedes have been left trailing behind Red Bull as Max Verstappen cruised to a third consecutive title.