List of All Articles with Tag 'epc'

Ukrainian troops are inching closer to the eastern city of Bakhmut, the scene for some of the fiercest fighting in the continuing invasion, officials in Kyiv have said. Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said fierce fighting raged near the villages of Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka and Andriivka on the southern flank of Bakhmut, a small city reduced to ruins in a bloody, months-long battle that gave Russian forces control of the area for now. Despite steady Western military aid, Ukrainian military officials have said Russia still has an advantage in artillery, tanks and manpower. But Volodymyr Zelensky’s military is about to receive a consignment of 1,700 strike and reconnaissance drones to help with its counteroffensive. It comes as Russian forces struck port infrastructure in Ukraine‘s Odesa region in an overnight missile attack, killing a security guard and damaging a cargo terminal, the region’s governor said on Thursday. Odesa’s ports have been regular targets for Russian attacks since Moscow withdrew on July 17 from a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported via the Black Sea. Read More Angry Russia refuses to speak at UN meeting on its attacks on Ukraine's key port city of Odesa. Putin’s forces pushed back around Bakhmut as Ukraine’s troops press on with counteroffensive Wrongfully detained in Russia and injured fighting in Ukraine. Everything we know about Trevor Reed Russian fighter jet strikes another American drone over Syria in the sixth incident this month

Donald Trump is said to be preparing for the federal grand jury to potentially vote to indict him on charges over the January 6 Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election today. Sources told NBC News that the former president’s legal and political teams are getting ready for the possibility that the vote will take place on Thursday – and that Mr Trump will be hit with his third criminal indictment. Last week, Mr Trump said he had received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office saying he is the target of a grand jury investigation. Former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernie Kerik, a Rudy Giuliani ally, has since agreed to turn over hundreds of documents to the DOJ as part of its probe, court documents reveal. Ahead of the potential looming indictment, Mr Trump has gone on the attack against his political rivals and Mr Smith, and also posted a video begging Congress to help save him from his escalating legal troubles. This comes as Melania Trump is reportedly distancing herself from her husband’s 2024 campaign, rejecting multiple requests to join him at campaign stops. Read More What Donald Trump’s trial date means for the 2024 election Trump demands cameras in courtroom for potential election fraud case Trump legal team tries again to block Georgia election interference grand jury probe Is Donald Trump a legal unicorn?

Sinead O’Connor's son Shane took his life in January 2022 after escaping from the hospital where he was on suicide watch

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)

Sinead O'Connor achieved international stardom in 1990 with her rendition of 'Nothing Compares 2 U', a song originally written and composed by Prince

Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor has died at the age of 56 and tributes celebrating her life have poured in. Her death was announced on Wednesday (26 July) by her family in a brief statement. No cause of death was given. It read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.” The singer hailed from Dublin, Ireland, and rose to fame thanks to a global hit with the 1990 ballad Nothing Compares 2 U. Throughout her musical career, O’Connor was no stranger to controversy and famously shocked the US by ripping up a picture of Pope John Paul II during a 1992 appearance on the talk show Saturday Night Live in protest against child abuse in the Catholic Church. The news of her death stunned many, from the world of entertainment and beyond, and has led to an outpouring of heartfelt tributes for the musical icon. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter O’Connor’s death comes 18 months after that of her 17-year-old son Shane. In one of her last posts on social media, she said he was “the love of my life, the lamp of my soul”. She will be remembered not only for her singing voice but for her activism and bravery in opposing atrocities, even in the face of significant backlash. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A Michael Jackson estate lawyer said such a premise 'would require low-level employees to confront their supervisor and call them pedophiles'

Tom DeLonge has teased fans are in for a treat with their forthcoming album.

Michael Bisping is, in his own words, “f***ing knackered”. As we sit in a long, vast hallway in a Canary Wharf hotel, it is 2pm local time. But Bisping, fresh in from the US, is mentally in another time zone completely. The 44-year-old is in London to provide commentary for this weekend’s Fight Night at the O2 Arena, where – in two days’ time – Tom Aspinall will knock out Marcin Tybura in 73 seconds. In many minds, Aspinall is Britain’s next UFC champion. Bisping, though, will always be Britain’s first. It has been seven years since the Lancashire fighter stunned Luke Rockhold on short notice to win their rematch, avenge a loss to the American, and take the middleweight title. And it has been six years since Bisping retired, following a loss to Kelvin Gastelum in Shanghai. “It’s crazy, it doesn’t feel like that at all,” he says. “It’s flown by, to be honest, but I’m still very busy and very involved in the UFC, which I’m very grateful for. This company changed my life in so many of the best ways possible. Fighting in the UFC is a very tough career, but it opened so many doors for me. I’ll forever be grateful.” Nowadays, Bisping’s main involvement with the UFC is at the commentary desk, where he can combine his charisma with insight from a Hall Of Fame career. “I take it very seriously,” he says. “From the first fighter on the prelims to the main event, they all need the same amount of attention and respect. For those people making their debut, this is their main event. You have to be just as studious for them. I know I’m very jovial, sometimes silly – a little foolish – but I’m playing the part. I take it very seriously.” During his fighting career, Bisping would often play the part of the ‘bad guy’. It was the sort of approach that saw some fans delight in his brutal knockout loss to Dan Henderson in 2009, seven years before Bisping outpointed his rival to retain the middleweight belt. Now, however, he is beloved, as is evidenced by fans’ interactions with the Briton at live events. That said, ‘fans’ isn’t a word that Bisping likes to use. “It’s never sat comfortably with me,” he explains. “I’m just a very normal guy from Clitheroe. Mixed martial arts is an incredible sport, but we’re fighters – not rockstars. I think the moment you start thinking like that, you need to give your head a bit of a wobble and have a chat with yourself.” In his penultimate fight, versus welterweight icon Georges St-Pierre, Bisping again filled the role of the bad guy, against one of the nicest guys in MMA. “GSP” would submit Bisping to take the title, before retiring from the sport. Three weeks later, after losing to Gastelum, Bisping followed suit. Now, the Briton is pondering following GSP back into action, as St-Pierre prepares to compete in the UFC Fight Pass Invitational jiu-jitsu tournament in December. “He was trying to train me and offer me to do it,” Bisping says. “I’m kind of considering it, to be honest. I have many injuries, but I can still grapple, and it’s pretty low risk on the body. If things aren’t going well, you can tap out at any time, and it’s not like there’s a world title on the line or I’m trying to build a career from it. But the challenge of coming back to a competitive realm is appealing to me, and I think the ‘fans’ would get a kick out of it...” Bisping and GSP discussed the latter’s grappling venture on YouTube recently, in a much friendlier exchange than the ones that preceded their 2017 fight. “We’ve laughed about it many times, we’ve had many a dinner together,” Bisping says. “I’m happy and proud to call him a friend. I have so much respect for the man. I always did, we actually trained together for a long period in 2006, but that’s just the way I was; if someone was gonna fight me, I’d kinda take it personally. “Everyone deals with it in different ways, and of course I was playing the bad guy. You’re trying to sell pay-per-views, but I do build some animosity in my own mind until the fight’s done. Never has a harsh word spoken between us since then. The man really is one of the nicest, most fantastic human beings.” Bisping, like St-Pierre, has often credited martial arts as a key factor in becoming a well-adjusted adult, and the former middleweight champion is not only in London for commentary duties but also to promote the city’s first UFC Gym, which will open later this year. Like the existing UFC Gyms in Nottingham and Woking, the space will offer martial arts classes, though it is not aimed at those purely wishing to get into fighting, he clarifies. “Obviously I’m biased, but I think a mixed martial artist in prime condition is one of the best-trained athletes in the world. I think UFC Gym mirrors that, in terms of what we can offer with fitness. UFC Gyms are world-class fitness centres, and there’s a real vibrancy to them. They offer jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, kids’ classes, but they’re not necessarily aimed at people wanting to be fighters. I have a UFC Gym in California, it’s got every type of class you could imagine. It’s got yoga, circuit classes, weight training, cryotherapy, saunas.” Has Bisping ever tried yoga? “I keep talking about starting, but I’m a little self-conscious!” he laughs. “I need to start, because my body is a little beat up after spending 20 years getting the crap kicked out of me. It’s on the agenda.” Before long, a bit of grappling may be on the agenda, too. Visit ufcgym.co.uk for more details. Read More UFC 291 live stream: How to watch Poirier vs Gaethje online and on TV this weekend Tom Aspinall finally banishes ghosts of the past with UFC London triumph Tyson Fury seeks UFC star Tom Aspinall’s help ahead of Francis Ngannou fight UFC 291 fight card in full as Dustin Poirier faces Justin Gaethje What time does UFC 291 start this weekend? How to watch UFC 291 online and on TV this weekend

'The View's Joy Behar had to interrupt her co-host Whoopi Goldberg who couldn't help but wheeze while reading the cue cards

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze and remained silent for 20 seconds during a press conference on Wednesday before colleagues intervened

Britney Spears seems to have made peace with her mother and sister, months before the release of her memoir, 'The Woman In Me'