These stories need no contrivances to create places that are lonely and old, a place where bad things are kept hushed up instead of dealt with.

New York City must face a lawsuit filed by DoorDash Inc., Grubhub Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc.’s Uber

1. Lakeland This smart-looking rubberwood block comes complete with five knives – paring, cook's, all-purpose, carving and bread, which covers what most kitchens need. Each is made from a single piece of hardened stainless steel and there's good handling balance. £59.99, lakeland.co.uk 2. Robert Welch This award-winning set contains six high-quality knives and a stylish knife-block with a handy in-built knife sharpener. Each knife slot has a clever integral magnet mechanism, so that when you slide the knife in or out, the sharp edge is protected. £280, robertwelch.com 3. Maxwell & Williams This five-piece slice-and-dice knife set features knives constructed with stainless steel with a non-stick overcoat for the blade. The coloured handles make them clearly distinguishable from the blade during use and cleaning and they're currently reduced from £59.96. £29.95, maxwellandwilliams.co.uk 4. IKEA Slipad This entry-level knife block, which includes five multi-coloured knives ranging from a paring knife to a carving knife, is perfect for those setting up home on a budget, students going off to college, or the occasional cook. £11, ikea.com 5. Pampered Chef Pampered Chef's knives are the business. They are finely crafted from fully forged, high-carbon German steel for a perfect edge and sharpness, stain and corrosion resistance and durability. Too expensive? There's a less comprehensive set at £127. £390, pamperedchef.co.uk 6. Zwilling This company has been making knives since 1731 and its latest range is hard to fault. The blades are perfectly balanced and all the knives are all forged from a single piece of stainless steel, which goes through six different stages of heat production followed by an ice-hardening process, for optimum durability and stain resistance. £169.99, lakeland.co.uk 7. Judge This eye-catching set makes it easy to find the right knife for the task in hand. The five Sabatier blades with contoured anti-slip handles are clearly displayed in their acrylic stand and if you don't like the red, there's a black version, too. £48, judgecookware.co.uk 8. Stellar James Martin Designed in conjunction with TV chef James Martin, these high-specification stainless-steel blades have a high level of Molybdenum (a type of metal) for lasting quality and come with a lifetime guarantee. Additional knives are also available. £72, stellarcookware.co.uk 9. Raymond Blanc Knives Each blade in this six-piece knife collection is ice-hardened Japanese steel and they run the entire length of the handle to ensure perfect balance, precision and durability. The Suregrip handle is ergonomically countoured, too, enabling a really firm grip. £125, raymondblanc.com 10. Robert Welch Here's another set featuring the multi-award winning Robert Welch Signature kitchen knives. This time, the base – a bamboo drawer unit – is designed for those who like to keep their worktops tidy while cooking. It's also ultra-safe for households with children. £110, robertwelch.com

High street fashion retailer H&M has joined other companies in charging shoppers who return items purchased online. Customers must now pay £1.99 to return parcels either in store or online, with the cost of the return being deducted from their refund. Rival high street stores including Zara, Boohoo, Uniqlo and Next already charge for online returns, with retail experts predicting that even more are likely to follow suit. During the pandemic, when online shopping inevitably soared in popularity, customers became increasingly more reliant on returning items when they did not fit. However, this also led to a rise in people buying items in bulk and returning almost all those items, some of them worn. While most online and high street retailers do not formally announce the move to charge for returns, many have introduced the change under the radar, with H&M implementing the return fee this summer. Business analysts have told the BBC that other retailers are likely to do the same. "It’s interesting that companies seem to be doing it by stealth, but it’s a sensible thing to be doing," retail expert Jonathan De Mello told the outlet. "It makes economic sense, as it discourages shoppers from bulk buying online products and then returning the majority of them. That’s been a real problem for companies." While H&M shoppers might be disappointed in the extra returns fee, added De Mello, most might understand why a company would need to make this decision, especially when it comes to the environment. Many shoppers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of deliveries and returns, from courier vans to wasted packaging. Retail expert and analyst Natalie Berg wrote on Twitter/X that retailers have “created a monster” with free returns. “​​H&M charging for returns. Retailers have created a monster with free returns. It makes financial and environmental sense to put an end to this ‘buy to try’ mentality.” But Berg pointed out that customers who have signed up to H&M membership would be exempt from the extra fee for returning items. “This is actually a really delicate way to tier your customers,” Berg said of the membership scheme. “Slowly climb down from costly promises by limiting those benefits to loyalty members. Retailers have become too generous over the past decade. Save that generosity for your most valuable customers.” Read More Inside London’s first Vogue World: Thong leotards and Anna Wintour’s VIP assembly line Voguewashing London Fashion Week won’t pay the wages of Britain’s young fashion designers Bridesmaid who “didn’t love” her dress spends 35 years wearing it around the world Meghan Markle praised for mixing high-fashion with affordable pieces Vogue World wowed but won’t pay the wages of young fashion designers Ukrainian designers prove beauty can come from darkness at London Fashion Week

A Ukrainian fashion designer said she will continue to “work no matter what”, after showing her latest collection at London Fashion Week (LFW). Nadya Dzyak was one of three designers showing their latest collections in a showcase dubbed ‘Ukrainian Fashion Week’. This is the second season Ukrainian Fashion Week has taken place in London, as the traditional Kyiv-based event has been cancelled due to the ongoing Russian invasion. The show took place on the final day of LFW. It began with a voiceover saying: “Creating collections is our resistance to war”, going on to highlight that the fashion is a manifestation of “our strength and resilience”. “No matter what, we work. We’ll work because it’s our life and it’s our fight, to create new pieces,” Dzyak told the PA news agency backstage after the show. She said it was particularly meaningful participating in London Fashion Week, calling the city “the main centre of the world of fashion”. She said: “You cannot imagine how it’s important for us – it’s very strong, it gives power, it gives a lot of emotions.” Dzyak founded her eponymous brand in 2008, and her spring/summer 2024 collection was full of bright colours with sheer dresses laden with ruffles and frills. She said she was inspired by Ukrainian artist Polina Raiko, who was part of the naïve or folk art movement and died in 2004. Raiko’s museum house in Oleshky was flooded after the Russian destruction of the Kakhovka Dam earlier this year. “I was inspired by her drawings on the walls from this building,” Dzyak said, likening her design process to “painting with ruffles”. She continued: “This collection is about hope, about kindness, about optimism, about belief in lightness and victory. You can see very bright colours – for me, it’s something very beautiful.” The designer brought her bright colours to unconventional denim looks, which were dyed on the porch of her parents’ house. “My father helped me hand-dye clothes and dry them in the sun. There was something archaic, almost ritualistic in this process,” Dzyak said in a statement. “It made me reflect again on how we will carry the metaphysics of our heritage into the future, everyday life, traditions, parental love.” Also showing her latest collection was Elena Reva, who founded Elenareva in Kyiv in 2012. Her aesthetic was much more pared-back, with a muted colour palette on romantic gowns and structured tailoring. She was inspired by ancient Trypillian culture, which had a powerful cult dedicated to the Mother Goddess. Reva told the PA news agency backstage that the jewellery in the collection was designed to give “power and energy, because we need the power now”. She added: “It’s a very difficult situation in our country – it’s terrible. [But] we have to continue our jobs. We have to live… But it’s terrible when the rockets come in.” Her collection mixed masculine tailoring with feminine silhouettes, and created silver pendants of artifacts like amphora – made to look like items unearthed by modern archaeologists. Kseniaschnaider – the Kyiv-based brand founded in 2011 by married couple Ksenia and Anton Schnaider – was also on the runway. Denim dominated the collection in different forms, from patchwork jeans to distressed jackets. One of the models wore a denim interpretation of Cossack styles. All of the garments were made in Ukraine, with the brand adopting sustainable materials – such as aged-look denim dyed with a recycled finish made by cork stoppers. Kseniaschnaider launched the second drop of its collaboration with Adidas Originals during the show, including football tops in geometric patterns and a midi-length dress in Ukraine’s yellow, white and blue colours. At the end of the show, Dzyak, Reva and Schnaider walked down the runway with Ukrainian flags draped around their shoulders. Dzyak wants the world to know that Ukrainian designers are “very talented, very strong, very brave and very optimistic”. Reva added that it’s crucial for the world to see Ukrainian fashion, saying: “We have to tell about our culture, it’s very important. “We have a very strong community in Ukraine, and we have a very interesting story. And that’s why we have to continue.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Beginner’s guide to buying second-hand furniture Do I need to treat my garden furniture before storing it for winter? Prince William heads to New York for UN General Assembly climate week event

Food from the Philippines, Brazil and Vietnam have topped a list of the 20 international cuisines Brits are keen to try. Sri Lankan, Scandinavian and South Korean feasts were also included in the list of the most-desired international dishes. A poll of 2,000 adults found on average, adults cook seven different foreign cuisines at home each year. And eight in 10 consider themselves ‘adventurous’ with their eating. Of more familiar foods, Greek, Indian, Spanish and Japanese featured in the top 20 most loved plates - with Gen Z tucking into sushi multiple times each month. With 43 per cent of the younger generation who have made international dishes before having sought inspiration from social media. The study, commissioned by Jongga, found over half (54 per cent) of adults want to travel more, to experience authentic international foods from different countries. But 27 per cent find it hard to get enough time off work, while 17 per cent don’t have anyone to go with. The biggest problem however, shared by 54 per cent, is finding the spare money during the cost-of-living crisis and this rises to almost two thirds (62 per cent) for Gen Zs. Jennifer Lee, head of Global Food Business Unit, Daesang at Jongga, said: “When you see the data and globetrotting nature of the nation’s tastebuds, it is impressive. “Unfortunately for many, the current financial climate means it can be tricky to jet away and try as many international cuisines as they’d like. “Fortunately for them, many UK supermarkets – not to mention specialist shops – sell ingredients that in the past you’d have had to travel thousands of miles to find.” The research found more than one in five adults (21 per cent) would want to try Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food – or try it again if they’ve already had a go. And Gen Z are most likely to eat it – with 29 per cent tucking in at least once every two weeks. Exactly a third would travel to another country to experience more authentic international cuisine – most true of Gen Z and Millennials. Around four in 10 (38 per cent) admit to being impressed when they find authentic international food in the UK. And a quarter (25 per cent) prefer other cuisines to traditional English foods like a roast dinner or fish and chips, according to the OnePoll.com figures. When people go abroad, the number one thing they love doing is taking a tour of the local areas (47 per cent) – followed by eating in local-recommended restaurants (45 per cent). Just over four in 10 (41 per cent) like finding hidden spots such as lakes, fields or beaches, and 36 per cent enjoy sampling local wines or beers. Knowing travel may be off the agenda for many Brits, Jongga is bringing a slice of Seoul to the UK, with a free, three-week pop-up, launching on Saturday 16 September in Covent Garden, London Jennifer Lee added: “Trying new foods is one of the most exciting parts about being away, and a key driver for travel. “It’s fun to be able to tell people that you’ve eaten something they may have never even heard of, let alone tried in the past. “Seoul’s food and flavours attract many to the city every year, and it was interesting to note that almost a quarter of the UK population wanted to try Kimchi or try it again if they’ve already sampled it. “It’s all about being adventurous – if you’re not sure, just close your eyes, hold your breath and give it a try – you might find a new favourite.” Top 20 cuisines Brits want to try: 1. Filipino 2. Brazilian 3. Vietnamese 4. Sri Lankan 5. Scandinavian 6. Caribbean 7. South Korean 8. African 9. Malaysian 10. Israeli 11. Lebanese 12. Australian 13. Polish 14. Ukraine 15. Moroccan 16. Turkish 17. Russian 18. Japanese 19. German 20. Thai Top 20 favourite international cuisines: 1. Italian 2. Chinese 3. Indian 4. Mexican 5. Spanish 6. Greek 7. American 8. Thai 9. French 10. Japanese 11. Turkish 12. Caribbean 13. Moroccan 14. German 15. Vietnamese 16. Lebanese 17. Malaysian 18. South Korean 19. African 20. Brazilian Read More Five easy recipes to cook with your kids The dish that defines me: Rosie Grant’s gravestone recipes Courgette season is nearly over – here’s three ways to make the most of them How to cook to keep your gut healthy The symbolic foods that are eaten on the Jewish New Year ‘Fried rice syndrome’: Dietitians warn against eating food left at room temperature

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For Ksenia Schnaider and her fellow Ukrainian designers, the show must go on despite the war in their country — or precisely because of it

Fans of Subway’s sandwiches are up in arms after stores in Pakistan launched its first ever 3-inch mini sub as a budget-friendly option. The bite-size sandwich, which recently appeared on Pakistani menus and in social media posts, provides “value” to customers, a spokesperson for Subway told Bloomberg News last week. The new size is half the length of the company’s previous smallest sandwich, which is six inches. Its largest size, otherwise known as the “footlong” sub, is 12 inches. But the newer, cheaper, size is said to be a more bite-sized option to fulfil a “snack craving”. Announcing the launch, a post shared by Subway Pakistan’s Instagram account read: “Say hello to our NEW Mini Sub! The perfect treat for your snack cravings! Get ready to fall in love with its incredible flavors!” A second post added, “Our New Mini Sub is the cutest explosion of taste you’ll ever experience!”, followed by the slogan: “Unleash the mini magic”. The reduced size comes as Pakistan contends with Asia’s fastest rates of inflation, which has seen double-digit percentage increases in the price of fuel amid a cost of living crisis. The August data from Pakistan’s statistics bureau showed that food inflation was elevated at 38.5 per cent. Confronting rising prices, many restaurants have reportedly increased prices on their menus or reduced portion sizes. Pakistan was saved from debt default after securing a further $3bn bailout disbursement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July. However, the deal has come with specific measures attached, including an increase in fuel and energy prices. These rising energy costs have sparked protests among citizens across the country. Meanwhile, Subway fans have been expressing their disappointment about the “tiny” size of the new sandwich. “No one is walking outta the shop after eating this and feeling full,” wrote one Twitter/X user. “That’s like 2-3 bites!” wrote one social media user, as another added: “This would barely feed a toddler.” While it seems that the mini sub has only been rolled out in Pakistan so far, it is unconfirmed whether the menu item will be available at other global stores. The Independent has contacted Subway for comment. Read More Tea enthusiasts stew over 60-second PG Tips teabag: ‘It’s a massive step backwards’ Dunkin’ fans appalled by amount of sugar in Ice Spice’s Munchkins Drink: ‘This should be illegal’ Millennial woman reveals everything Gen Z coworker has taught her: ‘Class was in session’ Three recipes from Michel Roux’s new fuss-free French cookbook How to cook to keep your gut healthy The symbolic foods that are eaten on the Jewish New Year

We were in hot pursuit. Dust rose up behind our Land Cruiser in a massive cloud as our