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akes no cents When I bought my Mercedes B-class it came with a three-year free servicing deal, paid for by Mercedes rather than the dealership. The dealer is now trying to persuade me to take out a further two-year service plan with them, assuring me that I will save money over the cost of two annual services. What do you think? HM Waste of money and potentially harmful to the car. I’ve had readers sign up for three-year service deals and get just one oil service in that time. My advice is to pay as you go and tell the dealer to change the oil and filter at least every 10,000...

f Pete Sampras was the tennis equivalent of Manchester United's winning machine in the 1990s, then perhaps Mark Philippoussis was its answer to Liverpool's so-called 'Spice Boys'. Similarly glamorous and attention-grabbing, Philippoussis was a fine player, who reached two grand-slam finals and twice won the deciding rubber to deliver the Davis Cup to Australia. Philippoussis's go-for-broke style was built around a serve so fearsome it earned him the nickname "Scud", in homage to the famous missile. Away from the court, Philippoussis was known for his colourful love life, which at times resembled the kind of far-fetched soap opera produced in his homeland. Fellow player Anna Kournikova, singer...

he new year is always time for setting new resolutions and beauty habits so we've done the hard work so you don't have to. This year, the beauty industry is set to delve into a more sustainable and eco-friendly atmosphere with brands cutting down on their packaging and sourcing ingredients more sustainably. 2019 is also set to see beauty brands get a little smarter with savvy tools and techniques to enhance your regime- think skincare devices that alert you when you skin is exposed to too much pollution and crystal readings to zen-your skincare regime. With many more to choose from, here are the biggest trends to have on your beauty radar for 2019.

wo British women who died when their car plunged off a bridge in Iceland have been named as Rajshree Laturia and Khushboo Laturia. A young child was also killed in the crash, which happened before sunrise on Thursday morning. Sheeraj Laturia, who is married to Rajshree, is in a critical condition in hospital, alongside his brother Supreme Laturia, who was also injured in the incident. Two children are also in hospital, with serious injuries. In 2015, Sheeraj and Rajshree were named on the Asian Power Couples Hot 100 list, where judges referenced Sheeraj’s successful track record in trading and finance. It is understood that he and his wife worked at big city banks in London. The women's family on Friday night issued a statement describing their shock and praising the authorities. "The fatal car crash near Skaftafell in Iceland on the morning of December 27, 2018 has come as a horrifying shock for the entire family and friends," the statement reads. 'Dire need' for infrastructure reform after fatal car crash, says Iceland PM The Indian, British and Icelandic authorities have been extremely cooperative and extended appropriate support. "Our family is deeply saddened so we request you to kindly respect our privacy and give us the space to grieve in peace at this difficult time. "Special thanks to the local authorities for airlifting and ensuring timely medical facilities were provided. Thank you for your prayers and understanding on this matter." On Rajshree’s Facebook page, she has posted doting videos of her child giggling, as well as images of previous New Year firework displays in London. It appears that she and the family traveled widely, with trips to Paris, Budapest and India in the last few years. Her husband Sheeraj ran the London Marathon earlier this year, and raised nearly £5,000 for the for Friends Of The Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel. Khushboo Laturia, who died in the crash, lived in London, and posted a picture of the O2 arena from across the river Thames, with the caption: “The view in front of our home.” She and her husband Supreme are believed to live in the Canary Wharf area, and Supreme is understood to work for bank in the city. The Indian ambassador to Iceland, Armstrong Changsan, visited the two brothers in hospital on Thursday and told the Times of India: “They are British citizens of Indian origin with families in India. Their brother is in India. He needs an urgent visa to come here. Iceland officials are trying to help out on this. “Friends of the accident victims have rushed from the UK to Reykjavik. The condition of the survivors is now stable. The British Embassy here is taking care of matters.” The paper then quoted Sarvesh Laturia, the brother, who said: “It was my two brothers and their wives - they are British people. They were on vacation in Iceland and their car met with an accident in which my two sister-in-laws passed away, and my niece passed away. My two brothers are in a critical condition in hospital." Family members asked via Twitter for help from the Indian embassy in Iceland in arranging visas for them to travel to the country. One family member even approached Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help, tweeting: "Dear Sir, My Family had a severe road accident in Iceland and we request your assistance to provide us with the Visa on an urgent basis." Spanish au pair Monica Fontam, 20, who was working for both couples, told MailOnline: "I'm still in a terrible state of shock, we all are. The older daughter was told last night what had happened, that her mother, her aunt and her cousin had been killed. "Her seven-year-old brother is in a stable condition, as both of the dads are too, and has not yet been told about what's happened. "I've only been with the family for the last couple of months, and they've welcomed me and treated me as one of their own. They all live here and they're all very close. "They were all here last night discussing what to do. A family friend is organising everything for them and staying here to see them through this." The accident happened at around 9.30am on Thursday when the Toyota Land Cruiser carrying seven passengers crashed through a railing of a one-lane bridge in the south of the country before falling around eight metres onto a river bank. Police said one child was among the dead and two, aged seven and nine, among the injured in the crash which took place on a 200-300 metre bridge on the national Route 1 road near Skeidararsandur, a vast sand plain in southern Iceland. The four injured were airlifted to hospital in the capital Reykjavik with serious injuries and police are not sure when they will be able to question them about how the driver lost control of the vehicle. Police said the road was not thought to be icy but humidity could have made the surface slippery for the SUV, which was driving eastbound over the bridge in Nupsvotn, just south of the Vatnajokull glacier. Chief Superintendent of south Iceland Police Sveinn Kristjan Runarsson said the four injured have been taken to hospital with serious injuries, but added that "we haven't been able to talk to them about what happened". Tour guide Adolf Erlingsson, who was among the first on the scene, told the Associated Press: "It was horrible. The car seemed to have hit the ground many metres from where it stopped. We struggled getting everyone out." Rajshree Laturia and Khushboo Laturia died in the crash, alongside a young child CREDIT: ADOLF ERLINGSSON VIA AP Speaking to the BBC, Mr Erlingsson said the SUV was a "total wreck" when he arrived at the crash site. He said: "Four people were out of the car, one of them deceased. Then there were three people trapped in the car and I think two of them were deceased. "The driver was alive and trapped more or less under the dashboard. "It was a horrible sight to come there and see the wreckage and people there." He said rescuers used a winch and another SUV to lift the car up and try to save the driver. Mr Erlingsson added: "We were trying to get the people out of the car and helping them. It was a very difficult situation. "Soon after I arrived, we had an SUV with a winch and we used it to lift the car up a little bit to alleviate the pressure on the driver and to try and get him out." He said he spoke to some people who were "semi-conscious" outside the vehicle, and added: "I tried to talk a bit to the driver to calm him down. He was trapped inside the car." Mr Erlingsson said the crash occurred in an area that was "the most po[CENSORED]r destination on the south coast". The crash happened just south of Skaftafell National Park, part of the Vatnajokull National Park, which was nominated for inclusion in Unesco's World Heritage List in 2018. The Vatnajokull glacier is the largest in Europe, covering 8% of Iceland's landmass including the island's tallest peak Hvannadalshnjukur at 2,200 metres tall (7,218ft). Tourists flock to the area to enjoy hiking, camping and sightseeing flights. South of the national park is the Skeidararsandur, a vast sand plain formed from alluvial deposits, with little vegetation, with the Nupsvotn glacial lakes on its western boundary. Related Topics Iceland MORE STORIES Exclusive: Civil servant accuses ministers of 'Project Fear Mark III' over no-deal Brexit The ABC Murders is excruciating liberal-Left drivel at its most spectacular Gatwick Airport drone sightings may have been of police equipment, chief constable admits Europe’s ‘great deception’ fooled our politicians for decades. Next up, the great disappointment... Casualties from crashes caused by slow drivers increase, as cautious elderly drivers partly blamed FOLLOW TELEGRAPH NEWS Follow on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram

BY JONATHON DORNBUSH Ahead of the new year, Sony has revealed the first lineup of free games coming to PlayStation Plus subscribers in 2019. Here is the list of free games, including which platforms the games will be available for: Steep (PS4) Portal Knights (PS4) Zone of the Enders HD Collection (PS3) Amplitude (PS3) Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion (PS Vita, Cross Buy with PS4) Super Mutant Alien Assault (PS Vita) These six games will be available for free to download from Jan. 1, 2019 through Feb. 5, 2019. Ubisoft's Steep first launched in 2016, and has been continually updated with new content and live activities, including X Games integration. IGN reviewed Steep when it first launched, calling it "a fresh extreme sports journey through a huge map, slowed only by dull paragliding and a lack of progression." Portal Knights is an action-RPG in which players can explore alone or with up to three friends in online co-op. You can check out more of Portal Knights in the trailer for its Villainous update below.

Third person vs. first person is a hot topic for some gamers. While some debate that first person immerses you more in the game, others feel that third offers a better viewing field, which lends to better mechanics, control and combat. So, for those of you who love seeing your heroes right on the screen, here are 11 upcoming third person games for 2017. Release date: TBA 2017 Available on: Playstation 4 Zombies are possibly the most overused trope in recent years and most of us wish the undead would just stay dead. But Days Gone might change all that. The early gameplay trailer actually had me screaming ruuuuunnnnn! as massive hordes of undead enemies swarmed our hero. Perhaps the developers chose a third person perspective so you would have just enough time to shit yourself before a mindless beast tackles you from behind.

Looking for details on the latest CS:GO update? Whether it’s new weapons and maps, or minor tweaks to the game’s core arsenal, staying on top of the meta is key to dominating this competitive FPS. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive isn’t updated like other esports. While the likes of League of Legends and StarCraft 2 spend weeks testing every small change, CS:GO’s come out of the blue. While Dota 2 will reinvent itself every three months, CS:GO’s changes are so subtle you might not even notice them logging in from day to day. To help facilitate you in noticing this, we are going to track the latest CSGO updates that hit live servers in this post. Each time Valve make significant patches to the game, we will let you know what is worth worrying about, what isn’t, and also provide as full a changelog as we are able to. But before we crack on with the latest CS:GO update, we should mention that we’ll only be adding new patches as and when they are finally deployed to live servers. Anyway, on with the changelog. CS:GO’s latest version was released on December 17 and contains some festive changes to the FPS. The latest update brings Christmas cheer to CS:GO. Chickens are now sporting festive gear, while the Terrorists have wrapped up their C4 explosive. Players can also pick up and throw snowballs in all game modes except Danger Zone, Wingman, and Competitive Matchmaking. Militia is now available in Casual and Deathmatch game modes. Those are all the changes from this CSGO update. This one’s pretty small, with just a couple of largely cosmetic, wintery additions to the game.

2018 was widely predicted to be the year of the used car – and those predictions have come true, with used car sales remaining healthy despite the drop in new car registrations. But which used cars were the ones to have this year? Well, as you might expect, large-engined petrol models have struggled to retain their value, making them bargain second-hand buys. But more than ever before, used diesels are starting to look cheap, with buyers’ fears about extra charges being levied on diesel-powered cars driving down demand – and values – in certain classes. On newer, cleaner models less likely to be troubled by these charges, that’s making for some real steals. Meanwhile, an influx of electric and...

aurizio Sarri has told the Chelsea board that they must sort out Eden Hazard’s future as soon as possible. Hazard this week revealed he is willing to wait until the end of the season before deciding whether or not to sign a new Chelsea contract worth well over £300,000 a week. The Belgian is waiting to find out whether or not Real Madrid will make a big bid to sign him at the end of the season. He still has 18 months remaining on his deal, but head coach Sarri has insisted that now is the time for Chelsea and Hazard to make a decision. On the subject of what he believes Hazard will do, Sarri said: “I don’t know, but I think that it’s time to decide.” Asked whether or not he will personally talk to the 27 year-old about his future, Sarri added: “No, because I don’t have the power to do this. I am the coach, I am not the president, I am not in charge of the market. I want to speak to him only about the position on the pitch. We have to solve this problem if we want to programme the future.” Hazard has also put pressure on Chelsea to sort out their striker crisis in January by admitting he prefers to play on the left, rather than in the middle where he has started the last four Premier League games. But Sarri has suggested he will not be pressured into moving Hazard back to his favoured position, saying: “I cannot see the problem of Hazard in this role: he played four matches and scored three goals and made two assists. “I am happy with him in this role. I don’t know if he prefers to play as a winger, but if he is able to play like in the last match in the centre, for me it’s not a problem to put him in the centre. “I think in this moment we need to be solid and with Hazard in this position I think we can become more solid. It’s a good option also in the defensive phase. It depends on the moment, maybe in the future we will be able to play with a striker and Hazard together.” Pressed on Hazard’s best position, Sarri added: “He is able to play as a winger, he is able to play in the centre of the pitch. “I am really very happy with him in this position (in the centre), because he is very able to score, first of all, very able to open spaces for team-mates, very able to come to play with team-mates. At the moment, I am very happy with him in this position. In the future, he can play also as a winger of course. “He is a great player, one of the most important in Chelsea history, so I was really confident he was able to score more.” Sarri confirmed Alvaro Morata is available for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace, but Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi are both out with hamstring injuries. “We have two problems,” said Sarri. “The first and most serious is with Pedro, has an injury in his hamstring. He will have to rest for about 10 days. The other one is Hudson-Odoi, not a very serious problem, but I don’t know if he will be able to play the next match.”

ho made us watch them the most, gave us the most pleasure and generally deserves to be included in our People Watching round-up of 2018? It’s been tough to whittle down, but here goes. The loved-up couple Harry Redknapp and Sandra. Even people who’ve never watched I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! fell for Harry, because he was an old-school geezer, who couldn’t stop telling everyone about the love of his life and wife of 51 years. It’s “Saaarn” this and “Saaarn” that, he said, and “Saaarn” is always there to sort it. We got it. The power player Michelle Obama. Now a bestselling author, work-life balancer to make Sheryl Sandberg look behind the curve, and still… fun! With great arms! So many...

he Government has been accused of “sheer hypocrisy” for urging schools to become plastic free zones, after it emerged that its own fruit and vegetable initiative uses plastic packaging. Under the scheme, all children at aged between four and six-years-old who attend state-funded primary schools are given a daily portion of fruit or vegetables. These are delivered to schools by Foodbuy, a Government supplier, wrapped in single-use plastic. This week the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, called on headteachers to contact their suppliers and ask for all deliveries to be made with packaging that is reusable or recyclable. He said schools should stop using items such as plastic straws, bottles, food packaging and plastic bags and opt instead for sustainable alternatives. Angela Rayner, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said: “It is one thing for the Secretary of State to tell schools to reduce their plastic use, but it is sheer hypocrisy to do so while his own Government uses plastic packaging to deliver national programmes. “If the Government is serious about reducing plastic use, and making schools do the same, then they should lead by example.” Sian Sutherland, co-founder of the campaign group A Plastic Planet, said that "no one is a plastic saint" but added that the Government should lead the way when it comes to cutting down on single use plastic. "If we are going to be asking schools to take that action, the Government need to ask their own suppliers to do the same," she said. Ms Sutherland said that using plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables is “one of the most indefensible uses of plastic”, since there are so many more environmentally friendly alternatives. Under a separate Government scheme, free milk is provided for all children under the age of five and each school nominates its own suppliers. Ministers have acknowledged that individual plastic milk cartons and straws are one of the most common uses of plastic in schools – but said schools should speak to their suppliers and ask if they can find a way to reduce the packaging. Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The ambition for schools to be plastic free is absolutely right but the Government has to lead the way. “All of us with positions of authority have to show some leadership on these questions- the Government should be doing that with everything it is sending to school and really investing in plastic free alternatives.” A DfE spokesman said: “The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme provides pupils in state-funded primaries with one portion of fruit/vegetable every school day. “This Scheme is delivered centrally, and the Scheme contractors are currently exploring alternatives to the plastic packaging currently used in the Scheme.”

olonel Sir George Everest was said to be a very grumpy civil servant. When his successor named a large mountain in Nepal in honour of the former Surveyor General of India, Sir George took serious offence. The move was meant as a tribute to the geographer – his moniker put forward by the newly installed Andrew Scott Waugh, who himself made the first official observations of the Himalayan mountain in the 1850s. The Royal Geographical Society had struggled to give Peak XV a name because of problems finding a native alternative that was easily pronounced. Chomolungma and Sagarmatha were two options. It is not known if Sir George himself ever actually saw the great mountain, untamed by man for almost...

After dashing about all year, a winter stroll is the perfect tonic If proof were needed that I am no longer young and hip, it is my newfound passion for a ramble. As an angsty teen, and later as a perennially hungover student, I deeply resented family walks, which were compulsory at this time of year. To me the fuzzy, neither here nor there period between Christmas and New Year was best spent sleeping till noon, then transferring to the sofa to watch an old movie - preferably Planes, Trains and Automobiles - and work my way through a chocolate selection box. Instead I was dragged on several bracing strolls - blown to bits along the seafront at Brighton where my grandparents lived, or ambling...

he Boxing Day sales fell flat as the number of people heading to the shops dropped for the third year in a row, despite retailers to offer huge discounts. Average footfall across the UK fell by 3.1 per cent, experts said, disappointing retailers who had hoped that the festive period would provide a boost at the end of a bad year. Despite some queues outside stores in the early hours of the morning, many of those looking for a bargain chose to do so online, where more than half of all products were reduced and the average reduction was at a record high of 43 per cent. Poor sales means that retailers are likely to continue slashing prices as low as possible with discounts continuing way into January. But the sales could see an increase in the number of profit warnings in the new year issued in the new year, experts warned, as many of the items sold online will be done so at a loss. As shops began to close their doors figures from retail intelligence specialists Springboard showed that footfall was down by an average of 3.1 per cent from Boxing Day last year. The High Street, which saw a drop of 1.1 per cent by 4pm, was not as badly hit as out of town retail parks and shopping centres, where footfall was down by 5.3 per cent and five per cent on average. This is because shoppers are treating it as a leisure activity, and therefore picking a spot where they can also enjoy a coffee or lunch, the analysts believe. Though the figures represent the third consecutive year-on-year fall, it is more modest than the 5.5 per cent drop between 2016 and 2017. Over the last few years, footfall on Boxing Day has consistently been about 10 per cent lower than on Black Friday and Springboard say that the latest figures show that it is losing its importance as a shopping day. However, online sales were predicted to rise from last year with average discounts of 43 per cent, up six per cent since last year, according to research by LovetheSales.com, a discount aggregator. They also found the more than 53 per cent of all products were discounted. Clothing saw the biggest discounts, with an average of 46 per cent off and online retailer Asos, which issues a profit warning earlier this month, offering reductions of up to 89 per cent. Liam Solomon, retail analyst at LovetheSales.com said "Since late December discounts have remained uncharacteristically high - we're expecting this trend to continue deep into January with better discounts, as retailers try to shrug off a tough 2018. We expect the best bargains will be predominantly in fashion and in particular warm clothing." But Vicky Brock, director of data at ReBOUND returns, warned: "After the trading year that 2018 has been retailers desperately need to get people into the stores. "An online sale is more costly than in a physical store because you have a much higher return rate. If shops reduce something by 70 per cent then they might make a little bit of a margin selling it in a store but they are going to lose money or not make anything selling it online." She said that retailers are now likely to "discount quite hard" to get rid of left over stock and "draw a line under a horrible year". Richard Perks, Director of Retail Research at Mintel, said that consumers could expect to see bumper discounts this year as "there is probably going to be quite a lot of stock to clear this Christmas" but heavy discounts could lead to a number of profit warnings in the new year. Chris Daly, chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, added: "The quiet high streets across the country confirm that the days of setting the alarm to be first in line for the Boxing Day sales are long gone. "Today's low footfall figures represent the final chapter in the tale of an exceptionally bleak year for traditional retail, when even high street giants considered 'too big to fail' stumbled. "Low consumer confidence has fuelled relentless discounting both online and on the high street, starving high street stalwarts of passing trade." It has been a torrid year for retailers with notable high street names such as Poundworld and Maplin falling into administration, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams announcing plans to shutter stores, while Superdry, Carpetright and Card Factory issued profit warnings. They retailers have been battling higher costs, low consumer confidence and people increasingly shopping online. The trading statements which will show just how hard they have been hit are expected in January.

oe Cole will take up a coaching role at the Chelsea academy in the new year, the latest of the club’s famous old boys to lay the foundations for a career in management in what has become the most successful youth development programme of the last decade. Cole, 37, announced his retirement from playing last month and said that he was ready to move into coaching with his Uefa A license qualification already completed. It is expected that he will move between the clubs age groups at first and then be assigned a specific team next season. Under the club’s academy director Neil Bath, the club have not just produced a long line of top young footballers for the England youth teams but they have also begun launching the careers of coaches. Brendan Rodgers began as a youth team coach at Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s assistant at Derby County, Jody Morris, was a successful coach of the club’s Under-18s. Chelsea’s Under-18s have won the last five FA Youth Cups although they have been eliminated from the competition this season by Manchester United. The academy has become a benchmark for the new standards in youth development, twice winning the new Uefa Youth League and reaching the final last season. Cole began coaching while playing at the last club of his 20-year career, the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the second tier of the United States professional game. Like many of his England contemporaries, Cole wants to have a career in management and increasingly that generation are taking their first steps in academy football, where standards, and expectations are high. Upon retirement last month, he said: “Looking to the future, I want to stay involved in the game. I feel I can offer a lot as a coach and have really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake some of these duties with the Rowdies. To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine.” Cole’s own development was at West Ham, and at the now defunct Football Association Lilleshall centre. He was a boyhood Chelsea fan and a teenage prodigy whom Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to sign to Manchester United throughout his younger years at West Ham. While Chelsea’s issue in the past has been getting academy graduates into the first team, that barrier seems to be slowly breaking down the quality of individuals like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Others out on loan include Mason Mount, Reece James, Jake Clarke-Salter and Tammy Abraham.

hen your wife is celebrating a landmark birthday, it is as well to put in an extra special effort to find the perfect gift. When you are the Prince of Wales, of course, there is no excuse for a present that it little short of show-stopping. Fortunately for the Duchess of Cornwall, her 60th birthday was marked not with a token scarf or scented candle, but an arrangement of one of the most romantic classical compositions in history, conducted by the future king himself. The Prince has told how he joined the Philharmonia Orchestra to conduct Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, described as “possibly the most romantic music almost of all time”, as a surprise. Appearing on Radio 3’s Private Passions, the Prince shares the musical moments that have shaped his life and which, he admits, he finds “a vital part of surviving the daily round”. Choosing music from Haydn and Beethoven to Leonard Cohen and “Sadie the Shaker”, the 1930s favourite loved by his grandmother, the Queen Mother, the Prince also shares memories of his own orchestral adventures, playing the trumpet at school and cello at Gordonstoun. Speaking of the key role that music plays in his life, he told presenter Michael Berkeley: “It’s very important to have another world to go through a door into. “I find that the marvelous thing is to paint and have music at the same time. It’s so requires concentration that before you know where you are it becomes almost meditative in an extraordinary way. “For me it’s a vital part of surviving the daily round. Having music in the background, particularly in the evenings; I’m one of those people who likes having music on when I’m working.” One of the eight pieces the Prince chose was the Siegfried Idyll, composed by Wagner in 1870 as a birthday present for his second wife after she had their baby, and played by musicians who stood on the stairs of their house to wake her up with the melody. The Prince confirmed that he had tried his hand at conducting a professional orchestra in order to replicate the music - if not quite the intimate staircase setting - for the Duchess of Cornwall for her 60th birthday. “[It was] Entirely at the suggestion of the Philharmonia, of which I’ve been a very proud patron for nearly 40 years,” he said, adding that it happened thanks to the persuasion of lead violinist and conductor Christopher Warren Green. “They are a remarkable orchestra,” said the Prince. “He was terribly keen I should conduct it. I said: you must be out of your mind. “Finally he persuaded me against my better judgment and we did it as a special surprise.” Asked whether the musicians made it to the end of the piece at the same time, under his baton, he laughed: “Well roughly, yes. The orchestra were terribly polite. I do love it. There’s something very romantic about it.” For a second piece of music, he chose the Creed from Russian Orthodox Liturgy, played at his wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005: “one of the best wedding presents you could imagine” from the Mariinsky Theatre. The Prince also pays tribute to his late grandmother, the Queen Mother, who introduced him to the ballet at Covent Garden, and concerts at the Kings Lynn festival when he was a small boy. “She was wonderful, my grandmother, because she understood that at that age, you don’t want to have too long,” he said. Relaying how he learned the trumpet at school in Scotland, he disclosed that he was taught by “marvellous music teachers who had escaped the Holocaust in Germany, who came to Gordonstoun”. “I remember playing in the orchestra with them and one of them stopped and said ‘stop those trumpets’,” he admitted. “So I thought it was time to try something else.” He went on to play the cello while at Trinity College, Cambridge, “desperately” trying to keep up with the “fiendishly fast” record of Herbert von Karajan conducting Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. “I wasn’t very good at it but it was great fun,” he said. “The magic of playing in an orchestra, even if you’re not very good, is very special.” He also shared the “horror” of auditioning for a college amateur dramatic group, going on to perform “completely dotty” revues. Although the majority of the Prince’s choices are classical, he offers two more unexpected insights: his love of Leonard Cohen, choosing ‘Take This Waltz’ as a favourite song, and his “passion” for 1920s and 30s dance music. “I was lucky enough to met all those characters like Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire,” he said, crediting his grandmother. “The redl greats. I put these marvellous old tunes on in the evenings and they make me feel better.” The special episode of Private Passions will be broadcast on BBC Sounds from Boxing Day and on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday, December 30 at midday.

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British businessman has purchased the assets of the Bloodhound land speed record team from the administrators for an undisclosed sum after being told of the team’s plight by his 18-year old son. Ian Warhurst, Yorkshire-based managing director of Melett, a turbocharger parts and equipment supplier, has purchased the car and equipment from Bloodhound Programme Ltd, which remains in administration and will be wound down over time. Warhurst was texted about the team going into administration by his son Charlie and stepped into to save the team. After making contact with team principle Richard Noble, he actually negotiated the deal with administrators FRP Advisory while on holiday. Andrew Sheridan, Joint Administrator and partner at specialist advisory firm FRP Advisory LLP, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the passion that clearly exists for Bloodhound and are thrilled that we have been able to secure a buyer who is able to give this inspiring project a future. Warhurst intends to reveal his plans for the team in the new year.

The new year is a great time to assess your current circumstances at work and decide if it's time to ditch your awful job and nightmare boss If you're thinking about a career change in the new year, you're not alone. The number of British people looking for a new job soared by 64pc in January 2016 compared with the rest of the year, according to Indeed, a jobs website. Experts say the new year is a good time to start looking for a different occupation as candidates and recruiters come back to work reinvigorated after the Christmas lull. But with so many people thinking the same thing, what's the best way to get ahead? Telegraph Money asked recruitment experts for their top tips for job hunting, interview techniques and making your CV as attractive as possible.

ameron Bancroft has revealed David Warner was the one to suggest he should tamper with the ball during Australia's notorious Test match in South Africa that saw him handed a nine-month ban. Bancroft's attempt to mani[CENSORED]te the ball in Cape Town with what was later revealed to be sandpaper was a plan orchestrated, according to a Cricket Australia investigation, by vice-captain Warner. Now Bancroft has detailed the events in Cape Town in March this year, telling Fox Sports he did not know any better and just "wanted to fit in and feel valued". In an interview with the Australian broadcaster, the 26-year-old said: "Dave (Warner) suggested to me to carry the action out on the ball given the situation we were in the game. "I didn't know any better because I just wanted to fit in and feel valued really. As simple as that. "The decision was based around my values, what I valued at the time and I valued fitting in... you hope that fitting in earns you respect and with that, I guess, there came a pretty big cost for the mistake." The right-handed batsman admitted, however, he had to take responsibility for his part in the scandal, saying he is not a "victim". He added: "I take no other responsibility but the responsibility I have on myself and my own actions because I am not a victim. I had a choice and I made a massive mistake and that is what is in my control." Former Australia captain Steve Smith was found to have known about the plan midway through the third Test against the Proteas but failed to prevent it and, as such, all three players received lengthy suspensions. Last week, Smith admitted there have been some "dark days" following the incident. "I've made a mistake and it was a big mistake and I'm trying to move on from that and improve as a person," Smith said in quotes on Cricket Australia's website. Bancroft's ban from international and domestic cricket expires on December 29 and he is available to line up for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. Earlier this year, he joined the Desert Blaze in the Strike League in Australia's Northern Territory during the 'winter' months of July and August, where he was caught for one in his first innings, and posted a top score of 78 during the tournament.

Farming Simulator 19 is finally available! We are very excited to release our Farming Simulator 19 launch trailer today, which will give you a taste of all the activities that await you! With over 300 vehicles and equipment to use, from leading brands, including John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra, Krone, Deutz Fahr, and more. It's up to you to see how you want to expand and expand your farm from three different game modes. Start without exploitation but with a lot of money to build the farm of your dreams, or choose a very difficult mode with limited resources - the choice is yours, between crops, farms to care for, and missions to try. The new crops and horses to ride have greatly expanded your options compared to the last editions of the game. Added to this is an enhanced multiplayer mode that allows you to connect up to 16 players (6 on consoles) to cooperate or be competing on the same map, each team with its own parcels of land and equipment to use.

Back in June, Capcom and Square Enix revealed that the two companies would collaborate for Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter: World. Rathalos would invade Eorzea as a Trial, and Behemoth would face off against brave hunters in Monster Hunter: World. Monster Hunter's side of the collaboration has now officially launched with Title Update 5.0! Players who have downloaded this latest patch now have access to the Special Assignments that eventually unlock Behemoth's optional quests, but how does he stand out compared to other monsters, considering his FFXIV roots? As always, we took to the hunt to see how she slots into the ongoing Monster Hunter: World experience. What's new in the Behemoth Update Much like with Deviljho's launch back in March, and Lunastra's launch back at the end of May - Behemoth's launch coincides with a large supply of new content. Behemoth brings a few new endemic life to the table, a new weapon, and a new set of armor for both male and female hunters. Here's all of what you can expect; A new, FFXIV Dragoon inspired Insect Glaive weapon. Unlike previously added DLC monsters, this is the only weapon players can expect to craft from Behemoth parts. New armor sets for both the male and female hunter. Unlike the other High Rank armor sets, the Behemoth set does NOT include an Alpha and Beta set. Instead, players only have access to one Dragoon-themed armor set, for both genders. Behemoth includes his own specific side quest, which requires players to have already unlocked their Hunter Rank for the first time, and then speak with the Serious Handler. After taking on a Kulu-Ya-Ku holding an Aetheryte Crystal in the Wildspire Wastes, you'll be tasked with a quest to drive away the Behemoth from the Elder's Recess. Completing this objective will award players with the final Special Assignment tasking players to properly hunt down the Behemoth. Once completed, players will then be able to hunt Behemoth in his own optional quests. How to Find Behemoth / Unlock His Special Assignment Behemoth is now available to anyone hunting that have already cleared the games final hunt - Xeno'jiiva - and have unlocked their HR at least once. As mentioned in the last section, players will be tasked with several special assignments before being granted the ability to hunt Behemoth freely: After reaching Hunter Rank 16 or above by hunting Xeno'jiiva, talk to the Serious Handler to receive the Special Assignment "A Visitor from Another World" - a hunt against a constantly growing Kulu-Ya-Ku with a crystal that both prevents status ailments and occasionally heals him in the Wildspire Waste. During the quest, players will meet a Moogle who has lost his way home back to Eorzea. Watch your head, because this Kulu-Ya-Ku dishes out some surprising damage! Upon completion of the Special Assignment, speak to the Serious Handler to be alerted to the commotion around your new white furry friend. You'll automatically be warped to a small discussion with your new moogle pal to receive the next Special Assignment, "The Legendary Beast". This tasks you with dealing enough damage to the Behemoth within the Elder's Recess to repel it within the allotted time. Finally, you'll be teleported to one final discussion, and then receive the last Special Assignment, "He Taketh It with His Eyes" - finally, you're tasked with hunting the Behemoth in the Elder's Recess Once completed, players gain access to Behemoth's optional quest "A Visitor from Eorzea". Battle Tips for Behemoth Behemoth's hunt is like nothing else in Monster Hunter: World, sharing a lot of its mechanics with the Behemoth fight in Final Fantasy XIV. Not only will players have to learn to avoid one-hit KO's from his Ecliptic Meteor by hiding behind comets left over on the field, but you'll also have to contend with Tornadoes, Lightning, regular meteors, and it's even greatly recommended that a hunter takes up the role as a "tank" to focus the monster's attack on him or herself. Enmity comes to Monster Hunter: World for Behemoth's fight, as well. First things first - learn your mechanics. Behemoth's attacks target a wide area around him unless someone has captured his attention, which is why Enmity is so important in this fight. Stop thinking of fighting Behemoth like a regular monster, as it's better to think of him as an FFXIV Trial dropped right into Monster Hunter: World. Before heading into battle, designate someone as the tank and have them target the head of the monster in order to draw Enmity. Second, partway through the fight Behemoth will summon Comets that will embed themselves in the arena surrounding him. FFXIV veterans probably know what comes next, but it is absolutely vital that everyone in your party hides behind a comet when Behemoth calls his Ecliptic Meteor. Even Hunters currently at the base camp will be killed once this Meteor strikes unless they can either hide behind a comet or time the "Final Fantasy XIV Jump" gesture correctly. Once Behemoth casts Ecliptic Meteor, all items are locked from use until it has reached impact. Behemoth will always cast Ecliptic Meteor upon the killing blow! Be ready to avoid it once the quest is "complete". Even outside of Ecliptic Meteor, Behemoth hits like a truck. It's my belief he should've had an HR50 requirement instead of HR16 - if you don't have strong enough armor, you're liable to get killed by a stray attack. Make sure to augment your armor before facing him, or you'll regret it. Finally, make especially sure to bring lifepowders. Treat this fight almost like a raid in an MMO - because that's essentially what it is. You only have 3 lives, make sure you do all you can to prevent someone from dying. Behemoth is, unsurprisingly, a completely different sort of beast compared to the ones you might be used to hunting. If all of the Final Fantasy XIV flairs, such as Enmity, quests starting with "Duty Commenced", and Behemoth even replacing the damage numbers with those from FFXIV weren't enough to make it obvious - players are expected to treat the quest like a Trial from FFXIV. I expect players that already have some experience with FFXIV will have a much easier time tackling Behemoth than those that haven't already accustomed themselves to MMO mechanics. A Note About Behemoth Behemoth, like Deviljho and Lunastra, is added directly into the existing Monster Hunter: World High Rank experience despite its initial Hunter Rank 16 requirements. However, unlike those two fights - his unique mechanics and extreme damage-dealing potential might make him a challenge to fight, even if you've become accustomed to hunting Tempered Monsters. However, it's debatable how worth it would be to continue hunting Behemoth after you've crafted his armor set. Since there's only 1 weapon to craft from his parts, outside of the novelty there doesn't seem to be much reason to hunt him more than a few times. That's not to say that the new FFXIV collaboration content is less substantial than what's been added in the past. Even if I have some issues with Behemoth personally - I don't think he should kill anyone that's currently in the camp with Ecliptic Meteor! - the novelty of the whole encounter makes up for the rest of those issues. Capcom has done a great job supporting Monster Hunter: World past its launch, and it will be exciting to see what new monsters the company might have up their sleeves for future updates. Monster Hunter World Behemoth Armor Defeating Behemoth several times will allow you to craft its armor in Monster Hunter World's armory, since completing the Behemoth battles provides the materials you need to craft the Gae Bolg Insect Glaive and Dragon Soul Kinsect - weapons inspired by the iconic spears of Dragoon Knights in the worlds of Final Fantasy and FF14 specifically. You'll also get the Drachen Alpha armor set, which is also styled after FF's iconic Dragoons. Here's the rub, anyway: the Monster Hunter World Behemoth armor set is a really good armor set. It has great skills that'll come in handy in mixed sets and work well with most weapons in the game. There are two set bonuses for the Behemoth Drachen Alpha armor set, nicknamed Soul of the Dragon - appropriate for a dragoon: Elemental Airborne - elemental damage increased for jumping attacks Master's Touch - prevents your weapon from losing sharpness during critical hits There's also a few other skills: Critical Eye Level 6 (affinity boost) Attack Boost Level 3 Critical Boost