Mr.Talha

Skoda has overhauled its Kodiaq SUV for 2021, featuring new technology and a style makeover that brings the optional seven-seater into line with the brand's latest designs. The Czech firm has priced the Kodiaq from £27,650, with the choice of SE, SE L, SportLine and L&K trims - along with the full-fat vRS range-topper. All models receive LED headlights, dynamic indicators, and an extended, black rear spoiler and grey interior stitching as standard, with all trims above the SE gaining LED Matrix technology. The SE L trim is offered for £31,895 and gains 19-inch Triglav alloy wheels, full front and rear LED matrix headlights with cornering function, chrome roof rails and floor mats. The Sportline will be offered for £35,805, gaining a rear-view parking camera, and those who opt for the L&K trim, from £41,720, will receive Skoda’s virtual cockpit. The refresh includes the return of the vRS performance model to the line-up with petrol power and 20in anthracite alloy wheels with aero-optimised covers. It follows the removal of the outgoing 237bhp twin-turbo diesel version late last year due to tightening emissions rules. Prices for the vRS are yet to be confirmed.

The body of a man found on a South Australian beach more than 70 years ago has been exhumed in the hope of solving one of the country's most intriguing mysteries. The identity and cause of death of the so-called Somerton man remain unknown. Over the years many theories have swirled as to his identity, from Cold War spy to rejected lover. Now, Australian police say advances in DNA technology make exhumation worthwhile. What do we know so far? The man's body was found on 1 December 1948 on Somerton beach in the South Australian city of Adelaide. He was slumped against a seawall, dressed in a suit and tie. His pockets contained nothing to identify him. Initial investigations and a coronial inquest left the case unsolved. He was put to rest in an Adelaide cemetery under a headstone reading only "the unknown man". The unsolved mystery of the Somerton man The mystery death haunting Norway for 46 years But a number of curious items found on the body encouraged ongoing speculation. They included a suitcase, items of clothing with their labels removed and incoherent writings believed to be a code. He also held a torn scrap of paper with the Farsi words Tamam Shud, or "it's finished" printed on it. The case has drawn international interest and attracted plenty of sleuths online. "For more than 70 years, people have speculated who this man was and how he died," South Australia Attorney General Vickie Chapman said. Last month Ms Chapman said the decision to exhume the body followed "intense public interest" in the case. What happens now? On Wednesday, crews began digging at the gravesite, with local media outlet Nine News reporting initial efforts had moved more slowly than expected due to dense clay and uncertainty as to whether the man had been buried in a coffin.

Samoa is set to get its first female prime minister, marking the end of unprecedented political drama in the small Pacific island nation of 200,000 people. On Monday, the Supreme Court finally validated Fiame Naomi Mata'afa's shock April election win, ending weeks of political stalemate and calling off a re-run. She unseated the world's second-longest serving prime minister - Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi - who has been ruling the country since 1998. Observers have described the shakeup as Samoa's democracy coming of age. Cracks in a decade-old system Democratic elections are nothing new in Samoa and yet they're rarely anything that would hit global headlines. There has basically only been one party that's ever been relevant - the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which has won elections there for the past four decades. Almost equally constant has been the man at the helm: Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi - the second longest-serving prime minister in the world. Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES image captionTuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, the world's second-longest service prime minister But that system began to crack last year - the first signs of which showed when several HRPP members defected to start their own opposition party, Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST). Enter Fiame Naomi Mata'af, who quickly became a frontrunner for FAST after joining them in January. Her political pedigree is unquestionable. Politically active since the mid 1980s, the 64-year old had already been Polynesia's first female deputy prime minister and will be only the second woman in the region to head a government. 'A milestone for Samoa' "Fiame is a strong figure, someone people have always looked up to," Sapeer Mayron, of the Samoan Observer, told the BBC. "She's seen as very principled, and as bringing a dignity to politics that many people feel has been lost." Kerryn Baker, Pacific affairs expert at the Australian National University, says that Fiame's appointment is "an important milestone for Samoa". "She was already very much a role model for women in Samoa, but now she's broken through yet another glass ceiling." Children on a playground IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES image captionFiame Naomi Mata'afa hopes to bring change to the next generation of Samoans Royal blood and a new dynamic Ms Mata'afa comes from royal lineage and is the daughter of the country's first prime minister. But there's much more to her political success than just inherited legacy. "In the traditional context she has equal or higher status to the state leadership, and for sure above other chiefly titles," Ms Mayron says. In Samoa, custom and respect for her status would dictate that Ms Mata'afa be addressed by her chiefly title of Fiame.

Jaguar Land Rover has posted pre-tax profits of £534 million in the first three months of 2021 before exceptional charges, with boss Thierry Bolloré saying the result shows the “significant progress” made under the firm’s bold transformation strategy. But the British car maker, owned by the Indian Tata Group, will record an annual loss of £861m for the financial year ending 31 March, due to charges incurred as part of its cost-cutting transformation plan. Jaguar Land Rover sold 123,483 vehicles in the first three months of 2021, representing a 12.4% year-on-year rise. It was boosted by a strong performance in China, where sales where up 127% over the same period last year, when the country was worst hit by Covid-19 restrictions. While Jaguar Land Rover’s total sales of 439,588 vehicles was down 13.6% on the 2019/2020 financial year, the firm was boosted by year-on-year growth in China and the strong performance of the new Defender, 45,255 examples of which were sold during the financial year. The strong results for the last quarter boosted Jaguar Land Rover’s annual pre-tax profits for the financial year to 31 March before exceptional charges to £662 million. But the firm incurred £1.5 billion of exceptional charges, including £952m in non-cash investment write-downs and £534m of restructuring charges. That means the company will record an annual loss of £861m, compared with a loss of £422m for 2019/2020. Jaguar Land Rover cited £332m in profit and cash improvements relating to its Project Charge+ restructure plan in the final quarter, which it says brings the total saving to £6 billion since the programme was launched in 2018. Bolloré said: “I have been encouraged by the company’s resilience and strong recovery during a uniquely challenging year.” He added: “Our strategy is ambitious and it will make us more agile, efficient and sustainable. Although it is still early days, we have made significant progress in implementing it. This has reaffirmed my confidence that we have the right strategy, the right people and the right product plans to deliver against our targets. Jaguar Land Rover is well placed to emerge from the pandemic as a stronger and more resilient company that is able to navigate and capitalise on the opportunities ahead.”

One thing we may come to miss in the electrified era is the enormous mixture of engines and how their various characteristics inform the driving experience. Time, then, to celebrate the best examples – and how you can get your hands on one:

India's western state of Gujarat is braced for cyclone Tauktae, reported to be the strongest storm to hit the region since 1998. At least six were killed and thousands evacuated in the last two days amid heavy rains accompanying the storm. The meteorological department said the storm has now intensified into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm". The cyclone comes amid a devastating second Covid wave which has overwhelmed India's healthcare system. The storm is expected to make landfall in Gujarat on Monday night with wind speeds of up to 160km/h (99mph). Both Gujarat and its neighbouring state Maharashtra are on high alert amid forecasts of heavy rains and wind. Cases are on the wane in both states, but they are still recovering from the effects of a devastating second wave. Predicted path for Cyclone Tauktae Presentational white space More than 150,000 people in low-lying areas of the state have already been moved to shelters, sparking fears of possible new outbreaks in coming weeks. And the federal government has also ordered the vaccine drive to be halted in several coastal towns believed to be at risk. The storm also adds to the challenge facing India's hospitals and Covid centres - Maharashtra's capital Mumbai, for instance, which is on the coast and on high alert, has already moved 580 Covid positive patients from dedicated centres to civic hospitals as a precaution. The city has also said its airport will be closed between 11:00 and 16:00 local time. Officials have advised people to stay indoors - they anticipate flooded roads, damaged power lines and uprooted trees because of heavy rains and heavy winds. Thousands of fishing boats off the coast of both states have returned to the harbour, and hundreds of merchant ships have been asked to re-route.

Australia has carried out its first repatriation flight from India after ending its controversial travel ban from the Covid-hit country. The government said 80 people arrived in Darwin on Saturday, and would be quarantined for a fortnight. Their Qantas flight was originally scheduled to carry 150 people onboard. But 70 passengers were later barred from travel after testing positive for coronavirus or coming into close contact with others who were. Australia's strict rules on pre-flight testing meant there was not enough time for the seats to be given to others waiting to return. Australia to resume some India flights after backlash Girl, 5, stuck in India while parents in Australia Why can't Australians get back into their country? Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there would be more capacity for people to return to Australia on other flights scheduled in May. "We're following the medical advice and ensuring that we protect Australians here," Mr Frydenberg told reporters. "We've got to maintain our health settings because we know how damaging to the lives and livelihoods of Australians an outbreak here [can be]." He added that Australia's High Commission was working to help other Australians stranded in India, and at least 9,500 had registered as wanting to return.

Mum. Please help. People keep staring at us. Some are pointing and laughing. Someone just beeped their horn at us. This is torture and I don’t want to do it again.” It was day one with my latest test car, and I had noticed my pre-teen daughter reaching for her phone as I drove her to school but hadn’t appreciated what she was texting, nor that this admittedly quirky vehicle could induce such extreme emotions in the easily embarrassed. Until then, I had revelled in its difference, the wear and tear of my near 50 years cushioning me from any cruelty. This, I thought, was a car that started conversations and made people smile, overcoming its bargain-basement price tag with a combination of oddity and flair, turning the Lego cars of all our childhoods into a joyous reality. It cut through class and had a gender-easy appeal, too. Earlier that day, I had looked out of the window to find a gaggle of friends giving it the once over, a couple on their hands and knees seeking to understand what was before their eyes. Some weeks later, I drove it into Knightsbridge and parked near Harrods. In truth, I was there for the photo opportunities next to Mercedes G-Wagens and the like, where a wheel was the size of my car, but its inherent magnetism overwhelmed any cynicism. Men and women of all ages, wearing shoes or cradling handbags that cost comfortably more than the car, wanted to know more. What is it? Can I buy one? Isn’t it just fabulous? Well, it’s the Citroën Ami. No, you can’t – at least not yet in the UK, but maybe in time. And, yes, it is – unless you’re an 11-year-old or, as it turned out, the owner of pretty much any large SUV, or anyone who had to follow us at our governed top speed of 28mph on any road with a limit of 30mph or above. Maybe you, too? Because after a couple of weeks and a few hundred miles behind the wheel, I came to understand that the Ami was incapable of leaving anyone nonplussed and, in fact, wasn’t everybody’s idea of a good friend. Plus ça change, as its makers might say – accompanied no doubt by a Gallic shrug born out of a lifetime of being treated as such. I was reminded of this when I met up with the brilliantly enthusiastic Neil Osborn, owner and restorer of the original Ami that you saw on the previous page. An incurable car fan with a leaning for French fancies, he understands better than most the appeal of Citroën’s capacity to surprise. Its long and proud history of making deliciously different cars has snared his interest and wallet on numerous occasions, thereby putting Citroëns at the heart of tales of fun and frolics on family trips across Europe and more.