The extension of the Taraf is a precursor to the further development of the Lagonda brand, reckon analysists. Aston Martin wants a slice of the market that serves Rolls-Royce so well.
The car is already a piece of automotive history, reckons Aston Martin; Dr Palmer said many customers “will want to add Lagonda to their luxury and sports car collections”. For this reason, the firm isn’t weakening its exclusivity by making any more.
But how much will the Lagonda Taraf cost? Aston Martin isn’t saying – prices details are confidential, but will be “significantly different in each case due to the very high levels of bespoke content”.
The first new Lagonda since the iconic square-edged 1976 car, the new Lagonda Taraf is built on the same VH architecture that underpins other Astons such as the 200mph Vanquish. Performance is not going to be an issue.
“Opening up the Lagonda Taraf to an increased number of customers around the world was a high priority for me as soon as I joined Aston Martin late last year,” he said. Indeed, he hinted as much when the car was revealed in Dubai last year.
Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf super saloon is coming to UK!
Aston Martin has decided to sell its hyper-luxury super saloon Lagonda Taraf to markets outside the Middle East – including the UK. But it is not extending the limited-to-200 production run…
Britain’s newest luxury car set to star on British roads after all
The Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf
The mighty Lagonda Taraf four-door saloon was originally only designed for the Middle East. But that didn’t please new boss Dr Andy Palmer.
This is the new 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63, the second generation of the most popular AMG model in history – 5000 examples of the last model were sold in the UK from 2009. The spec will send shockwaves through BMW M Division.
The big news is the gorgeous 6.2-litre naturally aspirated engine has gone, replaced by a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 – the BMW M3/M4 has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six. Performance, torque and fuel efficiency all improve.
Both saloon and estate models are available. The C63 saloon goes on sale from April 2015 priced at £59,795, the estate from July 2015 priced at £60,995.
Tell me about that engine in the new 2015 C63
Codenamed M1777, the 4.0-litre V8 is hand-built at Affalterbach, and is smaller, lighter, more powerful and more efficient than the engine it replaces. Featuring an iron block with aluminium heads, the V8 is effectively a pair of 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines from the A45 AMG on a common crank.
The turbochargers are packaged in the vee, helping compactness, while the intercoolers are nestled behind the air scoops in the chunky front bumper. If you’re worried the turbos will mute AMG’s goose-pimple soundtrack, you might want to spend £1k on the optional sports exhaust.
We’ve had special-edition C63s before with increased power outputs – the excellent DR520 and Edition 507, for instance, while Performance Packages have previously been offered – but this is the first time a choice of power outputs are available from launch.
The C63 offers 469bhp and 480lb ft torque, while the C63 S boosts that to 503bhp and 516lb ft – but you’ll pay almost £7k for the privilege. At least there’s more kit too, more of which later. Either way, the C63 easily bests the BMW M3/M4’s 425bhp and 406lb ft torque.
Both C63 and C63 S claim the same 34.5mpg and 192g/km C02, while the S saloon’s 0-62mph time drops a tenth to 4.0sec. All of those figures make for a very small – but crucial in the Top Trumps stakes – advantage over the BMW.
AMG don’t just put an engine in and close the bonnet these days, do they?
No, those days are long gone. The C63 sticks with electro-mechanical steering, but ditches the weird variable-rate rack you’ll find in lesser Mercedes C-class models. The front and rear tracks are both wider, there are unique springs and dampers and anti-roll bars, and 360mm-diameter discs all round. Just like the BMW nemesis, you can also specify carbon-ceramic brakes for the first time, which add £4285 to the sticker – pricey, but much more palatable than the £8-10k often charged on higher-end cars.
Long overdue is a standard-fit limited-slip differential. The base cars gets a purely mechanical set-up, while the S adds electronic control to the same unit – it measures various parameters including throttle position and steering angle to pre-empt the best response.
Other S-specific goodies include 19-inch alloys (18s on base cars), dynamic engine mounts (they stiffen up when you cane it for a more connected response, but soften off when you’re cruising for better refinement), chunkier 390mm front brakes and AMG Performance Seats.
How does the new C63 AMG drive?
The first thing you notice is the noise: the C63 sounds amazing as soon as you turn the ignition key, a proper V8 explosion – and that’s even with the standard exhaust. The 4.0-litre V8 is a great engine, and one – thank the lord – that retains much of the character of AMG’s naturally aspirated engines. I just don’t think anyone has quite mastered downsizing and turbocharging to the level of Mercedes-AMG. There’s a tiny little bit of lag, but it’s neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things, and the throttle response and the way it pulls is fantastic. Is it better than the 3.0-litre six in the M3? Yes it is.
With electro-mechanical steering, some of the magic of the old steering is undoubtedly lost. This isn’t bad steering, far from it, but it self centres a little too keenly, and just can’t match the old rack for fluidity.
The gearbox is much improved, and didn’t once baulk at a downshift to second on track, which is a first for me in an AMG. There’s no doubt, however, that the M Division dual-clutch units are sharper and more incisive.
The M cars have better traction too. The C63 is a very tail happy car, and you need to be patient on the throttle to put the power down cleanly, but then that’s part of the fun. Light up the rear tyres and you’ll find it hilariously playful and incredibly adjustable. And it’s a mark of how well sorted the front end is that you can throw it at corners at ludicrous angles and it still doesn’t lose its excellent steering precision.
Even when you’re not sliding it, it’s still exceptionally good. Go hard into a corner and the front end feels very well tied down, giving a consistency to driving through long, fast corners that really imbues confidence, whichever driving mode your in.
Verdict
The C63 is a proper bit of kit, one that delivers a killer blow to BMW M Division mainly courtesy of its incredible V8 engine. I can’t emphasise this enough – the V8 is an absolute peach, and worth the price of entry alone. But it handles superbly, stops and steers well, shifts gears with improved precision and plays the hooligan when the mood takes you.
It does feel like a relatively heavy car, and an M3 is a more precise handler, thanks mainly to its vast reserves of traction. The truth is, it’s swings and roundabouts here, but if, like me, you’re mourning the passing of the M3’s naturally aspirated V8, the C63 provides a much more compelling replacement for displacement.
Boris Nemtsov, the former Russian deputy prime minister and fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, has died after being shot four times by a passing car in Moscow, officials have confirmed.
The 55-year-old was targeted by an unidentified attacker near the Kremlin during the early hours of Saturday morning - and was shot in the back.
According to colleagues, he was working on a report which apparently included concrete evidence that Russia was directly involved in the separatist movement which erupted in Ukraine last year.
At the time of the attack, Mr Nemtsov was walking along a bridge with a Ukrainian woman, who was uninjured in the shooting. She is now being questioned by police.
The politician had received death threats on social media, but no steps were taken by the police to offer him protection, according to his lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov.
A senior opposition politician, Mr Nemtsov was an outspoken detractor of Vladimir Putin's administration - and had planned to attend an "anti-crisis march" through the capital on Sunday.
The economist had said in an interview with Russian media: "Every time I called (my mother), she laments: 'When are you going to stop scolding Putin? He will kill you!'"
Mr Putin has condemned the death, which he said looked like a "contract killing" - adding that he will personally oversee the investigation into the shooting.
Meanwhile, the White House has demanded that the investigation is "prompt, impartial and transparent".
President Obama, who met Mr Nemtsov in 2009, described him as a "tireless advocate" for the rights of Russian citizens, and cited his work in fighting corruption.
In a statement, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was "shocked and saddened" by the news.
"We deplore this criminal act. Those responsible must be brought to justice," it added.
Garry Kasparov, chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, tweeted: "Devastated to hear of the brutal murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov. Shot four times, once for each child he leaves."
Widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time, the political activist added: "Politkovskaya was gunned down. MH17 was shot out of the sky. Now Boris is dead. As always, Kremlin will blame opposition, or CIA, whatever."
According to the Financial Times, Mr Nemtsov had wanted to tackle the stagnant wages and soaring inflation that has blighted Russia's economy in recent times - with the rouble collapsing and Western nations imposing sanctions over the government's involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
"They believe that the embargo on imported foods is America's fault, and they were surprised when I told them no, that was not Obama, it was Putin. This is what we need to make people aware of: the crisis, that's Putin," Mr Nemtsov said.
The Duke of Cambridge was transformed into a samurai warlord when he visited the set of a long-running Japanese drama.
Wearing a glittering helmet, regal red and gold tunic and carrying a replica samurai sword William looked every inch a formidable ruler.
He was transformed into Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese warlord who unified his country in the 16th century, during a tour of the Tokyo studios where the Sunday night historical drama Taiga is filmed.
Now in its 54th series, it features famous characters from Japanese history but changes the period for the action every year with the current series called Hana Moyu or Ardent Flower.
When William first arrived at the studios of Japan's public broadcaster NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) which makes the show, he was greeted by a long line of actors dressed as soldiers.
He asked one of the senior staff: "Is it a show like EastEnders?" before being taken on to the set that depicted a chaya or tea house, used by samurai as a members' club, complete with geisha.
As staff put the helmet on his head, the Duke joked: "I feel there should be a sword in my hand as well." And when he was told actors wore the costume and heavy armour for many hours he replied: "Not particularly easy to go for a coffee break."
When they were finished he looked into a mirror and asked his entourage: "How do I look?" before adding: "I feel ready for action."
Before dressing up he watched three geisha actresses dance, while another Maki Shiran, 23, played a three-stringed guitar-like instrument called a shamisen.
At the end of the performance he tried strumming it himself and said "it's a wonderful noise", as he plucked the silk strings with a large plectrum, which he was told was made of ivory.
The Duke, who will be travelling to China, where he will speak out against the ivory trade, said with a wry smile: "Oh, is it?"
Mao Inoue, the female star of Hana Moyu, who plays a character called Humi Sugi, presented the Duke with a bouquet of flowers and a hand-made wooden toy for Prince George.
In the hair and make-up department William dissolved into a fit of giggles when Tim Hitchens, Britain's ambassador to Japan, put on a samurai wig.
The former Queen's deputy private secretary was game for a laugh and sat in a chair as Kahame Mimura, head of hair dressing and wigs, covered his scalp with a piece of cloth before fitting the hairpiece.
The Duke had considered wearing the wig, made with real hair and slicked back into a tiny ponytail, but said: "If I put this on my brother would never let me forget it - I seriously can't."
After the transformation of the senior diplomat William could not resist poking fun and told him through laughter: "This is going straight on to the Foreign Office website - brilliant."
The ambassador stood up and flexed out his arms as if he were a sumo wrestler and the Duke quipped: "A bit more weight and you would be sorted, get the sumo wrestling going - impressive, a good look."
Later the mood was more serious in NHK's newsroom, where the Duke watched a three-minute film showing how the station covered the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami which triggered the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
He was visibly moved as he watched footage of homes, roads and cars being swept inland and fields being swallowed up by the 10-metre high tidal wave.
The harrowing images were filmed by one of NHK's 15 helicopters, which took off immediately after the earthquake and was guided by staff in the newsroom.
The broadcaster was set up in the wake of the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, when it was realised accurate and prompt information protects lives.
William was also shown how NHK is alerted whenever the country experiences anything over a magnitude three tremor.
Newsreaders interrupt all of the station's TV and radio programmes to give an emergency tsunami warning after a quake of magnitude five or more.
The warning, which is broadcast in several different languages, says: "This is a tsunami warning, please move to high ground."
William listened intently as the station's president Katsutomo Momii explained the system to him.
He was then shown how NHK staff practise the warning drill every night and he got the chance play anchorman as he took a seat in the news studio.
He said: "I feel like I should be doing interviews and asking the questions."
Inspecting the bank of controls used to launch the early warning system, he asked: "What happens if I press the red tsunami button now?"
Thankfully the Duke was told it was just a simulation and the warning would not be going live.
Looking at the autocue used by presenters to warn viewers, he joked: "This is how the BBC do it then, it's cheating."
As he left the building, William met NHK's mascot Domo-Kun and he laughed as it bowed to him and offered his hand to shake.
The Duke told Domo: "George my son would love you. Are you hot in there? How long have they had you in there?"
Accepting a smaller, soft toy version to take home for Prince George, he added: "Thank you very much, I love it."
Hundreds of cheering and screaming Japanese fans greeted William when he toured a Tokyo bookshop, where he played with a group of children who miraculously restored him to a full head of hair.
The Duke was visiting Tsutaya bookshop in the Daikanyama district of central Tokyo, a lively area of shops and restaurants which was busy with Saturday morning shoppers.
He was greeted by the designer of the building, the British architect Mark Dytham, who has lived and worked in Tokyo for 27 years.
William was cheered by shoppers as he toured an exhibition of British products, including a Dyson robot vacuum cleaner, and a computer controlled prosthetic leg, part of the Innovation is Great campaign - the year-long initiative to generate business, educational and research and development partnerships between the UK and Japan.
The president of the Tsutaya chain, Muneaki Masuda, gave him a present for Prince George - kendama, a traditional Japanese children's game which involves trying to catch a ball on the end of a pointed handle, a skill passed from one generation of Japanese urchins to the next.
Mr Masuda also gave him a Tsutaya store card. "I hope it has a lot of credit on it," said the Duke.
He sat and chatted with a group of Japanese school children, who had coloured in pictures of the prince in colourful samurai garb. William then scanned one of them into a smart phone using an app called Blipper, and the image popped up on a large wall screen, animated in three dimensions - a luridly clad, frowning cartoon Duke, swaggering in front of a Japanese gate.
He joked: "Who's that good-looking guy?" adding "Looking good! That's a strong look."
The third time a drawing was scanned, the image on the screen shifted to a view from above, and zoomed in on the cartoon William's scalp which in real life is thinning but, to his evident pleasure, it was thatched with luxuriant fair hair.
He then went outside where a white Aston Martin Rapide had been customised for the Innovation is Great campaign with Union flags on the bonnet badge and upholstery.
An excited cheer went up from the crowd of several hundred Japanese who were held back by a red rope.
The Duke climbed into the car alongside the Aston Martin chief executive, Andy Palmer, and he revved the engine loudly.
Asked by the Press Association's veteran royal photographer John Stillwell to lean out of the window in the style of James Bond, he said, "James Bond style? Yes, I'm well known by that pseudonym."
William went on a short walkabout but his attempts to shake hands with the crowds were met with squeals of delight and quickly foiled by the team of six Japanese protection officers.
William had more luck at the back of the shop, where he shook hands with Japanese and foreign well wishers.
One woman, 66-year old Fumiko Arao, brandished an oil painting of William, Catherine and George, which she held up as he stopped to talk. She said: "I got a very warm impression of him. He seemed so nice and I was very happy. It was too bad that the woman next to me sneezed over him, though."
Ms Arao had gone specially for the occasion from the town of Matsue in western Japan. She spent two weeks creating her painting, which she based on images of the prince's family from a documentary she had seen about the Queen's 60th birthday.
She explained: "My father fought against the British army in Burma during the war. He was captured, and was afraid, but he told me that the British were very fair.
"He became friends with one of the British soldiers. I grew up hearing these stories from my father, and so I always had a very warm sentiment towards British people. So I wanted to come here and see the prince."
Two people have been arrested by police investigating the disappearance of 16-year-old Becky Watts in Bristol.
Detective Superintendent Liz Tunks, heading up the investigation team said "This afternoon we have arrested two people in connection with the disappearance of Becky Watts on Thursday 19th February from the St George area of Bristol."
"Whilst the two people are being questioned, our search for Becky continues unabated."
"I would like to appeal once again to anyone who might have information about her whereabouts, or anything else that might help us to find her to call us."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Avon and Somerset Police on 101, quoting MP591/15 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Few actors outside soap opera become defined by a single role to the exclusion of all else in their career. But that was the case for Leonard Nimoy, who has died aged 83. He did not simply play Mr Spock, first officer of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek – he was synonymous with him, even after taking on other parts and branching out into directing and photography.
Star Trek began life on television, running for three series between 1966 and 1969, and later spawned numerous spin-offs, including a run of films of varying quality, two of which (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, from 1984, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, from 1986) Nimoy directed. “I’m very proud of having been connected with the show,” he wrote in 1975. “I felt that it dealt with morality and philosophical questions in a way that many of us would wish were part of the reality of our lives.”
In front of the camera, as the half-human, half-Vulcan Spock, he captured with delicious wit the tensions in the character. Spock’s logical, detached perspective could be infuriating to his more demonstrative colleagues; it also caused him to be amused or bewildered by the workings of humans. This could play out humorously or poignantly. He was uniquely placed, for example, to analyse coolly our emotional shortcomings: “It is curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want,” he mused in the first series. His dry rapport with the more passionate, full-blooded Captain James T Kirk (William Shatner) was a pleasure that endured long after the Star Trek brand itself showed signs of having been around the galaxy a few too many times.
Once seen, Spock was never forgotten. The hair, boot-polish black, was snipped short with a severe, straight fringe; it looked more like headgear than a haircut, more painted on than grown. An inch of forehead separated that fringe from a pair of sabre-like eyebrows that arched extravagantly upwards. These came in handy for conveying what the reserved Spock could not always express verbally. “The first thing I learned was that a raised eyebrow can be very effective,” said Nimoy.
Spock’s defining physical feature, though, was his pointed ears. The actor’s first reaction upon seeing them was: “If this doesn’t work, it could be a bad joke.” Sharply tapered but in no way pixieish, the ears somehow never undermined his gravitas. Or rather, Nimoy’s sober disposition precluded laughter. Besides, in a show suffused with messages of inclusivity and tolerance, it would never do for audiences to laugh at someone just because he came from Vulcan.
Nimoy contributed key details to the character, including the traditional Vulcan greeting: a hand held up and the four fingers parted to create a V. This was inspired by prayer gestures witnessed by the young Nimoy at synagogue.
He would later title his 1975 memoir I Am Not Spock. “I was trying to illuminate the actor’s process in creating a character. I talked about the fact that I grew up in Boston and Spock did not. My parents were Russian immigrants; Spock’s were not. I’m an actor who portrays this character.” He conceded, though, that the title had been a mistake and had given the erroneous impression that he was trying to shrug off his best-known role. He made amends by calling the 1995 follow-up I Am Spock.
Nimoy was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Max, a barber, and Dora, and showed an interest in acting from a young age (though his father tried to persuade him to take up the accordion instead). He studied drama at Boston College and began to get small parts in theatre, film and television. At 20 he was cast in the lead role of a young boxer in the 1952 film Kid Monk Baroni, and discovered a kind of sanctuary in the prosthetics he was required to wear. “I found a home behind that makeup,” he wrote in I Am Not Spock. “I was much more confident and comfortable than I would have been, had I been told I was to play ‘a handsome young man’.”
Nimoy did military service from 1953 to 1955, during which time one of his duties was producing army talent shows. He continued acting after leaving the army and in the early 1960s began teaching acting classes, while also starring in guest roles on television series including Bonanza, Rawhide and The Twilight Zone. He established his own acting studio where he taught for three years.
Nimoy auditioned for an earlier Gene Roddenberry project, and when Roddenberry created Star Trek he thought of him for the role of Spock. “I thought it would be a challenge,” Nimoy said. “As an actor, my training had been in how to use my emotions, and here was a character who had them all locked up.”
After 79 episodes across three series, the NBC network cancelled the show because of its low ratings. Nimoy went straight into another regular gig – a role on the light-hearted spy series Mission: Impossible – and then began studying photography at the University of California, Los Angeles. He would later publish photographic studies including Shekhina (2002), a celebration of spirituality and sexuality in Judaism, and The Full Body Project (2007), focused on unorthodox female body sizes.
His acting work in the 1970s included a chilling performance in Philip Kaufman’s intelligent 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In 1979, he returned to play Spock in the rather leaden Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He would do so in a further seven Star Trek films. Among them were Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). He was the only original cast member to appear in JJ Abrams’s instalments of the revived or “rebooted” franchise, Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). His appearance in the first of those Abrams films, as the older Spock coming face to face with his younger self (Zachary Quinto), was deeply affecting and played with characteristic restraint. He also revived Spock in two 1991 episodes (“Unification I” and “Unification II”) of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and in animated and computer-game incarnations of Star Trek.
If Nimoy never escaped association with Spock, it was not for want of trying. He wrote seven poetry collections, released several albums and established himself as a successful and varied director. Alongside his two Star Trek movies, he directed himself in a TV movie version of the one-man play Vincent (1981), about the life of Van Gogh. He scored an international box-office hit with 3 Men and a Baby (1987). He also made the drama The Good Mother (1988), starring Diane Keaton and Liam Neeson, as well as two disappointing comedies, Funny About Love (1990) and Holy Matrimony (1994).
He is survived by his second wife, Susan Bay, and by two children, Adam and Julie, from his first marriage, to Sandi Zober, which ended in divorce.
My dad was — and is — a huge Star Trek nerd, and when I was a kid he'd excitedly show me episodes of the original series in syndication. It was a show that he watched in college, he'd say, explaining why Kirk was Kirk, Bones was Bones, and most importantly, why Leonard Nimoy's Spock was Spock. One of my earliest moments of geek fandom was when I tracked down the script for the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage." I got it, read it, and excitedly took it to my dad. Kirk wasn't even in it, I explained to him. Spock had these crazy emotions!
My dad knew, of course. He was a Star Trek geek after all.
It was his voice. Instant gravitas.
Nimoy was there too, when I sat down cross-legged on our living room carpet to watch episodes of In Search Of. The show was a kind of Cosmos for crazy murders and conspiracy theories, and with Nimoy narrating, I loved it. It was his voice: Calm. Commanding. Instant gravitas, but never off-putting. It was the kind of warm, almost paternal presence that invited you into a story, telling you This is important, and you will want to see what happens.
Then came Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. For my money, it's easily the best of the Star Trek films, and when Spock died, I was devastated. I've cried far too many times over his final scene in that film — to this day it still pushes those buttons — but that's what Nimoy brought to his portrayal of Spock. A character that was not only the most stoic of the stoic, but paradoxically, the most human of the human.
Nimoy helped me understand how movies were made
Nimoy stepped behind the director's chair for the next two installments in the franchise, and I still remember how the young me was amazed that somebody could both act and direct a movie. I was nine when The Search for Spock came out, and it was the turning point when I understood that the movies weren't just something magical that I went to with my dad every weekend; they were things that were made. It was a revelation that would basically dictate my interests and the direction of my life from that day forward.
And as I grew up, Leonard Nimoy continued to be that comforting presence. Whenever he showed up in anything — yes, even Fringe — the movie or show became instantly grounded. Safe. His presence simply meant that I was going to enjoy what I was watching more than I had before. There aren't many actors that do that; he was one. (There's a reason he's been the best thing about J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films, after all.)
It's really strange to type that, and while I can't say I ever had the pleasure of meeting or interviewing Nimoy, he's nevertheless felt like a continual presence in my life. That can happen with media personalities, of course. You see somebody on the television every day, and you begin to think you know them; you follow the ups and downs of a fictional character, and you become emotionally bonded to them. Nimoy was something slightly different, though. A star in the media constellation that remained forever constant; true north.
A star in the media constellation that remained forever constant
Of course, it should go without saying that the sense of someone we get from their acting and public appearances often bears little resemblance to who they actually are. But what is undeniable is the emotional impact their work has on us. And for the millions of people, like myself, that grew up with Leonard Nimoy, those are the memories that we will carry with us throughout our lives.
It's a sentiment that Nimoy himself reflected upon on Twitter this past Sunday, in his very last post. "A life is like a garden," he wrote. "Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
Manchester United claimed a narrow victory over Sunderland as Wes Brown received his marching orders following a case of mistaken identity not seen since Kieran Gibbs was infamously sent off against Chelsea.
Referee Roger East sent off Brown for the foul on Falcao - even though it was John O'Shea who brought the striker down.
The Colombian did brilliantly well to turn in on goal after controlling a pass behind him, but as he shaped to shoot from point blank range, he was bundled to ground by O'Shea with Brown in close attendance.
O'Shea pleaded with the official in defence of his teammate, but Brown was issued his marching orders nonetheless, and Rooney stepped up to fire how from 12 yards.
And Louis van Gaal's United extended their lead further 18 minutes later.
With United dominating possession having taking full advantage of the extra man, the ball eventually worked its way to substitute Adnan Januzaj on the right.
The Belgian stepped in from the right and struck a shot that Costel Pantilimon could only parry into the path of Rooney, who stooped low to the head into gaping net.
“When did we stop giving an ‘amen’ and start giving the ‘wave’?”
In this part...
Although the Church is nicknamed the “Body of Christ,” it’s
made up of a bunch of imperfect people. Given the wide spectrum of tradition
and doctrine across the Christian Church, many big differences – and occasional
loud arguments – have surfaced since the very beginning of Christianity.
In the chapters that follow, I show you key highlights of
Church history from its humble origins in a stable to 21st-century
megachurches. You then go on a whirlwind tour through the major branches of the
Church today, including Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Churches, exploring
their beliefs and worship traditions. You also consider how modern society has
impacted the Church and look at changes that have developed over the past
century.
Tradition, Tradition: The Catholic and Orthodox Churches
In This Chapter
Discovering how the Christian Church emerged from its Jewish
roots
Seeing the split between the Eastern and Western Churches
Knowing the uniqueness of the Catholic Church
Understanding what’s distinct about the Orthodox Church
In the well-known musical Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye is a
Russian peasant in pre-revolutionary Russia who belts out the memorable song “Tradition,”
emphasizing the importance of tradition as a guide for his family’s life. Although
tradition means something far different for them, Catholic and Orthodox Christians
may as easily join alongside Tevye and sing the same tune. That’s because
tradition is all-important to Catholicism and Orthodoxy; it’s a defining
characteristic of these two parts of the Christian Church. In fact, they hold
tradition so dearly that they place it on the same lofty plane as the Bible in
terms of divine authority.
In this chapter, you explore the Catholic and Orthodox
Churches and discover how tradition plays out in their beliefs. You also find
out what’s unique about Catholics and unique about Orthodox Christians and how
they distinguish themselves from each other and others within the Christian faith.
Transferring from a Nation to a Church
During Old Testament times, Judaism was something like a
state religion – it was a religion of the Jews, and for the Jews. Occasionally,
non-Jewish people converted to the faith, but the vast majority of worshipers
of the One True God, whom they called “Yahweh,” were born and bred Hebrews. The
Old Testament itself backs up this Jewish orientation with its emphasis on
Israel’s history, on prophecy directly related to the nation of Israel, and on
talk of a coming Jewish messiah to save the nation. Yet, in spite of the
priority it places on “God’s chosen people,” the Old Testament provides hints
that God’s future plans involved reaching out to the Gentiles (non-Jews), as
well.
Although Jesus died for the sins of both Jews and Gentiles,
his ministry focused primarily on the Jews. Jesus made it clear that he came
first for the Jews, then for the Gentiles. He wasn’t saying that the Jews
deserved salvation more than the Gentiles. Instead, God, in his mercy, gave his
chosen people the first focus, so that they could branch and share the news of
the coming Messiah. Quite naturally, then, all the twelve disciples that he
selected were Jewish, and their early activities concentrated on getting Jews
to believe in Jesus as the fulfilment of Jewish prophecy. During these early
years, the Christian Church was still centered geographically in Jerusalem and
had almost exclusively Jewish leadership. So it probably doesn’t surprise you
to hear that Romans saw the Christian faith as an offshoot version of Judaism. And,
in reality, that’s exactly what Christianity was – a branching of Judaism; the
first Christians were Jews who saw Jesus as the fulfilment of their faith,
while the rest of the Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah and maintained their
Jewish faith.
The close connection between the two faiths
began to change, however, around A.D. 70. In what’s known as the Fall of
Jerusalem, Rome cracked down on Jewish rebels who were trying to throw the
Romans out of the Holy Land and, in the process, burnt the entire city of
Jerusalem to the ground. Not only did this event cause major changes in Jewish
religious life, but it also impacted the Christian Church. Because Jerusalem
could no longer be the Church’s home base, the Body of Christ began spreading
throughout the Mediterranean region in Italy and parts of Asia Minor. Gentile leadership
became increasingly important as Christianity stretched out geographically and
increased in size during this time. As a result, even by the early second
century, Christianity took on its own distinct identity apart from Judaism.
This fabulous layered haircut features a texturized straight-across fringe.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a large round brush.
Apply heat protection.
Smooth the hair even more with a flat iron.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Hot Off The Press protects the hair from heat and has hold that helps make the style last longer Face Shape and Hair Type:
Longer face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This short style features longer layers on top of the head and a beautiful wispy fringe.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with a round brush.
Smooth just the the middle to the ends of the hair.
Apply a lightweight product for texture.
Recommended Products:
Spray Wax is a wax in aerosol form which will give you an even and controlled distribution of texture. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Heart face shapes with any hair type will suit this style.
This chin-length bob is nearly all one length. This keeps the style heavy and dense which is perfect for fine hair!
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a styling brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This style has very short layers compared to its overall length. This removes a lot of weight, allowing the style to have movement and softness.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a medium round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This short bob is styled with volume and some wave. What I love about it is that it has the option of being styled wash-and-wear.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a medium round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This beautifully textured pixie cut is for the confident woman who doesn’t have to hide beneath the security of long hair. How sexy is that?
How To Style:
Apply product to the wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with a styling brush.
Piece out the fringe area using a styling product.
Recommended Products:
Spray Wax is a wax in aerosol form which will give you an even and controlled distribution of texture. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with any hair type will suit this style.
If you have it, flaunt it! Naturally curly hair provides a built-in style and can look absolutely breathtaking with the right products and care.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Diffuse the hair dry.
Scrunch in a product for texture and shine.
Recommended Products:
Scrunching Grooming Pomade into the hair helps define curls and adds shine. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with naturally curly hair will suit this style.
This haircut is very stylish, chic and trendy, yet still age appropriate.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with a styling brush.
Smooth just the the middle to the ends of the hair.
Apply a lightweight product for texture.
Recommended Products:
Spray Wax is a wax in aerosol form which will give you an even and controlled distribution of texture. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Heart face shapes with any hair type will suit this style.
This haircut has long layers which gives it some movement, but without removing too much weight.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a large round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This glamorous look is softened by layers and waves.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a large round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This is a short graduated bob that is shorter in the back and longer in the front. In this picture, it is styled tucked behind the model’s ear. Graduated hairstyles build weight and allow the hair to have great wash-and-wear volume.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a medium round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
One length hair keeps maximum density and is perfect for fine hair. This one length look is styled with the ends flipped out for a trendy finish.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with an extra large round brush.
Flipping the ends out with a smoothing iron.
Apply a serum to the hair for shine.
Set the style with a finishing spray.
Recommended Products:
Gloss Drops will remove frizz and add luminous shine to hair. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Longer face shapes with hair that is low in density and fine in texture will suit this style.
This style is very youthful. It is a chin-length haircut with organic looking curls.
How To Style:
Apply styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry with a medium round brush.
Apply heat protection to hair.
Curl random sections of diffrent sizes with a medium barrel iron.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Hot Off The Press protects the hair from heat and has hold that helps make the style last longer Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This beautiful haircut has shorter layers in the front and longer ones in the back, causing hair to naturally push backwards. This style is perfect for people who can’t stand having hair on their face!
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with a round brush toward the back.
Apply a lightweight product for texture.
Recommended Products:
Extra-Body Sculpting Foam gives hair a blowout filled with volume. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in density and texture will suit this style.
This haircut has the sides graduated shorter in the bottom and longer on top. The hair on top of the head is left longer. The entire haircut is texturized a lot to give it tons of movement!
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a small round brush.
Smooth and bend longer pieces with a flat iron.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Gloss Drops will remove frizz and add luminous shine to hair. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with any hair type will suit this style.
If you are looking for an low maintenance style, this is it! The really short layers throughout this haircut make it easy to style texture into it.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with fingers.
Smooth longer pieces with a flat iron.
Apply a product for texture.
Set the style with a finishing spray.
Recommended Products:
Spray Wax is a wax in aerosol form which will give you an even and controlled distribution of texture. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with any hair type will suit this style
This short hairstyle is heavily layered which makes it light enough to style volume into.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with a round brush.
Curl sections of hair with a curling iron.
Apply a lightweight product for texture.
Recommended Products:
Extra-Body Sculpting Foam gives hair a blowout filled with volume. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with hair that is medium in texture and density will suit this style.
This youthful haircut features long layers that allow the hair to have movement without removing too much of its density.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to wet hair.
Blow dry the hair smooth with a large round brush.
Apply a serum for shine.
Set the style with hairspray.
Recommended Products:
Alterna’s Perfect Blowout creme gives shine, smoothness, volume, and heat protection to blowouts. Face Shape and Hair Type:
All face shapes with low to medium density and fine to medium texture will suit this style.
This very stylish disconnected haircut features really short sides and back. The top and the crown area is left long and layered.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product on wet hair.
Blow dry the hair with fingers.
Smooth longer pieces with a flat iron.
Apply a product for texture.
Set the style with a finishing spray.
Recommended Products:
Spray Wax is a wax in aerosol form which will give you an even and controlled distribution of texture. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with hair that is medium in density and texture will suit this style.
Be fabulous over 50! Express yourself through your hair. Feel amazing and look amazing. Here are 30 short hairstyles for women over 50 to inspire your next look!
Tina
This chic short hairstyle features short layers in the back that gradually get longer towards the front. The longer layers in front become a sweet fringe sweeping across the forehead.
How To Style:
Apply a styling product to hair.
Blow dry the hair with a styling brush.
Smooth longer pieces with a flat iron.
Set with a finising spray.
Recommended Products:
Gloss Drops will remove frizz and add luminous shine to hair. Face Shape and Hair Type:
Oval face shapes with any hair type will suit this style.
In 1966, Nimoy landed the role of the half-Vulcan, half-human Dr. Spock in the Star Trek series. This show went on to define Nimoy and his co-star William Shatner, who played the role of his commanding officer Captain James T. Kirk.
Nimoy was a part of several television series during the first decade of his career, appearing in shows like Bonanza, M Squad and The Outer Limits (pictured), among others.
Nimoy appeared in feature films in the early 1950s. His first title role was in the boxing-themed film Kid Monk Baron (1952). He also starred in television series 87th Precinct (Pictured).
Actor, director, writer, poet, singer and photographer Leonard Nimoy died at the age of 83 on February 27, 2015. We look at the remarkable career of the American entertainment legend.
Early life
Leonard Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931 in Boston, Massachusetts to Russian-Jewish immigrants Max and Dora. Nimoy caught the acting bug at age of eight, when he appeared in his first play. He continued to pursue his interest throughout his school and college career.
Leonard Nimoy, the actor famous for playing the logical Mr. Spock on the television show "Star Trek," died on Friday at age 83, according to The New York Times.
The paper said the cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nimoy, who also played the character in film versions of the science fiction franchise, said last year that he had been diagnosed with lung disease and was "doing OK."
(Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Lisa Lambert)
And the UK record-holder is... 25 0. The priciest ever sold by the DVLA, bought by Ferrari dealer John Collins in 2014. The plate is now thought to take pride of place on a Ferrari 250SWB once owned by Eric Clapton, worth around £10million.
The previous record holder, the initials of Formula 1 were bought by Bradford businessman Afzal Khan in 2008. The digits were then assigned it to his black Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
Claimed to be Scotland's first ever number plate, it was bought back in 2008 by an anonymous bidder who claimed the digits would be fixed to an old Skoda - maybe like this one?
Bought in 2006 by mobile phone businessman Mike McCoomb who claimed it was for his 10 year-old son! We hope it's on a BMW M1, like the one pictured above.
The world of private car registration plates is a confusing place, with a collection of digits on a reflective plastic strip commanding huge interest and, often, eye-watering prices. While some might not see the appeal, personalised number plates can have great significance to many UK motorists who see them as an essential fashion accessory for their car.
The UK's love affair with personalised registration plates has seen prices of particularly interesting or cherished plates soar in recent times. The DVLA estimates that over £2 billion in tax revenue has been raised at its various plate auctions in the UK in the last 25 years.
They point out that it only takes one or two people to take interest in a specific UK licence plate for bids to explode, with determined enthusiasts letting their hearts rule their heads in the auction room. Many speculators and dealers even make a living from trading valuable number plates as our guide to making money from buying and selling personalised plates shows.
Plates aren't always profitable though. Recently, the much-lauded plate '250 C' came up for auction and was expected to sell for over £500,000, yet the bids only went up to £21,500 on the day of the auction.
The number plate's estimated value was based on its apparent reference to Ferrari's classic 250 GT California, an example of which was bought by DJ Chris Evans for over £5 million. It was thought that a wealthy Ferrari 250 owner would snap-up the registration but the predicted bidding war did not emerge. Sometimes UK number plate prices really do go through the roof. But here are the 10 UK licence plates that have hit the highest prices...
1 0: £170,000
Just two binary digits, this minimalist plate was purchased in Northamptonshire in 2009.
The widow of one of the Western hostages beheaded by Isis militant Jihadi John has called for him to be captured alive, saying he does not deserve an “honourable” death.
British aid worker David Haines was the third hostage to be killed in a brutal video by the hooded fighter Jihadi John, who was yesterday unmasked in reports as Mohammed Emwazi.
His wife Dragana told the BBC seeing the extremist caught by authorities would give the families of his victims a sense of "moral satisfaction".
"That's the only moral satisfaction for the families of all the people that he murdered, because if he gets killed in the action, to put it that way, it will be an honourable death for him and that is the last thing I would actually want for someone like him,” she said.
"I think he needs to be put to justice, but not in that way."
Her call for him to be apprehended alive contrasted heavily with calls from the Mr Haines’ sister, who insisted families would only feel “closure and relief” when “there's a bullet between his eyes”.
The mother of American photojournalist James Foley, the first to be killed by the militant, told The Times that she forgave Emwazi.
"It saddens me, [Emwazi's] continued hatred," she said. "He felt wronged, now we hate him - now that just prolongs the hatred. We need to end it.
"As a mum I forgive him. You know, the whole thing is tragic - an ongoing tragedy."
The family of Steven Sotloff, an American journalist who was threatened in the video depicting Mr Foley’s beheading, said they hope his killer will be caught and sent to prison, and said they felt "relieved" after Emwazi's identity was revealed, according to the BBC.
Emwazi, a University of Westminster graduate from west London, appeared in several hostage videos brandishing a knife and sending warnings to the US, UK and Japanese governments.
The 27-year-old is reported to have started to become radicalised following a trip to Tanzania, where he and two friends were detained by police overnight after landing in Dar es Salaam and eventually deported.
