The race for car manufacturers to reveal fresh electric offerings continues apace, and Lotus has now entered the fray with the unveiling of the Eletre. And (whisper it), it’s an SUV. From Lotus.
The vehicle was introduced to the world in a suitably unrestrained fashion, with the car, hidden in a yellow cube, making its way up the River Thames in central London in a specially commissioned barge prior to the official launch.
Former Formula One racing driver Jenson Button then drove it onstage in an event viewed online by motoring enthusiasts across the world.
The Eletre is a distinct change in direction for Lotus, as the manufacturer’s modus operandi in days of yore was keeping cars as uncomplicated and featherweight as possible. The quote most associated with the brand came from its founder Colin Chapman, who said, in relation to how its cars were built: “Simplify, then add lightness.”
Changes in the manufacturer’s line-up are clearly afoot though, as China’s Geely Group bought a majority stake in the company in 2017, and the Eletre is the first in a line of products that are likely to be a step away from the brand’s traditional tearaway, sporty offerings.
Don’t be conned into thinking the Eletre is any slouch though. The very opposite, in fact.
It’ll hit 260 kilometres an hour on any road where the local authorities will allow it, and the 1 to 100kph time is 2.95 seconds. One supposes Chapman would have been happy with that.
It looks pretty fierce too. Mean-looking SUVs are not uncommon these days, but the Eletre looks like it could take its place in any suspects' line-up. We live in times now where cars with stylings that would have only been seen on never-available concept vehicles are now a reality, and this new Lotus is a prime example.
Aerodynamics come in the shape of a closing grille and a three-position rear spoiler.
There doesn’t seem anything too shabby about the interior either, with stitched leather and high-density wool fabrics being a feature, alongside a microfibre dashboard.
It’s safe to assume that the name Eletre sounding a little bit like electric has been done on purpose, but Lotus tells us that the name means "coming to life" in "some eastern European languages”. It all dovetails nicely, then.
The news comes just after Lotus announced a £100 million upgrade to its factory in Hethel, the site in the east of England that has been the manufacturer’s home since 1966.
This being the case, it seems that Lotus’s background as a niche manufacturer is at an end and it’s making a play for the big time.
If you fancy an Eletre, commentators are citing a starting price of about £115,000, though that is yet to be confirmed. The first cars will reach their new homes early in 2023.
Tomorrow 2021
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Southampton 2
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Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
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An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Investment: approximately $80 million
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
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Cricket World Cup League Two
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Al Amerat, Muscat
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What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
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Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
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No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
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Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
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Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
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The biog
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MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
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Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
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The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Tomorrow 2021
THE SIXTH SENSE
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Director: M. Night Shyamalan
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