Historians call for an end to 'censorship culture' in Britain - after the Daily Mail unearthed Unity Mitford's secret diaries
The long-lost trove, which laid undiscovered for more than 80 years, is being celebrated by experts as an 'important contribution to history'.
How George Orwell's diary hinted at Unity Mitford pregnancy - so did Adolf Hitler father a baby?
Unity Mitford's sensational diaries fuel speculation she was pregnant with Hitler's baby.
Ivanka, Tiffany, Kai, and Usha get glam on inauguration eve as MAGA gals set to take DC by storm
Donald Trump will be sworn in as 47th President of the United States on Monday, marking a monumental comeback for the 78-year-old Republican.
Playboy prince reveals he hired a prostitute to teach him 'how to do it'- but was still left feeling like 'an imbecile'
Prince Emanuele Filiberto, 52, has revealed how he hired a prostitute to teach him how to have sex with his first girlfriend but was still left 'feeling like an imbecile'.
If I said my husband had a bike accident, people would say how sorry they were - but because he's been left disabled by the Covid vaccine, they question if it's true
Three years ago in April, Jamie suffered a catastrophic bleed on the brain after being given the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.
Aptera's Solar-Powered Electric Car Shown at CES, Finally Nears Production
"Engineers have showcased a prototype electric vehicle that can drive for up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per day using just solar power," reports LiveScience. The production-ready "Aptera Launch Edition" made its first appearance this month at CES 2025, and "also offers up to 400 miles (640 km) of range from a single charge via an electrical output, company representatives said in a statement."
LiveScience describes the vehicle as "lighter and more energy-efficient than conventional EVs, while offering a 50% reduction in aerodynamic resistance," with an energy efficiency rating of 100 Watt-hours per mile (Wh/mile).
By contrast, a Tesla Model S (released in 2022) consumes 194 Wh/mile in the city in mild weather and 288 Wh/mile on the highway in mild weather, according to the EV Database. At a maximum range of 440 miles — including 40 miles using solar power and 400 miles using electricity — the Aptera EV may also overtake the current longest-range vehicles in production. The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ has a maximum range of 425 miles (684 km), according to the EV Database, followed by the Lucid Air Grand Touring at 410 miles (660 km).
Aptera says it's raised $135 million "through equity crowdfunding" to fund its pre-production progress. "Since its launch, the Company has accepted $1.7 billion in pre-orders with nearly 50,000 vehicles reserved by future Aptera owners in the U.S. and internationally."
MotorTrend writes that "nearly two decades in the making, the otherworldly three-wheel Aptera is headed to production this year as a $40,000, 400-mile EV that can capture up to 40 miles worth of free solar energy every day. Maybe."
The California startup made similar promises in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2022 and yet it has never delivered a single vehicle. Is anything different this time...?
At CES, co-CEO (and one of Aptera's original founders) Chris Anthony told MotorTrend it will take another $60 million to finish the development work, buy the tooling, and build out the Carlsbad, California, assembly plant. "We're still in fundraising mode and we hope that we inspire some people in this beautiful building (Las Vegas Convention Center) to invest in Aptera," Anthony said. "We're trying to raise $20 million in the first quarter of this year. That will basically kick off all the long-lead items to get into production, but it's a $60 million plan to get into volume production." Anthony said the company has already made one of its largest purchases, the molds for the carbon-fiber sheet-molding composite body structure and the fiberglass sheet-molding composite body panels that will be made in Italy. The next $20 million will cover the tooling for the diecast metal suspension arms and the injection-molded interior components...
It would be relatively easy for Aptera to hand build cars in a garage and announce the start of production, but the plan calls for building up to 80 cars per day per the guidance of engineering consultant and YouTuber Sandy Munro, who is an Aptera investor and adviser. "He really helped shepherd the design from what was an early prototype prove-out design into how to make the most manufacturable vehicle ever," Anthony said. The structure is built from just six parts and the entire car has been designed to be put together in a factory with just 12 stations. But that radical simplicity complicates the job at hand right now. In addition to developing the car, the small engineering team also has to create the machine that makes it. Anthony's plan has the factory ramping up to build 20,000 vehicles a year within nine months of starting production at the end of 2025.
Before that can happen, Aptera needs to clear the same hurdle that tripped it up in 2011 and sent the company stumbling into liquidation — the money. "We would love one investor to be so inspired by what we're doing that they just hand us a $60 million check," Anthony told MotorTrend. "But it could be something that's kind of piecemeal over the next nine months to get that $60 million into the company." Are you convinced?
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
New Match of the Day host Mark Chapman, 51, 'goes house hunting in Manchester' with estate agent four years after losing his wife to cancer
Match of the Day host Mark Chapman is house-hunting with his girlfriend, four years after being tragically widowed.
Nigel Farage says Donald Trump WILL return the Winston Churchill bust to the Oval Office - and dubs him the most 'pro-British president' in more than 50 years
The bust of the British wartime leader was removed by president Joe Biden 's team as part of redecorations following his 2020 election victory - leading to accusations of 'wokeness'.
The 13 reasons why England can win this year's Six Nations - as the stars begin to align for head coach Steve Borthwick, writes CHRIS FOY
CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: Union in-fighting at Twickenham has left a giant dark cloud over the sport in these parts, but amid the gloom there are glimmers of light.
Daily guide to what the stars have in store for YOU - January 20, 2025
JEMIMA CAINER: As the season of Aquarius begins, it inspires us to celebrate our quirks. Sometimes, we may feel pressured to adhere to the norm - but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
Chelsea's glaring room for improvement in one key area despite significant spending on the 'best in his field' - and how Wolves can be the perfect victims, writes KIERAN GILL
KIERAN GILL: Chelsea's set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva sits in the same seat for every game at Stamford Bridge - back row of the bench, closest to the tunnel, at the top of a staircase.
Bob Dylan draft lyrics to huge Grammy-winning hit song sell at auction for £400,000
The famous song featured as the lead track on the acoustic side of his 1965 album 'Bringing It All Back Home' and was his first number one hit in the UK.
New Look's 'gorgeous' £27 pink jumper shoppers say is 'so cute'
New Look fans are loving the adorable baby pink vibes
Tories call for a probe into Keir Starmer's Attorney General over Chagos Islands deal and Gerry Adams case
Britain's top civil servant was last night urged to investigate the Attorney General's potential role in a string of controversial government decisions.
Greg Rutherford is 'nervous' watching Dancing On Ice after 'painful freak accident' on the ITV show which left him needing major surgery
Greg Rutherford has admitted that watching Dancing On Ice still gives him the chills - nine months after his horror injury on the ITV skating show.
Australian Open fans are slammed for their reaction to 'over-sexualised' star Carlos Alcaraz taking his shirt off: 'Imagine if men did this to a female'
Carlos Alcaraz has delighted his fans at the Australian Open by showing off his ripped physique during his victory on Sunday - but not everybody is happy about the crowd's response.
ANDREW PIERCE: Speaker's poignant tribute to the 24 Commons war dead
ANDREW PIERCE: There's a famous wartime photo showing the unmistakable figure of Churchill surveying the ruins of the House of Commons chamber after it was bombed in May 1941.
Nurse, 31, who was allegedly murdered and stuffed into a suitcase by an Irishman she met on a night out 'touched so many lives'
Mackenzie Michalski, 31, from Fredonia, New York, was on holiday in the Hungarian capital of Budapest in November 2024.
Tragedy as missing woman is found dead in car submerged in river - as police probe lead-up to her death
Penny, 50, from Lincolnshire, was last seen in the East Ferry area on January 14 before she disappeared later that day - sparking a major search operation.
DR MAX: Too many people falsely believe they have mental health problems, which they wear like a badge of honour. We need to start being honest about the impact this is having on those REALLY in need...
Britain is in the grip of a serious mental health crisis and, if things don't change fast, it's only going to get worse.