Lotus certainly goes through bosses. It’s not quite nine years since Dany Bahar’s acrimonious departure from the sports car maker, but new managing director Matt Windle is the fifth man to lead the business since then – with his well-regarded predecessor Phil Popham only just getting past two years at the top. But unlike many of those before him, Windle hasn’t been promoted to leadership at a time of crisis or after a change in leadership. His move from the role of engineering director was an orderly one, and he remains committed to the Vision 80 plan put in the place by Popham. It’s one that will give Lotus an all-new model range as soon as next year, then move aggressively towards both electrification and a dramatic increase in global sales soon afterwards. Affable, approachable and energetic, Windle is the antithesis of some of his aloof predecessors, with a CV that proves his desire for fresh challenges. He started out at Lotus in 1998 and then moved to Tesla after working on the original Roadster. His subsequent career included stints with Nissan, Caterham and Volvo, and he was part of the team behind sports car startup Zenos. Windle rejoined Lotus in 2017 – the year Geely completed its takeover, and realised that, as he puts it: “There was a proper car company here – it just needed the products and the investment”. He continues: “That’s what we’ve done now. Hethel is the most modern it has ever been, we’re going to have the newest automated paint shop in the world and a world-class manufacturing facility creating all-new products. Development on the Evija and Emira – the car previously known to us as the Type 131 – was already substantially complete when Windle took charge in January. Now his big challenge is getting both to market, most significantly the Emira, which will collectively replace the much-loved but slow-selling Elise, Exige and Evora. “I bumped into somebody today who said ‘it’s 80 days to launch’,” he says. “That’s how close it is; we’re talking days rather than months.”

If you don’t have £170,000 in change rattling around your pocket but dream of piloting a Bentley Flying Spur or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, you can do so at a fraction of the price on the used market. Being ferried about in a luxo-barge can be achieved for as £3000 (not including the price of a chauffeur, anyway), and the classifieds have plenty of choice. We've picked out some highlights below. Is the Panamera the best-handling luxury car of the lot? Quite possibly. Although it has never quite lived up to its billing as a four-door 911, the way it drives is sublime. The interior is exquisite, too, with sporty styling that hints at its performance. Diesels were introduced in 2011 and are your best bet for a bargain: the 3.0-litre turbo V6 produces 247bhp and uses an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox. These can now be had for just £18,000 – less than you would pay for a new Smart EQ Fortwo.

A state of emergency has been extended in several regions of Japan as Covid-19 cases surge, less than three months before the Tokyo Olympics. Restrictions in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto had been due to end on 11 May, but will now remain in place until the end of the month. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga also said they had added Aichi and Fukuoka to the regions under a state of emergency. The move casts more doubt on whether the Olympics will go ahead as planned. Under the state of emergency, bars and restaurants have had to shut or stop serving alcohol, while cinemas and karaoke parlours have been closed. Mr Suga said the government had hoped that a "short and powerful" state of emergency would contain the country's fourth wave of the virus. But, he said, the number of new cases was still "at a high level in major cities", and "hospitals continue to be overwhelmed" in some areas. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga IMAGE COPYRIGHTEPA image captionPrime Minister Yoshihide Suga said they had hoped a "short and powerful" state of emergency would stem the spread of the virus Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura also warned that his region's medical system was "reaching breaking point". In one nursing home in Osaka 61 residents were infected with the virus, and 14 died while waiting to receive hospital treatment, broadcaster NHK reported. Earlier on Friday Yasutoshi Nishimura, the economy minister who is also in charge of Covid-19 measures, said variant strains of the virus were spreading rapidly. However, local media report that some rules will still be eased, such as allowing a limited number of fans back into sports stadiums, despite other restrictions being extended. Oldest person pulls out of Olympic torch relay Japan town uses Covid grant to build squid statue Tokyo Olympics 100-day countdown begins The Olympics are due to begin in Tokyo on 23 July. They were postponed from 2020 because of the pandemic. More than 10,000 athletes from 200 countries and regions are due to take part. Japan's Games president Seiko Hashimoto said they would welcome a visit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach this month, but that it would be very difficult to organise with the restrictions now having been extended.

Korean luxury brand Genesis has released teaser images of a new Shooting Brake version of its forthcoming G70 saloon. The Hyundai Motor Group’s rival to BMW and Mercedes-Benz will arrive in the UK this summer, initially with the G80 saloon and GV80 SUV. They will be followed soon after by the smaller G70 and GV70. The firm has now teased a new model with a series of cropped images showing an estate version of a camouflaged car. While Genesis hasn't named the machine, the dimensions suggest it's the G70 Shooting Brake. Protoypes of the car have been spied testing in Europe on several occasions. The BMW 3 Series- and Audi A4-rivalling G70 was launched in other markets in 2017 and received a major makeover last year. The G70 Shooting Brake will follow the styling cues of the saloon but is tipped to feature bespoke styling elements at both front and rear. READ MORE Hyundai's premium Genesis brand confirms 2021 UK launch plans New Genesis G70 Shooting Brake spied testing ahead of brand's UK launch Opinion: Genesis can succeed, but it will require patience

Swiss design house Officine Fioravanti is developing a heavily updated version of the Ferrari Testarossa, bringing improved performance and a raft of modern equipment. Ahead of a full reveal in the coming months, the firm says the project is equipped with bespoke equipment upgrades, including improvements to the chassis, aerodynamics and powertrain. Power comes from a modified version of the 1980s supercar's original 4.9-litre flat 12, with a top speed of 200mph, up from the original 180mph figure. A new titanium exhaust system has also been fitted, and anti-lock braking and traction control systems have been installed for enhanced stability. Despite the additions, Fioravanti has also shaved some 120kg from the Testarossa’s kerb weight. “We carefully listened to the car’s needs and desires,” Officine Fioravanti said. “We patiently took care of every single aspect. Few minor details have been changed in terms of style, without compromising a timeless design but enriching its pureness.” The car has been fitted with Brembo racing-spec brakes, Öhlins electronic dampers, adjustable anti-roll bars and new alloy wheels wrapped in Brembo GT3 Class racing tyres, which the firm says makes the Testarossa “more enjoyable, safe and precise.” Italian leather makes up the interior, with aluminium components replacing the Testarossa’s plastic equivalents, and a new audio system has been fitted. The original, Pininfarina-penned silhouette remains largely untouched, however, with Fioravanti claiming there was “no reason to teach a maestro one more lesson”. The restomod has just entered its track testing phase. No purchase or pricing information has yet been revealed, but the wraps are set to come off “in due course”.

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for participating in an unauthorised vigil marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The annual vigil, which has been held in Hong Kong since 1990, was banned for the first time last year by police citing virus measures. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of people including activists, showed up. The activists that attended, including Wong, were later charged by police. Wong - aged 24 and Hong Kong's best-known activist internationally - is already in prison for a separate unauthorised assembly conviction under the country's restrictive national security law. He was earlier convicted to 13.5 months and four months in jail on two separate charges, which he is still serving. He will now serve an additional 10 months in jail. Wong had last Friday, along with other prominent young activists Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Jannelle Leung, pleaded guilty for participating in the Tiananmen vigil. Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigil banned for first time What were the Tiananmen Square protests about? Thursday's sentencing saw Shum jailed for six months, while the two others have been jailed for four months each. Hong Kong and Macau are the only parts of China that have been allowed to mark the Tiananmen crackdown. The Tiananmen vigil was again banned this year, with officials again citing public health concerns. However, there have been questions over whether or not the vigil will be allowed in Hong Kong again, after Beijing imposed the national security law last year which targets dissent in the city. What happened at Tiananmen square? Pro-democracy protesters occupied Tiananmen Square in April 1989 and began the largest political demonstrations in communist China's history. They lasted six weeks, with as many as a million people taking part. On the night of 3 June tanks moved in and troops opened fire, killing and injuring many unarmed people in and around Tiananmen Square. Afterwards the authorities claimed no-one had been shot dead in the square itself. Estimates of those killed in the crackdown range from a few hundred to several thousand.

Several employees of a pharmaceutical company have been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly washing and reselling used Covid nasal swab test kits. Up to 9,000 passengers at an airport in Medan may have been tested with the reused swab sticks, say police. State-owned company Kimia Farma is now reportedly facing a potential lawsuit launched on behalf of the travellers. Covid nasal swab testing has become routine in many countries hit by the global pandemic. Police said they believed the scam had been happening since last December at Kualanamu airport in Medan, North Sumatra. Passengers are required to have a negative test if they want to fly, and the airport offers the option of getting the swabs done on site. Airport authorities had used antigen rapid test kits supplied by Kimia Farma. Following complaints from passengers that they had received false positive test results, police sent an undercover officer to pose as a passenger last week, reported local news outlet Detik. When he was swabbed and received a positive test result, other officers swooped in and raided the test site, where they found a used test kit that had been recycled. Indonesia's vaccination drive targeting younger people What's it like in the best place to live during Covid? India is a Covid tragedy - it didn't have to be Last week, five Kimia Farma employees - including the company's Medan manager - were arrested. The suspects are accused of breaking health and consumer laws by washing nasal swab sticks and repackaging them for sale. Local media said authorities have compiled reports from 23 witnesses, and are investigating whether the profit from the scam - estimated to be around 1.8bn rupiah (£89,700; $124,800) - was used to fund the construction of a lavish house for one of the suspects. Kimia Farma, which is headquartered in the capital Jakarta, has since fired the staff involved and promised to tighten internal controls.

Finally! Lockdown has eased again, so our EQC has had a proper chance to stretch its legs on the motorway network. It’s largely as you would expect of an electric luxury car: cosseting, quiet and hugely capable. Occasionally its weight causes the ride to crash on ruts or ripples, and some wind noise comes off the door mirrors. But overall, it’s among the most relaxing cruisers on sale. The electric EQC is based heavily on the conventionally powered GLC but, due to its slightly more sloping roofline, is in theory slightly less practical. However, six months in, and with two tall pre-teen/teenaged kids, I’ve yet to encounter a journey on which it can’t carry us and all we have in total comfort. Frankly, it makes me wonder why anyone needs anything bigger. Mileage: 2811 Back to the top Another group test, another win for this all-rounder. And yet… - 10 March 2021 The Mercedes EQC has had a pretty good time of it at the hands of Autocar’s expert testers, from winning a group test against the Audi E-tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X when they first got their hands on it in 2019, through to more recently being crowned ‘the best luxury EV’ when it was put through its paces in a video special that pitted this very car against the latest iterations of the E-tron and I-Pace just a few weeks ago. What stands out is that the Mercedes keeps scooping these accolades as much for its all-round ability as any exceptional features. In so many ways, it is a conservative take on what a cutting-edge electric car could be, yet the end result is so rounded and so well resolved that – if you can forgive the Strictly Come Dancing analogy – the judges end up scoring it accomplished eights across the board, whereas other rivals pick up nines in some areas (the I-Pace for handling, for instance) but slip back with sixes and sevens elsewhere.

At least 23 people have been killed and dozens injured after a metro overpass collapsed in Mexico City while a train was travelling on it, officials say. Several train carriages plunged to the ground, crushing at least one car, which was on a busy road underneath. Children are among the dead. Rescue workers and firefighters are still searching for survivors. Dramatic footage has emerged showing the overpass collapsing at the Olivos station on the metro's Line 12. Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said the cause of the accident was still being investigated, but it appeared a girder had given way on the overpass. One person trapped in a car underneath the collapsed structure had been pulled out alive and taken to hospital, she said. At least 65 people were injured, and seven were in a serious condition. Residents had reported cracks in the structure after a deadly 2017 earthquake, according to local media. Mexico's El Universal newspaper says transport authorities made repairs following the reports.

Genesis will arrive in the UK this summer, with the electric version of its new G80 saloon leading an ambitious launch plan that will include a dedicated European model and two further EVs within a year. Hyundai launched its premium brand in Korea and the US in 2015, and its European expansion will now begin with sales in the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The G80 large saloon and GV80 large SUV will arrive here in June, with the Electrified G80 (which is being offered elsewhere with a dual-motor 365bhp powertrain) the first model due to reach customers. Genesis hasn’t detailed which powertrains will be offered in the UK yet, but it has said that the models have been tuned specifically for European roads. The decision to launch Genesis’s largest cars first is likely an effort establish the brand’s premium credentials and reflects the fact they’re the newest in its fleet, having been revealed last year. The G80 and GV80 will be followed “soon after” by the smaller G70 junior saloon and GV70 mid-sized SUV, and Genesis has promised that “a dedicated European product” will arrive within a year.

like he said...

Australia's threat to jail citizens returning home from India has sparked condemnation, with critics labelling the Covid measure as "racist" and a breach of human rights. From Monday, any Australian arriving in the country from India faces fines and up to five years in prison. It comes after Canberra banned all flights from the virus hotspot until 15 May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed accusations of racism. "The same accusations were made against the government over a year ago when we closed the borders to mainland China," he told Sydney radio station 2GB. "There's no politics or ideology in a pandemic... It's got nothing to do with politics, this is a virus." The policy marks the first time Australians have been criminalised for returning to their country, local media reported. There are an estimated 9,000 Australians in India, 600 of whom are classed as vulnerable. The government said the measures, which were announced on Saturday, are based on medical advice aimed at protecting the community. The virus is surging in India, with daily cases in the country topping 300,000 for 10 consecutive days. Officials said an increase in infection rates seen in Indian arrivals over the past fortnight has raised concerns. Australia has pursued a Covid elimination strategy - partly through strict border controls and mandatory quarantine - which has seen it record 910 deaths, far fewer than many other countries. Why can't Australians get back into their country? Why Australia's hotel quarantine has seen failures Foreign Minister Marise Payne said India arrivals accounted for 57% of positive cases in quarantine, up from 10% in March. She said this placed a "very, very significant burden on health and medical services". However critics - among them medical experts and legal groups - argue the government's move to criminalise Indian arrivals was extreme and disproportionate to the health risks. Federal Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi wrote on Twitter that the measures were "absolutely horrific and racist". Prominent conservative media commentator Andrew Bolt said the policy was "so mean and irrational that I must also blame racism". "I can't believe we would impose such a travel ban on white Australians fleeing, from, say England." Australia's former Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane pointed out the "inconsistency" in the government's policy, noting bans and criminal penalties weren't imposed on Australians returning from other nations at the height of their Covid waves. "We didn't see differential treatment being extended to... the United States, the UK, and any European country even though the rates of infection were very high and the danger of arrivals from those countries was very high," he told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. "There are different standards at play here depending on which part of the world you're coming from."

Twenty years ago, the first customer received the keys to their new V12 Vanquish. Without extras, the two-seat coupé (there was also a 2+2) cost £158,000. By the time production of the model and its sister car, the more powerful V12 Vanquish S, ended in 2007, just 2600 examples had left Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell factory. This modest number helps explain why, today, prices for good used Vanquishes start at a solid £60,000. At the other extreme, the best cars cost at least twice that. With a monster 5.9-litre V12, in a choice of standard 460bhp or 520bhp S forms, heroic thirst and even more heroic servicing bills, you would imagine it’s a rich person’s occasional toy. But a surprising number of cars advertised have done close to 50,000 miles, while one we found, a 2003-reg manual, has done 94,000 (it costs £55,000). Its owner has had it for 15 years, during which time it’s had what he calls a few ‘Aston Martin moments’ but nothing serious. “Cars like the Vanquish need to be driven regularly, and mine proves they can take it,” he says. His experience supports what Terry Couzens of Vantage Engineering says about the Vanquish being reliable and easily up to the rigours of daily driving, even if you must nurse the clutch in town. Click here to buy your next used car from Autocar The model marked a new chapter in Aston Martin’s story. It was a very modern sports car with a bonded aluminium chassis built around a carbonfibre transmission tunnel. Elements of traditional craftsmanship remained in the hand-finished aluminium body panels and the engine, which bears the name of its builder. Of course, this hand-built aspect means no two Vanquishes are quite the same, and all require painstaking examination to establish their condition. If you don’t feel up to the job, consider having an independent Aston Martin engineer such as Rikki Cann (rikkicann.com) inspect the car for you. Both regular and S versions (the latter was launched in 2004) send their power to the rear wheels via a semi-automatic gearbox. It’s a reliable ’box, apart from gear position sensor issues on early cars, but nevertheless, quite a few owners had their cars converted to manuals, a job Aston Martin Works, among others, was happy to perform. As this was written, around half of the Vanquishes we found advertised had a manual ’box, so it’s po[CENSORED]r – but we’d prefer a car with the standard automated manual gearbox. You can tell regular and S models apart by the latter’s aerodynamic splitter, revised grille and spoiler and a leather-covered centre console. Regarding options, the Sports Dynamic Pack, launched in 2003 for 460bhp cars but standard on S models and which comprised uprated suspension and brakes, is worth seeking out. The Linn sound system of 2003 is desirable, while the few 2+2 cars fetch higher prices. Production ended with the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition, a 50-off special with unique paint and interior trim. Whichever version tempts you, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable experience.

The US has started formally withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, beginning the end of what President Joe Biden called "the forever war". The US and Nato have had a presence in Afghanistan for almost 20 years. But the withdrawal, which runs until 11 September, comes amid escalating violence, with Afghan security forces on high alert for reprisal attacks. The Taliban have warned they are no longer bound by an agreement not to target international troops. Under a deal signed last year between the militants and then-President Donald Trump, foreign forces were to have left by 1 May while the Taliban held off attacking international troops. Officials told Reuters during this time the Taliban has been protecting western military bases from rival Islamist groups. That has not stopped Taliban attacks on Afghan forces and civilians. US General Scott Miller warned against attacks on foreign troops as they start to withdraw. "Make no mistake, we have the military means to respond forcefully to any type of attacks against the coalition and the military meaons to support the Afghan security forces," he said in a video psted on Twitter.

Luca de Meo, Renault Group boss and architect of an aggressive, all-encompassing EV-based turnaround plan called ‘Renaulution’, says the project’s catchy name occurred to him one morning in the shower. “I often have ideas while I’m getting ready for work,” he says. “So I use those waterproof notepads you can get on Amazon. I knew straight away this name would work because it combined ‘revolution’, which conveyed a real sense of urgency, and ‘Renault’, which was intended to make clear we would use our own talents for this. There would be no consultants.” Even from the outside it was obvious the Renault Group had become too orthodox in its approach, says de Meo, who began his automotive career at Renault and remembers its adventurous, avant-garde soul. But because of the extraordinary twin upheavals created by the Covid pandemic and the rush towards electrification, he feels there is a unique opportunity for companies like Renault, even though they’re not market leaders. “If you see new opportunities and use them before your rivals can, you win,” says de Meo. “You may not have superstar players in the team, or the biggest budget, but if you adapt fast and use teamwork, you win.” De Meo’s appointment at Renault, announced after he had just completed a five-year turnaround in the fortunes of Seat, the Volkswagen Group’s problem marque, came at the beginning of last year. That was more than a year after his predecessor Carlos Ghosn had been ousted, and Renault was drifting, but de Meo couldn’t take office for another six months because of ‘gardening leave’ restrictions. But by the time he had his feet under his new Renault desk, many of the recovery elements were clear in his head. “Lots of the information I needed was already on the public record,” he says.

Officials in Delhi have been urged to find more sites for cremations as the city's morgues and crematoriums are overwhelmed by masses of Covid deaths. A second wave of the virus is ravaging parts of India, with 386,452 new cases reported on Friday - the biggest one-day increase on record for any country. There were another 3,500 deaths nationwide and nearly 400 in Delhi - a record for the capital. The total number of infections in the country has now passed 18 million. The first consignment of emergency medical supplies from the US arrived on Friday, part of what the White House has said will be more than $100m (£72m) worth of support. But oxygen supplies and hospital beds remain in desperately short supply across India, with relatives of Covid patients pleading on social media for help. One senior Delhi police officer said that people were having to cremate family members in crematoriums not designated to take victims of Covid-19. "That's why we suggested more crematoriums should be set up," the officer told the NDTV news channel. India's Health Ministry released detailed guidelines last year for the handling and cremation of people who have died of Covid, with special measures needing to be taken to avoid any potential reinfection. 'We try to save a patient until the last breath' US tells citizens to leave India amid Covid crisis Why can't Australians get back into their country? India elections go ahead as deaths hit record high India's central government is facing mounting criticism over its handling of the pandemic and its decision to allow large election rallies and religious festivals to go ahead in recent weeks. On Friday, the country's Supreme Court defended the rights of citizens to express grievances and appeal for help on social media during the current coronavirus crisis, warning actions by the authorities to stop people doing so would be treated as contempt of court. It comes after Twitter was asked to remove a number of posts which were critical of the government earlier this week.

If you’re one of those people who likes to out-geek your car-mad mates, cast your eye over this lot and see how many you’re familiar with. All of these automotive cul de sacs sold in tiny numbers and as a result they’re now pretty much forgotten. In some cases that’s entirely deserved as we don’t fancy the Asia Rocsta or Sao Penza being revived any time soon. But not all of these cars were dogs – some deserved a better fate:

The Suzuki Misano concept is a sporty two-seater which is claimed to combine the company’s “two souls” of manufacturing cars and motorbikes, styled by a group of 24 masters students at the Istituto Europeo di Design (European Institute of Design). The design is inspired by Suzuki’s brand values, as well as the famous comedy film La Dolce Vita, whose depiction of “a life marked by pleasure and sophistication” is said to inform the concept. The all-electric Misano, which gets its name from Italy’s Misano World Circuit bike racing track, is modelled on a classic ‘barchetta’ silhouette. However, IED’s students, commissioned by Suzuki to create a concept that embodies the contrasting essences of driving and motorcycling, have given the look a futuristic twist. The driving and passenger seats are both situated in tandem format on the left-hand side of the car, and have been designed to blend into the Misano’s bodywork through the deployment of angular but smooth lines. The right-hand side, therefore, is uniquely given away to storage space for the battery pack and a ‘sideways boot’. The rear end of the Misano has been styled with an emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency, while the front is characterised by distinctive arrow-shaped headlights. Although the Misano is technically a car, not a motorcycle, the concept includes a motorcycle-inspired control yoke which is used to steer the car in place of a conventional wheel. A small windscreen is another nod to the experience of riding a motorbike at speed. IED Turin director, Paolo Zini, said: “Misano is the result of the teamwork of our students who, from all over the world, have chosen Turin as the place to prepare for their professional future.” “The opportunity to discuss and collaborate with companies is what characterises the two years of the training course,” Zini added. The Misano will be displayed to the public at Mauto, the national automotive museum of Torino between 15 and 16 June 2021. READ MORE Why the Suzuki Ignis is the ultimate everyday hero Suzuki’s UK range becomes hybrid-only, Jimny goes off sale Suzuki Across: Toyota RAV4-based SUV priced from £45,599

A man has been ordered to pay $12m (£8.6m) for his role setting a Minneapolis police station on fire during protests last May. The fine for Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, 23, who pleaded guilty to an arson charge in December, will follow a four year prison sentence. Robinson's lawyer has said "there is no realistic chance" his client will be able to afford the fine. Three other men who also pled guilty will be sentenced at a later date. What happened to the police station? In May of last year, thousands of people took to the streets of Minneapolis to protest the death of George Floyd that occurred while in police custody. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was later fired and found guilty of murder, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest. Mr Floyd's death and the subsequent protests triggered weeks of unrest, and the city saw looting, arson and violence. Among the demonstrators was Dylan Robinson of Brainerd, Minnesota, a town about 120 miles north of Minneapolis. Why did Minneapolis go up in flames? Protesters set Minneapolis police station ablaze In pictures: Protest clashes in Minneapolis According to prosecutors, Robinson lit a Molotov cocktail which another person then threw at the Minneapolis Third Precinct headquarters - setting the building ablaze. Surveillance video at the precinct shows Robinson lighting an "incendiary device" held by another person and later setting a fire inside the station near a first floor stairwell, officials said. "Mr Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction," said acting US Attorney Anders Folk in a statement. The arson "put lives at risk and contributed to widespread lawlessness in Minneapolis". Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson. Three other men - Bryce Michael Williams, 27, Davon De-Andre Turner, 25, and Branden Michael Wolfe, 23 - pled guilty to the same charge as part of a plea agreement. They have yet to be sentenced. Robinson's lawyer, who is representing all four men, said that the 23-year-old has been unfairly singled out among thousands of others involved in the riots last year. "He is bearing the sentence for the other thousand people who participated," attorney William Mauzy told the New York Times on Wednesday. "Many others, far more culpable than Mr Robinson, were not identified." How will the fine be paid? In addition to his four-year jail term, Robinson has been fined $12m in damages. According to the US Attorney's office, which prosecuted the case, the restitution will be collected in a variety of ways, including wages, bank accounts, retirement garnishments and a monthly pay plan typically set by a judge. Robinson will only be able to pay a "miniscule amount toward that", his lawyer Mr Mauzy said, adding that he expected the three other defendants to be ordered to pay a portion of the damages fee. "None of the defendants have an ability to pay a significant sum," he said. The US Attorney's office did not respond to an immediate request for comment on how Robinson may be able to afford the fine. The 3rd Precinct Police Station was abandoned by police and protestors took destroying it and raiding it after one of Minneapolis' police officers killed an African-American man named George Floydin Minneapolis, United States, on May 29, 2020 IMAGE COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES image captionThe Third Precinct Police Station was abandoned by police amid the unrest last May Michael Paul, of the FBI's Minneapolis field office in a statement, insists the high fine is fair. "The danger posed by the defendant in this case was very real," he said. The sentencing "sends a clear message" that when someone conducts a violent act that breaks federal law, they will be held accountable, Mr Paul said. It is not the first time a US court has imposed such a large sum. In 2018, a judge in Oregon ordered a 15-year-old to pay more than $36m (£27m) after he admitted to starting a forest fire that raged for months. A lawyer for the 15-year-old called the amount "absurd" and "absolutely silly". In his ruling, the judge said the figure was "clearly proportionate to the offence", because it did not exceed the financial damages caused by the fire. But the judge also acknowledged that the Oregon teen would not be able to pay the full amount, citing "safety valves" in state law that allows juvenile offenders to stop payments after 10 years if they finish probation and do not commit any other crimes. It is not clear if Robinson, who is not a juvenile offender, will be treated with similar leniency.