Rolls-Royce to invest £300m in expansion of Goodwood factory

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has said it will invest £300m in expanding its Goodwood factory in West Sussex to meet the growing demand for bespoke upgrades, after the luxury carmaker recorded its third-highest annual sales in 2024.The investment will extend the luxury carmaker’s manufacturing facility as it gradually moves away from V12 petrol engines to battery electric vehicles, as well as increasing its capacity to fulfil the whims of some of the world’s richest people.The company is enjoying a boom in demand for one-of-a-kind variations required by super-wealthy clients willing to spend more than £500,000 on average on a single car. Those embellishments range from solid gold bonnet sculptures or mother-of-pearl art works, to holographic paint finishes and LED lights in the ceiling that mimic the stars on a particular date: one client last year asked for their dog’s birthday.Rolls-Royce, owned by Germany’s BMW since 2003, said it sold 5,712 cars last year, although sales were down 5% compared with the 6,032 sold in 2023, its highest ever

Rise in UK borrowing costs could push Reeves to new public spending cuts

Rachel Reeves could be forced to make fresh cuts to public spending at her March “spring forecast” as a rise in government borrowing costs risks the chancellor breaking her own fiscal rules.With the government under pressure on the economy, City analysts warned that Britain’s long-term borrowing costs hitting the highest level since 1998 risked wiping out almost all of a £10bn buffer the chancellor had kept in reserve at the autumn budget.The yield – in effect the interest rate – on UK 30-year debt rose by 0.4 percentage points to 5.22%, above the peak reached after Liz Truss’s mini-budget in 2022 sparked turmoil in financial markets, to hit the highest level in 27 years

Mark Zuckerberg sports $900,000 watch as he calls time on Meta fact-checking

Mark Zuckerberg wore a rare Swiss watch worth nearly $900,000 as he announced a sweeping policy overhaul across Facebook and Instagram and offered to help Donald Trump take on governments deemed too censorious, according to a report.In a video message posted to Facebook on Tuesday, Zuckerberg vowed to prioritise free speech after the return of Trump to the White House, and said that Meta Platforms – the world’s largest social media business – would ditch its third-party fact-checkers and recommend more political content across its social networks.Meta, which also owns WhatsApp and Threads, plans to “work with President Trump to push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more”, Zuckerberg added.Meta would also “get rid of a bunch of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender” that were “out of touch with mainstream discourse”, the 40-year-old billionaire said, while wearing a Greubel Forsey “Hand Made 1” on his left wrist, Bloomberg reported. The watch retails for $895,500 before taxes, according to the outlet

Why did Mark Zuckerberg end Facebook and Instagram’s factchecking program?

Meta is shifting to the right, following the prevailing political winds blowing through the United States. A more partisan era now looms for the social media giant and its corporate leaders, though Mark Zuckerberg himself has few personal politics other than ambition.On Tuesday morning, Meta disbanded Facebook and Instagram’s third-party factchecking program. The company will also recommend more political content across its social networks.CEO Zuckerberg announced the changes as he attempts to curry favor with Donald Trump’s incoming administration, demonstrating just how far he will go to win the president-elect’s approval

Nick Kyrgios in doubt for Australian Open after fresh injury scare

The injury comeback for tennis player Nick Kyrgios has stalled, after a new ailment scuppered his Australian Open preparations and put the former world No 13 in doubt for his home grand slam.The 29-year-old has been rehabbing a surgically repaired wrist and returned to the court at the Brisbane International last week, where he showed promise despite a loss in his first round singles match.The outspoken Australian travelled to Melbourne on Wednesday, but triggered anxiety for organisers with a post on Instagram just four days before the tournament’s start.“I’ve had an ultrasound on my abdominal and have a grade one strain,” Kyrgios said. “Will be resting and doing everything I can to be okay for the Australian Open

Feyi-Waboso injury leaves Borthwick’s England short of options for Six Nations

Steve Borthwick has mounting headaches over his back-three contingent before the Six Nations with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme all sidelined with injuries.Feyi-Waboso has a dislocated shoulder and with surgery beckoning, he is facing a spell on the sidelines that would rule him out of the Six Nations, dealing Borthwick what would be a major setback before a crucial campaign that begins away to Ireland on 1 February.As one of the 17 players handed an enhanced England contract in October – giving Borthwick the final say over sports science matters – Feyi-Waboso has been in consultation with the national setup over how to deal with the injury. It is believed Feyi-Waboso had decided to go ahead with the operation but on Tuesday night Exeter insisted he was still discussing his options with the club and England.A lengthy layoff would also be a blow for Andy Farrell, who is undertaking a reconnaissance mission in Australia before this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour