Kake

Posted by Robyn Vinter and agency

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/15/british-diplomat-expelled-russia-accused-spy

Moscow alleges unnamed diplomat is affiliated ‘with the British secret service’ as it gives them two weeks to leave

A British diplomat has been expelled from Russia after being accused of being a spy.

The diplomat, who was not named, had two weeks to leave the country, the Russian foreign ministry said after it received information “regarding the affiliation of a diplomatic employee at the embassy with the British secret service”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/15/british-diplomat-expelled-russia-accused-spy

Posted by Keith Stuart

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/jan/15/commodore-64-ultimate-review-computer

Showing the value of great design over visual impact, this faithfully resurrected home computer seamlessly integrates modern tech with some wonderful additional touches

The emotional hit was something I didn’t expect, although perhaps I should have. The Commodore 64 Ultimate, a new version of the legendary 8-bit computer, comes in a box designed to resemble the original packaging – a photo of the machine itself on a background of deep blue fading into a series of white stripes. Then when you open it, you find an uncannily accurate replica of what fans lovingly referred to as the breadbox – the chunky, sloped Commodore 64, in hues of brown and beige, the red LED in one corner above the row of fawn-coloured function keys. It’s like 1982 all over again.

My dad bought us a C64 in late 1983. It was our second computer after the ZX81 and it felt like an enormous leap into the future with its detailed colour graphics, advanced sound chip and proper grown-up keyboard. We unpacked it on our dinner table, plugging it into a small portable TV and loading the one game we had, a very basic Donkey Kong clone named Crazy Kong. My life would never be the same again. This contraption was my obsession for the next four years – my friendships and free-time would revolve around games such as Bruce Lee, Paradroid and Hyper Sports. To this day, I treasure the memories of playing golf sim Leaderboard with my dad. The sound effects, speech samples and graphics conjured by that computer have lived rent free in my head for, god, almost 40 years.

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/jan/15/commodore-64-ultimate-review-computer

Posted by Heather Stewart

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/uk-economy-grew-november-reeves-budget-ons-gdp

Jaguar Land Rover’s recovery from cyber-attack appears to have contributed to GDP growth

• Business live – latest updates

The UK economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 0.3% in November despite uncertainty around Rachel Reeves’s budget, official figures show.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday showed the improvement, up from a 0.1% fall in October.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/uk-economy-grew-november-reeves-budget-ons-gdp

Posted by Robert Booth and Dara Kerr

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/14/elon-musk-grok-ai-explicit-images

UK government claims vindication after Keir Starmer criticised earlier decision to keep functionality as ‘horrific’

The UK government has claimed “vindication” after Elon Musk’s X announced it had stopped its AI-powered Grok feature from editing pictures of real people to show them in revealing clothes such as bikinis, including for premium subscribers.

After a fortnight of public outcry at the tool embedded into X being used to create sexualised images of women and children, the company said it would “geoblock” the ability of users “to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X”, in countries where it was illegal.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/14/elon-musk-grok-ai-explicit-images

Posted by Andrew Sparrow

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/15/local-elections-delays-uk-politics-live-latest-news-keir-starmer

Alison McGovern, local government minister, said request to postpone local elections are likely to be approved

Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, has welcomed the news that Elon Musk’s X announced it had stopped its Grok AI tool from letting users, including for premium subscribers, digitally undress images of women and children.

As Sky News reports, Kendall said:

I welcome this move from X, though I will expect the facts to be fully and robustly established by Ofcom’s ongoing investigation.

Our Online Safety Act is and always has been about keeping people safe on social media - especially children - and it has given us the tools to hold X to account in recent days.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/15/local-elections-delays-uk-politics-live-latest-news-keir-starmer

Posted by Lauren Aratani in New York

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/saks-global-bankruptcy

Just more than a year after the new luxury behemoth was formed, it announced it had filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy

Every year, the stores down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue dress up their windows at Christmastime. Tourists from all over the world come to gawk at all the glitter, lace, ruffles and bows.

Saks’s Fifth Avenue location, so iconic that it’s embedded in the brand’s name, is usually dressed top to bottom during the holidays. In 2023, the store partnered with Christian Dior to display a giant zodiac calendar. As part of the light show, fireworks were released from the top of the store to the oohs and aahs of spectators.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/saks-global-bankruptcy

Posted by Jakub Krupa

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jan/15/european-nations-troops-greenland-trump-europe-live

Múte B. Egede, Greenland’s deputy prime minister, said more soldiers were expected in the coming days

Irregular border crossings at the EU’s external borders fell by over one-quarter (26%) in 2025 to almost 178 000, less than half the total recorded in 2023 and the lowest level since 2021.

While key routes were down – Northern Africa to Italy by 66% and western African to the Canary Islands by 63% – there was no commensurate drop on the English Channel to the UK.

“This drop shows that cooperation can deliver results. It is not an invitation to relax. Our responsibility is to stay alert, support Member States on the ground, and ensure Europe is ready for new challenges at its borders.”

“Migration pressure can shift quickly between routes, shaped by conflict, instability and smuggling networks.

“The European Union is also already coping with attempts by hostile actors to exploit migration flows to put pressure on the EU’s external borders.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jan/15/european-nations-troops-greenland-trump-europe-live

Posted by Andrew Sparrow

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/15/local-elections-delays-uk-politics-live-latest-news-keir-starmer

Alison McGovern, local government minister, said request to postpone local elections are likely to be approved

Good morning. Before Christmas the government announced that 63 councils in England (there is a full list of them here) would be asked if they wanted to postpone local elections due in May. They are all in areas where local government is being reorganised, and the government said, because reorganisation takes up time and money, some of them might find running elections at the same time difficult. Alison McGovern, the local government minister, wrote to council leaders saying they had until midnight on 15 January (tonight) to reply. The government will take the final decision, but McGovern said, if councils request a delay, it will be minded to agree.

Most councils have now taken a decision and a BBC survey says that 23 of them have decided to ask for a delay, and 34 will let the elections go ahead as planned. The other seven have not said. Max Kendix from the Times has done the same exercise and he says, by the end of the day, he expects 27 councils to have come out in favour of a delay – and ministers to approve all 27 of those applications. He says:

The councils cover more than 5.2 million people and 3.7 million registered voters who will no longer get to choose their local councillors this year.

Almost 600 councillors, including just under 200 Labour councillors, will not have to defend their seat this year. Two thirds of the Labour councils which were asked whether they wanted to delay chose to say that they did, compared with just under a third of Tories.

The Conservatives, who themselves delayed elections in North Yorkshire, Somerset, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, are confused.

On the one hand they won’t stand in the way if their local leaders want delays, but on the other they accuse Labour of being “scared of voters”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/15/local-elections-delays-uk-politics-live-latest-news-keir-starmer

Posted by Julia Kollewe

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/uk-housebuilder-taylor-wimpey-lower-housing-market-demand-2026-foxtons-savills

Company expects even lower margins in 2026 as it echoes cautious outlook from estate agents Foxtons and Savills

• Business live – latest updates

The UK housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has warned of “muted” demand despite improving affordability, particularly among first-time buyers, echoing a cautious outlook from estate agents Foxtons and Savills.

Jennie Daly, the chief executive of Taylor Wimpey, said the government’s recent planning changes had resulted in “increased momentum in our recent planning permissions”.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/15/uk-housebuilder-taylor-wimpey-lower-housing-market-demand-2026-foxtons-savills

Posted by Robert Booth and Dara Kerr

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/14/elon-musk-grok-ai-explicit-images

UK government claims vindication after Keir Starmer criticised earlier decision to keep functionality as ‘horrific’

The UK government has claimed “vindication” after Elon Musk’s X announced it had stopped its AI-powered Grok feature from editing pictures of real people to show them in revealing clothes such as bikinis, including for premium subscribers.

Following a fortnight of public outcry at the tool embedded into X being used to create sexualised images of women and children, the company said it would “geoblock” the ability of users “to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X”, in countries where it was illegal.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/14/elon-musk-grok-ai-explicit-images