Christie’s withdraws rare ‘first calculator’ from auction after French court halts export 19. November 2025 (17:49) Move comes after French scientists issued urgent appeal to prevent La Pascaline from leaving the countryA rare example of the first functioning calculating machine in history looks likely to stay in France after Christie’s withdrew it from auction pending a definitive ruling from a Paris court on whether or not it can be exported.La Pascaline, developed by the French mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal in 1642, when he was just 19, and billed as “the most important scientific instrument ever offered at auction”, had been expected to fetch more than €2m (£1.8m). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Uber hit with legal demands to halt use of AI-driven pay systems 19. November 2025 (17:47) Proposed legal case understood to allege that app has breached data protection law varying driver pay ratesUber has been hit with legal demands to stop using its artificial intelligence driven pay systems, which have been blamed for significantly reducing the incomes of the ride hailing app’s drivers.A letter before action – sent to the US company by the non-profit foundation, Worker Info Exchange (WIE), on Wednesday – is understood to allege that the ride hailing app has breached European data protection law by varying driver pay rates through its controversial algorithm. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Divide over fossil fuels phaseout can be bridged, Cop30 president says 19. November 2025 (17:43) Exclusive: André Corrêa do Lago says rise of clean energy must be acknowledged and rich countries need to do moreCop30 live – latest updatesCop30: click here for full Guardian coverage of climate talks in BrazilOil-producing countries need to acknowledge the rise of clean energy, and rich countries will have to provide more assurances on finance if the chasm between negotiating nations at Cop30 is to be bridged, the president of the summit has said.André Corrêa do Lago, the veteran Brazilian climate diplomat in charge of the talks, said: “Developing countries are looking at developed countries as countries that could be much more generous in supporting them to be more sustainable. They could offer more finance, and technology.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
January 6 rioter who was pardoned by Trump arrested for child sexual abuse 19. November 2025 (17:34) Andrew Paul Johnson, 44, faces multiple charges in Florida and has pleaded not guilty to the crimes, authorities sayA man who took part in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol and was pardoned by Donald Trump earlier this year has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse charges in Florida, according to local authorities.The man, identified as 44-year-old Andrew Paul Johnson, was taken into custody in August in Tennessee and extradited to Florida where, according to arrest records, he faces charges of lewd and lascivious child molestation of a child under 12, lewd and lascivious child molestation of a child between 12 and 16, as well as lewd and lascivious exhibition, and transmission of material harmful to a minor. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
