France has launched an investigation into former Culture Minister Jack Lang over his alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein, while Uber has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in a rape case, and the EU has demanded TikTok change its "addictive design," according to multiple reports. Additionally, new reports indicate that many smart motorways are failing to deliver expected value for money.
The French financial crime prosecutors opened a preliminary inquiry into Lang, a prominent figure in French socialist governments between the 1980s and 2000s, for suspected "laundering of tax fraud proceeds," according to BBC World. The investigation follows the release of the Epstein files by the US Department of Justice, which documented links between the Lang family and the late American sex offender. Lang, 86, has denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as "baseless" and stating the investigation "will bring much light on to the accusations that are questioning my probity," as reported by BBC World.
In the United States, a court ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who claimed she was raped by an Uber driver, as reported by both BBC Technology and BBC Business. The jury in Arizona found Uber responsible for the driver's behavior. Uber stated its intention to appeal the verdict. The plaintiff, Jaylynn Dean, said she was sexually assaulted while taking an Uber. The ruling could influence the outcome of thousands of other cases against the company, according to the reports.
The European Union has told TikTok to change its "addictive design" or face heavy fines after an investigation found the video-sharing platform had breached its online safety rules, as reported by BBC Technology. The European Commission found TikTok did not "adequately assess" how features like autoplay could harm users, including children, and failed to implement measures to mitigate risks. A TikTok spokesperson told the BBC the findings presented a "categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform" and that the company planned to challenge them.
Meanwhile, according to BBC Business, new reports from National Highways show that many smart motorways are not delivering the value for money expected when they were originally planned. Two schemes, involving sections of the M25 and the M6, were found to be offering "very poor" value. Only three out of sixteen projects across England were on track to deliver the financial benefits expected, although most were delivering safety benefits in line with original forecasts, according to National Highways. The AA, representing motorists, said the schemes had turned out to be a "catastrophic waste of time, money and effort," as reported by BBC Business.
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