10 or more driverless taxis on Vallejo Street in San Francisco blocked traffic on that street for 15 minutes, simply by stopping in the street. All the human drivers in cars on that street were stuck.

The company's explanation makes it clear that these cars are not "autonomous" — they depend on receiving orders via cellular data networks.

The possibility of stopping traffic is, of course, a pain in the neck, and people are right to point out it could be dangerous if an emergency occurs. But I see that as the secondary danger, because improvements in technology will tend to correct it over time.

The biggest danger of automated taxis is that of massive surveillance: tracking the passengers because they must identify themselves to pay, and recognizing people on the street using facial recognition. Improved technology will tend to make these dangers worse.

The men and women of the former Afghan army must hide from the Taliban and may be reduced to begging for food.

*Thousands of Afghan judges and legal staff remain at risk post-Taliban takeover.*

Abraham Lincoln pointed out that no one who proclaimed the "benefits" of being a slave has ever demonstrated sincerity in that belief by asking to be a slave.

The Georgia charges of election fraud target the insurrectionist's lawyers and the heavies he sent to frame Atlanta election officials, along with the insurrectionist himself, acting as a conspiracy.

Resistance to pressure in the UK to use surveilled digital payments is found in various groups, including young people living on limited incomes and foreign visitors, as well as the usually cited group (old people who find digital technology confusing).

Alas, the article doesn't mention the group I belong to: people who value privacy and understand that the way to prevent personal data from being misused by companies is not to allow companies to collect that data.

The UK needs a political campaigning group to demand laws requiring that certain important kinds of stores accept cash.

Last time I had a connection in Heathrow Airport, I wanted to buy a snack from a store which accepted only tracked payments. Since that store would not accept my money, I bought something else from another store.