Descartes's logical bit of algebra is on news (8)
I believe the answer is:
raisonne
'descartes's logical' is the definition.
('logical' in French, eg for Rene Descartes )
'bit of algebra is on news' is the wordplay.
'bit of' indicates a hidden word.
'RAISONNE' is hidden in the letters of 'algebra is on news'.
(Another definition for raisonne that I've seen is " presented logically".)
I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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