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By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Dutch economy minister spoke to his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday but failed to find a solution to an impasse over chipmaker Nexperia BV, as Germany's car industry warned it faces possible production shortages if the situation is not resolved quickly. The Dutch government seized control of Nexperia last month, citing fears the company's technology would be taken by its Chinese owner, Shanghai-listed Wingtech. China, where most of Nexperia's chips are packaged, responded by blocking exports of the company's finished products, alarming European carmakers that rely on them. Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said the pair had discussed "further steps toward reaching a solution," that would be acceptable to all sides. However, his Chinese counterpart Commerce Minister Wang Wentao sounded less conciliatory. In a statement, the Chinese commerce ministry said the pair had spoken at Karremans' request and that Wang had said China is opposed to overstretching the concept of "national security." "Measures taken by the Dutch side regarding Nexperia Semiconductor have seriously affected the stability of global industrial and supply chains," the commerce ministry said in its statement. "China urges the Dutch side to proceed from the overall perspective of maintaining the security and stability of global industry and supply chains." Meanwhile Nexperia's business in China has begun to assert its independence, telling employees they can reject "external instructions". Nexperia makes chips that are not considered sophisticated, but that are needed in high volumes and are widely used in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. With most of Nexperia's chips manufactured in Europe but packaged in China, neither side of the company's operations would be able to quickly find alternative partners. It is not clear how long customers' stockpiles can last. Germany's auto industry association VDA said governments' focus should be on "finding quick and pragmatic solutions." "The situation could lead to considerable production restrictions in the near future, and possibly even to production stoppages if the interruption in the supply of Nexperia chips cannot be rectified in the short term," VDA President Hildegard Mueller said in a statement. The Nexperia dispute adds to global trade tensions hurting European carmakers and their suppliers, including higher U.S. import tariffs and Chinese export curbs on rare earth metals. (Reporting by Toby Sterling, Rachel More, and Ethan Wang; Additional reporting by Shi Bu in Beijing; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Susan Fenton)

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Socialising can have amazing impacts on our memory, mood and mental health. When engaging socially, we stimulate multiple brain regions responsible for language, memory, attention and emotion, medics say. London (PA Media/dpa) – New research suggests that socialising could help to reduce the risk of frailty later in life. Researchers from Newcastle University examined data on more than 2,000 men over the age of 65 who were assessed eight years apart. The participants were asked questions on their social lives, including details of time spent with friends and family, volunteering, religious or social clubs, holidays and reading. Results showed that those with higher social engagement at the start had a 31% lower risk of frailty, while those who increased their social activity over the eight-year period saw a 23% reduced risk. These findings highlight how social connections can have massive benefits on our physical health, especially later in life, but what effects can staying connected have on our brain? We spoke to Dr Steven Allder, consultant neurologist at Re:Cognition Health, who shed some insight on the topic. Can staying social later in life help delay cognitive decline? “Maintaining strong social connections later in life can help delay cognitive decline by keeping the brain active and adaptable,” explains Allder. “When we engage socially, we stimulate multiple brain regions responsible for language, memory, attention and emotion. “This ongoing stimulation encourages the formation of new neural pathways, a process known as neuroplasticity, which helps preserve cognitive function and resilience as we age.” What impact can socialising have on our memory? Socialising later in life can play a significant role in supporting and even boosting memory, says the neurologist. “Meaningful interaction engages several parts of the brain simultaneously, from the regions that process language and emotion to those that store and retrieve information,” explains Allder. “When we talk, listen and share stories, we are essentially giving the brain a workout, activating the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are vital for forming and retaining memories. This continual stimulation helps maintain neural connections and may even encourage the growth of new ones. “Research has shown that older adults with frequent social contact tend to perform better on memory and cognitive tests, suggesting that an active social life can help preserve mental sharpness and slow age-related decline.” Can socialising help improve any other cognitive processes? “Beyond memory, socialising supports executive functions such as attention, problem-solving and decision-making,” notes Allder. “Engaging with others challenges the brain to adapt, process information quickly and manage multiple stimuli, similar to cognitive training exercises. “Regular social activity helps preserve these skills, which are essential for maintaining independence and everyday functioning.” Can regular social engagement help lower the risk of dementia? The neurologist highlights how growing evidence suggests that regular social engagement is linked to a lower risk of developing dementia. “Social interaction stimulates the brain much like mental exercise, keeping neural circuits active and adaptable,” he explains. “It also helps regulate stress hormones and reduce chronic inflammation, both of which are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. “People who maintain close relationships and engage frequently in social or community activities are more likely to stay physically active, mentally stimulated and emotionally balanced, all of which contribute to long-term brain health. While socialising alone cannot prevent dementia, it forms a crucial part of a holistic prevention strategy alongside a balanced diet, regular exercise, good sleep and lifelong learning.” What impact can socialising have on our mood and stress levels? Positive social interactions, especially face-to-face, trigger the release of happy hormones, promoting feelings of trust, connection and happiness. “Positive social interaction releases oxytocin and endorphins. hormones that promote relaxation, lower cortisol levels and improve mood,” says Allder. “Feeling connected also provides emotional support during stressful times, buffering the brain against the harmful effects of chronic stress, which is known to impair cognitive performance.” Can socialising positively impact our mental health later in life? Maintaining an active social life in all stages of life can have a profound positive impact on mental health, says the neurologist. “Regular interaction with friends, family and community provides emotional support, reduces loneliness and reinforces a sense of belonging, all of which are essential for psychological wellbeing,” says Allder. “Social connections stimulate the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and oxytocin, which help regulate stress and promote feelings of calm and happiness. They also encourage purpose and routine, both key factors in maintaining mental resilience as we age. “Studies consistently show that older adults who stay socially engaged report lower rates of depression and anxiety, greater life satisfaction and improved overall quality of life compared with those who are socially isolated.” The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa arw

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(Corrects paragraph 10 to clarify that the company has 1,200 clients that generate over 100,000 euros each in annual recurring revenue, not 1,200 in total) By Leo Marchandon (Reuters) -Europe's largest cloud provider OVHcloud reported annual revenue growth of nearly 10% on Tuesday, crossing the threshold of 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) for the first time, but a weaker than expected guidance for 2026 sent its shares falling. OVHcloud's shares fell around 18% by 0842 GMT, on track for their biggest single-day drop ever if the losses hold. The company targets organic revenue growth of 5% to 7% for fiscal 2026 that started on September 1, below the 9.3% seen in 2025. The market was expecting a higher growth forecast of roughly 10%, analysts from Stifel and J.P. Morgan said. OVHcloud also targets a higher adjusted core profit (EBITDA) margin, while capital expenditures are projected to be between 30% and 32% of revenue, as it aims to strengthen its Webcloud segment. It reported revenue of 1.08 billion euros for fiscal 2025, with an EBITDA margin of 40.4%. The company also said that its French-Polish founder, Octave Klaba, had returned as CEO with immediate effect, after the board decided to merge the chairman and CEO roles. Klaba, whose family owns an over 80% stake in OVHcloud, had led it from its founding in 1999 until 2018 before becoming chairman. He replaces Benjamin Revcolevschi, who had been CEO since 2024, and will oversee operations as OVHcloud addresses rising demand for AI services and growing emphasis on cloud independence amid geopolitical shifts. The company remains committed to global expansion, citing client demand in other countries such as Canada, Singapore and India. Revenue distribution showed that Private Cloud sales grew 8.5% and contributed 62% of the group total. Public Cloud revenue rose 17.5%, accounting for 20% of sales, while Webcloud revenue increased 3.7% to make up the remaining 18%. OVHcloud serves nearly 1,200 clients that generate over 100,000 euros each in annual recurring revenue as it competes with U.S. heavyweights Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. The company counts 1.6 million clients in total. While declining to comment on discussions with the European Commission, the company acknowledged a 180-million-euro tender  for cloud infrastructure the bloc had launched on October 10. "It takes time, but we're happy to see the market is moving in the right direction," Klaba said. ($1 = 0.8575 euros) (Reporting by Leo Marchandon and Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Milla Nissi-Prussak)

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By Gianluca Lo Nostro (Reuters) -Worldline narrowed its 2025 profit forecast on Tuesday and signaled more disposals in the coming weeks, as the French digital payments company battles to restore investor confidence following governance setbacks and client losses. The company now expects adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) between 830 million and 855 million euros ($967 million and $997 million), compared with a previous range of 825 million euros to 875 million euros. Free cash flow is seen between negative 30 million euros and break-even, it said in a statement. Worldline announced in July the planned sale of its Mobility & e-Transactional Services unit to Magellan Partners for an enterprise value of 410 million euros. "We plan to finalize these transactions in the course of H1 2026, and we should be in a position to announce some additional transactions in the coming weeks," chief executive Pierre-Antoine Vacheron said in a call with reporters. Worldline has lost about 90% of its market value since its pandemic peak, hit by multiple profit warnings, governance shake-ups and media reports accusing it of concealing client fraud. Belgian prosecutors are investigating potential money laundering at its local unit. Vacheron said Worldline had completed an external review of its merchant portfolio and compliance framework, saying it was "in line with the industry benchmark". When asked about the narrowing of its profit forecast, Vacheron said: "My key priority is to restore credibility and trust in the guidance that we give." Third-quarter revenue came in at 1.1 billion euros, down 0.8% from a year earlier but in line with the analysts' expectation in a consensus poll provided by Worldline.  The group will present its mid-term strategy at a capital markets day event on Nov. 6. ($1 = 0.8575 euros) (Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Matt Scuffham)

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By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK (Reuters) -Starboard Value CEO Jeff Smith said Tuesday TripAdvisor should consider selling its restaurant booking platform TheFork. Smith, who was speaking at an invite-only conference in New York, said TripAdvisor had an "amazing" brand, but "there is a huge opportunity to transform and reimagine the user experience to improve revenue growth." His hedge fund is pressing for change at the travel booking site after building a 9% stake in the company earlier this year.  "TripAdvisor is too cheap for a company that is growing," he said.  (Reporting by Svea Herbst. Editing by Dawn Kopecki and Chizu Nomiyama )

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