VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID TEAM WARMING UP AND TRAINING AHEAD OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE JUVENTUS MATCH/ SOUNDBITES FROM REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AND FROM GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS COMPLETE STORY TO FOLLOW STORY: (Production: Michael Gore, Nina Lopez)
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By Alessandro Parodi AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Dutch data regulator on Tuesday warned voters against using AI chatbots ahead of the national election, saying the platforms give unreliable advice and push them towards two major parties on opposite ends of the political spectrum. While 15 different parties hold seats in the 150-member Dutch parliament at present, chatbots told voters in 56% of cases to choose between the far-right Freedom Party or the Labour-Green Left coalition. The parties are on track to take 20% and 16% of the vote on October 29, respectively, according to opinion polls. "Chatbots may seem like clever tools, but as a voting aid, they consistently fail," the Dutch data protection watchdog's vice-chair Monique Verdier said in a statement, describing their operation as "unclear and difficult to verify". The agency said it had tested four major chatbots, without disclosing which ones, and found that even when fed the campaign platform of a smaller party, the chatbots still advised voting for one of the two major parties in some of the cases. The election is taking place months after the Freedom Party's exit triggered the collapse of the right-wing coalition, which did not include the Labour or Green parties, and is seen as a contest between either a new all-conservative government or a more centrist or centre-right coalition. The EU member is led by a minority caretaker government. The watchdog did not say how many Dutch voters it thinks are using chatbots for voting advice but said there was a "growing number". Over 13 million people are eligible to vote in the election. (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi and Toby Sterling; Editing by Muvija M)
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(Reuters) -Walmart on Tuesday unveiled its 2025 Thanksgiving meal basket priced at under $4 per person, the lowest since the retailer launched the program in 2022, as U.S. shoppers contend with persistent inflation and wider economic uncertainty. The basket, which is meant for 10 people, includes more than 20 items, such as a turkey, potatoes, stuffing mix, fried onions, pie crusts, and boxed macaroni and cheese. The bundle, which cost about $7 per person last year, comes a week after the U.S. arm of German discount supermarket chain Aldi introduced a similar holiday offer. The price slash comes as U.S. retailers sharpen their price appeals ahead of the lucrative holiday season as households, particularly lower-income shoppers, feel the pinch from higher living costs and uncertainty tied to U.S. trade policy. The holiday shopping season runs from November through January, encompassing Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, days that drive a significant share of retailers' annual sales and heavy consumer spending. Walmart in August raised its full-year outlook even as it posted its first quarterly earnings miss in more than three years. The company's U.S. CEO said last week that customers remained resilient and were spending at a healthy clip. (Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
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VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID TEAM WARMING UP AND TRAINING AHEAD OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE JUVENTUS MATCH/ SOUNDBITES FROM REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AND FROM GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS COMPLETE STORY TO FOLLOW STORY: (Production: Michael Gore, Nina Lopez)
(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
By Alessandro Parodi AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Dutch data regulator on Tuesday warned voters against using AI chatbots ahead of the national election, saying the platforms give unreliable advice and push them towards two major parties on opposite ends of the political spectrum. While 15 different parties hold seats in the 150-member Dutch parliament at present, chatbots told voters in 56% of cases to choose between the far-right Freedom Party or the Labour-Green Left coalition. The parties are on track to take 20% and 16% of the vote on October 29, respectively, according to opinion polls. "Chatbots may seem like clever tools, but as a voting aid, they consistently fail," the Dutch data protection watchdog's vice-chair Monique Verdier said in a statement, describing their operation as "unclear and difficult to verify". The agency said it had tested four major chatbots, without disclosing which ones, and found that even when fed the campaign platform of a smaller party, the chatbots still advised voting for one of the two major parties in some of the cases. The election is taking place months after the Freedom Party's exit triggered the collapse of the right-wing coalition, which did not include the Labour or Green parties, and is seen as a contest between either a new all-conservative government or a more centrist or centre-right coalition. The EU member is led by a minority caretaker government. The watchdog did not say how many Dutch voters it thinks are using chatbots for voting advice but said there was a "growing number". Over 13 million people are eligible to vote in the election. (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi and Toby Sterling; Editing by Muvija M)
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Berlin (dpa) – Newborn babies should be given a genomic sequencing check to assess their vulnerability for hundreds of diseases, according to a team of Australian scientists and doctors. "Adding genomic sequencing to newborn blood screening would detect hundreds of additional childhood conditions, providing much earlier diagnosis and treatment," the researchers say. Babies in Australia are sometimes given a heel-prick blood test to check for up to 32 conditions, but the genomic sequencing, which could be done as part of the blood screening, not only "reveals a person’s entire genetic make-up" but could throw up "results for hundreds of treatable conditions" within about two weeks of birth. From the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS), the team point out that because the genome is "for life," it can be re-examined later in life to check for any "health issue." The team's research took in 1,000 newborns in Victoria, who were checked for "variants in 605 genes associated with early-onset, severe, treatable conditions." "Newborn screening for rare conditions is one of the most effective public health interventions," says Zornitza Stark of the MCRI and VCGS. Widespread deployment of the screening, which can be done in tandem with the current blood sampling system, could prove to be lifesaving as more babies are rapidly diagnosed and treated, the team says in the paper published in journal Nature Medicine. "Our study demonstrates the feasibility of clinically accredited genomic newborn screening, using a scalable model that is highly acceptable to parents," the team says in the paper. The following information is not intended for publication dpa spr arw
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(Reuters) -Philip Morris International raised its annual profit forecast for the third time this year on Tuesday, benefiting from strong demand for its smoking alternatives, including nicotine pouch Zyn and inhalable IQOS. Shares of the world's largest tobacco company by market capitalization were up 4% in premarket trading. The company has been counting on its newer products, such as Zyn, to offset long-term declines in cigarette brands Marlboro, Chesterfield and others. "Our global smoke-free portfolio is outgrowing the industry by a clear margin, driving positive total volumes, strong top-line growth and impressive margin expansion," CEO Jacek Olczak said. With ever-stricter regulations and health concerns pushing consumers away from tobacco, cigarette makers are heavily investing in developing products such as pouches and vapes to replace lost revenues and profits. Though, PMI's Zyn has become the leading pouch label in the U.S., its sales performance in the last few quarters had disppointed, due to stiff competition from rivals, economic challenges and pressure from campaigners who say tobacco companies' new products pose health risks. PMI recently regulated the pricing for Zyn, which helped its sales pick up pace in the quarter. "While this had an impact on Americas Region Q3 net revenue and operating income growth, we expect U.S. Zyn to remain best-in-class in terms of profitability for the group, reinforcing the attractive outlook for the category," PMI said. The company expects an adjusted annual profit of $7.46 to $7.56 per share, compared with its prior forecast of $7.43 to $7.56. Analysts expect PMI to log an adjusted profit of $7.53 per share for the year. The company reported a third-quarter adjusted profit of $2.24 per share, beating analysts' average estimate of $2.09 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. (Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru and Emma Rumney in London; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID TEAM WARMING UP AND TRAINING AHEAD OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE JUVENTUS MATCH/ SOUNDBITES FROM REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AND FROM GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS COMPLETE STORY TO FOLLOW STORY: (Production: Michael Gore, Nina Lopez)
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By Yamini Kalia (Reuters) -Swiss-based bottler Coca-Cola HBC on Tuesday said it has agreed to buy a 75% stake in its African counterpart for $2.6 billion, creating the world's second-largest Coca-Cola bottling partner by beverage volume. Coca-Cola HBC will acquire U.S.-based Coca-Cola's roughly 42% stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) and the Gutsche Family Investments' entire stake, valuing the African bottler at $3.4 billion, according to company statements. The transaction puts the renewed group second behind Coca-Cola FEMSA by Coca-Cola bottling volumes and expands Coca-Cola HBC's footprint in Africa, targeting growing demand in 14 new markets driven by younger consumers. Coca-Cola HBC will represent two-thirds of Africa's total Coca-Cola volume, including drinks such as Fanta, Sprite and Monster, and cover more than 50% of the continent's population, according to J.P. Morgan. "ACQUISITION IS ABOUT GROWTH" "Coca-Cola HBC is a strong and valued bottler that will help usher in the next chapter of growth for CCBA," said Coca-Cola Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun. The Atlanta, U.S.-based beverage giant owns about 23% of Coca-Cola HBC. The deal for control of CCBA, founded in 2014, will be one of the biggest ever in Africa's consumer goods space, according to Rothschild, the sole adviser to Coca-Cola. "This acquisition is about growth," Coca-Cola HBC CEO Zoran Bogdanovic said during a media call, highlighting the company's commitment to Africa. Coca-Cola HBC, which is already listed in London and Athens, intends to pursue a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and it has an option to buy Coca-Cola's remaining 25% stake in CCBA within six years. EMERGING MARKETS LEAD COCA-COLA HBC'S PORTFOLIO Coca-Cola HBC's emerging markets portfolio, comprising some African, Eastern European and Balkan countries, leads its volumes and sales. However, none represent more than 20% of sales volumes, according to its website. The latest deal comes as the group tries to offset cost pressures from concerns surrounding U.S. tariffs that have weighed on consumer sentiment globally. The expansion will also help it make up for lost volumes from its 2022 exit from Russia, one of the group's largest and most profitable markets at the time. Separately on Tuesday, Coca-Cola HBC maintained its annual sales outlook despite reporting a smaller-than-expected 5% rise in third-quarter organic revenue. Its London-listed shares fell as much as 4.7%, before paring losses to be down 1.2% by 1105 GMT. Goldman Sachs and UBS were advisers to Coca-Cola HBC, while Nomura alone advised GFI. (Reporting by Yamini Kalia and Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; Writing by Pushkala Aripaka; Editing by Alexander Smith and Hugh Lawson)
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By Utkarsh Shetti and Mike Stone (Reuters) -U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin raised its 2025 forecast for revenue and profit on Tuesday, driven by sustained demand for its fighter jets and munitions amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Weapons makers are benefiting from surging demand for arms as a result of simmering conflicts in the Middle East and a protracted Russia-Ukraine war. Lockheed, which makes the F-35 stealth fighters, said its aeronautics segment sales jumped 11.9% to $7.26 billion in the third quarter. The program secured a long-awaited $12.5 billion contract from the Pentagon last month, for a total of 296 F-35 jets. Lockheed has also clinched some large agreements recently, including an about $11 billion navy contract to build up to 99 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, and a nearly $10 billion contract for Patriot missiles. The commitments underscore a growing need for the U.S. government and its allies to replenish stockpiles and load up on new weapons. Lockheed, the largest defense contractor in the world, is also vying for a slice of the Trump administration's $175 billion marquee Golden Dome missile shield, for which the Pentagon began doling out contracts last month. The company's total revenue rose 8.8% to $18.61 billion in the third quarter, above analysts' average estimate of $18.56 billion, per data compiled by LSEG. Profit per share came in at $6.95, also beating analysts' expectation of $6.36. Lockheed now expects a profit of $22.15 to $22.35 per share for 2025, compared with its previous estimate of $21.70 to $22.00. The company also raised the lower end of its sales outlook to $74.25 billion from $73.75 billion, while maintaining the higher end at $74.75 billion. (Reporting by Utkarsh Shetti in Bengaluru and Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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