Friday newspaper round-up: Asda, Starlink, weight-loss drugs

(Sharecast News) - Leading members of Donald Trump's campaign to overturn the 2020 presidential election are seeking a huge European pipeline contract, the latest figures from the US president's circle to mix business and geopolitics. Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who worked on legal actions advancing Trump's baseless claim that the vote was stolen from him, and Joe Flynn, who also sought to undermine Joe Biden's victory, have been in Bosnia this week to discuss the project. - Guardian

Advances in AI and robotics will transform human jobs, starting with roles in warehouses and factories, the UK science minister has said, as the government announced plans to reduce red tape for robot and defence tech companies. Patrick Vallance said technological progress was creating a "whole new area" for robots to work in. "What's really changing now is the combination of AI and robotics. It is opening up a whole new area, particularly in the sorts of things like humanoid robotics. And that will increase productivity, it will change the human job," he told the Guardian. - Guardian

Asda has put more than 150 jobs at risk of redundancy after trading collapsed over Christmas, plunging its share of Britain's grocery market to a new low. The troubled supermarket is preparing to axe more than 80 managers and dozens of warehouse staff in its latest attempt to cut costs. It signals growing pressure on the retail giant, which has so far failed to reverse its fortunes and continues to lose ground to rivals such as Tesco. - Telegraph

Elon Musk's Starlink is now offering cheaper broadband than BT after rolling out price cuts in the UK. The billionaire's satellite broadband company has launched a high-speed internet service for just �35 per month in some areas, down from its previous entry-level price of �55. That compares to �40 for BT's equivalent package, while Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is priced at �36. Even when the �94 installation fees are included, Starlink's new discounted package is still less expensive than BT's over a 24-month contract. - Telegraph

Weight-loss drugs could save US airlines hundreds of millions of dollars in annual fuel costs as slimmer passengers make planes lighter, according to analysts at Jefferies, the Wall Street investment bank. Airlines have long sought ways to lighten the load of their aircraft, from cutting olives in salads to taking weight out of the airframe. Now the popularity of weight-loss jabs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, will help them, the analysts said. - The Times