Once the temperature outside starts to fall again, it is important to stay warm, especially for the very young, old, and those with health conditions or reduced mobility.

But there are plenty of ways you can keep bills lower without letting the temperature in your home fall below the recommended 18C minimum.

You may already have hung thicker curtains and blocked the draughts over the last couple of winters, but do not forget to switch off radiators in rooms you are not using and wrap up.

Money Saving Expert advises to “heat the human not the home”.

Turning down the flow rate on a combi boiler can save you money as often the water is being heated higher than it needs to be.

Batch cooking and using an air fryer or microwave rather than heating up the oven for a small item can save energy.

Take shorter showers and wash clothes at 30C rather than 40C. Dry clothes outdoors if you can, rather than using a tumble dryer, or hang clothes indoors but ventilate well or use a dehumidifier to avoid damp.

If you are thinking about moving home, or undertaking renovations, it is worth thinking through how to reduce bills. When it comes to white goods, look for energy-efficient appliances.

MILAN — Jennifer Lopez arrived at Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan Fashion Week after-party on Saturday, September 26, in a sheer black lace gown layered over lingerie and topped with an oversized black fur coat, a dramatic change from the tailored suit she wore to the brand’s runway show earlier the same day.

The 57-year-old actress and singer, who stars in the Netflix romantic comedy “Office Romance,” was photographed arriving at the party in a floral lace slip dress with a corset-inspired bodice, according to photos obtained by the Daily Mail. The dress was sheer and worn over a set of black high-waisted lingerie, and the fur coat draped across her chest and fell to just below mid-thigh, according to a report on the look syndicated by Yahoo and AOL. Marie Claire described the ensemble as part of the “naked dress” trend, noting that Lopez is no stranger to it.

Lopez completed the outfit with a black satin clutch and peep-toe stiletto heels with thin ankle straps. Her jewelry included a gold statement necklace set with large green gemstones and matching drop earrings, according to the same report. Marie Claire described the pieces as a suite of emerald and diamond jewelry, and outlets varied slightly in how they characterized the stones and metal. The coverage reviewed included no comment from Lopez or her representatives on the look, and it did not identify a designer for the evening ensemble.

The after-party followed Dolce & Gabbana’s Women’s Spring/Summer 2027 show, held at the fashion house’s Metropol venue in Milan, according to Just Jared. Lopez arrived at the show wearing a tailored black look from the label’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection, complete with a matching cap and tall boots, and paired it with pieces from Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Gioielleria jewelry line and a Marlene clutch, the outlet reported. Other descriptions said the daytime outfit included a black three-piece suit with a waistcoat, white collared shirt and black tie, a baker boy hat, knee-high boots and a silver brooch. The contrast between the structured daytime tailoring and the lace evening look drew attention from fashion outlets. Comic Basics described the suit as giving Lopez a polished, almost androgynous edge that stood in sharp contrast to what came next.

Other guests at the party included British model Lady Kitty Spencer, 35, who wore a plunging lace midi dress, and model Brooks Nader, 29, who wore a little black dress, according to the Daily Mail’s coverage of the event. Just Jared noted that Nader also attended the show earlier in the day, wearing a different take on the label’s signature black.

Saturday’s outfits capped a busy week for Lopez in Milan, where she has appeared in a series of looks that fashion outlets have followed closely. On September 22, she attended the Vogue World: Milano event in a head-to-toe leopard-print look that paired a Dolce & Gabbana coat with a micro miniskirt, a styling credited to her longtime stylists, Mariel Haenn and Rob Zangardi, according to Fiction Horizon. During the week she was also photographed in a sheer pink Chantilly lace blouse with lace-trimmed distressed jeans, Comic Basics reported. Vogue Italia also caught up with her as she arrived at the show, capturing a brief video interview shared on Instagram.

Lopez’s history with Milan runways is well known. She famously modeled a reimagined version of her green Versace dress at the brand’s Spring 2020 show during Milan Fashion Week, Fiction Horizon noted, though this season her loyalties have been with Dolce & Gabbana.

Her approach to style has been an evolving one, according to a 2025 interview with InStyle. “I want to always feel more original,” Lopez said in that interview, as quoted by Comic Basics, when discussing how her fashion choices continue to change rather than stay tied to one era or aesthetic.

Lopez has also been in the spotlight this year for her acting. “Office Romance” premiered on Netflix on June 5 and stars Lopez as Jackie Cruz, the chief executive of an airline called AirCruz, who falls into a secret romance with the company’s new lawyer, played by Brett Goldstein. The film was directed by Ol Parker and written by Goldstein and Joe Kelly, and it is rated R. Lopez is also a producer, along with Goldstein and Kelly. Deadline reported that Goldstein and Kelly wrote the film specifically for her and said they would not make it without her.

Lopez described the movie’s tone in a Netflix Tudum interview. “Office Romance is a very classic romantic comedy, but with these unexpected jokes,” she said. “It’s a little different from the other romantic comedies that I made, which are very sweet and wholesome.” The film also reunites Lopez with Edward James Olmos, who played her father in the 1997 film “Selena” and plays her father again in this one, according to Netflix.

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Shares of PB Fintech rallied as much as 4% to hit a high of Rs 1,214 on the BSE on Monday after international brokerage Bernstein reiterated its Outperform rating on the stock and a target price of Rs 2,310, indicating a potential 91% upside from the previous close.

The positive view comes after PB Fintech shares suffered a sharp 39% decline over two trading sessions following the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India’s (IRDAI) proposal to ban ‘dark patterns’ on insurance websites. The proposed rules include practices that require customers to share personal details before they can access product features and pricing information.

The brokerage said the proposed framework could result in a 40% reduction in insurance take rates for PB Fintech, translating into a potential 36% cut in FY28E consolidated revenue, with Paisabazaar cushioning some of the impact. A shift in term plans towards a trail-based structure could also defer cash flows, creating an initial working-capital drag.

Management indicated scope to rationalise growth-linked costs in FY28, particularly call centre hiring, variable payouts and performance-marketing spends. Under its scenario analysis, Bernstein assumes organic premium growth for PB Fintech, currently estimated at 35-40%, will reset to a lower level in FY28E, with lower customer pricing partly offsetting the impact through higher volumes.

The brokerage has also factored in a potential 4% cut in FY28E premium growth, although it noted that the range could be wide, alongside the 40% reduction in take rates. As a result, its scenario analysis points to a potential 36% reduction in FY28E revenue growth compared with its previous estimates.

Bernstein expects core-business direct costs to be reduced meaningfully in FY28E as the focus on growth moderates, before normalising from FY29E as growth-related spending resumes. It has also factored in a phased rationalisation of indirect costs across FY28E and FY29E.
Taken together, the scenario analysis points to a potential 34% cut in FY28E PAT compared with the brokerage’s previous estimate. Bernstein now sees FY28E profit at Rs 1,100 crore, below its FY27E PAT estimate of Rs 1,250 crore despite the cost-control measures. Earnings are expected to recover to Rs 2,000 crore by FY30E, compared with the earlier estimate of Rs 3,200 crore.

What did IRDAI say?

The regulator proposed replacing the existing complex and fragmented distribution structure with three broad categories of entities: Insurance Distribution Entities (IDEs), Insurance Distribution Persons (IDPs) and Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs).

It proposed a set of structural reforms aimed at lowering insurance costs, expanding coverage among underserved sections and putting the sector on a sustainable growth path. The draft paper focuses on several key areas, including rationalising Expenses of Management (EoM), reintroducing segmental commission limits and prohibiting “dark patterns”.

Under the proposed framework, insurers would have to disclose product and pricing information without requiring customers to share personal details. The paper also proposes disclosing commission rates on policy documents and streamlining motor insurance.

Other distribution-related proposals cover the types of policies banks can sell, a ban on incentives to agents, enabling insurers to use Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) for insurance sales, and prohibiting compulsory bundling of insurance products, such as credit life insurance.

At present, the public can access product features and pricing information only after providing personal details. IRDAI said this is one of the ‘dark patterns’ frequently seen on insurer and distributor websites and is also against guidelines issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The regulator defines dark patterns as practices or deceptive design patterns using user interface or user experience interactions on any platform that are designed to mislead or trick users into doing something they did not originally intend or want to do.

IRDAI has proposed recalibrating the commission framework alongside these changes. Rather than applying a uniform approach, commission limits would factor in the segment, line of business, distribution channel, product complexity and the effort involved in selling and servicing the product.

Disclaimer: This article has been written by Veer Sharma, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an Investment Adviser. Veer Sharma and his/her ‘relative(s)’ (as defined under Section 2(77) of the Companies Act, 2013) do not hold any financial interest in the companies mentioned in this article as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of The Economic Times Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment. Brokerage disclaimers here.

The tech firm has received the investment from Growth Capital Ventures

A County Durham tech firm focused on acquisitions is set for growth after sealing a six-figure investment. Newton Aycliffe based Valius has secured the significant sum from Growth Capital Ventures (GCV), an investment and venture-building business with a portfolio spanning sectors including banking, fintech, software and technology.

Valius – established by business acquisition specialists Paul Griffiths and Andrew Botham – is an online marketplace designed to make buying and selling SMEs easier and more efficient. It simplifies the SME acquisition process which can often involve searching across multiple brokers, listing platforms and other fragmented sources, and the platform already features hundreds of UK businesses for sale.

The investment will support the continued development of the Valius platform, which gives business buyers access to a marketplace of UK businesses for sale, alongside enhanced search tools, more detailed business information and functionality designed to make engagement between buyers, sellers and intermediaries easier. Business opportunities on the platform are sourced through established intermediary relationships, allowing buyers to identify businesses that more closely match their acquisition criteria.

Valius is also developing relationships with business sale intermediaries across the UK, bringing buyers, sellers and advisers together, and further enhancements to the platform are also planned, including functionality designed to improve opportunity matching, automate elements of the acquisition process and provide buyers with greater insight into available businesses.

Mr Griffiths, founder of Valius, said: “Buying a business remains one of the most effective routes into entrepreneurship and business ownership, yet the process has changed very little over the years. We have seen first-hand how difficult it can be for buyers to identify suitable opportunities, while sellers and intermediaries continue to rely on fragmented channels and manual processes.

“Our aim with Valius is to make it easier for serious buyers to discover quality opportunities and engage with the market more efficiently. This investment represents an important step in the development and growth of the business.”

The investment was facilitated through GCV Invest, GCV’s private investor network, which provides experienced investors with access to carefully selected private market investment opportunities. Valius is the latest addition to the growing portfolio at GCV, which was founded in 2015 by brothers Craig and Norm Peterson. The GCV Invest Private Investor Network has previously backed businesses including Atom Bank, QikServe, Intelligence Fusion and n-gage.io.

“One of the strengths of the Growth Capital Ventures model is our ability to support founders throughout their growth journey, and Valius is a strong example of that approach in action,” said Norm Peterson, co-founder and CEO of Growth Capital Ventures.

“The company is addressing a genuine market need and has a clear vision for how technology can improve the SME acquisitions landscape. We are delighted to have supported the fundraising through our private investor network and to be working alongside the founders as the business continues to develop and scale.”

Craig Peterson, co-founder and chief operating officer of Growth Capital Ventures, said: “The SME acquisitions market is large, fragmented and still heavily reliant on manual processes. We believe there is a significant opportunity to use technology to connect the market more effectively and improve the experience for buyers, sellers and intermediaries. We see significant potential in Valius and are pleased to be supporting the team through both GCV Invest and GCV Labs.”

Mr Botham, director of Valius, added: “We are building the infrastructure required to support the future of SME acquisitions. The opportunity to improve the experience for buyers, sellers, brokers and advisers is significant, and technology can play an important role in making the process more efficient. Our focus now is on continuing to develop the platform, grow our network and build the tools that will make SME acquisitions more accessible and easier to navigate.”

Like this story? For more news from the tech sector, visit our dedicated page for the latest news and analysis here.

UNITED NATIONS – Finland is looking to capitalize on the global artificial intelligence boom after Google announced plans to invest at least $15.2 billion in digital infrastructure across the Nordic nation over the next two years, marking one of the largest technology investments in the country’s history.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the investment reflects a combination of abundant clean energy, a secure operating environment and an expanding technology sector that has made Finland an increasingly attractive destination for AI infrastructure.

“Companies make their own decisions on where to invest in their data centers, and we’re of course happy that Google has invested,” Stubb told Fox News Digital.

“They do it because we’re able to provide clean energy, 95% of our electricity is clean. It’s because we have a system of security, and we are able to fend [off] any types of cyberattacks and, of course, because we are in a rather cold climate.”

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The investment comes as governments and technology companies pour billions into the data centers needed to support artificial intelligence, with reliable electricity and resilient infrastructure becoming increasingly important in deciding where those facilities are built.

Asked how Finland is adapting as Russia continues to employ cyberattacks and other forms of hybrid activity against neighboring countries, Stubb said security has become another factor companies weigh when choosing where to invest.

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He said Finland has developed an environment where businesses can confidently build critical digital infrastructure while the country continues strengthening its cyber defenses.

Stubb said Google is unlikely to be the last major technology company to expand in Finland.

“Right now we have about 50 data centers, we have 25 more in the pipeline,” he said. “And we expect there to be more because we have a really strong infrastructure when it comes to artificial intelligence.”

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Beyond data centers, Stubb said Finland has built an ecosystem around emerging technologies, citing IQM Quantum Computers, satellite firms ReOrbit and Kuva Space, and telecommunications company Nokia.

“And we have, of course, Nokia,” he said. “Right now when Americans are looking at their phones, it’s very probable that it’s a Nokia network that they’re following.”

Google said its investment will expand digital infrastructure supporting AI and cloud services while creating jobs and strengthening Finland’s role as a technology hub.

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Stubb said Finland intends to keep building on that momentum.

“We have the infrastructure,” he said. “The basic message is Finland is open for investment. We’ve got this.”

Ofcom has today directed Openreach to withdraw a wholesale offer that would have given internet service providers a discount of up to £9.50 per customer per month, for up to 30 months, for bringing new full-fibre customers onto its network.

The final decision confirms the regulator’s provisional position from July and marks the first time Ofcom has stepped in to block a commercial offer from BT’s network business. Ofcom cleared the other offers Openreach notified in June, including a separate discount in Virgin Media areas and an Ethernet offer aimed at business connections.

The Incremental New to Openreach Customer Offer applied only to new customers above an ISP’s normal number of sign-ups. Retail providers that sell over Openreach’s lines, including BT, EE and TalkTalk, will not now receive the discount.

In a statement reported by the Press Association, Ofcom said: “We have determined that the large discount involved, up to £9.50 per customer for up to 30 months, may mean that other reasonably efficient operators couldn’t match it while also recovering their costs.

“In addition, the offer is aimed exclusively at new customers, so could stymie alt nets’ ability to scale up their customer base at a time when around half of households that have access to full-fibre broadband are yet to sign up.”

The regulator added: “For these reasons, we consider the offer would be unfair and could harm sustainable competition, which is essential for low prices and better services in the long run, as well as helping to power the UK’s growth and productivity.”

In its published decision, Ofcom said that because of Openreach’s significant market power, the company was uniquely able to make such a targeted low-price offer, while leaving prices for other customers unchanged.

Ofcom said it was not intervening in Openreach’s other notified offers, which carry smaller discounts. According to the regulator’s consultation announcement in July, these include a one-off £50 discount on new full-fibre customers above an ISP’s usual sign-ups in areas where Virgin Media operates.

A Frontbook ARPU Share Offer caps what an ISP pays on average for new high-speed connections at £19.32 per month, Ofcom said. That offer, along with a Box Swap Offer, began on 1 July. Ofcom also cleared an Ethernet Net Demand Offer and an expansion of the area covered by Openreach’s existing Equinox discounts.

Ofcom opened its consultation on the offers on 28 July, and it closed on 27 August. The review sits under the rules set out in Ofcom’s Telecoms Access Review for 2026 to 2031, which retained restrictions on certain Openreach discounting practices and lengthened the notice period for its offers.

When the proposal was published in July, Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for infrastructure and connectivity, said: “Openreach must be able to compete, but they cannot use their significant market power to drive other networks out of the market.”

James Lowther, Openreach’s commercial managing director, said: “Ofcom’s decision not to approve our incremental FTTP new to Openreach offer is in line with their consultation position. We put this offer forward in good faith to help our customers compete and deliver better value for households.

“While we continue to believe the offer would have benefited customers and competition, we’ll review the decision carefully and continue to engage constructively with Ofcom and our customers.

“We’ll launch our other offers and continue to compete fairly, including our FTTP offer within the VMO2 footprint and an ethernet offer for businesses.”

The decision comes as full-fibre coverage expands across the UK, with competing networks building in the same towns alongside Openreach.

Alex Tofts, strategist at comparison site Broadband Genie, said: “While blocking Openreach’s wholesale discounts might seem counter-intuitive, denying major retail providers the opportunity to pass on immediate savings, it lowers the risk of squeezing out independent altnets that drive long-term competition.

“Consumers rely on real market choice. Independent providers operating outside the Openreach footprint frequently lead the way on speed, pricing, and customer service compared to well-known providers.”

He added: “The key challenge now, is ensuring this intervention doesn’t inadvertently drive up bills during a cost-of-living squeeze. History shows that Ofcom’s interventions can easily backfire on the very customers they’re meant to protect.”

Police Scotland has closed its handling of fraud allegations made by an Edinburgh businessman against Royal Bank of Scotland, telling his MP that the dispute is civil rather than criminal and that it will take no further action unless ordered to by a court.

The position was set out last month by Inspector Quentin Russell, deputy local area commander for North West Edinburgh, in correspondence with Tracy Gilbert, the Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, who had raised the case of her constituent George Dosoo.

Mr Dosoo, a former hotel owner, alleges that money deducted from his business accounts by RBS was misappropriated. In a follow-up reply to Ms Gilbert, Inspector Russell said the matter “has been deemed a civil matter and is now closed in terms of any further investigation. This includes the money he alleges has been stolen.”

According to a Police Scotland Professional Standards Department letter to Mr Dosoo dated 27 March 2025, the case centres on his allegation that RBS failed to honour an agreement to provide a 13-month repayment holiday on a business loan to him and his then business partner.

The letter sets out a timeline based on Mr Dosoo’s statements. In June 2005 the partnership bought the County Hotel with RBS funding, after a valuer instructed by the bank put its value at £1.95m. The partnership went into provisional liquidation in August 2008, and the hotel was sold in July 2010 for £1.65m, a sale Mr Dosoo says went ahead without his consent.

Mr Dosoo alleges the sale was the result of a fraudulent scheme involving his former partner, bank officials and property consultants acting for the lender. The lender’s position, according to the letter, is that the disputed interest payments were authorised by a designated clause.

Inspector Russell said Mr Dosoo had reported the matter three times: once to local policing in Edinburgh and twice to the force’s national Economic Crime Unit. Two detectives visited him at home on 11 October 2016 and concluded the circumstances did not constitute criminality, the Professional Standards letter states.

Mr Dosoo complained about the police handling of his case on 4 October 2023. A sergeant reviewed the documents he supplied and consulted specialist financial investigators, and the crime registrar, who has final authority over whether a matter is recorded as a crime, agreed with the original assessment.

Detective Sergeant Fyall, a specialist economic crime investigator consulted during the review, wrote: “The actions of RBS to revalue the property (and then recall the loan) are entirely proportionate and within their right, especially given the financial climate at the time this happened.”

Inspector Russell told Ms Gilbert the review found insufficient evidence to support allegations of fraud or any other criminality, and no evidence of criminality in the conduct of Mr Dosoo’s former business partner that would justify police intervention.

The Professional Standards letter also said an accountancy opinion prepared on Mr Dosoo’s behalf and sent to his lender made no reference to any fraudulent activity.

Mr Dosoo then took his complaint to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), which, according to Inspector Russell, did not uphold any of his allegations. The PIRC states that its complaint handling review decisions are final.

In an email to Ms Gilbert on 22 August, Mr Dosoo said the police summary had omitted a central point. “The crucial and important fact he did not say is the fact that funds deducted by RBS had gone missing/misappropriated and stolen,” he wrote.

He said detailed computations had been provided to Police Scotland by himself and a firm of independent experts, and that a judge at the Court of Session had agreed his claim had merit.

Inspector Russell said civil proceedings pursued through the Court of Session in Edinburgh had not produced any evidence of criminality, and that any further challenge would require a judicial review.

Police Scotland “will not be taking any further action in this matter unless instructed to by a court of law following any judicial review instigated by Mr Dosoo,” he wrote.