Latest in Business
Daily Record
25 minutes ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Saga to launch new over-50s savings products in partnership with NatWest
The savings product will replace Saga's current instant access offering provided by Goldman Sachs for new customers. Saga has unveiled a seven-year tie-up with banking giant NatWest to launch a range of savings products for the over-50s. Saga will team up with NatWest Boxed - NatWest's banking-as-a-service business. Saga, which offers cruises through to insurance services for people over 50, said an instant access savings product would be the first to launch under the partnership later this year, with further savings offerings and other financial products also to be introduced. 'This collaboration will enable Saga to offer easy-to-use products and services, drive increased volume and improved commercial terms, and deliver accessible and reliable customer service,' Saga said. The savings product will replace Saga's current instant access offering provided by Goldman Sachs for new customers. Saga said there will be no change for customers who already hold a Saga instant access account, and the Goldman Sachs contract will not end until September 2028. Jerry Toher, chief executive of Saga Money, said: 'As the UK's specialist in providing products for people over 50, this launch is an exciting next step in enhancing our money offer. This will further strengthen our position in providing competitive and flexible savings products, ensuring that Saga remains the most trusted brand for people over 50 in the UK.' Andrew Ellis, chief executive of NatWest Boxed, added: 'Trusted brands are well positioned to reward customers for their loyalty, while keeping their best interests at heart. This partnership is a testament to how leading firms, like Saga, can deploy new technology like embedded finance to offer specialised products and services.' London-listed Saga struck a 20-year partnership for motor and home insurance with Belgian firm Ageas late last year, while also agreeing to sell its underwriting business Acromas to the group, which will complete at the end of the month. Check your savings Personal finance site Finder is warning savers to act now or risk missing out, as two of the UK's biggest banks will drop their savings rates this week, with a further two banks dropping rates next week. Finder experts have been tracking savings rate changes and nine popular banks, including the 'big four', have all either slashed rates since the last interest rate cut or scheduled a drop in their savings rates. Eight accounts at NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will be impacted from today - July 15, including four instant access savings products, with both banks lowering the rate on these offerings from 1.25 per cent to 1.15 per cent. Other accounts affected include children's savings accounts, where the rates will be dropping from 2.25 per cent to 2.05 per cent. Finder also said that customers at HSBC and Co-op Bank should also be prepared for rate drops this month. The rates on two HSBC accounts - Flexible Saver and Online Bonus Saver - are going from 1.35 per cent to 1.3 per cent on July 21. Meanwhile, four different Co-op Bank savings rates will be slashed on July 23, with the Online Saver and Online Cash ISA dropping from 2.34 per cent to 2.12 per cent, and the Cash ISA and Smart Saver dropping from 1.62 per cent to 1.53 per cent. The decision to lower these rates came after the Bank of England made the decision to cut the base rate from 4.5 per cent to 4.25 per cent in May, although the base rate was held at the most recent meeting in June. Kate Steere, personal finance expert at Finder, said: 'If you were earning the new NatWest or RBS rate of 1.15 per cent AER with the amount we found the average Brit has saved (£16,067), you'd get just £185 in interest over the course of a year. There are much more competitive rates available. 'For example, if you opened a Plum Cash ISA with a rate of 4.98 per cent AER (including a 12-month 1.69% bonus) using the £16,000, you could earn up to just over £800 in interest over the year (dependent on any rate changes) - a potential £600 boost to your savings. 'Lots of analysts are predicting a further cut to the base rate in August. With the next meeting less than a month away, it's essential to act fast if you want to get the most from your savings. 'Variable rates are subject to change so if you are still looking to use your 2025/26 ISA allowance - and you can afford to lock your cash away - now is also a great time to seek out a good deal on a fixed-rate ISA. 'Using the full tax-free allowance is more important than ever with reports that Rachel Reeves will announce a cut to the Cash ISA limit in her Mansion House speech next week. Currently, Cynergy Bank is offering 4.32 per cent AER for a 1-year fix.'
25 minutes ago
- Business
India orders airlines to inspect certain Boeing models after Air India crash
NEW DELHI -- India's aviation regulator ordered on Monday airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches, days after an investigation into last month's Air India plane crash found they were flipped off, starving both engines of fuel. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated the directive would apply to Boeing 787 Dreamliners and select Boeing 737 variants and that airlines must complete inspections and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad found that the switches shifted within one second of each other, cutting off fuel supply to both engines. The report, released last week, did not offer any conclusions as to why the plane crashed. It also did not say how the switches could have flipped from run position to the cutoff during the flight. The movement of the fuel control switches allows and cuts fuel flow to the plane's engines. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed on June 12 shortly after takeoff. It killed all but one of the 242 people on board as well as 19 people on the ground. The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, noted a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, recommending airlines operating Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of fuel cutoff switches. According to the report, cockpit voice recordings captured a moment of confusion between the pilots, with one asking the other why he cut off the fuel. 'The other pilot responded that he did not do so,' the report said. Some aviation experts in India speculated the crash was caused due to human error based on the preliminary report. At least two commercial pilots' associations have rejected such claims. The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association in a statement on Sunday said it was 'deeply disturbed by speculative narratives ... particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.' Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Monday said the preliminary report into the crash of the London-bound plane found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft and its engines. In an internal memo to airline staff seen by The Associated Press, Wilson said the report stated that all mandatory maintenance tasks of the aircraft had been completed. 'There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status,' he said in the note. After the crash, Indian authorities ordered deeper checks of Air India's entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet.
Free Malaysia Today
26 minutes ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt, minister fail to quash ex-KL Tower operator's suit
The High Court ruled that there are issues arising from a supplementary agreement signed in 2022 between Hydroshoppe and the government for the lease of KL Tower which must go to trial. KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court has rejected the government's bid to strike out a lawsuit filed by KL Tower's former operator over the award of the tower's concession to another company. Justice Roz Mawar Rozain held that Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd and Menara KL Sdn Bhd's claim against the government and communications minister Fahmi Fadzil, named a co-defendant, must proceed to trial. 'There are triable issues regarding the 2022 agreement,' she added. However the court struck out Hydroshoppe's claim against the new operators, LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd, LSH Best Builders Sdn Bhd, and Service Master (M) Sdn Bhd. Roz Mawar held that Hydroshoppe had failed to properly identify its cause of action against the three entities, rendering the suit defective. She also ordered Hydroshoppe to pay them RM20,000 in costs. The court fixed the suit against the government and Fahmi for case management on Nov 3. In March, Hydroshoppe and Menara KL filed the suit claiming that the government's award of the concession to the LSH group was in breach of contract. They asked the court to declare the award of the KL Tower concession to LSH Service Master void and unlawful. They are seeking an estimated RM1 billion in damages. Lawyer Vinayak Sri Ram appeared for Hydroshoppe while senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly appeared for the government and lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar represented LSH Service Master.
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Business
- Newsweek
'Very Serious': Russia Says Trump Sent Signal to Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Kremlin said U.S. President Donald Trump signaled to Ukraine that it should continue the war after he said he would send more weapons to Kyiv and threatened Russia with secondary sanctions unless it makes peace. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian President Vladimir Putin, called Trump's statement "very serious" in his daily press briefing on Tuesday, July 15. Peskov said Putin would need time to analyze Trump's remarks, some of which were directed at him, and to decide whether to comment. Trump said he was considering a 100 percent secondary tariff on countries trading with Russia unless Putin makes peace in 50 days. He also said he would send more Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, and that European NATO allies would fund more "sophisticated" offensive American weapons for Kyiv. "For now, one thing can be said unequivocally: It seems that such decisions made in Washington, in NATO countries, and directly in Brussels, are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal toward peace, but as a signal toward the continuation of war," Peskov said, originally in Russian. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DIDWW expands its number porting coverage in Hungary, Slovenia, and Finland
DUBLIN, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIDWW, a global telecoms provider of fully compliant phone numbers and premium-quality voice and SMS services, has expanded its number portability coverage to include a total of 41 countries. This service allows customers to conveniently transfer their phone numbers between network providers, ensuring increased flexibility combined with uninterrupted connectivity. DIDWW now offers businesses and telecom operators the ability to port their numbers in Hungary, Slovenia and Finland, providing instant access to innovative VoIP services worldwide. Building on its growing global presence, the DIDWW online platform enables customers to port-in telephone numbers at no cost in selected countries and manage the entire porting process online. Users can effortlessly submit all required documentation, select their preferred date for porting-in the phone numbers, monitor progress through real-time status updates, and interact with the expert DIDWW porting team. Additionally, the DIDWW porting tool allows global carriers and enterprises to port numbers on a large scale without causing any interruptions to their live business operations. Every day, thousands of industry leaders rely on DIDWW SIP trunking services across more than 90 countries, gaining immediate access to a huge selection of local, national, toll-free, and mobile virtual numbers. Powered by global cloud-based VoIP solutions with two-way voice and SMS capabilities, DIDWW helps businesses and telecom operators scale their services, expand existing markets, and enter new geographies. In addition, DIDWW offers an innovative and cost-efficient cloud phone system, enabling businesses to benefit from an all-in-one communications solution with exceptional power and flexibility. Joana Kaspariene, Porting Department Manager at DIDWW, said, 'We remain fully committed to expanding our porting coverage based on customer needs while developing innovative tools to migrate communications to VoIP within hours. Our self-service user portal features an intuitive, robust interface that serves both end-users and telecom operators, highlighting our customer-centric approach.' About DIDWW DIDWW is a licensed telecom operator specializing in fully compliant phone numbers, voice and messaging services across 90+ countries. The company is continuously expanding its coverage and currently holds telecom licenses in 30 countries, with its own numbering resources in 18 of those regions. The company's innovative cloud PBX solution, enables businesses to create streamlined communication systems. Enhanced with AI-driven tools, seamless CRM integrations, and multiplatform apps for Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android, delivers an unparalleled user experience. DIDWW also employs automated quality and abuse monitoring, all supported by a professional, in-house customer support team available 24/7/365. For more information, visit Press Contact:Vilija SimkieneMarketing Departmentvilija.s@ +1 (212) 461 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
