Campaigners say costly new funds will lead to higher bills, which company denies A group of creditors to troubled Thames Water are poised to vote on whether to grant an emergency £2.4bn loan to keep the company afloat, as campaigners raise concerns it could add £40 to each household’s bills in interest alone. A consortium of creditors, called London Valley Water, will vote on Thursday on whether to increase a funding facility for the debt-laden utility company to £5.4bn to keep it operating to autumn 2027. Continue reading...
Thames Water creditors to vote on emergency £2.4bn loan as cash runs low

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Toblerone owner sues British vegan chocolate brand over chunky shape
Catherine’s Originals denies Mondelēz claims in London high court of ‘passing off’ and trademark infringement The owner of Toblerone is taking legal action against a tiny British vegan chocolate brand which it claims has been copying the Swiss chocolate bar’s famous chunky shape. Mondelēz has filed papers at the high court in London accusing Catherine’s Original’s of “passing off” and trademark infringement with its O’bar – a length of chocolate divided into segments each with a rounded semi-oval hump. Continue reading...
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Hello Kitty company cuts ties with Japanese spy show after China outcry
Sanrio ends association with Netflix TV drama Vivant after Chinese state media decried portrayal of ruthless Chinese agents as a ‘deliberate smear’ The company behind the successful Hello Kitty franchise has apologised and ended its commercial tie-up with a Japanese TV drama after Chinese state media and netizens condemned the show’s “deliberate smears” against their country. Sanrio, a Japanese firm whose characters are popular around the world, said in a post on the Chinese social media site Weibo that it had decided to end its association with the Netflix TV drama Vivant after concluding that it “contained elements inconsistent with Sanrio’s core values”. Continue reading...