Thousands still without water, Brits ‘over optimistic’ about closing gender pay gap, and more trending news

The utilities regulator has slammed water companies for being ill prepared for the cold weather, with thousands of homes still without water because of leaks and burst pipes. More than 20,000 homes were without water, as were Cadbury and Jaguar Land Rover factories, which had to suspend operations for several hours. The Water Services Regulation Authority said wild weather was no excuse for extended delays and it would intervene if water companies were found to have mishandled their response to the extreme weather. MPs are also calling for an inquiry, labelling it a “national crisis”.

People are “wildly over-optimistic” about how quickly the gender pay gap will be closed. That’s according to a survey by global consulting firm Ipsos to mark International Women’s Day. It found respondents in Britain think we’ll reach pay and economic equality by 2035, but estimates from the World Economic Forum suggest that’s not likely until 2117. The study also found Brits believe 12% of chief executives in the largest 500 companies globally are female – in reality, it’s just 3%.

The EU is threatening to slap taxes on Levi's jeans, bourbon and other American goods in reaction to Donald Trump’s proposal to place tariffs on imported steel and aluminium. It’s the latest retaliatory move in what has been dubbed a “trade war”, with European leaders strongly condemning the proposed US tariffs. The European Commission is compiling a list of imported American goods that could be taxed in response, including Harley-Davidson motorbikes, cranberry juice and clothing. But Trump’s plan is facing challenges at home, with opposition from his own party; US Speaker Paul Ryan said he was "extremely worried" about a possible trade war.

The restaurant chain started by the late celebrity chef Antonio Carluccio is reportedly in trouble. Carluccio’s has invited restructuring experts to the table, The Times (paywall) reports. It is the latest restaurant company, alongside Prezzo and Jamie’s Italian, seeking to reorient itself in a tough economy. Carluccio’s has reportedly brought in advisers from KPMG to review its 102 outlets across the UK. UHY Hacker Young data showed 35 of the top 100 restaurant groups were running at a loss in the UK this year, up from 20 last year.

Health officials are challenging fast food producers to radically overhaul their products in a bid to combat the obesity epidemic. They’ve been given the target of cutting 20% of calories in their products by 2024 with pizza, ready meals, processed foods and snacks on the Public Health England hit list. The government body suggests producers reduce portion sizes or revise recipes. More than 35,000 premature deaths could be prevented if the target is reached, it said.

Idea of the Day:  Marketing specialist Clarys Chan writes that the forecast we are 217 years away from pay parity serves a reminder to never stop pressing for progress.

“ I think sometimes we’re in danger of becoming complacent, or perhaps forgetting that we still have a long way before the playing field is even. We must never fall into the cycle of thinking that ‘there’s no point’, or resigning ourselves to accepting less than what is equal.”

This article has been edited. From earlier: British icon Aston Martin could be aiming to list in New York rather than London for its long-awaited IPO, Sky News reports.

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