Business

Image copyright Albert L. Ortega Image caption The Mandalorian featuring Ming-Na Wen is a Disney+ offering Disney’s new video streaming service has hit more than 50 million subscribers since its launch five months ago. When Disney Plus last announced viewing figures in February it had reached 26.5 million subscribers. Since then, this has almost doubled […]

Image caption Samsung and Facebook are donating gadgets Mobile giant Samsung is donating 2,000 smartphones to the NHS, for staff to use in Nightingale hospitals. It will provide Galaxy XCover 4s phones, which are designed to be more robust and can be used while wearing gloves. Samsung said NHS England had already ordered an extra

Image copyright Getty Images Renters are likely to be hit harder than homeowners from an economic downturn during the coronavirus crisis, a think tank has warned. The Resolution Foundation said homeowners were “relatively well protected” compared to previous slumps. But renters were more likely to work in affected industries and spend more of their income

Elder is a company which provides live-in carers across the UK. Its CEO says there has been a surge in demand for them in the past three weeks, as the coronavirus crisis has developed. Peter Dowds says his biggest challenge is to recruit hundreds more carers at a time when one-to-one interviews are impossible. This

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption McDonald’s has closed outlets in some countries, including the UK, but not in the US McDonald’s sales fell less than 4% in the first three months of the year, despite closures due to lockdown measures prompted by the coronavirus. The fast-food chain took a big hit to its international

Image copyright Getty Images Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a £750m package to keep struggling charities afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. The move follows concern that some charities are facing collapse, with income shrinking because of enforced shop closures. Bigger charities such as Oxfam and Age UK have furloughed two-thirds of staff. The measures involve

Image copyright AFP Electric car-maker Tesla will reduce staff pay and put non-essential workers on furlough while production of its vehicles is stopped due to coronavirus. Work at its factory in Fremont, California halted on 23 March. In a letter to staff, the company said it hoped to resume operations on 4 May, “barring any

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Coronavirus has halted many global deliveries The World Trade Organization (WTO) is predicting a severe decline in international commerce this year. In a new report the WTO forecasts a contraction of between 13% and 32% this year. The wide range of possibilities reflects the uncertainties about the health crisis.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Normally, two independent witnesses are required to validate a will Documents have been held in place by windscreen wipers and signed on a car bonnet in a novel way for wills to be witnessed during social distancing. Signatures are also being watched through windows and patio doors as current

Image copyright Aviva Insurers Aviva, RSA, Direct Line and Hiscox have scrapped plans to pay dividends to shareholders during the coronavirus crisis. They acted after financial regulators urged them to pause payouts because of the uncertainty cause by Covid-19. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) welcomed “the prudent decision”. “Insurers should pay close attention to the