Councils have handed out £6.1bn, almost half the £12.3bn they received from Government this month. Grants of up to £25,000 have been received by 491,725 small businesses

Gamesys was praised for acknowledging that children and vulnerable customers who are bored are being placed at risk by the lockdown. Betting companies have been urged to protect players.

Taylor Wimpey was the top riser on the FTSE 100 after it said it was still selling homes virtually, adding its order book was at £2.7bn at the end of last week, up from £2.4bn the same time last year.

The education group will hand back £102m to shareholders - or 13.5p per share - after boss John Fallon insisted the company was in a 'strong financial position'.

There are mounting calls for super-rich fat cat executives to play a bigger part in shouldering the financial burden stemming from the crisis, which will end up hitting taxpayers hard in the pocket.

The German sportswear firm warned its sales would slump 40 per cent in the second quarter despite China emerging from lockdown, and surging performance online.

Novacyt has inked a deal with the Department of Health to provide it with 288,000 tests a week. And Omega Diagnostics has made fresh strides in the race to roll out antibody tests.

Royal Mail is poised to benefit from the new reliance on web sales. Citigroup Analysts bestowed a rare double upgrade on the 504-year-old postal service, moving it from 'sell' to 'buy'.

Over the last 17 years Rolls (pictured) and his business partner, chief exec Tim Warrillow , have transformed the market for tonic waters - and created a stock market darling.

Tesla's factory in Fremont, California, has been closed since March 24 as part of a government clampdown, requiring people to stay indoors to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Stephen Lansdown found the company's stock was so sought after that, when he launched his latest sale of shares, he had to increase the amount up for grabs twice.

Carnival has been asked to give all the documents relating to the pandemic and its response to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

The engineer needs to shore up its finances after global air travel was brought virtually to a standstill by the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff were asked to go into closed stores once a week and pack up stock so it could be sold online, but were told not to clock in, whistleblowers told the Guardian newspaper.

Serial investor Vin Murria, an adviser at Hgcapital, bought 13.25 per cent of the AIM-listed company's shares on April 30, according to a stock market announcement yesterday.

The Lloyd's of London insurer was a top FTSE 250 riser after placing the 57.6m shares, priced at 650p. This was 6 per cent cheaper than its share price the day before the fundraising launched.

The FTSE-listed group will struggle after the number of hours its engines spent flying in April fell by 90 per cent. Across the first four months of the year, flying hours dropped 40 per cent.

IAG said it is 'planning a meaningful return to service' in July. But it conceded the plans were 'highly uncertain and subject to the easing of lockdowns and travel restrictions' globally.

As a nation in lockdown commemorated VE-Day, here is something to ponder. In the midst of the War, policymakers in Britain and around the world were deep in planning for the peace.

CHRIS WHEELER IN PERTH: In a wide-ranging interview, the Manchester United manager discusses Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and the problem of 'spoon feeding' modern-day footballers.

CHRIS WHEELER IN PERTH: Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola have made no secret of his desire to leave, but Solskjaer believes he can motivate United's record signing to be a key player.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Alexis Sanchez was indulged too long. That has always been the problem for Manchester United. Not that they started it.

Those in the Manchester United boardroom must wince when they hear the name Alexis Sanchez, such is the poor value for money their £560,000-per-week man has delivered. 

JOE BERNSTEIN: With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer already pulling out the hairdryer and top stars set to move on, Sportsmail assesses how the cracks are appearing at Old Trafford.

With a scarcity of top talent available in January, big players who are on the market usually have a number of suitors to choose from, creating a transfer tug-of-war.

Inter Milan had goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to thank after surviving an 88th minute penalty to earn a point against fifth-placed Serie A side Atalanta with a 1-1 draw at the San Siro.

JOE BERNSTEIN: There was a time when Serie A stars, particularly those past their best, would come for a final payday but now it seems like the shoe is on the other foot.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: Inter are strong favourites given AC Milan's current chaotic state, yet this is the sort of match that defines a season - perhaps even an era.

Liverpool have been transformed since Klopp arrived in 2015 and the Reds are 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, a sign United must change tact, says Van Persie.

Manchester United will continue their squad overhaul this summer and it means clearing out some of the deadwood in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad to raise funds. But who could depart Old Trafford?

Sportsmail photographer Kevin Quigley has been shortlisted in two categories for the SJA British Sports Journalism awards this year. 

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has emerged as a frontrunner to stage Joshua's first defence of the titles he recaptured last year after exacting revenge on Andy Ruiz Jnr in Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua's next potential opponent Kubrat Pulev has been deported from the United States to Bulgaria due to a visa issue according to The Athletic. Pulev was boarding a flight.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: There may be more than two months to go, but naming the Premier League XI of the season already seems easy enough. It's Liverpool.

In the hilarious task, the boxer, 30, pretends to be on the lookout for a new personal chef and interviews several cooks with hilarious results.

Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder via TKO in their much anticipated rematch to win the WBC world title belt. There has since been talk of a future unification bout with fellow Brit Anthony Joshua.

Tyson Fury has responded to Deontay Wilder excuse that his shock loss to the Gypsy King was caused by his 'heavy' ring walk outfit, saying fighters will often refuse to blame themselves after a defeat.

Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title fight with Kubrat Pulev is set to be postponed by several months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bulgarian challenger said on Thursday. 

The world heavyweight champion is following government guidelines around self-isolation but has shown no symptoms of the deadly disease, which threatens to derail his fight with Kubrat Pulev.

With the country currently in near-lockdown, the world heavyweight champion admitted he wanted to show his gratitude towards all workers helping those affected.

The heavyweight fighter, who has previously acted as Anthony Joshua's sparring partner, posted the video at the weekend to his 7,000 followers.

Tyson Fury will be Anthony Joshua's opponent of choice if he is restricted to one fight this year, promoter Eddie Hearn has said. Joshua is scheduled to fight Kubrat Pulev on June 20.

Anthony Joshua's world title fight with Kubrat Pulev that was scheduled for June 20 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, has been postponed.

Anthony Joshua suffered a humiliating defeat by the Mexican at Madison Square Gardens last June before winning the rematch in Saudi Arabia in December.

Chinese anaesthetist Dr Dong Tian, 29, died in March after suffering a stroke following a 35-day battle with COVID-19. US doctors have seen a seven-fold increase in stroke patients under 50.

The testing for China's fourth vaccine candidate has started today, said China National Biotec Group. It comes as CDC chief said that China could have its first coronavirus vaccine ready by autumn.

Victorian China Consul-General Zhou Long arrived alongside billionaire miner Andrew Forrest at the official ministerial event in Melbourne on Wednesday evening.

Australia's first Hong Kong-born federal MP Michael Johnson has warned a Chinese boycott of Australia exports would have consequences lasting for at least a decade.

The FTSE 100 was down by 144 to 5757 points, wiping out much of the strong gains it had seen this week after signs of several countries easing lockdown measures.

Trump said late on Thursday his trade deal with China was now of secondary importance to the pandemic, as his administration crafted retaliatory measures over the outbreak.