Disney increases planned layoffs to 32,000 as coronavirus hits theme parks

Walt Disney said the layoffs will be in the first half of 2021, as the company struggles with limited customers due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AFP)
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Updated 26 November 2020
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Disney increases planned layoffs to 32,000 as coronavirus hits theme parks

  • Latest figures include the 28,000 layoffs announced earlier

Walt Disney Co. said on Wednesday it would lay off about 32,000 workers, primarily at its theme parks, an increase from the 28,000 it announced in September, as the company struggles with limited customers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The layoffs will be in the first half of 2021, the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A spokesman for Disney confirmed that the latest figures include the 28,000 layoffs announced earlier.
Earlier this month, Disney said it was furloughing additional workers from its theme park in Southern California due to uncertainty over when the state would allow parks to reopen.
Disney’s theme parks in Florida and those outside the United States reopened earlier this year without seeing new major coronavirus outbreaks but with strict social distancing, testing and mask use.
Disneyland Paris was forced to close again late last month when France imposed a new lockdown to fight a second wave of the coronavirus cases.
The company’s theme parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo remain open.


UAE thwarts terrorist cyberattacks targeting vital sectors

Updated 5 sec ago
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UAE thwarts terrorist cyberattacks targeting vital sectors

DUBAI: The UAE successfully prevented terrorist cyberattacks that targeted the country’s digital infrastructure and vital sectors, in an attempt to destabilize the nation and disrupt essential services, state news agency WAM reported.

The UAE Cybersecurity Council said the attacks included attempts to infiltrate networks, deploy ransomware, and conduct systematic phishing campaigns targeting national platforms.

It also involved the exploitation of artificial intelligence technologies to develop sophisticated offensive tools, reflecting a qualitative shift in the methods employed by terrorist groups and their ability to harness modern technologies to carry out digital attacks, WAM reported.

The Council reiterated the country’s national cybersecurity defense system makes sure that the safety of individuals, the protection of personal data and the continuity of critical services remain top priorities.

It further urged the public to report any cyber threats or suspicious attempts to ensure digital security in the country.