The Case for Covid Zero

China’s alternative is a massive surge in infections that could bring global supply chains to a halt

NO SHENANIGANS

JONATHAN BRAUN, A DRUG SMUGGLER AND LOAN SHARK, WAS GRANTED CLEMENCY JUST BEFORE DONALD TRUMP LEFT OFFICE. NOW HE’S FREE AND BACK IN BUSINESS

Get ready for the Super Bowl of gambling. There's a football game, too

A decade ago, one knowledgeable authority had deep reservations about the idea of the National Football League ever embracing legalized gambling. It would create a corrosive atmosphere in which every penalty or dropped pass—the normal ebbs and flows of games—“inevitably will fuel speculation, distrust, and accusations of point-shaving or game-fixing.” The moralist was none other than NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, declaring the league’s opposition to expanding sports bookmaking outside of Nevada.

The Six-Month Haircut

Stop going from cut to cut, and build a road map for change

Will Lisa Cook Make the Fed?

Some say she brings a fresh perspective; others believe she’s too focused on race

Trapped

With nurses in short supply, U.S. hospitals are leaning harder than ever on underpaid contract staffers who aren’t allowed to leave when their shift is over

Could China Have Its Own Puerto Rico?

For the amount of work they’re expected to do, China’s regional governments are simply not paid enough.

The Assault on Apple Daily

A newspaper’s demise shows how far China will go to bring Hong Kong into line

THE RISE OF THE UGLY SHOE EMPIRE

Bloated dad sneakers, furry sandals, and open-toed boots. How Deckers Outdoor is making billions selling uglycore footwear

The New Royalty of Junk Debt

They borrowed billions in an historic era of low rates. Now they’re getting credit upgrades

The $50 Million (And Up) Club

More ultraluxury homes are selling across the U.S. than ever before. Here’s what’s on the market now.

Merck's Fumble Gives Pfizer a Win

It shelved a 10-year-old drug that’s provided a key component in a rival’s $17 billion Covid pill

Need a Hug?

Speculative assets lead a market selloff, but corporate cash could put a floor under prices

It's Tricky

American-born Eileen Gu is the face of China’s winter sports initiative, a sponsor’s dream, and a teenage daredevil who’s being very careful with controversy

No place to get sick

In the Mississippi Delta, the stress on hospitals, doctors, and nurses— and patients—just won’t let up

Got a Tax Question? Don't Call the IRS

Customer service has cratered at the short-staffed, underfunded agency

Big Hot Sauce Wants More Hot Sauce

McCormick, the 132-year-old prince of pumpkin spice, paragon of tarragon, major-domo of marjoram, has taken over an entirely new category

Cyberwar at the White House

Anne Neuberger and the competition to set Biden’s cybersecurity agenda

Covid's Unseen Victims

Extra duties and depleted ranks have pharmacy workers buckling under the pressure

Do Niche News Sites Have The Secret to Success?

Spiffy online news outlets are hot again. Every month seems to welcome a new publication built on an established journalist’s existing audience.

Peering Behind An 18% Yield

Celsius promises big rewards if you let it hold your crypto. The risks you’re taking aren’t clear

Stealthy Healthy

Purveyors of clean food are trying a new tactic: Subterfuge.

Running on Neutral

The latest craze in South Korea involves getting your brain to do as little as possible

When Hackers Get to the Grid

Drills on a high-security island show the potential devastation of a cyberattack on U.S. power infrastructure

Washington vs.Carbon

The feds are starting to allocate billions of dollars to pull CO2 from the air. They’ve got a lot of work to do

Biden's Year 2 Test

As the pandemic wears on and prices rise, many Americans are disillusioned with the president. Can he win them back?

A Fight Over Discrimination in the Age of Algorithms

Redfin has staked its reputation on making a racist industry more equitable. Critics say it’s been denying services to Black homebuyers and sellers

The lost girls of covid

For 25 years, girls in developing countries have been on a remarkable trajectory of progress. The pandemic is reversing it

Keeping Covid Out of The Cabin

As the pandemic enters Year 3, airlines are stepping up their hygiene routines

Ola's Scooter Factory Isn't Making Many Scooters

Trouble at such a high-profile project is a bad sign for India’s electric vehicle industry