Subterms
You pay little attention to the systems of your body — circulatory, digestive, pulmonary — unless something goes wrong. These automatic systems ordinarily go about their business, like unseen clockwork, while you think about a vexing problem at work, drink your morning cup of coffee, walk up and down the stairs and head out to […] More
A lot has changed since the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Wuhan, China, in December last year. While much remains unknown about the new coronavirus, COVID-19 has since spread rapidly from its origin in China to every corner of the world except Antarctica. Unlike previous health crises such as SARS (severe acute respiratory […] More
My friend’s small hiking shop is dying. It’s one story of millions Katie Herzog This could be the end of cities and towns as we know them. The places that make communities unique may not survive While small businesses face bankruptcy, some massive corporations are getting relief. Photograph: Elaine Thompson/AP Like a lot of people, […] More
Economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis will need a balancing act Michael Boskin The task is to navigate the difficult trade-offs and even more difficult politics as sensibly as possible Reopening the economy after the coronavirus crisis will involve balancing health and fiscal concerns. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images For a long time, as health spending […] More
Fear, in the globalized sense of the word, had largely dissipated ever since the height of the Cold War, when the world stood by as the two superpowers stared each other down with nuclear weapons. Largely absent since the days of brinkmanship seen during the Berlin Airlift and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world has […] More
The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 spread to North Africa more than two months ago. Since then, there has been speculation among observers that the effects on society, the economy and political life may be changed in both the short term with people’s habits and the long term as governments take measures to contain the […] More
While the extraordinary crash of the WTI price of crude into negative territory — the first in history — can be viewed as something of an anomaly, the 25% drop in the price of Brent to $20 a barrel today (April 27) is a stark statement about the vulnerability of the Saudi economy and of Crown Prince […] More
The current pandemic has led to the postponement of elections around the world. Over 75 countries have declared some kind of state of emergency. Several illiberal leaders, like Viktor Orban, have used the crisis to seize virtually unlimited powers. The Chinese model of full-spectrum clampdown has elicited praise across the political spectrum for its apparent effectiveness […] More
