Virtual wine tasting boosts London's locked-down spirits

Mar 19, 2020
With people encouraged to stay home in London, business owners are finding enterprising ways of making money and boosting spirits.
To keep spirits high among staff and customers, Gus Gluck decided to start conducting virtual wine tasting sessions on Instagram in the evenings.
Victoria Craig

Weekly unemployment claims start to give a snapshot of COVID-19 layoffs

Mar 19, 2020
Many companies are laying off workers. Weekly jobless claims will tell us how many people are now filing for state unemployment benefits.
For the week of March 14, there were 281,000 new claims, the highest level for initial claims since Sept. 2, 2017.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The economics behind why toilet paper is sold out

Mar 19, 2020
Coronavirus household shortages, explained.
Raising prices might curb panic-buying, but it’s also price gouging.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

The community college administrator dealing with COVID-19 disruption at work and at home

Mar 18, 2020
The disruption of education over the past few weeks affects every member of Derrick Lindstrom's family.
Caroline Yang

More and more people are being laid off. How far might unemployment go?

Mar 18, 2020
As unemployment climbs, it gets harder for the economy to come back.
Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Stimulus without debt?

Mar 18, 2020
If policymakers are too preoccupied with debt to provide the country the stimulus it needs, some economists say: Do it without debt.
Can the government just print more money to stimulate the economy?
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

West Texas oil patch girds for bust as crude price craters toward $20 a barrel

Mar 18, 2020
The Permian Basin region, anchored by the towns of Midland and Odessa, has survived past shakeouts, but some think this could resemble the crash of the 1980s.
A crude oil pipeline in Texas.
Joe Raedle/Newsmakers

For public good, not for profit.

When home becomes office, day care and school all at once

Mar 18, 2020
Kids, spouses and roommates are adding stress to unconventional work arrangements.
Designating time for each parent to work or watch the kids could help while working from home.
Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

Some must go to work, as others work remotely to avoid COVID-19 exposure

Mar 18, 2020
Firefighters, health workers, paramedics, sanitation workers and others still need to go out to do their jobs.
Essential jobs, like sanitation services and firefighters, can't be done from home.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

Trump invokes Defense Production Act in response to COVID-19

Mar 18, 2020
The move allows the federal government to order companies to make critical medical supplies like ventilators and masks.
The U.S. Defense Production Act will help in the manufacturing of ventilators. Above, new ventilators are prepared at the Columbus Covid2 Hospital in Rome on Monday.
Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images