Clothing sales fell by 79 percent in the U.S. in April, the largest slump on record. Our reporter spent months looking at the story of the collapse of the fashion industry, through the lens of the sudden popularity of sweatpants. Overproduction, a disconnect from consumers’ wants and untenable terms between designers and retailers led the industry to the brink, and then Covid-19 pushed it further. North Korea: A former South Korean soldier and prisoner of war in North Korea scored a landmark legal victory when a Seoul court ordered the North to pay him damages for forcing him to work in coal mines. He may never see a penny of the $17,600, but the verdict set a precedent for thousands of others like him.

Source: New York Times August 09, 2020 19:12 UTC