Good evening.

China is opening up key industries. Beijing will ease regulations, offer tax incentives, and back corporate bonds to lower costs for private companies in industries ranging from oil and gas to telecommunications.Bloomberg

Boeing lands its wayward rocket. After the Starliner spacecraft missed its target orbit, Boeing made the most of the trip by running as many tests as it could, including a soft touch down in the deserts of New Mexico.TechCrunch

YouTuber boxing matches are gaining traction. In the race to do literally anything to monetize your attention, promoters have organized amateur boxing bouts between YouTube streamers and seen early success.The Verge

The bestselling books of the decade have a muddled message about women. Each of the top 10 centers on women who suffer—but also take on active roles pursuing sexual desires, resisting repression, and going on adventures as action heroes.Quartz

It’s time for opera to get the feminist reboot it deserves. Opera is often recognized for its “princess stories” with female characters as either aggressive villains or passive heroines, but it may be time for fresh versions of female strength.Quartz

The third annual Quartz Casties are here. We've lovingly compiled an admittedly idiosyncratic list of our favorite things in the world of podcasts in 2019. We hope it helps you discover shows, episodes, seasons, and series you missed but would enjoy.Quartz

Dogs, unlike humans, can't mask their vulnerabilities. Reporter Sarah Todd adopted a dog this year that gets sad and lonely and anxious—but still knows she's worthy of love.Quartz

Two years into Trump’s tax cut, the results are not promising. Although the economy briefly boomed, growth has slowed, the deficit is soaring, tax relief mostly went to the wealthy, and many of the companies that benefited most pocketed their windfall.Quartz

The world’s third most livable city is choking on toxic smoke. As Australia contends with giant fires, dry conditions, and record-breaking temperatures, hundreds of homes have been destroyed and at least eight people have been killed.Quartz

Our understanding of emotion may vary based on the language we speak. For example: Persian speakers use one word to describe both grief and regret, while Sirkhi speakers have one word to express grief and anxiety, suggesting that they have different associations with grief.Quartz

The flu season is worse this holiday season than last year in the US. Already, the country has seen 3.7 million cases and 1,900 deaths. Officials blame an unusually early "B" virus strain, which typically doesn't hit until the end of spring.Quartz

Trade spats, sparkling water, and the end of breakfast menace milk. It's far too simplistic to blame plant-based alternatives for the dairy industry's decline. (In fact, dairy's doing fine: As whole milk sales have fallen, cheese and yogurt revenues have shot up.)Quartz

Election advertising is moving online fast. In the UK, politicians' spending on digital ads soared from less than 2% in 2014 to 43% in 2017. See the swing to online political ads in three charts.Quartz

Shop without Amazon. There are plenty of reasons you might want to boycott Bezos's company, from its ill-treatment of workers to its habit of ripping off competitors' products. If you're willing to forgo the behemoth's free, fast shipping, we have a guide to making it work.Quartz

Leave DNA testing kits off your list. Both AncestryDNA and 23andMe have launched promotional holiday sales, but before you gift them to your loved ones, consider their shaky science, sketchy privacy policies, and the possibility that you may uncover secrets best left alone.Quartz

Put your phone(s) away... And your tablet, computer, and TV. It’s a great time to “be present” and maybe even start your new years’ resolutions without distractions.Quartz

...But if you can't do that, these are the best gadgets of 2019. There wasn't a lot that took us entirely by surprise this year, but many of our favorites made the cut for simply notching significant improvements over previous iterations.Quartz

Women go further when men own chores. Instead of asking women to delegate—which still requires them to mentally keep track of everything that must be done at home—men should take charge of their share of household work and let their partners forget about it.Quartz

The iconic basketball shoe line made $1 billion in the last quarter. Jordan—which has branched out into shoes and apparel for running, baseball, football, and even golf—reported that it's finding new customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.Quartz

There are 300 million single-person households worldwide. Living alone offers many unprecedented freedom and autonomy. But dying alone is an emotional and economic nightmare that has birthed an entire industry of professionals who deal with the messy aftermath of "lonely deaths."Quartz

Impeachment shows what makes America great. The process is a victory for the rule of law and the checks and balances in the US constitution. Its dullness is the point: Justice moves slowly, deliberately, and without weapons other than words.Quartz

Sitting all day is bad for you. But taking a few small steps—like getting a standing desk, going out for lunch, and scheduling a walking meeting—can ward off the worst effects at work.Quartz