A new COVID-19 variant is emerging as President Biden faces growing pressure to push for an emergency intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines. In a letter to Biden, 15 human rights and medical groups called the waiver “a moral imperative” that would help get more doses of the vaccine to low-income countries.  We also look at what Small Business Saturday means for local retailers this year, and how supply chain shortages might actually work in their favor. Plus: how a South African mall is navigating the return to in-person shopping, and why some Americans are opting out of the consumer frenzy — and not just for the holidays.