Marketplace All-in-One

From the BBC World Service: German chancellor Olaf Scholz says his country’s history showed it’s possible to rebuild after a devastating war. In 1948, the Marshall Plan helped West Germany get back on its feet after World War II. Plus, the Czech Republic is the latest European country to ban Russian citizens who want to visit for tourism, culture or sport. And, the world’s biggest flower show, the Floriade, fails to blossom in the Netherlands.

Since the 2020 election, there’s been a lot of attention on, misinformation about and lawsuits over the technology many jurisdictions use in voting. It’s rare for a voting system in the U.S. to be “paperless.” Typically, these systems use a combination of high-tech and low-tech, like a voting machine that prints out a paper ballot with your electronic choices. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently discussed the shift away from paperless systems with Lawrence Norden, senior director of the Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit law and policy institute.

It’s a tough day to be reading the news. We’ll discuss the consequences of Kanye West’s antisemitic hate speech, including racist protests in Los Angeles and reactions from some of his corporate partners. We’ll also talk about a personal connection to today’s school shooting in St. Louis. Then, we’ll try to pivot to a Make Me Smile with a not-so-friendly neighborhood clown and a data dive into bugs on your windshield. And Kimberly reveals an unplanned answer to the Make Me Smart question (what is something you thought you knew and later found out you were wrong about?).

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you’ve got a question for the hosts or your own answer to the Make Me Smart question, call 508-U-B-SMART and leave us a voicemail. You can email [email protected].

The Fed’s interest rate hikes continue to be felt across the economy. First, we’ll hear how those higher rates are luring investors away from tech companies, then we’ll see how decades-high mortgage rates are stretching the time houses remain on the market. Also on the program: Medicare recipients foot the bill for a rejected Alzheimer’s drug, and artificial intelligence rocks the digital art world.

It’s Rishi Sunak, who will be the U.K.’s third leader in seven weeks. Julia Coronado of MacroPolicy Perspectives kicks off the week with a look into the markets. The BBC reports on the state of China’s GDP. Then, Erik Gordon of the University of Michigan discusses Pfizer’s plan to crank up the price of its COVID vaccine.

First, the IRS is allowing for bigger contributions to your retirement account. The U.S. might restrict China’s tech access even more. Given that many people are celebrating “Sober October,” we look into the resurgence of the non-alcoholic drink industry.

From the BBC World Service: Britain’s former finance minister, Rishi Sunak, is now the firm favorite to become leader of the U.K. after former prime minister Boris Johnson pulled out of the race. Plus, sharp declines in Chinese stocks after weaker economic data and changes in China’s political leadership. And, life in Ukraine under power restrictions.

Elon Musk’s business dealings come with some pretty important international implications. And officials in the U.S. are wondering if those deals should be subject to review for national security concerns. We’ll discuss. Plus, a huge research gap in the medical field negatively impacts about half the world. We’ll talk about some of the repercussions of the lack of medical study on the clitoris. And, a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you’ve got a question for the hosts, leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART. You can also send an email to [email protected]

Last spring, the worst wildfire in New Mexico’s history grew from prescribed burns lit by the U.S. Forest Service. It cost the federal government billions and devastated hundreds of homes and businesses. Now, liability concerns are making the Forest Service more cautious about using the wildfire prevention tool — just as experts say it’s needed most. Plus, persistent global recession fears and the intentional dryness of earnings calls.

First, the Biden student loan forgiveness plan passes a couple of legal tests. Then, Chris Low of FHN Financial offers up market insight. The BBC looks at how inflation has affected preparations for Diwali.