Marketplace All-in-One

If the world is going to find solutions to its toughest problems, it’s going to need a new infrastructure that fosters cooperation among nations. That’s the argument made by Ian Bremmer, president of political-risk consultancy Eurasia Group, in his new book “The Power of Crisis.” We look into the driving forces behind consumer spending in the face of inflation and economic uncertainty.

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From the BBC World Service: Sri Lanka is now a country with an empty tank, as the worst economic crisis in its independent history continues to spiral. Also, what the White House’s shift in approach to Cuba could mean for the island’s economy, and we hear memories of McDonald’s in Moscow as the golden arches get set to be packed up for good in Russia.

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Last week, we got a stark reminder of the volatility of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin plummeted to its lowest value in 16 months. This time, the source of the cascade of selling came from an unexpected quarter. The market crashed after investors fled a type of crypto called stablecoins, whose worth is pegged to a traditional currency, like the U.S. dollar. Last week, that kinda fell apart. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Emily Nicolle, a crypto blogger for Bloomberg, about how stablecoins work.

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This Monday, we talk about the racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, over the weekend. It’s devastated the town’s predominantly Black community in multiple ways, including its central food supply. As the nation processes the tragedy, it’s critical to call it what is: a white supremacist act. We also discuss the baby formula shortage and the consequences of a Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance laws.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

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Have a question or comment about something you heard on the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, the Joe Biden administration released a plan to tackle the shortage of starter homes. The move incentivizes high-density housing and manufactured or mobile homes. But there’s a hurdle for lower-cost housing developments: the communities that don’t want them there. Also on the program: looking at a new tool for mapping wildfire risks, grappling with higher utility bills and trading in a gig at Home Depot for one in a glassmaking studio.

The shortage of nurses in hospitals and other healthcare facilities is affecting care across the country, and providers have tried plugging the gaps. We spoke to Deborah Burger, president of National Nurses United, the largest nursing union in the country, about the issues that contribute to the current nursing environment. Online delivery could provide help to areas that don’t have easier access to groceries with fresh food, but there are still some obstacles to consider. The BBC checks in on China’s economy (the world’s second largest) as there are growing COVID-19 lockdowns and a rising jobless rate.

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The Department of Commerce is investigating whether solar panels imported from Southeast Asia are really coming from China, and if so, should be subject to tariffs. Trade groups say the investigation casts a shadow on the industry and is also slowing down progress on certain projects. The labor shortage has affected Walmart to the point where the retail giant has launched a program to find store managers, hoping to entice college grads with the chance at eventual six-figure salaries. This year’s Memorial Day sales could provide a glimpse into how both retailers and consumers view inflation.

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From the BBC World Service: China’s jobless rate rose to the highest level since the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. It comes as widening lockdowns led to a sharp slowdown in activity for the world’s second largest economy. Also, Switzerland votes to force global streaming giants to pay towards making more Swiss content. And the impact India’s new ban on wheat exports could have on global prices.

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Apple says it will stop making its iconic iPod this year, after a more than two-decade run. When it first came out, the iPod was a sleek alternative to bulky CD or cassette players. And the “touch circle” feature below the two-toned screen felt like a revolution. Over the years, the iPod got even smaller: no screen, just a clip and some buttons on the cute, little iPod Shuffle. By the time the last iPod Touch model came out three years ago, the iPod looked more like the other innovation it inspired, the iPhone. It got us thinking about how the device changed mobile tech. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Patrick McCray, who teaches about the history of technology and science at University of California, Santa Barbara. He says it was the iPod’s size that was groundbreaking.

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For today’s Economics on Tap, we talk about a sneaky way campaigns are communicating with super PACS. Coordination between these big-time political action committees and campaigns is illegal, but a new practice called redboxing seems like a loophole. We’ll talk about it. Plus, we discuss the debate about facial recognition technology and follow up on a conversation we had yesterday about the news on sudden infant death syndrome. Before we leave, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty, featuring a piece of portable music history.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Tell us what you think about today’s show. Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

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