Marketplace All-in-One

Last week, Tinder rolled out a new feature that will allow users to pay $2.50 to check if matches have certain types of criminal records associated with a sex offender registry, arrests or convictions for “violent or harmful behavior.” The company partnered with public record aggregator Garbo to help users make more informed choices about who they interact with online. But some experts are concerned that use of this specific data may not be the best way to improve user safety. Sarah Lageson, an associate professor at Rutgers University-Newark School of Criminal Justice shared her concerns with Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace Tech.

With everything else going on in the world, it can start to feel like the pandemic is pretty much over. But for What’d We Miss Monday, our hosts highlight new data that suggests COVID-19 could be back on the rise. We’ll have more on that, plus what kind of an announcement we can expect from the Federal Reserve this week. There are also updates on NASA’s latest mission, how the battle over the 2020 election altered local election offices around the country, and what we can learn from key moments throughout the pandemic. Finally, we’ll share a couple of Make Me Smiles from our audience to brighten up the day!

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Make Me Smart.

China’s omicron surge is small by American standards. But the same zero-COVID policy that allowed its factories to churn out goods during the pandemic is now slowing down electronics manufacturing and restricting activity in major cities. We’ll bring you the view on the ground in Shanghai. Plus: Advocates say the U.S. should do more for Ukrainian refugees, in-person shopping gets a lift as mask mandates fall away and new demand for aluminum cans is leaving craft brewers behind.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace.

Ukraine and Russia account for nearly a third of all global wheat exports. And as you might expect, wheat prices have been soaring thanks to Russia’s war in Ukraine. So what can be done to increase supplies and tamp down prices? From the BBC, China is dealing with some new threats on the COVID front, and its markets are acting accordingly. We also check in on Maine, where there’s concern that vast fields of solar panels are going to take up too much space for farmland.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace Morning Report. 

This week, we’ll hear from the Federal Reserve about its plans for interest rates. After a two-day meeting, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will have a press conference Wednesday. The Fed is expected to raise interest rates, and it’s a decision that affects everyone. As financial markets react to the Russia-Ukraine war, they also tell us things about economic and geopolitical risk. From the BBC, we hear about a Ukrainian-born, award-winning chef who has transformed her East London kitchen into an aid center to help family and friends in Ukraine.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace Morning Report. 

From the BBC World Service: Statistics suggest that the number of COVID-19 cases so far this year in China exceed the total number reported for 2021. But it’s not just the pandemic that’s worrying markets. Plus, America’s largest natural gas producer believes the U.S. can play a much bigger role in providing global energy security. And, for Ukrainians living abroad, fundraising and sending aid to their loved ones in a war zone isn’t easy.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace Morning Report. 

Cryptocurrency miners have been flocking to upstate New York for several years, lured by inexpensive electricity, of which crypto mining requires lot. This move has brought a potential influx of jobs and economic activity but also has environmental impacts. As we hear, the industry is getting a mixed reception from locals.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support “Marketplace Tech.”

Kimberly Adams is officially a co-host, and it’s only right we pour a glass and celebrate with some Economics on Tap! First, we discuss businesses joining the political battle against anti-LGBTQ moves in Florida and Texas. But is it too little too late? Then, Stoli Vodka sets the record straight. And, it wouldn’t be Friday if we didn’t end the show with a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

This week, we’ve got a special edition of the Make Me Smart question: What is something you thought you knew that you later found out you were wrong about regarding the pandemic? Send your answers or anything else on that’s on your mind at [email protected]! Or leave us a voicemail at 508-UB-SMART (508-827-6278)!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Make Me Smart.

The stock market is often used as a predictor of risk — financial, sure, but also geopolitical and global. The major indexes closed out a volatile week down slightly, but not far from where they were two weeks ago. What to make of that? We asked some experts. Also on today’s program: War complicates the Federal Reserve’s moves on inflation, and crypto miners seek cheap energy in upstate New York. 

Interest rates are making headlines in Europe, as the European Central Bank announced this week that it’s going to keep rates steady for now – but is prepared to move them higher. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates next week. Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer and the BBC’s Victoria Craig team up for a discussion about the approaches of both central banks. The people overseeing fracking operations are running into shortages on all fronts.

Keep independent journalism going strong. Give today to support Marketplace Morning Report.