Marketplace All-in-One

From the BBC World Service: The cyberattacks hit the websites of the Ukrainian foreign, energy and education ministries. Authorities say nearly 60 attacks on state systems were thwarted last month alone. Plus, French electricity provider EDF will have to sell more power generated from its nuclear plants to competitors at cheaper prices as the government seeks to limit the rise in household energy costs. And, the young Indian artists making money from NFTs.

A U.S. District Court handed Lina Khan, the head of the Federal Trade Commission, a win this week. The judge gave the go-ahead for the FTC to continue its antitrust suit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, alleging that the company pursued an illegal “buy-or-bury scheme” to root out competitors. The court shot down the agency’s initial complaint in June, after the judge said the FTC failed to sufficiently define the social media market and the company’s share of it. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Matt Stoller, director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project.

It’s our first Hollowed Out Shell of a Thursday of 2022. Let’s dive in. Today we talk about how small business has fared during this wave of the coronavirus omicron variant. We also discuss the Supreme Court’s response to President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers and what it means. Plus, an update on the situation at the Ukraine-Russia border and new charges against some of the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters. And some fishy Make Me Smiles. Stay tuned to the end because Kai finally gives us his most played songs of 2021.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show:

In December, employment prospects improved for every race and gender group — except Black women, for whom the jobless rate increased from 4.9% to 6.2%. Today, we look at how racism and segregation shaped the economic trajectory of women of color and how COVID could continue to hold them back. We’ll also hear how omicron is hampering trash collection, discuss why the outlook for initial public stock offerings is souring and explore the potential (and definition) of Web3.

More than half of Americans are extremely worried about the direction of the country, according to the latest Mood of the Nation poll by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State in collaboration with APM Research Lab. We discuss the findings with Eric Plutzer, a political science professor at Penn State and director of polling at the McCourtney Institute. Oil well drilling has picked up in the Permian Basin in Texas, but filling jobs for oil field work has proven to be a challenge. Medicare is challenging the FDA’s approval of Aduhelm, an Alzheimer’s drug.

Huge backlogs and outdated technology are just some of the obstacles bogging down the IRS as it enters another tax season, so it’s urging taxpayers to prepare as much as possible ahead of time – and to be ready to wait. Lael Brainard, the nominee for vice chair of the Federal Reserve, is ready for her confirmation hearing today. What questions could she face? There are now companies that specialize in providing clarity and intel on supply chains.

From the BBC World Service: Fed up with inconsistency around COVID rules, French teachers stage the biggest education strike in decades. Plus: Indonesia resumes thermal-coal exports, and a look at how people in Sri Lanka are dealing with an economic crisis pushing up the cost of food and fuel.

Take-Two Interactive, publisher of big franchise video games like Grand Theft Auto and NBA 2K, announced its plans this week to buy Zynga, a mobile game developer known for Words With Friends, and to take you back a bit, “FarmVille.” The deal is reportedly worth $12.7 billion and demonstrates the future of gaming is more than powerful PCs. This is a topic for our “Quality Assurance” series, where we take a second look at a big tech story. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Jay Peters, a news writer at The Verge covering this story.

Verizon and AT&T hoped to expand their 5G networks this week, but safety concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration have pushed that rollout back. We answer a listener question about how real those concerns are. Plus, answers to your questions about bonds, the difference between the Dow and the Nasdaq, and job listings that are hiding some important information!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

If you have a question you’d like us to answer in a future episode, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278 or 508-U-B-SMART.

The consumer price index clocked year-over-year inflation at 7% on Wednesday, the fastest pace since 1982. But month-over-month numbers and other factors point to a deceleration that could give consumers some relief. On today’s show, we do the numbers on inflation and wages. Plus, we visit new nuclear plants, contemplate a career pivot and trace the debate over alimony.