Marketplace All-in-One

When buying apps or making in-app purchases, you’re pretty much limited to either Apple or Google’s systems, and those companies are paid a commission of up to 30% on your purchase. South Korea this week passed a law that will force them to allow alternative payment systems — ending commissions when developers sell things directly. It comes as Apple and Google are under pressure from antitrust regulators around the world. Marketplace’s Jed Kim speaks with Nick Statt, a reporter at Protocol, who says South Korea’s law is a big deal for developers.

We know everyone is talking about Texas’s new restrictive abortion law. We’re saving our in-depth conversation about that for Tuesday, when we’ll dive into the economic story behind reproductive rights. Today, we’re talking about other stories that have our shells feeling pretty hollowed out, including the flooding from Hurricane Ida. Can this be a George Floyd moment for climate change? Plus, a bunch of billionaires are paying up. And a plethora of make-you-smile moments — from a swimming rat living his best life in flood waters to ABBA!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Read the transcript here.

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The devastation inflicted on parts of the East Coast by the remnants of Hurricane Ida tells us that climate change is well and truly here — and that much of America’s housing stock is nowhere near up to weathering its effects. Also on today’s show: In the aftermath of OnlyFans’ reversal of its decision to ban sexually explicit content, sex workers and their allies are continuing to protest what they consider business discrimination against legal sex work. And we’ll hear about fierce competition for the stock ticker MEME (among others).

Diane Swonk is today’s guest for our discussion about jobless claims, employment data and the terrible timing of Hurricane Ida. The CDC urges unvaccinated people to not travel on Labor Day, but that’s unlikely to change their minds, according to experts. We also check in on a special art class that educates children of color about NFTs.

From the BBC World Service: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Mr. Kerry that Beijing won’t divorce talks about carbon reduction from other issues such as sanctions and tariffs. Plus, Zambia’s commodities, including copper, could be key in global electric vehicle production. And, could recent turmoil threaten Afghanistan’s exports of saffron, the world’s most expensive spice?

Journalist Joe Keohane’s book, “The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World,” examines the advantages of connecting with people we don’t know. David Brancaccio connects with him for a discussion. Also, Nancy Marshall-Genzer shares of details about Hurricane Ida’s path of destruction as it makes its way through New York and New Jersey, and what the potential damage cost could be in Louisiana.

Schools across the country are opening their doors to students again. Many have remote options for those who need it. But a handful of states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, have largely banned remote learning, saying it’s just not effective enough. But as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, more kids may need to quarantine at home — and without remote options, they could miss weeks of school. Marketplace’s Jed Kim speaks with Michael Horn, the founder of the think tank Clayton Christensen Institute. Horn says many school districts face a lot of uncertainty.

Soon, all Americans will be eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot. One of our listeners is wondering whether getting her booster means taking one from somebody in a developing country. We’ll explain why the vaccine supply chain makes that unlikely. Plus, we’ll check in on Kai’s January 2021 prediction about the 10-year Treasury note and answer a couple of questions about recycling and meal kits.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Read the transcript here.

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In anticipation of the holiday season, Walmart plans to hire 20,000 distribution and fulfillment center workers. Getting to that number might be a long shot. According to a recent survey of major retailers by the consulting firm Korn Ferry, 97% said they were having “moderate” or “significant” challenges hiring such workers. Also on today’s show: Could the loss of power on the Gulf Coast have been prevented? And we’ll hear from a Pakistan-based macroeconomist about how the Taliban might run the Afghan economy.

Downriver Rookie was a sports-card store in Michigan that evokes an age long ago when trading cards were an item of pure fun. The store is gone now, but the memories remain for one of our listeners, who shares them with us. We also delve into the decline of auto sales. Susan Schmidt joins us as our guest to talk about ADP research data, and what it shows about the jobs added in August.