Marketplace All-in-One

AT&T and Verizon rolled out their expanded 5G services today. One listener wonders: What’s 5G anyway, and why do we need it? We’ll explain why it’s been a long time coming. Plus, our fill-in hosts answer more listener questions about wage theft, the Great Resignation and the climate implications of wood stoves versus electric space heaters. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What is C-band 5G? Verizon and AT&T are flipping on the switch in the US” from CNN ICYMI: Kai explains the issue with 5G and altimeters “Employers steal billions from workers’ paychecks each year: Survey data show millions of workers are paid less than the minimum wage, at significant cost to taxpayers and state economies” from the Economic Policy Institute “Fast-Food Workers Describe Harassment, Wage Theft During Pandemic” from Business Insider “US Labor Agencies Strike Deal to Share Enforcement Information” from Bloomberg Law “More quit jobs than ever, but most turnover is in low-wage work” from New York Times “The economy is still in pandemic shock. But some state governments are flush with cash” from The Washington Post “Cities Tap Federal Relief Aid to Reward Workers With Bonuses” from Bloomberg Got a question? Send us a voice memo. Or call us at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

Trump, tariffs and Brexit — it might sound like a throwback, but it’s the present for British steelmakers. President Joe Biden cut a tax on steel imported from European Union countries last year, but the United Kingdom was excluded. Though the U.S. and U.K. plan on discussing the tariff rift, the future of British steel remains uncertain. We also hear about the impact of rising mortgage rates, tackle why rising oil prices could be here to stay and chat about a new environmental transparency policy for publicly traded companies.

A lawsuit brought by the drugmaker Gilead alleges that a counterfeiting ring sold more than 80,000 bottles of fake and possibly unsafe HIV medications to pharmacies over the past two years, worth more than $250 million. Gilead said the bottles had falsified documentation and sometimes contained fake pills, and in some cases made patients sick. For more, we spoke with the Wall Street Journal’s Corrine Ramey, who broke this story Tuesday. Susan Schmidt discusses the potential rise of interest rates in our daily chat about the markets.

From the BBC World Service: Ukraine’s defense minister told the BBC he encourages Western governments to impose immediate sanctions on Moscow amid rising concerns of an invasion of his country. Plus: Shares of Sony plunge after Microsoft announces a big acquisition. And, how China’s Xingjang region hopes to benefit from the winter Olympic games.

President Biden pledged to battle climate change when he took office more than a year ago, and bills like the Build Back Better Act reflected that pledge. However, that same bill appears to be in limbo and highlights the administration’s gains and losses on the energy policy and climate front. A Bankrate survey has found that many Americans don’t feel they have the resources to cover a $1,000 emergency expense. Homebuilders are staying optimistic in the face of a hurricane of issues that range from supply shortages to rising mortgage rates.

Microsoft announced plans this week to buy game developer and publisher Activision Blizzard, known for games like World of Warcraft and Overwatch, for an all-cash deal worth almost $69 billion. Both companies are big players in the gaming market — Microsoft makes the Xbox — meaning the massive deal is likely to attract scrutiny from antitrust regulators, even as Activision Blizzard continues to face allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Dina Bass, Seattle bureau chief and technology reporter for Bloomberg News, to get a sense of Microsoft's strategy.

Communication is key in any relationship — including the one between health officials and the public. On today's show, a health literacy expert talks to us about how going “back to the communication basics” could aid the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s pandemic messaging. We’ll also hear about how omicron-induced lockdowns in China are affecting the global supply chain, why wireless carriers and airlines are still fighting over 5G and how U.S. Postal Service cuts could impact rural Americans.

On Make Me Smart, we often turn to economists, professors and policy wonks to make us smart about some big topics that need explaining. Today, we’re turning to a different kind of expert, sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson. His latest book, “Termination Shock,” is about climate change, geoengineering and what happens when a billionaire decides to take matters into his own hands. “I’m past trying to convince people that climate change is real. What I was more interested in was, for an audience that believes that climate change is real, what are some outcomes that we might see, in the near future, as different people in different countries begin to try to come to grips with that problem, because opinions differ as to what the right approach might be. And whenever you get differing opinions, you’ve got conflict, and whenever you’ve got conflict, you have the potential for a good story,” Stephenson said. We’ll talk with Stephenson about how he thinks about big, complex issues like climate change and what this genre can teach us about the future and solving problems in the real world. Speaking of the future, Stephenson, who coined the word “metaverse” in 1992, weighs in on all the hullaballoo over the metaverse today. In the News Fix, what’s behind all the news, or lack thereof, that we’re not getting from Tonga after this weekend’s volcano eruption. Also, you can get your free rapid COVID-19 test now. Then, a listener drops some facts on the James Webb Space Telescope and what a former Google researcher was really wrong about. Here’s everything we talked about today: ““Termination Shock,” by Neal Stephenson: An Excerpt” from The New York Times Neal Stephenson on “Termination Shock,” geoengineering, metaverse from CNBC “Neal Stephenson Thinks Greed Might Be the Thing That Saves Us” from The New York Times “Undersea cable fault could cut off Tonga from rest of the world for weeks” from Yahoo Finance “California surpasses 7 million coronavirus cases” from The Los Angeles Times U.S. stocks fall sharply as 10-year yield tops 1.80%, Goldman earnings disappoint from MarketWatch “Mum admits to being mystery Netflix user who’s watched Bee Movie 357 times in a YEAR” from The Sun

It’s not just “dry January” anymore. Sales of non-alcoholic beverages spiked 30% in the past year, according to Nielsen data. Leading the charge are younger people, who have not only become more health conscious at the start of the new year, but also more wary of cost. Julia Coronado discusses the markets with us today. The BBC reports on how geopolitics could be a factor in the rise in global oil prices.

From the BBC World Service: The crude oil price spike is tied to rising geopolitical risks, with concerns over a Russian invasion of Ukraine and supply disruptions in the United Arab Emirates after a deadly drone attack. Plus, at the virtual Davos summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping defended his common prosperity strategy. And, concerns over China’s influence at Sri Lanka’s new port city development.

The number of Americans filing paperwork to start businesses hit a record 5.4 million in 2021, up from the previous record of 4.4 million new business applications set in 2020. A study from LendingTree finds that a lot of those new entrepreneurs can be found in the South. We spoke with Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief credit analyst, about the study’s findings. Airlines are still wary of Verizon and AT&T’s launch of new 5G signals, as they offer fresh warnings about the signals’ effect on planes and equipment.

AT&T and Verizon are set to turn on their newest 5G technology Wednesday. Both companies purchased rights to more of the spectrum last year and have been ready to deploy it for months. But those plans have been on hold over concerns the expansion into that bandwidth could interfere with the tech on planes, specifically an aircraft’s altimeter, one of the tools that help planes land safely. To mitigate those concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration released a list of 50 airports that will have 5G buffer zones. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Joe Kane, director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation.

More than 1 billion people use the short-form video platform TikTok monthly, presenting a huge marketing opportunity for businesses. Take, for example, the language learning company Duolingo, which uses its big, green owl mascot in zany videos and has amassed a huge following in recent months. Today, we’ll chat with Duolingo’s social media coordinator about the authenticity and communication styles that attract a younger audience. Plus: A more-stressful-than-usual tax season ahead, the factors behind a dip in community college enrollment and why every celebrity seems to have a beauty brand these days.

In a picture of inflation, a food vendor in Los Angeles tells a tale of how the rising cost of onions has had ripple effects on her business and others like it. The advanced child tax credit checks have stopped coming for now, leaving many families who relied on it in a bind. The BBC reports on the resignation of the chairman of Credit Suisse, who apparently broke COVID protocols.

The evictions moratorium in New York expired over the weekend after a nearly two-year run during the pandemic. We look at its impact, and what tenants can still do. China’s economy grew last year, but some sectors within it are still struggling when it comes to sales, such as education and tourism. A report from Oxfam sounds the alarm on how the pandemic has greatly exacerbated the wealth disparity between the world’s billionaires and everyone else.

From the BBC World Service: While the Chinese economy grew more than 8% last year, it has seen a drop-off in demand, supply-chain issues and weakening economic expectations. Plus, the Credit Suisse chairman has resigned amid reports he twice broke COVID-19 quarantine rules. And, Paris is cleaning up its river water quality ahead of the 2024 Olympics.

Grab your drinks people. Economics on Tap is back (and we’re starting strong)! In our first Friday show of the new year, our hosts take a look at the anticipated response to a new rule that says private insurers will have to cover the cost of at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. With insurers not quite ready to implement the changes, we take a look at what you can do to get those costs covered when the rule goes into effect this weekend. Then, we’ll discuss the impact of a major settlement against the NFL. And as always, we’ll end the show with a another round of our favorite game, Half-Full/Half-Empty! Here’s everything we talked about on the show today: “Insurers Say Saturday Is Too Soon to Meet White House Goals on Rapid Tests” from The New York Times DC mandate will require proof of vaccination at bars, venues, Capital One Arena from The Washington Post “GOP lawmakers pressure DC to ditch indoor vaccine mandate despite Omicron wave” from Business Insider “‘We just slew the dragon’: Lawyers analyze St. Louis’ NFL settlement” from St. Louis Today “How long will it take to get my tax refund?” from The Washington Post “CES awards honor “femtech” solutions in women’s health” from Marketplace “Can inflation be a marketing opportunity?” from Marketplace “Fan sues Giants, Jets for $6 billion demanding both teams leave New Jersey and play home games in New York” from CBS Sports “Canadian border vaccine mandate might worsen trucker shortage” from Marketplace “We Have Come Full Circle On Novak Djokovic’s Visa” from Defector

Since July, more than 36 million households have received a few hundred dollars every month through the expanded child tax credit. Tomorrow, that won’t be the case. In this episode, we hear what the extra cash has given families and what it means to have it taken away. We also hear why consumer sentiment took a dive, why bank loans might be making a comeback and what testing positive for COVID-19 has cost one family.

The Canadian province of Quebec has seen the highest number of COVID deaths in the country, and as it gears up to reopen and lift a curfew, it’s about to impose a tax on people who haven’t gotten vaccinated. Officials say that’s probably the driving force behind a spike in vaccine appointments. The Biden administration is rolling out billions for bridge replacement and repair. We check in with some retailers to see if they’ve been able to keep up with demand as government data on retail sales emerges.

The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked an emergency order by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that large employers require employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly, but allowed a similar mandate for health care workers. Debbie Berkowitz, a former senior OSHA official who's currently a fellow at Georgetown University, joined us to discuss the rulings in more detail. Plus, car advertisements in France will eventually have to contain language that encourages people not to drive in an effort to address climate change. Can that even work?

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: “Omicron Hits U.S. Small Firms, With One-Third Posting Sales Drop” from Bloomberg “Supreme Court blocks Biden Covid vaccine mandate for businesses, allows health-care worker rule” from CNBC “Supreme Court Blocks Biden’s Virus Mandate for Large Employers” from The New York Times Massachusetts wastewater COVID update shows levels dropping from NBC Boston “Russia and the U.S. Face Off Over Ukraine” from The New York Times “U.S. is ‘fully prepared’ if Russia invades Ukraine, secretary of state says” from NPR “Oath Keepers leader, 10 others charged with ‘seditious conspiracy’ in Jan. 6 Capitol attack” from NBC News

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: Verizon and AT&T will delay 5G C-band upgrades for two more weeks from The Verge “Airlines are concerned 5G wireless service may affect the ability to land planes” from NPR “What the bond market can tell us about the pace of economic recovery” from Marketplace In NYC, employers now have to list salaries on job postings from The Lily “Why companies don’t post salaries in job adverts” from the BBC “Transparency Is Key To Removing The Gender Pay Gap” from Forbes If you have a question you’d like us to answer in a future episode, email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org 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.

Prices have gone up 7% in one year, which is the highest reading for the Consumer Price Index since 1982. That’s the backdrop for our markets discussion with Jeffrey Cleveland of Payden & Rygel. We check in on China, which has suspended dozens of flights coming from the U.S. because of COVID issues. The number might not sound high, but the impact on airlines and visitors from the U.S. is significant. With bigger banks doing away with overdraft fees, smaller community banks are analyzing if they can afford to do the same.

For the answer to that question, we turn to World Bank President David Malpass, who discusses some of the challenges facing the global economy as well as the possibility that growth will slow down in 2022. The Biden administration is set to offer millions of free COVID tests to schools around the country.

From the BBC World Service: While high inflation concerns are keeping policymakers up at night in many parts of the world, prices in China are rising, but a slower rate than expected. Plus, Quebec plans to impose a tax on people who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine. And, the English company that’s looking to use nuclear fusion to help generate cheaper, greener power.

The latest surge of COVID infections has hospitals crowded, short-staffed and, in some cases, rationing care. That means sometimes hospital clinicians have to go through a triage process to prioritize who gets care first, or at all. For example, a doctor may decide that a patient suffering respiratory failure should be admitted to the intensive-care unit over someone who seems to have minor injuries from a car accident. But that distinction, especially in a crisis, might not be so clear-cut. So medical research centers like Johns Hopkins and Stanford are studying how machine learning might help. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Dr. Ron Li, a clinical assistant professor at Stanford Medicine, where he’s medical informatics director for digital health and artificial intelligence clinical integration.

For the first deep dive of 2022, we’re going to space! OK, not really. But we’re talking about the most powerful space telescope ever. The James Webb Space Telescope cost $10 billion, a lot of tech went into developing it and we can’t stop obsessing over it. Neither can our guest. “I cannot contain my excitement. It’s been a wild roller coaster getting to this point. And to have this telescope now launched in space, it’s just so thrilling for astronomers everywhere,” said Caitlin Casey, professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, who will be leading the biggest project on the JWST. The telescope is expected to help researchers discover some of the most distant galaxies and study the atmosphere of planets outside our solar system to see if they’re habitable. On the show today: what the JWST tells us about the future of public and private investment in space exploration. Casey will also highlight the technological developments created by the JWST and its predecessor, Hubble, and how they’ve impacted industries from medical equipment to GPS technology. In the News Fix, some companies have stopped predicting when they’ll be back in the office. Plus, an in-depth investigation into the House and Senate members who enslaved Black people. Later, we’ll discuss why some people want to tone down our use of the term “deep dive” and an answer to the Make Me Smart Question from the 2011 Nobel Prize winner in physics. Here’s everything we talked about today: “James Webb Space Telescope Launches on Journey to See the Dawn of Starlight” from The New York Times Photo: the Hubble Deep Field  “Global Space Economy Rose to $447B in 2020, Continuing Five-Year Growth” from the Space Foundation “NASA splits human spaceflight unit in two, reflecting new orbital economy” from Reuters “Surging Covid-19 Puts an End to Projected Return-to-Office Dates” from The Wall Street Journal “Rivian shares decline on 2021 production and executive departure” from CNBC Who owned slaves in Congress? A list of 1,700 enslavers in Senate, House history from The Washington Post Lake Superior State University’s Banished Words of 2022 

If you’re a renter in need of a chuckle, just look at the consumer price index, which calculates rent inflation at just 3% for last year. The cost is rising much faster for many renters, and other data sources show the increase near 18%. Today, we’ll talk about this wide data disconnect and why how we measure housing inflation is so important. We’ll also hear about the business of tracking other businesses’ shipments and check in with a downtown Los Angeles cheesemonger and a certified public accountant in New York City.

We talk to senior economics contributor Chris Farrell about the world of the default option when it comes to personal finance and planning. What is it, and why is it such a popular choice? Susan Schmidt joins us for our chat about the markets. Vaccine mandates could disrupt truckers heading into Canada from the United States, which could further compound supply chain issues.

Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida announced his resignation Monday, much earlier than expected. Clarida resigns amid questions about stock trades he made in 2020. The past year saw a massive spike in ransomware-related cyberattacks. Large amounts of sensitive data were stolen from places ranging from school districts to health care providers, and then resold online. That includes the data of children. California remains a holdout for legalized sports gambling, and many groups are jostling for position to control that potentially lucrative scene.

From the BBC World Service: The United Nations is asking for $5 billion to help alleviate a worsening humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, with around half the population struggling to find enough to eat. Also, data show Heathrow Airport saw fewer travelers in 2021 than even during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

Sure, CES had the snazziest new wearables and fitness gear, but the show this year also debuted new advancements in what’s known as “femtech.” This is technology targeted at health issues affecting cisgender women, as well as some intersex and transgender people. It’s an area with historic underinvestment, but that may be changing. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Monique Mrazek, a senior global health tech industry specialist for the International Finance Corp., which is part of the World Bank Group. She asked Mrazek what femtech encompasses.

Happy (belated) 2022! We’ve returned from our holiday hiatus, and we’re discussing some of the big news stories of the past week or so, including how insurance companies are now going to be required to pay for some COVID tests. Plus, the pope makes a rare appearance in the News Fix, and our beloved former co-host has some smart things to say about schools and omicron. In the make me smile department, we’ll talk about the first Black woman to appear on the U.S. quarter and a video about the special dogs that got us through 2021. Here’s everything we talked about today: “U.S. insurers must cover 8 at-home tests per member each month” from The New York Times “Starbucks Union Wins Vote at Second Store, Labor Board Rules” from Bloomberg “The IRS is warning of a messy tax season.” from The New York Times Molly’s tweet about schools and omicron “‘This is a disaster.’: Severity of learning lost to the pandemic comes into focus” from Politico “Pope Scolds Couples Who Choose Pets Over Kids” from The New York Times The Maya Angelou quarter  Video: The dogs that got us through 2021 What’s making you smile so far in 2022? Let us know. Send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

… it’s because we have. As omicron surges nationwide, nearly a quarter of hospitals are critically short-staffed, according to federal data. That’s forcing hospitals to once again make tough calls, like limiting bed capacity, cutting elective surgeries or asking health care workers back — even if they’ve tested positive for COVID-19. We’ll also tackle the challenges of constructing housing that’s affordable and carbon neutral, take a look at why big bank investors are optimistic about fourth-quarter earnings and hear how a team of British researchers is hoping to harness the power of the sun.

We take a look at the relationship between mortgage rates and home prices. It can get a little complicated once inflation factors in. The Chinese city of Tianjin’s 14 million residents are going to undergo COVID testing after more than 40 cases popped up there over the weekend. The BBC reports on how people in rural Spain are campaigning for more investment and better infrastructure.

The pandemic has led to a heavy reliance on traveling nurses, whose pay has increased to thousands more than what staff nurses generally make. This begs the question for those nurses: Why stay? The Biden administration is trying to get more COVID relief money to small businesses in disadvantaged communities. The IRS wants apps like Venmo to start reporting businesses transactions totaling more than $600, which adds a wrinkle to the money logistics of many people who have gone into business for themselves.

From the BBC World Service: That’s more than half of all employees at New Oriental, one of China’s biggest private-tutoring companies. It comes after Beijing implemented stricter rules on private education sector last summer as it tightens regulation in various industries. Plus, the Philippines is the latest Asian country to appeal to Indonesia to lift its ban on coal exports. And, people in rural Spain are campaigning for more investment and better infrastructure.

The Consumer Electronics Show just wrapped in Las Vegas. This year, it was a hybrid conference due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. Some attended in-person exhibits and talks, while others tuned in remotely. One of the remote attendees this year was Brian Cooley, an editor at large for CNET. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams checked in with him about what new tech is getting all the buzz, and what it’s like attending the biggest tech show on Earth from home.

Unemployment fell in December close to a pre-pandemic low. But the economy added far fewer jobs than economists expected. So what gives? It has to do with the two different surveys that make up the monthly jobs report and how they define “employment.” Plus: App-based payments come out from “under the table,” higher fees come for second homes and people shift how they do their ‘dos in the pandemic.

Takeout has become a huge part of life in the pandemic era, and restaurants have leaned into to-go alcohol as a big part of their business. New York is moving toward making to-go alcohol a permanent thing. Julia Coronado joins us to discuss the release of the latest jobs data, part of which shows a somewhat underwhelming December. In an effort to turn things around, GameStop is about to explore the space of cryptocurrency and NFTs.

It’a another jobs report day today, and one thing that’s shown itself to be constant no matter what the data says is that demand for workers remains high. There’s a record-setting number of job openings and a desire for people to fill them. While inflation has been seen as a kind of economic dark cloud by many, others see some marketing possibilities. The BBC reports on how steel companies in the U.K. are handling U.S. import tariffs.

From the BBC World Service: A large coalition of investment firms is calling on the world’s biggest COVID vaccine makers to improve global jab distribution. Plus, though the fuel price cap has been reimposed in Kazakhstan, life in the commercial capital of Almaty is getting increasingly difficult. And, how British steel companies are dealing with the ongoing impact of U.S. import tariffs.