Latest from Rose Conlon

• May 17, 2022

  Sri Lanka has officially run out of fuel

  

  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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• May 16, 2022

  The labor shortage from the perspective of nursing

  

  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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• May 16, 2022

  Solar panels’ origin story could dim prospects for industry, U.S. projects

  

  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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• May 16, 2022

  China unemployment rate near pandemic peak

  

  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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• May 13, 2022

  Elon Musk casts doubt on his acquisition of Twitter – through tweets

  

  Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that his purchase of Twitter is “temporarily on hold” as he works to acquire more information on spam and fake accounts on the platform. The claim has been met with some skepticism. We have the second part of our chat with Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal about his discussion with Fed chair Jerome Powell. The U.S. and its allies are talking about ways to stabilize oil prices. One idea comes from Italy’s prime minister, who suggested banding together against oil producers. The gambling industry has recovered to the point where its putting up pre-pandemic numbers.

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• May 13, 2022

  Add stablecoin instability to the stack of cryptocurrency troubles

  

  A bank run. Panic selling. These are some of the not-so-enviable descriptions of what’s going on right now in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin looks set for a record seventh week of losses, and so-called stablecoins have shown weakness. What’s going on? Also, we hear the first part of our discussion with Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal about his sit-down interview with Fed chair Jerome Powell.

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• May 13, 2022

  How many jobs has the war in Ukraine cost?

  

  Ukraine’s former economy minister gives us a sense of the job losses the war has caused, and on the rebuilding plans already in progress. Also, the dollar shortage causing a crunch for Kenyan businesses.

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• May 12, 2022

  Despite new faces, diversity appears elusive to other parts of the Fed system

  

  The Senate confirmed Philip Jefferson this week as just the fourth Black man to serve as a Federal Reserve governor in Washington. He joins Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor. However, a new report shows that the pace of diversity has been slower at the 12 regional Fed banks. We speak with the BBC’s Victoria Craig about London vying for position at the top of the cryptocurrency world.

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• May 12, 2022

  The unionization bug bites Congress

  

  Staffers in the House of Representatives are going be allowed to unionize for the first time, following a vote narrowly passed by Democrats. Long hours and low pay are at the crux of the unionization efforts, and there are hopes that unionization could slow down constant turnover. The House has also passed a bill that sets up new benefits for federal firefighters. We look into how the closing of a Piggly Wiggly store in Nashville illustrates the impact of local store closures in a community.

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• May 12, 2022

  Is now the time for more crypto regulation? The U.K. says yes.

  

  From the BBC World Service: A bout of volatility in crypto assets has sparked renewed conversations about whether and how better regulations can be written for the industry. Plus, Softbank shares plunge after “eye watering” quarterly loss. And, Google adds 24 new languages to its Google Translate app. 

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