Posted by Chau Tu

For Marketplace, Friday, March 18, 2011

The Group of Seven nations has intervened in currency markets to curb the rise of the yen and aid the Japanese economy. Because of the disrupted supply chain in Japan, GM has closed its Louisiana plant and diverted its parts to others. Rob Schmitz reported from Sendai on a taxi business trying to cope with the crisis and recovery.

The South by Southwest continues on in Austin, Texas, and we heard a story on how some festivalgoers are forgoing hotels and renting people’s couches instead. Microsoft takes down a big spammer. And Kai spoke to University of Vermont’s Gregory Gause about how the Sunni-Shiite split is feeding into economic and political unrest in Bahrain. And here are the songs we played:

• Old Flame – Arcade Fire

• Drifter – Wild NothingBuy

• Quantock – BibioBuy

• Mabruk – Bustan AbrahamBuy

• Cassettesingle – Fujiya and MiyagiBuy

• So Begins Our Alabee – Of MontrealBuy