Last week, we got a stark reminder of the volatility of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin plummeted to its lowest value in 16 months. This time, the source of the cascade of selling came from an unexpected quarter. The market crashed after investors fled a type of crypto called stablecoins, whose worth is pegged to a traditional currency, like the U.S. dollar. Last week, that kinda fell apart. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Emily Nicolle, a crypto blogger for Bloomberg, about how stablecoins work.

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This Monday, we talk about the racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, over the weekend. It’s devastated the town’s predominantly Black community in multiple ways, including its central food supply. As the nation processes the tragedy, it’s critical to call it what is: a white supremacist act. We also discuss the baby formula shortage and the consequences of a Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance laws.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• Baby formula production is still several weeks out from Heather Long on Twitter
• One key chart on the baby formula shortage from Emily Peck on Twitter
• Third round of free COVID-19 test kits are available
• “Nearly half of Republicans agree with ‘great replacement theory’” from The Washington Post
• “It’s time to call white supremacy by its name” from Andscape
• “Court sides with Ted Cruz and strikes down campaign-finance restriction along ideological lines” from SCOTUSblog
• “The Supreme Court Makes Ted Cruz A Half-Million Dollars Richer” from HuffPost

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Have a question or comment about something you heard on the show? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

Today, the Joe Biden administration released a plan to tackle the shortage of starter homes. The move incentivizes high-density housing and manufactured or mobile homes. But there’s a hurdle for lower-cost housing developments: the communities that don’t want them there. Also on the program: looking at a new tool for mapping wildfire risks, grappling with higher utility bills and trading in a gig at Home Depot for one in a glassmaking studio.

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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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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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.

Apple says it will stop making its iconic iPod this year, after a more than two-decade run. When it first came out, the iPod was a sleek alternative to bulky CD or cassette players. And the “touch circle” feature below the two-toned screen felt like a revolution. Over the years, the iPod got even smaller: no screen, just a clip and some buttons on the cute, little iPod Shuffle. By the time the last iPod Touch model came out three years ago, the iPod looked more like the other innovation it inspired, the iPhone. It got us thinking about how the device changed mobile tech. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Patrick McCray, who teaches about the history of technology and science at University of California, Santa Barbara. He says it was the iPod’s size that was groundbreaking.

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For today’s Economics on Tap, we talk about a sneaky way campaigns are communicating with super PACS. Coordination between these big-time political action committees and campaigns is illegal, but a new practice called redboxing seems like a loophole. We’ll talk about it. Plus, we discuss the debate about facial recognition technology and follow up on a conversation we had yesterday about the news on sudden infant death syndrome. Before we leave, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty, featuring a piece of portable music history.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Voters Need to Know What ‘Redboxing’ Is and How It Undermines Democracy” from Campaign Legal Center
• “Enzyme in babies’ blood linked to risk of sudden infant death syndrome” from The Guardian
• “U.S. cities are backing off banning facial recognition as crime rises” from Reuters
• “Why Fed might not be too upset when stocks fall” from Marketplace
• “Facebook reportedly already running out of money for Metaverse” from Futurism
• “Has collective bargaining come to Congress?” from Marketplace
• “End of an Era: Apple Discontinues Its Last iPod Model” from Bloomberg
• “Heinz working on paper ketchup bottle” from Axios

Tell us what you think about today’s show. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

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We’ve got Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, on the show today to hash out President Joe Biden’s remarks on the economy this week, the past year or so in government relief and who’s ultimately responsible for driving inflation. Before that, we’ll do some postgame analysis of our exclusive interview with Fed Chair Jerome Powell. We’ll also catch you up on the crypto crash and the baby formula shortage.

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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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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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From the BBC World Service: 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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Google hosted its annual developers conference this week, which it calls Google I/O. And for the first time since the start of the pandemic, attendees had the option to show up in person. The company announced software updates, new devices and, of course, details of improvements to the Android operating system, which runs on most of the world’s mobile phones. The event sets the tone for the other big tech conferences throughout the year. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Ian Sherr, an editor at large for CNET. He attended the conference virtually and said one of Google’s biggest reveals was a new wearable device.

Today, instead of guessing what Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is thinking, we asked. Our hosts talk about the newsiest and funniest parts of Kai’s interview with the Fed chairman. Plus, a scientific revelation about sudden infant death syndrome may provide some peace for parents. And, speaking of incredible science, we marvel at mind-blowing new pictures of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Fed Chair Jerome Powell: ‘Whether we can execute a soft landing or not, it may actually depend on factors that we don’t control.’” from Marketplace
• “Researchers Pinpoint Reason Infants Die From SIDS” from BioSpace
• “World first breakthrough could prevent SIDS” from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
• “Black hole: First picture of Milky Way monster” from BBC News
• “Astronomers reveal first image of the black hole at the heart of our galaxy” from Event Horizon Telescope
• “Sagittarius A*: NASA Telescopes Support Event Horizon Telescope in Studying Milky Way’s Black Hole” from NASA

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Join us Friday for Economics on Tap. We’ll be livestreaming on YouTube starting at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

The Senate confirmed Jerome Powell for a second term as chair of the Federal Reserve today. Last week, the Fed announced the biggest interest rate hike in 22 years and its plans for reducing the central bank’s nearly $9 trillion balance sheet, all in an effort to get torrid inflation under control. We sat down with Powell for a long interview about what the Fed can do to engineer a “soft landing” for this economy — and what it can’t.

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When Stephanie Stone’s older brother Michael died, their family didn’t have the money to pay for his burial. His body went unclaimed, and the county where he was living made arrangements. Years later, Stone doesn’t know where he was laid to rest. In this episode, we follow Stephanie’s quest to find her late brother and dig into what it reveals about the economic and emotional toll of losing a loved one. Next week, we’ll join in the search.

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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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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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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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With the expected Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade on its way, some consumers are rethinking how much of their health data they want to share with mobile apps. Multiple types of apps and programs, even internet searches, generate data like location tracking — data that could be used to implicate people seeking abortions. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Jessica Lee, a partner with the law firm Loeb & Loeb who helps companies craft their privacy policies.

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It’s Wednesday again, and we’re answering your questions about the labor market — like why we don’t aim for 100% employment. We’ll also give some extra context around the idea of a “skills gap” in our economy. And Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams dig into a bunch of questions from one listener related to the logistics of owning an electric vehicle.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

• “How the U.S. Health Insurance System Excludes Abortion” from the Center for American Progress
• The Guttmacher Institute’s tracker on state regulation of insurance coverage for abortion
• “Funds that help low-income people pay for abortions are seeing a sharp uptick in donations” from Marketplace
• “There’s a lot of money on both sides of the abortion debate. How much does it matter?” from Marketplace
• Consumer Reports’ research on electric vehicle maintenance costs
• “Cars Are Going Electric. What Happens to the Used Batteries?” from Wired
• University of California, Davis, researchers’ look at transportation costs for recycling old EV batteries
• “Hamsterkauf! Coronazeit! There’s a German Word for Your Pandemic Experience.” from Slate

Do you have a question for Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday? Send a voice memo or email to makemesmart@marketplace.org, or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART (508-827-6278).

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At the start of the pandemic, Airbnb lost 80% of its business in about eight weeks. CEO Brian Chesky calls it a near-death experience for his company. On today’s show, we’ll talk with Chesky about where his business is going and why he believes “work from anywhere” is the future. Plus: how consumers are responding to (barely) slowing inflation, what Treasury bond yields have to do with student loans and why the Oakland A’s are playing ball for tiny crowds.

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The latest consumer price index shows that prices rose 8.3% between April of this year and last year. While that’s high, it’s not has high as we’ve seen … so, does that mean inflation has peaked? Here to consult with us is Susan Schmidt, head of U.S. equities at Aviva Investors. Plus, Ukraine’s natural gas pipeline operator has stopped Russian shipments through a major hub, which is a problem for European nations that still rely on Russian gas. Also, the recent hit to the value of cryptocurrencies. And, why North Korea is likely to once again prioritize its weapons program over its economic well-being.

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The Senate has confirmed President Biden’s nominee Lisa Cook to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The economist will be the first Black woman ever to serve on the board. Also, Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak checks in from Shanghai, which is still in COVID lockdown and actually increasing restrictions. And, hear from a company that makes compact shelters for those experiencing homelessness in Washington state.

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From the BBC World Service: Ukraine has essentially turned off one of its taps transporting Russian natural gas supplies to Europe. Also on the program, we meet the entrepreneurs launching new airlines, despite the pandemic.

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We’ll get an update on the consumer price index from the government tomorrow. Even if the inflation rate has slowed from its recent 40-year high, don’t expect prices to go down anytime soon. We’ll get you caught up with the economic fundamentals on today’s show. Plus: the trouble with tax holidays, management issues amid peak TV and why wildland firefighters haven’t seen a cent of their raise from last year.

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As we often say on the show, immigration is a labor market story. Since last month, when the Joe Biden administration announced plans to lift Title 42, it’s been the immigration story of the moment. On today’s show, Denise Gilman, director of the immigration clinic and law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, explains how Title 42 was used at the start of the pandemic and what’s next for it.

We consult Lindsey Piegza of Stifel as the markets, especially the tech-filled Nasdaq, are reeling from a selloff that’s been going on for five weeks. What’s going on? Also, we look into why oil appears to be cheaper, but not the retail gasoline we’re buying at the pump. And, banks are keeping an eye out for signs of future loan defaults as consumer credit is on the rise.

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From the BBC World Service: Prince Charles is to read the Queen’s Speech on her behalf for the first time, after the 96-year-old monarch pulled out due to mobility problems. Plus, Sri Lanka’s prime minister resigns after months of sometimes violent protests over his handling of the country’s worst economic crisis in history.

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California is entering its third year of drought, and that has farmers in the state’s Central Valley concerned about an already burdened food system. The Central Valley produces about a quarter of the food in the United States. We spoke to a farmer about the obstacles he faces. How is Wall Street recovering after weeks of tech stocks taking a beating? On the heels of the Kentucky Derby, we look into the economics behind investing in racehorses.

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Artificial intelligence has changed our world in major ways: autonomous vehicles, speech-recognition technology and algorithms that change what we see and hear on social media platforms. But the technology and data fueling AI is often powered by low-paid workers, particularly in the Global South. Some academics describes this as AI colonialism, suggesting that AI development is repeating exploitative colonial history. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with journalist Karen Hao, who recently published a series about AI colonialism in MIT Technology Review.

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Today we talk about a potential win for privacy advocates, as facial recognition company Clearview AI reaches a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union. But we still have questions. Another new story with a lot of questions? Crypto, of course. We’re still skeptical about the stability of cryptocurrency, but that hasn’t stopped investors and others from jumping right in. We’ll discuss what has us … a little nervous.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

• “Authorities find human remains in Lake Mead twice in one week” from NPR
• “Cryptocurrency TerraUSD Falls Below Fixed Value, Triggering Selloff” from The Wall St Journal
• “40% of bitcoin investors are now underwater, new data shows” from CNBC
• “Clearview AI agrees to permanent ban on selling facial recognition to private companies” from The Verge
• “Opinion — Chris Murphy’s urgent abortion warning reveals a hidden GOP threat” from The Washington Post
• Trevor Noah’s discussion of billionaires on “The Daily Show”
• Tom House Is (Still) Reinventing Pitching With Mustard App from The New York Times

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Have a question or comment about something you heard on the show? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

In the early days of the pandemic, China’s “zero-COVID” policy served the country pretty well. But in the omicron era, it’s putting strain on employment, supply chains and the global economy overall. On today’s show, we’ll look into it. Plus: Shein’s ultrafast fashion, Texas’ rolling blackouts and one couple’s money fight that ended up being about so much more.

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A sharp decline in immigration to the U.S. could be contributing to the country’s labor shortage. According to research from economists at the University of California, Davis, the country had 2 million fewer working-age immigrants at the end of 2021 than it would have had if pre-pandemic immigration trends had continued. We spoke to Marketplace senior economics contributor Chris Farrell about the consequences of the decline in immigration. Plus, we talk to Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives, about what’s driving the latest market volatility. And, how far does the U.S. economy have to go before it makes up all of the jobs that were lost to the pandemic?

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Abortion rights groups had already planned to ramp up spending ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. And that was before the leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion, which could now further change things. We spoke to Mary Ziegler, a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, about the future of these lobbying for abortion rights and anti-abortion groups. Plus, the White House unveiled a plan this morning to connect more Americans to high-speed internet as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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From the BBC World Service: The annual event serves as a reminder of the 27 million Soviet citizens who died during World War II. President Putin took the opportunity to justify his invasion of Ukraine, which is squeezing the finances of ordinary Russians. Plus, China’s export growth is slowing. And, as people in the Philippines cast their votes, we hear about the economic challenges facing the country’s next President.

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Using passwords as a way to prove your identity online, though ubiquitous, has several downsides. People forget them and, if they aren’t strong enough, passwords can be guessed by criminals. Last week, Apple, Google and Microsoft announced plans to work together on a “passwordless” authentication system for their various browsers, services and devices. The cross-platform collaboration is expected to start rolling out over the next year. The companies say they will support Fast Identity Online (FIDO) protocols across their most commonly used products. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Kim Zetter, cybersecurity journalist and author, about this collaboration.

Today during Economics on Tap, we’re low-key celebrating this weekend’s Kentucky Derby and venting a little about the journalists and political figures who withheld critical information and news, only to finally reveal it in their books. For profit. Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper revealed in his soon-to-be-released memoir that, two years ago, then-President Donald Trump considered launching missiles into Mexico. In surprisingly less scary news, “Little Shop of Horrors” is celebrating its Broadway revival with festivities. Before we head into Kentucky Derby weekend, we go Half Full/Half Empty on coin collecting, children at work and more.

• “Trump Proposed Launching Missiles Into Mexico to ‘Destroy the Drug Labs,’ Esper Says” from The New York Times
• “Little Shop of Horrors Will Celebrate 40th Anniversary With Block Party, Concert, More” from Playbill
• “Little Shop of Horrors: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert” from NPR
• “How Buy Now, Pay Later is changing how consumers think about travel” from Fast Company
• “What the Fed’s rate hike means for one community bank” from Marketplace
• “Coin collecting is big business on social media” from Marketplace
• “It’s time for a non-white host of ‘The Late Late Show’. Here’s our critic’s shortlist” from NPR
• “After years of working from home, how has Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day evolved?” from Marketplace

Tell us what you think about today’s show. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

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The U.S. economy added 428,000 jobs in April, but there are signs the labor market slowing down a bit. Some economists say that might not be such a bad thing, counterintuitive as it might seem. On today’s show, we’ll explain and break down the rest of this big week in business and economic news. Plus: the start of the WNBA season and a look at the Gathering of Nations powwow.

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The unemployment rate remained unchanged, though. Also, wages are still going up but not quite as fast as they have been, and not as fast as prices are rising. We talked to Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial, about what to make of today’s numbers. Plus, Boeing announced it is moving its headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia. And, a painting of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol could go for something like $200 million at auction next week. Art critic Blake Gopnik says the piece could very well be worth that much, but it’s misunderstood.

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Workers are continuing to flex their bargaining power in a tight labor market. Average hourly earnings were up 5.6% in March, compared to a year ago. Employers are giving raises and boosting starting salaries to retain and attract workers. Plus, Fidelity Investments’ plan to allow investors to invest in cryptocurrency as part of retirement accounts is facing questions from lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Businesses that provide medication abortions are facing new demand and challenges amid the leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

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From the BBC World Service: The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed to veto current EU proposals to phase out imports of Russian oil, saying they would be devastating to Eastern European countries which rely heavily on the fuel. Plus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says a sixth sanctions package against Russia will go ahead, even if it takes longer than expected. And, we visit a German oil refinery that’s still very reliant on Russian oil.

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As supporters and opponents of abortion rights continue to parse the leaked draft ruling obtained by Politico this week, one of the many questions that have come up is what the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and stricter anti-abortion laws, would mean for our lives online. Technology plays a major role in connecting people with reproductive health services, but if those now-legal options become illegal in a post-Roe environment, will those online interactions remain private? Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Evan Greer, director at the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future.

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We’ll start today’s show with a little pep talk about what you should and shouldn’t do if you caught a glance at the stock market today. Then we move on to one of the big business stories of the day, the news that Boeing is moving its headquarters from Chicago to the D.C. area. To understand why, you just gotta follow the money. Plus, the U.S. says it’ll give Sweden support as that country looks to join NATO. Finally, free child care and a beautiful canoe make us smile. To celebrate the upcoming Kentucky Derby, bring your mint juleps and fanciest hats to Economics on Tap tomorrow.

• “Boeing Plans to Move Headquarters to Arlington, Va., From Chicago” from The Wall Street Journal
• Jon Ostrower’s tweet on Boeing
• “Stocks Crater as Fed-Policy Jitters Rock Trading: Markets Wrap” from Bloomberg
• “Sweden says it received U.S. security assurances if it hands in NATO application” from Reuters
• “When a Beautiful Boat Becomes the Emblem of an Unlived Life” from Gotham Canoe
• “New Mexico to offer a year of free child care to most residents” from The Washington Post

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Join us Friday for Economics on Tap. We’ll be livestreaming on YouTube starting at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Productivity fell 7.5% in the first quarter, the steepest drop since 1947. On today’s show, we’ll look at what that tells us about the economy as a whole. Plus, the future of medication abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Later in the show, we’ll talk with the president of a community bank about responding to the Fed’s rate hikes.

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Nicole and Rachel were deeply, happily in love when they had their first serious fight about money. Nicole’s two-year old nephew accidentally scratched up Rachel’s car, leaving them to figure out who was responsible for paying to fix it. To Rachel, it seemed obvious: Nicole’s family was responsible. Nicole didn’t see it that way. During the months-long fight, both women realized their fight about money was really about something else.

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The company behind TurboTax has agreed to pay restitution to millions of customers who used its tax preparation software. This is to settle allegations that Intuit used deceptive marketing tactics to charge people who should have been able to file their taxes for free. Marketplace’s Nova Safo has the latest details. Also, Diane Swonk, chief economist at the tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton, walks us through the state of the labor market and the implications of the Fed’s half point rate hike yesterday. Plus, what happens when a country’s central bank does not use higher interest rates to rein in inflation? We have an example from Turkey, where consumer prices are up nearly 70% in a year. And, hear how Allentown, Pennsylvania, at the heart of the Rust Belt has started attracting new manufacturing businesses.

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Yesterday, the Federal Reserve moved to hike interest rates by half of one percentage point. Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed is not actively considering raising rates by three-quarters of a point. We talked to Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer, who was in person at the press conference following the announcement. Plus, the Department of Homeland Security will grant work permit extensions for many immigrants with expired and near-expired documents. And, there has been an uptick in donations to abortion funds following the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

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From the BBC World Service: Turkey’s annual rate of inflation is just shy of 70%. It’s 69.9% to be exact, according to data released Thursday. We hear what life is like for one family in Istanbul. Plus, as many European countries seek alternatives to Russia energy supplies, Lithuania officially opens a natural gas pipeline to Poland.

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Social media companies say they are working hard to prevent hate speech from being posted on their platforms, and remove it when it is. But that’s an ongoing challenge as they operate in numerous countries with many languages and social contexts. A new report from the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate reveals anti-Muslim hate speech and misinformation still proliferate online. Imran Ahmed is the founder and CEO of the group. He spoke with Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams about the CCDH’s latest research and why social media platforms are still struggling to moderate this kind of content.

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It’s the day we answer your questions and to start, one listener wants to know why Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is still raising interest rates if inflation has peaked. We’ll also answer an urgent question about the blockchain and supply chains from a listener with a term paper deadline looming. Plus, a question about Airbnb and rents, and why doesn’t the U.S. electrify its railways? Finally, we end with a sci-fi recommendation on this Star Wars Day. May the fourth be with you.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

• “Has inflation reached a peak? Three sings that prices could soon come down” from CNN
• “Blockchain: A better way to track pork chops, bonds, bad peanut butter?” from The New York Times
• “Major container shippers Hapag-Lloyd, ONE integrate with TradeLens blockchain” from Ledger Insights
• “Study finds Airbnb units expand market but reduce long-term rentals, including affordable housing” from Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business

Do you have a question for Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday? Send a voice memo or email to makemesmart@marketplace.org, or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART (508-827-6278).

The Federal Reserve announced a half-percentage-point interest rate hike today. It’s also shrinking its balance sheet in an effort to tame inflation. But supply chain hiccups, inflationary expectations and a potential wage-price spiral complicate the central bank’s job. Today, we dig in. Also on the program: why the Fed might not mind a dip in the stock market, and how overturning Roe v. Wade would ripple out into the economy.

The airline industry is attempting to soar over and through a minefield of obstacles, such as the pandemic, labor shortages and passengers being bad. In the middle of all this is Avelo Airlines, a new low-fare carrier that emerged during the pandemic – and is ready to expand. We sat down with Andrew Levy, founder, chairman and CEO of Avelo Airlines, about what it’s like to navigate the industry’s maze of challenges. The European Union has proposed a ban on Russian oil. Susan Schmidt joins us to discuss the market’s focus on the Fed.

The monthly jobs report has become something of an event, where the numbers about the labor market and unemployment are used as beacons to indicate the economy’s health. Beyond those numbers, however, is the relatively untold story of inequality among workers of color and across genders. For more on this, we spoke to to Dr. Alex Camardelle, Director of Workforce Policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Later this morning, the payroll firm ADP will release its monthly report of private sector job growth. Marketplace’s China correspondent Jennifer Pak checks in from Shanghai, which is still wading through a COVID lockdown period.

From the BBC World Service: The European Union is proposing to halt the import of Russian crude oil and refined fuels. And the Reserve Bank of India unexpectedly raised interest rates by 0.4 percentage points.

A major part of Russia’s war strategy is the control of messages spread online, both in occupied areas of Ukraine and within Russia itself. Platforms like Facebook have been banned and labeled “extremist” by Russian authorities. Some sites, like YouTube, remain partially available. At the same time, the Kremlin is trying to push Russian users to a domestic video platform, “RuTube.” It’s part of a strategy to convince citizens and content creators to abandon Western social media sites. Although RuTube and YouTube were developed around the same time, the Russian video service hasn’t had YouTube’s success. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Emerson Brooking, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab.

If you’re a regular listener to this program, you’ve probably heard of the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate: price stability and maximum employment.

But in the summer of 2020, the Fed made a little tweak. It added the words “broad-based” and “inclusive” to the employment part of the mandate, acknowledging the benefits a strong economy brings to low- and moderate-income communities. This is significant because for decades the Black unemployment rate has been double the rate for white workers in this country.

So, the Fed started “running the economy hot” longer to try to close that gap. But the central bank has begun a campaign of raising interest rates to cool the economy because inflation is here. What now?

On the show today, William Spriggs, a professor of economics at Howard University and chief economist at the AFL-CIO, explains why the Fed’s approach to closing the unemployment gap hasn’t worked and what can really be done to fix it.

Then, the hosts will talk about the big story of the day: the draft Roe v. Wade decision and what overturning the 1973 ruling might mean for the health and economics of women, especially poor women, in this country.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “The Fed wants to slow down the economy. It risks leaving Black workers behind” from Fortune
• “Interest rate hikes will hurt Black Americans the most” from Quartz
• “Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic: “Everything is just taking longer than I would have expected going in.” from Marketplace
• “Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows” from Politico
• ICYMI: “Reproductive rights are economic rights” “Make Me Smart” episode with economist Caitlin Myers

We’re looking for your answer to the Make Me Smart question: What is something you thought you knew that you later found out you were wrong about? Leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278 or 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, about half the states in the U.S. are expected to ban abortions entirely. It’s a human and political story, but it has economic implications too. Today, we’ll take a look at the companies moving to help their employees access abortion care and who those policies impact most. Plus, an in-depth conversation with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on tariffs, trade and globalization.

We have more about the leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion that would allow states to outlaw abortion. Scholars and analysts have examined the possible economic effects of overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. One of them is Caitlin Knowles Myers, economics professor at Middlebury College, who joined others in submitting a briefing to the court with this data. She spoke with us this morning. Workers at an Amazon warehouse in New York City voted not to unionize, which is a step back for the newly formed Amazon Labor Union.

Poverty in New York City grew during the pandemic, and many of the government programs that helped many families endure through that period are coming to an end. We spoke with Rich Buery, CEO of nonprofit Robin Hood, about a new report that shows that even as much of NYC heads back to work for business as usual, the presence of poverty and multifaceted insecurity is still very strong. We have more details on the leaked draft majority opinion regarding where the Supreme Court could stand on Roe v. Wade. As we prepare for more data on job turnover, we look at wage increases for low-income workers.

From the BBC World Service: Energy giant BP took a $25.5-billion one-time charge for ending its Rosneft relationship, but high energy prices led to the biggest quarterly profit in more than a decade. Plus: Australia raises interest rates for the first time in 11 years as the cost of living bites into household budgets. And, a look at progress and pitfalls of China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative.

Video games are more technologically sophisticated than ever these days — virtual reality headsets, augmented reality integration, and some of the most powerful and realistic graphics yet. At the end of the day, a good, innovative video game needs one important element. According to industry veteran Reggie Fils-Aimé, former President of Nintendo America, it’s simply to make the game good and fun. Fils-Aimé retired in 2019 but reflects on these ideas and his history of disrupting the gaming sector in his new autobiography, “Disrupting the Game: From the Bronx to the Top of Nintendo.” Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams spoke with him about where the innovation is happening in gaming right now. He says you just need to look at who’s creating those fun interactions.

In today’s show, we flag one economic benchmark investors are watching, then dive into some recent stories that highlight the unequal ways the U.S. grants immigrant and refugee status. Don’t forget, what happens at the border impacts our labor force. Speaking of work, employees nationwide are voting on unionization. Finally, a new study validates dog owners’ premonitions about their special pups and makes us smile.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “10-Year Treasury Yield Hits 3% for First Time Since 2018” from The Wall Street Journal
• “Amazon Workers Reject Union in New York After Labor Victory at Separate Facility” from The Wall Street Journal
• “Biden to comply with forthcoming order to keep Covid border restrictions in place” from Politico
• “Afghans subject to stricter rules than Ukrainian refugees, advocates say” from NBC News
• “Your dog’s personality may have little to do with its breed” from AP News

Have a question or comment about something you heard on the show? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.

Since Russia launched its war in Ukraine, the nation has been pummeled by sanctions, the freezing of assets and the exodus of multinational companies. Inflation is hitting ordinary Russians hard too. Now, with its role as Europe’s energy supplier in question, we do the numbers on Russia’s economy. (Hint: They aren’t pretty.) Plus, companies rethink their borrowing sprees amid rising interest rates and manufacturers look to set up shop in Mexico.

This week, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates to help tackle inflation. Thus far, mortgage rates have been responding to the Fed’s measures, which have risen to a decade-high level. We talk to Julia Coronado, founder and president of MacroPolicy Perspectives, for more on what this means for the economy and prospective homebuyers. Plus, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize last month, but Amazon has filed complaints in hopes over overturning the result. And, coin collecting is becoming a profitable venture thanks to social media.

More than half of Americans are facing financial hardship because of rising gas prices, according to a new Gallup survey. With the cost of other household goods like food also on the rise, some are saying spending more at the gas pump has become a huge source of stress. Also, the Federal Reserve meets this week to decide its next move in the fight against inflation, and it is expected to raise interest rates again. And, students of indigenous descent attending some public universities in California will soon be eligible for tuition assistance.

From the BBC World Service: EU energy ministers are this week discussing an embargo on Russian energy, but Germany’s economy minister says there’s not yet unanimity on a way forward. Meanwhile, India’s prime minister is on a diplomatic tour in Europe and the war in Ukraine is a central focus. Plus, how a $3 trillion cannabis industry left Jamaica’s smaller producers behind.

The European Union is pushing to regulate big, global technology firms. In their latest move, EU negotiators agreed to a broad set of legislation called the Digital Services Act, which aims to, among a long list of other items, require social media companies to make their algorithms more transparent and limit the spread of disinformation on their platforms. While the language in the DSA still needs to be finalized, it seems clear that platforms like Twitter — regardless of who owns it — will need to adapt to those rules. Eric Heinze is a professor of law and humanities at Queen Mary University of London. He spoke with Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams about how strict these EU rules will be and what they mean for Elon Musk’s vision for Twitter.

We’re keeping an eye on Tesla after Elon Musk reached a deal to buy Twitter earlier this week. Musk has sold roughly $8.5 billion worth of Tesla shares in the last couple of days. We’ll get a little into the weeds about the dynamics playing out as the Twitter deal closes. Plus, the fallout after the Jan. 6 insurrection continues — we’ll update you on what’s happening in the courts. And a COVID-19 vaccine for young kids may be on the way. Then, the hosts play a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Finally, a big thank you to producer Marque Greene for all his hard work as he wraps up his stint on “Make Me Smart.” But don’t worry, he’s not going far.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Second Oath Keeper pleads to seditious conspiracy” from Politico
• “CNN Exclusive: New text messages reveal Fox’s Hannity advising Trump White House and seeking direction” from CNN
• “Elon Musk Sells $8.5 Billion of Tesla Shares After Deal to Buy Twitter” from The Wall Street Journal
• “The Risks of a New U.S. Approach in Ukraine” from “The Daily”
• “Moderna asks FDA to authorize first COVID-19 vaccine for very young children” from NPR

Tell us what you think about today’s show. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice message at 508-827-6278, or 508-U-B-SMART.