Week of March 13th, 2017

As companies come forward to build border walls, local lawmakers call for divestments in protest

Besides goodwill, there are other advantages to giving.

Nela Richardson of Redfin and Cardiff Garcia of FT Alphaville join us for the Weekly Wrap to discuss the week’s business and economic news. This week is all about Janet Yellen and Donald Trump. While Yellen’s Federal Reserve increased interest rates, Trump released his budget proposal aimed at cutting funds for government agencies and increasing […]

This week, indie music star Conor Oberst takes the Marketplace Quiz and explains how the music industry mimics the economy. Plus, The New York Times’ Neil Irwin and Axios’ Ina Fried go long and short on this week’s news, we get an update on health care and we take a look at President Donald Trump’s proposed budget.

He says that the music industry is a reflection of the general economy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spent a few hours at the White House today for her first face-to-face meeting with President Donald Trump. Things were a little frosty, and Trump made his thoughts on the trading relationship between the U.S. and Germany clear. Merkel surely knew this was coming, as she arrived in Washington with several execs, including the CEO of BMW. We’ll look at the negotiation ahead. Then: How much of the U.S. budget is tied up in foreign aid, do you reckon? Most folks’ guesses are way, way higher than the reality. Plus, as always, we’ll wrap up a busy week in economic news. 

The plateau in emissions comes amid global economic growth.

They're fast enough to keep up with gas-powered bikes. But can the charging infrastructure meet demand?

Irwin County Hospital is one of many in the country that are struggling to keep their doors open.

The German chancellor will likely have a lot weighing on her mind as she meets POTUS for the first time.

Four people — including two Russian intelligence officers — have been charged over their alleged involvement in a massive Yahoo data breach. Chester Wisniewski of the cybersecurity firm Sophos explains the hacking methods involved in the case. Afterwards, we’ll play this week’s “Silicon Tally” with Sam Thielman from the Guardian.

Later today, President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel — two leaders who have sharp differences on important issues involve business. We’ll look at the messages Merkel will try to send during her visit, and how business/political leaders in Germany perceive Trump. Afterwards, we’ll explore new report from the International Energy Agency that says global CO2 emissions have stayed flat for the third year in a row. And finally, we’ll look at the connection between a movie’s presale numbers and its box office success. 

'Betting on Zero' documents the not-so-simple story of Ackman's attempts to short the nutrition company's stock.

'Life issues' get in the way of student success, Miami Dade campus president says.

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has spent weeks preparing for her meeting with Donald Trump.

What happens when you let AI in the recording studio? Or the writers room? Or the kitchen?

The budget plan the White House released today is sort of like an extension of President Donald Trump’s tweets: It gives you a sense of his thinking, but it’s not the whole plan. It’s called a “skinny budget.” We’ll discuss what that means and what it says. Then, Trump told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson that he wants to cut business taxes from 35 percent down to 15 percent. But what businesses actually pay that much, and what would a cut mean for the economy? Plus, a conversation with the CEO of the Uber-for-chores company TaskRabbit and one man’s billion-dollar bet against Herbalife stock.

CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot talks about the company's expansion and what work will look like in the future.

Donald Trump’s favorite fast-food giant McDonald's deletes a tweet insulting the president.

But wages are starting to rise, Chair Janet Yellen says.

Turns out algorithms are just at good at assessing your pores as analyzing data.

One big winner: people who want to see a smaller government.

With the release of the White House’s budget proposal, we’ll talk about who gets the big money and who may end up facing big cuts. Next, we’ll look at Janet Yellen’s rationale for the Fed’s interest rate hike, and then explore the rising number of people who are falling behind on subprime car loans.

South by Southwest has kicked off in Austin, Texas, which has its own “Tech under Trump” programming. Marketplace’s Molly Wood explains what the tech industry hopes to get out of it, and whether there are any aspects of the Trump administration that tech companies are excited about. Afterwards, we’ll look at the unique songwriting process of Bombadil, a folk-pop trio based in North Carolina that’s using data and algorithms to try and give fans more of what they want. 

A Hawaii judge has blocked the revised order from tomorrow's nationwide roll out.

At the Fresno County Jail, immigration agents have access to the jail’s database.

It very well could be.

The horror film about racism is drawing a wide audience, earning more than $110 million.

The Fed chair is not shy about explaining what is and is not the job of the U.S. central bank.

The breach affected at least half a billion user accounts.

It’s official: The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, with two more hikes expected this year. We’ll talk through Chair Janet Yellen’s announcement. Then: President Donald Trump’s plan for a border adjustment tax seems like a straightforward enough way to encourage companies to buy American and hire American, but is it legal? Plus, the view from an Uber-less SXSW and the remarkable success of “Get Out.”

The leaked returns offer a limited peek at Trump's taxes.

It's a quarter-percent increase, with two more expected this year.

How two Alcoa workers faced with industry downsizing and lost income found work they were better suited for.

The optimistic view: Britain and the European Union realize they need each other.

Pages from Trump’s 2005 tax returns are out, revealing he made $153 million and paid $36.5 million in income taxes. We’ll look at what else the documents revealed, like the tax loopholes he may have taken advantage of. In other Trump news, we’ll also discuss his plans to roll back fuel economy standards for cars, which could be the latest blow for the green vehicle market. And finally, we’ll look at what Britain’s exit from the European Union will mean for the business community and the U.K.-U.S. relationship.

A single March Madness tournament bracket has 9.2 quintillion possible combinations. Luckily, people making wagers now have technology on their side. CNET’s Lindsey Turrentine dropped by to discuss the different tools people can use to increase their odds of winning. Next, we’ll talk about the downfall of shopping malls — a decline 20-some years in the making — and then look at an iPhone case by Esti Inc. that runs Android 7.1’s operating system. 

President Donald Trump made more than $150 million in income in 2005 and paid $38 million in income taxes that year.

The deal could pay off, but some fear the fans are tired of branding and advertising.

Dutch candidate Geert Wilders wants to close mosques, ban the Koran and leave the EU.

Tom Scocca wants to fight "the darkness of falsehood." He's starting with onions.

24 million could end up uninsured with the Republican plan, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Some compare anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders with the U.S. president.

The GOP health plan includes $600 billion in tax cuts for the health industry and wealthy Americans.

We’re still digging through the Congressional Budget Office report on Republicans’ Obamacare replacement. Today we’re looking at the plan’s $600 billion in tax cuts for the health industry and wealthy Americans. Then, what you need to know about Intel’s big bid to get in the autonomous car business. Plus: inside the NBA’s minor leagues and one man’s mission to spread the truth about caramelized onions.

On Monday, Puerto Rico's financial oversight board approved a new debt plan.

Intel is entering the self-driving game by purchasing chipmaker Mobileye for $15 billion. Johana Bhuiyan of Recode explains why big companies are acquiring other businesses, instead of creating their own products. Next, we’ll talk about Uber’s court loss in London over a requirement that all drivers have to take an English-language test. And finally, we’ll look at why the nonprofit 314 Action wants to helping scientists run for office.  

The Congressional Budget Office has revealed how many people would lose insurance coverage under the GOP’s new health plan. We’ll look at who would benefit from the proposal and who’s expected to see costs go up. Next, we’ll look at a plan from Puerto Rico to get the island out of crippling debt, and then explore the leading candidate in the upcoming Dutch election: Geert Wilders, a politician that has drawn comparisons to President Trump. 

The Congressional Budget Office's estimate is worse than analysts were expecting.

'I am scared as to what his life will be, that he’s going to be alone and put away somewhere and no one is going to take care of him,' Fern Pivar says.

The U.S. lacks a long-term plan for traveling to the red planet.

Snowstorm aside, it’s a busy start of the week in Washington. The Congressional Budget Office just did the numbers on Republicans’ Obamacare replacement, and, well, we may need to break out “Stormy Weather.” Plus, the Federal Reserve is meeting tomorrow and Wednesday, so we’ll soon have an official call on interest rates. We’ll look at the relationship between the Fed and the White House over the years. Plus, can Trump help send a human to Mars?

Singer-songwriter Marian Call on what it's like to inadvertently launch a global hashtag and work with IBM's Watson supercomputer

Residents of Wisconsin, a state that helped elect President Donald Trump, have mixed feelings about the Affordable Care Act.

The Alcoa aluminum plant laid off hundreds of workers last year. They miss the pay and camaraderie, but say they wouldn't want their kids following them into smelter work.

Sam Altman, a darling of the tech startup world, talks to us about reaching across the political divide.

Y Combinator’s Sam Altman oversees an accelerator that launches promising startups into the world, but now he’s turned part of his attention to politics. He joined us to talk about his experience interacting with Trump supporters across the country. Afterwards, we’ll chat with Annalee Newitz of Ars Technica about why there’s been an increase in Google searches of World War II-related terms like “Reichstag fire.” 

The Congressional Budget Office is expected to soon announce how much the GOP replacement plan for Obamacare will cost and how many people will be affected. We’ll talk about what some agencies are estimating, then explore how people in Wisconsin are feeling about possible changes in health insurance. Plus: a look at the rocky relationship between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Trump.