Week of May 20th, 2019

Plus: The rising cost of weddings and why Big Tech sees “blood in the water” of the health care industry.

Engagement parties, bridal showers, destination events — it all adds up. But they can be hard to resist.

Health care makes up a whopping one-six of the U.S. economy, so it’s no surprise the likes of Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook would like a slice.

Or whether Japan can actually deliver.

Orders for autos, metals and business machinery were all down.

A clash between rival visions for the European Union serves as the backdrop for voters.

Higher tariffs on Chinese imports, especially those that are used to make things in the U.S., can cut efficiency and competitiveness, experts say.

Between the tendency to spend what’s recouped and the surrender of personal data, it’s worth thinking about the quid pro quo.

The House passes a bill to protect Americans in retirement. Is the U.S. in a trade “cold war” with China. Florida’s new governor actually acknowledges climate change, and even says the phrase.

Under former governor Rick Scott, Florida state employees said — and documents confirmed — there was a ban on using the term “climate change.” Instead of “sea level rise,” employees were instructed to say “nuisance flooding.”

The new package totals $16 billion, with $14.5 billion of it going directly to producers.

Farmers get some help from the Trump Administration to deal with the repercussions of the trade war with China. When an older person is being scammed by family, when does protecting them turn into discrimination?

Scammers are not always a faceless voice on the phone.

Theresa May admitted defeat in her attempt to take Britain out of the European Union and sparked a contest to become the country’s next prime minister.

Britain’s prime minister sets out her exit timetable. Japanese leader Shinzo Abe hosts President Trump against a backdrop of trade tensions. And we ask, “What’s the global appeal of Comic Con?”

And where would the battle lines be drawn?

The frozen carbon dioxide is more effective than rodenticide in some cases. But experts say cities will never eradicate rats.

Analysts see the largest geopolitical risk coming from U.S.-China trade tensions.

Also: How money makes all the difference when you’re behind bars — and once you’re released.

Chinese tech giant Huawei, already facing a ban on doing business with the U.S., loses global supply-chain and market partners in Europe and Japan

Demand for new homes is highest among people in their 20s and 30s, but for those buyers, it’s a challenging housing market.

It can’t buy freedom, but it bought one inmate some life-improving phone calls.

Screenwriter Katie Silberman says there aren’t enough buddy comedies out there that center around female friends.

Opinion polls suggest the new party is attracting wide support and is appealing to people of different political persuasions.

The company’s loss in federal court could require it to overhaul its business model, depriving the U.S. industry-leading semiconductor maker of next-generation R&D funds.

Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over Memorial Day Weekend, just days after the administration said auto imports are a threat to national security.

Is there now such a thing as a “Trump Tax”? Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi wins a second term. There’s a fight in Louisiana over what can and can’t be called “rice”.

Lawmakers in the state of Louisiana are debating when food products can be called “rice.”

Suspicious or unusual bank activity can often signal a scam; but should a teller be able to monitor a long-time account holder’s ledger activity to flag a possible scam?

India’s prime minister is set for a second term. The World Health Organization urges action to tackle a new breed of superbugs. And why are Chinese consumers turning to crowdfunding for healthcare?

Software that better screens for fraud might help.

Some companies are better suited to change where they get things made than others.

Plus: how Qualcomm’s antitrust case could affect 5G, and a conversation with the creators of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

Industry analysts expect the price for the single-treatment therapy to be anywhere from $1.5 million to $5 million.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner has been urging American executives to reflect on the risks.

Wealth management products are massively popular among the Chinese public.

On the show, a ’50s housewife tries to make it as a stand-up comedian.

Amy Sherman-Palladino and husband Dan Palladino, the creators of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” talk about bringing their intricate vision to life.

A federal judge has ruled that Qualcomm unlawfully squeezed out rivals in the cellphone chip market and charged excessive royalties to cellphone manufacturers such as Apple.

It’s the latest company to join this fast-growing retail market, but why?

Investors are jumping in and out of China during this trade war. Aviation regulators will weigh putting Boeing’s 737-MAX planes back in the air. Researchers are scamming the elderly for their own good.

Financial scammers are part of coordinated efforts to target victims. The Federal Trade Commission took in more than a half a million complaints of imposter scams alone in 2018. But finding and convicting perpetrators is rare. Marketplace Morning Report’s David Brancaccio looks at what federal regulators are doing to target scammers.   Brains and Losses: […]

Who’s behind all those scams against the elderly? Southwest makes nice with its mechanics.

U.K. steel could lose thousands of jobs. Ban Ki-moon shares his disappointment with the current U.S. stance on climate change. Finland’s foreign minister explains why populism is good for democracy.

Inside the world of “counterfeit” faces, or deep fakes.

The ratio of business debt to U.S. GDP is at historic highs. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said signs don’t point to corporate debt bringing down the whole financial system. But he also said there are some things we don’t know about the levels of corporate debt, especially the risky debt.  Click on the audio player […]

The conversation around antitrust is expanding, and tech giants could get caught up in it.

Plus: The Sprint-T-Mobile merger and what you need to know about corporate debt.

The big-rig mail trucks will include a safety driver in case something goes wrong.

Farmers across America are getting older and weighing the fate of their farms.

But it will require big spending on new tech in areas with small customer bases.

“We just wanted to create a tool that was accessible.”

A viral Instagram series examines how Meghan Markel’s royal wardrobe works like a business endeavor.

The future of the auto industry is uncertain as ride-sharing, self-driving vehicles and other technologies evolve.

One Canadian company made a transition from the oldest system of commerce … to one of the newest.

The Trump administration more than doubled tariffs on many Chinese goods.

Home Depot and Lowe’s enter the tariff tussle. Having a bank nearby could be good for your wallet. A bartering app starts taking money — its own.

What changes to the brain might make a person more vulnerable to financial scams?

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but a lack of funding and a shortage of school capacity means the country’s education system doesn’t work for the tens of millions of students trying to get through it each year.

India’s rapid growth has not yet encouraged more women to look for jobs. According to the World Bank, India has one of the lowest female labor participation rates in the world. Less than a third of women 15 years and older are working or actively looking for a job. The non profit Kamalini is on […]

Italy’s former prime minster discusses the bloc’s opportunities and challenges ahead of European parliamentary elections.

Careers in cybersecurity are a pretty sure bet.

Billionaire tech investor Robert Smith surprised Morehouse graduates by promising to pay off their student loans. Black students are more likely than white students to graduate with student debt, according to research.

Today, we look at the disproportionately high debt facing black students when they get out of school.

A former Trump trade official weighs in on the intention behind the president’s tariffs.

The nuclear power plant will be “retired” at the end of September, but the state wants to support the four remaining plants.

Walmart said in February its supply costs had jumped 3%, but it kept consumer prices mostly flat. That was before tariffs on Chinese imports jumped on Friday.

Fierce competition for university spots has led to an increase in “cram schools.”

Investors react to Huawei’s blacklisting. Ford is cutting 7,000 jobs. Getting into a good college is big business in India. Columbus, Ohio becomes a “smart city.”

It’s about square feet and making moves away from malls.

The capital of Ohio won $40 million in federal funding for its projects last year.

What happens when you’re scammed out of almost $200,000?

How does someone get scammed into buying $160,000 in gift cards? Nordstrom goes small.

Students in the Indian education system face stiff competition to achieve their goals.

The venture capital industry is evolving with more angel investors and options for backing startups.