May 19, 2022

Seizing the yachts of Russian oligarchs was the easy part

Then comes the upkeep. Plus, the federal government advises colleges on using COVID-19 relief funds to support student mental health.

Segments From this episode

Retailers bulked up their inventories during the worst of the pandemic. Now they're stuck with them.

by Justin Ho

May 19, 2022

Big stores like Walmart and Target didn't foresee consumers pivoting away from shopping and toward going out.

Large retailers like Target and Walmart stocked up on goods — like office furniture or home decor — that shoppers bought during the pandemic. But consumers' spending habits are changing.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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Farmers in the Midwest are behind on planting. That could mean lower yields come harvest.

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban

May 19, 2022

Iowa corn and soybean farmer April Hemmes is "at least two and a half weeks" behind due to wet weather.

“Of all years the world needs our commodities, this was not the year to have late planting,” says April Hemmes, a corn and soybean farmer in Iowa.

Ben Hethcoat/Marketplace

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Floating liabilities: Western authorities grapple with the cost of seizing oligarchs’ superyachts

by Stephen Beard

May 19, 2022

Detaining luxury vessels worth hundreds of millions of dollars was the easy bit. Maintenance runs about 10% of the yachts' value.

Above, a superyacht with suspected links to a Russian oligarch is docked in the Dominican Republic. For governments, seizing the pricey vessels comes with outrageous maintenance costs.

Ethan Swope/Getty Images

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Colleges get federal guidance on using COVID relief to support student mental health

by Stephanie Hughes

May 19, 2022

The Department of Education provided ideas for using these funds, including text-based counseling and suicide-prevention training.

The Department of Education suggested how colleges can invest leftover COVID relief funds in mental health care.

Sam Wasson/Getty Images

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Car buffs want to turn classic rides into EVs. These Southern California businesses are making it happen.

by Andy Uhler

May 19, 2022

Electrifying classic cars could cut exhaust emissions and reduce the number of cars that end up landfills.

A gas-powered Ford Bronco is being converted to an electric vehicle at Zero Labs in Los Angeles.

Andy Uhler/Marketplace

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Music from the episode

Get By Talib Kweli

Good Will Come to You Fruit Bats

Sin Rumbo Panoptica Orchestra

To Be Remote TOKiMONSTA

68 State Gorillaz

To Zion Lauryn Hill, Carlos Santana

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Daisy Palacios Senior Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer

Sean McHenry Associate Producer

Andie Corban Associate Producer

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer

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