Author: The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Auto-parts maker First Brands Group, the company behind products like Autolite spark plugs and Fram oil filters, declared bankruptcy last month. Court filings have revealed a trove of irregularities and a $2 billion dollar hole. WSJ’s Alexander Gladstone says the bankruptcy is having an impact on the company’s lenders and on Wall Street. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening: 

- Trump’s Tariffs Cause Chaos in Auto Industry 

- How Spirit Airlines Landed in Bankruptcy 

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Argentinians go to the polls this Sunday in the first major test of their leader, Javier Milei. Voters appear to be losing faith in his bold economic vision to resuscitate the country’s ailing economy. But Milei has a secret weapon: a close relationship with President Trump. WSJ’s Ryan Dubé explains why the U.S. government is bailing out Argentina. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

-Argentina’s New President Takes A Chainsaw to the Country’s Government

-The Bean at the Center of the Trade War

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In a conversation taped at The Journal live event, entrepreneurs and influencers Vivian Tu, Haley Sacks, and Brian Kelly sat down with Jessica Mendoza to explore personal finance in the social media era; exploring everything from generational wealth to how much crypto people should have in their portfolios.

Further Listening: 

• Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong

We had so much fun in NYC, keep an eye out for more live events across the U.S. soon!

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Chinese criminals have made more than $1 billion from scam text messages sent out across the U.S. and the world. The texts warn of unpaid fines and lure unsuspecting victims to fork over their credit-card details. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how the scheme works and why it’s been so hard to stop. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
 

Further Listening:

Pig-Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist

The Slaves Sending You Scam Texts

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Once among the world's fastest-growing religions, Mormonism is facing a 21st-century reckoning, driven by social media. Across Tiktok and Instagram an army of #exmo creators take on controversial aspects of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ history. WSJ’s Georgia Wells reports on the growing online #exmo community and how the church is pushing back. Jessica Mendoza hosts. 

Further Listening:

- Why Utah Is Regulating Mom Influencers

- The Mormon Church's $100 Billion Secret Fund

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Steve Happ was packing to leave Tennessee for an evangelical mission to Uganda in 2023 when Bank of America told him it was canceling his church’s bank account and his credit cards. Happ soon became the symbol of a conservative complaint: Financial institutions are allegedly ’debanking’ people because of their religious or political views. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy on President Trump’s fight with the banks over debanking. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

-How a New 'Anti-Woke' Bank Stumbled

-Outcry at Bank of America Over Dangerous Workloads

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For decades, one of the biggest questions fueling conspiracy theories has been: is the U.S. government hiding secret knowledge of extraterrestrial life? But when the Pentagon started investigating, it uncovered a different kind of coverup. WSJ's Joel Schectman reports on what's in that investigation, and what the government ultimately decided to leave out of it. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:
- How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations

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16 days into the government shutdown, services are unavailable and federal workers are facing instability. Both sides have dug in, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers at each other. WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes explains what it would take to end the shutdown. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

-Why This Government Shutdown Is Different

-Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong

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Deep in a heavily guarded mountain hideout in the heart of the Sierra Madre mountains, a new drug king is reigning. He is 59-year-old Nemesio “Mencho” Oseguera and his cartel has achieved dominance capitalizing on America’s resurgent love of cocaine and the Trump administration’s escalating war on fentanyl. WSJ’s José de Córdoba recounts the rise. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:
- The Drug You’ve Never Heard of Wreaking Havoc Across Europe
- A Cocaine Kingpin and the Rise of Drug Violence in Europe

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Tech giants are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on an AI building boom, constructing massive data centers like a sprawling new complex in Texas. Is this a necessary investment for the future, or are we witnessing the next tech bubble? WSJ’s Berber Jin and Eliot Brown follow the money and consider whether or not it adds up. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

-Artificial: The OpenAI Story

-The Hidden Workforce That Helped Filter Violence and Abuse Out of ChatGPT

-The Unraveling of OpenAI and Microsoft's Bromance

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