Hundreds of thousands of migrants try to get from South America to the United States each year. But first, they have to get past the treacherous Darien Gap, a 70-mile stretch of dense jungle. WSJ’s Juan Forero explains the booming business that has cropped up to help smuggle migrants through — or around — it.

Further Reading:

- Smuggling Migrants Toward the U.S. Is a Booming Business 

- To Avoid the Jungles of Central America, Migrants Are Taking a Treacherous Sea Route 

- Masses of Migrants Overwhelm Panama’s Darién Gap 

Further Listening:

- Texas Took On Border Security. Is It Working? 

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The Stanley Quencher, an insulated water bottle, is everywhere these days. And the popularity has been good for the company. Stanley generated $750 million in revenue last year. WSJ's Callum Borchers explains how a brand traditionally loved by outdoorsmen has become the new favorite of moms and teen girls.

Further Reading:

The New Office Status Symbol Holds a Lot of Water—and Has a Wait List

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The AI industry is controlled by only a few powerful companies. Is that concentration of power dangerous? WSJ's Sam Schechner interviews Meredith Whittaker, president of encrypted messaging app Signal, at a live event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Further Reading and Watching:

-The Importance of Privacy in the Age of AI 

-Altman and Nadella Talk AI at Davos 

Further Listening:

-Artificial: The Open AI Story 

-Why an AI Pioneer Is Worried 

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Carrefour, one of the world’s biggest grocery chains, said it’s dropping PepsiCo products from roughly 10,000 stores across five European countries. Carrefour says it’s taking a stand against high prices. But as WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney explains, PepsiCo has a different take on the story.

Further Reading:

- Supermarket Giant Drops Pepsi and Lay’s Over Price Increases 

- PepsiCo, Grocery Giant Bicker Over Who Dumped Whom 

Further Listening:

- Are Rotisserie Chickens ‘Inflation-Proof’? 

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The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the creation of Bitcoin ETFs, exchange-traded funds that buy the cryptocurrency, allowing retail investors to buy and sell Bitcoin as easily as stocks. WSJ’s Vicky Ge Huang breaks down the 10-year battle to bring Bitcoin to Wall Street investors.

Further Reading:

-SEC Approves Bitcoin ETFs for Everyday Investors 

Further Listening:

-The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy 

-Fidelity's Controversial Bet on Bitcoin 

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When the OpenAI board ousted CEO Sam Altman last November, very few people knew exactly what was behind it. In the final episode of our series, we reveal what led to Altman’s firing and explain why he was able to get his job back just days later. Plus, an exclusive interview with one of the people who fired him.  

Further Reading:

 - Sam Altman’s Knack for Dodging Bullets—With a Little Help From Bigshot Friends 

 - Behind the Scenes of Sam Altman’s Showdown at OpenAI 

Further Listening:

- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream 

- Artificial: Episode 2, Selling Out 

- Artificial: Episode 3, Chat GPT 

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A student's financial aid package is one of the most important factors in students’ college decisions. WSJ’s Oyin Adedoyin tells us that this year, the revamped Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or Fafsa, is causing grief for some families.

Further Reading:

-A Financial-Aid Form Is Upending College Decisions 

-Families May Have to Make College Decisions Before Knowing Full Cost 

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Florida recently became the first state to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration to import prescription drugs from Canada. As WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte explains, i t's a milestone in efforts to reduce the cost of medications, but the plan faces opposition from pharmaceutical groups and Canadian officials.

Further Reading:

-Florida Is First State Allowed to Import Drugs From Canada in Bid to Reduce Costs 

-Expensive Drugs Targeted for First U.S. Price Negotiations 

Further Listening:

-Philip Morris Tried to Pivot to Pharmaceuticals. It Didn’t Go Well. 

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Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months. Now the U.S. and its allies have given the Yemeni militant group a final warning to stop the attacks. WSJ's Nancy A. Youssef explains what's motivating the Houthis and what the attacks mean for a region already on edge.

Further Reading:

-U.S., U.K. Warships Shoot Down Houthi Barrage in Red Sea 

-Importers Face Surging Shipping Costs, Delays as Red Sea Diversions Pile Up 

-U.S., Allies Give Houthis Ultimatum: Stop Ship Attacks or Face Consequences 

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The last thing Boeing needed was more trouble with its 737 MAX jet. That is exactly what it got at the start of the new year. The company had just started to regain its footing after years of tumult around the popular but troubled line of narrow-body jets when a Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines had a structural failure Friday night. WSJ’s Alison Sider unpacks what happened.

Further Reading:

-Alaska Airlines Boeing Probe: What We Know 

-Boeing Is Back in the Spotlight—This Time Over a MAX 9 

-United, Alaska Find Loose Parts on Some Boeing 737 MAX 9 Jets 

Further Listening:

-The Pressure Inside Boeing 

-How the Grounded Boeing Jet Shook the Airline Industry 

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