• "Daredevil: Born Again" and "Abbott Elementary" released their season finales this week.
• Netflix's new show "Ransom Canyon" offers a Western-set story for fans of "Yellowstone."
• "Companion," starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, is a love story with a horror twist.

The latest seasons of "Daredevil: Born Again" and "Abbott Elementary" ended this week, but there are plenty of new additions to discover on streamers.

If you're a fan of shows like "Yellowstone" and "Virgin River," Netflix's new Western series "Ransom Canyon" might be your speed. For a different kind of love story, watch the 2025 sci-fi movie "Companion," starring "Yellowjackets" actor Sophie Thatcher and "The Boys" favorite Jack Quaid.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

Season one of "Daredevil: Born Again" ended this week.

Seven years after Netflix canceled the Marvel series "Daredevil," lawyer-vigilante Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) returned in the Disney+ series "Daredevil: Born Again," much to the delight of fervent fans who rallied for the show to be saved.

The nine-episode season concluded on Tuesday, but the titular character's feud with the mob boss turned mayor Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) is far from over and will continue when the show returns for season two.

Streaming on: Disney+

"Abbott Elementary" aired its season four finale.

Like past seasons, the season four finale of "Abbott Elementary" centers on the teachers taking the students on an end-of-year field trip. This time, they visit Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum, where Janine (Quinta Brunson) meets and bonds with someone close to Gregory (Tyler James Williams).

Streaming on: Hulu

Season three of the fantasy series "The Wheel of Time" also wrapped up this week.

The latest season of "The Wheel of Time" ended with an action-packed finale that featured some characters meeting untimely deaths, while Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) finally chose between good and evil.

Streaming on: Prime Video

For a mind-bending series, watch Rami Malek in the psychological thriller "Mr. Robot."

Before his Oscar-winning performance as Queen front man Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody," Rami Malek earned critical acclaim for his role as cybersecurity engineer Elliot Alderson, who gets recruited by a hacktivist group to help take down corporate corruption. The four-season show ran on USA from 2014 to 2019 but you can stream it for free in its entirety on Tubi.

Streaming on: Tubi

The '60s-set comedy "Government Cheese" is equal parts grounded and absurd.

"Selma" star David Oyelowo plays Hampton Chambers, a man who's released from prison after two years. Eager to get a second chance and set his family on a path to success, he devises a self-sharpening drill that he hopes to sell to an aerospace company — but his plan is derailed by a debt he owes to a crime family.

Streaming on: Apple TV+

Ramy Youssef brings his comedic style to "#1 Happy Family USA."

Comedian and show cocreator Ramy Youssef tackles what it means to be a patriotic Muslim family in post-9/11 America in the early 2000s in this new eight-episode animated series packed with heart and humor.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Crime-fighting duo Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson reunite in season five of "Law & Order: Organized Crime."

Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay reprised their roles as Elliot and Olivia in the two-episode premiere of season five of "Law & Order: Organized Crime." New episodes are released weekly and tackle everything from domestic terrorism to cross-border smuggling.

Streaming on: Peacock

"Vanderpump Rules" spinoff "The Valley" is back this week.

Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and the rest of the show's reality TV stars are back for more suburban drama and memorable moments, like Kristen Doute and Luke Broderick's engagement and the aftermath of Taylor and Cartwright's separation after 10 years together.

Expect appearances from "Vanderpump Rules" alums Lala Kent, Tom Schwartz, Scheana Shay, and Brock Davies, too.

Streaming on: Peacock

For a romantic drama, watch the Western series "Ransom Canyon."

Netflix continues expanding its collection of Westerns with "Ransom Canyon," a new series based on author Jodi Thomas' book series of the same name.

The Texas-set show stars Josh Duhamel as Staten Kirkland, a rancher fighting to protect his land, and Minka Kelly as Quinn O'Grady, a longtime friend of Staten's who returns home after living in New York. Expect plenty of romance and horseback riding in the 10-episode season.

Streaming on: Netflix

"Companion" offers a gorier love story.

Hailed as "a wily, well-oiled scary movie machine" with a 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, "Companion" centers on Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher), his made-to-order, programmable AI companion who goes rogue on a weekend getaway to a remote cabin.

Streaming on: Max

"Euphoria" and "Saltburn" actor Jacob Elordi stars in the new drama series "Narrow Road to the Deep North."

The five-part limited series based on Richard Flanagan's novel of the same name follows WWII hero Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi) as he recalls being held captive in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, his passionate affair with a woman named Amy (Odessa Young), and his time spent as a surgeon.

Streaming on: Prime Video

"The Carters: Hurts to Love You" explores the tumultuous lives of late singer Aaron Carter, Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, and their family dynamic.

The two-part documentary chronicles Aaron and Nick Carter's ascents to stardom and how fame, money, addiction, and mental health issues affected the Carter family.

"The Carters: Hurts to Love You" features never-before-seen home videos, family photos, and interviews with the two surviving siblings of the original five, Nick Carter and Angel Carter Conrad.

Streaming on: Paramount+

After almost three years, the docu-comedy series "The Rehearsal" is back for season two.

The HBO show centers on actor and comedian Nathan Fielder, who helps regular people prepare for big life moments by putting them in eccentric "rehearsal" scenarios and simulations that he designed.

In a premise that feels weirdly eerie given recent aviation-related disasters, the six-episode second season of "The Rehearsal" focuses on the underlying causes of plane crashes.

Streaming on: Max

• In school, I didn't understand how my classmates didn't need a system to avoid panic attacks.
• My parents tried to get me diagnosed, but since I was a successful kid, I slipped through the cracks.
• At 25, I was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and that didn't stop me from doing the things I wanted.

I've always sensed there was something fundamentally different about how I move through the world.

As a child, it felt like my classmates were speaking a different language, and I didn't have a hint of fluency. People would talk and interact, and connect in a way that felt impossible for me. I navigated adolescence with a sense of an outsider looking in on a hidden world, one I could interlope in at school but never fully belong to.

It wasn't until I was 25 that I finally got an answer.

I would have meltdowns every day at home

I didn't understand how my peers could experience and contribute to the complex noises and stimulation of a classroom when I would have near-daily meltdowns by the time I got home.

I couldn't comprehend that people didn't need to have a strict routine consisting of safe foods, clothes, songs, and smells when a single step out of my rigid system would induce panic attacks. It was absurd that others weren't obsessed with certain topics, gathering every tidbit of information with rabid hunger.

My parents also knew I was different and took me to psychiatrists. But, because on paper I was a "successful" kid, getting good grades and staying out of trouble, I slipped through the cracks — my symptoms were blamed on a panic disorder.

For a while, I was able to mask my way through life — I did ballet and cross country, graduated top of my high school and college classes, met my now husband, and hit "normal" milestones.

And then, in my first year of dental school, I suffered debilitating burnout. I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't eating, I was anxious and disoriented and nearly non-functional under the demands of my curriculum and living in a new city and being thrown into a dental school class filled with its own set of social rules I couldn't even begin to understand.

I was crumbling. If I didn't find help, I didn't know if I would make it to the next year.

I was diagnosed with autism and ADHD

Help came in the form of an incredible psychiatrist who, at the end of our first appointment, where I was a sobbing, broken mess, gently asked if anyone had ever suggested I'm neurodivergent. Fast forward a year, and at 25, I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism.

Getting my diagnosis was one of the most empowering moments of my life. At last, I had language for my overstimulation and sensory processing issues. I could acknowledge my unique wiring, and was told to explore and discover and free myself from trying to fit the mold of the neurotypical world. It felt like after an endless winter, I was finally able to push myself out of the soil and blossom.

I have since graduated from dental school, working as a full-time dentist focusing on making the experience as sensory-friendly as possible for my patients. I write books too. I leaned into my obsession with rom-coms and wrote my own featuring neurodivergent characters. One of my books, "Tilly in Technicolor," a young adult novel about an autistic boy and an ADHD girl grappling with the confusion of life after high school and falling wildly, beautifully in love with each other, but also their neurodivergent brains, went on to win an award. Another of my novels, "Late Bloomer" (this one adult and featuring autistic women indulging in a quiet, comfortable, romantic life filled with their special interests) is a USA Today Bestseller. Other titles in my backlist discuss anxiety disorders, CPTSD, and ADHD. I've traveled the world. I hate sports. I'm married and madly in love. I've cultivated friendships (mainly with neurodivergent folks) that young me would envy. My family seems pretty proud of me.

Recently, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said autistic kids "will never pay taxes, hold a job, play baseball, write a poem, go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted. Autism destroys families."

I've done all of the things he said I wouldn't. For all intents and purposes, I am an accomplished individual. But this list of things I've done doesn't actually matter. I, like all disabled folks, am more than my output, more than a taxpayer and employee. My diagnosis made me realize that I don't have to conform to a set of societal expectations to "earn" a worthy existence.

I have value simply for existing, just like everybody else.

• MrBeast's recent partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas didn't live up to fan expectations.
• It is one of several recent partnerships that have landed MrBeast in hot water.
• It validates the YouTube star's strategy to bring more of his operations in-house as they expand.

MrBeast was caught up in another embarrassing incident with a partner. It shows why he's trying to bring more operations in-house.

The YouTube megastar partnered with Resorts World Las Vegas to offer a three-night "MrBeast Experience" at its hotel from April 13 to April 15.

The event promised an immersive experience, including games, exclusive merch and menu items, and a chance to win $10,000.

But some fans said the experience didn't deliver on those promises. Several attendees said in social media posts and news reports that the event lacked exclusive merch and other experiences. For example, multiple people told 8 News Now that the hotel told them to stay in their rooms for a mystery arrival — some waited up to 24 hours for the surprise, which one person said was a box of chocolates.

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, responded to the backlash on X and expressed disappointment with his event partners. "This definitely isn't the experience we hoped they'd deliver. My team's already on it," he wrote on Tuesday.

He wrote that people who attended the experience would be refunded and that he'd "personally make it up to" them by flying them out for a tour of his Greenville, North Carolina studio.

"I love my fans and I'll make sure they're happy," he wrote.

Resorts World, the casino and hotel company behind the event, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

This isn't Donaldson's first partnership that missed the mark.

In 2023, he sued the business partner of his ghost kitchen, MrBeast Burger, claiming the poor quality of the food was damaging his brand.

Then, in 2024, his Lunchly meal kit collab with influencers Logan Paul and KSI faced backlash after customers alleged on social media that mold was found in the food kit.

These scandals involving outside partners show why MrBeast is taking steps to gain more control of his empire. He's been bringing more operations in-house, and his company is raising money to expand.

MrBeast has been growing his in-house team

Donaldson is YouTube's top star, with over 380 million followers.

In 2024, he left his management company, Night, which he had been working with since 2018. He's since brought more of his operations in-house.

He hired Jeffrey Housenbold as president of his company, Beast Industries. Housenbold has been working to help the company secure funding at a $5 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported in February.

He's been pitching Donaldson's company as the next Disney, BI reported.

"Beast Industries is the next generation diversified media, consumer product goods and services conglomerate," said a February Beast Industries pitch deck obtained by BI.

The company generated $473 million in revenue in 2024 and is forecasting revenue of nearly double that this year, according to the deck.

Moving more operations in-house doesn't mean Donaldson is done with partnerships. His Amazon show "Beast Games" is casting for season two, and he has a line of collectible minifigures in partnership with the toy manufacturer Moose Toys.

Still, his immense ambitions show he can no longer afford messy partnerships that could damage his brand, like the one that created the "MrBeast Experience." The backlash validates his strategy to regain control of his business ventures.

• Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Trump's research cuts could hurt competition with China.
• Schmidt characterized Trump's policies in his second term as an "attack on science."
• "This madness will eventually end because it's too stupid not to fix," Schmidt said at a recent summit.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt says the United States could fall behind China in the race to superintelligence if President Donald Trump keeps on keeping on the way he is.

Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has tightened immigration controls, cut funding for government grants and research, reduced staffing and funding at NASA and NOAA, and targeted universities for their DEI-related programs and pro-Palestinian protests.

In March, Columbia University agreed to a series of conditions — stricter protest policies, a bolstered campus security force, and oversight of its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department — after the administration threatened to withhold $400 million in funding.

This week, the Trump administration froze $2 billion in funding to Harvard University after school leaders refused similar demands, including changes to Harvard's admissions process that would force it to coordinate with immigration officials.

Schmidt said these kinds of efforts from the Trump administration could chill tech development in the United States just as competition from China is ramping up.

At the AI+Biotechnology Summit, hosted last week by the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, Schmidt said the government has leveraged education funding to "falsely attack science." Schmidt graduated from Princeton University and has spoken highly of the school in other appearances.

At the conference, an interviewer asked Schmidt for his reaction to the Trump administration's suspension of university research programs and cuts to government science programs.

"This looks like a total attack on all of science in America," Schmidt said. "We're up against China that is pouring a trillion dollars into this, and we're screwing around with funding the core people to invent our future."

Schmidt was also asked about international students choosing not to come to the United States, or tech workers looking for work in other countries, because they worry they could face problems with immigration. He said he knew people who planned to return to London because "they don't want to work in this environment."

While many tech leaders, like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who both attended and helped finance Trump's inauguration, have struck a conciliatory tone with the administration, there appears to be dissent among the ranks.

Last month, Meta's Chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, said Trump had started a "witch hunt in academia, moving to cancel the green card of some folks and expel them based on their speech."

Schmidt said that "everything that has happened in American exceptionalism" has come from the understanding that universities create exceptional innovators who can create strong "science and technology-generated" business opportunities.

"If you think that this sounds like me being a Democrat, let me remind you that fracking, which is hugely successful in America, made us independent of oil and gas, made us the largest exporter, followed the same path," Schmidt said.

Schmidt said many universities are now under "hiring freezes" because they are "so scared of this administration, which appears to be withholding hundreds of millions of dollars from them."

"This madness will eventually end, because it's too stupid not to fix, but there's damage occurring already, and I want everyone to understand it's real damage," he said.

• Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, said AI can open the door to improving movies overall.
• In addition to making them cheaper, as James Cameron recently said, Sarandos said he believes movies can be made "better."
• Talent at Netflix is already leveraging AI, particularly in VFX, he said on a Q1 earnings call.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he believes AI's true potential in Hollywood lies not in making movies more cost-efficient, but overall "better."

"There's a ton of excitement about what AI can do for content creators," Sarandos said on a Q1 earnings call when asked about how "meaningful" AI could be. "I read the article too, what Jim Cameron said about making movies 50% cheaper. I remain convinced that there's an even bigger opportunity if you can make movies 10% better."

Earlier this month, "Avatar" director Cameron said AI had the potential to cut the cost of blockbuster movies clear in half — a necessity, he said, if the medium is to survive. He's an advocate of using it to reduce expenses for "big effects-heavy, CG-heavy" films, rather than to generate "word salad" scripts.

Already, Sarandos said, creators at Netflix are using AI in just that fashion.

"So, our talent today is using AI tools to do set references or pre-vis, VFX sequence prep, shop planning, all kinds of things today that kind of make the process better," Sarandos said.

Sarandos said he believes it also allows smaller films to have access to effects that previously would've been locked behind large budgets typically reserved for big-name projects.

"Traditionally, only big-budget projects would have access to things like advanced visual effects, such as de-aging," he said. "So, today you can use these AI-powered tools to enable smaller budget projects to have access to big VFX on screen."

The technology remains controversial in Hollywood.

Concerns about the potential damage AI could do to creative industries, particularly in terms of job replacement, partly sparked the 2023 joint strike of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA. Since the resumption of production across the industry, AI as a technology has continued to advance rapidly, but has remained relatively narrow in terms of scope — largely confined to the VFX department.

Sarandos cited the experience of cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto as an example of how AI can be leveraged successfully, in this case, to reduce the cost of a de-aging effect.

"A recent example I think is really exciting, Rodrigo Prieto was the DP on 'The Irishman' just five years ago," Sarandos said. "And if you remember that movie, we were using very cutting-edge, very expensive de-aging technology that still had massive limitations, still created a bunch of complexity on set for the actors."

Just half a decade later, Sarandos said, AI has substantially shrunk the cost of de-aging.

"Using AI-powered tools, he was able to deliver this de-aging VFX to the screen for a fraction of what it costs on 'The Irishman,'" he said. "In fact, the entire budget of the film was about the VFX costs on 'The Irishman.'"

Moving forward, Sarandos said Netflix aims to continue to create opportunities for AI to improve what it's like to work as a creator, rather than replace the role entirely.

"So, same creator using new tools — new better tools — to do something that would have been impossible to do just five years ago," he said. "That's incredibly exciting. So, our focus is simple: find ways for AI to improve the member and the creator experience."

• Nintendo set a date for Switch 2 pre-orders in the US and apologized for a previous delay.
• The gaming giant isn't hiking the price of the game console for now but is increasing accessory prices.
• Nintendo said the higher prices were due to "changes in market conditions."

Nintendo gave an update to its American customers on Friday — and it's a good news/bad news situation.

The good news: The company isn't raising the price of the Switch 2 game console (for now).

The bad news: The extra accessories that many shoppers buy alongside the game console, such as controllers, are getting more expensive.

"Retail pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 will begin on April 24, 2025. At launch, the price for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will remain as announced on April 2 at $449.99, and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will remain as announced at $499.99," the company said on Friday.

"However, Nintendo Switch 2 accessories will experience price adjustments from those announced on April 2 due to changes in market conditions," Nintendo added. The company published a full pricing list, which you can view here.

Nintendo is also keeping the door open to future price hikes, including for the Switch 2.

"Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions," it said.

The much-anticipated update arrives after Nintendo found itself in a tough spot. The same day that it announced preorder pricing for the Switch 2, President Donald Trump unveiled his "Liberation Day" tariffs, which impacted the countries that manufacture Nintendo's game consoles.

Nintendo decided to pause US preorders, originally scheduled to begin on April 9, to "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

Nintendo apologized for the delay in its Friday update and said it hopes its release of the pricing details "reduces some of the uncertainty our customers may be experiencing."

The path to working on Wall Street is a long and rigorous obstacle course.

Young people who aspire to become dealmakers, traders, or investors must now begin as soon as they arrive at college. From there, it's an immediate dash to join campus finance clubs, hobnob with industry professionals, and fill a résumé with pre-internship accolades — all while maintaining a perfect GPA.

The steps are an unofficial yet unspokenly understood requirement among students at top target schools (plus those elsewhere with the fortune of being in the know). Some financial institutions — namely investment banks, where most Wall Streeters start out — now scout young talent during their sophomore year of college. That means those who wait, or don't learn the recruiting game quickly enough, risk being left behind altogether.

"It forces students to focus very early at a time when, in my opinion, they should be not focusing, but actually broadening their perspectives," Gustavo Schwed, an NYU professor who worked in investment banking and private equity before switching to academia, said.

A Wharton student who recently signed a 2026 internship offer at an investment bank put it this way: "I am a sophomore in college, and it's kind of outrageous that we have to decide at this age — I just turned 20 — what my first job is out of college."

The new finance career path

Business Insider talked to college students, recruiters, finance executives, professors, and many others about what it takes to build a career in finance in 2025. We compiled what we learned into a series of stories and videos that started rolling out on April 16 and which will continue through May. The series seeks to help students better understand what it takes to break into Wall Street and what to expect once they get there.

Check back here to see the latest. We will delve into what it's really like to work for a hedge fund, how the face of Wall Street has changed, and the challenges of getting into the college clubs needed to snag that all-important internship, among other topics.

Want to share your career path with us? Fill out this quick form.

_{Article credits
Reporters: Emmalyse Brownstein, Bradley Saacks, Alex Morrell, Alex Nicoll, Bianca Chan
Editors: Kaja Whitehouse, Michelle Abrego, Jeffrey Cane, Jamie Heller
Copy Editors: Kevin Kaplan
Graphics and art: Alyssa Powell, Annie Fu, Randy Yeip, Andy Kiersz,}

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau terminated 90% of its staff.
• A termination notice seen by BI said employees would lose access to work systems on Friday night.
• It's Trump's latest move to gut a federal agency created to prevent another financial crisis.

President Donald Trump is moving forward with his promise to slash a top federal consumer watchdog.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began sending termination notices to nearly 90% of its employees on Thursday night, slashing the agency spearheaded by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2011 with the aim of preventing another financial crisis like the one that sparked the Great Recession.

Over the past decade, the CFPB has filed lawsuits against major companies, including student lenders and banks like Capital One, over accusations of predatory behavior. It has also returned billions of dollars to consumers and introduced new rules to crack down on medical debt and overdraft fees.

"I regret to inform you that you are affected by a reduction in force (RIF) action," a copy of the notice viewed by Business Insider from Russell Vought, the acting director of the CPFB and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said. "This RIF action is necessary to restructure the Bureau's operations to better reflect the agency's priorities and mission."

The notice added that employees will "retain access to work systems" until 6 p.m. ET on Friday, and that after that deadline, "system access will be discontinued, and you will be placed in an administrative leave status through your official separation date as outlined above."

The National Treasury Employees Union wrote in a legal filing on Thursday that Vought sent reduction-in-force notices to "the vast majority of CFPB employees." The notices, as first reported by Fox Business, went out to about 1,500 employees, slashing the agency's workforce by nearly 90%. The CFPB sent those numbers to BI.

"As one would expect with a RIF of that size, the plaintiffs have been told that entire offices, including statutorily mandated ones, have or soon will be either eliminated or reduced to a single person," the NTEU wrote in the legal filing.

These termination notices come just one week after a federal judge ruled on April 11 that the CFPB could move forward with firing some employees deemed unnecessary to carry out the CFPB's "statutory duties." It followed an earlier ruling from a federal judge that froze the CFPB's earlier attempts at terminations, calling them a "hurried effort to dismantle and disable the agency entirely."

Business Insider reported on Wednesday that the CFPB laid out new priorities for the agency in an internal memo sent to employees. The memo, viewed by BI, said the CFPB would "shift resources from enforcement and supervision that can be done by the States."

That included plans to "deprioritize" student-loan oversight, medical debt, consumer data, and digital payments.

These changes are part of Trump and the DOGE office's efforts to slash the government workforce to reduce spending. Elon Musk, DOGE's unofficial leader, has previously said he wanted to "delete" the CFPB entirely, writing "CFPB RIP" in a February post on X.

Warren wrote in a statement on Thursday night that "Trump just gutted almost all CFPB staff, so the agency can't do its job of helping Americans who get scammed by big banks and giant corporations."

"Dismantling the CFPB in the face of a court order blocking an illegal shutdown is yet another assault on consumers and our democracy by this lawless Administration, and we will fight back with everything we've got," she said.

The OMB and White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Have a tip or story to share? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at asheffey.97. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• I spent 12 hours in a regular seat on an overnight train from Berlin to Vienna.
• For less than $50, I got a reclining seat in a seating carriage cabin with five other people.
• I've traveled on Amtrak sleeper cars in private rooms, but I didn't adjust well to the shared space.

In October 2022, I spent 12 hours in a sleeping carriage on an overnight train traveling from Berlin to Vienna.

I had taken overnight trains in the US before, where I'd booked private cabins on Amtrak trains.

But this was my first time on a sleeper train in Europe — and my first time in an accommodation shared with other guests.

Since I wanted to maximize my time exploring during the day, I thought an overnight train would be the best way to travel through Europe. And at $40, it was the cheapest overnight train ride I've ever booked. But ultimately, the ride was too uncomfortable to sleep, and I arrived in Vienna feeling too exhausted to explore.

To get from Berlin to Vienna in 12 hours, I took the Austrian Federal Railway's OBB Nightjet train.

The rail line operates overnight routes between Austria, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, and it goes as fast as 143 miles per hour, according to the company's website.

Nightjet trains have sleeper cars with seating carriages and bunks of three, four, or six.

I booked the former, which are cabins with six regular assigned seats that deeply recline. Some routes have private cabins, but mine didn't.

"We recommend the sleeper or couchette car for night travel. There is enough space to stretch out. Seated carriages are recommended for shorter journeys," OBB Nightjet wrote in a statement to Business Insider.

"The quality of travel depends not only on the carriages, but also on the route," the statement also said.

To travel by train, I bought a Eurail pass for $477, which gives access to most European trains for a set number of days.

Some trains only require a Eurail pass to ride, while others, including overnight trains, incur an additional discounted price.

Without the pass, the ticket would have been about $40.

With my seven-day Eurail pass, the train trip cost $14. It was the cheapest overnight accommodation.

My journey began at Germany's Berlin Ostbahnhof train station.

I arrived about an hour and a half before my 6:53 p.m. train, so I had ample time to find the platform.

Since my ticket didn't include a meal, I grabbed food from the McDonald's inside the station.

McDonald's in Germany has different menu items from locations in the US, like the hash brown burger.

Then, I went to platform three after viewing on a screen that it was where my train would be arriving.

The train arrived on time and I found and boarded my assigned car, number 254.

Once inside the seating carriage sleeper cars, I saw narrow, dimly lit corridors that opened to small enclosed cabins with six seats in each.

I made my way to my assigned seat in one of these cabins.

During my leg of the journey, three travelers were already in my room when I boarded.

Two others arrived within the first few hours.

I thought the seat was slightly wider than a typical train coach seat.

It had two cushions and reclined far enough to almost lie flat, but not fully.

Each seat came with a small table that slid out from the armrest.

It was just large enough to hold my ticket and phone.

Right away, I thought the room was cramped and lacked enough legroom for each traveler.

However, I was surprised to find ample luggage space on two rows of storage racks above the seats.

I wanted to charge my phone, but I only saw two outlets next to the window in my carriage. I had to communicate with other passengers to take turns using them.

An OBB Nightjet rep told BI that new cars that began running in 2023 have more outlets.

Even though my ticket didn't include a meal, I checked the menu to see what was available for purchase.

I thought it had a wide selection with snacks, pasta, and wraps.

Since I had already eaten, I skipped the food and used one of the two shared bathrooms in the car to brush my teeth. The bathroom looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a while.

"Toilets are always cleaned when the trip starts," OBB Nightjet said in a statement to BI. "In addition, our staff is doing regular checks during the night."

Back in my room, someone had turned the lights off. I tried to fall asleep but found it impossible with the constant bumps on the ride and so many people around me.

I hardly had any personal space.

I reclined my seat all the way, but I thought the gap between the back and the bottom of the seat made it tough to get comfortable.

I didn't see any pillows or sheets provided for guests, either.

The rep for OBB Nightjet told BI that pillows and sheets are only provided for guests in the bunk-style sleeping cars because the seating carriage is not recommended for long-haul trips.

Although seats were assigned, I noticed other passengers moving around the car to find less crowded rooms. I followed suit.

I ended up switching to a different cabin with only two other people.

But I knew that someone boarding at one of the many overnight stops could kick me out at any time if I switched to a seat assigned to them.

Even in a less-crowded cabin, I couldn't get comfortable on such a bumpy journey or with the knowledge that someone might wake me up to move.

I ended up staying awake until the morning.

My train arrived in Vienna at 7 a.m., and I was so exhausted that I ran around town looking for any hotel that would take me in so early in the morning.

Splurging on a hotel room upon arrival for a few hours of sleep made me feel like the cheapest ticket on an overnight train ultimately wasn't worth it.

Next time, I'll book a flight or take a train with private cabins.

• Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon used an Air Force One plane known as SAM 970.
• The first jet-powered presidential aircraft featured an office and a safe for the nuclear codes.
• The retired plane, used from 1959 to 1996, is on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

President Dwight Eisenhower became the first US president to travel by jet when he flew on a new Air Force One plane in 1959.

The jet, known as SAM (Special Air Missions) 970, was customized to meet the needs of the president and White House staff. It included a presidential stateroom, a conference room, seats for members of the press, and a safe for the nuclear codes.

Retired in 1996, SAM 970 now lives at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. I visited the museum in July to tour the old Air Force One and see how presidents once traveled.

Take a look inside.

Four US presidents flew aboard the Air Force One plane known as SAM 970.

In 1959, the customized Boeing 707-153 known as SAM 970 became the new presidential aircraft, replacing the propeller-powered C-121C Super Constellation used by President Dwight Eisenhower. SAM 970 was part of the VC-137 series of planes.

SAM 970 was used by Eisenhower as well as Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon.

In 1962, a newer VC-137C plane replaced it as the primary presidential aircraft, but it still transported vice presidents and other VIPs. The SAM 970 remained part of the presidential fleet until 1996.

The retired aircraft is on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Admission to the museum costs $26 per adult. Tickets can be purchased on the Museum of Flight's website.

The exhibit featured figures of Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai of China shaking hands, recreating the moment the two leaders met.

Nixon took Air Force One to visit China in 1972, becoming the first US president to visit mainland China while holding office.

The cockpit included seats for a pilot, copilot, flight engineer, and guest or auxiliary crew member.

The plane's maximum speed was 590 miles per hour. The top speed of the current Air Force One, the VC-25A, is 630 miles per hour.

The communication station featured state-of-the-art radio and communication equipment.

From the plane, the president could reach the White House Situation Room and the National Military Command Center and send secret communications.

Across from the communication station, the briefcase containing codes to initiate a nuclear strike was kept locked in a safe.

Known as the "nuclear football," every president since Eisenhower has been accompanied by the briefcase at all times.

The safe also held military communication center codes.

In the forward galley, crew members prepared food and drinks for the president and other crew.

The two galleys on Air Force One included ovens, refrigerators, and open-burner stovetops. Drink dispensers also served coffee, water, and other beverages.

A phone in the crew compartment came with a warning against discussing classified information.

A plaque next to the phone read "Caution. This phone has no security provisions. Sensitive or classified material should not be discussed."

A narrow hallway led to Air Force One's meeting areas.

Presidents met with staff, received briefings, and took phone calls while traveling on Air Force One, earning it the nickname of the "flying Oval Office."

The flight crew added fake temperature controls to the presidential stateroom to appease Johnson, who often complained about the cabin temperature.

Whenever Johnson adjusted the fake temperature dial, it alerted the captain, who could then decide to change the cabin's temperature or leave it the same, a Museum of Flight guide said.

Johnson had a doggie door installed in the stateroom to accommodate his restless pet beagles.

Johnson's beagles would often howl if they were left in the conference room too long, according to the Museum of Flight.

The stateroom room included its own private bathroom.

The private bathroom was much more spacious than the lavatories used by the flight crew and members of the press.

The presidential conference room featured more space for larger meetings.

The seating booth featured seat belts in case of rough air.

White House staffers and cabinet members who joined the president on trips sat in the staff seating area.

The roomy sets of four seats featured tables between them.

A separate secretary station provided more workspace for staff.

The workstation was outfitted with a lamp and typewriter.

Members of the press sat further back on the plane.

The staff seating area looked the most similar to regular economy cabin seats.

The aft galley in the back of the plane served food and drinks to senior staff and the press.

Like the forward galley, the aft galley was furnished with kitchen appliances and drink dispensers.

The tail of the plane was decorated with an American flag.

First lady Jackie Kennedy chose Air Force One's blue, white, and metallic color scheme.

During his first term, President Donald Trump proposed new Air Force One colors of red, white, and navy blue for Boeing's long-delayed new Air Force One plane. The Air Force rejected his design since the darker colors would have cost more and caused overheating issues. The plane was supposed to be ready in 2024, but its completion timeline has been pushed to 2027.

• I've visited 86 countries and seen a lot of beautiful places around the world.
• Wānaka, New Zealand, has an incredible natural landscape.
• I loved the architecture in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

In January 2016, I took my first solo trip to Hawaii and instantly fell in love with this form of travel. Now, nearly 10 years later, I run a travel blog, No Man Nomad, and have solo traveled to 86 countries across all seven continents.

Throughout my travels, I've been lucky enough to visit some truly beautiful locations. From the second largest canyon in the world to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, here are five of the most beautiful destinations I've been to.

Valle d'Aosta is one of the most underrated regions in Italy.

Valle d'Aosta, Italy's smallest and least populated region, took my breath away when I visited in September 2024.

Located in the northwest corner of the country, the region shares a border with Switzerland and France, creating a majestic mountainous backdrop thanks to Mont Blanc straddling all three countries.

I recommend staying in the capital, Aosta. Nicknamed "little Rome of the Alps," it's not just Mont Blanc that's worth viewing — Aosta is full of historic ruins, like Porta Pretoria and Criptoportico Forense.

Wānaka, New Zealand, is ideal for immersing yourself in nature.

In January 2019, I traveled to New Zealand and rented a campervan for a road trip from Queenstown to Aoraki/Mount Cook.

My first stop was Wānaka, where I frolicked through fields of flowers and tasted local honey at Wānaka Lavender Farm.

I also hiked Roys Peak — a 5,177-foot summit where I saw plenty of sheep as I made my way to the panoramic views of the town.

Each morning, I sipped coffee on Lake Wānaka and admired the lone willow tree that grows in the water. As a New Yorker, I really enjoyed being able to lose myself in nature.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, is a peaceful escape.

When I visited Buenos Aires in January 2023, I decided to take a ferry to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, for a day trip.

The town is full of white, stone, and pastel-colored buildings, many of which are adorned with flowers. Together, they contrasted beautifully with the cobblestone streets.

Colonia del Sacramento's historic quarter is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you can head to the San Miguel Bastion for views of the sea or Ruinas del Convento de San Francisco for the only remnants left from a convent built in the 1690s.

Fish River Canyon in Namibia, left me speechless.

On another international road trip, I visited Fish River Canyon in Namibia, which is the largest canyon in Africa and the second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon.

There were barely any tourists when I visited on a hot day in April 2024. Looking out at the massive, colorful gorge was an experience I'll never forget. It was extremely quiet, and I sat by the edge to take it all in.

Jeju Island, South Korea, is gorgeous.

In March 2019, I scored a $12 flight from Seoul to Jeju Island, South Korea.

One of my first stops was to see Oedolgae, a unique rock formation that's believed to have been formed by a volcanic eruption. As I walked there from my hostel, I passed plenty of waterfalls and witnessed early signs of the island's blooming cherry blossoms.

When I arrived, I watched as the waves crashed into Oedolgae and the other massive volcanic rocks that jarred from the ocean's floor.

Ryan Coogler has dazzled audiences with big-budget Marvel movies (the "Black Panther" franchise), introduced a new generation to the Rocky Balboa saga ( "Creed," "Creed II"), and painted a devastatingly human portrait of a real-life tragedy ("Fruitvale Station"), but his newest film unlocks his true potential.

Coogler's fifth feature, "Sinners," marks the first time the director is working with a completely original concept, and it's an ambitious, genre-hopping ride worthy of all the early praise (the film has a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes as of publication).

The film, which Coogler also wrote, tells the story of identical twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), who leave their posts as muscle in the 1930s Chicago underworld and return to their home state of Mississippi to run a juke joint. Everything is going according to plan on opening night, with top-notch blues musicians and smooth tasting hooch, until a trio of vampires shows up and turns everything upside down.

But even as the movie veers sharply from period piece to vampire flick (blood-sucking included), in Coogler's hands, "Sinners" is more than a thrilling genre movie. With eye-popping cinematography of the Mississippi Delta, a moving score from Coogler's longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson, and subplots focusing on religion and the generational influence of the blues, "Sinners" is chock-full of well-executed big ideas. It's Hollywood filmmaking on an epic scale — and the secret sauce is that it's grounded in a personal, heartfelt story.

In the latest interview in Business Insider's "Director's Chair" series, Coogler discusses how the project came to be, what led to the movie's memorable music sequence, and what motivated him to make a deal with Warner Bros. so he'll one day own the rights to "Sinners."

Business Insider: You've spoken about "Sinners" being a love letter to your grandfather and uncle. How did you go from celebrating family to vampires and the blues?

Ryan Coogler: I never knew my grandfather. He died shortly after my parents got married. He was from Mississippi. Born there, raised there. Then he moved to Oakland and married my grandmother who was from Texas. My grandmother had two little sisters and one of her younger sisters married a man who was from Mississippi, a different part, and that was my Uncle James.

My Uncle James, for a large portion of my life, was the oldest male member of my family. What he loved to do was three things: listening to Delta Blues music, he loved drinking all types of whiskey, and he loved the San Francisco Giants, watching them on TV and listening to them on the radio. So if you went and spent time with him he was doing one or all three of those things.

I loved my uncle. I associate that music with him. He passed away in 2015, and after that, I oftentimes found myself playing blues records to remind myself of him. And that act of listening to that music and feeling he was there with me is kind of what inspired the period setting and the blues. And that is why the movie is so personal. 

It's so personal, in fact, that you made a deal with Warner Bros. to get the rights to the film in 25 years. The reason for that is because this is a story of what Smoke and Stack do at the start of the movie — open a juke joint in the Jim Crow South. The idea of Black ownership motivated you, correct?

Yeah. That was the reason for that ask. That was actually the only motivation.

Do you have the rights to any of your other movies? Is this a first time for you?

No. It's the first time.

Do you want to continue owning the rights to your movies going forward?

No. It was this specific project.

One of the movie's most memorable moments is a sequence where everyone is dancing in the juke joint, and suddenly, past, present, and future musical influences of the blues appear — a guitarist playing an electric guitar, a DJ on turntables, ancient chants. How long had you been thinking about doing that?

It was in the original script, but the specifics of it, the nature of it, I came up with while I was writing. So it existed in every form of the screenplay but it was a concept that came to be. Like, it wasn't in the outline. I was writing the script, and I was listening to the music, trying to conjure a time, and thinking how I would use that music. I would think about my uncle and wonder what my uncle was thinking of when he was listening to it. 

Was that sequence always ambitious from the start?

The ambition evolved as I was researching it and digging into it. I realized the epic nature of the story as I researched it. At first, I thought it was small. As I researched and dug into blues music and how it was developed and why, when I got to Mississippi and stood on some plantations, that's where the form was born. These people whose parents were enslaved and were living in back-breaking societal conditions created an art form that was so incredible that it transcended the planet. We are still making incarnations of that music. And so my mind kind of blew up and I saw the movie showing that creation. 

There was a report that the post-production process on "Sinners" was longer than usual because you shot on film and there aren't many film labs left.

That's not the whole reason. We wanted to make film prints but we also wanted to make the movie in the best way possible. We actually did this fast. 

Are you concerned about shooting on film going forward? There are definitely fewer labs than there were 10 or even five years ago.

There are enough filmmakers who believe in the format that I have faith. I actually hope there's a resurgence. My first movie, "Fruitvale Station," was shot on film. It was shot on Super 16mm, so the format has always mattered to me. And I was so happy to get back to it. But with the epic nature of the story, I was also happy to shoot large format. 

I was going to ask about shooting on IMAX. Was that something you thought about doing back in the script stage?

No. When I first came up with the concept of "Sinners" I thought we were going to shoot it on Super 16mm. I thought it was going to be a down-and-dirty movie. 

Oh, so originally "Sinners" had a grimy, dirty South feel?

Exactly, bro. But this was before I went to Mississippi and really learned about the story I was telling. During that time I realized the story has to be epic and mythic. That's when an executive at Warner Bros. reached out and asked if I considered large format. And he was asking from a business sense, seeing how complicated it's become to convince folks to come out of their house and watch something that's original. So he was thinking about it from that side. But as soon as he said that, it unlocked something in me. It was the missing link to what the movie needed. 

I mean, America is a fucking beautiful landscape. It's gorgeous, and the natural landscapes totally dictate the people you are interacting with. The Mississippi Delta felt that way. It is the single most African place I've ever been to that wasn't Africa in terms of the feeling that I had. The epic feel of that flat pastoral landscape. You stand in some of the places in the Delta and it's so flat you felt you could see the Earth bending on the horizon. 

Are you hooked on shooting on IMAX cameras going forward?

I loved the experience. I think it's something I could see myself definitely doing in the future. It's incredibly addictive.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

"Sinners" is in theaters now.

• Many US residents don't have to travel far to see gorgeous waterfalls.
• From New York to Alaska and beyond, plenty of states have cascades worth visiting.
• Some are easily accessible, but others require a trek.

Waterfalls are one of nature's most awe-inspiring sights. The sound of pounding water, the feel of mist, and the visual of cascading water all combine for an unforgettable experience.

The US has some amazing cascades, from New York to Alaska to Tennessee.

These natural marvels can draw millions of visitors a year, propping up local economies. Visitor spending in Niagara County, New York, which is home to Niagara Falls, reached a record high of $1.082 billion in 2023, according to data from Tourism Economics.

However, not all of the country's most beautiful waterfalls are major tourist attractions. Some require arduous hikes that reward visitors with picturesque views. Others are visible from the roadside, perfect for snapping unforgettable photos without much effort.

Here are 17 of the US's most jaw-dropping waterfalls.

Bridal Veil Falls, Alaska

For over 40 years, daredevils have been climbing the icy walls of Keystone Canyon as part of an annual festival. Located near Valdez, east of Anchorage, the canyon also contains more than a dozen waterfalls. Bridal Veil Falls is among them, its rushing water suspended in a frozen tableau during the winter. It's over 600 feet tall and is viewable from Richardson Highway.

Havasu Falls, Arizona

The contrast of teal water and dusty orange rocks makes Havasu Falls a memorable sight. The waterfall is one of several on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Over 60 miles from Grand Canyon Village, it's a 10-mile hike to see the vivid scenery. Temperatures can get scorching, as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit. The popular spot also requires a reservation in advance.

Burney Falls in, California

Volcanoes and erosion shaped Northern California's Burney Falls. The craggy rocks are remnants of basalt lava flows, with nooks and crannies that hold flowing water. Snow melt and springs feed the 129-foot cascade, upping its intensity in the spring and summer. They end in a misty reservoir below the falls. Sightseekers pack the park during warmer months, so expect lots of traffic if you visit.

Yosemite Falls, California

Melting snow turns into the pounding Yosemite Falls in spring. By late summer, it's like someone has turned off the tap. Three cascades make up the Yosemite National Park's falls, which are among the tallest in the world at 2,425 feet. Full moons in April and May produce an effect known as a moonbow, when the Lower Yosemite Falls' splashing water creates a lunar rainbow. Visitors can take a 1-mile path to the bottom or a more taxing 7.2-mile hike to the Upper Falls.

Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado

Telluride is known for its skiing, but it's also home to Colorado's tallest free-falling waterfall. Like Alaska's Bridal Veil Falls, it freezes in the winter. Snow enthusiasts come for the spectacular views as well as ice climbing. In summer, hikers, bikers, and four-wheelers arrive for a peek at the 365-foot flow. Atop the falls sits a hydroelectric power plant, built in 1907.

Wailua Falls, Hawaii

Two streams meet and part in the Kauai's Wailua Falls, depending on the amount of water flowing. The trail to the falls is dangerous, and hiking is prohibited — however, tourists barely have to leave their cars to get a glimpse of the twin falls. In the mornings, rainbows dance in the falls' mist. It's a hugely popular spot for wedding photos, and park officials have had to create guidelines to keep it from getting overrun with couples on their big day.

Waimoku Falls, Hawaii

It's no easy feat to reach Maui's 400-foot Waimoku Falls. After a twisty drive to Haleakalā National Park, hikers take the Pīpīwai Trail through a bamboo forest. Moss coats the trees, and the water thunders over the precipitous cliff. There can be rock falls and flash floods in the park, so visitors should be alert.

Shoshone Falls, Idaho

Outside Twin Falls, what's known as the "Niagara of the West" spans 900 feet and plummets from 212 feet. It pours into the Snake River, which winds through a basalt canyon. Kayakers and canoeists travel along the river when it's warm. Spring means melting snow adds oomph to the flow, which slows in summer when some of the water is used for irrigation. Viewing decks offer opportunities for breathtaking photos, and there are hiking trails and picnic areas in the park as well.

Cumberland Falls, Kentucky

Like Yosemite, Cumberland Falls produces lunar rainbows when the 125-foot-wide expanse of water catches the light during full moons. Crowds make their way to the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park to see the moonbow, either hiking the challenging trail for a closeup or staking out a spot in the parking lot, which has a view of the falls.

Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan

Winters are cold in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but the Tahquamenon Falls don't freeze over every year. They're nicknamed the "Root Beer Falls" because cedar tannins have turned the water soda-pop brown. Water also foams as it drops nearly 50 feet, like the foam on a freshly poured soft drink. There are two sets of falls, located about 4 miles apart.

Niagara Falls, New York

Arguably the most famous falls in North America, Niagara flows through both Canada and the US. One of its cataracts, Horseshoe Falls, thunders down 180 feet and is located in both Ontario and New York. There are plenty of vantage points for watching the three waterfalls, including bridges and an observation tower. Perhaps the most unique is the Maid of the Mist boat tour, which has been ferrying passengers past the falls since 1847.

Rainbow Falls, New York

Niagara Falls doesn't have a monopoly on New York's pretty waterfalls. Near Lake Placid is the 150-foot Rainbow Falls, located in the Ausable Chasm, a sandstone gorge. True to its name, a spectrum of colors dazzles on the rock wall as the light catches the mist. Visitors need a reservation if they're going to make the 8.5-mile roundtrip hike from May through October. The Route 9 bridge also crosses nearby.

Dry Falls, North Carolina

For those who like to peer at waterfalls from behind the curtain of water, Dry Falls is a spectacular option. A trail through the Nantahala National Forest takes hikers around the back of the 75-foot waterfall. Visitors can also see the front view after a short walk from the parking lot, but either way, this is a popular attraction that gets crowded.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

A short drive from Portland brings travelers to the state's tallest waterfall. Underground springs supply the two-tiered Multnomah Falls, which crashes down over 600 feet. Though that flow is heaviest in winter and spring, tourist traffic peaks in the summer. Visitors need a permit for admittance at the end of May through early September.

Ruby Falls, Tennessee

Take an elevator ride into a limestone cave in Lookout Mountain, and follow the trail to Ruby Falls. It's named not for its color but for the wife of Leo Lambert, who found the waterfall in 1928. Raining down 145 feet, the underground waterfall is a popular attraction that's not far from Chattanooga. Today, lights illuminate the cave, and tickets are needed to enter.

Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

The gushing waterfall in the opening credits of the '90s show "Twin Peaks" is Snoqualmie Falls. Less than an hour from Seattle, it cascades 268 feet against a backdrop of granite cliffs. Sightseers can enjoy them from an accessible observation deck or check into the Salish Lodge, which overlooks the falls.

Yellowstone Falls, Wyoming

Hydrothermal vents aren't Yellowstone's only stunning water feature. The Upper and Lower Falls carry the Yellowstone River to the park's Grand Canyon. Each tumbles roughly 100 feet into the canyon, which is over 20 miles long and a rich mix of reds and yellows. Roads with viewpoints run along both the Upper and Lower Falls.

• A Utah family is suing Southwest Airlines, saying their young son was burned by a hot coffee.
• They claimed the flight attendants were unapologetic and unsure how to treat his injuries.
• The four-year-old has since had difficulties sitting and missed weeks of preschool.

Southwest Airlines is being sued by a couple who say their young son suffered second-degree burns after hot coffee was spilled on him during a flight.

Ryan and Kamrie Wong filed the lawsuit in Chicago on Wednesday. Reuters reported that their son, known as K.W. in the suit, is four years old.

The family was flying from Orlando to Chicago last September when a Southwest flight attendant was "precariously" carrying a drinks tray with one arm, the suit stated.

It adds that a coffee then spilled on the boy, who screamed, "It's so hot!"

The child was crying and screaming, suffering second-degree burns to his buttocks, per the suit.

It also claimed that the flight attendants were unapologetic and unsure how to treat the boy's injuries.

"K.W. was in significant, visible, and vocal pain and distress throughout the rest of the flight," the complaint added.

After landing in Chicago, the family then had to wait for another flight to Utah, where they live.

The lawsuit says a Southwest gate agent made the situation worse by placing K.W. directly on his buttocks, which caused one of his burn blisters to burst.

Among other activities, the complaint adds that K.W. has had difficulties sitting in his car seat, using the bathroom, and getting dressed since the incident.

The boy is said to have missed about two weeks of preschool due to the pain and treatment for his burns.

"When K.W. did return to school, he struggled to sit for extended periods of time," the suit stated.

The Wongs accused Southwest Airlines of negligence and were seeking unspecified damages in excess of $75,000.

Southwest told Business Insider it did not comment on pending litigation.

• Google just upgraded its latest AI model, Gemini 2.5.
• Flash is an AI model that allows you to give it a "thinking budget."
• Developers can now calibrate how much thinking Google's Gemini model does for any task.

Google just rolled out an upgraded version of its latest AI model, with a new feature letting you "turn thinking on or off."

On Thursday, the tech giant rolled out an early version of Gemini 2.5 Flash, an updated version of the 2.5 model it released in March.

That model — a so-called "thinking" model — was dubbed Google's most intelligent one to date, given its ability to reason through ideas before responding.

However, Google is now ready to let you choose how much this new model thinks. And if you really want to, you can tell it to stop thinking completely.

In a blog post, Google Gemini's director of product management, Tulsee Doshi, said that developers can "set thinking budgets to find the right tradeoff between quality, cost, and latency."

The new feature aims to address the intense processing and computing requirements of a new wave of "reasoning" models that have spurred interest across the AI industry, including OpenAI's o3, released on Wednesday.

Google's new model aims to ensure that its reasoning model uses only as much processing power as necessary and applies it only when needed.

Doshi noted that not all tasks require the same reasoning. For example, the reasoning needed to answer "How many provinces does Canada have?" is different from asking AI to calculate the maximum bending stress on a cantilever beam of particular dimensions, she said.

To allocate different levels of reasoning abilities to user queries, Google will allow developers to set a "thinking budget" that Doshi said will offer "fine-grained control" over the number of tokens — units of data — a model generates while operating.

The move to introduce a "thinking budget" also follows a wider shift in the industry to become more "efficient" in the use of computing power.

This followed the release of a reasoning model in January from Chinese startup DeepSeek that claimed to use less computing power.

• About seven years ago, I moved from one of the cloudiest US cities to one of the sunniest — Reno.
• Instead of only spending half of my year in the sun, I spend around 70% of it basking in sunshine.
• I miss living near family, but the pleasant year-round outdoor lifestyle I have now is hard to beat.

In 2018, I moved from Youngstown, Ohio — one of the cloudiest cities in the US — to Reno, Nevada — one of the sunniest.

Whereas my hometown of Youngstown averages about 200 days of cloudy skies each year, Reno averages over 250 days of sunshine.

Moving across the country for graduate school was an exciting new start, and I couldn't wait to leave Ohio's dark, gray skies behind.

At the time, I was still a bit hesitant to leave my friends and family in the Midwest, but I hoped moving to a sunny climate would be a major lifestyle boost.

It was. Although I miss some parts of living in Ohio, I'm still based in Reno seven years later.

The sun is almost always shining in Reno — and the city still experiences all 4 seasons

Reno is regularly ranked among the top sunniest cities in the United States. The city, located in a high desert valley, typically sees sunny skies for the majority of the year.

During my first few months in Reno, I was shocked by how consistently I experienced sunshine and clear skies. The sky shined a vibrant shade of blue nearly every day — I had never seen such predictable weather in Northeast Ohio.

The weather also had a positive effect on my mood. I always dreaded Ohio's gloomiest days, and Reno's sunshine made me feel more cheerful and motivated.

Plus, I like that the city still experiences changing seasons — mild temperatures in spring and fall, heat in the summer, and even the occasional snowfall in winter.

I mostly enjoyed the changing seasons in Ohio, especially the state's stunning fall foliage. Winters, though, could be especially harsh with overcast skies and frigid temperatures.

In Reno, I can experience all four seasons while still enjoying the near-constant sunshine. A bit of sun definitely makes chilly winter days more pleasant.

I love the city's outdoor access — and the active lifestyle is hard to beat

After moving from Youngstown to Reno, I couldn't help but notice the lifestyle differences between a cloudy and sunny city.

With excellent weather and spectacular scenery, Reno's culture seems to revolve around outdoor activities.

Nearly every person I met here seemed to enjoy a variety of active hobbies, whether skiing, cycling, backpacking, or rock climbing. The sunshine just helps foster an active lifestyle.

Back in Ohio, I had trouble finding motivation to get outside on those dreary, cloudy days. In Reno, I relish the opportunity to explore the outdoors.

I've taken up road cycling and take any chance I can find to pedal through the valley and nearby Sierra Nevada mountains.

Plus, Reno's easy access to Lake Tahoe has put even more outdoor adventures at my fingertips when I want to go hiking, kayaking, or scuba diving.

I miss living near family, but I can't imagine living in a cloudy city again

After living in Nevada for years, the state feels like home. I love walking my dog on sunny hiking trails (even in winter!) and knowing I can expect relatively pleasant weather year-round.

That being said, I don't love everything about living here. The weather can be exceptionally windy at times, and summers come with a risk of smoke from nearby wildfires.

I miss living close to family, and the distance has been harder to handle since becoming an aunt to my adorable niece and nephews back east.

Even still, I can't imagine moving back. The outdoor lifestyle in Reno is unlike anything I experienced in the Midwest, and the sunshine keeps me feeling happy and motivated.

Although the future is uncertain, I know one thing for sure: I'd never choose to live in such a cloudy place again, and I'm happy to call sunny Reno my home.

• President Donald Trump compared the US to a department store that everyone wants "a piece" of.
• In Oval Office remarks on Thursday, he said trade deals could be concluded in a matter of weeks.
• He said there would be a "little bit of transition" before tariffs are successful.

President Donald Trump compared the US to a "big beautiful department store, before that business was destroyed by the internet."

In Oval Office remarks on Thursday, he said that he felt each country wants "a piece of that store."

"China wants it, Japan wants it, Mexico, Canada — they live off it, those two, without us, they wouldn't have a country," he added.

Trump was responding to questions from reporters about US trade deals with other countries.

Asked how much time he thought the US needed to make deals, Trump said, "I would think over the next 3 to 4 weeks."

"I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded" by then, he said.

But Trump said that, at a certain point, if a deal isn't made, a tariff will just be set and the country or the market may find the tariff rate too high.

"They'll come back and say, 'Well, we think this is too high, and we'll negotiate,' or they're going to say something else, they're going to say, 'Let's see what happens,'" Trump said.

Trump's recent tariff announcements have roiled global markets and affected relationships between the US and other countries worldwide.

Trump said any country has the right to decide not to shop in the "store of America" in order to avoid the tariffs, but that "we have something that nobody else has, and that's the American consumer."

In his remarks on Thursday, Trump also said that he may not raise tariffs on China if it goes beyond the 125% duty it currently has on American goods.

"At a certain point, I don't want them to go higher because at a certain point, you make it where people don't buy," he said.

• Melinda French Gates feared her family's vast wealth would result in entitled children.
• The billionaire philanthropist sent them to local schools, and they all took part in community work.
• Bill Gates' ex-wife used an allowance and chores to keep them grounded, she told a podcast.

Melinda French Gates knew her three children were at high risk of being detached from reality, so she says she took pains to keep them grounded.

With Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates as their father, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe Gates were surrounded by a "crazy amount of wealth" and lived in an "extraordinarily large house," French Gates told NPR's "Fresh Air" podcast this week.

The philanthropist is worth about $14 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. She said she reflected on her own childhood, and the tenets her middle-class parents instilled in her, to figure out how to stave off entitlement and elitism in her kids.

"I wanted them to have deep values. And I wanted them to know they were lucky," French Gates said in the interview, part of the publicity tour for her new book: "The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward."

French Gates, who divorced Gates in 2021 and stepped down as cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last year, said she enrolled her children in local schools instead of homeschooling them. She wanted her family to be part of the community, and believed it would benefit her children, she said.

Her kids did take some "knocks" as she moved them between numerous schools in search of the "right school for the right kid," she said.

French Gates, who launched The Giving Pledge with Gates and Warren Buffett, made sure to expose her kids to the outside world whether they were overseas or at home.

"We went out and saw what life was like for other kids," she said. "And even in the Seattle community, we would go out and work with the homeless, work in a community shelter, be on the lines where they're feeding people."

Those experiences opened their eyes to how lucky they were and made them think about their role in society, French Gates said. She added that her younger daughter, Phoebe, worked in Rwanda for several summers in middle and high school and lived with a local family there.

French Gates said that seeing the world gave her kids perspective about the harsh realities of life and the fact that Seattle was just a "tiny speck on the map."

"And so I tried to ground them in that, ground them with chores, ground them with an allowance," she said, adding that she made sure the hired help had good values too.

French Gates also discussed why she values community work on the "On With Kara Swisher" podcast this week. She said that helping the homeless, mentoring or helping kids with their homework, and serving food to the less fortunate teaches valuable lessons and makes people feel better for helping out.

• I always wanted to be a journalist even though I knew it was a tough industry.
• I landed a full-time job right after graduating from college.
• Having work experience and realistic expectations helped.

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a print journalist. In high school, a few teachers tried to steer me in a different direction because getting a job in the media was so difficult even then, but I was determined to make it happen.

I studied for a double degree in journalism and business management and graduated in 2007. Despite the naysayers, I immediately landed a full-time cadetship job at a newspaper. I believe three things got me over the line.

I did as much work experience as possible

When I wasn't at university, I did as much work experience as I could. While my friends were busy enjoying their time off school by going to the beach or the movies, I was cutting my teeth in a newsroom. My degree required a minimum of one internship, but I wanted to do extras.

I often found it super intimidating and felt out of my depth, but I gained real-world experience that proved to be invaluable. Doing work experience meant that by the time I graduated and was out there looking for a job, I already had my byline published in multiple publications and a portfolio of work to show prospective employers.

In my one and only job interview, the chief of staff wasn't interested in my university grades. In fact, I don't think he even asked about them. He wanted to see examples of my published work. The work experience I'd done definitely paid off.

I persevered

Where I lived on the Gold Coast in Australia, there was only one daily newspaper, the Gold Coast Bulletin, and I was desperate to work for them.

Back then, there was a scholarship program that high school seniors could apply for. It was a four-year program alternating work and study, with a guaranteed position as a newspaper journalist upon completion. Successful candidates could study for their Bachelor of Journalism at Bond University and work as a paid cadet journalist at the Gold Coast Bulletin on a semester-on, semester-off basis. I applied, but I missed out.

Even though I was extremely disappointed, I didn't let it discourage me. They say that there are many pathways to the same destination, and it's so true. I went to university for four years, then reapplied for a job with the Gold Coast Bulletin in 2007.

When I called and asked the chief of staff if they had any work available, he said they didn't. I dropped off my résumé and portfolio anyway with reception. Later that afternoon, he called me back and said to come for an interview.

The chief of staff gave me a chance and offered me a position on the copy desk, which basically involved answering phones and writing about kids' sporting achievements. It opened a door, and I was grateful that my perseverance paid off.

I was realistic about having to work my way up

Though the copy desk wasn't exactly where I wanted to be, the newsroom was, and I knew that I had to start somewhere.

I'd also conceded that if I didn't land a job at the Gold Coast, I was willing to move elsewhere to get started in a career in journalism. I think that being flexible and having realistic expectations about working your way up to where you want to be is really important as a graduate.

I ended up working at the Gold Coast Bulletin for three years, then traveling and working odd jobs while overseas. I returned to a newsroom as a print journalist in Melbourne in 2014, and then in 2015, I started my own copywriting business. Nowadays, I work from home and write freelance parenting, travel, and lifestyle articles for a range of publications. I still love my work.

I always tell my kids to reach for the stars and follow their dreams, even if they seem difficult to achieve. I did, and I never looked back.

• NATO has ramped up its presence in the Baltic Sea, sensing a threat from Russia.
• Countries that border the strategic waters are also ordering more vessels.
• The sea is important both to Russia and to NATO.

NATO countries that share a strategically important sea with Russia have boosted their presence there and are buying more warships, as they eye Russia warily.

Denmark, which sits at the mouth of the Baltic Sea, announced plans to buy dozens more ships amid rising threats in the Baltic and the Arctic.

The Baltic Sea is a major trade and telecomms route that has seen increased patrols and alleged sabotages of undersea cables since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many European officials say they believe Russia is behind the severing of cables.

Lithuania, which borders Russia and the sea, announced this month that it is buying two new attack boats. Poland is also building new frigates and is planning to buy submarines. Estonia, which has only eight ships and one of the world's smallest navies, aims to purchase up to 12 new vessels.

Sweden, which joined NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine, is also procuring four more surface vessels.

Much of Sweden's military was designed with a fight against Russia in mind, and it has even issued its citizens a booklet advising them about how to prepare for such a war.

Pål Jonson, Sweden's defense minister, told BI in February that Sweden is "in the process also of procuring four new surface vessels," saying they will "be significantly bigger" than its existing Visby class corvettes.

Bryan Clark, a naval operations expert at the Hudson Institute who served on the US Navy headquarters staff, said the vessels, combined with Sweden's submarines, would be "very useful for closing off the Baltic Sea if they wanted to, using the combination of the submarines and those surface combatants."

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration said last year that two of the ships were planned to be delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces in 2030.

The country's admission to NATO boosted the alliance's maritime presence, particularly in the Baltic Sea, which is flanked by countries including Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

Russia's naval presence in the Baltic as of December 2023 included one attack submarine, five guided missile destroyers, one guided missile frigate, and 35 smaller ships, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

However, Russia moves its naval assets around, changing what is based in each port.

Many alliance members have started calling the Baltic the "NATO Sea," after Sweden and neighboring Finland joined NATO.

Sweden brings submarine capabilities that few other NATO members in the region have. Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Finland, and Lithuania have no submarines, while Poland has just one.

Sweden's submarines are also well suited for the Baltic Sea in particular, according to naval warfare experts.

Steven Horrell, a former US naval intelligence officer and now a warfare expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told BI that Sweden's small and quiet submarines are perfect for a sea with "smaller inlets, small islands, small shallow waters."

Jonson said Sweden could bring "unique capabilities" to NATO's operations in the Baltic Sea, underwater and on the surface.

Sweden also knows the sea well: Jonson described operating there as "something we've been doing for hundreds of years, and we like to think that we know the Baltic Sea inside out."

He said "a lot of things" were being done to protect critical infrastructure on the seabed, adding that Sweden was using its own navy and coast guard, but NATO had also stepped up its efforts.

Sweden is part of NATO's Baltic Sentry operation, which has put more ships and control vessels in the sea. But Jonson said more could be done.

Sweden's defense minister warned last year that, even though Russia's forces were "tied up" in Ukraine, "We cannot rule out a Russian attack on our country."

In addition to boosting defense spending, Sweden is giving Ukraine its biggest-ever support package this year, worth about $1.6 billion.

Jonson described that as a message to its allies: "We have to all step up and provide more assistance to Ukraine."

He called supporting Ukraine "the right thing to do and the smart thing to do because it's really also an investment into our own security because the stakes before us are enormous."