Category: Business

• China's lunar probe returned to Earth with the first-ever samples from the moon's far side. 
• The samples could answer crucial questions about how planets form.
• China is gearing up it's bid to be the new dominant power in space. 

China just took a huge leap forward in its plans to dominate space.

On Tuesday, its Chang'e-6 lunar probe successfully returned to Earth carrying the first-ever samples from the moon's far side. 

A video showed an official triumphantly planting a Chinese flag near the capsule in Mongolia after it glided back to our planet by parachute.

The samples, which include 2.5 million-year-old volcanic rock, could answer crucial questions about how planets form, as well as the moon's history.

But they are significant for another reason too.

They signify China's growing prowess in orbit, as well as its potential to someday leapfrog the US in the race to dominate space.

The moon's far side

The moon's far side is considered particularly challenging to explore because of its craters and the difficulty of maintaining communications with vehicles landing there.

China is the only country to have landed in this tricky terrain and returned with samples. The latest mission, which launched on May 3, is China's second successful landing on the moon's far side, with the first launched in 2019.

Overall, it has soft-landed on the moon four times.

The US, meanwhile, has had less luck. In January, Astrobiotic launched a lander into space, with the aim of it being the first American spacecraft to soft land on the moon since the Apollo era.

But its hopes were quickly dashed after a fuel leak caused a failure in the spacecraft's propellant system.

In February, Intuitive Machines, in collaboration with NASA, achieved a first: landing a US commercial spacecraft on the moon without crashing.

But that had complications. As previously reported by Business Insider, when the spacecraft touched down on the moon, it stopped communicating with mission control.

The recent moon-landing scoreboard is "4 to 0.5" in favor of China, Simone Dell'Agnello, a researcher who collaborated with Chang'e 6, told The Wall Street Journal. "The first difference is that China has missions landing on the fucking moon."

The space race heats up

China is now rivaling the US and Russia as a leading space power. It has its own manned space station, Tiangong, and in 2022 became the second country after the US to land a robotic vehicle on the surface of Mars.

Analysts believe that China's leader, Xi Jinping, sees huge economic and military opportunities in space. China is planning to send a crewed flight to the moon by 2030 and build a base at the lunar south pole.

The US is gearing up for its own space exploration missions and has rival plans to land a crewed flight on the moon and build a base.

The head of NASA, Bill Nelson, has said that the US and China are involved in a new "space race" and that China's research missions are being used for covert military activity.

He said that China seems to be accelerating its plans to send a crewed flight to the moon.

"It is incumbent on us to get there first," told Congress in April.

At stake are water supplies scientists believe may be on the moon's far side, which China could claim. These supplies would be vital for establishing a moon base or for further space exploration.

Pentagon officials have warned that China is seeking to potentially disable US satellites if a war breaks out between them.

China has insisted its space program is for the benefit of humanity.

But it's also a race for control of economic resources and military power in the intensifying rivalry between the US and China.

• A new study has found that lifestyle choices can help people live to 100.
• These include not smoking, exercising, and eating a diverse diet. 
• Researchers found that people who did all three were more likely to be healthy into their 100s.

Making three lifestyle choices could help you live to 100, new research has found.

Researchers at China's Fudan University found that never smoking, exercising, and eating a diverse diet were associated with a higher chance of living to 100.

Since people are living longer — life expectancy at birth is now 73.5 years globally and 77.6 years in mainland China as of 2019, according to the study's authors — the researchers wanted to identify what could help people to age as healthily as possible.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open on Thursday, used data from an existing study that collected data on people aged 80 and over from across China between 1998 and 2018. It compared the lifestyles of 1,454 centenarians and 3,768 people who died before they reached 100.

Researchers looked at whether the people smoked, drank alcohol, or exercised, as well as their diet and body mass index. They found that people with the most diverse diets — meaning they often consumed fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, and tea — were 23% more likely to reach 100 than those with the least varied diets.

Those who exercised were also 31% more likely to live to 100 than those who had never exercised. And people who had never smoked were 25% more likely to become centenarians than those who did.

Plus, people in the top categories for diverse diets, exercise, and never smoking were not only more likely to reach 100, but were also 54% more likely to be healthy after their 100th birthday.

A person's weight and how much alcohol they drank didn't appear to affect longevity in the study

Researchers also found that BMI and alcohol use didn't appear to impact the participants' chances of living to 100. They said that moderate drinking was not necessarily linked to worse health, and, at advanced ages, a lower BMI within the healthy range wasn't necessarily better as it could be a marker of malnutrition.

Claire Steves, a professor of aging and health at Kings College London who wasn't involved in the study, told Business Insider that this doesn't mean that drinking alcohol and BMI aren't important factors in longevity — it just means that they weren't statistically significant in this particular study.

For BMI, for example, this could be because the study was done on a Chinese population, who tend to have generally normal/low BMIs anyway, she said.

It's important to note that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe for health, according to the World Health Organization.

Steves said the take-home message from this study is that "if you want to increase your chances of living to 100 (and being healthy when you get there), you should never smoke, do regular exercise, and eat a diverse range of foods."

BI has previously reported on how to exercise for longevity and the benefits of a diverse diet.

• Harry Jowsey and Jessica Vestal are one of the most popular couples in "Perfect Match" season two.
• Fans previously speculated that the pair dated in 2023.
• Here's what we know about their relationship on the show and whether they are still together.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Perfect Match" season two.

Netflix reality star Harry Jowsey and "Love Is Blind" fan-favorite cast member Jessica Vestal broke up in the "Perfect Match" season two finale.

In season two, stars from "Squid Game: The Challenge," "Love Is Blind" and other shows date each other to find their perfect match.

The series gives Netflix the opportunity to give fan-favorite reality contestants more screen time while promoting their lesser-known shows like as "The Trust: A Game of Greed" and "Dated & Related."

In season two, Harry, who had a reputation for being a player, said when he arrived at the house that he was ready to settle down in a serious relationship.

His costars were doubtful, but he persevered, and in episode three, he coupled up with Jessica, who starred in the latest season of "Love Is Blind."

The pair fought in episodes three and five when Jessica questioned Harry's honesty after she heard negative comments from other contestants. But Jessica stuck by him.

Their relationship got messy in episode eight, after the male contestants went on a trip away from their partners and met a group of female contestants.

Harry was caught in a cheating scandal after Melinda Berry accused him of kissing her off-camera. Harry denied the kisses, but Holly Scarfone said she saw it.

When all the contestants got back to the house, Melinda told Jessica, and Jessica was unsure who to believe. In the season finale, Jessica decided not to rematch with Harry, meaning they both had to leave the competition.

According to a post-credit scene in the finale, the pair got back together a month after filming, but they have since broken up.

Both stars told Entertainment Tonight in June that they are single now. Jessica also said in a clip shared by Netflix on X that she no longer talks to Harry.

Even before the season finale, there were clues they were no longer dating. Here's why.

Jessica and Harry were photographed together in Mexico last year

Before "Perfect Match" aired fans were already speculating whether Harry and Jessica were dating.

In March, TMZ and PageSix published pictures of Harry and Jessica kissing that they claim were taken in June 2023 in Tulum, Mexico.

However, these photographs may have been taken while the cast was filming "Perfect Match" season two since the series was filmed in Tulum.

Harry confirmed in the episode of his podcast, "Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey," which aired on June 11, that the series was filmed in the summer of 2023.

Alternatively, they could have been spotted after filming. Harry said on Tuesday's episode of "Boyfriend Material" that he and Jess spent another week together in Mexico after filming to work on their relationship.

He also said they went on a holiday to Cancún too.

"Jess didn't need to do that. It just shows you her character like she really leads with her heart. She's really a sweet human, and I guess she just really wanted to make it work out," Harry said before adding that the relationship did not work out in the end.

Jessica implied she was single in March.

In March of this year, Jessica seemed to push back on the idea that she was dating someone.

She posted a TikTok, captioning it: "Trust, y'all will know when someone has wifed me up. Let's focus on the ones who actually might be."

It isn't as definitive as "I'm not in a relationship," but certainly points to an ongoing relationship with Harry being unlikely.

In February, Jessica also spoke about another possible non-Harry romance.

She said on the "Viall Files" podcast that she was attracted to a costar from "Love Is Blind" season six.

"I had another strong connection there," Jessica said. "I can't say any names because I'm still trying to sort some things out."

Jess and I stayed in Mexico we went to Cancun for like a week after

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it to try and work on ourselves and stuff like that but again I was being a bit of a drunk sausage

Harry said he broke up with a secret girlfriend last year.

In the fall of 2023, Harry partnered up with professional dancer Rylee Arnold to compete in "Dancing With The Stars" season 32.

However, fans began speculating that the dancing partners were dating after seeing their chemistry and reading reports that they spent Thanksgiving together.

Harry shut down the rumors at the time, telling Business Insider in November: "I try and ignore it all because I just want to focus on the dancing. If I get distracted with dating stuff and all that stuff, then I'm probably not going to be a good dancer."

In April, Harry said on his podcast, "Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey," that he was actually in a secret relationship during the filming of "Dancing With the Stars."

"All those edits kind of brought me and my girlfriend at the time apart," Harry said, referring to TikTok videos that elevated the dating rumors about him and Rylee.

"I was madly in love with this girl," Harry said. "It was probably just infatuation, but I thought it was love. Obviously, it ended up ending, and it fizzled out because it's so difficult to see your boyfriend or girlfriend on 'Dancing with the Stars' being that close with someone else."

Harry credited the secret girlfriend for keeping him steady during his sudden rise in fame until they eventually broke up.

Jessica calls Harry a red flag in TikTok videos

Throughout "Perfect Match," Jessica's costars warned her of Harry's poor dating history. However, Jessica ignores them and continues to date him.

After the first episodes of "Perfect Match" aired on June 7, Jessica also began calling Harry a "red flag" on TikTok which seems to imply that they are no longer dating.

On Monday, she posted a video with the caption: "When the entire house is telling you that your match is the world's largest red flag but you gotta see it through."

On Sunday, she appeared in another video shared by her "Perfect Match" costar, Micah Lussier, about their partners on the show.

"When everyone warned you about your man, but you're a lover girl at heart, so you're gonna stick beside him against your better judgment," Micah captioned the post.

Harry meanwhile commented on his relationship with Jessica after the show aired on the latest episode of his podcast.

However, he had nothing but good things to say about her and even said she was "the love of my life."

"I thought that Jess was the most incredible most beautiful woman that I've ever seen in my life," he said.

Harry and Jessica are not following each other on Instagram

The biggest clue that they're not together is that Harry and Jessica don't follow each other on Instagram.

Harry has shared videos and pictures of their time together on the show, but Business Insider has checked and he doesn't follow Jessica. In fact, Harry only follows some of his male costars from the show.

Jessica follows most of her male and female costars but not Harry.

This likely means they're no longer on good terms.

Correction: June 17, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the number of episodes in the spoiler warning. There were nine episodes, not six.

• Warning: Major spoilers for "Perfect Match" season two.
• Harry Jowsey was in hot water with Jessica Vestal after being accused of kissing Melinda Berry.
• Harry admitted to kissing Melinda on his podcast, days after the show's finale. 

Harry Jowsey finally admitted to kissing Melinda Berry behind his partner's back on "Perfect Match" season two, days after Netflix exposed him in the finale.

Harry was obsessed with Jessica Vestal on the show, and the pair became one of the season's more consistent couples.

But in episode eight, Harry was at a party without Jessica and flirted with Melinda. Harry offered to carry Melinda twice in the episode, and the second time, Harry allegedly kissed her.

The "kiss" apparently happened off-camera, leading to an argument between Melinda, who was adamant it happened, and Harry, who said it didn't.

The next day, Melinda told Jessica that she and Harry kissed, causing a big fight between the three.

The scandal became one of the season's biggest controversies, especially because audiences didn't see what happened.

On Tuesday, Harry admitted he lied about the kiss in the latest episode of his podcast, "Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey."

"Yes, I did kiss Melinda. Yes, I lied about it. Yes, I gaslit. Yes, I manipulated everyone," he said. "It's not the respectable thing to do."

Fans were initially hoping to find out the truth during the cast reunion in the season two finale, but Harry never confirmed what happened.

However, Harry did apologize to Jessica, at which point the show cut to clips from the party that seemed to indicate he and Melinda deliberately tried to kiss out of shot.

In one clip, Harry asked the production crew if they caught the kiss on camera.

Here's a breakdown of the kissing drama between Melinda, Harry, and Jessica.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight: Melinda and Holly say the kiss happened off-screen

The kissing scandal began in episode eight after the couples were split up and sent to separate parties. The boys' party was ambushed by a group of girls who tried to tempt them away from their original partners.

The kiss was never shown in the show, but there were some potential witnesses.

Holly Scarfone and Justin Assada were talking next to where the kiss was thought to have happened.

Holly was the first person to claim Harry and Melinda kissed.

Justin said: "Woah, what's going on there? huh"

Holly replied: "Boys' day. They kissed."

The camera then pivoted to Stevan Ditter, who seemed to be looking in Harry and Melinda's direction.

Stevan and Justin both said they didn't see anything, but they could have been trying to defend their friend.

Viewers then saw Melinda and Harry, and Harry talking about his great relationship with Jessica.

Melinda mentioned the kiss, but Harry denied it, laughed without looking directly at her, and walked away.

When they rejoined the group, Harry said Melinda made up the kiss for the fame.

"No one saw it," he told the rest of the group. "That was fake news. I did not kiss her. Where's the video evidence?"

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight: Harry doesn't mention the kiss when he first sees Jessica

After the original couples returned to the house later in the episode, Jessica found Harry crying in his bed.

Harry told Jessica he hadn't been the best example for her or her daughter Autumn.

Harry said he was too playful during the boys' party and carried Melinda to the toilet at one point in the day. Harry never mentioned a kiss and instead accused Melinda of lying.

Jessica and Harry had a brief argument because she didn't initially believe him, she eventually forgave him.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode eight-nine: Jessica tells Melinda off for telling everyone about the alleged kiss

Episode eight ended with the female contestants from the "boys' party" arriving at the house to give them an opportunity to steal the men.

All the women congregate around a table to reveal if any of the men cheated during the boys' day out. Melinda immediately told Jessica that she and Harry kissed three times the day before.

"He just kissed me," Melinda said. "And then does it again, so I kissed him back."

Harry and Dom Gabriel walked past at this point, so Jessica asked Harry to comment on Melinda's story. Harry again denied kissing Melinda, and said that no one saw anything.

Melinda then turned to Brittan Byrd to back her up. Brittan said Melinda's makeup was on his nose.

Jessica began questioning Melinda's motives for kissing Harry and not telling her this information privately.

The pair argued before Jessica said she wanted both sides of the story before deciding whether to stay with Harry.

Harry walked away and complained about the situation to Dom. Harry told Dom that Melinda set up the conversation about the kiss and said Melinda was the one who tried to initiate a kiss, but he turned away.

'Perfect Match' season two, episode nine: Melinda says Harry also said he wanted to have sex with her

Jessica spent most of episode nine asking contestants for advice about the situation.

It wasn't the first time Harry, who has dating track record, had his loyalty questioned.

Alara Taneri, Stevan, Dom, and Bryton Constantin all defended Harry to Jessica.

Jessica asked Harry for his side of the story, and he denied the kiss but added another element to the story.

"I did look at her stomach, and I said, 'It'd look good if you were pregnant.' But it was not in that sense," Harry said.

When Melinda spoke to Jessica privately later in the episode, Melinda said Harry wanted to have sex with her.

"He was like, 'I'm 30 years old. I'm ready for some babies.' He goes, 'You ready for some babies? I'll put a baby in you,'" Melinda said. "He goes, 'They'll come out handsome and tall and athletic.'"

'Perfect Match' season two, episode nine: Jessica confronts Harry

Harry and Jessica sat down again at the end of the episode to discuss the kissing incident.

Harry said he had been vomiting all evening because of the stress of the situation and apologized for the incident. But Jessica wasn't convinced Harry was telling the truth.

The episode ended with Harry asking for Jessica to match with him.

June 14-17, 2024: Harry and Melinda joke about the kissing drama on social media

Ahead of the season two finale, Harry and Melinda appeared to joke about the kissing scandal on social media.

In one of Melinda's two TikTok posts about the kiss, she captioned the video: "All I know is the truth #theperfectmatch #perfectmatch #Netflix all will be revealed."

Meanwhile, Harry shared an Instagram reel of him wearing a T-shirt that said "I ❤️ gaslighting" while reading a book titled "gaslighting."

June 18, 2024: Harry says he was told to create drama during the boys' day

Harry seemed to suggest that he lied about the "kiss" in an episode of his podcast, "Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey," which aired on June 18.

Harry said he was a "gaslighting king" during episodes seven to nine of "Perfect Match." Harry hadn't addressed the kiss directly at this point, but said he would talk more about the situation next week.

"I just want to let you guys know it's a lot worse than you think, so buckle up," he said.

Later in the episode, Dom appeared as a guest and said he didn't agree with Harry's "gaslighting" and "lying" during the kissing drama. But Dom said Harry's actions wouldn't have been as serious in the real world.

These comments seem to indicate that Harry kissed Melinda and lied about it.

Harry also said there were "no hard feelings" between him and Melinda, implying they've made up.

Harry added there was no excuse for his behavior, and listed multiple reasons for his actions.

Harry said he wasn't in the right headspace when filming "Perfect Match," and he was drinking a lot before and during the boys' day outing.

"There was no limit on that alcohol," Harry said. "I was so fucking drunk that I don't remember leaving that place. I don't remember the second half of that night. All I remember is like the shit that went down and then being back at the house with food poisoning."

In an episode of "Boyfriend Material" that aired on June 11, Harry said he didn't remember much of the show because he was always drunk.

Later in the episode on June 18, Harry said that someone in the "Perfect Match" production team told the contestants to create drama to make the series more interesting.

"There was someone on the team that came up to both the girls and the guys and said, 'Hey, if you guys don't do anything or create any drama, we don't have a fucking show,'" Harry said.

Representatives for "Perfect Match" did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider outside business hours.

In "Perfect Match" season two, episodes eight and nine, Harry looked very sick and told Jessica he vomited because he was worried about their relationship.

On his podcast, Harry said he just had food poisoning from undercooked salmon that he made.

"It looked like I was vomiting, crying, and freaking the fuck out from Jess," Harry said. "But, in that moment, I was just violently ill."

Harry said he should have spoken to Jess after the boys' party and taken accountability, but at the time, he was blackout drunk, sick from food poisoning, and had a victim mentality.

"I was only thinking about myself," Harry said. "Looking back at that, there's a lot of shit I would have done different."

Perfect Match season two finale: The show suggests Harry deliberately kissed Melinda off-camera

The beginning of the season two finale returned to the conversation between Jessica and Harry, where she told him she didn't know whether to trust him.

Though she believed Harry wanted to change, Jessica said she didn't want to settle for a man who makes her question the truth, so she doesn't match him. Both Harry and Jess then leave.

At the end of the finale, the cast, excluding Justin, reunited to discuss their relationships and vote for a winner.

Before the vote, host Nick Lachey gave the cast a chance to speak about their journey. Harry took the opportunity to say he was disappointed with his behavior on the show but grateful for the experience and for his relationship with Jess.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed in the whole situation, and I made some silly decisions, and I embarrassed myself and wasn't honest with someone that I really cared about," Harry said.

The show then cut to numerous clips from the party in episode eight. There was a clip of Harry telling Melinda he wanted to get her pregnant, followed by clips of Melinda and Harry whispering about doing something off-camera.

Melinda said, "No Cameras. Go ahead, no one's looking," while a camera is pointed at a tree.

In the next clip, Melinda and Harry can be seen on-screen again, and Melinda said, "Treacherous kiss. I wanted to just dog your face out."

Harry replied, "Oh yeah, I wanna fuck you."

Later, Harry told Chris Hahn that he'd done "something really bad" but refused to say what on camera.

In the final clip, Harry asked the production crew, "Did you guys get footage of me and Melinda kissing or not? I didn't mean to do it."

These clips suggested that the kiss happened, but Harry and Melinda tried to do it off camera.

The show then cut back to Harry's speech, where he said it is important for men to own up to their "fuck-up," but he still didn't admit to the kiss.

When it was Jessica's turn to speak, she seemed to believe Harry but was not ready to date him again.

"I think Harry is a good man. I think he wants to do better," Jessica said. "But is he the kind of man that I want to lead my life right now? No, but I don't regret it."

June 21, 2024: Melinda celebrates Netflix sharing the footage about the kiss

Melinda didn't wait long after the finale episode aired to celebrate that Netflix revealed that the kiss did happen.

She shared a TikTok joking about Netflix sharing the proof on the same day.

June 22, 2024: Jessica and Holly react to the kissing scandal

A day after the finale episode aired, Jessica appeared to address the scandal on Instagram, writing that it was a "difficult experience to relive."

"I am taking this time to practice some humility, learn how I can be better, and continue to hold my head high," Jessica wrote in the caption of the post before telling fans not to send hate to any of her castmates.

Jessica was not the only contestant to share her reaction to the finale.

Micah Lussier, a contestant who appeared to still be friends with Jessica, shared a clip on TikTok of her shocked reaction to the scene in the "Perfect Match" finale, where the producers revealed that Harry kissed Melinda off-camera.

Holly, the first person to see the kiss, commented on that post: "The way he threatened to leave the show if the producers put it in 😂and they still did."

A representative for Harry did not immediately respond to a comment request from BI.

June 25, 2024: Harry finally owns up to the kiss

In the latest episode of "Boyfriend Material," which aired on June 25, Harry admitted that he kissed Melinda on "Perfect Match" and lied about it to the whole cast.

Harry said it was "weird" that none of the cameramen caught the kiss on tape.

"How is there 50 cameras there, and no one spotted us," Harry said.

Harry said he manipulated and gaslit the rest of the cast and later apologized to Jessica, Melinda, the audience, and his castmates.

"No one deserved to be a part of the fucking hurricane Harry that was going down on perfect match, but we're taking accountability. We're growing from this," he said.

Harry said that he was "so drunk" that he didn't understand what happened that day, but he did remember the kiss.

"There's absolutely no excuse for my behavior on the show and especially the things that I said. I was drunk, but there's no excuse, and it should have never happened," Harry said. "I do really want to own up and take full responsibility not only for Melinda, Jess, myself, but to you guys because I did you guys a disservice."

Harry also pointed out that he repeatedly lied kisses on reality shows, including "Too Hot To Handle" and "Dancing With The Stars," so fans should not trust him in the future.

• Sue Campbell moved to Hong Kong in 2010 as a managing director for a managing consultancy.
• She said that in China, employees were conscious of hierarchy and junior workers spoke up less. 
• Campbell highly recommended living in Asia, saying the experience improved her confidence. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Sue Campbell, 58, about relocating to China for work. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

When I started working in Hong Kong and China in 2010, Asia felt like the center of the universe — there was so much growth, opportunity, and technology.

Shanghai is such a bustling, vibrant city. There was a mix of things happening on every corner. You'd see people hawking things on the street across the road from these incredible 3D billboards and a giant Louis Vuitton store.

I'm originally from Australia, but in 2000, I moved to the UK. In 2010, I relocated to Hong Kong for eight years to become the managing director of a global talent management consultancy's Asia division. I was also the MD of the China division for two years. I would spend a week out of every month in China, usually at our Shanghai office.

Navigating cultural differences was a job in itself

The company I worked for handled large-scale professional hiring. We helped other companies set up or expand their operations in China.

Navigating cultural differences was a huge part of my job. I was often the liaison between international clients and the team in China, helping everyone understand each other better.

I'd create project teams with a local project leader to get their input on workflow and communication changes, and I made sure my colleagues had ownership over the new systems.

Having moved from Australia to the UK, I'd already experienced cultural differences in the workplace. I learned to be sensitive to people's different perspectives and that differences aren't always obvious.

It took time to build trust with colleagues in China. Generally, the Australian style of work communication is very direct, so I had to adapt my style to slow down, listen, and spend more time building relationships.

I respected that people would approach things differently and ensured they felt I was standing up for their perspective.

Employees in China were very conscious of their place in the company hierarchy

Hierarchies were very apparent in Chinese work culture. In meetings, people deferred to their managers. It was unusual for a more junior employee to contribute. I had to really encourage them to speak up.

Job titles mattered a lot, and people expected career progression. At the time, our global company was trying to flatten its organizational structure and we had to explain this would not work in China. Instead, we created a different structure with three sub-levels so people could feel they were progressing.

People also placed a lot of importance on things like office size, what the view from their office was like, and having a corner office.

It took time to overcome this deep desire to respect hierarchy. To promote change, I spoke to people one-on-one as much as possible. I'd find any opportunity to ask colleagues questions directly and try to build a rapport. I'd often sit in the open-plan area, which most people in my position wouldn't have done. I think it made me more approachable.

People were less transparent about struggling with the work

Another difference I noticed was that no one raised issues in meetings if a project wasn't going well. You might eventually find out about a problem behind closed doors, but getting the issue out in the open was challenging.

For example, a client once wanted to hire scientists with a very specific background in a remote location. From the start, our team knew it would be virtually impossible, but they didn't share this concern until the delivery dates started to slip and the client got worried.

In some Western cultures, it's more likely — although not a given — that the concerns or issues would be flagged earlier. In China, people seemed to take pride in their work and I think they didn't want to make themselves look bad.

I found that nobody would tell me about the problem until it got to the point where I had to have awkward conversations with clients because we were behind. As a Westerner, I quickly needed to learn that what was not being said was also important. I had to be more receptive to subtle cues and never make assumptions without clarifying with a colleague first.

People on my team weren't as used to actioning direct orders as they were in the West

Delegating tasks often took more time and explanation, from my experience. If you asked somebody in a Western country to take on a project, you might say: "I need 100 people by the end of the month in these jobs, off you go." In China, I would sit down with people and work out a detailed plan.

With my colleagues, I had to spell out exactly what I wanted in a way I'd never experienced. One of my more experienced Chinese colleagues, who'd done a lot of work with global companies, mentioned that it could be because of the education system in China. They said schools didn't give students as much latitude to do things in their own way as they did in the West.

However, it could also just have been that the team I was working with in China lacked experience in doing larger-scale recruitment, so they didn't have the confidence to make detailed plans. Once the plan was there, the team was incredibly committed to delivering the results. My peers were really diligent and had an incredible work ethic.

Working in a new culture gave me more confidence

I came back to the UK in 2018, and having seen the terrible impact of plastic rubbish in Asia, I started my own business, KIND2 – we make solid shampoo bars.

My time in Asia was a really interesting chapter in my life. It gave me more confidence.

If anybody has the chance to work in Asia, I'd recommend it. There were many moments when things were more difficult than if I'd been doing it in a familiar culture, but I wouldn't trade it for a second.

• Seoul said North Korea sent another 350 balloons laden with garbage to South Korea on Tuesday.
• It's the latest barrage in a back-and-forth psychological battle involving bizarre tactics.
• With South Korean activists in the mix, the last month of conflict has featured choco pies, BTS, and manure.

South Korea's military said on Tuesday that North Korea had sent a fresh wave of 350 balloons carrying bags of waste over the border, with over 100 landing in the Seoul area.

It's the fifth time that Pyongyang has floated trash and scraps into Seoul since it began its launches in late May. According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, an estimated 2,000 garbage balloons have been sent over so far.

They've been integral to a recently escalating series of mind games between Seoul and Pyongyang. Instead of rockets and gunfire, their war has played out in the last month through loud music and balloons floating over the border.

Key to the tit-for-tat psychological war has been North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea, who launch their own northbound balloons with snacks, pop songs, and anti-Pyongyang leaflets,

Indeed, North Korea blames an influx of propaganda leaflets from the south in May as the impetus for its first wave of dirty balloons.

The South Korean military, unable to stop the activists due to legal protections, has been responding separately — with gigantic loudspeakers on the border blaring news, weather reports, and music toward Kaesong.

The entire affair hearkens back to the Cold War when Pyongyang and Seoul harassed each other with similar balloons and loud songs.

Both sides say it's the other's responsibility to de-escalate, raising questions about how tensions might be resolved and fears that the back-and-forth may spill into open conflict.

Choco pies, K-dramas, and the Bible

One of the first moves that seemed to recently anger Pyongyang came from the activist group Free North Korea Movement, which, according to Seoul Shimbun, sent 20 balloons on May 10 to North Korea carrying 300,000 leaflets and 2,000 USB sticks containing K-pop and trot-style music videos.

North Korea's vice minister of defense, Kim Kang-il, later threatened that South Koreans would receive "vast amounts of toilet paper and waste" because of deliveries like these. The responding deluge of balloons from North Korea, some carrying manure and used toilet paper, seems to have emboldened the activists.

According to Seoul Shimbun, Park Sang-Hak, leader of the Free North Korea Movement, on Friday launched 10 balloons, along with 300,000 leaflets, 5,000 USB sticks containing episodes of Korean dramas, and thousands of $1 bills.

Another activist group told the Korean daily Hankyoreh that it had packed 500 bottles with rice and sent them over to North Korea, along with a copy of the Bible, movies, and TV show episodes.

A photo of the group appears to show them throwing the rice bottles into the sea and toward North Korea from Ganghwa Island, located northwest of Seoul along the border.

At least 10 other defector groups gathered materials this month to send to North Korea. Two groups told the Hankyoreh that they wanted to donate choco pies — a blend of marshmallows and cake that's a popular snack in South Korea.

Though the activists' drops have deeply angered Pyongyang, it's unclear what South Korean authorities can do to control them.

The national government introduced a law in 2020 that criminalized sending propaganda leaflets to North Korea, but it was ruled unconstitutional over free speech concerns and struck down in 2023.

Meanwhile, Park said it's up to North Korea to make peace and that his organization has been sending "facts and truth, love and medicine" to its northern neighbors while Pyongyang has sent over trash.

"If Kim Jong-un apologizes directly within 2 to 3 days, we will also apologize," Park told Seoul Shimbun.

North Korea's response: Mickey Mouse, parasites, and Hello Kitty

North Korea has warned that it would start "intensively distributing toilet paper and waste 100 times the amount and number of cases found" if the propaganda leaflets kept showing up.

It previously said in early June that it would cease its garbage balloon campaign — after sending over about 1,000 of them — as long as the leaflet deliveries stopped.

With the activists appearing to ignore that condition, North Korea's balloon launches resumed.

Seoul's military chiefs told South Korean news agency Yonhap that the contents of the latest balloon-lifted bags weren't toxic. However, authorities analyzing dozens of the drops said some contained filthy, discarded items and even parasites like roundworms.

Several bags were filled with dirty counterfeit clothing featuring Hello Kitty, Winnie the Pooh, and Mickey Mouse. Others had clothing donated from South Korea that was returned ripped up or cut with scissors, The Korean Herald reported.

South Korean media reported that some of the balloons descended upon cars and residential areas in Seoul, with one vehicle's windshield smashed by the garbage. Police said authorities weren't clear on whether the driver could receive compensation for their damaged car.

South Korea's military: BTS hits and Samsung news

South Korea's leaders have so far responded by resuming the old practice of blasting messages and music to North Korea over the border.

"We will install loudspeakers against North Korea today and carry out the broadcast," a president's office spokesperson said on June 9.

These massive loudspeakers are meant to project sound up to six miles from the border, where the North Korean city of Kaesong is located while keeping disruption minimal for South Koreans.

But Reuters reported on June 17 that the effectiveness of the loudspeakers is being questioned internally, since tests from 2017 show they sometimes only had an effective range of three miles.

Still, national broadcaster KBS reported that the speakers have been broadcasting songs from the popular K-pop group BTS in the hopes that North Korean soldiers and residents might hear the hits.

According to The Associated Press, the loudspeakers have been playing songs like "Butter" and "Dynamite," news on South Korean conglomerate Samsung, and weather reports.

North Korea, for its part, has threatened in the past to destroy the speakers with military strikes.

The use of loudspeakers, like balloons and leaflets, dates back to the Korean War in the 1950s. Both Korean governments agreed in 2018 to stop their broadcasts, promising to dismantle them in a move toward peace.

But the deal, sealed by the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit, appears to be in shambles as the summer begins.

On June 10, a day after it announced the resumption of its broadcast tactics, South Korea said it detected that North Korea had also reinstalled its loudspeakers.

• Airbus stock fell 11% after cutting 2023 delivery targets due to supply chain issues.
• It spells problems for airlines as Boeing has also reduced production.
• Airbus' A320neo family outsells the 737 Max but further plans for growth may have been too ambitious.

Airbus stock dropped as much as 11% on Tuesday after it reduced delivery targets, citing supply chain issues.

The European planemaker announced Monday that it intends to deliver around 770 commercial jets this year, down from 800.

It also curbed plans to increase production of the A320neo family. Airbus had aimed to increase output from 50 to 75 a month by 2026, but the target has now been pushed back a year.

The A320neo family has outsold the rival Boeing 737 Max since 2019, when the latter model was grounded following two crashes in which 346 people died.

Further problems at Boeing arose in January, when a door plug came off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max in midair.

In the wake of that incident, Boeing's biggest customer, United Airlines, spoke of plans to switch some orders to Airbus jets.

However, Airbus has seemingly struggled to meet the increased demand.

Overall, it marks further problems for airline customers, because Boeing has also reduced its output amid its ongoing crisis.

The Federal Aviation Administration has capped production of 737 Max jets as a result of the Alaska Airlines blowout. Boeing has also slowed production of other models as it works to focus on quality control — sparking a backlash from airline bosses.

In a press release, Airbus said its commercial aircraft division is "facing persistent specific supply chain issues mainly in engines, aerostructures, and cabin equipment."

"We are facing headwinds right now; we have to bite the bullet," CEO Guillaume Faury told analysts on a call, per Reuters.

Reuters reported that Faury said engine supplies for the A320neo family had deteriorated "significantly" in recent months.

One of the two engine options is made by Pratt & Whitney, which last year announced it had discovered a manufacturing defect that would result in hundreds of planes being grounded for inspections.

According to Reuters, Faury also pointed to uncertainty around supplier Spirit Aerosystems. It's expected to be carved up with parts sold to both Boeing and Airbus.

Airbus' problems also extend to its space division, where it announced charges of 900 million euros ($965 million). Its guidance update said it would "evaluate all strategic options" including potential restructuring and M&A options.

• A Margaritaville at Sea passenger is suing Classica, the cruise line's operator, for damages.
• She alleges rape by an employee of a Bahamas hotel that was booked by the cruise operator.
• The woman is seeking damages for physical injuries, PTSD, and medical expenses.

A Margaritaville at Sea passenger is suing its parent company, Classica Cruise Operator, claiming she was raped by an employee of a hotel booked by the company.

According to the lawsuit filed this month in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the Missouri woman stayed at Wyndham Viva Fortuna Beach in the Bahamas during her round-trip cruise from Florida to the island.

The complaint said that Classica arranged for the passenger, referred to as "Jane Doe," to stay at the hotel in early August 2023.

According to the lawsuit, on August 6 last year, a Wyndham employee tracked and followed her as she left her room at night to get a drink of water.

The lawsuit alleges that the employee then forced her into the control room of the hotel's theater, locked the door, and raped her.

The lawsuit referenced another allegation of rape in a 2016 TripAdvisor review of the hotel, in which a woman claimed she was gang-raped by staff a day after getting married.

According to The Tribune, police investigations concluded that there was no evidence for the incident.

But the lawsuit asserted that the resort and the cruise operator "knew or should have known of this prior incident."

It accuses Classica of failing to warn her of the prior allegation, investigate the resort, and ensure a reasonably safe environment.

The lawsuit also accused the resort of a failure to provide reasonable security and to adequately investigate its employees.

Jane Doe is seeking unspecified damages from the cruise operator and resort for physical injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and incurred medical expenses, among other things.

Wyndham Hotels and Classica Cruise Operator did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

This isn't the first time Margaritaville at Sea has been connected to sexual assault.

Last year, a bartender pleaded guilty to a count of abusive sexual conduct after two women said he snuck into their room at night.

Business Insider reported last year on a growing number of passengers reporting incidents of sexual assault at sea.

BI reviewed 11 lawsuits. filed between 2014 and 2023, which revealed the extent of allegations made on cruise ships.