• China has spent at least $230 billion on becoming an EV superpower, according to a new study.
• China is now the world's biggest EV market, with firms like BYD fast expanding overseas.
• Fears of a flood of cheap Chinese vehicles have pushed Europe to impose new tariffs.

China has spent at least $230 billion on government support to electric vehicle makers such as BYD since 2009, according to a new study from the Centre for Strategic & International Studies think tank.

The funding has played a crucial role in nurturing China's booming EV industry, which has prompted Europe to raise trade arriers amid fears of a wave of cheap EV exports.

The European Union last week announced additional tariffs of up to 38% after concluding that Chinese firms were benefiting from unfair subsidies, allowing them to sell vehicles at far lower prices than their European rivals.

Government subsidies have been a central pillar of China's quest to become an EV powerhouse over the past decade.

China is now the world's largest electric vehicle market, accounting for 60% of global EV sales in 2023, per the IEA — well above rivals like the US and Japan.

Many of its biggest companies are now making their mark on the global stage, with industry leader BYD briefly overtaking Tesla as the world's largest EV producer late last year.

Data from CSIS showed that government support for China's electric vehicle market roughly tripled between 2017 and 2020, and hit before rising to an eye-watering $45 billion a year in both 2022 and 2023.

EV makers in China can get government support through several routes, including infrastructure subsidies, tax exemptions, and buyer rebates.

CSIS said the $230 billion figure was probably an underestimate, as it did not include support from regional governments, many of which have invested heavily in local EV companies. It also excluded subsidies for other parts of the EV supply chain such as battery manufacturing.

Intense competition

Battery giant CATL, which controls about a third of the global market, received $809 million in government subsidies last year, CSIS estimated, double the sum in 2022.

Massive government support has cultivated intense competition among China's legion of EV companies, which in turn has led to low prices. BYD's Seagull hatchback, one of the best-selling EVs, starts at less than $10,000 in China.

By comparison, most EVs sold in the US are more expensive models, leaving America lagging behind China on the switch to electric.

The Biden administration launched its own round of government support for electric vehicles through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes tax credits on US-made EVs that add up to a $7,500 subsidy.

A study by Penn Wharton University published last year found that all the clean vehicle provisions in the Act would cost about $393 billion between 2023 and 2032.

• Kevin Costner confirmed he is not returning for the second half of the final season of "Yellowstone"
• Last year, Paramount announced the series was ending abruptly at season five.
• Rumors of a behind-the-scenes feud between cocreator Taylor Sheridan and Costner began in February 2023.

Kevin Costner announced that he won't be returning to "Yellowstone," leaving the hit show without its star for the final episodes.

On Thursday, Paramount announced that season five part two, the final season of "Yellowstone" will premiere on November 11.

On the same day, Costner shared a short clip on Instagram telling fans that he won't be returning for the second half of season five, which is the show's last season.

"I loved it, and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning," Costner said.

The news is a big blow to "Yellowstone," which in recent years became one of the most-watched TV series on cable in the US, without the help of critical acclaim or media coverage. 

The ranch drama story appeals to viewers in many smaller cities across the US, bolstered by the star power of Costner, who has built a reputation for starring in Westerns.

But last year, rumors started that the series was going to come to a premature end due to a disagreement over the filming schedule between Costner, "Yellowstone" showrunner Taylor Sheridan, Paramount Global, and Paramount Network. 

Paramount denied the rumors for months and then announced in May 2023 that the series would end with season five, which would be split into two parts. 

Costner returned for the first half, but it was unclear whether he would stay for the second since he told his child support hearing in September 2023 that he tried to negotiate against the split season decision. He said the filming schedule would conflict with his own Western film series, "Horizon."

Here's a timeline of the events that led to "Yellowstone" premature end and Costner's departure.

In February 2023, it was reported that "Yellowstone" may be coming to a premature end.

The biggest cliffhanger in the latest season of Paramount Network's wildly popular drama "Yellowstone" wasn't delivered on screen but behind the camera.

Viewers learned via a Deadline report a month after the midseason finale aired that the future of the Dutton saga was in jeopardy following an alleged falling out between creator Taylor Sheridan and lead star Kevin Costner. 

The outlet reported that cocreator and showrunner Sheridan, Paramount Global, and Paramount Network were looking to end the neo-Western drama after its current fifth season because of disagreements with Costner over shooting schedules. 

The actor, who has been portraying protagonist John Dutton in the rating juggernaut since 2018, reportedly wanted to cut back his number of days filming on location for the remaining episodes of season five.

According to the report, the "Field of Dreams" star limited himself to being on set for just 50 days across the eight episodes which have already aired and wanted to only spend a week filming the remaining six installments.

It added that the scheduling conflicts had become a sourcee of frustration for Sheridan and caused morale problems for the other stars of the show.

The same report stated that Matthew McConaughey was in talks to lead a new as-yet-untitled spinoff that will continue the franchise.

Alongside the news that "Yellowstone" could be ending, Deadline also reported that the team behind the series was developing a franchise extension starring Matthew McConaughey after rejecting Costner's latest attempt at a compromise over his shooting schedule.

It was reported at the time that the "True Detective" actor was still in the process of negotiations.

A Paramount spokesperson denied the claims but said that McConaughey is a "phenomenal talent" with whom they'd love to partner.

"We have no news to report," a Paramount Network spokesperson responded when Insider reached out for comment in February 2023.

"Kevin Costner is a big part of 'Yellowstone,' and we hope that's the case for a long time to come." 

Still, the statement didn't exactly put to bed the rumors, going on to add: "Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we'd love to partner."

Days later, Jamie Dutton actor Wes Bentley assured fans that it was a "bit of drama over nothing."

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at SCAD TVFest in February 2023, just days after the report, Bentley said that fans have nothing to worry about.

"The news that's come out recently about the show is, you know, it's above my pay grade. Different people making decisions," the "American Horror Story" actor said.

"I know that they're still working on… working things out with everyone, to make sure we shoot. And I'm confident we will. We always have before. I think it's probably a bit of drama over nothing."

When Costner gave his Golden Globes acceptance speech for best actor in a TV drama, he didn't acknowledge the rumors, nor thank his "Yellowstone" team.

After being forced to skip the ceremony due to severe flooding near his home in Santa Barbara, on February 14, 2023 — just a week after the explosive rumors came to light — Costner posted a video of himself unboxing the trophy from his bed and shared a few words of gratitude.

He said "it feels really good" to finally receive recognition for his role in the drama, but didn't mention "Yellowstone" by name nor give thanks to cocreator Sheridan or any of the other cast members in his list of thank yous.

 

Costner's lawyer said that claims that his client only wanted to spend a week filming the rest of season five were "an absolute lie."

Speaking to Puck in February 2023, the actor's litigator, Marty Singer, said the reports about his client were "ridiculous" but didn't speak to what Costner's future on the show looks like.

"The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season five of 'Yellowstone' is an absolute lie," he said.

"It's ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn't be believed for one second," he continued. "As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success."

 

In March 2023, Paramount confirmed that McConaughey's "Yellowstone" spinoff was officially moving forward regardless of Costner's future.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Media Networks president Chris McCarthy confirmed that the rumored McConaughey-led spinoff of the popular series was moving forward, regardless of whether Costner returned to the original or not.

The outlet reported that it was one of more than 10 projects that Sheridan has lined up for the network.

As for Costner's future, he didn't have any updates to share but did tell the publication that the flagship series "wouldn't be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that that stays for a long time to come."

In April 2023, the show's main cast was expected to attend PaleyFest in Los Angeles but didn't show up.

Ahead of the show's panel on April 1, 2023, attendees were promised a special screening followed by a conversation and Q&A with the series' main cast.

The original list of those who were supposed to be there included Costner, Sheridan, and executive producer David Glasser, as well as cast members Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham, and Jacki Weaver. 

However, in a last-minute shakeup that felt like an April Fools' Day prank, the entire lineup changed with none of the original talent present.

Instead, Josh Lucas, Dawn Olivieri, Wendy Moniz, and Mo Brings Plenty sat on the panel with Paramount Network development president Keith Cox. 

 

Paramount Network's president of development and production, Keith Cox, told audiences at PaleyFest that Costner wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Cox addressed the rumors about Costner as the panel, attended by Insider, kicked off.

"What I can say is our star, the face of our show, and executive producer, are very confident he is going to continue with our show," said Cox.

When asked when we can expect production on the season to resume, Cox said an announcement will come "soon." 

He described the season's remaining episodes as "phenomenal. I'm confident."

Cast members confirmed that filming for the remainder of season five has yet to begin, despite the previous promise that it would air this summer.

Speaking to Yahoo on the red carpet ahead of the panel in April 2023, the cast in attendance confirmed that the second half of season five — which viewers were promised would air "this summer" — had not yet started filming, nor have they been given a start date or seen scripts.

"I have no news to report. I just know that Taylor's writing, and we know he's a prolific writer, and I'm excited to see it when it comes," Moniz, who plays Lynelle Perry, said.

Plenty also confirmed that production had yet to begin, but said: "There's some dates floating around."

In May 2023, a new report stated that Costner would not be returning to "Yellowstone" after season five.

Sources close to production said that Costner would exit the show following its fifth season, according to Entertainment Tonight. 

The unnamed source told the outlet that there was still no news about when the cast and crew would be returning to set to finish the season. They did not speak to whether the show plans to continue without the actor after season five.

The news came just a day after it was announced that Costner was also facing some personal problems after his wife of 18 years filed for divorce.

It was announced on May 5, 2023 that "Yellowstone" is officially coming to an end, with the final episodes debuting in November 2023.

Just a day after ET's explosive report, fans of the show got the news they were dreading: "Yellowstone" will indeed be coming to an end with its current fifth season, which will be making its return in November 2023.

However, the blow was softened by the news that a new untitled "Yellowstone" spinoff has been greenlit straight-to series and will premiere on Paramount Network and Paramount+ in December. Full casting for the series, it was promised, will be announced shortly.

Sharing the bittersweet news, Paramount exec Chris McCarthy said in a statement: "'Yellowstone' has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from '1883' to 'Tulsa King,' and I am confident our 'Yellowstone' sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life."

David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, the production company behind the franchise, added: "The Dutton story continues, picking up where 'Yellowstone' leaves off in another epic tale.  We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world."

A month later, Costner revealed via court documents related to his divorce that he is "no longer under contract" for the drama.

In court documents related to his increasingly acrimonious divorce from his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, the actor said he wasn't expecting to receive any monetary compensation from the series apart from "back-end contractual participation rights."

"I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022. This is because I am no longer under contract for 'Yellowstone,' the principal source of my income last year," Costner said in a June 30, 2023 declaration obtained by Insider.

The 68-year-old actor — who in 2022 earned a reported $1.3 million for each episode of the show — said that the fixed amount "pay-or-play" and episodic compensation he received for the neo-Western series had ceased and that "so far in 2023 I have yet to receive any participation compensation from 'Yellowstone.'"

Reserved for in-demand actors, directors, and other high-profile individuals in Hollywood, a "pay-or-play" deal guarantees participants payment, even if they are released from their contract.

Costner continued: "Now, any compensation I earn from 'Yellowstone' will derive only from my back-end contractual participation rights, which amounts are not fixed."

"The most recent report from the producer for 'Yellowstone' shows I am not now owed any participation money," he said, adding that he had "disputed this."

Production on the series was put on indefinite hold in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA Hollywood strikes.

After the Writers Guild of America strike was called on May 2, 2023, Sheridan stopped script work on the upcoming episodes, he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Two months later, it was announced that the American actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, was going on strike over labor disputes with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, essentially putting "Yellowstone" — along with countless other television shows — on an indefinite hiatus.

The combined Hollywood strikes have also delayed production on the second season of the prequel series, "1923," and have put a pin in the development of the upcoming "Yellowstone" spinoff starring Matthew McConaughey.

Costner broke his silence on his "Yellowstone" exit during a child support hearing in September 2023, revealing that the decision to split season five in half finalized his decision to leave.

In a child support hearing on September 1, 2023 — as part of his ongoing divorce from estranged wife Christine Baumgartner — Costner said that a "long, hard-fought negotiation" about breaking season five into two parts was behind his exit, according to People.

While on the stand, Costner stated that filming the series twice a year didn't work with his plans for his four-film Western saga, "Horizon," which he is cowriting, producing, directing, and starring in. 

Costner said he "changed" his schedule to work on the second half of "Yellowstone" season five, per the outlet. "That's a big deal in this world," he added.

Costner added at the time of his departure, there were "no scripts written" for the second half of the season and that "they still hadn't finished" the first half. 

According to the actor, he made one final effort to return to the show, telling his representatives, "Have them pay me whatever number, we came up with a number, and they walked away." He said he believed that number was $12 million.

People reported that when asked whether he'd receive a payout for the second half of season five, Costner said: "I will probably go to court over it."

Costner reportedly wasn't shy about making his demands known for his potential return.

According to a report from Puck's Matthew Belloni published in September 2023, Costner's producing partner, Rod Lake, flew to New York earlier this year to meet with Paramount executive Keyes Hill-Edgar to convince him to reverse course after the show's ending (without Costner) was announced.

While both parties reportedly seemed open to the possibility — Sheridan, who had finished the remainder of season 5 without Costner in mind, even offered to rewrite the scripts to feature Costner's character John Dutton — things soon deteriorated, per Belloni.

During a call with Sheridan, Costner reportedly made some aggressive demands of the showrunner and Paramount, including a higher salary, limited shooting schedule, and the right to potentially turn down any scripts from Sheridan that he didn't like.

The actor reportedly even has a "moral death" clause in his "Yellowstone" contract, to ensure that his character John Dutton isn't killed off in an embarrassing or awkward way. 

Costner says he hopes to return to “Yellowstone.”

In April 2024, Costner told Entertainment Tonight at Cinemacon that he would like to appear in the final episodes of "Yellowstone."

"I've loved making that series. I made five seasons of it, thought I was going to make seven," Costner said. "So how it works out, I hope it does, but they've got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with it, I'd love to do it."Costner said he has his own ideas about what should happen to his character, John Dutton, but he'll leave that for Sheridan to decide.

Costner blames Paramount and 101 Studios for the "Yellowstone" negotiations drama.

In May, Costner shared his side of the "Yellowstone" negotiations drama during an interview with Deadline, saying that previous reports about the situation weren't "truthful."

Costner accused Paramount and 101 Studios of mismanaging the situation and not sticking up for him when stories came out that he didn't want to be on set.

Costner said he was initially contracted for seasons five, six, and seven, but the deal was renegotiated in February, though Costner did not specify which year.

"They wanted to redo that one, and instead of seasons six and seven, it was 5A and 5B, and maybe we'll do six," Costner said, seemingly referring to Paramount and 101 Studios.

Costner said he always made "Yellowstone" his "first priority," but said the show kept moving shoot dates, which affected the schedule for his "Horizon" movies. 

Costner also hit back at reports that he was the reason for production delays last year. He said that during their shoots for season five, the crew wasn't able to finish 10 episodes like they normally would, but it wasn't his fault.

"I have taken a beating from those fucking guys, and I know a lot of times where it's coming from. I just elected not to get into that," Costner said, adding that reports that he only worked 43 days were "bullshit." 

Costner added that he returned across three months to shoot season five, part two, but said the scripts weren't ready, so they couldn't shoot anything.

Costner said he offered them an extra week to sort out the script or what they would do with his character, but he said this was spun into the idea that he only wanted to work a week.

"Do you think that's who I am? I've never missed a day of work. I've never left before fulfilling my contractual obligations," Costner said. 

Costner also said he was inspired to start "Horizon" after Paramount and 101 Studios shut down a season for 14 months and "didn't tell anybody" so he couldn't work.

"I said, 'I can't ever go through that again, where you shut down for over a year and I don't have something in line to do,'" Costner said. "I didn't do Horizon because I was tired of doing Yellowstone. That's a bullshit story. I didn't do Horizon to compete with Yellowstone. This is something I've had a long time."

Costner also said he was still open to returning to "Yellowstone" at this point.

A representative for Paramount did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.

Costner confirms he is not returning to "Yellowstone" after the final episodes get a release date.

On June 20, Paramount announced that the final episodes of "Yellowstone" will premiere on November 11 on Paramount+.

The same day, Costner said in an Instagram video that he won't be returning to the series for these episodes.

"I just want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that's required and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love. I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue, season 5b or into the future," Costner said.

Costner added that he loved the show, and it "really changed" him.

"I love the relationships that I've been able to develop. And I'll see you at the movies," Costner said.

It appears the writers will have to find some way to end John Dutton's story without Costner.

• Disney asked about 2,000 workers to move from California and be based at a new campus in Florida.
• But the $1 billion Lake Nona campus was canceled after about 200 workers had already relocated.
• Two of the workers sued Disney and said they felt they had to return to California for job security.

Two Disney workers have sued the company after it asked them to relocate from California and be based at a new Florida campus — which it later canceled.

Last May, Disney scrapped plans to build the nearly $1 billion campus in Lake Nona, Orlando. The company was on a cost-cutting spree after Bob Iger returned as CEO. Simultaneously, Disney and Florida Sen. Ron DeSantis had locked horns over a Florida law that limited what public schools could teach about gender identity and sexual orientation.

About 2,000 jobs, mainly in the company's parks, experiences, and products division, were set to move from one of its offices in Glendale, Southern California, to the new campus, which had been in the works since 2019.

At least 200 employees had already relocated to Florida before the project was canceled, Disney chairman Josh D'Amaro told employees in an internal email last May.

Two of these workers have now sued Disney for damages.

Maria De La Cruz, a vice-president of product design, and George Fong, a creative director of product design, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the entertainment and theme park giant on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Disney told them in August 2021 that their roles would move to the Lake Nona campus and "made it clear" that they would lose their jobs if they refused to relocate, according to the lawsuit. The workers were given three months to make their decision.

De La Cruz and Fong told Disney in November that they would relocate to the new campus, and both sold their homes in California and bought new homes in Orlando, the lawsuit alleged. It said that in Fong's case, he had to sell the family home he'd grown up in.

In June 2022, Disney told workers that the deadline to relocate to Florida had been pushed back to 2026 because the project's completion had been delayed, the lawsuit said. After relocating to Florida, De La Cruz and Fong worked from Disney's Kissimmee campus, the lawsuit added.

But then, in May 2023, Disney told employees that the Lake Nona project was canceled. The lawsuit said they had until the end of 2023 to decide whether to remain in Florida, and that if they wanted to return to Disney's California offices, they would have to relocate by the end of 2024.

The lawsuit said De La Cruz and Fong decided to return to California because they thought it was important for their job security, though De La Cruz has yet to relocate.

By this point, though, the real-estate markets had changed. House prices near Lake Nona slumped after Disney canceled the project.

Meanwhile, increases in mortgage rates and house prices in Los Angeles made it "impossible" for Disney workers to buy homes in the Los Angeles area that were comparable to the homes they'd sold there just a year or two beforehand, the lawsuit said.

Fong has moved to a "significantly" smaller house, the lawsuit added.

The lawsuit accuses Disney of "solicitation of employee by misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation, concealment, and negligent misrepresentation." It claims that Disney made untrue statements about the Lake Nona campus to workers to induce workers to relocate.

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider made outside of normal working hours.

• Clouds Joo, a mid-20s consultant and content creator, said every day at work looks different.
• She said consulting has a steep learning curve that makes it great for young professionals.
• Despite the fast pace of the job, she said she's able to have a good work-life balance.

Clouds Joo, a young professional and content creator, is only in her mid-20s, and yet she already has experience working in many different industries.

That's because she's a consultant.

The London-based strategy and management consultant works at a leading global consulting firm. Clouds has asked to use her nickname, which she goes by on social media, for privacy reasons, but Business Insider has confirmed her identity and employment.

Describing her role in the simplest terms, Clouds told BI her job is essentially acting as a strategic advisor for global businesses and helping them navigate challenges in a constantly changing world. Around three years in, Clouds said she thinks consulting is "one of the best industries you could join as a fresh grad."

There are three factors that she thinks make consulting a great entry-level job: one, there's a steep learning curve, so you can learn a lot early in your career; two, there's so much variety that you won't get bored; and three, since you work in so many different fields it opens a lot of doors in terms of exit opportunities, so you won't limit yourself to one industry.

Getting into consulting

Clouds studied business management for her undergrad and then got a master's in management. In her last year of school she learned about consulting from people at her university and decided to start applying.

"I think the reason why consulting was so attractive to me was because you get to work in projects with multiple different companies across multiple different industries, so you don't really get siloed into one knowledge area," she said.

She said there was a very rigorous application process, which involved completing multiple rounds of case studies. One example could be a coffee company that wants to acquire a doughnut company, and the consultant would be asked to determine if this makes sense. The job candidate then has to start asking questions about the company's financials and capabilities and make some calculations on the fly to provide a solution.

Clouds said it's typically all done in a 45-minute interview, so the job candidate has to think quickly on their feet. Though the application process can be challenging, she said it can help determine if someone is right for the fast-paced nature of the job.

A day in the life of a consultant in her mid-20s

Clouds said she typically starts work at around 8:30 a.m.

Because she's a night owl, she usually does not do much before work beyond brushing her teeth, doing her skincare routine, occasionally getting a 10-minute ab workout in, and then logging on.

Her job gives her the flexibility to work from home most days of the week, so on days she goes into the office, she wakes up a bit earlier to account for getting ready and her commute.

Her workdays can look different depending on the project she is working on. Clouds said the projects typically last between five and eight weeks, though sometimes longer, and that she is working for one client at a time.

"Within each project it's usually a different client, a different team, a different manager, so your role changes dramatically every single time you change projects," she said.

Clouds said she personally loves changing projects every couple of months and that it's one of the things that makes consulting so attractive to new grads.

"The learning curve becomes really steep because you're consistently always learning about a new industry or a new client every single time you change projects," she said, adding that the drawback is you can never really get too comfortable.

Regardless of the project, every day typically starts with a stand-up, a meeting in which everyone on the team can share what they accomplished the day prior and what they are working on that day. Clouds said because the projects are relatively short-term everything is super fast-paced, so the daily check-ins are crucial.

After the stand-up, her days tend to consist of other meetings, calling experts, analysis, and consolidation of insights, as everything collected from her research needs to be combined and presented back to the client. She spends a lot of time using Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.

"Usually that consolidation falls under the junior levels, which would be myself, so a lot of collecting insights and putting it all together in a very neat storyline on PowerPoint," she said.

Despite concerns over how AI could disrupt consulting, Clouds said she and her colleagues have worked generative AI into their workflows and that it allows them to be more efficient. For instance, instead of having someone scramble to take notes during meetings, AI can be used to transcribe notes in real time.

Work-life balance in consulting

Clouds said she tries to strike a good work-life balance, which can be difficult in the consulting industry. Some projects only require her to work 40 hours a week, while others are more intense and require more than 60 hours a week.

When she logs off at the end of the day, she uses her evening to do personal things that are important to her, like working out, filming and editing content, and socializing with her friends. She tries to have planned dinners sprinkled throughout the week. If she can't see her friends during the week, she makes sure to see them on the weekend.

Clouds, who says she typically gets a full night of sleep, said people often ask her how she balances everything. She said she is hyper-efficient with her time, often editing videos during her commute on the tube or while getting steps in on the treadmill.

Clouds doesn't think she'll stay in consulting forever. As a member of Gen Z, she said her generation loves variety and is less likely to stay in one career forever. As a consultant, she can also explore opportunities and industries.

"I think there is a lot of beauty in exploring different opportunities, different industries, different jobs, and having that flexibility in your life where your life isn't just your job."

Have a news tip or a story to share about working in consulting? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.

• A New Zealand woman took her boyfriend to a disputes tribunal for not taking her to the airport.
• The woman said that the boyfriend's promise to take her there was a verbal contract.
• But the tribunal dismissed the claim, saying it couldn't justify ordering her to be compensated.

A woman from New Zealand took her long-term boyfriend to a disputes tribunal for failing to keep his promise to take her to the airport.

According to a tribunal order released on Thursday and first published by The Guardian, the woman said they had been in a relationship for six and a half years until the dispute arose.

The couple's names have been redacted.

The woman said her boyfriend had promised to take her to the airport and look after her two dogs while she attended a concert with friends.

She argued that this promise constituted a "verbal contract," which she claimed had been breached by him not keeping his word.

According to the order, he did not arrive to collect her and take her to the airport on the day she was due to travel, resulting in her missing her flight.

The woman told the tribunal that this resulted in additional expenses, including arranging travel for the following day, paying for a shuttle to the airport, and kennel fees for her dogs.

The tribunal examined the claim to determine whether the boyfriend had entered into a contract and, in turn, whether he owed her compensation.

Ultimately, the judge dismissed the claim, explaining that friends often let each other down, but this does not mean compensation is owed.

"Partners, friends, and colleagues make social arrangements, but it is unlikely they can be legally enforced unless the parties perform some act that demonstrates an intention that they will be bound by their promises," the order said.

In addition, it said that while financial consequences may arise from broken plans, the courts consider these "non-recoverable losses" unless the promise went beyond a favor between friends.

"In this case, I find that the nature of the promises was exchanged as a normal give-and-take in an intimate relationship," the tribunal ruled.

The order explained that, in this case, the promise fell short of being a contract, and just formed part of the "everyday family and domestic relationship agreements that are not enforceable in the Disputes Tribunal."

• My parents graduated from highly-rated Big Ten universities in the 1950s.
• I decided to forge my own path and go to a smaller school that I loved.
• They often chastised me for that choice, but I learned to forgive them.

I stood in the church's narthex, wearing my white dress with the lace train falling behind me, and grabbed my father's arm. My groom, who graduated from the same small college I did, waited at the altar with his friends.

"Dad," I said impatiently to the graying, 54-year-old man in a tuxedo. "This is my wedding day. I'm your only daughter. Aren't you supposed to say something to me?"

He proudly said, "Purdue is ahead of Minnesota," referring to a college football game on an autumn afternoon. I knew there was a game; we had scheduled the wedding around the home season to benefit family members.

My father was a Purdue alumnus, and it became a big part of his life— so much so that it seemed to be the most important thing to him on my wedding day.

That's why we've always disagreed about my own college choice.

I didn't want to follow in my parents' footsteps

I started looking at colleges in my first year of high school. I was not interested in my dad's college, Purdue, because it lacked a humanities focus. My father opposed my mother's alma mater, Indiana University, for me despite my interest. Like many women of the Silent Generation, my mother, who would have loved for me to attend her alma mater, acquiesced to my father.

I asked to visit Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, because I had heard good things about the midsize college. Despite my parent's admiration of their Big Ten schools, I didn't want to live in their shadows.

I overheard my father telling a fellow Purdue graduate after church that he was taking me to visit Ball State. The man asked, " Why would Amy want to go there? David went there, and he's not that bright."

I was irritated and surprised but still wanted to visit Ball State. I wanted a place that was mine and felt special. Ball State lacked the national ratings of the other schools but was renowned for several programs, including one that interested me.

I fell in love with Ball State

I attended a summer high school journalism workshop at Ball State, which clinched the deal for me. As clichéd as it sounds, the workshop was like when Dorothy moved from sepia-tone to Technicolor in "The Wizard of Oz."

As a child, I had visited the Purdue and Indiana campuses, which spread out over miles. With 18,000 students, Ball State seemed the right size.

The two-week workshop was transformative. I interviewed Tom K. Ryan, the cartoonist who drew "Tumbleweeds." I met Ryan's assistant, Jim Davis, who later drew a lasagna-eating, yellow cartoon cat named Garfield. When I saw my articles published, I returned to high school with a new purpose.

I eventually got accepted and enrolled as a freshman.

I loved Ball State, and my college years were filled with great experiences. It's where I met my husband of 40 years and lifelong friends called "The Bobs." My studies and professors piqued my lifelong curiosity and eagerness to learn.

My family was never interested in my college experience

I never felt the emotional buy-in I saw when I went with my parents to drop my brother off at Purdue during his first year. I often felt dismissed when I spoke of my college activities or friends. My family didn't see the attributes of my college — only what it wasn't.

I often felt overlooked and chastised because I didn't attend the school they wanted me to attend.

It took me a long time to understand that another's bond doesn't diminish mine. Getting a college education is great — particularly for my father, the first in his family to attend college. I'm grateful to come from a family that encourages higher education, yet I don't understand why people can express ill will or dismissal for another person's college choice. For me, what we gain from education over a lifetime is the most important measure of success.

I don't defend unkindness, but I understand it's human to feel connected to places and people we cherish. I am imperfect, a work in progress, but over time, I've learned that what others thought of my choices was not my concern, and I didn't warrant contempt or dismissal.

When Purdue made it to the men's basketball final four this year, I cheered for the Boilers. At 93, my father has never seen a championship win. Giving grace feels much better than holding a grudge.

• South Korea said it could start sending weapons to Ukraine. 
• It came after Russia signed a security pact with North Korea. 
• Russia's alliance with North Korea has spiked tensions in the region. 

South Korea said it could send weapons to Ukraine after Russia signed a security pact with Seoul's biggest regional foe, North Korea.

"We will reconsider the issue of supplying weapons to Ukraine," South Korean national security advisor Chang Ho-jin told reporters late on Thursday after the Russian President signed the pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.

"Any cooperation that helps increase North Korea's military power is a violation of the UN Security Council," Chang added. "It doesn't make sense to promise military co-operation, assuming a pre-strike by the international community that will not happen."

Putin became the first Russian leader to visit North Korea in a quarter of a century this week, cementing an alliance with the pariah state.

The partnership has seen North Korea supply Russia with badly needed artillery for its war in Ukraine. In exchange, reports say, Russia has provided North Korea with satellite technology.

The security pact signed by the leaders, in which they pledged to provide each other with military support in a conflict, has spiked tensions in East Asia, where North Korea has long menaced US regional allies South Korea and Japan with an attack.

North Korea is under international sanctions to curtail its nuclear weapons program, and though Russia remains committed to upholding the sanctions on paper, critics say that it is undermining attempts to isolate North Korea.

Russian diplomats in March effectively disbanded the UN panel responsible for monitoring North Korean sanctions.

South Korea on Friday summoned Russia's ambassador over the pact, with South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae-yul and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemning the deal as a threat to regional stability and security.

Putin, on a trip to Vietnam Friday, warned South Korea against arming Ukraine in response, saying that it would be a "big mistake."

Moscow "will… [make] decisions which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea" if it goes ahead and sends weapons to Ukraine, Putin said, reported BBC News.

But he also said that South Korea has "nothing to worry about" from the new pact as long as it doesn't commit acts of aggression toward North Korea.

South Korea is among the US allies that provided Ukraine with aid in battling the Russian invasion, but so far, has stopped short of providing Kyiv with weapons.

Analysts from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War say Russia is attempting to remake Cold War-era alliances to counter US global power.

• "The Acolyte" lead Amandla Stenberg released a song that criticized racist "Star Wars" fans.
• It comes after a wave of online abuse and harassment surrounding the show.
• In the song, Stenberg says "keep an eye out for you silly racists."

Amandla Stenberg has released a song criticizing racist "Star Wars" fans after a torrent of abuse over "The Acolyte."

Stenberg plays a pair of Force-sensitive twins, Osha and Mae, in the Disney+ show, which is set around 100 years before the "Star Wars" prequel movies.

She has been a common target of abuse since the show started streaming, both for her race — she is Black — and elements of the plot some fans perceive as "woke."

On Wednesday, the actor posted a song on Instagram — complete with a music video — and explained in the caption that it's aimed at the people sending her "intolerable racism."

In the song, Stenberg also refers to her 2018 interview with Trevor Noah about the movie "The Hate U Give," which she starred in.

She told Noah that "white people crying actually was the goal" of that film, which dealt with police violence against Black pepe.

Some social media users misappropriated the quote in early June, wrongly implying that it was about "Star Wars."

Stenberg's video is the first time a "Star Wars" actor has sought to combat backlash against them as it occurs.

Fans have long engaged in campaigns of abuse against actors in the franchise in recent years.

In 2022, Ewan McGregor said he was "sickened" by racist messages to his costar, Moses Ingram, after the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series.

And "The Last Jedi" actor Kelly Marie-Tran left social media in 2018 after harassment she said drove her to therapy, and hasn't posted since.

Stenberg's song prompted a backlash of its own, stirring more insulting messages from fans.

Many of the comments and insults criticizing the show claim that Disney "ruined" Star Wars.

Wider audiences seem to differ — according to Variety, "The Acolyte" is one of the most-streamed TV shows since its release.

The outlet's chart of streaming shows gave "The Acolyte" a total watch time of 380.5 million minutes between June 7 and June 13.

• Formula 1 team principals handle extensive behind-the-scenes work.
• Some team principals, like James Vowles of Williams Racing, oversee hundreds of employees.
• Guenther Steiner likened being the team principal of Haas F1 to "being the CEO of a small company."
• This article is part of "Behind the Wheel," a series about the highly competitive and high-tech world of Formula 1.

A Formula 1 team principal can seem like a pretty fun, glamorous job. After all, fans typically see them spending race weekends in heated conversations with drivers, giving interviews to TV reporters, pounding their fists on tables, occasionally spraying Champagne, and earning tons of airtime on "Drive to Survive," the sport's Netflix docuseries.

But the job requires a lot more behind-the-scenes work than many fans realize — especially during non-race weeks at the factory, where teams put in late nights looking to maximize performance.

"The good news is no two days are the same," said James Vowles, Williams Racing's team principal. "That's a thing I really enjoy about this role."

Managing a team of 1,000 employees

Vowles, a 44-year-old British engineer, joined Williams in 2023 after spending more than a decade as a top engineer and strategist at the Brawn GP and Mercedes teams, contributing to nine total Formula 1 World Constructors' Championships.

Now that he's stepped into the top job at Williams, he oversees the team's 1,000 or so employees — and a typical week is jam-packed with meetings.

"Let me walk you through my Monday morning," he said, whipping out his phone to refresh his memory. "I'll even load up my full calendar so I can give you a full assessment."

Vowles started his day with a marketing and strategy meeting, looking ahead to the next six or seven races. He also met with the team's chief operating officer to discuss the technical development pipeline.

"In the middle of all that was also a meeting with the commercial side to discuss what's happening in that world," Vowles added. "When it comes to that, we're looking at short-, middle-, and long-term goals."

After that, Vowles joined a meeting with a potential IT partner the team is considering investing in.

By the afternoon, the team's star driver, Alex Albon, had arrived at the factory. Vowles met briefly with Albon before making the rounds to chat with engineers and other staff members. Then he conducted informal phone interviews with three job candidates who were interested in joining Williams.

The day concluded with a series of management meetings that lasted until 9 p.m.

"And that's just Monday," Vowles said.

'No driver wants to talk to me every day'

Being a team principal requires a breadth of skills. Guenther Steiner, a former team principal of the Haas F1 team who's now an ambassador for the Miami Grand Prix, said the job was sort of like running a corporation.

"It's really like being the CEO of a small company," he said. "You're supervising HR, finance, engineering, race activation, logistics, marketing — you need to be quite widespread and have your hand in everything."

Steiner rose to popularity thanks to "Drive to Survive," which documented his humorous and heated interactions with his team's drivers.

"During the week, though, I'm not the guy talking with the drivers," he said. "No driver wants to talk to me every day! But the few times you do speak with them, it'll surely find its way on TV."

Steiner said team principals often spend their time focusing on other aspects of the team. He added that the job comes with a lot of stress, especially when the team is going through a rough patch.

"There are two stressful parts: sponsors and performance on the track," he said. "The second one is the worse of the two. If you have good results, you'll sort out the sponsorships. But you can't make up for bad results."

Leading by example to get the most out of the team

For Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, the importance of a good team principal can't be overstated. Last year, his team hovered near the bottom of the grid for the first half of the season until leadership changes — including the promotion of Andrea Stella to team principal — led to a stunning turnaround. Now the team is competing for wins and podiums weekly.

"Of our 1,000-person team, we changed only three people, though they happened to be in key leadership roles," Brown said. "So the same 997 people that developed us the car at the start of the year were the same people who turned it around."

He added that Stella "was able to get more out of the same people that our previous leadership wasn't able to."

Brown said the top traits he looked for in a team principal were selflessness, a focus on performance, and a willingness to lead by example.

"In a team-principal role, you can have people who are focused more on media or their own ego," he said. "Andrea is a team principal that focuses on his team, putting his people first."

For Vowles, the job has been a fun way to step outside of his comfort zone — to get a more hands-on look at marketing and HR alongside the engineering skills he's long possessed. He says it boils down to having emotional intelligence, dealing with people, and showing empathy.

"There are individuals who will sleep on the floor of the building if I ask them to," he said, though he quickly added, "Of course, we don't ask them to do that."

"But I hope I have a team that wants to follow me," he said, "because I care about them and they care about what we're building together."

• The Air Force of Ukraine claims that one of its soldiers downed a Russian missile using just a machine gun.
• The feat took place during a massive Russian aerial bombardment on June 12, it said.
• Experts have previously told BI that takedowns like this are extremely difficult.

A Ukrainian soldier successfully downed a Russian cruise missile using just a machine gun, according to claims from the Ukrainian armed forces.

The feat took place over the Kyiv region during a massive Russian aerial bombardment overnight on June 12, Ukraine's Air Force Command said on Thursday.

Business Insider could not independently verify the claim.

When the bombardment alert came in, "they told us over the radio that our target was close," the soldier, identified as Serhii, said, according to Ukrainska Pravda's translation.

"Seconds later, we saw an enemy missile heading towards Vasylkiv," he continued, referring to a small city roughly 10 miles south of Kyiv.

Serhii said he didn't hesitate to open fire, adding: "After I fired from the machine gun, I saw the missile starting to veer off course and descend."

Serhii, formerly a civilian doctor who uses the callsign "Dr. Mom," said he only believed he'd shot the missile down after he saw the debris on the ground.

Experts examining similar past claims — such as a January report of a Russian cruise missile being shot down by a Soviet-era antiaircraft gun — told BI's Sinéad Baker that such feats are extremely difficult.

Serhii acknowledged that the claimed shoot-down was a very difficult thing to achieve, but said his sense of responsibility had made the "impossible possible," per The New Voice of Ukraine's translation.

An official Ukrainian account of that night's bombardment said that Russia had launched a volley of six missiles — including at least four cruise missiles — and 24 Shahed drones, with all but one of the missiles shot down.

Air defense units were deployed in multiple Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, officials said.

Ukraine's recently replenished stockpiles of US-supplied antiaircraft missiles were instrumental in repelling the attack, The New York Times reported at the time.