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<strong><br /></strong><ul><li><strong>Taiwan government just passed a bill that legalise same-sex marriages.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>In 2017, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court struck down the Civil Code’s definition as being only between a man and a woman.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>The panel of judges was given two years to suggest any amends or changes in the existing law.</strong></li></ul>Taiwan government just passed a bill that legalise same-sex marriages, the first country in Asia to do so. <br /><br />The decision came almost two years after Taiwan’s court ruled that people having same sex can legally marry. <br /><br />
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="iingwen" handlename="蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/820454076618047493/ErIM-bsD_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6583" retweetcount="3129" status="Good morning #Taiwan. Today, we have a chance to make history &amp; show the world that progressive values can take roo… https://t.co/yex1Id1jLJ" createdat="1558057456000" id="1129200931642302465"></div>









<br /><br />The draft legislation will be enacted immediately after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen passes it into law.<br /><br />Thousands of activists and gay rights supporters gathered outside the court in Taiwan’sTaipei to witness the landmark judgment. <br /><br />The panel of judges was given two years to suggest any amends or changes in the existing law or same-sex couple will be permitted to legally get their marriage registered through local authorities. <br /><br />In 2017, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court struck down the Civil Code’s definition as being only between a man and a woman. Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, has shown her support to the LGBTQ community right before the election in 2016. <br /><br />The island has been leading the Asian continent to press gay rights across the world. It has a large gay community and it also hosts the biggest pride parade in Asia. <br /><strong><br />The debate</strong><br />The issue of same-sex marriages has divided society in Taiwan. Although the court ruled the definition of marriage unconstitutional, the government faced a backlash when 67% of the people voted against same-sex marriages in a <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/25/asia/taiwan-same-sex-marriage-referendum/index.html">referendum. </a><br /><br />The lawmakers were debating to vote on three different bills — one which was drafted by the country’s cabinet and the other two were drafted by conservative groups. <br /><br />The government’s bill was the only one that offered adoption rights though limited. The other two bills focused more on partnerships such as same-sex family relationships or same-sex union than marriages.<br />

Taiwan becomes first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Alberto Buzzola/LightRocket via Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">A huge crowd takes part in a rally in support of same-sex marriage in Taiwan. The placards encourage the country to vote "no" on a series of referendums against marriage equality.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Taiwan woke up on Sunday morning a very different island, following a series of political blows that dashed hopes of moving towards legalizing same-sex marriage.</li><li>Last year, Taiwan's highest court ruled <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/24/taiwans-top-court-rules-in-favour-of-same-sex-marriage">that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry</a>, and set a two-year deadline for legalization. The move seemingly set Taiwan on the path to becoming the first country in Asia to legalize marriage equality. </li><li>But on Saturday, Taiwanese voters firmly rejected same-sex marriage in a series of referendums.</li><li>President Tsai Ing-wen also resigned as party leader of the pro-independence <span>Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after it suffered a major electoral defeat.</span></li></ul><p>Following a series of referendums listed on the ballot for Saturday's i<span>sland-wide city mayoral elections</span>, Taiwanese residents voted to reject same-sex marriage. </p><p>The vote on the contested island that China considers a breakaway province has also led to the resignation of President Tsai Ing-wen from the pro-Independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP,  民進黨 ), after her fierce rivals at the China-friendly Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), won a number of key seats.</p><p>Residents backed a question which moved to define marriage as between a man and a woman, casting aside a May 2017 ruling in Taiwan's highest court <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/24/taiwans-top-court-rules-in-favour-of-same-sex-marriage">that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry</a>, and set a two-year deadline for legalization. </p><p>The move seemingly set Taiwan on path to become the first country in Asia to legalize marriage equality. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">A gay rights activist speaks during a press conference in Taipei after a referendum approving same-sex marriage did not pass on November 24, 2018.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>But more than six million Taiwanese voters approved the series of conservative initiatives that opposed same-sex marriage equality, passing the threshold needed for a public vote.</p><p>"We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the referendum results," Jennifer Lu, chief co-coordinator of Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/266c5896-f03a-11e8-9623-d7f9881e729f?emailId=5bfb09bf78e06d00047764b1&amp;segmentId=60a126e8-df3c-b524-c979-f90bde8a67cd">told the Financial Times on Monday.</a></p><p>Voters also rejected the controversial proposal that Taiwan ought to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games under the name Taiwan, rather than Chinese Taipei.</p><h2>The scale of defeat was far greater than expected</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Ashley Pon/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen stepped down after a series of defeats.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The vote was just another headache in a terrible result for President Tsai, who has been attacked from both sides for her formerly strong positions on the issue.</p><div><p>The scale of defeat was far greater than expected, with Tsai's DPP losing seven cities and counties of the 13 they held, including its traditional strongholds of Kaohsiung and Yilan.</p></div><p>The final blow on a shocking night for the DPP and many of the liberals and progressives that carried them into power came with the news that Taiwan - considered to be one of Asia's most progressive societies - had overwhelmingly voted against the legalization of gay marriage under the civil code.</p><p>Taiwan hosts the region's largest annual gay pride parade, drawing visitors from around the world, but the referendum drew clear fault lines across Taiwan socially, with embittered language marking high-visibility campaigns and rallies supporting both sides of the debate.</p><p>In the lead-up to the weekend's election, Tsai began to distance herself from a former pledge to support marriage equality.</p><p>Since snatching office in 2016, Tsai has pursued a a stronger stance against an increasingly assertive Beijing.</p><p>China cheered with relief at the heavy losses endured by the DPP, claiming it showed people wanted peaceful relations <span>-</span> and ultimately unification <span>- </span>with Beijing.</p><p>Over the weekend it was the China-friendly Kuomintang who snatched ground against the DPP, forcing Tsai to shoulder the blame of heavy losses and resign, effective immediately as head of the party. </p><p>"Today, democracy taught us a lesson," the president said in Taipei on Saturday night. </p><p>Elections results were rife with allegations of Chinese interference. Tsai has repeatedly accused China of meddling in the elections by operating a Russia-style "fake news" campaign.</p><div><p>The standard bearer of Taiwan's pro-independence movement, Tsai has about 12 months before elections in January 2020 to galvanize the support she has squandered if she doesn't want to become the island's first ever one-term president.</p></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serving-military-taught-beauty-youtuber-jackie-aina-2018-10">What serving in the military taught beauty YouTuber Jackie Aina</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Taiwan voted to reject same-sex marriage in a surprise about-face that has changed the island both socially and politically

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>McDonald's knows how to attract <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/protestors-storm-mcdonalds-headquarters-2015-5">protests</a> - this time from anti-gay religious groups. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last Friday, McDonald's Taiwan posted an ad for McCafe to its Facebook page, featuring a young man coming out to his father. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 90-second video shows an emotional moment between a father and son at a McCafe, in which the young man passes a coffee cup to his dad reading "I like boys," <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/boy-comes-out-father-mccaf-cup-taiwanese-spot-stirring-religious-ire-170030">reports AdWeek.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The father withdraws from&#xa0;the table, upset, leaving his son alone to collect himself. Then, the father returns and picks up&#xa0;his son's cup of coffee, </span>modifying&#xa0;it to read: "I accept that you like boys."</p><p>&#xa0;<div></div></p><p class="embed-spacer"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Facebook video has now been viewed more than 3.6 million times, with the original post gaining more than 92,000 likes, and 11,800 shares.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, not all viewers support the ad's heartwarming message. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The secretary general of the Alliance of Taiwan Religious Groups for the Protection of Family, Chang Shou-yi, has called for a McDonald's boycot&#xa0;following the ad, <a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2016/03/06/mccafe-taiwan-gay-coming-out.php">reports Shanghaiist.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because McDonald's is frequented by many children, it is especially important to oppose the promotion of same-sex behavior," Chang said in a statement on the ad. The Alliance "rebukes and boycotts all enterprises that are polluting the next generation."</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the hate, social media response to the ad has been overwhelmingly positive, both in Shanghai and as it has crossed over to Western media outlets. </span></p><p><div><div id="fb-root"></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/thepandoraboxx/posts/10154193866262985" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thepandoraboxx/posts/10154193866262985">Post</a>by<a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Pandora Boxx</a>.</div></div></div></p><p class="embed-spacer"><div></div></p><p class="embed-spacer"><span style="font-weight: 400;">At this point, LGBT-supportive marketing is pretty much&#xa0;the norm. Brands from </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/these-major-brands-support-gay-marriage-2013-6?op=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bud Light</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to KFC have taken to social media to support gay rights. Even </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-donates-to-gay-pride-picnic-2015-6"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chick-fil-A,</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> a chain whose president infamously discussed his opposition to same-sex marriage, has a franchisee who&#xa0;donated food to a gay pride picnic last June.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> that supports gay customers is a dealbreaker for consumers, there are few fast-food chains left where they can order. </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-fast-food-quesalupa-review-2016-2">We tried Taco Bell's new Quesalupa</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZmNXhyMDE6QyteUh5iP0YiIXgwflSNKX" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

People are furious about this McDonald's ad showing a gay son coming out to his dad

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS</span></p><p class="caption">A paramilitary policeman holds onto a fence as tourists dodge tidal waves increased under the influence of Typhoon Dujuan, at the bank of Qiantang river, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, September 29, 2015. China ordered tens of thousands of boats back to shore and closed tourist attractions as a typhoon made landfall in the eastern province of Fujian early on Tuesday after leaving two dead and hundreds injured in Taiwan. Picture taken September 29, 2015.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! Here's what you need to know on Wednesday.</p><p><strong>1. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/ap-russia-leads-terrorism-session-as-un-world-gathering-resumes-2015-9?IR=T">Russia is hosting a UN Security Council meeting on fighting terrorism</a>, a theme dominating much of this week's global gathering in New York. </p><p><strong>2. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-germany-beefs-up-asylum-rules-as-half-a-million-cross-med-2015-9?IR=T">Germany has beefed up its restrictions</a> against refugees after its previous open-door policy caused clashes with other EU members.</p><p><strong>3</strong><strong>. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-abe-says-japan-must-solve-its-own-problems-before-accepting-any-syria-refugees-2015-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">President Abe of Japan has reaffirmed the country's decision not to accept any Syrian refugees</a>, saying Japan must solve its own problems first.</p><p><strong>4.</strong>  <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34398014">British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced plans to build a £25 million jail in Jamaica</a> for foreign criminals in the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword>.</p><p><strong>5. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-us-woman-executed-in-georgia-despite-papal-appeal-official-2015-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">The US state of Georgia has executed its first woman in more than 70 years</a><strong> </strong>despite last-minute appeals from the Pope.</p><p><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-chinas-xi-says-to-commit-8000-troops-for-un-peacekeeping-force-2015-9?r=US&amp;IR=T"></a><span></span><strong>6. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-obama-says-assad-must-go-revs-up-coalition-against-is-2015-9?IR=T">President Obama has said Syria's Assad must go if ISIS it to be defeated</a>, following a clash with President Putin over how to handle the situation. </p><p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-24/singapore-shuts-schools-cancel-events-as-air-quality-worsens"></a><strong>7. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/zimbabwes-president-mugabe-doubled-down-on-his-anti-gay-stance-2015-9">Zimbabwe has doubled down on its anti-gay stance</a>, saying it will not introduce "new rights" for gay people.</p><p><strong>8. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/ralph-lauren-is-stepping-down-2015-9">Ralph Lauren is stepping down as CEO of his namesake company</a><strong>.</strong></p><p><strong>9. </strong><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/us/county-clerk-kim-davis-who-denied-gay-couples-visited-pope.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;module=second-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news&amp;_r=0">Kim Davis, the Kentucky Clerk who refused to serve a marriage licence to a gay couple, is said to have met with the Pope during his visit to the US.</a></p><p><a href="http://t.sidekickopen20.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJW7t5XZs7fZy2gW63BfQ83N1NX4W2z8P1C56dNsrf5XTFjs02?t=http%3A%2F%2Flink.uk.businessinsider.com%2Fclick%2F5204152.3862%2FaHR0cDovL3d3dy5idXNpbmVzc2luc2lkZXIuY29tL3ItcHV0aW4tcGxhbnMtYWlyLXN0cmlrZXMtaW4tc3lyaWEtaWYtbm8tdXMtZGVhbC1yZWFjaGVkLWJsb29tYmVyZy0yMDE1LTk_dXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9MTBUaGluZ3NXb3JsZCZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9U2FpbHRocnUmbnJfZW1haWxfcmVmZXJlcj0x%2F545cd31709c5c5841b8b4bd5B6c87d8d1&amp;si=5355050416734208&amp;pi=5e8a1b40-071b-4ffb-a420-790a82978120" target="_blank"></a><strong>10. </strong><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/here-comes-the-tesla-model-x-launch-2015-9">Tesla has launched the first of its Model X series of cars</a><strong>,</strong> the company's first SUV. </p><p><strong>And finally ...</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/29/10-women-receive-go-ahead-for-first-ever-womb-transplants-in-uk">The UK's first womb transplants are set to take place next year</a>, as 10 women will be used in a trial following the success of the procedure in Sweden.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-x-suv-2015-9">The Tesla Model X is here - and the doors will blow your mind</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FwNWJ1dzozEe91mZ3LwqQo90ch4wao7D" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

The 10 most important things in the world right now

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Atsuko Okatsuka and her husband got married in 2017, but the paperwork was never filed.</li><li>They had to go to the Los Angeles County courthouse to have a second wedding.</li></ul><p><em>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Atsuko Okatsuka. It has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p><p>My wedding to my husband, Ryan, was a beautiful day. People flew in from all over the world to watch us say our vows.</p><p>I got such a great deal on wedding dresses that I bought two because I couldn't pick, one for $50 and another for $100. I ended up choosing the $50 one for my big day.</p><p>Ryan and I met on a film set nine years ago in Los Angeles, where we live. My friend Clayton was making a short film, I was producing it for him, and Ryan was acting in it. Clayton claims we ruined the movie because Ryan and I were flirting so much. We were falling for each other during the filming, and it never got finished. I guess we were too distracted.</p><p>It turned out that Clayton was a celebrant, and he offered to marry us, as he was the one who introduced us. So six years ago, Clayton married us. Or so we thought! This month, I learned we're <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/couple-realizes-marriage-not-legal-tiktok-30000-wedding-2022-12">not actually legally married</a> at all.</p><h2><strong>My husband and I were shocked to learn we weren't technically married</strong></h2><p>I'd been trying to get Ryan on my health insurance for a while. We were asked for proof that we were married, specifically, our marriage certificate. We thought we'd had one at some point, but we're not very good at paperwork, and when we went to look for it, we couldn't find one anywhere in the house.</p><p>So we sent off a request to the City of Los Angeles for a copy of our marriage certificate, then set off for a holiday in Tokyo, and Taipei, Taiwan, thinking the marriage certificate would be in our mailbox when we returned. It wasn't.</p><p>My husband called the city, and when he finally got through, it told him that we weren't legally married. There was <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AtsukoComedy/status/1652835587899162624?s=20">no record of us being married</a>. Though we had a wedding in 2017 with 180 of our closest friends and family, the paperwork had never been filed.</p><p>I was half asleep when I heard it, as I'd been taking a nap. I thought it was a dream. Then I fell back asleep. That's how I deal with problems and conflict: I fall asleep, like a baby. It's so very like me and my husband to have this happen. We aren't very good at being adults. When I woke up, my "husband" was running around trying to figure out what to do about this problem we'd found ourselves with.</p><p>It was starting to sink in that we hadn't been married this whole time. For the past six years, we'd basically just been dating, like boyfriend and girlfriend. That's when we started laughing. After all, I'm a comedian. You couldn't write this stuff.</p><div type="image" title="Atsuko Okatsuka and her husband Ryan" height="3648" width="2736" msid="100108001" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>We headed to the courthouse to get married — for the 2nd time</strong></h2><p>We needed to sort it out: not just get married for real but prove we'd got married six years ago. To do so, we learned we had to drive an hour to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk with two witnesses who were at the first wedding. I took my grandma, who brought me up, and my friend Kevin Yee, who had many roles on the day of our second wedding — usher, singer, flower girl, purse holder. My grandma stifled giggles while she hummed the traditional "Wedding March" song as we walked along the corridor to the office.</p><p>I tried to obscure the details of what had happened when I explained it to my grandma so she wouldn't be disappointed in us. I was like, "You know, with government papers, there are just so many files. Sometimes paperwork doesn't go through as it should — such a hassle, right?" It was so she wouldn't think that we were just stupid. But she said: "It's fine — when do you want me?"</p><p>Then, I texted Clayton and said, "Hey, guess what, funny story, me and Ryan aren't actually married!" And his immediate reaction was, "OMG — is this my fault?"</p><p>I hadn't thought about whether it might have been his job to file the paperwork since we're not very good in that area. When I posted a video, commenters said it's the officiator's job to file the paperwork. Maybe this was him exacting his revenge on me and Ryan "ruining" his short film. He'll think it's so funny I'm blaming him. Or maybe he'll be mad. Who knows?</p><p>My father-in-law is a preacher and begged to do our ceremony, but we said no. We told him that we didn't believe in his kind of Christianity because it's conservative and homophobic. We wanted to have a queer friend of ours marry us. What's funny is, my father-in-law would never have lost the paperwork.</p><h2><strong>They backdated our marriage certificate</strong></h2><p>We are now married. We <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.insider.com/cost-of-marriage-license-by-state-2018-11">had to pay $200</a>, and they backdated the certificate to 2017. They didn't ask for pictures or anything — we could've got two witnesses off the street. The whole thing seems so silly to me: The straights got married again. It was just like, "Give us $200. Here's your wedding certificate, dumb-dumbs." I can't believe we withheld marriage from gay people this long when we're so careless with it. I had to remarry the same person without us ever splitting up.</p><p>I did get to wear that second, more expensive dress, though. Maybe I was cursed for keeping two dresses. The universe was like, "Well, you haven't worn the second one yet."</p><div type="image" title="Atsuko Okatsuka and her husband Ryan on their second wedding day." height="1280" width="960" msid="100108003" hostid="261"></div><p>On the day, they issued two marriage certificates. One was to take away there and then. And I have a confession: We've already lost that one. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AtsukoComedy/status/1654210845893873664?s=20"><u>The other one just arrived in the mail this week</u></a>, thank God.</p><p>And yes, I can definitely see this in one of my upcoming comedy routines. It's too good not to include.</p>

We had multiple weddings, but it wasn't because of divorce. Our first wedding had paperwork errors.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword> has catered to <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>'s government as it relies on the country's supply chain, the NYT reports.</li><li><keyword id="191843" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tim-Cook">Tim Cook</keyword> approved using servers run by Chinese firms to store customer data, company sources told the NYT.</li><li>That would make it easy for authorities to access the information of millions of Chinese citizens.</li></ul><p>Apple has increasingly bowed to China's demands as it relies more heavily on its supply chain, which it began building in the nation two decades ago, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-censorship-data.html">a revealing report from the New York Times' Jack Nicas, Raymond Zhong, and Daisuke Wakabayashi.</a></p><p>The Times spoke with 17 current and former Apple employees who gave details about how the company has catered to China.</p><p>Per those sources, CEO Tim Cook green-lit using servers run by Chinese state-owned companies to store customer data. China also reportedly wouldn't accept Apple's use of encryption technology that it typically uses in its data server centers, so the company agreed to abandon it.</p><p>That made it easy for authorities to siphon sensitive information from millions of Chinese citizens such as emails, photos, and locations, security experts told the outlet. Such sharing of sensitive information is illegal by US law, as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-privacy-censorship.html">Times notes</a>.</p><p>The tech giant has also complied with the Communist Party's demands to censor about 55,000 apps from its App Store since 2017 that authorities deemed to be harmful to the government's values, sources told the Times.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-fight-getting-more-intense-over-trade-human-rights-2021-3">It's clear the US does not care about China's face anymore</a></em></p><p>Apple employees were tasked with flagging apps that company management perceived would anger the Chinese government, per the report. Topics on those apps that would get flagged include the Dalai Lama and independence for Taiwan, which China argues is a province of the nation. Some apps related to gay dating services and foreign <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> organizations also disappeared from the store.</p><p>A critic of the Communist Party, Guo Wengui, was also a banned topic on Apple's Chinese App Store, according to internal communications viewed by the Times. An Apple reviewer that approved an app associated with him was fired after Chinese officials contacted the company. Apple said it fired the employee due to poor work performance.</p><p>When reached for comment, a representative for Apple pointed Insider to <a href="https://twitter.com/jacknicas/status/1394378346717450243?s=20">Nicas' tweet featuring the company's full statement</a> made to the Times. </p><p>It told the publication that it follows Chinese laws and has "never comprised the security of our users or their data in China or anywhere we operate." Apple also told the publication that it only removed apps from its Chinese app store to abide by China's laws.</p><p>"These decisions are not always easy, and we may not agree with the laws that shape them," Apple said in the statement. "But our priority remains creating the best user experience without violating the rules we are obligated to follow."</p><p>China is a lucrative market for Apple, with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-privacy-censorship.html">a fifth</a> of the company's sales coming from the country. Much of the company's products are assembled in the nation - Apple had the fifth-largest smartphone unit shipment in Q1, according to a 2021 report from the market research firm <a href="https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/China-smartphone-market-Q1-2021?ctid=2041-5814e927aabab0e63f5070cbd38a12b6">Canalys.</a></p><p>As the NYT notes, Cook has routinely stated his dedication to human and civil rights, even as reports surface <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-china-suppliers-uyghur-muslims-forced-labor-report-2021-5">detailing connections between Apple's Chinese suppliers and forced human labor.</a></p><p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=35871X943606&amp;isjs=1&amp;jv=15.1.0-stackpath&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Fapple-china-suppliers-uyghur-muslims-forced-labor-report-2021-5&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theinformation.com%2Farticles%2Fseven-apple-suppliers-accused-of-using-forced-labor-from-xinjiang&amp;xguid=01E4914QJEHGGQVNCDRWCDRDR5&amp;xs=1&amp;xtz=300&amp;xuuid=8424de27db31f54541694f3a070f27fa&amp;xcust=xid%3Afr1621287356170cii&amp;xjsf=other_click__contextmenu%20%5B2%5D;xjsf=other_click__contextmenu%20%5B2%5D">The Information</a> reported last week that seven of apple's suppliers in China were found to be linked to suspected forced labor of Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups from the Xinjiang region. Apple has previously denied using suppliers that relied upon forced Uyghur labor.</p><h3><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/technology/apple-china-censorship-data.html">You can read the full report on The New York Times here.</a></h3>

Apple has stored the data of thousands of customers on Chinese servers and censored apps to please the government that controls most of its supply chain, the New York Times reports

<p class="source"><span>gary yim/Shutterstock</span></p><p class="caption">The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, is consistently ranked among the top 10 graduate business schools in the world.</li><li>Approximately 3,700 students apply to the MBA program each year, but only about 12% are admitted.</li><li>Four alumni, the assistant dean of the full-time MBA program and admissions, and the executive director of the MFE program told Business Insider how to stand out and get in.</li><li>In your admissions essay and interviews, they recommended connecting your personal story to the school's four defining leadership principles, as well as taking computer science and programming courses as an undergrad to prepare for the technically rigorous MFE program.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul><p>The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, nestled at the top of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, is consistently ranked among the top 10 graduate business schools in the world. Its full-time MBA program is ranked No. 6 in the United States by <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/university-of-california-berkeley-01029">US News and World Report</a> and No. 9 globally by <a href="https://www.topmba.com/college/haas-school-business/full-time-mba">education specialists Quacquarelli Symonds</a>. Its Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program is ranked No. 1 by <a href="https://tfetimes.com/best-financial-engineering-program-rankings/">The Financial Engineer Times</a>. And Haas is the nation's<a href="https://www.metromba.com/school/haas-school-business-uc-berkeley/"> oldest business school</a> at a US public university, according to its website.</p><p>Students are drawn to Haas because of its curriculum focused on innovation, proximity to disruptive companies, and intimate class sizes - while some leading full-time MBA programs pack classes with around 900 students, the class size at Haas remains under 300.</p><p>Admission is highly competitive. Each year, about 3,700 applicants apply to the MBA program, according to the <a href="https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/faq#AdmissionsGeneralInformation">Haas website</a>, but its acceptance rate hovers around 12%, <a href="https://poetsandquants.com/2018/10/16/meet-the-berkeley-haas-mba-class-of-2020/">Poets &amp; Quants reported</a> in 2018. (You can find an overview of MBA application requirements<a href="https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/application"> here</a>.)</p><p>The Haas school also offers a Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) program: <a href="https://mfe.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/faq#MFEGeneral">One of only two financial engineering degree programs</a> in the US that is offered within a business school, rather than engineering or mathematics departments, according to the Haas website. In the rigorous, one-year program, MFE students learn about computational finance within the context of business applications. </p><p>For its <a href="https://mfe.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/class-profile">2019 class</a>, the program received 565 applications; 79 students are enrolled, according to the MFE profile. (You can find an overview of the MFE application process <a href="https://mfe.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/requirements">here</a>.)</p><p>Business Insider spoke with six Haas affiliates, including four alumni, the assistant dean of the full-time MBA program and admissions, and the executive director of the MFE program, about how to gain a coveted acceptance letter.  </p><h1><strong>Connect your story to Haas' leadership principles</strong></h1><p>Haas focuses on developing business leaders who reflect the school's four defining leadership principles: "Question the Status Quo," "Confidence Without Attitude," "Students Always," and "Beyond Yourself."</p><p class="source"><span>Peter Johnson</span></p><p class="caption">Peter Johnson.</p><p>These principles are the school's way of being "direct about planting a flag in saying these are the kinds of leaders we want to develop," said Peter Johnson, the assistant dean of the full-time MBA program and admissions. "We look for candidates that we feel reflect the defining principles in their professional work to date."</p><p>Allison Gigliotti - a 2011 graduate of the full-time MBA program who now works as head of marketing and growth for a seed-stage startup called <a href="https://outofoffice.app/">Out of Office</a> - has participated in applicant interviewing.</p><p>"Someone who is successful in the interview is thinking about stories that pertain to those different aspects of the Haas culture and how they fit into it," she said.</p><p>Tushar Patel - chief marketing officer at the software company<a href="https://www.cleo.com/"> Cleo</a> and a 2009 graduate of the Haas <a href="https://ewmba.haas.berkeley.edu/academics/program-overview">evening-and-weekend MBA program</a> - said that articulating his personal connection to Haas' values was instrumental in his acceptance. He was denied admission on his first try, but reapplied a couple years later with the same undergraduate grades and GMAT score and was accepted. What changed was how he conveyed his story of why Haas was the right program for him.</p><p class="source"><span>Tushar Patel</span></p><p class="caption">Tushar Patel.</p><p>"I started digging into what Berkeley stood for. It also forced me to look at other programs in the same way," Patel said. In his application essay, he focused on the leadership principle of "Question the Status Quo" to discuss how he had taken initiative with his employer to gain more international experience in Asia. He described how his experience working with the company's counterparts in Taiwan, China, and Japan helped him accelerate his understanding of diverse business models and broadened his approach to problem solving.</p><h1><strong>Be authentic about how you will use your degree</strong></h1><p>Johnson said authenticity is key to creating an application that stands out. He advised candidates to use the application process as a way to reflect on what they value and their career goals, rather than write what they think the school wants to hear.</p><p>"A better perspective is to say, 'Here are the reasons why this program will help me move forward in my career - here are reasons why I will be a great addition to your class,'" Johnson said.</p><p>For Gigliotti, the most difficult part of her application essay was articulating how Haas would help her make a career change. She had been working on Wall Street and wanted to use her MBA to pivot into marketing in the outdoor apparel industry. </p><p class="source"><span>Allison Gigliotti</span></p><p class="caption">Allison Gigliotti.</p><p>"It was not an easy story to tell; it didn't really make sense to people," she said. While putting her essay together, she reached out to people at the companies she wanted to work for and talked with current Haas students to learn about their stories. She researched classes and extracurricular clubs, and took an interest in the school's<a href="https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/academics/experiential-learning"> experiential learning courses</a>, which offer students the opportunity to work on real-world projects with companies.</p><p>Now, when evaluating candidates, Gigliotti pays specific attention to their plans to use their MBA.</p><p>"You only have two years, and a lot of the important work you do is in that first semester to set yourself up for an internship your first summer," she said. "Can they come to Haas and completely change their mind? Absolutely. But I think having that plan on the onset makes them a more successful student."<strong> </strong></p><h1>Take programming courses</h1><p>The MFE is a distinctive program within Haas and focuses on quantitative finance. When considering applicants, the MFE application committee looks closely at candidates' academic preparation in mathematics, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-teach-yourself-corporate-finance-fast-former-mckinsey-consultant">corporate finance</a>, and economics, as well as in programming, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-teach-yourself-code-and-land-6-figure-job-2019-7">coding</a>, and machine learning. </p><p>Not only should applicants have excelled in rigorous undergraduate coursework, but they should also demonstrate "intuition in finance," said Linda Kreitzman, the MFE's executive director.</p><p class="source"><span>Linda Kreitzman</span></p><p class="caption">Linda Kreitzman.</p><p>Having a strong background in at least three of these areas could be enough for the admissions committee to offer a contingent recommendation for acceptance. For some promising candidates, the school will consider designing a program for them and following their progress before offering an official acceptance letter, Kreitzman said. "In other words, I will say to the students, 'We want to recommend you for admission, but we are going to have some requirements, and [admission] will be subject to you fulfilling requirements,'" like select courses or internships that will address the candidates' skills gap, she explained.</p><p>Brodie Gay - who finished the MFE program in 2016 and now works as the vice president of research at <a href="https://www.unison.com/">Unison</a>, a home-ownership investment company - became interested in the MFE program while he was an undergraduate engineering physics student at Berkeley. He looked into several MBA programs, but upon learning more about the Haas MFE program, felt that it was the best fit for him. He stopped by Kreitzman's office in person to introduce himself and to learn more about the program's offerings and requirements.</p><p class="source"><span>Brodie Gay</span></p><p class="caption">Brodie Gay.</p><p>Of his classmates, Gay said, "We were all looking at MBA programs, but [the MFE] fit our skill set far more. It's often a different look at the same material. It's a look that's more of an engineer's perspective on finance."  </p><p>Even for students pursuing the traditional MBA, being familiar with programming can give students a "way to think algorithmically through problems," Gay said. "You're going to be doing a lot of Excel modeling; it can help you think through a particular modeling challenge."</p><h1><strong>Express how you will give back to the community</strong></h1><p>The Haas admissions team looks for applicants who will not only fit in with the community, but who will give back to their peers and the school - both while in the program and after they graduate.</p><p>In the last year, the application committee has been focusing on how "to develop leaders who understand how to lead in diverse environments, and how to create inclusive work environments," Johnson said. The current <a href="https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/class-profile">MBA class profile</a> includes 35% of students who come from international backgrounds, and about 30% who identify as US minorities.</p><p>For Kira Noodleman - a principal at the venture capital firm <a href="https://www.beepartners.vc/">Bee Partners</a> and a 2017 graduate of the full-time MBA program - her international work experience as a product manager in Buenos Aires and San Francisco set her application apart, she said. In her essay, Noodleman highlighted her early product management experience at a Google innovation lab. She described how she'd led a development team spread across South America to build a type of smartphone for populations that didn't have internet access. She'd included how she could contribute her knowledge in software product management as a resource for her peers, but also discussed the missing pieces in her knowledge that she wanted to gain from others - more about business operations, marketing, and design innovations.</p><p class="source"><span>Kira Noodleman</span></p><p class="caption">Kira Noodleman.</p><p>At Haas, Noodleman offered her experience as a resource for colleagues who wanted to pursue a career path in product development. She also took advantage of the option Haas gives for students to <a href="https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/academics/personalized-learning">develop and run their own courses</a> - she built on her personal interest in mindfulness meditation and created a one-credit class for other students, which continued to be offered after she'd graduated.</p><p>"There's so much trust baked into the way that culture is built and the way they bring people into the community. It feels like a family." Noodleman said. </p><p>Haas alumni have expressed that the school's commitment to its culture and community is one of the most valuable benefits they have gained from their experience.</p><p>"It really is a tight community," Kreitzman said. "We have a very close, personal relationship with the alumni. Many of them are personal friends."</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adam-grant-on-narcissism-happiness-leadership-careers-at-davos-2020-1">Leading behavioral psychologist reveals how to be a successful narcissist and why you should stop trying to be happy</a></h3>

Here's exactly what it takes to get accepted into the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, according to 4 alumni and 2 program directors in charge of admissions

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Facebook is bidding on rights to stream NFL's Thursday night football.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning. Here's everything you need to know in the world of <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> today.</p><p><strong>1. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fighting-ad-blockers-with-online-ads-2016-3">Online advertisers are claiming ad-blockers are violating their freedom of speech.</a> </strong>Ad-blockers are used by up to 45 million people in the US, leading to a loss of as much as $22 billion in advertising revenue this year.</p><p><strong>2. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-confirms-its-bidding-on-nfl-streaming-rights-2016-3">Facebook is bidding on the rights to stream big NFL games - and it wants to create a whole new experience.</a></strong> It's competing with other bidders including Amazon and Verizon.</p><p><strong>3. <a href="https://www.pehub.com/2016/03/663358/">Boston-based social data analytics company Crimson Hexagon has raised $20 million in growth equity financing.</a> </strong>The round was led by Sageview Capital and brings the company's total funding to $37.5 million.</p><p><strong>4. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wish-fat-shaming-fail-2016-3">This retailer has the worst advertisement for plus-size clothing we've ever seen. </a></strong>The photo shows a thin model fitting both of her legs into one leg of some plus-size shorts.</p><p><strong>5. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-pro-gay-ad-sparks-protest-2016-3">People are furious about this McDonald's ad showing a gay son coming out to his dad.</a> </strong>Anti-gay groups in Taiwan have called for a McDonald's boycott following the ad.</p><p><strong>6. "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-and-fitchs-unrecognizable-mens-line-2016-3">This is not the Abercrombie &amp; Fitch you remember.</a>" </strong>Abercrombie &amp; Fitch has been revamping its clothing and sales are beginning to climb.</p><p><strong>7. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-playboy-competitor-arsenic-uses-snapchat-2016-3">How a Playboy competitor is turning Snapchat into more than just selfies.</a> </strong>Since Snapchat introduced public stories, many models are finding their own slice of fame on the social network.</p><p><strong>8. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/espn-direct-to-consumer-2016-3">Disney CEO says selling ESPN a la carte is on the table.</a> </strong>As of December, ESPN had lost about 7 million subscribers in the previous two years.</p><p><strong>9. <a href="http://digiday.com/publishers/new-york-times-vox-publishers-adopt-product-approach-news/">How The New York Times, Vox and other publishers adopted a product approach to news.</a></strong> Publishers are adopting a Silicon Valley mindset as they start to think of news in terms of "product," reports Digiday.</p><p><strong>10.</strong> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/mar/09/government-ad-teachers-department-for-educations-asa-pay"><strong>A UK government ad "ridiculed" for claiming teachers can earn £65,000 has been cleared.</strong> </a>There were 140 complaints that it misrepresented potential salaries, reports The Guardian.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mythbusters-co-hosts-no-more-2016-3">Adam Savage reveals why he and 'MythBusters' cohost Jamie Hyneman won't be working together anymore</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="8yMjBqMTE64Z8GLc4yQx9nPkambvO6n4" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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