16 arrested for illegally selling Apple user data in China

Chinese police have arrested 16 employees or former employees of an Apple contractor for selling the personal information of iPhone users.

In January, police in Cangnan county of eastern China’s Zhejiang Province suspected several employees or former employees of an Apple distributor and a contractor of stealing user data, the county procuratorate said in a statement Friday.

In May, police caught 22 people, 20 of whom worked for the two companies, from Guangdong, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces.

So far, sixteen have been arrested and four remain under investigation.

Fifteen of those arrested work for Guangzhou Telecom Yingke Company, a contractor which provides consulting and after-sales service for Apple.

Prosecutors said that starting from August 2013, the chief suspects Yang, Li and Gan, used their internal system to illegally check personal information of iPhone users.

They illegally obtained names, telephone numbers, email accounts and addresses of Apple customers.

In July, 2014, they were fired by the company, but continued to collude with company staff to steal information until August 2016

Each item of information was sold at 10 to 180 yuan (US$26.24).

Preliminary investigation showed that they made about 50 million yuan (about US$7.35 million) of illegal profit.

Human Rights Dialogue between the European Union and China

The 35th round of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue was held in Brussels on 22-23 June. The two-day programme included the meeting of the Dialogue on the first day, and round-table discussions between European and Chinese participants, including Members of the European Parliament, representatives from civil society and academia, as well as a field visit to the refugee centre Bruxelles-Petit-Château on the second day.

The meetings allowed for candid discussions on a wide range of human rights related issues and cases of concern.

During the Dialogue, the European Union emphasised the deteriorating situation for civil and political rights in China, which has been accompanied by the detention and conviction of a significant number of Chinese human rights defenders and lawyers. Restrictions on the freedom of expression in China, and systemic issues in the criminal justice system, including cases of arbitrary detention and allegations of torture, were also raised by the European Union. In addition, the two sides discussed migration and the rights of refugees, the freedom of religion and belief, the rights of persons belonging to minorities, especially in Tibet and Xinjiang, and the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, including the implementation of China’s Foreign NGO Activity Management Law.

The Human Rights Dialogue provided an opportunity for the European Union to raise the cases of human rights defenders whose detention and conviction by the Chinese authorities is incompatible with the nature of their work to promote human rights. The expectation of the European Union, as reiterated in the Dialogue, is that all individuals detained in connection with their advocacy of human rights be released from custody, that they should be allowed to be represented by a lawyer of their choosing, be given the possibility of meeting their family members, have access to appropriate medical assistance when required, and have allegations of their mistreatment promptly investigated. The cases raised by the European Union included:

Political prisoners Liu Xiaobo and Illham Tohti;
Human rights lawyers Jiang Tianyong, Wang Quanzhang and Xie Yang;
Individuals imprisoned in connection with their exercise of the universally-recognised right to freedom of expression, including Lu Yuyu, Zhang Haitao, Lû Gengsong, and Huang Zerong;
Individuals persecuted for their religious beliefs, including Hu Shigen, Huang Yizi, Shao Zhumin, Li Guozhi, Gu Yuese and Zhang Shaojie.
Individuals detained or sentenced in connection with their activities in promoting freedom of association, including Tashi Dorje, Meng Han, Xu Zhiyong and Gou Feixiong
Tibetan activists, writers and religious figures who face criminal charges or have been imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression, including Tashi Wangchuk, Druklo and Lobsang Kunchok.

Cooperation in international fora and the need to implement recommendations from international bodies, particularly recommendations which China received during its most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in 2013, were also discussed.

During the roundtable discussion, participants discussed the EU’s and China’s respective policies and practices for promoting and protecting human rights, including the role played by legislators, civil society and academia.

The European Union’s delegation was led by Ms Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service. The Chinese delegation was led by Ms Liu Hua, Special Representative for Human Rights and Deputy Director General for International Organisations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

Over 100 buried in southwest China landslide

Photo taken on June 24, 2017 shows the accident site after a landslide occurs in Xinmo Village of Maoxian County, Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The landslide on Sunday morning smashes some 40 homes, where about 100 people are feared to be buried. (Xinhua)

A landslide that occurred in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday morning smashed some 40 homes, where about 100 people are feared to be buried, according to sources with the authorities in Maoxian County.

The landslide from a high part of a mountain in Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba fell to Xinmo Village at about 6 a.m., blocking a 2-km section of a river course.

News story: Historic North Wales town announced as host for Armed Forces Day 2018

The event in the historic seaside town will be supported by the Ministry of Defence, together with the Welsh Government and Conwy Borough Council.

The announcement comes as events are held across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day, including the national event this year hosted by the City of Liverpool. Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will join the First Sea Lord and thousands of people at the South Wales celebrations in Caerphilly to honour the work and dedication of our brave Servicemen and women deployed around the world.

Defence Minister for the Lords, Earl Howe said:

Llandudno represents a superb venue for next year’s celebrations and I’m sure the town will bring together the whole nation in celebrating our Armed Forces.

Wales was the proud host of the national event in 2010 when thousands of people celebrated in Cardiff. The support from the Welsh Government and local communities, coupled with the rich and vibrant history of Llandudno, means that the town is the ideal choice to make the event even more successful in 2018.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

I’m delighted that the national Armed Forces Day event will return to Wales in 2018. This time next year, we will see veterans of wars gone by and soldiers serving in conflicts around the world today marching side by side in Llandudno, united in pride in service to their country.

In Wales we have a special connection with our Armed Forces and this annual event gives the public an opportunity to show their appreciation and pride for our soldiers, sailors and air personnel who sacrifice so much for others.

Our debt of gratitude also extends to the families they leave behind and the veterans past and present who have dedicated years of their lives to service. I am honoured to mark Armed Forces Day today – and in the years to come – in their company.

Councillor Gareth Jones, Leader of Conwy County Borough Council, said:

We are proud and privileged to be named as the Host of the National Armed Forces Day in 2018.

Conwy County has a deep affiliation with the Armed Forces and a strong historical link. Llandudno will be a great destination to showcase the outstanding work of the Armed Forces past and present.

The event will be supported by all the North Wales Councils and key colleagues across Wales. Serving personnel and veterans of our Armed Forces Community will be assured of a very warm welcome and an event that thanks them for their commitment to keeping the country safe.

North Wales has many current and historic links to the Armed Forces, including and many Regular and Reserve Army units, including the Royal Welsh recruit from there. RAF Valley on Anglesey, is home to a fast jet training base. Nearly 10,000 veterans live in Conwy, supported by a number of local and national charities.

This year, events along the coast included an Armed Forces parade in the nearby town of Caernarfon on 17 June, and today a Forces’ themed street party is being held in Conwy.

News story: Record number of events will hail UK Armed Forces

The ninth annual Armed Forces Day will centre on Liverpool, where regulars, reserves, their families and veterans will gather for a parade, receptions, displays, a ship visit and Red Arrows and Typhoon flypasts.

There will be hundreds more significant events to thank the UK’s Forces, from Caerphilly to Plymouth to Edinburgh in the UK and from the Falkland Islands to Cyprus overseas.

Ahead of attending today’s event in Liverpool, the Prime Minister said:

Our world-leading Armed Forces work day and night to defend our country and our way of life, both at home and abroad.

In the aftermath of the Manchester attack, military personnel played a vital role on UK streets, providing visible reassurance to our communities. And further afield they continue to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria, helping to drive the terrorists back and give ordinary people in those countries the chance to rebuild their lives.

I am proud to be attending the Armed Forces Day celebrations in the great city of Liverpool this year, joining thousands of people in expressing our gratitude to the men and women who do so much to preserve our freedom.

Ahead of Liverpool’s event Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced that nearly 11,000 service personnel have been able to get on the housing ladder or change their home using Forces Help to Buy scheme payments. Since its launch in April 2014 more than £163m has been paid to scheme applicants, allowing service personnel and their families to borrow up to half their salary to buy their own home.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

We owe a huge gratitude to the men and women of our Armed Forces and salute their service in keeping us safe each and every day.

As we celebrate Armed Forces Day there are 10,000 regulars and reserve personnel serving now on NATO operations. There are Royal Navy ships serving in the Gulf, the British Army is supporting UN peacekeeping in South Sudan, and the Royal Air Force are patrolling the skies above the Black Sea region in the ‎campaign against Daesh terrorism and on NATO deployments; the Royal Navy is helping protect the Gulf; the Army is peace-keeping in South Sudan and Somalia; and the Royal Air Force is patrolling the skies above the Black Sea.

The Help to Buy milestone demonstrates our promise to ensure that our Armed Forces and their families can enjoy the stability of owning their own home. It is part of our commitment to them in return for the immeasurable commitment they make to us.

Today’s event in Liverpool will consist of a large-scale military parade from St George’s Hall to the Pier Head supported by bands. Reflecting Liverpool’s strong connection with the Royal Navy, the Type-23 frigate HMS Iron Duke will be docked in the city. In the air there will be flypasts by the Red Arrows, Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Military villages of static displays, machines and equipment will complete the show.

Liverpool’s Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Events, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:

It is a privilege to host Armed Forces Day and there is a real buzz about the city as we get closer to Saturday’s celebrations.
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We are a city renowned for its success when staging large, outdoor events and Saturday will be no exception. As the national focal point for Armed Forces Day we will make sure that when the spotlight shines on us, we will do all that we can to make the city, the armed forces and the UK proud.

UK Armed Forces are currently involved in over 20 operations in more than 25 countries, from South Sudan to Iraq. Also present will be many veterans that make-up the estimated 2.56 million Armed Forces veteran community living in the UK. Young cadets will be present too; together the Sea, Army, and Air cadet forces have almost 100,000 members, many of whom will be at events up and down the country.