Global Times: Hacked iTunes accounts sold online

Yes, we all know China is the world's virtual home for some 90% of all global viruses, and a classic breeding ground for hackers. If you thought iTunes was safe think again. Apparently, there is plenty to be made in account stealing. For a mere 200 yuan, an Internet user in China can purchase up to $200 worth of digital products from Apple's vast music, movie and applications vault. This reminds us once more to be vigilant about our online security.

Whilst air pollution escalates almost unchecked to new and more dangerous levels, could Beijingers hope for some respite indoors? Not anytime soon as the Health Bureau looks to 2015 as the time to ban indoor smoking in the city. This pushes back the ban from the originally scheduled, and all too hopeful, January 1, 2011.

The Beijing Times (Jinghua Shibao) reports today that four Beijing “nightclubs” were raided on May 11 and shut down on suspicion of being fronts for prostitution. Most readers will be unlikely to have heard of the clubs concerned – Tianshang Renjian, Duomen Yeyan, Huadu and Kaiyu Guoji – as they’re all apparently the sort of places mainly frequented by Audi-driving chaps with man-purses seeking to splash cash on a bit of female company. According to the newspaper’s report, the four raids resulted in 557 peishi xiaojie – the girls who get paid to join customers for drinks and karaoke sessions – being picked up and questioned by police.

This fable is old now, and you’ve most probably heard it before. Nanluogu Xiang was once a little old alleyway where nothing much happened. A few years back it was, but for a handful of cafes and backpacker hostels, a fairly average hutong. Since then, the street has grown to become a tourist hotspot, a favorite hangout for young Chinese and expats and a hub of creativity. On and around Nanluogu Xiang, a scene has organically evolved that is all about Beijing, and all about Beijing now. You might not even call it a scene, but a culture – at least, one side of what modern Beijing culture is.

As part of a global anti-piracy initiative, Microsoft announced that it would launch an updated version of the anti-piracy systems Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) and, for the first time in China, also introduce the Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) which is aimed at targeting pirate versions of Microsoft Office including Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2007. The company made the announcement last week and the new system came into effect at midnight on Monday.

A wave of consternation swept through Internet chat rooms after the announcement, with netizens worried that the constant appearance of a “black screen” would interrupt their ability to use their PC. Forum and BBS users came up with satirical black screen-themed desktop backgrounds to display their opposition to the new anti-piracy measures and various online polls registered strong opposition to the move.