In today’s wrapup of technology news:

  • Apple may unveil a new iPhone at a media event today
  • Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg meets with head of propaganda in China
  • Critics attack Xbox GDC party featuring go-go dancers
  • A cyber attack hits media in Sweden

The details:

  • Apple starts busy week with new iPhone launch

Apple is kicking off a busy week: Today the giant tech company will host reporters and analysts at its Silicon Valley headquarters for a product launch event. On Tuesday, its lawyers will square off with authorities in federal court over the FBI’s demand for help unlocking a San Bernardino killer’s encrypted iPhone.

The tech giant’s dispute with the government has commanded headlines for weeks, but it may get scant mention at the company’s product event. Instead, CEO Tim Cook is expected to show off some new additions to the current family of iPhone and iPad devices at Monday’s gathering.

Apple could use a lift. IPhone sales are leveling off, after surging last year to record levels that made Apple the world’s biggest company, by stock market value. And many are wondering if Cook can come up with another big hit.

So far, however, there have been no hints of any dramatic announcements, such as last year’s highly anticipated Apple Watch debut, or major initiatives like the company’s long-rumored but yet-to-materialize streaming TV service.

And even though Cook has been outspoken about his opposition to a judge’s order compelling Apple to write software that overrides iPhone security features, tech analysts say he probably won’t risk overshadowing the company’s products by discussing the case at Monday’s event.

While Apple has been mum about its plans, several analysts expect the company will introduce an upgrade to its older, four-inch iPhone 5S — aimed at consumers who haven’t sprung for the bigger-screen iPhone 6 models that Apple introduced over the last two years. The new phone may come with features like Apple Pay and the company’s fastest processor, which have previously been offered only on versions of the iPhone 6.

Analysts and tech blogs say Apple also may unveil a new model of the iPad Pro, which the company introduced last year with several features — like a detachable keyboard and stylus — designed for business users.

  • Facebook’s Zuckerberg meets with China’s propaganda chief

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a rare meeting with China’s propaganda chief, at a time when Chinese authorities are tightening control over their cyberspace.

Liu Yunshan told Zuckerberg in their meeting Saturday that he hopes Facebook can share its experience with Chinese companies to help “Internet development better benefit the people of all countries,” China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.Zuckerberg was in Beijing to attend an economic forum.

China has called for the creation of a global Internet “governance system” and cooperation between countries to regulate Internet use, stepping up efforts to promote controls that activists complain stifle free expression.

Facebook and other Western social media, including Twitter, are banned in China.Zuckerberg has long been courting China’s leaders in a so far futile attempt to access the country with the world’s largest number of Internet users — 668 million as of last year.

China has been increasing control over its Internet, dubbed the Great Firewall because it is already heavily censored. Liu, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the ruling Communist Party’s top leadership panel, recently said that all Internet users must not cross the “baseline” when discussing China’s governance.

Chinese censors have introduced a slate of new regulations to better enable them to police digital and social media as closely as traditional publications. The country’s top Internet regulator has repeatedly warned that an untamed cyberspace would pose a risk to domestic security, and that the government should decide who to allow into “its house.”

  • Microsoft says hiring go-go dancers at Xbox party was wrong

Microsoft says it was “unequivocally wrong” for hosting a party with scantily dressed female dancers during a video game developers’ conference.

The party sparked a firestorm of criticism this week, in an industry that’s been struggling to overcome longstanding complaints that it has objectified women and made them feel unwelcome as players and game-builders. In response, the head ofMicrosoft’s Xbox division issued a statement saying the after-hours entertainment “represented Xbox and Microsoft in a way that was absolutely not consistent or aligned to our values.”

An Xbox spokeswoman declined to answer questions about the dancers, who wore abbreviated school-girl outfits as they reportedly greeted party-goers and danced on platforms. The party was held Thursday night during the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Several people who attended the after-hours party complained on social media that they were offended and disappointed at seeing the go-go dancers. Some also noted the irony that, just hours earlier, Microsoft had sponsored a “Women in Gaming” luncheon to promote diversity in the industry.

In a statement, Xbox chief Phil Spencer acknowledged the event “disappointed many people” and pledged to “do better in the future.”

Xbox also released an email that Spencer sent to employees, which said the criticism was deserved. “I am personally committed to ensuring that diversity and inclusion is central to our everyday business,” he added.

  • Swedish police investigate large cyber-attacks against media

Swedish police say they are investigating major cyber attacks against some of the country’s leading media companies.

Police spokesman Anders Ahlqvist says investigators are unsure about the extent of the denial of service attacks on Saturday but were working closely with security police on the probe. He said some attacks appeared to last for several hours.

Swedish news agency TT reported that hackers hit about a dozen media outlets, including websites of the the main dailies and tabloids.

Ahlqvist said Sunday that some of the IP addresses used by hackers were Russian but that “doesn’t mean Russian operators were behind them.”