Five people were killed when a rockslide buried them Monday, September 30, 2013, at a ...
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Thursday, September 26, 2013
In-game app fees face crackdown
25 September 2013 Last updated at 22:52 GMT By Leo Kelion Technology reporter One father explains how his daughter spent £300 on app feesA UK watchdog is threatening action against video game app-makers it finds in breach of consumer protection laws.
Many of the most popular and highest earning games are freemium titles 
Not all app stores list the price of add-on purchases in their descriptions
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is concerned about in-game charges, saying it has seen evidence of "potentially unfair and aggressive commercial practices" after studying 38 popular titles. It has not said which they are.
Children might be particularly susceptible to such tactics, it warns.
As a consequence it has proposed new guidelines for developers.
These would apply to both apps and internet browser-based video games available via Facebook and elsewhere.
They include:
Providing up-front information about the costs associated with a game before consumers download itEnsuring that gamers are not misled to believe they must make a payment to proceed if that is not the case, for example, if they could wait for a period of time insteadPreventing the use of language or anything else that might exploit a child's inexperience, for example, implying an in-game character would be disappointed if they did not spend moneyMaking it clear how to contact the business if the gamer has a complaintOnly taking a payment if the account holder provides "informed consent", in other words a charge cannot be made because a password had recently been entered for something else Many of the most popular and highest earning games are freemium titles The OFT said some of the worst examples it had seen involved games that led children through an adventure but then withheld a promised reward until they spent money, and instances where the title made the player feel bad by telling them a virtual animal was "ill" but could be made better if the gamer made a purchase.
"I don't think children are always aware that when they click 'yes' it's spending money," Cavendish Elithorn, executive director at the OFT, told the BBC.
"Although parents can change their device settings to deal with some of that, many parents might not know, or it's only when they get the bill that they realise the setting was wrong.
"So, part of what we're keen to do is support parents in having the right tools to be aware of what their children are doing online."
He added that the OFT has the ability to take legal action against firms in the UK, and was working with partners in Europe, North America and Australia to try and get the same rules applied elsewhere.
So-called freemium games - where the original download is given away free of charge, but the player is encouraged to buy add-on items or services - were pioneered in Asian markets as a way to combat piracy.
They have since spread to the west with EA's Fifa 14, Disney's Where's My Water, King's Candy Crush Saga and Sega's Sonic Dash among popular titles to adopt the model.
The BBC's Technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones explains some of the things you can do to prevent charges from web and phone gamesVideo games trade body Tiga - which had advised the OFT on the issue - said it found the guidelines encouraging.
"Tiga understands both the legislative responsibilities and concerns of the OFT, and the daily realities of making games in the UK today and around the world," said the organisation's chief executive Richard Wilson.
"I'm pleased to say the OFT and UK games business is leading the way in addressing these issues and helping build a sustainable future for this high tech, highly skilled, global industry."
Not all app stores list the price of add-on purchases in their descriptions The Association for United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) said it was useful to have clarity about the OFT's interpretation of the law, but added a note of caution.
"It is vital that any final guidelines, whilst primarily considering the best interests of children, do not inadvertently isolate UK consumers from accessing the games that they want to play, stifle the creativity of games developers or prevent the growth of the UK games industry," said chief executive Jo Twist.
"Consumers are now often able to download and play the latest games for free.
"In-app purchasing is optional within many of these games and is a way for millions of players to access the extra content that they want."
The OFT has invited interested parties to comment on its principles by 21 November.
It then intends to publish a final version of the guidelines by February and begin enforcement action in April.
In pictures: Emmy awards 2013
23 September 2013 Last updated at 09:58 GMT
Readers' photos on the theme of upside down
Mourning for victims of attack in Nairobi
24 hours of news photos: 25 September
A powerful earthquake in remote south-west
Humayun's Tomb in the Indian capital
Gun battle at a shopping centre in Kenya's capital
24 hours of news photos: 24 September
Award winners in Los Angeles
24 hours of news photos: 23 September
Elections in the war-ravaged north
VIDEO: Rare 'Pink Star' diamond close-up
A flawless 59.6-carat pink diamond is to be auctioned in the Swiss city of Geneva at a record asking price of $60m (£38m).
Sotheby's David Bennett says the diamond belongs in "the ranks of the earth's greatest natural treasures".
Imogen Foulkes took a close look at the diamond.
VIDEO: Fewer full time students have jobs
The number of full time students with jobs has fallen, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Ten years more than 38% of students had part time work - now the figure is just over 26%.
Students told BBC Breakfast about their struggle to find employment: "There's probably about 100 [applicants] for every bar staff job".
The University of Salford's Head of Career Development Ian Boardman said having a job was increasingly important: "Students need to engage in some form of work experience to develop their employability".
China general's son jailed for rape
26 September 2013 Last updated at 04:11 GMT 
Li Tianyi was previously detained over a traffic altercation A court in China has convicted the son of a high-profile army general and sentenced him to 10 years in jail for rape, state media say.
Li Tianyi was previously detained over a traffic altercation A court in China has convicted the son of a high-profile army general and sentenced him to 10 years in jail for rape, state media say. The court said Li Tianyi, 17, and four others raped the woman at a Beijing hotel in February after having drinks.
He had denied any sexual relations with the woman, whom he alleged was working as a prostitute, previous reports say.
Li Tianyi is the son of army Gen Li Shuangjiang, known for his renditions of patriotic songs on television.
Li Tianyi's mother Meng Ge is also a well-known singer in China's People's Liberation Army.
The case was heard at the Haidian Court in north-west Beijing. The other defendants also received jail terms ranging from three to 12 years.
This was not the first time that Li Tianyi, also known as Li Guanfeng, was involved in an incident that sparked public outcry. In 2011, he was sentenced to detention for a year over a road rage incident.
He was behind the wheel of a BMW car with no licence plates in Beijing when he confronted a middle-aged couple in another vehicle blocking his way.
He assaulted the couple and shouted at shocked bystanders, telling them not to "dare to call the police".
His father apologised to the couple over the incident.
The case of Li Tianyi inflamed public anger at the children of the political elite, who are often seen as spoilt and above the law, correspondents say.
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