One of the most eagerly-anticipated games in the history of the Sony PlayStation has been delayed because of concerns some of the background music may offend Muslims, the game’s developers said today.

LittleBigPlanet, in which gamers can customise the rag-doll protagonist Sackboy and allow it to roam through an interactive world filled with different challenges, had been hailed by video games website IGN as "nothing short of astounding" and given a review rating of 9.5 out of 10.

But its release date has been put back after one of its background music tracks, a song by Mali-born artist Toumani Diabate, was found to have included expressions from the Koran, which could be interpreted as an offence to Muslims.

"We’re sure that most of you have heard by now that one of the background music tracks that was licensed from a record label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in the Koran," a statement on the game’s website read.

"We have taken immediate action to rectify this and we sincerely apologise for any offence this may have caused.

The developers added "Obviously MM and Sony together took this very seriously. LBP should
be enjoyable by all."

Sapa-AFP

Read More »Anticipated videogame delayed over possible offence to muslims

Iran says its failure to win a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council was an "obvious injustice."

Japan defeated Iran in a secret ballot Friday to secure the Asian seat on the Council. Japan won 158 votes while Iran got 32 votes.

The Security Council is U.N.’s powerhouse – it can impose sanctions and dispatch peacekeepers. Ten of it 15 seats are filled by regional groups for two-year stretches while five seats are held by veto-wielding permanent members.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hasan Qashqavi told reporters in Tehran today that there was "no logical reason" for Japan, which has served ten times on the Council, to "monopolize" that seat.

Iran is under U.N. sanctions for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment program.

Sapa-AP

Read More »Iran defeat in un security council unjust

Picture: (AFP/File/Dibyangshu Sarkar)

The satellite Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India’s first moon mission craft is seen from behind glass at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) center in Bangalore.

India began counting down today to the launch of an unmanned mission to the moon that will mark a giant catch-up step with Japan and China in the fast-developing Asian space race.

The lunar spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 is scheduled to blast off aboard an Indian-built rocket at 6:20am (0050 GMT) on Wednesday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in southern Tamil Nadu state.

"Everything is going perfectly as planned," the centre’s associate director M.Y.S. Prasad told AFP after the official countdown began in the early hours of Monday morning.

The launch is a major step for India as it seeks to keep pace in space with China and Japan.
All three countries have eyes on a share of the commercial satellite launch business and also see their space programmes as a symbol of international stature and economic development.

The Chandrayaan-1 is being sent on a two-year mission to provide an in-depth map of the lunar surface’s mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics.

The cost of the operation has been estimated at more than 80 million dollars.

India started its space programme in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles to reduce dependence on overseas agencies.

It carried out the first successful launch of a domestic satellite by a home-built rocket in 1980.

Sapa-AFP

Read More »India begins lunar mission countdown