Italy not racist, says 1st black minister

SEMPORNA: FOR many in eastern Sabah, the February intrusion by armed foreign terrorists that rocked their otherwise peaceful life, is something they hope would never recur.

HUMAN rights lawyer Yuktes Vijay was once so obsessed with de facto PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he read law and took on the fight for civil rights. He said he was 12 years old when…

GEORGE TOWN: THE question of whether the scales will tip in favour of Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) is one worth asking as the coalition faces the acid test to recapture the island state today.

POLLING stations have closed and the counting process has begun. You are sitting at a cafe waiting for the results to roll in. The atmosphere is intense. As the expected and unexpected results…

LAHAD DATU: Community leader Raut Bani can think of no other option but Barisan Nasional as his pick for the next government.

WE'VE all heard the idiom "Mutton dressed as lamb" to denote an older person trying to pass off as someone much younger. Well, for the moment in China, the phrase would have to be "Rat dressed as…

GEORGE TOWN: Penang needs practical long-term alternatives, such as upgraded ferries and faster boat services, to solve its critical traffic woes, not an underwater tunnel.

The young man who greeted us earlier asked me where I was from and I said I was from KL.

IPOH: PERAK Barisan Nasional is confident of securing a comfortable majority at the polls today.

THE self is valued more than everything else. We are proud of things that are ours, or things that we perceive to be ours. It is this latter position that makes us vulnerable to sellers. But first…

IPOH: The situation became chaotic when a motorcycle convoy, led by Barisan Nasional's Sungai Rapat state candidate Datuk Hamidah Osman, was attacked by some 50 opposition supporters.

our dread of losing something that we value so highly. Later studies showed that its root is deeper than that.

KUALA LUMPUR: IT is clear from any account that both the coalitions, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan, have gone all out in trying to engage and interact with the people online.

TODAY'S D-Day! Slightly more than 13 million Malaysians will exercise their right to vote today. Every vote counts.

KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition was dealt with another blow yesterday when more of its members from the Federal Territory, Selangor, Perak and Malacca crossed over to Barisan Nasional.

ROMPIN: THE sweltering heat, from both the scorching sun and the election campaign, has also increased the sale for udang galah, synonymous with Rompin town.

JEMPOL: The Barisan Nasional election machinery here was reminded not to repeat the mistakes made in 2008 where members quarrelled among themselves and resorted to internal sabotage.

TODAY, there's a great deal of excitement and anticipation in the land. And hurt. So great that only few would spare the time to sit in a corner to read about it, for most would want to go out and…

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 750,000 government retirees, who are also registered voters, can help ensure that national stability in the country is maintained, Government Retiree's Umno Club president…

BETONG: The rural community in Sarawak has shown positive attitude by giving its undivided support to Barisan Nasional candidates, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said yesterday…

KUALA LUMPUR: Director-General of Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) Datuk Nik Mustapha Nik Hassan said voting to determine a government in an election was regarded as an…

BY now, you would have been among the 13.2 million eligible voters who cast their ballots, marking X, or whatever preferred doodle (a squiggle of The Saint has made it before) to select the…

KUCHING: State Tourism Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg said he did not believe the popular Borneo Jazz Festival, to be held in Miri next weekend, would be affected by reports of violence during…

KUCHING: A COMFORTABLE victory is on the cards for Sarawak Barisan Nasional, which is expected to secure between 23 and 27 of the 31 parliamentary seats.

KOTA KINABALU: Helicopters, boats and four-wheel drives have been mobilised to transport ballot boxes to the interior parts of the state.

I DROVE her to the Esplanade in Putrajaya. I have not been there since I left university in 2005! I parked at a spot around the circle of fountain and we walked towards a Middle-Eastern building…

KUALA LUMPUR: LIKE their fellow Malaysians throughout the country, the disabled community will be casting their votes today, with a hope for a better Malaysia.

SEREMBAN: With less than 24 hours to the 13th General Election, Negeri Sembilan Barisan Nasional is confident that it can perform better than in 2008 and even regain a few seats lost then by a…

TRAFFIC on highways were reported to be slow moving yesterday as city folk started their exodus back home to cast their votes for the 13th General Election.

NEXT Sunday is Mothers Day. Now, that is one good reason to send a card, buy a present, visit or call that special lady who has sacrificed much for us.

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional parliamentary candidate for Lembah Pantai and Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin yesterday slammed his PKR…

SEGAMAT: Three celebrities campaigned for Barisan Nasional on Friday, wearing white, green and purple T-shirts bearing the words "Peace", "Stability" and "Prosperity".

KUALA LUMPUR: CyberSecurity Malaysia has given an assurance that Internet security in Malaysia is still under control despite concerns over the increasing number of cyber attacks during the 13th…

THE article "Hope for the young and the restless" (NST, April 14) was a good read. Modern living, especially in the present 21st century, is extremely demanding and competitive.

SEREMBAN: THE strong support of voters in rural areas has boosted Negri Sembilan Barisan Nasional's confidence of retaining the state government in today's general election.

JOHOR BARU: FOR politicians, the best time to lose weight is perhaps during the campaign period, which comes once every five years.

TERENGGANU Barisan Nasional (BN) should be on course for a good outing.

TODAY is a defining moment for our multiracial nation - a nation founded on the principles of parliamentary democracy where once every four to five years, Malaysians can exercise their right to…

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow has denied any link between the coalition and groups allegedly giving out cash to the public in the state.

JOHOR BARU: JOHOR Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman has expressed confidence that the coalition will be given the trust by Johoreans to administer the state again after polling…

Spotify is now officially available for local music lovers' consumption. The Swedish-based digital music service provider recently launched Spotify Free and Spotify Premium services for Malaysia,…

BEIJING: Chinese authorities have returned 10 Vietnamese children who were kidnapped and trafficked into China, state media said yesterday. The children were returned on Friday after being…

WARRIORS: Veterans of the Jungle Squad, now known as the General Operations Force, narrate some of their more memorable experiences when patrolling the country's jungles to Sylvia Looi during a…

MALIBU: A raging California wildfire nearly tripled in size on Friday as it threatened 4,000 homes, although firefighters said they had gained more control over it.

`IT' GIRL: A new "star model" emerged from the fashion runway during the recent Autumn/Winter 2013 Fashion Weeks in London, Milan and Paris. Meet Brit model Cara Delevingne who rocked thebig shows…

SAN JOSE: United States President Barack Obama came close on Friday to ruling out deploying troops to Syria, saying he did not foresee a scenario in which that would be beneficial to the US…

TREAT: Fresh seafood is one of the main attractions of Hutan Melintang, a little known town along the Perak-Selangor border, discovers Arman Ahmad.

SYDNEY: Australian cattle exporters said they had suspended live shipments to Egypt yesterday after abattoir footage shot by animal rights activists showed "horrific" mistreatment of cows.

KANGAR: THOSE who have not visited Perlis for a long time would most certainly be impressed by a building in Persiaran Wawasan here that looks almost like the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.

SAN JOSE: United States President Barack Obama vowed on Friday to work with Central America to improve the drug fight as he met regional leaders, conceding that US addiction was partly…

TRENDING: The latest released smartphones - the BlackBerry Q10, LG F5, Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One - are here to reinvent the smartphone experience

BOSTON: A Massachusetts funeral home owner said he is struggling to find a graveyard willing to accept the body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, killed in a shootout with…

KARACHI: A CANDIDATE running for Parliament in next week's historic Pakistani election was shot dead on Friday along with his 3-year-old son after praying in a mosque here, police said.

WASHINGTON: ISRAEL has carried out an air strike targeting a shipment of missiles in Syria bound for HIzbollah militants in neighbouring Lebanon, an Israeli official said yesterday.

LONDON: Hollywood may have embraced the 3D revolution, but film fans seem less enamoured.

LONDON: Their faces are barely able to conceal the stress and pain which they have endured this last six years.

NEW DELHI: Two pilots have been suspended from an airline after they allegedly left an Airbus carrying 166 passengers on autopilot and air hostesses in charge while they slept in business class.…

SAO PAULO: Prosecutors said on Friday they were considering to exhume an ousted president's remains to determine if he was killed in the 1970s under a plan by right-wing rulers to suppress…

HOUSTON: THE National Rifle Association styled itself on Friday as the champions of fundamental freedoms in the United States as it kicked off its annual convention in a combative mood.

LONDON: Those suffering from hair loss and baldness could finally have an answer to their prayers - without resorting to a comb-over, toupee or hair transplant.

YANGON: Two Buddhists have been arrested after Muslim shops were destroyed in northern Kachin state, police said yesterday, in a new outbreak of religious violence.

WASHINGTON: Guantanamo Bay prisoner Obaydullah says he is "losing all hope" after joining a widening hunger strike in February. In his declaration, signed on March 27 but made public on…

ANKARA: Female flight attendants at Turkey's national airline have been banned from wearing red lipstick and nail polish, prompting renewed fears from secular Turks the country is becoming more…

BANGKOK: A lawyer for Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has filed a defamation suit against an influential cartoonist alleging he compared the premier to a prostitute in a Facebook post,…

LIMA: The attorney-general is opening the financial records of two-time former president and likely 2016 presidential candidate Alan Garcia as part of a preliminary corruption inquiry, the…

BRASILIA: AMAZON Indians on Friday refused to end their occupation of a building site that has partially paralysed work on the world's third largest hydroelectric dam for two days.

CONAKRY (Guinea): At least three people died on Friday on the second day of street protests that have swept the capital over delayed elections, witnesses and officials said. Opposition…

SEOUL: South Korean police yesterday stopped a planned launch of anti-North Korean leaflets across the tense border, sparking an angry protest from activists, witnesses said.

BRUSSELS: Belgian authorities yesterday evacuated nearly 300 people from their homes after several cars of a train carrying chemicals derailed, causing a major fire near the city of Gent.…

LONDON: When the BBC refurbished its headquarters here at a cost of STG1 billion (RM4.7 billion), its staff looked forward to settling into their new office space.

WASHINGTON: Samantha Power, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, former White House aide and Harvard professor, is under consideration to be the State Department's top human rights official,…

BEIJING: China will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas next week for separate bilateral talks as it tries to shore up its role in a region where…

KHARTOUM: At least 80 people have been killed in the latest outbreak of fighting between Arab groups in western Sudan's region here, tribal leaders said on Friday. "Fighting was going on…

LONDON: Film and television star Michael Palin, who made his name as a founder of comedy group Monty Python, is to receive one of the British entertainment industry's highest accolades. The…

CALIFORNIA: The first-ever manned airplane that can fly by day or night on the sun's power alone soared over the western United States late on Friday on the first leg of cross-country…

MANILA: A Philippine military spokesman says communist guerrillas have killed five soldiers and wounded two others in a clash after the rebels raided a mining company in central Philippines.…

NEW YORK: Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng called on the United States on Friday to ensure his family in China would be treated fairly, saying his imprisoned nephew was not receiving proper…

NEW YORK: The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee, on Friday sued her literary agent, claiming he tricked her into assigning the copyright on her book to him. The…

BRUSSELS: Officials are trying to recover almost half a million pounds in cash grabbed by the public after robbers hurled a safe from a van during a police chase.

BOSTON: Aerosmith and New Kids on the Block, singer-songwriter James Taylor and country singer Jason Aldean will headline a concert to benefit the victims of last month's Boston Marathon bombing…

LONDON: OLYMPIC 1,500 metres champion Asli Cakir Alptekin of Turkey was charged with doping on Friday and could be stripped of her gold medal. Another female Turkish athlete, hurdler Nevin Yanit,…

CALIFORNIA: International hit Iron Man 3 flew into United States and Canadian theaters, kicking off Hollywood's summer blockbuster season with US$15.6 million (RM47.3 million) in ticket sales late…

KUALA LUMPUR: ASIA'S new football chief said he was the victim of a smear campaign involving a government after his election was overshadowed by claims of vote-buying and human rights abuses.

ORAN (Algeria): An Algerian singer accused of poking fun at the police in one of his songs on Thursday was given a suspended six-month sentence and fined around Euro1,000 (RM4,000).

JEREZ: Defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo won his second pole of the MotoGP season yesterday in the qualifying session for the Spain Grand Prix.

ISTANBUL: After a series of missteps as he travels the world on his Believe Tour, things appear to be turning around for Justin Bieber.

BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen made sure of a top-three Bundesliga finish and a place in next season's Champions League group stage with a 2-0 win at Nuremberg yesterday.

LONDON: She has openly admitted to being a "geek" and has become a pin-up to tonnes of sci-fi fans thanks to roles in Avatar and Star Trek.

OEIRAS: David Ferrer (pic) led the top three seeded players into the Portugal Open semi-finals on Friday, beating Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-4, 7-6 (2).

CALIFORNIA: PepsiCo Inc severed ties with rapper Lil Wayne on Friday over a graphic reference to slain United States civil rights figure Emmett Till in a song.

MADRID: CELTA Vigo kept their bid to avoid relegation just about alive when a late Iago Aspas goal rescued a 1-1 draw at home to a wasteful Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Friday.

NEW YORK: Though she has the bankroll to afford a US$17 million (RM51.5 million) beachfront mansion, Taylor Swift still needs a little help from her parents.

LONDON: JENSON Button is keeping an open mind about how big a step McLaren will make with their eagerly-awaited upgrade package for next week's Spanish Grand Prix.

LONDON: ROBERTO Mancini faces an increasingly uncertain future at Manchester City after admitting he has received no reassurances over the club's recent meeting with Manuel Pellegrini's agent.

MUNICH: Mario Goetze's decision to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and join arch-rivals Bayern Munich has stunned his teammates and brought sleepless nights for defender Mats…

NEW YORK: She's a worldwide super star and it seems that Beyonce has rider demands to match her icon status.

WILLIAMSBURG (Virginia): Thai teenager Ariya Jutanugarn fired an even-par 71 on Friday to keep a one-stroke lead after the second round of the US$1.3 million (RM3.9 million) LPGA Kingsmill…

LONDON: DERBY week on Merseyside is like no other. Liverpool versus Everton might not be the title-shaping fixture it once was but its intense passion and all-consuming nature never changes.

LONDON: Former Ireland defender David O'Leary will receive compensation of US$5.2 million (RM15.6 million) from Al Ahli after a legal battle with the Dubai club following his firing in 2011. O'…

K-POP created turf history when he became the first Korean-bred horse to win on Malayan Racing Association (MRA) circuit in the Grand Volant Handicap for Class 4 horses over 1700m (Race 5) at Batu…

JAKARTA: Unheralded Daisuke Kataoka of Japan signed for a six-under-par 66 yesterday to take a one shot lead over Ernie Els and Bernd Wiesberger into the final round of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian…

LONDON: Outgoing Football Association chairman David Bernstein has joined Fifa's new anti-racism and discrimination task force. Bernstein, who steps down in July, will join a group that contains…

PARIS: Saint-Etienne's hopes of securing a Champions League place were dealt a blow when they drew 0-0 at home to Bordeaux on Friday. Saint-Etienne's second straight draw left them fourth and…

HOUSTON: THE Oklahoma City Thunder, trying to get back to the NBA finals for the second straight year, moved into the second round of the playoffs on Friday with a 103-94 victory over the Houston…

CGARLOTTE (NORTH CAROLINA):PHIL Mickelson, spotless with his putter, surged into a two-shot lead at Friday's halfway mark of the Wells Fargo Championship by firing a five-under-par 67 at Quail…

MADRID: Barcelona have stepped up their interest in Chelsea star David Luiz as they look to rebuild following their humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich. The Catalans…

LONDON: ARSENAL are in a "very, very strong position for the future", manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday as an eighth season without a trophy reaches a nervy conclusion.are in a "very, very…

JOHANNESBURG: The head of South Africa's players' union said Indian interests have forced a re-vote for the position of players' representative on the International Cricket Council cricket…

BEIJING: Brett Rumford tamed the strong winds at Tianjin Binhai Lake Golf Club on his way to a third round 69 that gave the Australian a one-stroke lead at the China Open yesterday as he remained…

LONDON: Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Liverpool have opened talks with Steven Gerrard over a new contract. Gerrard, the Liverpool and England captain, has 13 months left on his current deal but…

LONDON: When Tan Sri Tony Fernandes bought Queens Park Rangers in August 2011, he wanted to turn the club into one of the biggest in the Premier League.

SYDNEY: The Australian Olympic Committee said yesterday it had introduced new rules forcing Australia's athletes and officials to truthfully answer questions put to them by the country's doping…

GLASGOW: Several Scottish second-tier sides have written to the SPL asking to be admitted into their league structure from next season in a move which could further split the game in Scotland.

SIR Alex Ferguson poked fun at Rafa Benitez's apparent obsession with his CV. But another defeat at the hands of his one-time Liverpool nemesis at Old Trafford would surely blot his own resume.

LONDON: Midfielder Scott Sinclair's likely exit from Manchester City after a forgettable season is a stark reminder of the club's transfer market failings following last year's Premier League…

AFTER ending a run of three straight defeats, Felda United coach K. Devan is confident Friday's 3-1 win over Perak in the Super League is a sign of better things to come for his Super League club…

RIO DE JANEIRO: Former Chelsea and Portugal playmaker Deco is facing a 30-day automatic suspension after his "B" sample confirmed a positive test for a diuretic.

LONDON: Alan Pardew has slammed Gary Neville for his criticism of Newcastle and the influx of French players which the former Manchester United defender believes is to blame for the club's…

THE Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) is looking for more swimmers to join the current six who have qualified for the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain on July 19-Aug 4.

THE Westports Malaysia Dragons will attempt to derail Singapore Slingers' Asean Basketball League playoff hopes when the two teams meet at the Singapore Indoor Stadium today.

LOW Wee Wern reached the Asian Championship women's final for the first time in Islamabad yesterday but Malaysia's 13-year domination of the men's event ended following Asyraf Azan's tame semi-…

CASTELLDEFELS Hockey Club coach Juan Manuel Mas Ortiz is hoping to sign another two Malaysian players to compete for the club on their return to the National Women's League One in Spain next…

MOHD Hafiza Rofa (pic) dominated the opening round of the SIC Ninja 250 Cup as the 17-year old from Kuala Terengganu completed a double victory at Sepang Circuit yesterday.

WITH nothing to lose but much to gain, Sapura coach Tai Beng Hai is banking on Pakistani import Khasif Ali to secure an upset victory in their TNB Cup semi-final against league champions Kuala…

IT will again be a battle up the grid for Mohd Zulfahmi Khairuddin after the Malaysian qualified 11th in the Moto3 class of the Spanish Motorcycle Grand Prix in Jerez yesterday.

MEN'S doubles Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah inflicted more damage to the battered pride of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong by shocking the World No 3 to win the Malaysia Open grand prix gold title at…

GOH Soon Huat settled for defeat from the jaws of victory as he failed to win his first international crown despite being in a commanding position in the Malaysia Open grand prix gold singles…