KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA' new prime minister urged the local media on Monday to criticise the government 'without fear,' but stopped short of saying if he would remove the annual licensing system that shackles publications.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, who took office on Friday, said he wants to build a free press that is transparent, accountable and caters to the needs of all Malaysians regardless of their race.

ANKARA (Turkey) - BARACK Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as US president, declared on Monday the United States 'is not and will never be at war with Islam'.

Calling for a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Mr Obama called the country an important US ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims.

L'AQUILA (Italy) - A POWERFUL earthquake struck central Italy as residents slept on Monday morning, killing more than 90 people and making up to 50,000 homeless. Up to 1,500 are also injured, according to Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

'Some towns in the area have been virtually destroyed in their entirety,' a sombre Gianfranco Fini, speaker of the lower house of parliament, said before the chamber observed a moment of silence.

MORE than 100 foreign workers will continue to get free lunches from a Catholic humanitarian group - thanks to a $300,000 donation from the NTUC FairPrice Foundation.

It is the first time that the foundation, set up in March last year, has made a donation towards a foreign worker cause.