Tag Archives: Singapore

The Guardian reports: New York was the world’s most expensive metropolis in 2022, sharing the unwanted title with Singapore, as soaring energy prices doubled the inflation rate across the major global cities, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual survey. Last year’s leader Tel Aviv dropped to third, while Sydney snuck into the Top 10 and Moscow and St Petersberg …

ABC News reports: Singapore announced Sunday it will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonial-era law while protecting the city-state’s traditional norms and its definition of marriage. During his speech at the annual National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed it is the “right thing to do now” as most Singaporeans will now accept it. …

Coconuts Singapore reports: Members of Singapore’s LGBT community reacted with dismay today to word that gay sex remains a criminal offense after the high court dismissed three challenges to the antiquated law. The court’s reported ruling comes four months after the court heard arguments from attorneys representing three men: DJ Johnson Ong; a retired doctor named Roy Tan; and Bryan …

The Guardian reports: A scene showing a lesbian kiss has been cut from the Singaporean version of the Star Wars film The Rise of Skywalker. The country’s media regulatory body said Disney removed the clip to avoid the film being given a higher age rating. It is PG13, which means parental guidance is advised for children under 13. In Singapore, …

USA Today reports: When President Trump and Kim Jong Un come face to face in Singapore, it will be for a one-on-one session (plus translators) as they attempt to hash out the future of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs. Are you wondering about this decision? Some analysts are, too. “Trump is simply not experienced enough or temperamentally inclined to handle …

South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo reports: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s flight to Singapore was a tightly planned maneuver using a decoy to throw attackers off the scent. Three planes took off in North Korea at about an hour’s interval on Sunday — an IL-76, an Air China Boeing 747 and an ancient Ilyushin IL62 – leaving watchers in the dark …

The BBC reports: US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have arrived in Singapore for their historic summit. Mr Trump flew in aboard Air Force One, a few hours after Mr Kim touched down with his entourage. Their meeting – the first between a leader from the North and a sitting US president – will take place …

From the Straits Times: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday (June 7) it will “take steps to make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence” events held at Speakers’ Corner, like the annual Pink Dot event last Saturday. This year’s event – the eighth such – attracted 18 sponsors, twice as many as …

Over 12,000 Singaporeans have signed a petition calling for the cancellation of Adam Lambert’s scheduled New Year’s Eve concert because of his support for LGBT rights and his “highly sexualized” performance style. From the petition: Adam Lambert is hardly the kind of performer to send off our historic Jubilee Year or to usher in the New Year. His track record …

Via Reuters: Singapore’s Pink Dot gay rights rally drew a record number of participants on Saturday, even as the country remains deeply divided over homosexuality. In early evening, a mostly young, pink-donned crowd was filling up the small Hong Lim Park, decked out in hot pink balloons and signs, next to Singapore’s central financial district. The event, in its 7th …

Via the Straits Times: The highest court in Singapore has upheld Section 377A of the Penal Code, the law that criminalises sex between men, rejecting arguments that the provision contravenes the Constitution. In ruling that the provision is constitutional, the three-judge Court of Appeal on Wedesday rejected two separate challenges to strike down the law. Gay couple Gary Lim, 46, …

(Tipped by JMG reader Endriko)

Singapore’s High Court has affirmed a ban on sodomy. In a ruling issued Wednesday, Singapore High Court Judge Quentin Low dismissed a challenge to Singapore’s law criminalizing sex between men. In a ruling issued Wednesday, Singapore High Court Judge Quentin Low dismissed a challenge to Singapore’s law criminalizing sex between men. “The fact that there is plausible evidence in support …

After coming out last week on his Facebook page, Vincent Wijeysingha vowed this week that Singapore will soon decriminalize homosexuality. “I am entirely convinced the law will eventually be repealed,” said Wijeysingha, treasurer of the Singapore Democratic Party. The decades-old law makes “gross indecency” between men punishable by up to two years in prison. It has not been actively enforced …

Singapore’s Pink Dot videos are always gorgeous. You are going to want a tissue for this one. (Tipped by JMG reader Eugene)

The Singapore High Court has dismissed a lawsuit that contends that the nation’s criminalization of male homosexuality is discriminatory and unconstitutional. In his 92-page judgment, Justice Quentin Loh said that Singapore’s society in the midst of change, and in a case where the change in a “particular long-held social norm” has yet to gain currency, a court is “hard put” …

Utah held its second annual Pink Dot festival yesterday in an event that took its lead from Singapore’s ground-breaking event of the same name.  Great photos are here. Below is Utah’s gorgeous promotional video.

Singapore’s highest court is considering whether it is unconstitutional to criminalize gay sex. The case arose, interestingly, from a tea room incident. This comes after a ruling by the Court of Appeal earlier this week on a bid by Tan Eng Hong to have Section 377A of the Penal Code declared unconstitutional. This section states that a man who “commits …

Lovely. Get a tissue. For real.(Tipped by JMG reader Ken)

Stick around for when they light up the pink dots. This was Singapore’s third fourth Pink Dot and I think I need a tissue.NOTE: Organizers point out that the fireworks and national flag fly-over was just a happy coincidence from the nearby National Day Parade.