UK to use diplomatic influence to de-escalate Iran conflict: Peter Kyle
The UK says it will use all its diplomatic influence to de-escalate the Iran conflict. Its lead representative for the arrival of its Carrier Strike Group in Singapore said this on Jun 23. British Secretary of State Peter Kyle added that the UK is among a group of nations trying to ease the tensions before the need for military action takes place. He was speaking exclusively to CNA.
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CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Thousands show up in support of LGBTQ community at annual Pink Dot rally
SINGAPORE: Heavy rainfall on Saturday (Jun 28) afternoon halted just in time as the 17th edition of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rally Pink Dot began. Thousands of supporters brought Hong Lim Park to life with bold outfits in different hues of pink. They lounged on picnic mats, reconnected with old friends and made new ones, while children ran around with balloons in hand and pet dogs trotted alongside their owners. This year's theme, "Different Stories, Same Love", aims to celebrate love in all its forms as the LGBTQ community comes together to share hopes for a more inclusive future. This is the third year of Pink Dot since Section 377A, a decades-old law criminalising gay sex, was repealed in November 2022. Two Members of Parliament (MPs) from the People's Action Party (PAP) were spotted visiting booths and engaging with committee members from Pink Dot. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, MP for Potong Pasir SMC Alex Yeo said he was 'very happy' to be at the rally to engage and listen to the concerns of the LGBTQ community. 'They are part of the Singaporean community, very important part of our community, our overall social compact in our community. And so therefore we are very happy to be here,' Mr Yeo said. MP for Sembawang GRC Ng Shi Xuan said Pink Dot has deepened understanding and created more awareness surrounding topics of inclusivity. 'Conversations will help us to understand each other better. And conversations means two-way right? You talk and you listen. So that's very important,' Mr Ng said. Workers' Party MPs for Sengkang GRC Louis Chua and He Ting Ru were also seen at the rally, but declined to speak to the media. STRONGER ACCEPTANCE, BUT STILL WAYS TO GO Members of the LGBTQ community told CNA they felt more accepted in recent years, with some saying they no longer shy away from attending the rally. Ms Ann, who attended Pink Dot for the fourth time, said she used to feel scared and would only walk outside of Hong Lim Park, but has gained the courage to show up in recent years. 'I know a lot of people who exist very separately from issues that are happening in the queer community,' she said. 'Showing up just helps people remember that there is a community here.' Mr Benjamin Lee, who has been with his male partner for 25 years, said he feels that Singaporeans are more accepting towards the gay community compared to more than two decades ago. 'We had to be more prudent 25 years ago, but we're more open now,' the 53-year-old said. Accompanied by her husband and five-year-old son, 35-year-old Ms Gladys said they attended the rally on Saturday to spend 'family time' together. 'I always believed in freedom to love and to show support towards friends and family. These are the lessons I want to teach my son.' However, others said that more acceptance of the LGBTQ community is needed. Ms Diana said Singapore is a lot more tolerant, which is a "good step forward". "(But) I think Singapore is still conservative. It still takes time for the older generation to get used to us," she said. Ms Diana added: "The inertia, the resistance, is a normal state of mind. But if you close yourself up from the onset, the only person who loses out is you." For Ms Cally Cheung and Ms Ching Sia, two women who are raising a daughter together, having her at Pink Dot with them gives them hope for a future where their family will be legally accepted. 'Someone recently asked me, 'What is the hope for the future?' She is the hope. Just looking at her and thinking about how we are raising her, she is the hope for us,' Ms Cheung said. 'It's a privilege to be able to raise a child and to be able to have a family. And we don't take that privilege lightly,' Ms Sia added. A big part of this year's rally is also aimed at sending a message to Singaporeans of the future, 'to let them know that we are thinking about them, that we are fighting for a future where they can feel more free and more equal and more included than our own community today', said Pink Dot spokesperson Clement Tan. This message was showcased in the form of a time capsule at Hong Lim Park, where almost 70 objects ranging from jewellery to clothing items were placed inside and sealed until 2050. The night ended with attendees holding up pink lights as they enjoyed a performance on stage. 'Pink Dot here exists today because we can prove that what was impossible is possible. In 25 years' time, who knows what may change," said Mr Tan.
AsiaOne
9 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Biden joins thousands paying final respects to slain Minnesota lawmaker and husband, World News
ST. PAUL, Minnesota - Thousands of mourners, including former US President Joe Biden, filed through Minnesota's state Capitol Rotunda on Friday (June 27) to pay final respects to slain lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were gunned down by an assassin earlier this month. The couple lay in state in St. Paul on the eve of a private funeral set for Saturday morning, two weeks after a man impersonating a police officer shot them to death at their home in what authorities are treating as a politically motivated murder. For several hours, members of the public lined up in a column of mourners stretching across the front plaza of the state Capitol building and along an adjacent boulevard. After entering the building, people walked single-file past the Hortmans' flower-bedecked caskets. A portrait of each stood next to their respective coffins. Perched between them was an urn bearing the remains of their golden retriever, Gilbert, along with a photograph of the pet. The dog, too, was shot in the attack and later euthanized. Biden arrived at the statehouse late in the afternoon. After the public was cleared from the rotunda for security purposes, the Democratic former president was ushered in alone. He paused for a moment in front of the caskets, then exited the building. Following his departure, the rotunda was reopened to the public, and the procession of mourners resumed. Still more people joined the line outside, hoping for a chance to pay their respects. The viewing was scheduled to end at 5 pm (6am Singapore time) local time. Representative Hortman, the top-ranking Democrat in the Minnesota House, became the first woman to lie in state in the St. Paul Capitol Rotunda, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Her husband was believed to be the first person other than a military figure or public official to be so honoured. The suspect in their June 14 killings, Vance Boelter, 57, is also accused of shooting and wounding a second Democratic legislator, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, in their home a few miles away.' The accused gunman was arrested on the night of June 16 following a massive two-day manhunt that was the largest in state history. Boelter faces state and federal murder charges. According to prosecutors, investigators recovered notebooks from his car and residence that included the names of dozens of Democratic legislators, along with abortion-rights advocates. [[nid:719153]] The shootings unfolded against a backdrop of increasing political violence in the US in an era of extreme social and partisan polarisation.
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Singapore is not at war, but neither is it at peace: Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing
Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said global tensions are creating economic uncertainty that threatens jobs, wages and prices in Singapore. He highlighted that while the country is not at war, neither is it at peace. Mr Chan said the Singapore Armed Forces needs to remain vigilant and strengthen defence ties to keep Singapore an "oasis of calm" amid growing security threats. Aslam Shah reports.
