International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

| Published: Monday, August 22, 2022, 9:22 [IST]

Washington, Aug 22: Singapore announced on Sunday it will decriminalise 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. "Private sexual behaviour between consenting adults does not raise any law and order issue. There is no justification to prosecute people for it nor to make it a crime,'' Lee said.

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"This will bring the law into line with current social mores and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans." Lee vowed the repeal will be limited and not shake Singapore's traditional family and societal norms including how marriage is defined, what children are taught in schools, what is shown on television and general public conduct. He said the government will amend the constitution to ensure that there can be no constitutional challenge to allow same-sex marriage.

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Japan's PM Kishida isolates with COVID-19, cancels travels

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and cancelled his planned travels while he isolates and recuperates.

Kishida developed a slight fever and cough late on Saturday and a PCR test for the coronavirus was positive, said Noriyuki Shikata, the cabinet secretary for public affairs at the prime minister's office.

"Prime Minister Kishida is isolated inside his residence," he told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The 65-year-old prime minister was on summer vacation last week and was scheduled to return to work on Monday. It's not clear where or how he was infected.

US, South Korea open biggest drills in years amid North threats

The US and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years on Monday as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat.

The drills could draw an angry response from North Korea, which has pushed its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year while repeatedly threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will continue through September 1 in South Korea and include field exercises involving aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially tens of thousands of troops.

EAM Jaishankar unveils bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Paraguay

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Paraguay and visited the historic Casa de la Independencia from where the South American country's Independence movement started more than two centuries ago.

Jaishankar arrived in Brazil on the first leg of his six-day visit to South America aimed at boosting overall bilateral ties with the region. Jaishankar, who is on his first-ever official visit to South America, is also visiting Paraguay and Argentina.

''Honoured to unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi ji in Asuncion, Paraguay. Appreciate the Asuncion Municipality's decision to locate it at the prominent waterfront of the city. This is a statement of solidarity that was so strongly expressed during the Covid pandemic,'' he said in a tweet on Sunday.

Georgia jury awards $1.7 billion in Ford truck crash case

Georgia jury has returned a $1.7 billion verdict against Ford Motor Co. involving a pickup truck crash that claimed the lives of a Georgia couple, their lawyers confirmed.

Jurors in Gwinnett County, just northeast of Atlanta, returned the verdict late last week in the yearslong civil case involving what the plaintiffs' lawyers called dangerously defective roofs on Ford pickup trucks, lawyer James Butler Jr. said Sunday.

Melvin and Voncile Hill were killed in April 2014 in the rollover wreck of their 2002 Ford F-250. Their children Kim and Adam Hill were the plaintiffs in the wrongful death case.

Story first published: Monday, August 22, 2022, 9:22 [IST]