n Tuesday, the conservative island republic of Singapore relaxed some of its more stringent laws criminalizing certain types of intercourse, but did not lift sex laws pertaining to homosexuals. In what was the conservative Asian nation's first amendment to a major penal code in some 22 years, Singapore's parliament repealed a section criminalizing "carnal intercourse against the order of nature," which includes oral sex, but refused to budge on code 377A, which makes sex between men a criminal offense.

Superstition is now playing a key role as the world begins to unite in protest against the recent brutal crackdown in Myanmar. Women have been sending their underwear to Burma or its embassies outside the country as a sign of protest. Liz Hilton, a supporter of an activist group that started the "Panties for Peace" campaign, said that sending women's undergarments was a strong message in Burmese and in all South East Asian Culture.

Women peace activists from Thailand, Australia, Singapore, and European countries are sending or delivering their underwear to Myanmar missions. The symbolic act is meant to protest the Myanmar junta's violent crackdown of monks-led rallies in Yangon last month, and to oust the generals ruling the country from power.

Aviation authorities are investigating how a man breached security and hid himself in the wheel well of a Boeing 777 flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. The stowaway fell after Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 119 had just taxied to Gate F33 at Changi Airport's Terminal Two after a 55-minute flight from Kuala Lumpur just before 11 p. m. last Thursday.

The police in Singapore are advising the public to be very vigilant especially with their loved-ones because there is a new kidnap scam and it is just a phone call away. On Friday, police said several victims were scammed over the telephone. A caller allegedly told the victims that one of their family members had been kidnapped and would be harmed if they didn't pay the ransom money.