Fridae

Fridae and Action for Aids wants all MSM (men who have sex with men) - gay, bisexual, straight, queer or what have you - to participate in the 2006 MSM survey.

Aussie PM John Howard has reiterated his opposition towards same-sex civil unions in response to proposed legislation to recognise same-sex relationships. Meanwhile in Thailand, the military is set to declassify transgenderism as a "mental disorder."

The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has expressed concern and his opposition towards violence and discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Fridae's Douglas Sanders reports from the ILGA World conference in Geneva.

All 30 tables - which is the maximum capacity of the ballroom and costing S$8,000 each - were sold several weeks before the event.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is set to become the first territory or state in Australia to allow gay civil marriages. An international health group has warned Asia-Pacific nations in light of rising HIV rates among Asia's MSM population.

Fridae's Feelin' Good party, scheduled for Sunday 26 March, has been called off after the venue, Ministry of Sound received a telephone call from local police demanding that the party be cancelled.

In Britain, former Boyzone singer Stephen Gately 'wedded' his boyfriend last Sunday, meanwhile the Czech Republic has become the second post-communist country after Slovenia to enact same-sex partnerships. The leader of the world's Anglicans has voiced his opposition to teaching creationism in schools in an unexpected move.

Immigrants wanting to move to the Netherlands will be tested to find out if they have attitudes liberal enough meanwhile a Singaporean man and his Thai boyfriend have come out in a local newspaper. For the first time, the American Red Cross have called for an end to the ban on gay blood donors.

Four men were arrested after a "bedroom party" was raided by undercover police officers posing as gay men.

Australia has announced a significant change in its immigration policy, the inclusion of same sex partners on skilled migrants and student visa applications.