John Wambere

NEW YORK — Michael Stipe will honor Ugandan gay rights activist John Abdallah Wambere at the Logo network’s “Trailblazers” event this month. The former R.E.M. frontman will appear at the June 23 event in New York. Wambere is the leader of the gay rights group Spectrum Uganda Initiatives.

BOSTON — Fearing prison or even death, an openly gay activist from Uganda is seeking asylum in the United States since his home country toughened criminal punishment against gays.