Briefly

THAILAND

PM to lift emergency state amid protests

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Wednesday he was preparing to lift emergency measures in Bangkok, which were imposed to stop protests, and that disputes should be settled through the parliament. The emergency measures, imposed last week, prompted mass demonstrations. "I will make the first move to de-escalate this situation. I am currently preparing to lift the state of severe emergency in Bangkok and will do so promptly if there are no violent incidents," he said in an address to the nation. "We must now step back from the edge of the slippery slope that can easily slide to chaos."

UNITED STATES

Trump offers to take Sudan off blacklist

US President Donald Trump has said Sudan will be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism if it follows through on its pledge to pay $335 million to terror victims and their families in the United States. The move would open the door for the African country to get international loans and aid needed to revive its economy. The announcement, just two weeks ahead of the US presidential election, also came as the Trump administration works to get other Arab countries, such as Sudan, to join the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain's recent recognition of Israel. Delisting Sudan from the blacklist is a key incentive for the Sudanese government to normalize relations with Israel, The Associated Press said.

SOUTH KOREA

Fears as 5 die after getting flu shots

Five people have died after getting flu shots in the country in the past week, authorities said, raising concerns over the vaccine's safety just as the seasonal inoculation program is expanded to head off potential COVID-19 complications. Authorities said there was no reason to believe the deaths were linked to the vaccine but an investigation is underway. "It makes it hard for us to put out a categorical statement," Vice-Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said on Wednesday about the deaths, which include a 17-year-old boy and a man in his 70s. Coming just weeks after the rollout of the national vaccine program was suspended over safety worries, the deaths have dominated headlines in South Korea.

NIGERIA

2,000 inmates escape in prison attacks

Authorities said on Tuesday nearly 2,000 inmates broke out of jail after crowds attacked two prisons, while officials announced a 24-hour curfew in Lagos in an attempt to quell the unrest stemming from two weeks of protests. The Inspector-General of Police deployed anti-riot police across Africa's most populous nation and ordered forces to strengthen security around Nigerian correctional facilities. Interior Ministry spokesman Mohammed Manga said large, armed crowds had attacked two correctional facilities, subduing the guards on duty. At last count, 1,993 inmates were missing, he said.

Agencies - Xinhua