News in Brief-(2023-09-27)

Leading Thai activist jailed over
calls for royal reform
BANGKOK, Sept 26: One of Thailand's most prominent political activists, Arnon Nampa, has been sentenced to four years in prison under the country's much-criticised royal defamation, or lese-majeste law. He was convicted by a court in Bangkok over comments he made during a protest in October 2020. Thailand's lese-majeste law forbids anyone from insulting the monarchy on pain of harsh jail sentences. It has been increasingly enforced since the military took power in a 2014 coup. Mr Arnon, a human rights lawyer, was the first activist to call publicly for a national conversation on the role of the monarchy in today's Thailand. —BBC
Japan okays first Alzheimer's drug
TOKYO, Sept 26: Japan's health ministry has approved Leqembi, a drug for Alzheimer's disease that was jointly developed by Japanese and U.S. pharmaceutical companies. It's the first drug for treatment of the disease in a country with a rapidly aging population. Developed by Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co. and U.S. biotechnology firm Biogen Inc., the drug's approval in Japan comes two months after it was endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. —AP
Flooding kills eight in South Africa
CAPE TOWN, Sept 26: Authorities in Cape Town said on Tuesday that eight people, including four children, had died by electrocution after the South African city was lashed by torrential rains that triggered floods. The deaths occurred in two informal settlements on the outskirts of the southern port city, according to its disaster risk management unit. "Unfortunately, the Disaster Operations Centre has had confirmation of eight fatalities caused by electrocution," city authorities said. Local media reported the electrocutions were caused by illegal electricity connections. — AFP