Today's news: Record earnings for opium growers in Afghanistan, Hong Kong will vaccinate 3-year-olds with Sinovac, thousands take to the streets in the Iranian city of Isafahan against water shortages. Former Georgian President Saakashvili - on hunger strike in prison for 49 days - transferred to intensive care.
KOREA
"Squid Games" is a global phenomenon but those who worked on it in South Korea are underpaid according to a new book published in Seoul about the popular Netflix series. According to these estimates, the Korean studios received one-fifth of the earnings of a local film with more than 10 million tickets sold in South Korea.
AFGHANISTAN
According to UNODC, the United Nations' counter-narcotics agency, Afghanistan has seen a surge in opium prices in recent months. Political uncertainty following the return of the Taliban to power has led to a doubling of possible earnings from crops.
HONG KONG
Hong Kong health authorities have authorized the use of China's anti-Covid Sinovac vaccine for children ages 3 to 17.Health Secretary Sophia Chan argued that the benefits outweigh the risks.
TAIWAN
Taiwan's parliament has passed an anti-stalking law. Penalties of up to five years in prison are provided. It will go into effect six months after its enactment.
INDIA
At least 17 people have died as a result of flooding in the Indian state of Andrha Pradesh. The most serious situation is in the district of Kadapa where the Annamayya customs house collapsed due to heavy rains and many people are still missing.
GEORGIA
The former Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili, detained in prison near Tbilisi, lost consciousness during a meeting with his lawyers on the 49th day of his hunger strike and was transported to intensive care. At the moment his condition is stable, there are plans to transfer him to the military hospital in the city of Gori.
IRAN
Several thousand farmers have taken to the streets to demonstrate in the Iranian city of Isfahan over water shortages. On Iranian state TV, Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian apologized promising that the situation will be resolved in the coming months. The government justifies itself with the severe drought, but farmers accuse it of mismanagement of water resources.