Asia - South China Morning Post

A South Korean lawmaker has raised concern over lax prescription rules after government data showed a single patient received more than 6,000 pills for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the first half of this year. Some were prescriptions for more than 1,000 pills at once.

Citing figures submitted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the National Health Insurance Service on Wednesday, National Assembly Representative Baek Jong-heon of the People Power Party said the...

At least 12 Malaysians on a humanitarian aid trip to Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces who stopped their flotilla outside the blockaded Palestinian enclave early on Thursday morning, triggering condemnation from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail in August, is seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade and spotlight the siege of a territory where 65,400 people have been killed according to the United Nations, which last month called Israel’s actions a...

Indonesia’s well-intentioned free meals programme for schools has come under fire again – not for food poisoning, but for ingredient choice. In West Kalimantan, where 25 students fell ill last week, critics are biting in their assessment of one of the dishes served – fried shark.

Over 6,000 students have reportedly come down with food poisoning since January's launch of the nutritious lunch scheme, which aims to cover more than 80 million children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by...

For decades, cross-border trade in the Asia-Pacific has been denominated in US dollars. Given the currency’s relative stability and accessibility, small and medium-sized businesses, merchants and manufacturers looking to expand across borders traditionally conducted international trade in the US dollar.

For instance, a Shenzhen manufacturer in China paying its Indonesian supplier would convert yuan to US dollars for the payment, which when received will be converted to Indonesian rupiah, and...

A proposal to restrict Indonesians to just one account per social media platform has drawn strong criticism from digital rights advocates, who warn the move could stifle dissent, endanger privacy and undermine civil liberties in the world’s third-largest democracy.

Analysts say the plan reflects a growing appetite within Indonesia’s political elite for greater control over the digital sphere, especially ahead of a changing political guard and rising online activism among youth.

The idea first...

For decades, discussions about North Korea’s military threat have centred almost exclusively on its nuclear weapons programme. This view, however, is increasingly inadequate for understanding the evolving security challenge that Pyongyang poses to Northeast Asia and beyond.

Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signalled a fundamental shift in military strategy. Moving beyond his regime’s traditional emphasis on nuclear deterrence, Kim said the country would significantly upgrade its...

US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 100 per cent tariff on foreign films has raised alarm in India’s industry from Bollywood to Tollywood, even as it is struggling to lure audiences back to cinemas and facing shrinking revenues from online platforms, according to analysts.

In a social media post on Tuesday, echoing a similar threat in May, Trump alleged that Hollywood had been “stolen’’ from the US and declared: “I will be imposing a 100 per cent tariff on any and all movies that are...

World Liberty Financial, a venture backed by the family of US President Donald Trump, took centre stage on Wednesday at the world’s largest cryptocurrency event in Singapore, as Trump’s eldest son and his business partner promoted the firm’s USD1 stablecoin and its potential for “dollarising the world”.

At Token2049, World Liberty Financial co-founders Donald Trump Jnr and Zach Witkoff, who serves as CEO, received rock star treatment from a cheering audience, as they touted the success of USD1,...

From farms and factories to hotels, Thai businesses are feeling the bite of a strong baht, which is eroding export margins and raising fears that holidaymakers will seek better value destinations elsewhere in Asia.

The surging currency has added to the pile of problems for Thailand’s economy, which has slowed after two years of political instability.

The baht has gained more than 8 per cent against the US dollar this year, rising from 34 to the dollar on January 1 to a high of 31.70 on September...

Europe’s attempt to reduce its dependence on China through trade agreements in Asia may not achieve the intended outcome. Instead of breaking ties, Brussels is being drawn deeper into supply chains where Chinese companies remain central.

EU deals in recent years with Vietnam, Indonesia and India broaden market access and diversify suppliers, yet also channel European demand into production networks controlled by China. Meanwhile, the European Union continues trade talks with Thailand, Malaysia...