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Saudi Arabia forecasts warmer Ramadan 2026 with light rainfall expected in Makkah and Madinah/Image: SPA Pilgrims heading to the Two Holy Mosques during Ramadan should prepare for warmer days and limited rainfall. Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Meteorology has released its preliminary climate outlook for Ramadan 1447H, forecasting above-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall in Makkah and Madinah throughout the holy month.The forecast forms part of the centre’s seasonal monitoring efforts aimed at supporting preparedness and operational planning, particularly for authorities serving worshippers during Ramadan.Temperatures expected to edge higher
According to the National Centre for Meteorology, temperatures in both cities are projected to exceed seasonal norms.In Makkah, maximum temperatures could rise by around 1°C above the historical average. In Madinah, the increase could reach up to 1.2°C above average.Historically, average temperatures during Ramadan stand at approxim..

Royal Blue Shirt Trend: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Vogue Editor Embrace Classic Style In an era of viral gowns and headline-grabbing couture, it is not a crystal-encrusted dress or archival tiara setting the fashion agenda but a crisp, powder-blue button-down shirt. The most talked-about piece in royal and style circles this week is this sharply tailored Oxford shirt from London label With Nothing Underneath, worn within days by Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and American Vogue’s editorial heavyweight Chloe Malle.In fashion terms, that is less coincidence and more cultural signal because when three women who define modern power dressing across monarchy, media and Montecito reach for the same quietly confident staple, it tells us that 2026 is not about excess. It is about precision, polish and above all, it is about the enduring magnetism of a perfectly cut shirt. The Blue Shirt That United Royals and Fashion Elite: Is This the End of Extravag..

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechBig TechAlibaba unveils Qwen-3.5, sharpening global race to spread AI modelsWith multimodal capabilities and open weights, Qwen-3.5 signals Alibaba’s ambition to anchor the next phase of global AI deployment
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVincent ChowPublished: 5:19pm, 16 Feb 2026Updated: 5:21pm, 16 Feb 2026Alibaba Cloud has unveiled its next-generation open artificial intelligence model, Qwen-3.5, in a move set to have major implications for the global AI race between China and the US.
The much-anticipated release, timed on the eve of the Lunar New Year, capped a frenetic week in which nearly every major Chinese AI developer rolled out new flagship models – with the notable exception of DeepSeek, despite media speculation that a V4 system would debut before the holiday.
Qwen-3.5 is Alibaba Cloud’s strongest model yet, with self-reported benchmark scores in areas such as coding, search and agentic capabilities surpassing domestic riv..

AdvertisementHong Kong propertyBusinessHong Kong’s Kerry Properties secures Shau Kei Wan residential plot for US$177 millionKerry beat seven bidders for the rights to develop a residential project on the 1,349-square-metre parcel in the Eastern district
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCheryl ArcibalPublished: 5:00pm, 16 Feb 2026Hong Kong-based Kerry Properties has won a tender for a residential plot in Shau Kei Wan for HK$1.38 billion (US$177 million), which drew heavy bidding interest from both mainland Chinese and local developers.Kerry beat seven other bidders for a 50-year grant for the 1,349-square-metre (14,523 sq ft) parcel in the Eastern district, the Lands Department said on Monday.
The plot was expected to provide a total gross floor area of over 130,000 sq ft, yielding around 300 residential units, according to Kerry.
Advertisement“We are delighted that Kerry Properties has successfully secured the site at Shau Kei Wan Main Street East,” said Calvin Tong, directo..

Saudi Arabia records 21,029 violations in one week during nationwide inspection campaign/Representative Image A nationwide inspection drive carried out across Saudi Arabia has resulted in more than 21,000 violations in just seven days, with authorities issuing a renewed warning of severe penalties for those who breach or assist in breaching the law. According to the Ministry of Interior, inspection campaigns conducted between February 5 and 11 to ensure compliance with residency, labour and border security regulations recorded 21,029 violations. Of these, 12,875 were related to residency laws, 4,778 were linked to border security regulations and 3,376 involved labour law violations. Border authorities also apprehended 2,307 individuals attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally during the same period. The ministry stated that 47 percent of those arrested were Yemeni nationals, 52 percent were Ethiopian nationals and 1 percent were from other nationalities. In addition, 75 people we..

Philippine Missions in UAE Cut Hours During Ramadan: Are Services Being Hindered? As the holy month of Ramadan 2026 approaches, with the crescent moon sighting expected around 19 February, embassies and government offices across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have begun updating service schedules and working hours to accommodate shorter days and fasting practices. Among them, the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates recently announced revised operational timings for consular services, passport renewals, civil registry transactions and other public-facing services during the month of Ramadan.New Philippine embassy and UAE consulate hours in Ramadan 2026According to official advisories, the Philippine diplomatic missions in the UAE will operate on shortened hours throughout Ramadan, aligning with the spirit and practical needs of the month:Monday to Thursday: 07:30 am – 2:30 pmFriday: 07:30 am – 12:00 pmRegular working ho..

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechBig TechByteDance AI video tool Seedance accused by Disney of copyright ‘smash and grab’Governments also attack Seedance for violations, but the controversy could just be a PR strategy, one analyst says
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVincent ChowPublished: 5:07pm, 15 Feb 2026Updated: 5:10pm, 15 Feb 2026ByteDance’s latest video generation model Seedance 2.0 has blown people away for its ability to rapidly generate lifelike videos, but is also receiving blowback globally for alleged intellectual property (IP) violations.The controversy focuses on TikTok-owner ByteDance’s alleged use of copyrighted content to train its artificial intelligence model, as videos of Hollywood celebrities, Disney characters and comic book heroes generated by Seedance have flooded the web in recent days.On Saturday, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing ByteDance of a “virtual smash-and-grab of Disney’s IP”, as its new model can purportedly generate ..

AdvertisementBanking & financeEconomyChina EconomyChina expands oversight of major banks amid property sector risksBeijing continues to impose stricter regulatory standards on major lenders, shielding the financial system from mounting strains
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCarol Yangin BeijingPublished: 5:00pm, 15 Feb 2026China has expanded its list of domestic systemically important banks (D-SIBs) – institutions subject to tighter regulatory standards – as authorities step up macroprudential oversight to safeguard financial stability amid high exposure to property sector debt.China Zheshang Bank, a joint-stock lender in east China’s Zhejiang province with total assets of 3.35 trillion yuan (US$485 billion), was added to the list released on Friday by the People’s Bank of China and the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA).The D-SIB list now stands at 21 institutions, up from 19 when it was first published in 2021. It includes six state-owned commercial bank..

Viral Saudi wedding clip shows gold-wrapped chocolates claimed online as 24-carat gold biscuits/Image: X A 33-second wedding video has set social media abuzz after appearing to show 24-carat gold bars being handed out as gifts. The clip, widely circulated online, prompted disbelief and debate as viewers tried to make sense of what looked like solid gold biscuits distributed during a ceremony reportedly held in Saudi Arabia.The footage shows a group of well-dressed men seated at a wedding function while another man moves between them carrying a box filled with gleaming yellow bars. Claims accompanying the video suggested the gifts were presented by the bride’s brother to members of the groom’s family. Some online described the gesture as “royal”, while others dismissed it as excessive showmanship.As the clip continued to circulate, a debate quickly emerged over whether the display was genuine or staged. Some viewers were convinced the bars were real 24-carat gold, pointing to their size..

From restoring salaries to approving Dh300,000 aid, Sharjah’s Direct Line once again turns live public calls into swift action / image: @shiekhdrsultan In a powerful display of responsive governance, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi personally intervened in multiple public cases during the popular “Direct Line” radio programme, transforming live complaints into immediate government action.One of the most striking cases involved a government employee, Amal Al-Junaibi, who revealed that her full leave balance had been deducted and her salary withheld for months after she took time off to care for her husband, a person of determination recovering from surgeries. The Sharjah Ruler stated clearly that such action contradicted established human resources regulations. He directed the Head of the Human Resources Department to urgently correct the matter and restore her entitlements, while also calling for a faster humanitarian review mechanism for similar cases.The interven..