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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (File photo)

Experts believe the deadly toxin that allegedly killed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny in February 2024 was likely created in a lab rather than extracted from wild South American poison dart frogs, as claimed by multiple European nations. Five European countrieslast week said tests confirmed that Navalny was poisoned with epibatidine, a powerful toxin found in the skin of poison dart frogs native to South America, accusing the Russian state of responsibility.While these frogs can be easily purchased in South American markets or legally exported with permits, scientists say making a deadly poison from actual frogs would be impractical. Ivan Lozano, director of Tesoros de Colombia, explained that it would take “an enormous number of frogs” to create a lethal dose for humans, making it virtually impossible to gather enough for this purpose.The toxicity of these frogs presents another challenge. According to University of Illinois re..

AdvertisementAustraliaAsiaAustralasiaAustralian smuggler jailed record 8 years for mailing lizards in popcorn bagsInvestigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 4:53pm, 17 Feb 2026A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight years in jail, authorities said on Tuesday.The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said.
A district court in Sydney gave the man, 61-year-old Neil Simpson, a non-parole period of five years and four months.
AdvertisementInvestigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania, the officials said in a statement.Popcorn bags and handbags containing the reptiles. Photo: D..

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyHong Kong’s first 4 babies of Year of the Horse include fifth child for a coupleAmong newborns are a girl whose father is a talent visa holder from mainland China and a boy who is the fifth child of a local couple
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJess MaPublished: 4:51pm, 17 Feb 2026Updated: 5:17pm, 17 Feb 2026Hong Kong has welcomed at least four new babies as it enters the Year of the Horse, including a girl whose father is a talent visa holder from mainland China and a boy who is the fifth child of a local couple.
Four babies were born at midnight on Tuesday: a girl and a boy at Union Hospital in Tai Wai; a boy at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei; and a girl at St Teresa’s Hospital in Kowloon City.
The boy born at Union Hospital weighed 2.94kg (6.48lbs) and was the fifth child of the Tang family.
Advertisement“There’s both joy and sadness in this. When I think of a big family, it’s lively and heartwarming. I don’t feel burdened..

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 ..