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AdvertisementChina’s private sectorBusinessChina BusinessChina’s biotech boom sends price of lab monkeys for drug tests climbingThe cost of a single monkey exceeds the average annual salary in China and approaches a pandemic-era spike amid growth in drug licensing deals
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJulie ZhangPublished: 5:00pm, 18 Feb 2026A surge in drug research in China has driven the cost of a laboratory monkey to about 140,000 yuan (US$20,260), a sum that exceeds the country’s average annual wage.
Official government procurement records showed that prices had doubled in the last five years for such monkeys, which are widely used in the preclinical stage to check whether a drug is safe and how it is absorbed, broken down and cleared by the body.
Analysts said the soaring cost was underpinned by a flood of drug-licensing deals between Chinese biotech firms and global pharmaceutical giants, alongside a revival in pharmaceutical fundraising activities, which had pushed a..

AdvertisementNorth KoreaThis Week in AsiaPoliticsNorth Korean palace visit by Kim’s daughter renews succession debateState media has released images of the first recorded visit of Kim Ju-ae, the teen daughter of Kim Jong-un, to the country’s most sacred site
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPPark Chan-kyongPublished: 12:45pm, 2 Jan 2026An appearance by the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a sacred palace has renewed scrutiny on whether she is being groomed for succession in the secretive regime.Kim Ju-ae, believed to be around 13 years old, made her first recorded visit on Thursday to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the holiest site in the country dedicated to its hereditary rule, sparking speculation she could receive an official title at a coming party congress.
While some observers see her prominent positioning in released photographs by state media as a powerful succession signal, others caution that the imagery may just be intended to project stabil..

UAE Schools Reveal Ramadan Timetable and Holiday List / Image: file As the holy month of Ramadan approaches (expected to begin on February 19, 2026), the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) have structured a calendar that prioritizes both learning and spiritual reflection. This year’s schedule is uniquely balanced; out of the entire month of Ramadan, students will only attend full in-person classes for approximately eight days. The rest of the month is thoughtfully distributed between shorter school weeks, end-of-term assessments, and a significant holiday period that allows families to observe the traditions of the holy month together without the usual academic rush.UAE school calendar: Ramadan 2026WeekDates (Approximate)School Status & HoursNotesWeek 1Feb 19 – Feb 22Shortened Hours (Max 5 hrs)Ramadan begins Thursday, Feb 19.Week 2Feb 23 – Feb 27Shortened Hours (Max 5 hrs)End-of-Term 2 assessments usually held here.Week 3March 2 – March..