Author: Verified News Online

AdvertisementElectric & new energy vehiclesBusinessChina EVsTesla hits record sales; Chinese carmakers eye third of global market: 7 EV readsFrom automakers doubling down on discounts to Chinese robotaxis in the Middle East, here are seven EV stories you may have missed
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPSCMPPublished: 12:28pm, 7 Jan 2026We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. China’s EV sector doubles down on discounts and cheap financing as growth coolsElectric vehicle makers have kicked off a fresh round of price cuts in mainland China at the start of 2026, despite Beijing’s repeated calls to curb “involution”, as pressure on margins and survival prospects persists.
2. Tesla’s China sales hit record as EV buyers race to beat tax increaseTesla cars are displayed in a showroom in Chongqing. Photo: VCG/VCG ..

AdvertisementUS-Venezuela conflictThis Week in AsiaPoliticsThe Maduro effect: regime change fears grip Asia’s autocrats after US raid on VenezuelaFearing they could be next, wary rulers are expected to embrace Moscow and Beijing to insulate themselves from US adventurism
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP6Maria SiowPublished: 12:22pm, 7 Jan 2026Updated: 12:50pm, 7 Jan 2026The United States’ dramatic capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro at the weekend has sent shock waves across Asia, where analysts say authoritarian rulers, now deeply wary of Washington’s motives, are likely to draw closer to Moscow and Beijing.US special forces stormed Maduro’s residence in Caracas early on Saturday morning, seizing the Venezuelan leader and his wife before flying them to the US, where both face federal charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking.Washington has long called Maduro’s presidency illegitimate, but the official rationale for the operation rested on the criminal indictme..

Oman now charges OMR 600 for citizenship applications and OMR 200 for nationality withdrawal/Image: X Applying for Omani citizenship will now come with a clearly defined price tag. In a move aimed at tightening and standardising nationality services, Oman has approved a new fee structure covering both citizenship applications and requests to relinquish nationality, according to details published in the Sultanate’s Official Gazette.Under the revised framework, the fee for submitting an application to obtain Omani citizenship has been set at OMR 600. This charge applies to foreign women married to Omani nationals, as well as widows or divorced spouses of Omanis. The same fee also covers applications submitted on behalf of the minor children of Omani women, ensuring a uniform cost across these family-based eligibility categories.In addition to citizenship applications, the updated regulations introduce an OMR 200 fee for requests related to the withdrawal or relinquishment of Omani nation..

ANI image Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected eight sorties of PLA aircraft and seven PLAN vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Tuesday.Of the eight, two crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern ADIZ.In a post on X, the MND said, “8 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 8 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”Earlier on Monday, Taiwan's MND detected three sorties of PLA sorties, eight PLAN vessels, and one official ship around its territory.A post on X stated, “(U) 3 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 3 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and r..

AdvertisementMalaysiaThis Week in AsiaPeopleMalaysia’s ex-PM Mahathir in hospital after a fall at home – ‘he was conscious’Mahathir, 100, fell when he was walking from the balcony to his living room in his home in Kuala Lumpur
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJoseph SipalanPublished: 1:15pm, 6 Jan 2026Two-time former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was sent to hospital on Tuesday after a fall in his home in Kuala Lumpur.The centenarian fell while walking from the balcony to his living room and was rushed to the National Heart Institute for observation, according to an aide.
“Tun was taken in by ambulance and arrived at 9.30am. He was conscious,” Mahathir’s press secretary Sufi Yusoff told the media, using the former leader’s honorific.
AdvertisementSufi said he was not in a position to comment on Mahathir’s condition, pending updates from the medical team attending to him.
Mahathir, who turned 100 last July, has been a constant fixture in Malaysian politics.Adverti..

AdvertisementScienceChinaScienceChina’s sensitive technology at risk after Trump abducts Venezuela leader MaduroFrom oil infrastructure to telecommunications, Chinese investments in the country have been long-standing and extensive
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLing Xinin OhioPublished: 1:06pm, 6 Jan 2026China risks losing access to satellite tracking stations and other sensitive technology infrastructure in Venezuela after the United States seized control of the country’s leadership and transferred its president Nicolas Maduro to New York for trial.Beijing’s embedded assets – from satellite ground stations to oilfield systems and telecommunications networks – could be compromised after US President Donald Trump said Washington would “run” Venezuela and “fix oil infrastructure” in the country with the world’s largest crude reserves.The El Sombrero tracking station at the Captain Manuel Rios airbase, along with its backup in Luepa, Bolivar state, supports Venezuela’s only ..