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. Indian American physician Dr Tina Shah has entered the race for the Democratic nomination in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, becoming the only Indian American among several Democrats seeking the party ticket.“I am so proud of the support our campaign has earned,” Shah said in a statement quoted by New Jersey Globe. “New Jerseyans want leaders who put patients over industry profits. Our campaign is about serving working families, not special interests,” she said. 'Listen Guys, I told Ya': Obama’s Election Warning Just Came True for Trump After Big Defeat In NYC? If elected, Shah would be the first Indian American to represent New Jersey in the US Congress. Indian Americans currently hold only a few seats in the House of Representatives, a number that does not reflect the size of the community. New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, which includes several suburban areas with a large Indian American population, is expected to be a closely watched race with national ..

. Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez on Tuesday firmly rejected claims by the United States that it is now in control of the country, and also announced a week of national mourning for those killed during the US military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.Speaking on state television, Rodriguez said Venezuela remained sovereign and was being governed by its own people. She pushed back against statements by US President Donald Trump, who has said Washington is now “in charge” and that Venezuela will hand over millions of barrels of oil to the United States. Post-Maduro Venezuela: Foreign Reporters TARGETED, Gunfire & Armed Patrols Under Delcy Rodriguez “The government of Venezuela is in charge in our country, and no-one else,” Rodriguez said, three days after US special forces carried out a raid in the Venezuelan capital and detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who have since been taken to the United States to face trial. At the same time, Rodri..

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..