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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 ..

AP image Russia’s overnight strikes on Kyiv province killed two people on Monday after air raid alerts were issued across the country, Ukrainian authorities said. One person was killed in the capital Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration. Another victim, a man in his 70s, died in the neighbouring city of Fastiv, Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said. Russia Smashes U.S. Weapons As Putin Fires Back At Trump After Maduro Capture, Ukraine Warning “One person has been killed so far as a result of the attack. The attack is continuing,” Tkachenko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, according to Reuters.The latest strikes come as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its allies are seeking to finalise a US-brokered plan aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.The violence follows a deadly weekend of cross-border attacks. On Sunday, two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes in Russi..

Columbian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump (AP images) US President Donald Trump on Sunday openly threatened possible military action against Colombia, saying such a move “sounds good to me”.His comments come just a day after the United States carried out an operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and transporting them to New York to face federal charges. 'They Won't Survive': GOP Lawmakers Reveal 2 New Trump Targets After Maduro Operation Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump launched a sharp attack on Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, accusing his government of producing and exporting cocaine to the United States.“Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long,” Trump said.Also Read | 'If they don't behave': Is second strike on Venezuela off the table? Trump's fresh ..

AdvertisementSCMP HighlightsWorldAI scientist leaves US for China; domestic helpers in Asia: 5 weekend reads you missedFrom China’s reaction to Maduro’s capture to another AI scientist leaving the US, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPSCMPPublished: 1:06pm, 5 Jan 2026We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. ‘Stop subverting Venezuelan regime’: China urges US to release MaduroVenezuelans celebrate in Santiago, Chile on January 3, 2026, after US President Donald Trump announced that President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of Venezuela. Photo: APChina has expressed “serious concern” over the US capture and forcible removal of the Venezuelan leader, calling on Washington to ensure the personal safety of Nicolas Maduro and his wife and “release them i..