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General Motors has said it will book a one-time earnings hit of $7.1bn, mostly due to its pullback on electric vehicles in light of shifting US policies.The Detroit auto giant's fourth-quarter results will be dented by $6bn in charges connected to reversals on EV investments, according to a securities filing. The remaining $1.1bn includes costs from the company's restructuring of its China operations.GM's move follows a $1.6bn writedown in the third quarter due to pivots away from EVs following a sharp US policy reversal under President Donald Trump.Trump, who views climate change as a hoax, has killed major initiatives favouring EVs championed by predecessor Joe Biden.GM's profit warning also comes on the heels of a Ford announcement December 15 that it will write off about $19.5bn over several years amid the shifting policy outlook.Throughout Biden's presidency, GM CEO Mary Barra had invested aggressively in building EV capacity. The company announced in 2021 a target of having its cars and trucks emission-free by 2035.Barra has said that EVs remain a long-term priority, but that the company is modifying investments in response to consumer demand."With the termination of certain consumer tax incentives and the reduction in the stringency of emissions regulations, industry-wide consumer demand for EVs in North America began to slow in 2025," GM said in the filing. "As a result, GM proactively reduced EV capacity."Besides the EVhit, the $1.1bn in non-EV charges included costs related to the restructuring of China joint venture SAIC General Motors Corporate Limited, as well as "an additional legal accrual." 

Chinese auto giant BYD sold 2.26mn electric vehicles last year, a company statement showed Thursday, setting a new record for any firm globally.The figure puts BYD in pole position to outstrip Elon Musk's Tesla in the annual category for the first time, with the lagging Texas-based firm having previously announced 1.22mn in 2025 EV sales by the end of September.Tesla is expected to announce its total EV sales for last year on Friday.Shenzhen-based BYD, which also produces hybrid cars, announced the data in a statement published to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where it is listed.Known as "Biyadi" in Chinese — or by the English slogan "Build Your Dreams" — BYD was founded in 1995, originally specialising in battery manufacturing.The automotive juggernaut has come to dominate China's highly competitive new energy vehicle market — the world's largest.Now it is seeking to expand its presence overseas, as increasingly price-wary consumption patterns in China weigh on profitability.BYD and its Chinese competitors face hefty tariffs in the US.But its success is growing in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe — to the consternation of traditional industry heavyweights from the continent.Tesla narrowly beat BYD in annual EV sales in 2024, with US company's 1.79mn just outpacing the latter's 1.76mn.Last year, Musk's firm saw sales struggle in key markets over the CEO's political support of US President Donald Trump and far-right politicians.Tesla has also faced rising EV competition from BYD and other Chinese companies, as well as from European giants. 

The Civil Defence in the Gaza Strip announced that its operations have effectively been reduced by 50% due to the lack of fuel needed to run emergency vehicles and rescue equipment.Spokesperson for the Civil Defence, Mahmoud Basal, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) Monday that field teams have been struggling for weeks to secure the fuel required to operate the remaining essential vehicles and equipment, including fire engines, rescue and ambulance vehicles, as well as portable power generators that run on gasoline and are critical for removing hazards and retrieving trapped individuals.He stressed that these tools form the backbone of firefighting, rescue missions, evacuation operations, and emergency response for civilians enduring dire humanitarian conditions under Israeli attacks. He warned that rescue teams can no longer reach thousands of damaged and unstable buildings, and that search and recovery efforts are on the verge of being completely shut down.Basal noted that a significant portion of the Civil Defence's response to fires, explosions, and building collapses has already stalled, posing an immediate threat to civilian lives. Despite appeals to UN agencies and international organizations to supply the needed fuel, Israeli-imposed restrictions continue to block the entry of sufficient quantities, with distribution mechanisms falling far short of operational needs. This, he said, has caused a major paralysis in the Civil Defence's ability to fulfill its humanitarian duties.He called for lifting all restrictions on fuel delivery and ensuring immediate and full operational supply, with a transparent and consistent mechanism that aligns with the scale of the emergency in Gaza.Despite the lack of equipment, Basal emphasised that efforts to recover the bodies of Palestinians martyred in Israeli occupation airstrikes continue. However, operations are progressing extremely slowly due to severe equipment shortages. Currently, only one excavator is operating in central Gaza in co-ordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and specialised teams to retrieve bodies from beneath the rubble.He said that once work is completed in the central and southern areas, the excavator will move to Gaza City and the northern region. Basal stressed that a single excavator is insufficient given the enormous number of bodies, and that additional heavy machinery is urgently needed to complete the process as quickly and safely as possible.Basal also noted that some international organisations have expressed willingness to support recovery efforts and bring in heavy machinery. Still, so far, no additional equipment has entered Gaza aside from the one excavator currently in use.He described the issue of missing persons as a profoundly humanitarian crisis, with families submitting daily pleas for help in recovering their loved ones. He estimated that around 10,000 bodies remain under the rubble, though obtaining precise figures is extremely difficult due to the conditions on the ground and the lack of comprehensive documentation.Specialised committees have been formed to document and assess families targeted by Israeli occupation attacks who require urgent intervention by Civil Defence teams.Basal concluded by noting that although Israeli aggression on Gaza ceased following the October ceasefire agreement, which according to official and UN reports, left around 92% of residential buildings fully or partially destroyed, the Israeli occupation continues to block the entry of reconstruction materials, rubble removal equipment, and essential humanitarian supplies for sectors including health and water. This ongoing obstruction, in violation of the humanitarian protocol annexed to the ceasefire agreement, is crippling local, municipal, and international efforts to provide basic services to war-stricken residents of the Gaza Strip. 

Under the patronage of President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan and in the presence of HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan al-Thani, the Turkish BMC armoured vehicles and heavy engines factory was inaugurated in the Turkish capital, Ankara.**media[374463]**The factory includes a 49.9 % Qatari stake represented by Barzan Holdings.This Qatari-Turkish partnership comes within the framework of strengthening industrial and defence cooperation between Qatar and Turkiye, contributing to the development of defence capabilities and military industries in the two brotherly countries.**media[374461]**The factory is a joint strategic project and will witness the production of the first Altay tank, which represents a qualitative leap in the defence industries.HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan al-Thani was accompanied during the inauguration ceremony by several senior officers of the Qatari Armed Forces.

Israeli occupation forces infiltrated the northern Quneitra countryside in southern Syria on Tuesday, violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.Local sources in Quneitra told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that Israeli forces, including four tanks, advanced from the Al-Hurriya area toward the village of Ufaniya in northern Quneitra, while two other military vehicles entered the same location.In another area, the sources said that tanks and approximately ten vehicles reached the vicinity of Tal Al-Ahmar and Ain Al-Nouriya. The tanks were positioned along the road between the Agricultural High School and the Al-Faqir Oil Mill and continued on the old highway between Ain Aisha and the town of Khan Arnabeh, according to SANA.Israeli forces have intensified their attacks on Syrian territory, violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and related UN resolutions. Syria has condemned these incursions and called on the international community to take firm action to stop them.

South Korea's automobile exports rose 16.8% year-on-year in September, supported by robust overseas demand for eco-friendly vehicles in Europe and Asia, data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed on Monday, as cited by Yonhap News Agency. The value of outbound automobile shipments reached $6.41 billion last month — the highest figure for any September on record. In terms of volume, exports rose 11% from a year earlier to 228,000 units.Between January and September, South Korea's accumulated auto exports hit an all-time high of $54.1 billion. By type, exports of eco-friendly cars — including electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles — surged 47.5% year-on-year to 90,496 units, marking the first time monthly exports exceeded 90,000 vehicles and accounting for nearly 40% of total car exports. Among them, hybrid vehicle shipments jumped 55.7% to 57,824 units, while electric vehicle (EV) exports climbed 38.9% to 29,288 units, extending gains for the fourth consecutive month. On the domestic front, auto sales rose 20.8% year-on-year in September to 158,000 units, the highest level since November 2023. EV sales surged 135% to a record monthly high of 28,760 units. For the January-September period, domestic EV sales increased 57.5% to 170,000 units, surpassing last year's total of 142,000. The data also showed domestic automobile production climbed 8.9% in September to 334,000 units, aided by a higher number of working days compared with the previous year.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced Sunday its forces had killed nearly 1,280 Ukrainian soldiers and intercepted 65 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a series of ongoing military operations across various frontlines. In an official statement, the ministry said Russian ground forces carried out targeted strikes against Ukrainian military units in multiple combat zones. The attacks reportedly resulted in the destruction of dozens of armored vehicles, artillery systems, military transport vehicles, ammunition depots, and electronic warfare stations. Additionally, the ministry reported that the Black Sea Fleet destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. Russian operational—tactical aircraft and drones also targeted what were described as transport infrastructure facilities being used to support Ukrainian military operations, as well as sites allegedly involved in the launch and storage of long-range drones. These claims come amid the continuing war that began on February 24, 2022, with both Russia and Ukraine regularly issuing conflicting reports on battlefield developments and military successes. Neither side's claims can be independently verified, and both continue to engage in intense information campaigns alongside ongoing hostilities.

Russia's Defense Ministry announced Sunday its forces had downed 361 Ukrainian drones and conducted a series of coordinated strikes on Ukrainian military positions along active frontlines.The ministry added in a statement that Russian operational—tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery units carried out attacks on 142 locations, including training centers for drone operators and temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations.According to the statement, Russian air defense systems also intercepted four guided aerial bombs, a HIMARS missile, and the 361 unmanned aerial vehicles.The ministry reported that Russian forces targeted Ukrainian units in multiple areas of Donetsk, resulting in the loss of over 450 Ukrainian troops, along with combat vehicles and field artillery systems.Additionally, Russia's Northern Group of forces reportedly advanced deeper into Ukrainian defenses in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, inflicting further losses. The ministry estimated around 170 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, and several tanks, armored vehicles, field artillery, two electronic warfare stations, and six ammunition depots were destroyed.Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities claimed earlier on Sunday that their air defense units had intercepted or neutralized 52 Russian drones across the country's north, south, east, and central regions.Since the onset of the conflict on February 24, 2022, Russia and Ukraine have regularly issued conflicting battlefield reports, with most claims remaining unverified by independent sources.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has issued Circular No. (3) of 2025, requiring all car dealerships to refrain from exporting new vehicles that have been registered for less than one year.The circular exempts authorised car agents and vehicles intended for personal use by individuals.The measure is designed to protect consumers, while maintaining the availability of new vehicles in the local market.It seeks to preserve a fair balance between supply and demand, prevent unjustified price increases, and avoid practices that may mislead consumers.The circular also shields commercial establishments from penalties under the Consumer Protection Law for practices such as withholding goods or removing them from local market through export.The Law No. (8) of 2008 on Consumer Protection and its executive regulations, issued under Ministerial Decision No. (68) of 2012, define suppliers’ obligations and enforcement mechanisms.Article 10 prohibits suppliers from withholding goods, refusing to sell them to manipulate market prices, imposing purchase conditions, or charging more than the publicly announced price.Article 14 forbids creating false or misleading impressions for consumers, including providing inaccurate information about product details (the country of origin).The circular takes effect from the date of issuance, and the ministry urges all car dealerships to comply with the circular to avoid violations and legal action.The MOCI will take strict action against any negligence or failure to comply with Law No. (8) of 2008 and its executive regulations, and will intensify inspection campaigns to ensure full adherence.

The Umm Slal Municipality's General Control Section of the Municipal Control Department, in cooperation with the Committee for the Removal of Abandoned Vehicles, the Mechanical Equipment Department, and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), has carried out a campaign to remove abandoned vehicles and equipment within its administrative boundaries. The week-long campaign, in implementation of Law No 18 of 2017 regarding public hygiene, resulted in the removal of 44 abandoned vehicles.

In a week-long campaign carried out by the municipalities of Al Sheehaniya and Umm Slal, 117 abandoned vehicles have been removed from various areas within their jurisdiction.At Al Sheehaniya, the Public Control Section of the Municipal Control Department, the Committee for the Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Public Cleaning Department had identified 110 abandoned vehicles and removed 73 vehicles. Several violation reports were also issued during the campaign.During the campaign at Umm Slal Municipality, in cooperation with the Committee for the Removal of Abandoned Vehicles, the Mechanical Equipment Department, and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) and in implementation of Law No 18 of 2017 regarding public hygiene, 44 abandoned vehicles removed.