A new report by the US Department of Defense says China now treats its claims on Arunachal Pradesh as part of its “core interests”. The report also places Taiwan and China’s territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea in the same category. It says these goals are linked to Beijing’s plan to achieve what it calls the “great rejuvenation” of the Chinese nation by 2049. The document notes that China sees these issues as central to its national identity and long-term strategy. It adds that Beijing is using diplomatic, military and economic tools to protect these claims and shape regional security trends.

The Princess of Wales and her daughter Princess Charlotte performed a piano duet for the Together at Christmas carol service broadcast on Christmas Eve. The piece was pre-recorded at Windsor Castle last week and aired during the ITV programme. They played Holm Sound by Scottish composer Erland Cooper. Catherine used her left hand while Charlotte played with her right. The footage was shown as guests arrived at Westminster Abbey. Kensington Palace said the clip was made to highlight family bonds. Catherine, who has piano training, has played at the service before, including a surprise performance in 2021. (PC: BBC)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has urged the BCCI to consider fast-tracking 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi after his record knock in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Playing for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in Ranchi, Suryavanshi hit 190 off 84 balls with 15 sixes. He became the youngest List A centurion and the fastest Indian to reach a hundred at the time. Tharoor posted on X that the last similar prodigy was Sachin Tendulkar and asked what the selectors were waiting for. Bihar went on to post 574 for 6, the highest List A team total. (PC: HT)

Five European campaigners have been denied US visas after Washington accused them of trying to pressure American technology firms to limit online speech. Two are from the UK. They are Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate and Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index. The others include former EU tech chief Thierry Breton and two leaders of German group HateAid. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group was part of a “global censorship complex”. The UK government said it supports free speech while backing efforts to curb harmful content online. France, Spain and the EU criticised the move and sought clarification. (PC: BBC)

Ukraine says Russian troops carried out a night raid on the border village of Hrabovske in the Sumy region and took 52 civilians to Russia. Thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were also captured, officials said. About 100 Russian troops are believed to have crossed the border during the attack. The civilians were gathered in a church before being moved across the border, Ukraine’s military said. Some may be held in the Russian city of Belgorod, but their location is not confirmed. Fighting was reported in the village after the raid. Ukraine says most of those taken were elderly residents who had refused earlier evacuation orders. (PC: BBC)

Cambodia has accused Thailand of destroying a statue of Lord Vishnu in a disputed border zone during ongoing clashes between the two countries. A government spokesman in Preah Vihear province said the statue stood in the An Ses area and was “inside our territory”. He said the demolition took place on Monday, about 100 metres from the border, though online maps place it farther away. The statue, built in 2014, was toppled by a bulldozer used by Thai military engineers. A video of the act spread on social media and caused anger. Thai authorities have not responded. Fighting along the border has killed more than 40 people and forced many to flee. (PC: HT)

India’s aviation sector is set to add more players after the civil aviation ministry granted no objection certificates to Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. The move follows recent nationwide disruptions at IndiGo and reflects concern over heavy reliance on a few large airlines. Another carrier, Shankh Air from Uttar Pradesh, has already received clearance and plans to start flights in 2026. India now has nine scheduled domestic airlines, with IndiGo and the Air India group controlling over 90% of the market. Officials say new airlines will widen choices, support fast-growing passenger demand, and strengthen regional links under the UDAN scheme. (PC: India Today)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a new 20-point peace plan includes options for demilitarised or free economic zones in eastern Ukraine. He said the draft was agreed with US officials and Russia was expected to respond soon. Zelensky said Ukraine is against troop withdrawal but may consider pulling heavy forces back if Russia does the same. Any zone would remain under Ukrainian control and police. He said the plan offers security guarantees from the US, Nato members, and Europe. The proposal also calls for a referendum on the deal, Russian troop withdrawal from several regions, and Ukraine keeping a large peacetime army of up to 800,000 soldiers. (PC: BBC)

Venezuela accused the United States of “extortion” at an emergency UN Security Council meeting after Washington seized two Venezuelan oil tankers this month. Venezuela’s UN envoy Samuel Moncada said the action was piracy and illegal. The US said it is also tracking a third tanker. President Donald Trump earlier ordered a naval blockade on sanctioned oil ships linked to the Maduro government. He accused President Nicolas Maduro of leading drug groups. The US said it may keep or sell the seized oil and vessels. Russia and China criticised the US move and urged it to stop. The US said the actions target drug trafficking in the region. (PC: BBC)

A fresh batch of nearly 30,000 documents from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Jeffrey Epstein files includes numerous references to President Donald Trump, showing he flew on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s, sometimes with an unnamed 20-year-old woman and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, according to a senior prosecutor email. The files also contain internal communications and photos tied to Epstein and his circle—but do not allege criminal conduct by Trump. The DOJ labeled many claims involving Trump as “untrue and sensationalist,” emphasizing transparency in releasing the records. (PC: AP)