A Hindu advocate plans to contest the Gopalganj-3 seat once held by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh’s February 12 election. Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, general secretary of the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, will file his nomination on December 28 as an independent. He told local media he is a “neutral person” with no party links and wants to speak for common people. Several candidates from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party and other groups are also in the race. The polls will be held under an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, amid reports of rising attacks on minority communities after Hasina’s removal last year. (PC: NDTV)

A Cardiff couple who invited a homeless man into their home for Christmas in 1975 ended up living with him for 45 years. Rob and Dianne Parsons opened their door to Ronnie Lockwood, who arrived with a bag of belongings and a frozen chicken. Lockwood, who had autism, had lived on the streets since his teens. The couple planned to let him stay for one night but later helped him find work and become part of their family. He supported them with childcare and church work and left money to charity when he died in 2020 at age 75. A new centre in Cardiff now carries his name. (PC: BBC)

US authorities say they have found more than one million additional records that may be linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The FBI and federal prosecutors in New York told the Department of Justice about the discovery. The department said lawyers are reviewing the files and making required redactions to protect victims. It plans to release the records in stages in the coming days and weeks. The disclosure follows criticism over delays in publishing Epstein files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law last month. The law orders the public release of records while protecting victim identities and active investigations. The department did not explain how the new material was located. (PC: BBC)

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday after more than 17 years in self-exile in the United Kingdom. He arrived with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman. Large crowds gathered along routes near the airport to welcome him. Party leaders said Rahman travelled in one of two specially imported bulletproof vehicles to a reception in Purbachal, where he was scheduled to address supporters. The BNP expects a very large turnout for the event. After his speech, Rahman is to visit his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who is receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital.

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)