FirstUp: China to continue military drills near Taiwan, search for MH370 to resume... The news today

It is set to be a busy Tuesday with several events lined up for the day.

Firstly, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will continue its large-scale “Justice Mission 2025” military exercises surrounding Taiwan. Meanwhile, the search for MH370 will officially resume today.

India’s Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan is scheduled to visit Rameswaram today, marking an end to his two-day official tour through Puducherry, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Today, the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala will reopen its sanctum sanctorum for the annual Makaravilakku festival.

Here is all that is set to take place across the world today.

China to continue live-fire military drills surrounding Taiwan

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will continue its large-scale “Justice Mission 2025” military exercises surrounding Taiwan today. These drills include major live-fire activities scheduled to occur between 8 am and 6 pm local time across five designated sea and airspace zones encircling the island.

The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command stated the drills prioritise sea-air combat readiness, integrated control, and multidimensional deterrence. Exercises on December 30 are expected to include rehearsals for encircling the island and blockading Taiwan’s primary ports.

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Meanwhile, China has warned all non-participating vessels and aircraft to stay clear of the designated live-fire zones for a 10-hour window starting Tuesday morning.

Search for MH370 to resume

The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is officially set to resume today. Earlier, the Malaysian Transport Ministry announced this renewed effort to provide closure for the families of the 239 people on board the Boeing 777, which vanished in March 2014.

Marine robotics firm ‘Ocean Infinity’ will lead the mission using advanced autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), while the search will operate under a “no find, no fee” agreement. If successful, Ocean Infinity could receive up to $70 million. Efforts will focus on a high-probability 15,000-square-kilometre zone in the southern Indian Ocean, approximately 1,500 km off the coast of Western Australia.

This mission follows an earlier phase that began in March 2025 but was suspended in April due to severe winter weather and rough seas. The specialised vessel Armada 86 05 reportedly departed Australia’s west coast on December 23 to reach the search site in time for the Tuesday restart.
The resumption comes nearly 12 years after the aircraft disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

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India’s Vice-President to visit Rameswaram

India’s Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan is scheduled to visit Rameswaram on Tuesday.  This visit marks the final leg of his two-day official tour through Puducherry, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

The purpose of the VP’s visit is to serve as the Chief Guest for the valedictory ceremony of Kashi–Tamil Sangamam 4.0. This cultural initiative celebrates the civilisational bond between the ancient centres of learning — Kashi (Varanasi) and Tamil Nadu.

Approximately 5,000 participants are expected at the event, which features dignitaries including Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and several Union Ministers.

The Vice-President is expected to arrive by helicopter at the Public Works Department helipad in Rameswaram at approximately 3:30 pm. Following his arrival, he will proceed by road to the event venue located near the temple rest house. Over 700 police personnel have been stationed across the district to ensure safety.

Sabarimala to open for ‘Makaravilakku’

Kerala’s Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple is set to reopen today for the annual Makaravilakku festival. This marks the second and final phase of the two-month-long Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

The temple doors will be opened at 5 pm by Chief Priest (Melsanthi) ED Prasad, in the presence of Head Priest (Tantri) Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru. Following the opening, the Chief Priest will light the fire at the aazhi or sacred fireplace. Pilgrims will then be permitted to ascend the sacred 18 steps for darshan. The shrine had previously closed on December 27 following the conclusion of the 41-day Mandala Pooja.

With inputs from agencies