Alia Bhatt emerged as one of the most celebrated figures at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival, where she was honoured with the Golden Globe Horizon Award.

The recognition, announced by the festival on Instagram, marks a significant milestone in her international journey. Red Sea Film wrote, "We’re proud to partner with the Golden Globes Awards to honor Hind Sabri with the Omar Sharif Award and Alia Bhatt with the Golden Globe Horizon Award on the sidelines of the 5th Red Sea International Film Festival. Noteworthy, these two awards highlight the achievements of the brightest creative talents in the Middle East and North Africa."

The honour coincided with a curated showcase of Alia’s filmography, a festival tribute that traced her evolution from debutante to one of Indian cinema’s most versatile and bankable stars. The segment spotlighted her growth as an actor, revisiting performances in Highway, Dear Zindagi, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and Brahmastra. International audiences responded enthusiastically, praising the emotional breadth and genre range she has mastered across arthouse drama, mainstream romance, biographical storytelling, and high-volume commercial cinema.

India celebrated a proud moment today at the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 as Abdul Quadir Indori delivered a stunning performance in the swimming events, securing two Gold Medals for the nation.

Abdul dominated the pool with exceptional skill and determination, winning the gold medal in 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke.

His remarkable victories reflect his dedication, discipline, and the high-quality training he has undergone. Abdul’s success also strengthens India’s medal tally and boosts the morale of the entire contingent.

President Droupadi Murmu will be on a two-day visit to Manipur from December 11 to 12, during which she will participate in a series of ceremonial and developmental events across the state.

The President will arrive in Imphal today and be accorded a traditional guard of honour. She will visit the historic Mapal Kangjeibung to witness a polo exhibition match, celebrating the state’s rich sporting heritage. In the evening, the President will attend a civic reception hosted by the Manipur government at the City Convention Centre, Imphal. During the visit, she is expected to lay foundation stones and inaugurate several key developmental projects, signalling the government’s continued focus on regional progress.

On Friday, the President will visit the Nupee Lal Memorial complex in Imphal to pay her respects to the brave women warriors of Manipur, acknowledging their historic contribution to the state. She will then proceed to Senapati, where she will address a public gathering and lay foundation stones and inaugurate projects aimed at boosting development in the district.

Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas is being celebrated in Jaipur today, with participation from Non-Resident Rajasthanis from across India and abroad.

The event aims to connect NR Rajasthanis with their cultural roots and ensure their contribution to the State’s development. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said that Rajasthan is a land of immense opportunities, offering vast potential for trade and industry.

He added that Pravasi Rajasthanis have made a name for themselves across the country and the world, yet they have always remained connected to their roots.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the state has abundant mineral reserves, and its rich heritage, culture, and robust infrastructure make Rajasthan truly distinctive. He urged Pravasi Rajasthanis to come forward and invest in the State, assuring them full support from the government.

Universal Health Coverage Day is observed annually on December 12. The day aims to raise awareness among the nations to build a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable and equitable for everyone.

The day serves as a reminder to governments and communities that no one should experience financial hardship or be denied care due to cost, distance, or discrimination.

The theme for this year’s International Universal Health Coverage Day is “The Devastating Human Impact of Unaffordable Health Costs." It highlights the growing global crisis of people facing financial strain due to healthcare expenses.

Despite multiple high-level political commitments to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, more than 50 per cent of the global population still cannot access essential health services.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Ltd and NABARD for development of power infrastructure in the eastern state, officials said.

Under the agreement, NABARD has extended a loan of Rs 1,685.27 crore to OPTCL.

“Today in Bhubaneswar, I witnessed the signing of a landmark MoU between OPTCL and NABARD – the first-ever project financing by NABARD to any State PSU in Odisha. Through this strategic financial partnership, NABARD has extended a long-term loan... at a reduced interest rate of 7.75 per cent per annum,” Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo said in a post on X.

Singh Deo, who is also in-charge of the energy department, was present at the signing of the MoU.

Indian dairy brand Amul has extended its partnership with the Argentina Football Association (AFA), continuing as its official regional sponsor for another season. AFA confirmed the renewal, taking the association into its fourth year and covering Argentina’s FIFA World Cup title defence in 2026.

Amul remains the first Indian entity to serve as a regional sponsor of the Argentine national team. The company also announced that a special range of Amul products featuring Argentine players, along with exclusive fan merchandise, will be available in India over the coming year.

“With great enthusiasm, we announce today the extension of Amul, a historic Indian company, and our first regional sponsor in India in this fourth consecutive extension,” said Claudio Fabián Tapia, President of AFA.

In its bid to improve sporting ties between Italy and India that will eventually help in exchange programmes including training, infrastructure sharing and sports development, the Indian Olympic Association has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) on Wednesday. The MoU will also bring the two countries closer through sports.

The signing was attended by Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani. The MoU was signed by IOA president PT Usha and CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio.

According to the agreement, as shared by the IOA, the understanding will provide "structured framework for joint promotion of sports, exchange of expertise and mutual access to each nation's elite sporting infrastructure and high-performance centres for athletes, coaches and sports science professionals".

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its growth forecast for India by 0.7 percentage points from 6.5 per cent to 7.2 per cent for 2025-26, days after India registered robust July-September quarter growth and prospects of a stronger fiscal.

India's 2025 growth projection reflects a stronger third-quarter expansion as tax cuts supported consumption. The 2026 forecast stays unchanged at 6.5 per cent.

The multilateral development bank has on Wednesday raised its growth forecasts for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific for this year and next, amid stronger-than-expected exports and reduced trade uncertainty following the conclusion of several trade agreements with the United States.

Over a billion women worldwide aged 15 and above had experienced sexual violence during childhood, while around 608 million were exposed to intimate partner violence in 2023, according to estimates published in The Lancet journal.

Highest prevalence of both intimate partner and sexual violence were found to be concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In these regions, the health impacts of violence are compounded by high rates of HIV and other chronic conditions, researchers noted.

In India, prevalence of intimate partner violence was estimated at 23 per cent among women aged 15 and above. Over 30 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men aged 15 and above are estimated to have experienced sexual violence as a child.