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.

Elan Group, in partnership with Invincible Publishers, hosted the grand launch of The Art of Doing Nothing Right, the anticipated debut book by Ajit Navraj Hans, daughter of music legend Daler Mehndi. The event took place at Elan Epic Mall, Sector 70, Gurugram, on 9th December 2025, marking a significant cultural moment for the city. The evening brought together celebrated personalities from the music industry, emerging authors and creative leaders, further strengthening Elan Epic Mall's growing identity as a vibrant experiential space where art, ideas and community spirit come alive.

The launch was graced by Daler Mehndi, Hans Raj Hans (Padma Shri) and Navraj Hans, whose presence added warmth, legacy and inspiration to this milestone occasion. Their participation reflected a rare coming together of creative lineages, offering an extraordinary backdrop. The Art of Doing Nothing Right explores the power of imperfections, the beauty of mistakes and the art of embracing one's journey without fear of failure. With an honest and relatable narrative, the book celebrates authenticity and resilience, making it a refreshing addition to India's contemporary non-fiction landscape.

Yurpeak, the second brand of the blockbuster fat-loss injection tirzepatide from US pharma major Eli Lilly, has officially entered the Indian market through Cipla.

Eli Lilly launched tirzepatide earlier this year as Mounjaro, and with Yurpeak’s rollout on Wednesday, the drug is now positioned to reach deeper into India’s smaller towns and cities.

Tirzepatide, part of the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapy class originally designed for type 2 diabetes, mimics gut hormones to regulate blood sugar, suppress appetite and slow digestion.

Sebi has relaxed the geotagging requirement mandating physical presence in India for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) undergoing re-KYC. The move will enable digital due diligence from abroad. The move comes following stakeholder requests to simplify KYC access for NRIs.

Markets continue downturn ahead of Fed’s rate decision

Stock benchmarks extended losses on Wednesday on concern the US Federal Reserve may signal a more hawkish 2026 outlook ahead of the expected rate cut later in the day.

The Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex eased 0.32 per cent each to 25,758 and 84,391.27 points, respectively. The indices have fallen about 1.6 per cent each over three sessions this week on persistent foreign selling amid Fed caution and uncertainty over a US trade deal. The Fed is widely expected to cut rates at its ongoing meeting, but investors expect policymakers to remain divided.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil on Wednesday launched the Sujalam Bharat app, a new digital platform aimed at improving governance, transparency and monitoring of rural drinking water supply systems across the country. Developed with technical support from the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N), the app will provide real-time information on water infrastructure under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Speaking at the launch, Patil said the initiative marks an important step in strengthening community ownership and ensuring structured monitoring of rural water schemes. “This is a very important launch for Jal Jeevan Mission, marking a major step forward in ensuring greater transparency and strengthening community ownership in rural drinking water supply systems,” he said.