The World Bank on Friday said it cleared a $800 million loan for integrated urban development of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, to help establish the city as a "well-managed, climate-resilient growth centre" that generates jobs.

The multilateral body's financing will also catalyse more than $600 million in private sector investment to help the city become financially sustainable, it said in a statement.

"The $800 million loan requested by the Government of India to develop Amaravati as an economic hub and state capital for Andhra Pradesh, has a final maturity of 29 years, including a grace period of six years," it said.

The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department says Ayodhya welcomed13.55 crore domestic tourists and 3,153 international visitors between January and September 2024. Uttar Pradesh has experienced a tourism surge, breaking records with an impressive 47.61 crore tourists visiting the state between January and September 2024. Ayodhya, home to the Ram Temple, has emerged as the state’s most visited destination, surpassing the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra.

The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department reported that Ayodhya welcomed an astounding 13.55 crore domestic tourists and 3,153 international visitors during this period. The inauguration of the Ram Temple has driven this unprecedented surge, reshaping the tourism map of the state.

Real Madrid won the Intercontinental Cup after beating Mexico's Pachuca 3-0 in the final on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior scoring.

It was a largely one-sided contest at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, with Madrid doing just enough and never looking likely to cede control despite allowing their opponents to threaten occasionally from counter-attacks.

The Champions League winners opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a fine team goal that started with Jude Bellingham passing to Vinicius, who ran past the goalkeeper before putting it on a plate for Mbappé, who tapped it into the empty net.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the “Banglar Bari” scheme on Tuesday to provide houses for the rural poor in the State.

Ms Banerjee released the funds to 42 beneficiaries across 21 districts and said over 12 lakh beneficiaries in the State are eligible for the first instalment.

The launch of the scheme assumes significance as Ms. Banerjee had announced it ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and said that if the Centre does not release funds for PM Awas Yojana, then the West Bengal government will go ahead with its own scheme.

The release of funds for central schemes in West Bengal has emerged as a political issue, with the Chief Minister starting similar schemes and releasing funds to the beneficiaries after the Union government allegedly failed to release money.

Goa's vibrant Manohar Parrikar Stadium in Margao has become the center of international attention as it plays host to the 4th Asian Roll Ball Championship. This prestigious event, which began with a spectacular inauguration yesterday, marks a significant milestone in the promotion of Roll Ball, a sport steadily gaining global traction.

The championship sees participation from 12 nations, each bringing their finest talent to compete for the coveted title. Teams have completed their trial runs, and from today, the action officially begins, with matches scheduled to culminate in a thrilling final on December 19th. Enthusiasts and sports lovers can look forward to intense competition and moments of sheer brilliance as players from across Asia showcase their skills and teamwork.

HarperCollins India is proud to announce the upcoming release publication of 'BRING IT ON The Incredible Story of My Life' by Deepa Malik.

"I haven't seen a better motivator than Deepa Malik" - Narendra Modi

It is her smile that you notice first. It captivates you and ensures that your eyes don't move away from it. You don't see the wheelchair; you don't see the body paralysed chest down. You don't see the trauma of recurring spinal tumours, the frustration of an unresponsive body caging a free spirit, the countless hours of gruelling training. All you see is Deepa Malik—achiever, champion, inspiration.

Call her India's foremost para athlete with twenty-three international medals—including a silver at the 2016 Rio Paralympics—and several national awards, a recipient of the Padma Shri, the Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award, or the first Indian female paraplegic swimmer, biker and car rallyist, there's truly only one statement that defines Deepa Malik—a powerhouse of possibilities.

India’s economy will grow a tad faster at 6.6 percent in FY26 compared with 6.4 percent in the current fiscal, as investments emerge as a key driver of growth, India Ratings and Research said at the launch of its “FY2026 Macro Economic Outlook”.

"Ind-Ra believes India is facing monetary, fiscal and external tightening. While it expects monetary conditions to ease now, the fiscal and external tightening is expected to continue in FY26 as well. Nevertheless, the FY26 growth is expected to be the same as India’s best decadal growth (FY11-20),” said Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist, Ind-Ra.

The ratings agency was less optimistic about the country’s quarterly growth outlook than the Reserve Bank of India, which pegged FY25 growth at 6.6 percent for the year.

The RBI expects the economy to average 7 percent for the second half of the year after what Ind-Ra describes as a “cyclical slowdown” pushed growth in Q2FY25 to a seven-quarter low of 5.4 percent. The Indian economy grew 6 percent in the first half of the year.

As the Congress government in Telangana marks its first year in office with the “Telangana Rising” campaign, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has prioritised Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the state’s future.

The state government wants to make Hyderabad India’s AI capital. To achieve this, they plan to create a 200-acre AI City.

The project aims to boost Telangana’s economy, education and governance through partnerships and collaborations. The goal is to promote sustainable innovation and establish technological leadership.

The government said that AI City will be a centre for new technology and innovation which hopes to attract large companies, research institutes and startups worldwide.

The government blocked 18 OTT platforms this year for publishing obscene and vulgar content, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

In a reply to a question by Shiv Sena-UBT member Anil Desai, Mr. Murugan said the IT Rules of 2021 cast specific due diligence obligations on intermediaries to make reasonable efforts by themselves against displaying or spreading obscene or pornographic content.

The Rules also provide for a Code of Ethics for publishers of news and current affairs on digital media and publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms).

"The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken action in coordination with various intermediaries, and blocked 18 OTT platforms on 14th March 2024 for publishing obscene, vulgar, and, in some instances, pornographic content under these provisions," Mr. Murugan said.

NCPI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) responsible for deploying homegrown payment products globally, is aiming to expand its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to up to six countries in 2025.

NIPL plans to launch its instant payments service in countries Qatar, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian nations frequented by Indian tourists.

"While NPCI in India works at a breakneck speed, we have partners outside India who have their way of completing projects. We are hopeful of going live in at least three or four more countries (in 2025), and if projects are completed on time, maybe six countries,” NPCI International Payments CEO Ritesh Shukla, said.

Shukla was participating in a panel discussion at Moneycontrol's India Fintech Conclave (IFC) 2024 in Mumbai on December 18.