The popular comedy serial "Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai" has reached a phenomenal milestone by completing 2500 episodes. Commemorating the occasion, the team held a grand cake-cutting ceremony on the set, in the presence of the entire cast and crew.

Talking about the show, Aasif Sheikh (Vibhuti Narayan Mishra) was quoted saying, "This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Playing Vibhuti has given me immense joy and a chance to bring smiles to millions. His quirky charm and mischief resonate with so many viewers, and I am deeply grateful for their love and support over the years. My heartfelt thanks to the producers and channel for giving us this wonderful platform and standing by us throughout this incredible journey."

Desh Bhagat University, renowned for its vibrant cultural festivities, recently hosted a spectacular celebration of Maghi on campus, bringing together students, faculty, and distinguished guests for a day filled with joy and tradition. The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Jill Ku Martin, President of the University of North America (UONA), and Kirit Udeshi, Director of Outreach at UONA, who served as the chief guests.

India's trade deficit narrowed to $21.94 billion in December compared to the corresponding figure of $32.84 billion for November, as exports grew while imports declined on a month-to-month basis.

Merchandise exports in December increased to $38.01 billion compared to $32.11 billion in November, while imports declined to $59.95 billion from $64.95 billion in November.

However, on a year-on-year basis, the trade gap widened during December compared to $18.76 billion in December 2023. The merchandise exports declined by 1 per cent in December 2024 from $38.39 billion in the same month of the previous year while imports rose by 4.8 per cent from $57.15 billion in December 2023.

People with cardiovascular diseases and those with risk factors must avoid extreme exposures, said health experts on Wednesday.

"Exposure to extreme cold or heat without any pre-acculturation might lead to disturbance in cardiovascular function. Hence, patients with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases should avoid such extreme exposures," Harshal R Salve, Additional professor, centre for community medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, told.

He also urged people to be "aware about one's cardiovascular health such as blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis, uncontrolled diabetes status before venturing to extreme weather events".

Cardiologist Ashwani Mehta, from a city-based hospital, said many people get heart attacks in the winter.

Two people have drowned in separate accidents in Western Australia (WA).

Police in WA said on Wednesday that a man aged in his 40s drowned at a beach on the state's south coast on Monday while trying to rescue two children.

The man was among four adults who entered the water at Native Dog Beach, over 400 km southeast of Perth, to assist the children just after 2 pm local time on Monday before encountering difficulty.

He became unresponsive and was carried to the shore by members of the public who performed first aid.

Emergency services were called to the scene and ambulance crews took the man to a nearby medical center, but he could not be revived.

Health authorities in the Australian state of Victoria have advised people to be cautious of mosquitoes after detecting cases of Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV).

The Department of Health in Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, on Wednesday said that its early warning programme identified JEV in two mosquito traps in the state's north, marking the first detections of the potentially deadly disease in the current summer.

In response to the detections, the department warned tourists and locals in northern Victoria to be vigilant against mosquito bites.

The Centre's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has entered into a strategic partnership with ITC Ltd to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the country’s startup ecosystem, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

This collaboration charts a shared vision to accelerate startup growth and technological advancement besides creation of viable market opportunities for startups across the country, the statement said.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) paves the way for a partnership where ITC’s vast experience and expertise with its extensive market network will complement the DPIIT’s initiative for supporting startups across the country.

Under this partnership, ITC is looking to deploy startup solutions in key areas such as digital platforms for Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), integrating renewable energy opportunities for manufacturing locations and energy storage systems.

India's domestic benchmark indices ended higher on Wednesday as the realty sector closed in green after a gain of 1.39 per cent.

Sensex ended at 76,724.08, up by 224.45 points, or 0.29 per cent, and Nifty settled at 23,213.20, up by 37.15 points, or 0.16 per cent.

Nifty Bank ended at 48,751.70, up by 22.55 points, or 0.05 per cent. The Nifty Midcap 100 index closed at 53,899 after climbing 222.50 points, or 0.41 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 index closed at 17,353.95 after adding 96.15 points, or 0.56 per cent.

Leading cleantech company Attero on Wednesday launched MetalMandi -- an innovative digital AI-powered platform designed to bring organisation and efficiency to the unorganised metal scrap industry.

By leveraging cutting-edge technology and eco-friendly practices, it offers a seamless, transparent, and fair collection experience for scrap dealers and businesses across the country.

India’s material recycling market is valued at $40 billion and has immense potential for streamlining and formalizing the sector.

MetalMandi aims to capitalise on this opportunity by facilitating the daily transaction of 1,000 tonnes of scrap by May 2025, translating to an annual turnover of Rs 2,000 crore.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said that in consultation with Cricket Australia it has added an extra ODI to its schedule of home series against Australia, which begins on January 29 with the first of two Tests in Galle.

The tour’s original itinerary was of just one ODI alongside two Test matches, which are a part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, with Australia booking its spot in the final against South Africa, to be played at Lord’s in June.

Now, SLC said in a statement that it has revised its schedule, which will now see both teams compete in two Tests and as many ODIs, with Australia scheduled to arrive in the country on January 24, after having a pre-tour camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).