Age-related decline in the immune system can have a measurable impact on CAR-T cell therapy -- one of the most advanced forms of cancer immunotherapy, according to a study.

CAR-T therapy works by engineering a patient's T cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells.

The study led by Swiss researchers found that CAR-T cells from aged mice had poor mitochondrial function, lower "stemness," and reduced antitumour activity.

It was due to a drop in levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) -- a molecule essential for cellular energy and metabolism of mitochondria, said the team from the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The number of passengers flown by India’s domestic airlines during April this year crossed the 1.43 crore mark, which represents an 8.45 per cent increase compared to the same month of the previous year, despite bad weather impacting operations during the month, figures released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday showed.

Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-April this year went up to 575.13 lakh, which represents a 9.87 per cent increase over the corresponding figure of 523.46 lakh during the same period of the previous year.

Bad weather was a significant factor in flight disruptions during April, accounting for 38.8 per cent of all cancellations in air tickets by passengers. This directly impacted 20,840 passengers, as a result of which airlines had to shell out Rs 41.69 lakh in compensation and facilities, marking a 117 per cent increase month-on-month.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to double the import duty on apples from the current 50 per cent to discourage its import from Turkey and safeguard the interests of the state's fruit growers.

He urged that quantitative restrictions should also be imposed on imported apples, the government said on Wednesday.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh is known as the ‘apple bowl’ of the country and is famous for producing delicious varieties of the fruit. The apple is the prime cash crop of the state and generates an income of about Rs 4,500 crore annually.

The CM said about 10 lakh mandays are generated due to the apple crop, thereby providing direct and indirect employment to more than 2.50 lakh families.

J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday announced government jobs to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in Pakistan shelling.

The Lieutenant Governor made the announcement while addressing families affected by the Poonch shelling.

The L-G expressed grief over the loss of lives due to Pakistan shelling and also expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.

"The loss of lives cannot be compensated. We stand with the families in this hour of grief. The next of kin of those who lost their lives will be given government jobs. This is in addition to the Centre's support for the affected families. Both the Centre and state governments have been making efforts to provide compensation to the families. The damage assessment is being done, and once the report is completed, the measures will be taken accordingly," he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday called upon the world powers to join hands against acts of terror and urged all nations to make a united global front against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

Raghav, who joined the prestigious Asian Leadership Conference in South Korea as a keynote speaker, made a strong case for punitive action against Pakistan for protecting and shielding terrorists, stating, “Terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere.”

The Indian stock market closed in positive territory on Wednesday, with the benchmark indices showing gains despite some ups and downs during the day.

The Sensex reached an intra-day high of 82,021 but later retreated slightly to close at 81,596.63, up by 410.19 points or 0.51 per cent.

The Nifty also ended the day higher, gaining 129.55 points or 0.52 per cent to settle at 24,813.45.

“The index was caught in a tug-of-war between bulls and bears, ending the day volatile and directionless,” Sundar Kewat of Ashika Institutional Equity said.

“Meanwhile, pressure mounted on consumer durables, private banks, and media stocks, weighing on overall sentiment,” he added.

With a financial outlay of Rs 2,000 crore, the PM E-Drive scheme will support the installation of approximately 72,000 EV public charging stations across the country, the government said on Wednesday.

These stations will be strategically deployed along 50 national highway corridors, within high-traffic destinations such as metro cities, toll plazas, railway stations, airports, fuel outlets, and state highways, the Ministry of Heavy Industries said in a statement.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries, HD Kumaraswamy, chaired a inter-ministerial coordination meeting to review and accelerate the implementation of EV charging infrastructure under the PM E-Drive scheme.

The scheme, launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to build a nationwide EV-ready ecosystem to enable cleaner transport and reduce India’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Fortis Healthcare, a leading Delhi-Based hospital chain, has reported a 7.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY) drop in its net profit to Rs 188.02 crore for the fourth quarter of financial year 2024–25 (Q4 FY25) -- down from Rs 203.14 crore in the same period last fiscal (Q4 FY24).

The decline in profit was mainly due to a sharp rise in total expenses and impairments in investments.

Fortis said its total expenses rose 13.6 per cent to Rs 1,741.52 crore in Q4 FY25, compared to Rs 1,531.76 crore in the year-ago period.

The company also incurred an exceptional loss of Rs 53.57 crore during the quarter. This was due to impairments on its investment in an associate firm and on some of its assets, including property and equipment.

Global investment bank Morgan Stanley has raised its Sensex target to 89,000 by June 2026, signalling an 8 per cent upside from current levels.

This revision reflects the firm's increased confidence in India's long-term growth story, supported by strong economic fundamentals and improved earnings outlook.

Additionally, Morgan Stanley has upgraded its earnings per share (EPS) estimates by nearly 1 per cent, following an upward revision in India's GDP growth forecast.

According to the report, the Sensex is now expected to trade at a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 23.5x -- higher than the 25-year average of 21x.

This premium valuation reflects growing investor confidence in India’s stable policy environment and medium-term growth prospects.

Thousands of people have been isolated amid record-breaking flooding on the east coast Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).

Heavy rainfall on Wednesday continued for a fourth consecutive day in regions over 100 km north of Sydney, exacerbating widespread flash flooding.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said that it responded to 887 calls for assistance, including 118 flood rescues, in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning.

Around 16,000 people or 7,400 dwellings in the worst-affected areas could expect to be isolated for at least a day, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted SES spokesperson Andrew Edmunds as saying on Wednesday morning.

SES was aware of 52 people trapped on tables, verandahs and their roofs, he added.