Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a Union Cabinet meeting to review India’s economic preparedness amid the escalating West Asia crisis and rising global oil prices. The government is considering stricter austerity measures to protect foreign exchange reserves and control fuel import costs.   In recent speeches, Modi urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, avoid foreign travel, postpone gold purchases and prefer Indian-made products. The Centre has already raised gold import duties and cut official convoy usage. Reports suggest the government may expand work-from-home practices, restrict non-essential spending and review fuel pricing as Brent crude crosses $105 per barrel amid tensions involving Iran, Israel and the US. (PC: X)

The Central Board of Secondary Education on Wednesday declared the Class 12 board examination results for 2026, with the overall pass percentage falling to 85.20%, down from 88.39% last year. Out of 17.8 lakh registered students, over 15 lakh cleared the exams.   Girls outperformed boys by 6.73 percentage points, continuing the trend seen in previous years. Trivandrum emerged as the best-performing region with a 95.62% pass rate, while Prayagraj recorded the lowest at 72.43%.   Students can access their marksheets through official websites, DigiLocker, UMANG app and SMS services using their roll number, school number and admit card ID. CBSE has again decided not to release a merit list to avoid unhealthy competition among students. (PC: HT)

The Indian rupee slipped to a fresh all-time low of 95.8 against the US dollar on Wednesday as soaring crude oil prices and rising import costs intensified pressure on the economy. The currency weakened amid fears of prolonged disruption in global oil supplies, with Brent crude trading above $107 per barrel.   The Centre also raised import duty on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb foreign exchange outflow and protect reserves. Despite volatile trading, benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended marginally higher. Analysts warned that sustained high oil prices and foreign fund outflows could keep the rupee under pressure in the coming weeks. (PC: ai)

  High-resolution satellite imagery reviewed by India Today’s OSINT team suggests multiple Iran-linked aircraft were present at Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi during recent diplomatic visits. The images reportedly show a camouflaged C130-type aircraft and two planes resembling Iranian Meraj Air aircraft parked at the sensitive military facility.   Analysts said the camouflage pattern closely matches Iranian Air Force aircraft. The airbase is also undergoing major reconstruction nearly a year after India’s Operation Sindoor strikes. Satellite images show newly built hangars and a reconstructed command facility, indicating efforts to shield key military assets from satellite surveillance and aerial monitoring.  (PC: India Today)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned countries to stay alert for more hantavirus cases following an outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde when several suspected infections were reported.   Health officials are closely monitoring the situation because the Andes strain of hantavirus, unlike most forms of the virus, can spread through close human contact. Hantavirus is usually transmitted through infected wild rodents and can cause severe respiratory illness.   The WHO has asked countries to strengthen surveillance and preparedness measures as concerns grow over the possible spread of infections in the coming weeks.

The NEET UG 2026 paper leak probe has reached Maharashtra’s Nashik, where the CBI detained a 30-year-old BAMS student accused of buying and selling the leaked question paper for profit. Investigators alleged that Shubham Khairnar purchased the paper from a Pune-based suspect for Rs 10 lakh and later sold it in Haryana for Rs 15 lakh through encrypted messaging platforms.   Officials said he changed his appearance by cutting his hair to avoid arrest, but was tracked using surveillance inputs and old photographs. The leak allegedly spread across multiple states through Telegram groups, scanners and shadow servers, forcing the cancellation of the NEET UG exam for over 22 lakh students. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has taken some of America’s biggest business and technology leaders on his official visit to China, highlighting the importance of trade, artificial intelligence and semiconductor ties between the world’s two largest economies.   Among the executives joining Trump in Beijing are Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Apple CEO Tim Cook and BlackRock chairman Larry Fink. Leaders from Meta, Boeing, Visa, Goldman Sachs, Citi, Mastercard and Micron Technology are also part of the delegation.   The visit comes as Washington and Beijing remain locked in tensions over AI chips, technology exports and trade restrictions. Huang’s last-minute inclusion drew attention as Nvidia’s advanced AI chips are central to the US-China tech rivalry. Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade, technology and the ongoing Iran conflict. (PC: BBC)

National Testing Agency Director General Abhishek Singh defended the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, calling it a “short-term pain for long-term reform” after evidence suggested the exam’s integrity had been compromised. Singh said questions from a circulated “guess paper” matched the May 3 exam paper, prompting the NTA to cancel the test under its “zero-error, zero-tolerance” policy. He confirmed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will probe the alleged leak and warned strict action against anyone found guilty. Singh also said the NTA plans to replace contractual staff with permanent personnel within six to nine months. (PC: HT)

Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led Centre over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, alleging that most exam paper leaks since 2014 occurred under BJP governments. Referring to the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 after an alleged leak, Kejriwal claimed around six crore youths had been affected by such incidents nationwide. He also questioned the credibility of the CBI probe and urged India’s Gen-Z to protest against those responsible for exam scams. Over 22 lakh aspirants are awaiting fresh exam dates as the investigation into the leak continues.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has revoked the appointment of astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Chief Minister’s Office following strong criticism from alliance partners and opposition parties. Vettrivel’s appointment a day earlier had triggered controversy, with parties including the VCK, CPI and CPM questioning the decision. Facing mounting political pressure, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government withdrew the order. The episode has sparked debate in Tamil Nadu politics over political appointments and the influence of personal advisers in government, especially in key administrative roles close to the Chief Minister. (PC: India Today)