Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of maintaining silence over the CBSE Class 12 results controversy, alleging “massive tampering” in the evaluation process. “No answers, no accountability, no shame,” Gandhi said while demanding an SIT probe into the matter. The controversy began after students claimed answer sheet mismatches and technical glitches in the re-evaluation system. Gandhi also questioned the awarding of the CBSE contract to private firm COEMPT, alleging it had faced similar accusations earlier under another name. CBSE has denied any security breach in its online portal.

Enforcement Directorate officials faced violent protests in Kerala on Wednesday after raids at properties linked to former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family in an alleged pay-off case. CPI(M) workers blocked and vandalised an ED vehicle, smashing its windshield while officials, including women officers, were inside. The raids were conducted at 10 locations, including Vijayan’s residence and properties linked to his daughter T Veena and son-in-law Mohammed Riyas. The case involves allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd paid Rs 1.72 crore to Veena’s company without services being provided. The Kerala High Court recently refused to quash the ED investigation.

A fresh Israeli air strike in Gaza City has killed Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed commander of Hamas’s military wing, just days after his predecessor was killed in a similar attack. The strike targeted a residential building in a crowded market area ahead of Eid shopping, killing Odeh, his wife, and later their adult son, according to Hamas sources and relatives. Israel said Odeh was among the key planners of the October 7 attack and had been tracked for months. The attack also injured dozens and caused major destruction in central Gaza as violence continues despite the October ceasefire agreement. (PC: BBC)

Manipuri astrophysicist Ronaldo Laishram has led an international team in discovering a massive 12.6-billion-year-old protocluster, named the “Loktak Protocluster” after Manipur’s famous Loktak Lake. Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the discovery sheds light on how galaxies evolved in the early Universe when it was only 1.2 billion years old. Researchers used observations from the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope to study the structure, which contains four connected galaxy concentrations. Laishram said the name honours Manipur’s identity and connects his home state to the wider story of the Universe. (PC: X) 

Hundreds of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals gathered near the Hakimpur check post in West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas district as the new BJP government intensified its action against illegal immigration. Many families carrying bags and blankets waited near the border hoping to return to Bangladesh before detention drives begin. The state government has announced plans to set up holding centres across districts under its “Detect, Delete and Deport” policy. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the government would act firmly against undocumented migrants. Police and BSF personnel have increased surveillance as authorities coordinate further action along the India-Bangladesh border. (The Telegraph)

The Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS seized around 118 kg of cocaine worth an estimated ₹1,150 crore during a joint anti-narcotics operation near Mundra Port in Gujarat. Officials said the operation was conducted on the night of May 25-26 after intelligence inputs about drug smuggling through the maritime route. Authorities intercepted a vessel anchored off the Mundra coast and recovered multiple bags allegedly thrown into the sea under darkness. Gujarat DGP Dr KLN Rao said three people, including foreign nationals linked to the consignment, were detained. Investigators also recovered a satellite phone and an Apple tag for further probe. 

A major forest fire broke out in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district on Tuesday as extreme heat and dry weather conditions intensified across the region. The blaze in Kandaghat’s Kyarighat area destroyed several wooden shops and filled nearby hills with thick smoke, though no casualties were reported. Firefighters managed to contain the flames before they spread to nearby homes. Officials suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the fire. Authorities said rising temperatures, dry chir pine needles and prolonged dry spells linked to climate change are increasing forest fire risks across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand this summer. 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the legality of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and clarified that removal of a person’s name from electoral rolls does not mean loss of Indian citizenship. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the Election Commission can examine citizenship only for deciding inclusion or exclusion from voter lists, not for determining citizenship status itself. The verdict came on petitions challenging the SIR process, which required some voters to prove ancestral linkage with names in the 2002 or 2003 electoral rolls. Petitioners had alleged the exercise was a “backdoor citizenship verification” process. (PC: India Today)

Pakistan’s Punjab government has deferred its plan to restore several pre-Partition Hindu and British-era names of roads and localities in Lahore after facing strong backlash from extremist groups and social media campaigners. The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival project, backed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, had approved restoring historical names such as Krishan Nagar, Lakshmi Chowk and Jain Mandir Road. The proposal aimed to preserve Lahore’s cultural and architectural heritage. However, critics accused the government of reviving “Hindu and Sikh identity”, forcing authorities to put the decision on hold to avoid further controversy and political pressure. (PC: X)

Ferrari shares tumbled after the luxury carmaker unveiled the Luce, its first fully electric vehicle, signaling a major shift in the company’s history. The Rome-launched model, whose name means “light,” represents a departure from traditional Ferrari styling and arrives as rivals Porsche and Lamborghini slow EV plans amid weak demand. Ferrari’s Milan-listed shares fell about 8%, while U.S.-listed shares dropped 5.3%. CEO Benedetto Vigna called the launch a “new chapter,” saying the Luce would attract both existing and new customers. Analysts cited investor concerns over brand dilution, high EV development costs, and controversial design choices. Critics including Luca di Montezemolo and Matteo Salvini publicly questioned the model.