CBSE Class 12 results: Education Ministry dismisses concerns about ‘On-Screen Marking’ affecting students’ scores

Days after the announcement of CBSE Class 12 results, the Ministry of Education on Sunday (May 17, 2026) dismissed concerns of the ‘On-Screen Marking’ (OSM) evaluation system affecting students’ scores. They maintained that it is an internationally accepted norm which enables “transparent evaluation”. The Board has reduced the revaluation and answer sheet verification charges to ₹100, the Ministry said.

Fire breaks out after drone strike on UAE nuclear power plant, says authorities

A fire broke out following a drone strike on a nuclear power plant in the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Sunday (May 17, 2026), authorities said, reporting no injuries or impact on radiation levels. “Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire incident that broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, caused by a drone strike,” the Abu Dhabi Media Office wrote in a social media post.

PM Modi tours iconic Dutch dam; eyes cooperation in water management

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, toured the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam on Sunday (May 17, 2026), as India and the Netherlands explored deeper collaboration in water management and climate-resilient infrastructure. “An area in which the Netherlands has done groundbreaking work is water management. The entire international community can learn a great deal from this,” Mr. Modi said in a social media post after the visit.

I did not try to broker a deal between DMK and AIADMK: Rajinikanth

Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday (May 17, 2026) dispelled speculation that he had tried to broker a deal between the DMK and the AIADMK in the wake of the fractured mandate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. He also made it clear he does not envy actor-turned Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s success. Addressing journalists at his Poes Garden residence in Chennai, Rajinikanth said the Dravidian parties have been in power for 60 years, there was perhaps a need for a change, and Mr. Vijay was in the right place to bring that change.

Greater Nicobar project a recipe for ecological disaster: Jairam Ramesh

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday (May 17, 2026) wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, objecting to the Great Nicobar Island Development Project, terming it in its current form an “ecological disaster”. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had earlier raised objections to the project on the same grounds. The Central government has been citing strategic interests as the reason to go ahead with the project, for which Mr. Ramesh has suggested alternative means in his letter to Mr. Singh.

Kerala Cabinet: Congress leadership in talks with UDF allies to seal allocation of ministerial berths

Ahead of the new government formation in Kerala, the Congress leadership on Sunday (May 17, 2026) continued its negotiations with United Democratic Front (UDF) allies over Cabinet-related decisions and the sharing of ministerial portfolios. Amidst whispers in the corridors of power, taking the form of news and talks with single-MLA allies in flux, all eyes are on how the Congress would ultimately divide power before the swearing-in ceremony on Monday (May 18, 2026).

Vessel carrying 20,000 tonnes of LPG reaches Gujarat after crossing Strait of Hormuz

A vessel carrying 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) arrived at Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla in Gujarat after crossing the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia crisis, officials said on Sunday (May 17, 2026). The Marshall Islands-flagged MV SYMI started its journey from Qatar and docked at the port in Kandla around 11.30 pm on Saturday (May 16, 2026) after crossing the Strait of Hormuz on May 13, they added.

President Murmu promulgates ordinance to increase Supreme Court judge strength by four

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday (May 17, 2026) has promulgated an ordinance increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The gazette notification, dated May 16, stated the “Parliament is not in session, and the President is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for her to take immediate action”.

At UN, India flags concerns over targeting of vessels in Strait of Hormuz

Targeting commercial shipping, endangering civilian crew and impeding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is “unacceptable”, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Parvathaneni Harish has said, stressing that international law governing safe passage must be “fully respected”. The attack on the India-flagged vessel on May 13 took place amid the fragile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway close to the coast of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy supplies pass.

SriLankan Airlines accuses Indian employees of ₹22 million fraud

SriLankan Airlines has accused several Indian employees based in its Chennai office of misappropriating funds worth ₹22 million. In a statement issued on Saturday (May 16, 2026), the Sri Lankan flag carrier said that the fraud was carried out by altering invoices, payment details and signatures.

India’s gems, jewellery exports down 9.07% in April at $2,226.45 million

India’s gems and jewellery exports declined by 9.07% at $2,226.45 million (₹20,825.01 crore) in April following the West Asia conflict, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council said. The total exports were $2,448.53 million (₹20,952.26 crore) in the same month in 2025, as per the data by the industry apex body GJEPC.