Evening news wrap: Shashi Tharoor’s cryptic post stirs political buzz; Shubhanshu Shukla makes space history, and more

Today’s evening news wrap consists of CBSE’s move to biannual Class 10 board exams, Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the first Indian in space in 40 years, and more top stories from politics, sports, and finance.After multiple delays, the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission was finally launched at 2.31am Eastern Time (12.01pm IST) Wednesday and India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla with three of his crew mates — veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson (US) as commander, Polish engineer Sławosz Uznański, Hungarian researcher Tibor Kapu — soared into space.Meanwhile, The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved a significant change in its examination policy by deciding to conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year from 2026.Axiom-4 launch successful: Shubhanshu Shukla is 1st Indian in space in 40 years; will be first ever at ISS tomorrowAx-4’s designated pilot, Shukla is only the second Indian to reach space and the first to serve in a critical operational role aboard an International Space Station (ISS) mission. Read full storyCBSE approves biannual Class 10 board exams starting 2026, best score to be retainedCBSE new structure is aimed at providing students with more flexibility and opportunities to improve their performance, while also reducing the pressure of a single high-stakes exam. Read full story'Don't ask permission': Tharoor's cryptic post after Kharge's 'Modi first' jibeMinutes after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s veiled attack on party leader Shashi Tharoor for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "a prime asset for India" globally, the Thiruvananthapuram MP on Wednesday put up a cryptic post on social media. "Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one," Tharoor posted on X. Read full story ICC Test Rankings: Rishabh Pant registers career-high ranking, Jasprit Bumrah holds firm; Joe Root leads the wayThe latest ICC Test rankings reveal a dynamic shift in the global cricket landscape following a week of standout performances in both the red-ball and T20I formats. India’s Rishabh Pant and England’s Ben Duckett headline the latest update, climbing to new career-best positions after delivering monumental knocks in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley. Read full story EPFO members take note! Advance withdrawal limit via auto settlement mode hiked to Rs 5 lakh; ATM withdrawals for PF accounts soon Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Tuesday an increase in the auto-settlement threshold for provident fund advance withdrawals from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Read full story