Vehicles with fake number plates used to shoot Suvendu Adhikari’s aide: West Bengal police

Vehicles with fake number plates were used to target and kill Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to Suvendu Adhikari, the outgoing Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, late on Wednesday night (May 6, 2026), according to the West Bengal police. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the attack, and forensic experts have visited the scene of the crime in North 24 Parganas, Madhyamgram. “If he was not my aide or I did not defeat [outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee] in Bhabanipur, maybe they would not have targeted Rath. His crime was being my personal assistant,” Mr. Adhikari said, after visiting his aide’s family at the Barasat Medical College and Hospital where a post-mortem was being conducted on Rath’s body.

U.S. and Iran trade fire, threatening fragile truce

The U.S. military said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets on Thursday (May 7, 2026) after an attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused Washington of striking first. The violence threatened to unravel a fragile truce in effect since April 8 that brought an end to weeks of U.S.-Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic, which has retaliated with strikes across West Asia and by blocking the strait, a vital route for oil and gas shipments.

A year after Operation Sindoor, two schools bear the cost of conflict in Pulwama and Poonch

A year on, two schools in Jammu & Kashmir, which bore the brunt of the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan in May last year, stand testimony to the cost of war, tragedy, and trauma, staring at a long road to recovery. With Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) on the other side of the nearby hills, the Christ High School in Poonch is finding it hard bury the memories of the war. “Who would want a war that leaves children dead? In pursuit of justice for the Pahalgam victims, there was addition to the list of civilian deaths. War exposes the vulnerabilities of human beings,” Father Shijo, principal of the school for the past seven years, told The Hindu.

Nida Khan, key accused in Nashik TCS case, arrested in Maharashtra

Over 40 days after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against her in a rape and sexual exploitation case, suspended TCS employee Nida Khan was taken into police custody in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar late on Thursday night. The arrest was made in a joint operation by the Nashik SIT, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Crime Branch and the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Police Commissioner. “Nida Khan has been taken into custody from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. We are in the process of completing the legal action now,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Sandip Mitke, who heads the Nashik Police SIT.

Supreme Court asks if there was a ‘proper debate’ in Parliament before enacting CEC/EC appointments law

The Supreme Court on Thursday (May 7, 2026) asked if there had been a “proper debate” in the Parliament about the “ethos” of its 2023 judgment that took the appointment of members of the Election Commission of India out of the exclusive hands of the political executive, namely, “the party which not unnaturally has an interest in perpetuating itself in power”.

India will shape the battlefield if challenged again: armed forces on Operation Sindoor

On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, senior military officials asserted that India’s response to cross-border terrorism has fundamentally altered the security landscape, with Lieutenant-General Rajiv Ghai declaring that no terror sanctuary inside Pakistan remains safe anymore. Addressing a joint press conference in Jaipur with senior officers from the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy, Lieutenant-General Ghai, who served as the Director-General of Military Operations during Operation Sindoor, said it was “not an end, but just the beginning”.

Repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis is a ‘core issue’: MEA response to Dhaka’s remarks on ‘push-in’ from India

The repatriation of Bangladeshi citizens who are illegally staying in India is a “core issue” in the Delhi-Dhaka relationship, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday (May 7, 2026). Responding to comments from Bangladesh’s new government about possible “push-ins” from the Indian side, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal sought Dhaka’s cooperation on expediting the repatriation of at least 2,862 identified illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Trump hails talks with Brazil’s Lula despite earlier tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had good talks with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the White House on Thursday (May 7, 2026), hailing the “very dynamic” leader despite previous tensions with his ideological opposite. Leftist Mr. Lula, 80, and right-winger Mr. Trump, 79, have clashed before over everything from tariffs to Mr. Trump’s bid to exert U.S. dominance over the Americas. But they have worked to bury the hatchet in recent months — not least as Mr. Lula seeks to boost his image at home ahead of tight elections in October.

WHO says now five confirmed cruise ship hantavirus cases

The World Health Organization said on Thursday (May 7, 2026) there were now five confirmed hantavirus cases from the Atlantic cruise ship outbreak, with three more suspected — and warned more cases were possible. Despite the three fatalities, the WHO insisted that the outbreak on the MV Hondius was not the start of an epidemic, or a repeat of the spread of COVID-19.

Two former Chinese Defence Ministers sentenced to death for corruption

Two former Chinese Defence Ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges on Thursday (May 7, 2026), official media reported. Their sentences were separately handed down by China’s military court, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Compliance regulations could derail benefits from ‘mother of all deals’: EU Ambassador to India

While hailing the India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as creating a joint market comprising one quarter of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the EU’s Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin also struck a note of caution over regulatory hurdles and “unfinished business” that could overshadow the benefits of the deal.

Air raid sirens, evacuations and fire drills being carried out in several major cities

Mock drills, as directed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, are being conducted across the country today (May 7, 2025). The drill have been planned to test the efficacy of the operationalisation of air-raid warning signs, crash blackout measures, camouflaging vital installations, evacuation plans, establishing hotline with the Indian Air Force, activating control rooms, firefighting and warden services and undertake cleaning of bunkers and trenches among others. The drill comes in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack where 26 people were killed.

Cardinals to begin solemn, secret voting ritual for pope election

With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 Cardinals on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) begin the secretive, centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis, opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history. The Cardinals, from 70 countries, will be sequestered from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent them from all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.

PM Modi’s three-nation visit to Europe called off

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-nation tour to Europe has been called off in view of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, official sources said on Wednesday (May 7, 2025). Mr. Modi was scheduled to travel to Croatia, Norway and The Netherlands from May 13 to 17. The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Norway to attend the Nordic Summit.

U.K. says it stands ready to support India and Pakistan to move towards dialogue and de-escalation

The UK on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) said that it stands ready to support both India and Pakistan to move towards dialogue and de-escalation, after Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets in the neighbouring country under Operation Sindoor. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds described the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as “hugely worrying” and told the BBC that his Cabinet colleague, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, had “reached out” to both countries.

India briefs 5 countries after strikes on Pakistan; says no civilian, economic or military targets chosen

India has briefed the U.S., the U.K., Saudi Arabia, UAE and Russia after striking targets in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday (May 7, 2025) morning, government sources said. The Ministry of External Affairs said that India had “credible leads” and eyewitness accounts that identified the terrorists and evidence towards the involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups, and that those were the targets.

Russia to host leaders of China, Brazil for 80th anniversary of its World War II victory

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is set to host the leaders of China, Brazil and other heads of states for festivities on Friday (May 9, 2025) marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, has become the country’s most important secular holiday.

Sotheby’s postpones auction of jewels associated with Buddha after backlash from Union Government

India has successfully secured the postponement of the auction of the sacred ‘Piprahwa’ Buddhist Relics by Sotheby’s Hong Kong scheduled for May 7, the Union Culture Ministry said. The Piprahwa Relics, comprising bone fragments believed to be those of the Buddha, along with soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and offerings such as gold ornaments and gemstones, were excavated in 1898 by William Claxton Peppé.