Suvendu Adhikari elected new CM of Bengal, to take oath on May 9

Suvendu Adhikari will take oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal on Saturday (May 9, 2026). The decision was taken at the BJP legislature meeting in Kolkata in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Mr. Shah, who presided over BJP legislature party meeting, said that all the proposals were received in favour of Suvendu Adhikari. The BJP registered a historic victory in the just-held Assembly elections, ending the TMC’s 15-year rule and dealing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee one of the biggest setbacks of her political career. On Tuesday (May 5, 2026), Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee said she would not resign as Chief Minister, alleging that the verdict was the result of a “conspiracy” rather than the people’s mandate. 

CPI, CPI(M) extend unconditional support to Vijay’s TVK

With the two Left parties extending unconditional support to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) founded by actor C. Joseph Vijay on Friday (May 8, 2026), the TVK now has the support of nine more MLAs from the Congress (five), CPI (two) and CPI(M) (two). With a fractured mandate during the Assembly election in which no party or front secured a majority, TVK won 108 seats (including the second seat won by Vijay). The party now requires the support of two more MLAs to prove a majority support of 118 MLAs. 

U.K. PM Starmer says he won’t step down after Labour’s losses in early results

Friday (May 8, 2026) morning in the U.K. was looking grim for Prime Minister Kier Starmer and Labour, as the party was set to lose 249 seats in elections across 136 councils to elect 5,000 councillors. However, a defiant Mr. Starmer pushed back against calls from within his party for him to step down. “I’m not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos,“ Mr. Starmer said in London on Friday morning (May 8, 2026), as he acknowledged the results were “really tough”. It was a very different picture for nativist Reform U.K. party, which gained 352 seats as of 7.30 a.m. local time. The Greens and Liberal Democrats also made gains of 25 and 35 seats respectively. The Conservatives also suffered, losing some 137 seats.

Left’s declining electoral strength a major concern, hopeful of revival, says D. Raja

The depletion in the electoral strength of Left parties is a matter of concern, CPI General Secretary D. Raja said on Friday (May 8, 2026), expressing hope that it revives and re-emerges as a significant political force in the future. In an interview to PTI Videos, Mr. Raja said his party would soon decide its stand on whom to support in Tamil Nadu, and warned that the BJP forming a government in West Bengal posed challenges not just for the state but for the entire country. “It is ironic that the BJP has formed the government for the first time in Bengal. This poses many challenges, not only to Bengal but for the whole country. How the Left is going to take up these challenges, that is before us,” Mr. Raja told PTI.

Minister wanted to ‘praise’ Col. Sofiya Qureshi, but could not articulate, M.P. tells Supreme Court

The State of Madhya Pradesh on Friday (May 8, 2026) told the Supreme Court that State Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah had intended to “praise” Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, but could not articulate himself properly. Mr. Shah is accused of making disparaging remarks against the Army officer, who had briefed the media during “Operation Sindoor”. Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the State of Madhya Pradesh, submitted, “I am not justifying anything… But he possibly wanted to praise the lady. He had tendered an apology. He could not articulate and he wanted to praise… It is unfortunate.”

India faces no immediate public health threat from hantavirus: NIV chief

Amid concerns over two Indian nationals reportedly infected with the hantavirus aboard a cruise ship, Director of the ICMR’s National Institute of Virology Dr. Naveen Kumar on Friday (May 8, 2026) said the cases appear to be isolated ones and there is no immediate public health threat to India. Mr. Kumar said there is no evidence of community spread as of now. Hantaviruses are mainly transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents or their excreta, such as saliva, urine and faeces, he told PTI. People usually get infected by inhaling aerosolised virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva in closed or poorly ventilated spaces such as warehouses, ships, barns and storage areas, he said.

Uttar Pradesh government sacks five doctors; orders action against 16 health officials for negligence

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday (May 8, 2026) ordered strict action against several health officials, over alleged negligence, dereliction of duty, and irregularities in the Health Department, including the dismissal of five doctors from service. According to an official statement issued by his office, five medical officers were dismissed for remaining absent from duty for a prolonged period without information and for staying away from medical work. Those dismissed include Dr. Alaknanda of the district hospital in Gorakhpur, Dr. Ramji Bhardwaj posted under the Kushinagar Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Saurabh Singh posted under the Balrampur CMO, Dr. Viklesh Kumar Sharma of CHC Jagdishpur in Amethi and Dr. Monica Verma of CHC Dibiyapur in Auraiya, it stated.

Excise policy: Delhi High Court to hear CBI plea against discharge of Kejriwal, Sisodia on May 11

The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 8, 2026) deferred hearing till May 11 on the CBI’s petition challenging the trial court’s discharge order in the liquor policy case, saying that it was awaiting consent of certain senior lawyers to represent AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said she would pass the necessary order on the appointment on Monday (May 11) and begin hearing the matter on Tuesday (May 12).

ECI publishes Assembly poll index cards, statistical reports in record 72 hrs

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday (May 8, 2026) published the index cards and statistical reports for the elections to the Legislative Assemblies and bye-elections 2026 within a record 72 hours of the declaration of results. The data release covers all 830 Assembly constituencies where the election process concluded on May 6. Digital updating and faster publication of the index cards and statistical reports are among the over 30 initiatives taken in the last year by the Election Commission, the ECI said in a statement on Friday (May 8, 2026).

Maharashtra Class 10 results out; over 92% students pass, girls outperform boys again

The Maharashtra State Board on Friday (May 8, 2026) announced the Class 10 or Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination results with an overall pass percentage of 92.09%. As per the results declared by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), girls performed better than boys in the exams. Girls secured an overall pass percentage of 94.96 as against boys’ 89.56%, board chairman Trigun Kulkarni said.

Spain readies for evacuations as hantavirus-hit cruise ship heads for Canary Islands

Spanish authorities on Friday (May 8, 2026) were preparing to receive more than 140 passengers and crew members on board a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands, where health officials have said they will perform careful evacuations. The vessel is expected to reach the Spanish island of Tenerife, off the coast of West Africa, on Saturday or Sunday. “They will arrive at a completely isolated, cordoned-off area,” said Virginia Barcones, Spain’s head of emergency services, on Thursday (May 7, 2026).

CUET-UG advisory on dress code, permissible items released

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued an advisory for candidates appearing in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) 2026, informing them about the dress code and permissible items at examination centres. The CUET-UG exam will be held from May 11 to May 31 in India, and in 15 cities outside the country. In an advisory issued on Thursday (May 7, 2026), the NTA said the examination will be conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode.