Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar receives the list of cabinet ministers from the Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, at the Lok Bhavan, in Thiruvananthapuram. Photo: X/@KeralaGovernor via PTI
Satheesan names 20 Ministers; Kerala Cabinet to take oath on May 18
A day before his swearing-in ceremony, Kerala’s Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan on Sunday (May 17, 2026) unveiled the 20-member Council of Ministers of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government. Congress will have 11 Ministers in the Cabinet – Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, K. Muraleedharan, A.P. Anil Kumar, P.C. Vishnunadh, T. Siddique, Bindu Krishna, K.A. Thulasi, Roji M. John, M. Liju and O.J. Janeesh.
India, Sweden agree to elevate ties to Strategic Partnership
India and Sweden on Sunday (May 17, 2026) agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, focusing on trade, technology, defence, and other key sectors.
Trade, energy, discussions on global conflicts to top agenda for Modi’s Nordic visit
Trade and energy supplies will top the agenda as Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in Oslo on Monday (May 18, 2026) for the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Norway, one of the world’s major oil and gas exporters.
Woman stripped, paraded with slipper garland after temple entry dispute; two women arrested
Police have arrested two women for their alleged involvement in stripping another woman and parading her on the road with a garland of slippers around her neck, after a dispute over a caste panchayat’s ban on a Rajput family entering a temple in Ulhasnagar, on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Bengal does not believe in bulldozer politics, says Mamata Banerjee
Alleging that the poor are at the receiving end of political arrogance, Trinamool Congress chairperson and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday (May 16, 2026) said that Bengal does not believe in bulldozer politics.
Throwing non-veg food waste in Ganga could hurt religious sentiments: Allahabad HC on iftar party row
The Allahabad High Court has observed that throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the river Ganga could hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. While granting bail to five persons accused of throwing leftovers into the river during an iftar party on a boat in Varanasi, Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla said, “The applicants are apologetic for their actions and even their families also regret the pain that had been caused to the society at large.”
Cyberabad Police tighten probe, likely to seek Bageerath’s custody
While Cyberabad Police remained tight-lipped on further developments in the POCSO Act case involving Bandi Bageerath, citing that details of an ongoing investigation involving a minor could not be disclosed, officials were learnt to be preparing a petition seeking police custody of the accused for further questioning.
Manipur families seek release of Kuki, Naga captives
The families of 14 abducted Kuki-Zo people in Manipur’s hill districts renewed their appeal for their safe release, as the deadline set by an apex Naga organisation for the State government to track their missing community members expired on Sunday (May 17, 2026) evening.
U.S. weighs drone threat from Cuba: report
Cuba has obtained more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels and possibly even Florida, Axios reported Sunday (May 17, 2026), citing classified intelligence.
Israel PM says close to killing all architects of October 7 attack
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (May 17, 2026) that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza -— eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack .His remarks followed the Israeli military’s announcement that Ezzedine Al-Haddad, commander of Hamas’s armed wing, had been killed in an airstrike in Gaza on Friday (May 15, 2026).
NEET UG leak: CBI conducts searches at Renukai Chemistry Classes in Latur
The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, conducted searches at the main office of Renukai Chemistry Classes (RCC) in Maharashtra’s Latur city on Sunday (May 17, 2026), sources said. CBI officials began the search at RCC in the city’s Shivnagar locality in the afternoon, and it was still underway till late evening, they said.
Dwarka set for infra upgrade as CM unveils ₹100-cr. plan
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday announced civic infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹100 crore in Dwarka and said that the Centre and the Delhi government are working in tandem for the development of the national capital after years of “neglect” under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime.
Published – May 18, 2026 06:24 am IST
