A look at the headlines today:
1. Congress's Patole to face off against BJP's Kathore for speaker's post today
The Congress on Saturday announced party MLA Nana Patole as the candidate of the ruling Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance for the election for Maharashtra assembly speaker's post, while the BJP named Kisan Kathore as its nominee. The election will be held today, a day after the ruling alliance cleared the floor test. As many as 169 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly voted in its favour, while the BJP's 105 MLAs staged a walkout. "Nana Patole will be our candidate for the Speaker's election," Congress leader Manikrao Thakre told PTI. Patole represents Sakoli Assembly segment in Vidarbha. State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said Kathore, party MLA from Murbad in Thane district, will be its candidate. Patole hoped he would be elected unopposed. "They [the BJP] have the right in democracy [to field a candidate]. But it has been a tradition in Maharashtra that speaker is elected unopposed. We hope that tradition continues," the Congress leader told reporters.
2. Iraqi PM formally submits resignation amid more violence
Three anti-government protesters were shot dead and at least 58 wounded in Baghdad and southern Iraq, security and medical officials said, as Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi formally submitted his resignation to parliament. Lawmakers were expected to either vote or accept outright Abdul-Mahdi's resignation letter in a parliamentary session today, two members of parliament said. The prime minister announced Thursday he would hand parliament his resignation on Friday amid mounting pressure from mass anti-government protests, a day after more than 40 demonstrators were killed by security forces in Baghdad and southern Iraq. The announcement also came after Iraq's top Shiite cleric withdrew his support for the government in a weekly sermon. The formal resignation came after an emergency cabinet session earlier in which ministers approved the document and the resignation of key staffers, including Abdul-Mahdi's chief of staff. In a pre-recorded speech, Abdul-Mahdi addressed Iraqis, saying that following parliament's recognition of his stepping down, the Cabinet would be demoted to caretaker status, unable to pass new laws and make key decisions.
3. Indian women's volleyball team enters final in South Asian Games
The Indian women's volleyball team entered the final of the 13th South Asian Games after beating Maldives in straight sets in the semifinals. India beat the Maldives side 25-14, 25-6, 25-17 in a one-sided semifinal match. India will now face hosts Nepal in the summit clash. Nepal beat Sri Lanka 25-14, 25-18, 25-21 in the other semifinal. In the men's section, India will take on Sri Lanka in the first semifinal on today while the second semifinal will be played between Pakistan and Bangladesh. During the 10-day Games, 2715 athletes will compete for 1119 medals, including 319 gold, in 26 sports disciplines. As many as 487 athletes from India are competing in the Games. The closing ceremony will be held on December 10.
4. Depleted Kerala Blasters face FC Goa in ISL match
Three points will be the top priority for struggling Kerala Blasters when they take on FC Goa in an Indian Super League match today. Kerala head coach Eelco Schattorie will hope to put an end to his team's woes on the field. The Yellow Army are winless in four games and their only victory this season came against ATK on the opening day. Schattorie has also lost several key players to injury, especially in defence. Midfielder Mario Arques is yet to start a match for Kerala Blasters since arriving and has only recently returned to training following an injury layoff. Sandesh Jhingan and Jairo Rodriguez had to be replaced due to injuries and the latter's replacement, Macedonian Vlatko Drobarov, remains an unknown quantity to the Kerala Blasters faithful. Upfront, Bartholomew Ogbeche's brace against ATK remained his only contribution to the score sheet, and having gone goalless for four games, the former NorthEast United striker will expect an improved supply from midfield to come up with more goals. Sergio Cidoncha is also another player who will be expected to step up and deliver if Kerala Blasters are to create more chances in the attacking third.
5. King and Queen of Sweden on six-day visit to India from today
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden will undertake a six-day visit to India beginning today. The King will have meetings with President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest, it said. Apart from Delhi, the Royal couple is scheduled to visit Mumbai and Uttarakhand.
6. DiCaprio denies Bolsonaro accusation of link to Amazon fires
American actor Leonardo DiCaprio denied a claim by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro that he had helped fund groups allegedly linked to fires in the Amazon rainforest. "While worthy of support," the 45-year-old DiCaprio said in a statement on his Instagram account, "we did not fund the organisations targeted." In his weekly broadcast Thursday, Bolsonaro accused DiCaprio of "collaborating with the fires in the Amazon" by donating $500,000 to a group he said had started fires in the ecologically sensitive forest in order to attract donations. While citing no evidence, Bolsonaro said that DiCaprio had earmarked a part of the USD 500,000 "for the people who were setting fires." The far-right Brazilian president repeated the accusations on Friday. DiCaprio, long an environmental activist, said in his denial that "the future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake, and I am proud to stand with the groups protecting them." He offered praise for those in Brazil who work "to save their natural and cultural heritage."
-Inputs from PTI
