A look at the headlines today:
1. Ajit Pawar could be made deputy CM in Maharashtra cabinet expansion today
The Maharashtra cabinet expansion is expected to be announced today. NCP leader Ajit Pawar said his party's leadership would decide on his inclusion in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government. Media reports and statements from a wide of range of leaders in the state have indicated that the Baramati MLA is a front-runner for the post of deputy chief minister in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government. Queried on his chances of taking oath on December 30, Pawar said, "I have clarified my stand on this issue. I will follow the directives of the party leadership." Pawar had briefly moved away from the NCP and become deputy chief minister under BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, but the government unravelled in 80 hours and the Baramati MLA came back to mentor Sharad Pawar.
2. Haryana govt orders closure of all schools today in view of severe cold wave
Schools in Haryana will remain closed today and tomorrow in view of the severe cold wave that has gripped the state and other parts of the northern region for the past few days. "In view of the prevailing severe cold, the government has declared a holiday in all government and private schools in the state on December 30 and 31," an official statement said. It further said, "Thereafter, between January 1 to January 15, 2020, all schools in the state will remain closed on account of winter holidays." In Haryana, minimum temperatures have been hovering close to the freezing point at some places, while day temperatures too have been settling in the range of 10-13 degrees Celsius at most places. The meteorological department here has predicted that the severe cold will continue over the next couple of days in Haryana and Punjab.
3. Second phase of Tamil Nadu local body polls today
The second phase of the Tamil Nadu local body polls will be held today. There are nearly 1.30 crore voters to cast their vote in first phase, while another 1.28 crore will do so in the second phase. According to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, the total number of polling booths set up was 49,688 of which 24,680 were covered in phase-I. The total number of candidates contesting the polls was 2,31,890, the SEC said in a press release. The number of employees working at polling booths is 4.02 lakh while the number of officials engaged in taking up poll related work is 702. A total of 8,633 polling booths was identified to be sensitive while 2,939 micro observers have been appointed, the SEC said. Flying squads, numbering 495, were constituted and 60,918 police and ex-servicemen were deployed for providing security. Some incidents were reported in a booth in Tiruvallur district in which some miscreants allegedly took away the voting machines, police said. "A few people have been detained in this connection. Investigation is going on," an officer told PTI.
4. Taliban council agrees to cease-fire in Afghanistan
The Taliban's ruling council agreed to a temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan, providing a window in which a peace agreement with the United States can be signed. A cease-fire, which had been demanded by Washington before any peace agreement could be signed, would allow the US to bring home its troops from Afghanistan and end its 18-year military engagement there, America's longest. There was no immediate response from Washington. The U.S. wants any deal to include a promise from the Taliban that Afghanistan would not be used as a base by terrorist groups. The U.S. currently has an estimated 12,000 troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban chief must approve the cease-fire decision but that was expected. The duration of the cease-fire was not specified but it was suggested it would last for 10 days. It was also not specified when the cease-fire would begin.
5. Premier League: Arteta rocked as Chelsea sink Arsenal with late fightback
Chelsea ruined Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's home debut as Tammy Abraham's late strike sealed a dramatic 2-1 win after Bernd Leno's horrific blunder turned the tide in a thrilling London derby. Leading through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's early goal at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta was just seven minutes away from securing his first victory in his second game in charge. But, Gunners goalkeeper Leno made a hash of coming to catch a free-kick and Jorginho tapped in to spark a Chelsea fightback that climaxed in Abraham firing home with three minutes left. After dominating the first half, it was a shocking but familiar collapse from Arsenal, whose lack of steel was the key element in the downfall of Arteta's predecessor Unai Emery. In their final game of the decade, Arsenal showed just how much work Arteta has to do to steer the Gunners back to respectability in his first managerial role.
6. At its AGM today, IOA to decide whether to bid for a chance to host Commonwealth Games in 2026
Chances of India hosting a Commonwealth Shooting Championship in 2022, an idea mooted to compensate for the sport's exclusion from the Birmingham Games, had brightened after the Commonwealth Games Federation asked IOA to submit a "formal" proposal for its consideration. At its annual general meet today, the IOA will decide whether to bid for the same, reports claimed. The submission of the proposal must be done by early January to the Sports Committee of the CGF which will then place the bid before its Executive Committee for approval. The encouraging response comes weeks after a meeting between the CGF and International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in Munich on December 5. National Rifle Association of India President Raninder Singh also attended the meeting. In a letter to Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra, the CGF said it was encouraged by the NRAI President Raninder and the Vladimir Lissin-led ISSF's proposal to host the event just prior to the 2022 CWG.
-Inputs from PTI
