5 THINGS FIRST Supreme Court to begin hearing over ownership of disputed land at the temple-mosque site in Ayodhya; SC to examine compliance of its order banning illegal mining in Aravaliregion in Rajasthan; SC to hear Maharashtra government's plea asking for more time for filing charge sheet against activists arrested in connection with Bhima Koregaon violence case; Opposition CMs likely to meet in Delhi to discuss centre-state relations; India Vs West Indies fourth ODI today  1. Why Sri Lanka's political crisis is bad news for India Politics and players: Sri Lanka's President (Maithripala Sirisena) has sacked the country's Prime Minister (Ranil Wickremesinghe) and appointed its ex-President (Mahinda Rajapaksa) in his place. But the ousted Prime Minister said he has the numbers to prove his majority so the President suspended the country's Parliament till November 16 (to give Rajapaksa time to get the support required to survive a no-confidence vote). However, on Sunday, the Speaker recognised Wickremesinghe as the prime minister and questioned the move to suspend Parliament. Prez vs PM: Unlike India, Sri Lanka's President is the most dominant political force in the country. The prime minister functions as deputy to President and is the leader of Cabinet. Rajapaksa and Sirisena combine has only 95 seats and is short of a simple majority. Wickremesinghe's party has 106 seats on its own with just seven short of the majority. Old equations, new politics: Differences between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe had widened in recent times over, among other things, economic reforms, key policy moves and a probe into military officers accused of human rights violations during the country's civil war with LTTE. Rajapaksa and Sirisena were former political allies (Sirisena was Rajapaksa's minister of health) until Sirisena broke away from Rajapaksa's party and unseated him in the 2015. Sirisena and the ousted prime minister, on the other hand, were political opponents who united their parties to take on Rajapaksa. Bad news for India? Sri Lanka had grown closer to China under Rajapaksa's rule with Beijing pumping in billions of dollars into huge infrastructure projects. Some of that had been reversed under the current political establishment as Chinese debt pinched the country's economy and they looked towards India, which obliged. Presidential elections are due next year and Rajapaksa is expected to win it (a change in law is expected to avoid the two-term limit for the presidency under the constitution) because of the growing discontent over a slowing economy. What next? The matter is likely to end up in court as the country's constitution allows the President to appoint the prime minister but not fire him unless he loses the confidence of the country's 225-seat Parliament. However, if Parliament continues to remain in suspension Rajapaksa may just be able to manage the numbers for any trust vote. So? India is 'closely following the developments' and hopingthat 'democratic values and constitutional process' is respected. Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the other hand, has congratulated the newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. 2. Has Sabarimala opened the gate for BJP in Kerala? Talking point: BJP president Amit Shah made official what the ruling Kerala government has been saying: the protest against Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict is strongly backed — if not led — by BJP. "I have come here to warn CM [Pinarayi] Vijayan that if you don't stop the oppression of Ayyappa devotees, BJP's workers will destroy your government and you will not be able to remain in power," he said in Kannur. CPM lashed out, saying the statement is "another display of the anti-democratic, authoritarian attitude typical of Amit Shah" and also in contempt of court. Prime opposition: By taking ownership of the protest, BJP is projecting itself as the prime opposition to the incumbent CPM. This matters as Kerala has been alternately ruled by CPM-led LDF and Congress-led UDF governments; BJP only has one MLA, O Rajagopal, who opened the party's tally in 2016, whereas it has not won a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. The SC ruling allowing entry of women of all age in Sabarimala's Ayyappa temple has not gone down well with all devotees, and BJP is hoping its stand on the issue will help it gain more votes. The UDF too has sided with the protest, albeit in a 'softer' approach. Beyond numbers: Kerala has only 20 Lok Sabha seats, less than a quarter of the seats in Uttar Pradesh. But the Sabarimala issue is not just about numbers. Winning a seat in Kerala would be the 'breach of another territory' by BJP as it strives to become THE national party of India (a status Congress once enjoyed). Also, the Sabarimala issue can help BJP in other states by portraying it as another battle for Hinduism — not unlike the Ayodhya issue. There was a protest march held on the issue in Ahmedabad as well — devotees to the temple largely belong to Andhra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Talking heads: Hence, BJP is strengthening its Kerala unit — it does not have a 'face' to project beyond Rajagopal. On Sunday, it inducted former ISRO chief Madhavan Nair and a former president of Travancore Devaswom Board — the administrative body of the Sabarimala temple — into the party. Nair — who was banned by the Centre in 2012, along with 3 other scientists, after a controversial deal between ISRO's Antrix and a private firm — said the argument on Sabarimala is about "personal rights and religious freedom". X-PLAINED 3. India's most political property dispute The dispute: It's about the ownership of the 2.77 acres of land at Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya. In 2010, Allahabad High Court had ordered a three-way division of the disputed site between the deity, Ram Lalla, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board. However, at least eight Hindu parties and six Muslim parties have appealed against the judgment. The appeals will be heard in Supreme Court starting today. Just a property dispute: In 1993, Centre had enacted a law to acquire 67.7 acres in and around the disputed site where the Babri Masjid stood till December 6, 1992 to prevent further tensions. This was challenged in SC, which in 1994 upheld the Centre's decision. However, it also made a controversial observation: 'mosque is not essential in Islam for offering Namaz'. Muslim parties had told SC that this (mosque in Islam) question needs to be decided before who owns the land. However, SC last month said that this was not relevant to the title suits nor the appeals. That means that SC will decide the appeals like any other civil suit, based on evidence rather than the religious significance. Who's watching? Everyone. The biggest question for politicians is whether the court will deliver the judgment before the 2019 polls. It would also be a legally interesting case given that Allahabad High Court, had relied on 'Hindu faith, belief and folklore' as evidence. 4. Informal is the new formal in Modi's diplomacy Stroll in the garden: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held informal talks at a picturesque resort near Mount Fuji on Sunday as they spent about eight hours together on the first day of a two-day summit. Modi is in Japan to attend the 13th India-Japan annual summit. The two leaders took a stroll in the garden following which Abe hosted a luncheon at the resort. Describing Modi as "one of my most dependable and valuable friends," Abe also remembered Nehru: "At the time when Japan was not so wealthy, Prime Minister (Jawaharlal) Nehru introduced Prime Minister Kishi in front of thousands of people as the Japanese Prime Minister whom he respects". Kishi was Abe's grandfather. Today's the day for 'official' business. Boat ride: This was the third 'informal summit' of the year. In May this year, PM Modi held another informal summitwith Russia's Vladimir Putin. The venue was the resort city along the Black Sea, Sochi. Describing the summit as "extremely productive", Modi said that the discussions focused on a range of India-Russia ties and other global issues. The two leaders took a boat ride after their informal summit. Trip to the museum: PM Modi's first officially informal summit was with Chinese President Xi Jinping (in April this year) during which he visited the Hubei Provincial Museum, took a walk together and an hour-long boat-trip. They spent 9 hours together 'covering a wide range of topics'. The two leaders will have a similar informal summit next year too, this time in India. Why informal? Informal summits are about discussing important issues without the pressure of signing agreements or making big announcements. An informal summit without aides makes the discussions frank and less protocol heavy. NEWS IN CLUES 5. This author is an adviser to The Hague Institute of Global Justice Clue 1: He has served in the Board of Trustee of Aspen Institute, the non-profit think tank. Clue 2: He was also an adviser to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Clue 3: He was the founding-editor of academic journal Fletcher Forum of International Affairs. Scroll below for the answer 6. 2019 is not 2014, say political alliances in the making Bihar isn't the same: BJP and JD(U) will contest an equal number of seats in Bihar in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The exact number of seats (after accommodating two NDA allies) is likely to be announced this week. Back in 2014, BJP had won 22 seats, its two allies 9 seats and the now-equal partner JD(U) just 2. Maharashtra isn't the same: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief last week said his party has reached at a consensus with the Congress on 40 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. NCP has also been demanding an equal share this time as it had won 4 seats in 2014 compared to Congress' 2. Chhattisgarh is different: The state has traditionally seen a direct fight between BJP and Congress but this time it's going to be a three-cornered contest with Ajit Jogi Congress-BSP-CPI combine as the third party. This local tie-up too is a result of the pulls and pressures of 2019 with BSP asserting its 'importance' in a potential alliance with Congress. Opposition could change: While the opposition has been talking about coming together to take on BJP it's still too early for something on the ground, though meetings (like today in Delhi) keep hinting that something is brewing. NCP's Sharad Pawar has a formula for the alliance based on regional strength: "DMK should lead in Tamil Nadu, Congress in Karnataka and Gujarat, while Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in UP". 7. Don't be petty, think of consumers — a message to big firms Petty companies: India's apex consumer commission chief, Justice R K Agrawal, on Saturday suggested that government entities, PSUs like railways and insurance companies should decide not to appeal against "petty" compensation awarded by district forums. He said these entities should fix the "ceiling" as is being followed by the income tax department. Pending complaints: National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) president Justice Agrawal's observation came in the light of nearly three lakh complaints (about 60% of all yet to be disposed off cases) pending before the consumer forums in districts, states and at the Centre for more than two years. This is despite the Consumer Protection Act specifying cases should be decided within "three months" or a maximum of "five months". The cap of five months is for cases which require analysis or testing of commodities. Missing judges: There are multiple reasons for this situation, which include vacant posts of presidents and members at all three levels of consumer forums, frequent adjournments and government entities and insurance companies challenging petty compensations awarded by district forums in favour of consumers. Full story here 8. In a first, an Arab nation accepts Israel exists — and more What: In a rare — and possibly risky — move, the tiny nation of Oman has asked its fellow West Asian countries to accept Israel. "Israel is a state present in the region, and we all understand this," said Oman's foreign minister. "The world is also aware of this fact and maybe it is time for Israel to be treated the same and also bear the same obligations." This follows a surprise visit by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Oman on Saturday — the first by an Israeli leader since 1996. This matters: Only two Arab nations maintain diplomatic ties with Israel: Egypt and Jordan. And the former is actually in Africa. The Persian nation of Iran too is hostile to Iran. Israel, in fact, is a topic that unites the Sunni and Shiite nations of West Asia — all of them see it as a pariah (and even illegitimate) state and an occupier of Palestine. And Oman matters: Oman may be a small state — population around 5 million — but has been playing an outsized role in international diplomacy. To its north-west is Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf of Oman lies Iran — two bitter rivals. Oman is a close ally of Iran but is also part of the Saudi coalition that is fighting in Yemen against the Houthi rebels favoured by Iran (more here in story no: 6)... This unique status Oman maintains has helped it play a major role in international diplomacy. The Iran-US nuclear deal signed under President Obama — from which Trump pulled out — began with a meeting between Iranian and US representatives in Oman. Oman, like all other West Asian nations, supports the Palestinian cause, and by accepting Israel, it could play a role in the negotiation — Oman foreign minister said it is relying on the US-led efforts for the so-called "deal of the century". Helps India too: Oman is home to around 20 million expat workers and nearly half of them are Indians. But a closer Oman-Israel relation will help India in other ways too. Only recently did India start trumpeting its deals (military) with Israel, as it tries not to upset the Palestine cause it has supported over the years. Acceptance of Israel by Oman and other nations could mean India could pursue more deals — such as the recent Barak 8 missile purchase — without guilt or a concern of resentment among the Palestine supporters in India. And, of course, world peace benefits everyone. 9. Foreign workers will finally stop being 'slaves' here The slavery: Qatar had a controversial exit visa system, which required foreign workers to obtain their bosses' permission to leave the country. This was part of the country's 'kafala', or sponsorship, system which many liken to modern-day slavery. Under the 'kafala' system a foreign worker could only come to the country through a kafeel(sponsor) but what made it slave-like was that the worker was tied to a single employer. End of slavery: A reformed version of the exit visa system came into effect on Sunday. Under the new law, all but 5% of a company's workforce (reportedly those in the most senior positions) can leave without prior permission from employers. Those not allowed to leave Qatar can file a complaint to the Expatriate Exit Grievance Committee that will 'take a decision within three working days'. Why: Qatar had agreed last year to enter into a three-year agreement with the UN's International Labour Organization to oversee reform. The football World Cup 2022 host has come under intense pressure to reform its labour laws, which have been repeatedly denounced by human rights groups. Around a quarter of all exit visa requests were denied by the government. There are some two million foreign workers in Qatar. Read the full story here  YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH... 10. A tragedy follows 'the greatest sporting fairytale' A helicopter with the owner of Premier League club Leicester City, Thailand national Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, as one of its passengers spun out of control and crashed into a ball of flame late Saturday night after a football game. Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City in 2010, when the club was in the Championship, England's second-tier football league. Six years later, the club went on to be the most-unlikely champions of the league. Vichai, as fans fondly called him, made his money in a duty-free business called King Power, which has branches in airports across Thailand. Besides Leicester, he also owns an equestrian club named King Power Racing — its thoroughbreds are regulars at England's racing courses and has even won some major races. Across in Spain, a Barcelona side without injured Lionel Messi beat Real Madrid 5-1 in the season's first clasico, with Luis Suarez scoring a hat-trick. The loss could cost new Real manager Julen Lopetegui his job, with the club having won just once in six games as they struggle to adjust to the post-Ronaldo era.  Follow news that matters to you in real-time. Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. GET APP Answer To NEWS IN CLUES Shashi Tharoor. The UN diplomat-turned politician quoted controversy on Sunday when he (supposedly quoting an RSS source) said: "There's an extraordinarily striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to a journalist, that, 'Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivling, you can't remove him with your hand & you cannot hit it with a chappal either'". He was speaking while promoting his latest book, The Paradoxical Prime Minister.