Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Kerala on Saturday. The rescue and evacuations operations by the NDRF entered its ninth day on Friday. Over 150 people have died in the state since the second spell of monsoon fury began on August 8.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is poised to become the country’s new prime minister as the Opposition alliance fell apart over the nomination of his challenger ahead of today’s election in Parliament. The Prime Minister-elect will take oath on Saturday.

India-England third Test starts on Saturday. For Indian team, the Trent Bridge Test will be their last chance to save the series after being outplayed in the first two Test matches -- by 31 runs Edgbaston and innings and 159 runs at the Lord’s. Skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri will be aiming to get the team combination right having bungled at the Lord’s. As a result, India will play their 38th combination in as many matches that skipper Kohli had led.

The Asian Games will kick off in Jakarta on Saturday. A trial by fire for the youngsters and a battle to stay relevant for some ageing superstars but above all, the 18th Asian Games will be a reality check for India’s athletes after the Commonwealth Games high. The build-up has been signature chaos with complaints and even court cases about selection matters, usual controversies over the size of the contingent which came to 804 -- athletes and officials combined, and not to forget, the credentials of the travelling officials. But as has been the case with Indian sports for the past several decades, the athletes would try to ensure that focus remains firmly on the results once the competition gets underway after the customary opening ceremony here on Saturday.

August 19

On Sunday, the Federation of Indian Associations will organise the 38th India Day Parade that will run through several streets of Madison Avenue in the heart of Manhattan. Actor and politician Kamal Haasan, his daughter Shruti Haasan, Bollywood actor Anupam Kher and legendary cricketer Vivian Richards are expected to lead the parade. About 150,000 people are expected to attend this year’s cultural extravaganza, which will feature 35 floats and 30 marching contingents and dance performances such as Bihu and Lavani showcasing India’s regional diversity. The parade’s central message will be ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family’ and bring together for the first time communities from other South Asian and Caribbean nations. Ministers and diplomats from nations such as Antigua, Sri Lanka and Nepal are expected to attend the parade.

The Congress will launch its door-to-door voter outreach programme in Mumbai from sunday, a day ahead of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in order to prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The party had drawn a blank in the six LS seats in the metropolis in the 2014 general polls after having cornered a lion’s share of five seats in the 2009 elections.

comment COMMENT NOW