President Ram Nath Kovind has invited Swiss companies to invest in India for mutual benefit in technology and skill development. Addressing the India-Switzerland business round table in Berne, Mr Kovind asked Swiss industry to visit India investment grid online portal to know about opportunities to invest in India.

He said Switzerland is home to high-end technology and India is producing world-class human capital. Mr Kovind said there is vast scope to combine our relative advantages in capital, technology, science and skills for mutual benefit. He said, India ranks as a major global player in areas such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare services, information technology, solar energy, automobiles, space and biotechnology.

BJP President and Home Minister Amit Shah today launched a week-long programme 'Seva Saptah' to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17th of this month. He launched the campaign by joining cleanliness drive and distributing fruits among the patients at AIIMS in Delhi.

During the week-long programme, BJP leaders and workers will organize blood donation and health camps and also visit hospitals and orphanages to provide help and relief. Party MPs, MLAs and other representatives will join the events in different parts of the country.

Five Indian women police officers were honoured by the United Nations for their commendable services in UN mission in South Sudan. Officials informed today that Reena Yadav, Inspector, Chandigarh Police; Gopika Jahagirdar, DSP, Maharashtra Police, Bharati Samantray, DSP in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ragini Kumari, Inspector in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Kamal Shekhawat, ASP, Rajasthan Police were conferred the UN medal. 

The Indian women police officers received the UN medal at a medal parade in the United Nations Mission in Juba in South Sudan on Tuesday, Home Ministry official said. 

Astronomers have for the first time discovered water vapour in the atmosphere of a distant planet called K2-18b.

Astronomers at the University College London used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to make the discovery. They yesterday published their findings in the journal Nature Astronomy.

The lead scientist of the University, Prof. Giovanna Tinetti said it is the first time that they have detected water on a planet in the habitable zone around a star where the temperature is potentially compatible with the presence of life.

Another astronomer Angelos Tsiaras said, it has an atmosphere, and it has water in it-making this planet the best candidate for habitability that we know right now. 

The Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) have decided to rename the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium as Arun Jaitley Stadium in memory of the former union minister who also served as president of the DDCA for 13 years between 1999-2013.

Jaitley who was an ardent follower of cricket passed away on August 24 in Delhi at the age of 66.

Along with the name change, the Kotla is also set to have a stand named after current Indian skipper and local lad Virat Kohli. The renaming will take place on September 12.

Sri Lanka launches ‘Make in India’ swanky train! An all-new train service has been flagged off in Sri Lanka and what’s interesting about this train is that is has been fully manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. On Wednesday, the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena along with the country’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga and Taranjit Singh Sandhu, High Commissioner of India flagged off the new train- Pulathisi Express, from Fort railway station in Colombo to Polonnaruwa. The swanky and luxurious new train set has been supplied to Sri Lanka Railways by RITES Limited under an Indian Line of Credit. RITES Limited is a PSU, under the aegis of Indian Railways which specializes in the field of transport infrastructure.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has bestowed the First Class Order of Zayed II award on Ambassador, Navdeep Singh Suri in recognition of his efforts during his tenure and his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between the two friendly countries.

It is a rare honour given to any diplomat.Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, presented the Order to the Ambassador in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Abdullah lauded the ambassador's role in bolstering UAE-Indian ties and wished him success in his future assignments.

Ahead of the Assembly polls, due next month in Haryana, the State government on Wednesday launched two insurance schemes for registered small and medium traders in an apparent bid to woo voters.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana” and “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana” here.

“The premium of 38 crore people of both the schemes would be paid by the State government,” said Mr. Khattar at a press conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday elevated retired IAS officer Pramod Kumar Mishra as his Principal Secretary and appointed former cabinet secretary PK Sinha as Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister. Both the appointments are co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier, said the statement.

The two big changes come after the exit of Nripendra Misra from the Prime Minister’s Office. Nripendra Misra, who had been one of the first bureaucrats to be appointed to the PMO when Narendra Modi came to Delhi in 2014, had resigned as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister last month.

PK Mishra, who had been Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister for the last five years, and PM Modi have known each other for nearly two decades. Back in 2001 when Narendra Modi was first sent to Gujarat by his party to take charge of the state, PK Mishra was his top aide in the Chief Minister’s Office and stayed in this post for the next few years. In this role, senior officials recall that it was PK Mishra who had introduced Narendra Modi to the intricacies of the bureaucracy and government.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested an indigenously-developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in the ranges of Kurnool on September 11.

According to a press release, the missile was launched from a man portable tripod launcher, while the target was mimicking a functional tank. The missile hit the target in top attack mode and destroyed it with precision. All the mission objectives were met, the press release added.

This is the third series of successful testing of MPATGM. The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics. The test paves the way for the Army to have developed third generation man portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile indigenously.