A collector's item to mark Mother Teresa's canonisation

The delegation from India to mark Mother Teresa's canonisation in the Vatican will be led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Other members in the delegation will be Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, MPs KV Thomas, Conrad Sangma, Anto Anthony, Jose K Mani, Goa Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza, Supreme Court Justice Kurian Joseph, lawyer Harish Salve, Secretary General of Catholic Bishops Conference of India Theodore Mascarenhas and KJ Alphons. The external affairs ministry has also given political clearances to delegations led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to visit the Vatican.

To mark Mother Teresa's canonisation in the Vatican on September 4, a postal cover, coin and statue will be dedicated to the late Roman Catholic nun. Made of pure silk, India Post will release a special postal and numismatic cover of Mother Teresa, the first of its kind, on September 2. "A five-rupee commemorative coin issued by the Indian government in 2010 to mark her centenary birth celebrations will be engraved on the cover. This is a special feature as it combines the two collectible items of coins and stamps," philatelist Alok K Goyal, who designed the stamps, said.

The collector's item will be released in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces.

Travel, tourism on the agenda at US-India dialogue

The second edition of the US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD) is to be held in Delhi on August 30. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will attend the event. From the Indian side, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj are set to attend. An innovation forum and a workshop on travel and tourism will be organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, apart from a joint chief executive officers' meet with 20 people on each side. The Indian delegation is expected to be led by Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry. The two sides would deliberate on ways to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in both the countries. India is also expected to pitch for fast-tracking talks on the proposed Social Security Agreement.

Trade unions to go on strike on Friday

As many as 10 central trade unions have decided to go ahead with their call for a one-day pan-India strike on Friday, with no positive response from the government on their 12-point charter of demands.

"The mandatory two-week notice in the case of essential services like transport and power has already been served by the local units of our unions earlier this week. We are expecting over 100 million people to participate in the strike," All India Trade Union Congress Secretary DL Sachdev said.

However, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-supported Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is not part of this joint declaration. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says she will not t allow any bandh in the state, adding if the Centre doesn't stop interfering in West Bengal in the next three months, she will protest on the roads of Delhi.

PM to meet BJP Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will meet Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday. It will be one of three meetings in the last fortnight between the PM and the party. The first was the PM's meeting with the BJP core committee, comprising its state unit leaders, on August 23. This was followed by a meeting with the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states last Saturday. Party president Amit Shah has convened these conferences to ensure improved government-party coordination. It is also to convey to the party with more clarity the programmes and policies of the Modi government.