State-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy is the joint winner of the 2019 Missile Systems Award given by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the US, said the Virginia-based aerospace technical society on Sunday.

"Reddy was selected for his over three decades of national contributions to indigenous design, development and deployment of diversified strategic and tactical missile systems, guided weapons, advanced avionics and navigation technologies in India," said the society in a statement.

Reddy, 55, is also the Defence Secretary and Director-General of DRDO's aerospace arm Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) here. Reddy contributed to the Agni-5, the 5,000km range surface-to-surface, long-range strategic missile.

The other winner of the missile award, Rondell J Wilson is the retired principal engineering fellow of Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona.

"Wilson was selected for his technical leadership and innovation that has advanced the performance and capability of the world's premier missile defense systems," said the statement.

American television icon and heartthrob Luke Perry of Beverly Hills, 90210 fame has passed away at the age of 52 after suffering a massive stroke. The actor breathed his last on Monday morning at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California.

As per his rep, his children Sophie and Jack, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, fiance Wendy Madison Bauer, sister Amy Coder, brother Tom Perry, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett among close family and friends were present with him at the time of his death.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says 35 thousand crore rupees have been released to be disbursed under the One-Rank One-Pension(OROP) for the defence personnel. 

Speaking at a programme in Dehradun yesterday, the Minister announced that three hospitals of 200 beds will be built for defence personnel. Mrs Sitharaman also honoured the wives of martyrs.

Railway Minister Piyush Goel has appreciated the Integrated Coach Factory, ICF in Chennai for developing modern coaches.

He laid the foundation stone for the new rail line between Dharmapuri and Morappur in northwestern Tamil Nadu at a function in Dharmapuri yesterday. 

Mr Goel also flagged off the extended Antyodaya Express rail services from Chennai Tambaram to Nagercoil, which has been plying up to Tirunelveli so far. He also inaugurated the Chennai-Kollam Express today.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh will  today inaugurate the project BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique) on India-Bangladesh border in Dhubri District of Assam. 

Border Security Force, BSF is responsible for safeguarding of over four thousand kilometer long International Border with Bangladesh. At various places, it is not possible to erect Border Fence due to the geographical barriers.

The 61 kilometer of Border area in Dhubri District, where River Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh is consisting of vast char lands and innumerable river channels thus making border guarding in this area, a daunting task especially during rainy season. To overcome this problem, in the year 2017, Ministry of Home Affairs decided to go for technological solution besides the physical presence of manpower of BSF. 

In January 2018, Information and Technology Wing of BSF undertook the project BOLD-QIT under Comprehensive Integrated Border Management system  and completed it in record time with the technical support of various manufacturers and suppliers. 

The implementation of this project will not only help BSF to curb all types of cross border crimes but also provide respite to the troops from round the clock human surveillance. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially suspended the country's participation in a key Cold War-era nuclear arms-control treaty with the United States. 

In a statement, Kremlin said that Mr. Putin signed a decree regarding the suspension of Russia's participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, INF treaty between the USSR and the US in 1987. It said that the move was taken following a violation of the United States of its obligations under the treaty.

Moscow and Washington have accused one another of breaching the INF treaty. Meanwhile, NATO has said that US allies fully support its withdrawal from the pact, insisting that Russia's ground-launched cruise missile systems violate the treaty. 

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a two nation visit to Paraguay and Costa Rica yesterday. The 8-day tour aims at strengthening bilateral ties with the two Latin American countries. 

Mr Naidu will hold discussions with Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez. The visiting leader will interact with the business community and see a presentation on business and investment opportunities in Paraguay. 

He will then leave for Costa Rica. The Vice President will call on President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada and also participate in high level delegation talks with him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana at Gandhinagar in Gujarat today. The national pension scheme for workers and labourers of unorganised sector was announced in the Interim Budget in February this year. 

It will provide monthly pension of 3000 rupees to the employees of the unorganised sector after 60 years of age. The scheme will benefit 10 crore workers in unorganised sector.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to visit Annapurna Dham Trust in Adalaj for the ground breaking ceremony of a Shikshan Bhavan and a Vidyarthi Bhavan. 

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government expenditure on education has gone up from 3.8 per cent of GDP in 2014 to 4.6 per cent during the NDA rule. 

Speaking at a Convocation Ceremony at D Y Patil University in Navi Mumbai yesterday, the Minister said, educational infrastructure is also being expanded and reformed in the last five years. Mr Javadekar said that seven new IITs, seven new IIMs, two new National Institutes of Technology, 3 central universities and around 125 Kendriya Vidyalayas have been started. 

He said that 32 educational channels have been launched while free coaching for IIT Joint Entrance Exam is offered through IIT-PAL (Professor Assisted Learning) programme.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Sunday flagged off the much-delayed 11.28-kilometre second phase of the Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle monorail network.

With this, the entire 19.54-kilometre route of the country's first monorail system, being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is now functional.

The 8.26-kilometre first phase, built and operated by a consortium of Larsen & Toubro and Malaysian firm Scomi Engineering, was commissioned in February 2014. 

Speaking at the event, Fadnavis said the country's first ever monorail had faced many hurdles and delays in the past but was now finally seeing the light of day.

"The first 8 km route which got commissioned in 2014 was used as a mere joyride because there was no last mile connectivity. But now, with the commissioning of the second phase, it will no longer remain a joyride but passengers can now use it for a hassle-free commute," he said.

The CM said the monorail's annual ridership will now increase from the current 4.5 lakh to 30 lakh.