NEWS 14-02-2024. News For 16th-Feb (Friday) *INTERNATIONAL* 1. India and Qatar have renewed a $78billion deal, that extends imports of LNG from Qatar, till 2048. India will save $6bn over the contract period. 2. India ranked 38th out of 139 countries in the World Bank’s (LPI) Logistics Performance Index report 2023. 3.Adani Group is constructing the world's largest single-location copper manufacturing plant in Mundra, Gujarat. 4.India has secured the port of Duqm Oman, enhancing maritime presence of Indian navy in both Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 5.Iran has eliminated visa requirements for Indian tourists aiming to boost tourism & global engagement. NATIONAL 1. Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code, led by a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana P Desai. 2.India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, is set to honour former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, alongside renowned agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan. 3. IIT Madras in collaboration with Munitions India Limited have pioneered the development of 155mm Smart Ammunition. *SPORTS* 1. PT Usha Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award. 2. Abhinav Bindra has been selected as the torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 3.The Telangana Football Association (TFA) will host the FIFA World Cup qualifiers round between India and Kuwait, on 6th June, in Hyderabad. *DEFENCE* 1.India has sealed $4B deal with US to procure 31 MQ-9B Armed Drone from US. Among these, 9 will go to Indian Navy & 8 each will be given to IAF & IA. 2. The Indian Navy has successfully tested BrahMos missile with an extended range of 900 km. 3.Embraer Defense & Mahindra have signed a MoU to jointly manufacture the C-390 aircraft for the IAF to replace its aging fleet of AN-32 planes. < < Back