NEWS 09-03-2024. News For 11th-Mar (Monday) NATIONAL 1.Kerala school has introduced Iris, a humanoid teacher, marking a significant milestone in the realm of educational technology. Developed in collaboration with Makerlabs Edutech Private Limited. 2.India's first National Dolphin Research Center (NDRC) was officially inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The NDRC's primary objective is to aid researchers and students in understanding the behavior and ecology of freshwater dolphins, particularly the endangered Gangetic dolphin. 3.India's indigenously built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) began fuel loading, marking a major step towards the country's self-reliant nuclear program and clean energy goals. This 500 MWe reactor places India as the second nation after Russia to potentially operate a commercial fast breeder reactor. 4.Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has begun oil production from its first-ever deepwater development project.The oil was offloaded from a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel Swarna Sindhu .This project is estimated to contribute around 7% to India's overall oil and gas production. INTERNATIONAL 1.Shehbaz Sharif became the new Prime Minister of Pakistan. He wax re-elected for a second term on March 3, 2024. 2.Sri Lanka awarded an energy deal to India on 1st March 2024, scrapping previously awarded contract with the Chinese firm and gave the project to an Indian company instead.This deal involves building three solar and wind hybrid power plants. 3.France became the first country in the world to enshrine a woman's right to abortion in its constitution. SPORTS 1.Legendary golfer Tiger Woods has been selected to receive the Bob Jones Award, the highest honour bestowed by the United States Golf Association (USGA). 2.India's Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated overnight sole leader Nodirbek Abdusattarov of Uzbekistan to stake his claim for the top honours at the Prague Masters chess tournament in Prague. DEFENCE 1.The Indian Navy formally established its first squadron of MH-60R helicopters, designated as INAS 334 "Seahawks". This significant event took place at INS Garuda in Kochi.The Indian Navy plans to receive a total of 24 MH-60Rs, with six already delivered. ECONOMY 1.India's economy grew during the 3rd Quarter (Oct-Dec quarter) of 2023, by 8.4%, surprising all. 2.India's forex reserves has risen by $2.975 billion, to reach to $619.072 billions for the week ending February 23. < < Back