The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to operationalise the exclusive internet domain ‘.bank.in’ for banks by October 2025.

About ‘.bank.in’ Domain

• To combat the increased instances of fraud in digital payments the 'bank.in' exclusive Internet Domain has been introduced.
• This initiative is aimed at strengthening the cybersecurity framework and enhancing public confidence in digital banking and payment systems.
• Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), has been authorised by National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), to serve as the exclusive registrar for this domain.
  • NIXI (registered in 2003) is a not for profit Organization under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013.

India’s wolf sanctuary Mahuadanr in Jharkhand was in news due to a unique practice of tribals from the ‘Sarna faith’ to avoid the Sal forest during the winter months.

• Coincidentally, this period aligns perfectly with the breeding and denning season of the Indian grey wolf.

About Mahuadanr Wolf Sancturay

• Established in 1976, it is India's first and only dedicated wolf sanctuary, located within the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand.
• Burha River flow through the Sanctuary. 

About Indian Grey Wolf

• The Indian grey wolf is a subspecies of the grey wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian subcontinent, including countries like India, Pakistan, etc.
• It inhabits dry and semi-arid environments such as scrublands, grasslands, thorn forests, etc.
• It is also listed under Schedule I of India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

China seizes disputed Tiexian Reef near a key Philippine military outpost of Thitu Island, also known as Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea.

About Tiexian Reef

• Alternate name: Sandy Cay is part of Spratly Islands.
• Significance: China claims Sandy Cay is a natural feature and not man-made entitling it to a 12-nautical-mile (22-km) territorial sea under international law that would overlap with Thitu Island.
  • A territorial sea claim around Sandy Cay would provide a boost for nearby Subi Reef, one of China’s reclaimed and militarized deep-water ports.
• The incident also coincided with the ongoing "Balikatan" joint military drills between the Philippines and the US.

At least 20 red-crowned roofed turtles were re-introduced in the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh.

About Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle (Bengal roof turtle)

• Distribution: It is native to India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
  • Currently in India, the National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary is the only area with a substantial population of the species.
• Key Characteristic: It is a freshwater turtle species, and found in deep flowing rivers with terrestrial nesting sites.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN :   Critically Endangered
  • CITES :   Appendix I
• Major threats: Habitat loss, Drowning in illegal fishing nets, Poaching, etc.

India is grappling with a critical shortage of Agentic Al professionals as demand surges, driven by the shift towards sophisticated Al agents capable of autonomous decision-making.

About Agentic AI

• It refers to AI systems that can autonomously make decisions, take actions and adapt to changing environments.
• It ingests vast amounts of data from multiple data sources and third-party applications to independently analyze challenges, develop strategies, and execute tasks.
• Uses 4-step process for problem-solving: Perceive (extracting meaningful features, recognizing objects, etc.), Reason (understands tasks and generates solutions), Act (execute tasks based on formulated plans), and Learn (adapt through a feedback loop).
• It can enable companies to deliver higher value through a 'Service-as-a-Software' shift from 'Software-as-a-service'.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Earth Day (22nd April) launched Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration (AIM4NatuRe).

About AIM4NatuRe Initiative

• AIM4NatuRe is an acronym of Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration. 
• Aim: To improve monitoring and reporting of global ecosystem restoration efforts.
  • Initiative leverage cutting-edge technology, standardized data frameworks, and capacity development to restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, as outlined in Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
•  It is part of FAO’s AIM4Forests Programme, expanding the scope beyond forests to provide a holistic approach to nature restoration monitoring.

Historian MGS Narayan, a key force behind Muziris Heritage Project (MHP), was remembered in the Kerala State Assembly.

About Ancient Muziris Port

• It was a major trading hub located on the Malabar Coast of present-day Kerala, primarily active from around the 1^st century BCE through the early medieval period.
• It was renowned for its spice trade, especially black pepper, often called black gold.
• Other items of export included semi-precious stones, ivory, pearls, etc.
• The port connected South India with Persia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean world, including Greek and Roman traders.
• It was also mentioned in Pliny the Elder’s writings and the author of Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

ISRO has successfully conducted the second short hot test of the semi-cryogenic engine that will power the Semicryogenic booster stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).

What is a Semi-cryogenic Engine?

• Semi-cryogenic engines combine the benefits of cryogenic and conventional engines, employing a cryogenic oxidizer (e.g., Liquid Oxygen), along with a hydrocarbon-based fuel (e.g., kerosene).
  • A cryogenic engine utilizes liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer giving 100% efficiency without any greenhouse emissions or pollution.  
• Objective: To achieve a balance between performance and operational simplicity by blending cryogenic and non-cryogenic propellants. 

Recently, a explosion took place in a shipment of “sodium perchlorate rocket fuel” (used in missiles) at Iran's Shahid Rajaee port, a part of Bandar Abbas Port Complex.

• Shahid Rajaee port is Iran's largest and most advanced terminal. 

About Bandar Abbas Port

• Location: On Strait of Hormuz, lying west of Chabahar port in southern Iran.
  • 20 percent of the world’s oil trade passes through here.
• It is an important port between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.