1) Indian Oil’s Panipat Refinery Gets India’s First ISCC CORSIA Certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

• Indian Oil Corporation’s Panipat Refinery has received India’s first ISCC CORSIA certification for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
• The certification is granted under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• This milestone positions India to play a bigger role in green aviation fuel exports and aligns with its goal of net-zero emissions by 2070.

2) First-Ever Export of Kargil Apricot to Saudi Arabia

• In a historic first, Kargil apricots, famous for their unique taste and medicinal properties, have been exported to Saudi Arabia.
• This step not only boosts agro-based exports from Ladakh but also provides local farmers with new income opportunities.
• Apricots from Kargil had earlier received GI tag recognition, strengthening their global market value.

3) German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer Wins QuantBox Chennai Grandmaster 2025 Title

• Vincent Keymer, the German Grandmaster, has won the QuantBox Chennai Grandmaster 2025 chess title.
• The tournament, hosted in Chennai — often called the chess capital of India — featured several international players.
• Keymer’s victory adds to his rising reputation as one of the strongest young talents in the global chess circuit.

4) Tamil Nadu Government Launches HAWK – Forest & Wildlife Crime Management System

• The Tamil Nadu Government has launched HAWK (Hostile Activity Watch Kernel), a forest and wildlife crime management system.
• The system will enable real-time tracking, intelligence gathering, and analysis of wildlife crimes to protect biodiversity.
• It strengthens India’s conservation efforts, especially in tackling issues like poaching and illegal trade of wildlife products.

5) RBI Launches Free AI Vision for the Financial Sector

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced the Free AI Vision initiative, aimed at leveraging Artificial Intelligence for the financial sector.
• The initiative seeks to enhance cybersecurity, fraud detection, risk management, and financial inclusion.
• This marks a significant push by the RBI to integrate AI-driven governance and supervision tools in India’s banking ecosystem.