Pakistan launched a major military offensive - under ‘Operation Ghazab lil-Haq’ - against Afghanistan along the Durand Line.

About Durand Line

• It serves as the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan for about 2,600 km. 
  • Afghanistan does not recognize the border as legitimate. 
• The British proposed the Durand Line, created in 1893, to definitively separate then British-controlled India from Afghanistan.
• It is named after Sir Mortimer Durand, a British civil servant who negotiated the agreement with Afghan ruler Abdur Rahman Khan.

Eight cheetahs from Botswana will be introduced in Kuno National Park as part of cheetah reintroduction programme named Project Cheetah.

• This is the 3rd batch of African cheetahs brought to India under the translocation programme following earlier introductions from Namibia in 2022 and South Africa in 2023.
  • Asiatic cheetah, earlier found in India, were declared extinct in India in 1952.

About Project Cheetah

• Genesis: Launched in 2022, it aims to translocate African cheetahs to India.
• It is the world’s first intercontinental large wild carnivore translocation initiative.
• Implementing agency: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Technical Assistance: Provided by Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Madhya Pradesh Government reported 8 tiger deaths in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve since November due to electrocution from illegal live wires.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

• Location: Situated in the Vindhya hills of Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh; named after the historic Bandhavgarh Fort linked to the Ramayana tradition.
• Conservation Status: Declared a National Park and later designated a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.
• Flora: Dominated by tropical dry deciduous forests with sal forests, mixed vegetation and grasslands.
• Fauna: Known for high tiger density; also home to leopards, deer species, gaur and diverse birdlife.

Scientists develop promising antibodies to prevent Epstein-Barr infection.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

• Type: Viral infection (Human Herpesvirus-4).
• Spreads mainly through saliva and body fluids.
• Common Symptoms: Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes.
• Complications: Rarely associated with cancers such as Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
• Treatment: No specific vaccine or cure.

DRDO conducts successful flight-trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System

Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)

• VSHORADS is a Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS).
• Developer: Indigenously designed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat.
• Capability: Intercepts and destroys high-speed aerial threats at varying ranges and altitudes.
• Operational Use: Intended for induction into Indian Army, Navy and Air Force; strengthens layered air defence.

Meghalaya issued health advisory after two Agniveer trainees die amid suspected meningococcal outbreak.

Meningococcal infection

• Type: Bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus).
• Transmission: Spreads via respiratory droplets, saliva and close contact.
• Symptoms: Fever, stiff neck, headache, rash (bruise-like), photophobia, nausea.
• Severity: High fatality (10–15% even with treatment); 
  • Long-term complications may include brain damage, limb loss, hearing loss, etc.
• Treatment: Immediate antibiotics (ceftriaxone, penicillin); vaccine is available.

Controller General of Accounts (CGA) launched Government Bank Dashboard (real time monitoring of banking functions) and Government Bank Manual (standardized framework) to strengthen compliance in handling of government business by banks.

About CGA

• CGA is the Principal adviser on accounting matters to the Union Government. Unlike CAG, CGA is non-constitutional.
• Works under the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• Functions:
  • Responsible for preparation, consolidation and submission of Union Government accounts.
  • Ensures exchequer control, administers receipts and payments, and oversees internal audit functions across Ministries.
  • Prepares monthly and annual analysis of expenditure, revenues, borrowings and various fiscal indicators for the Union Government.

The European ‌Union and India have agreed ⁠to grant each ‌other Most ‌Favoured ‌Nation ⁠status (MFN) in Trade in Services for ⁠a period of five years.

About Most ‌Favoured ‌Nation

• The MFN principle is a fundamental rule of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• According to it, if a WTO member grants favourable trading terms like lower tariffs to one country, it must extend the same benefits to all other WTO members.
  • Exceptions exist for Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), FTAs, and developing countries.