News In Short 28-02-2026

Durand Line

Syllabus: GS2/ IR

In News

• Pakistan recently launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, a series of cross-border strikes against Afghan Taliban targets along the disputed Durand Line.

About

• The 2,640 km Durand Line, drawn in 1893 by British diplomat Sir Mortimer Durand and Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, separates Pakistan from Afghanistan but splits Pashtun tribes. 
• Afghanistan has never fully recognized it as a legitimate border, viewing it as a colonial imposition. Disputes over the line have fueled decades of tensions, including fencing efforts and militant crossovers.

Source: TH

India-EU To Grant Each Other ‘Most Favoured Nation’ Status

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations, GS3/ Economy

Context

• India and the European Union are set to grant each other ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status for five years from the date the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into effect.

What is ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status?

• According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the MFN principle guarantees non-discriminatory trade by requiring countries to treat all trading partners equally.
• Core Principle: 
  • If a country grants a special favour such as a lower customs duty to one trading partner, it must extend the same benefit to all other WTO members.
  • Countries cannot normally discriminate between their trading partners.
  • MFN ensures equality, predictability, and transparency in international trade.
• The MFN principle is foundational to the multilateral trading system and is embedded in key WTO agreements:
  • MFN is enshrined in Article 1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). 
  • MFN is a priority principle under Article 2 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
  • MFN is reflected in Article 4 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.

Source: TH

National Science Day 2026

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28th February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ made by the physicist Sir C.V. Raman.

About

• Sir C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930 for the discovery of the Raman Effect.
• The first celebration took place on February 28, 1987, marking the beginning of a tradition that continues to inspire generations.
• The objective of the observation of National Science Day is to spread the message of the importance of science and its application among the people.
• Theme for 2026: “Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat”

Source: PIB

Progress Toward an Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Vaccine

Syllabus: GS2/Health

In News

• Researchers are developing monoclonal antibodies that could prevent EBV infection.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

• It is a common virus linked with infectious mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis, cancers and other serious illnesses, after successfully testing antibodies they developed in mice.
  • Most infections occur in childhood and are usually symptom-free or mild.
• EBV infection can cause fatigue, fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, enlarged spleen or liver, and rash. Symptoms typically last 2–4 weeks, though fatigue may persist longer, and the virus remains latent in the body with potential reactivation, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
• It spreads mainly through saliva (kissing, sharing drinks, utensils, toothbrushes, toys).
• Nearly 95% of the global population is infected with Epstein-Barr virus, with some populations at higher risk for serious complications if the virus becomes activated.
• EBV has no vaccine; prevention involves avoiding contact with infected people. Diagnosis uses blood tests, and treatment focuses on rest, fluids, and symptom relief.

Source :DD

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• The Government of India has launched a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Digital Food Currency pilot for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in Puducherry.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

• PMGKAY is a flagship food security program of the Government of India, launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It was introduced to provide additional free food grains to beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act. It covers around 81.35 crore beneficiaries across India.
• The scheme has been implemented in 7 phases to ensure food security of NFSA beneficiaries in the country.
• The scheme has been extended for five years from 2024.

National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

• Coverage: The Act legally entitled up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population, approximately 67% of the total population, to receive subsidized food grains.
• Beneficiary Categories:
  • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Households: Recognized as the poorest of the poor, these households are entitled to 35 kg of food grains per household per month.
  • Priority Households (PHH): These households are entitled to 5 kg of food grains per person per month.
• Subsidized Prices: Beneficiaries pay highly subsidised prices, originally fixed at ₹3 per kg for rice₹2 per kg for wheat, and ₹1 per kg for coarse grains.

Source: PIB

Meningococcal Disease

Syllabus: GS2/Health 

In News

• The Meghalaya government has sounded a high-level health alert after two Agniveer trainees at the Assam Regimental Centre in Shillong died from a suspected meningococcal infection.

Meningococcemia Infection

• It  is a serious bloodstream infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis, often presenting with fever, hemorrhagic rash, and rapid progression to septic shock.
  • Neisseria meningitidis is a significant bacterial infection of the bloodstream manifesting as meningitis, septicemia, or, more often, a combination of both.
• It spreads via respiratory droplets, with infants and adolescents being most vulnerable. 
• Symptoms include high fever, headache, stiff neck, and rash, spreading through close contact. 
• It is a severe, rapidly progressing disease which leads to life-threatening meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain) or meningococcemia (blood poisoning).
• Prevention relies on vaccination and antibiotics for close contacts, while prompt diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics and supportive care are critical.

Source :TH

INS Anjadip

Syllabus: GS3/Defence 

In News

• INS Anjadip was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy. 

INS Anjadip

• ‘Anjadip’, the third of eight ASW SWC (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft), indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
  • The ASW-SWC corvettes are being built indigenously to replace the Navy’s aging Abhay-class vessels.
• It is engineered to act as a ‘Dolphin Hunter‘, focused on detection, tracking, and neutralisation of enemy submarines.
• It is a state-of-the-art vessel specifically designed to address the challenges of the littoral combat environment, the coastal and shallow waters vital for the nation’s security.

Source :PIB

Grid Oscillations

Syllabus: GS3/Energy

Context

• A grid oscillation that was registered in Rajasthan was felt in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu.

Grid Oscillations

• It is the rapid fluctuations in solar and wind output that cause transmission voltage and frequency instability, leading to grid oscillations that can damage equipment or trigger large-scale blackouts.
• Reason for Grid Oscillation: India’s electric grid is not sufficiently “smart” to switch smoothly between coal and renewable sources due to limited automation, poor real-time balancing, and inadequate forecasting systems.
• Other concerns: 
  • Coal Plant Inflexibility: Coal plants are designed for baseload supply and cannot ramp up or down quickly, making it difficult to balance intermittent renewable generation.
  • Inadequate Energy Storage: Lack of large-scale battery and storage infrastructure prevents surplus renewable energy from being stored for later use, aggravating instability.

India’s Renewable Energy Target

• India added 48 GW of renewable energy capacity in 2025, the highest ever in a single year, nearly doubling the previous year’s addition.
• Non-fossil sources now constitute 52% of installed capacity (~264 GW), but nearly 75% of actual electricity generation still comes from coal, as it is available on demand.

Source: TH

State Innovation Mission (SIM)

Syllabus: GS2/Government Initiatives

Context

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog, launched the first State Innovation Mission (SIM) in Tripura.

About

• SIM anchored under AIM 2.0, serves as a long-term institutional mechanism to strengthen state innovation ecosystems through policy support, capacity building, partnerships, and context-driven interventions, advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat through innovation-led development.
• Under this initiative, key interventions include institutionalising SIM under Tripura Institution for Transformation (TIFT), inauguration of T-NEST (Tripura – Nurturing Entrepreneurship and Startups) as a dedicated incubation facility, launch of a District Innovator Fellowship to scale grassroots innovation, and support for transforming Agartala into an AI-enabled city. 

Source: PIB