Prelims Focus 11th December 2025

Mephedrone

In News: In a well-coordinated operation titled Operation Hinterland Brew, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a strategic operation demolished a secret Mephedrone manufacturing unit in Wardha, Maharashtra.

• • Mephedrone (also called 4-methylmethcathinone 4-MMC or 4-methylephedrone), is a synthetic stimulant drug that is in the amphetamine and cathinone family.
  • It is a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS), and is informally referred to as “meow meow,” “bath salts,” or research chemicals in the drug underworld.
  • Mephedrone stands illegal in the NDPS Act, 1985.
• National Drug Control Framework: In 2020 on August 15, the Government of India introduced a major program of the National Action Plan against Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), which developed the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), or Drug-Free India Campaign.

Yellow Line Defining New Gaza Border

In News: The Israeli armed forces have classified the so-called Yellow Line, a status quo withdrawal line negotiated as part of the U.S. brokered ceasefire under Phase-1 as a new border.

• Yellow Line is a temporary military demarcation line within the Gaza Strip.
• The territory to the east of the line is directly operated by the Israeli forces.
• Areas Under Israelis Control: Israeli control over Gaza is in over half (53-58%) of the territory. It incorporates the majority of agricultural land and Rafah border crossing to Egypt.

India-Brunei Joint Working Group

In News: The inaugural meeting of the India-Brunei Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation occurred in New Delhi on December 9, 2025. This event advances the bilateral defence partnership established on February 4, 2023.

Key Discussions

• Delegations focused on expanding military-to-military exchanges and joint training exercises. 
• They emphasized maritime security, including sea lane protection, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and capacity building.

Meeting Outcomes

• Co-chairs Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad from India’s Ministry of Defence and Deputy Permanent Secretary Poh Kui Choon from Brunei’s Ministry signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) before deliberations. 
• Both sides committed to a structured roadmap for deeper ties, industry collaboration, and technology cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Bluetongue virus (BTV)

In News: Additional suspected Bluetongue virus (BTV) cases have surfaced in Northern Ireland, confirming the region’s first outbreak on the island of Ireland. It began with two infected cows near Bangor, County Down, on November 29, 2025, followed by 44 more suspected instances in the same herd by early December.

Bluetongue virus (BTV)

• • Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes a vector-borne disease in ruminants, with symptoms, transmission, control, and treatment varying by species and serotype. Sheep experience the most severe effects, while cattle often serve as reservoirs. 

• Symptoms

• • • Common signs include high fever (40-42°C), facial and tongue swelling leading to cyanosis (blue discoloration in severe cases), excessive salivation, nasal discharge, oral ulcers, lameness from coronitis, depression, and respiratory distress from pulmonary edema. 
    • Sheep show hemorrhages in the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and lungs, with young lambs facing up to 30% mortality; cattle and goats typically exhibit milder or subclinical infections.

• Transmission

• • • BTV spreads mainly through bites from Culicoides midges after they feed on viremic animals, with seasonal peaks in warm, humid conditions. 
    • Transplacental transmission occurs in some cases, but direct animal-to-animal contact does not transmit it; oral routes are rare. Viremia lasts 7-40 days, enabling vector infection. 

• Treatment and Control

• • No specific antiviral treatment exists; supportive care includes antibiotics for secondary infections, fluids, and anti-inflammatories for symptomatic relief. 
  • Control emphasizes vaccination (serotype-specific, polyvalent where available), insecticide use against midges, animal housing during peak vector activity, and movement restrictions during outbreaks. 
  • Surveillance and vector monitoring prevent spread, as in recent European incursions. 

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