21st March 2026

Explanation - It is a severe form of a lung infection (pneumonia) caused by a bacterium known as legionella. The disease got its name when a group of people at an American Legion convention became ill with this type of pneumonia in 1976. Legionnaires' Disease Transmission — Legionella is found naturally in freshwater, such as lakes and rivers. It can also be found in soil. Most people who catch Legionnaires' disease breathe in the bacteria from water or soil. One can't get infected by drinking water that contains the bacteria unless you aspirate it (accidentally breathe the water into your lungs). It is not contagious, meaning it is not spread from person to person. Risk — Older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and people who smoke have a higher risk of getting Legionnaires' disease. Symptoms — It causes pneumonia-like symptoms that start two to 14 days after exposure to Legionella. Patients usually present with fever, cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, and may have gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea. In severe cases, neurological symptoms (e.g., confusion) and respiratory failure may occur, and some cases may result in death. Treatment — It can be treated with antibiotics. But some people still have problems after treatment. Currently, there is no vaccine available for LD.

Explanation - It is the world's foremost publication on global wellbeing and how to improve it. Published by — It is an annual report published by the University of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It asks people to rate their life on a 0-10 scale, from the worst possible life (0) to the best possible life (10). Country rankings were based on answers given by around 1,00,000 people in 140 countries and territories who were asked to rate their own lives. Factors for evaluation of happiness ranking — GDP per capita, Life expectancy, Social support, Freedom to make life choices, Generosity, Perceptions of corruption. Highlights of World Happiness Report 2026 - Top 5 Happiest Countries: Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden. Unhappy Countries: Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe. India improved its ranking from 126th in 2024 to 118th in 2025.

Explanation - Irulas are one of India's oldest indigenous communities and they are a particularly vulnerable tribal group. They live primarily in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, as well as in parts of Kerala and Karnataka. They speak Irula, which is related to Dravidian languages like Tamil and Kannada. Irulas have traditionally caught snakes and rats, but they also work as labourers. Irulas' knowledge of snakes and snake venom is legendary. They can even locate snakes based on their tracks, smell, and droppings. The Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society is a major producer of anti-snake venom (ASV) in the country.

Explanation - It is aimed at supporting Indian exporters affected by extraordinary freight escalation, heightened insurance premia and war-related export risks arising from disruptions in the Gulf and wider West Asia maritime corridor. It is a time-bound and targeted intervention launched under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM). Features of RELIEF Initiative — Enhanced Risk Coverage (Past Shipments): Exporters with existing ECGC cover for shipments between 14 February and 15 March 2026 receive up to 100% risk coverage for additional conflict-linked losses. Support for Prospective Exports: For shipments planned between 16 March and 15 June 2026, the government supports up to 95% risk coverage to maintain exporter confidence. MSME Reimbursement: Non-insured MSME exporters can claim up to 50% reimbursement (capped at ₹50 lakh per exporter) for extraordinary freight and insurance surcharges incurred during the initial disruption month. Regional Scope: Applies to all consignments destined for or transshipped through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen. Operational Reliefs: Includes waivers of storage and dwell time charges at ports and procedural relaxations for stranded cargo coordinated by the IMG. Real-time Monitoring: ECGC will maintain a dashboard-based system for tracking claims and fund utilisation, with periodic reviews by the EPM Steering Committee. Implementation: By ECGC Ltd.

Explanation - It is a set of guidelines issued by ECI to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections. The rules range from issues related to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, content of election manifestos, processions and general conduct, so that free and fair elections are conducted. A version of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960. It was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections. In October 1979, the EC added a section to regulate the 'party in power' and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections. The MCC comes into force from the date the election schedule is announced until the date that results are out.