State PCS - Bihar (BPSC)

• 17 Sep 2025

31st World Ozone Day

Why in News? 

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) organized the 31st World Ozone Day in New Delhi on 16th September 2025. 

Key Points

• About: World Ozone Day is observed on the 16th of September each year, commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, a significant international treaty aimed at phasing out the production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). 
• Theme: The theme for 2025, ‘From Science to Global Action’, emphasizes the power of scientific discovery in policy formulation and international cooperation to protect the planet and its future.

Ozone

• The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere between 10 and 40 kilometers above Earth's surface, shields us from harmful UV radiation. 
  • This protective layer, known as stratospheric ozone or good ozone , prevents adverse health effects like cataracts and skin cancer and safeguards agriculture, forestry, and marine life. 
  • However, man-made Ozone Depleting Substances have caused ozone depletion in the stratosphere.
• The international community recognized the need for action, leading to the Vienna Convention in 1985 and the subsequent Montreal Protocol in 1987. 
• The inclusion of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the Montreal Protocol led to the Kigali Amendment, with India ratifying it in September 2021. 

 Tropospheric Ozone

• Tropospheric (or ground-level) ozone, or bad ozone, is a short-lived climate pollutant that remains in the atmosphere for only hours to weeks.
• It does not have any direct emission sources; rather, it is a compound formed by the interaction of sunlight with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – including methane – and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emitted largely by human activities.

Vaishali Rameshbabu Wins FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu on her remarkable victory in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Key Points

• Vaishali won $40,000 in prize money and secured a place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, the event that will determine the next challenger for the Women’s World Chess Championship.
  • Her victory in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss is historic, making her the first player in the event’s history to win it twice. 
• With this win, Vaishali joins Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh as the third Indian woman to qualify for the prestigious  2026  Candidates Tournament.
  • The  Candidates  tournament will decide the challenger for the current Women’s World Chess Champion, Wenjun Ju of China, with players from China, Russia, and India already securing spots.
• In her previous performances, Vaishali finished 5th at the Norway Women’s Chess Tournament in May 2025 and was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Tan Zhongyi at the Women’s World Cup.

FIDE Grand Swiss

• The FIDE Grand Swiss, launched in 2019 (with the women’s event starting in 2021), is a key tournament in the World Chess Championship cycle, featuring top global players and held biennially with 11 rounds in a Swiss system.
• Considered as one of the most difficult and unpredictable chess events, given its open nature, the top two finishers in both categories qualify directly for the World Candidates tournament, where a challenger for the title of world champion is chosen. 
• The 2025 edition ran from 4th to 15th September at the EXPO Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 
  • There were 116 players taking part in the Open and 56 players in the Women’s competition. 
  • The total prize fund for the event is $855,000 – $625,000 for the Open and $230,000 for the Women’s event. 

India's 1st Gold at Speed Skating World Championships

Why in News?

Anandkumar Velkumar made history by becoming India's first-ever World Champion in skating, winning Gold in the Senior Men's 1000m Sprint at the Speed Skating World Championships 2025.

Key Points

• About: The Speed Skating World Championships is being held from 13th to 21st September 2025 in Beidaihe, China, where Anandkumar Velkumar won gold with a time of 1:24.924.
• Additional Medals: Velkumar also earned a Bronze in the 500m Sprint event, marking India's first-ever senior world championship medal in speed skating.
• Junior Competition Success: The championships also saw Krish Sharma winning Gold in the Junior Men's 1000m Sprint, contributing to India’s outstanding performance.

Speed Skating World Championships

• About: Since 1891, the ISU Speed Skating World Championships have been the sport's premier event, alternating between Single Distances and Allround & Sprint formats.
• Single Distances Format (introduced in 1996): Held in pre- and post-Olympic years, skaters compete for 16 World titles, including Men’s 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m, Women’s 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m and  5000m, Mass Start, Team Pursuit, and Team Sprint.
• Allround Format: The Allround format, a cornerstone of Speed Skating tradition, has been contested by men since 1891 and women since 1936. 
• Sprint Format: Introduced in 1970, the Sprint Champion event tests speed and precision, with skaters racing the 500m and 1000m twice, and the combined results of these sprints determine the champion.