Ozone, often referred to as the ‘Earth’s Umbrella’, protects our planet from high levels of UVB radiation. However, human activities have led to the depletion of the ozone layer, resulting in what is known as the ozone hole.

The scientific proof of the ozone layer’s depletion prompted the global community to set up a mechanism for cooperation to take measures to protect it, which is why on March 22, 1985, 28 countries signed the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

This led to the drafting of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in September 1987, where governments, science, and business collaborated to reduce 99% of all ozone-depleting compounds.

In a surprise move, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) appointed as head coach Gary Stead, who steered New Zealand to World Test Championship triumph in 2021. Andhra had mediocre results last season after they finished sixth in Ranji Trophy Elite group B with just one win, and in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, they ended fourth in a team competition and lost to Uttar Pradesh in the pre-quarterfinal of the T20 Syed Mustaq Ali trophy.

President of ACA, Kesineni Sivnath, said the appointment of Stead is to raise the standard of cricket in the state.”Gary Stead is not just a coach—he’s a culture-builder. His arrival signals our intent to raise the bar in talent development, tactical preparation, and operational discipline. ACA is thrilled to have him on board, and we’re confident his mentorship will inspire our players and coaches alike,” said the press release by ACA.

In a final where the latest Chinese sensation Peng Xinlu shattered the world record, India’s Meghana Sajjanar, competing in her first world final in eight years, clinched bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle. This marked her first-ever World Cup medal and helped India finish the season-ending International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Ningbo, China, in fifth place on the medal tally with one gold and one bronze.

Meghana scored 230.0 in the final, while Norwegian ace Jeanette Hegg Duestad took silver and Peng won gold, surpassing compatriot Wang Zifei’s previous world record of 254.8 with a score of 255.3.

Esha Singh had earlier secured India’s first medal of the Ningbo World Cup with a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol. The Indian squad, primarily made up of domestic rankers four to six, delivered a commendable performance in a world-class field. China topped the medal tally with three golds, followed by Norway with two, out of the 10 golds available.

In Boxing, India’s Jaismine Lamboria etched her name in history by clinching a gold medal at the World Championships 2025 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The Commonwealth Games medalist triumphed in the fiercely contested women’s 57kg category final, defeating Poland’s Julia Szeremeta via a split 4-1 decision.

Jaismine was lagging in the first round but bounced back in the second round. There was no looking back for her after that as she defeated the Polish boxer. Jaismine’s triumph is especially significant given her early exit at the Paris Olympics, marking a strong return to form on the world stage.

India’s women pugilists shone at the championships, clinching a total of three medals. Nupur Sheoran clinched a silver medal after going down against Agata Kaczmarska of Poland, by split decision (3-2) in the final of 80+kg category. Olympian Pooja Rani won the bronze medal. However, it was a disappointing outing for the male boxers, who failed to reach the podium.

The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) has warned of growing risks linked to users' digital footprints, saying more than 1.4 billion accounts are hacked globally each month.

The council said every login, post or interaction online leaves a trace that can be exploited. It identified two types of digital footprints- a passive footprint, collected without the users' knowledge through tracking or data gathering by websites and apps; and an active footprint, intentionally created by users through photos, videos, comments and posts.

The CSC cautioned that weakly secured data can lead to privacy violations, account takeovers, phishing and even identity theft. It warned that unofficial or untrusted applications pose a major risk, with some capable of recording calls or accessing cameras without users' knowledge.

The Gujarat government has disbursed over Rs 1,000 crore to more than 10.49 lakh girl students under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana. Under the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, more than 1.50 lakh students have received financial assistance amounting to over Rs 161 crore, according to an official statement from the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel completed four years in office on September 13. During this period, he has consistently advanced Gujarat’s development journey initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

To realise the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and ensure that students in Gujarat have access to high-quality, future-ready education in the Amrit Kaal, the Chief Minister launched two new schemes in March 2024 — Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana.

According to the press release, recognising that no girl should have to discontinue her education due to financial hardship, Chief Minister Patel introduced the Namo Lakshmi Yojana to help daughters complete their secondary and higher secondary studies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a Rs 100 commemorative coin issued by the Reserve Bank of India to mark the centenary of Bharat Ratna and legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika. The release took place at a grand event in Guwahati celebrating the music icon's 100th birth anniversary.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said he felt "fortunate" to be part of the celebrations of the man he described as the Sudhakantha (nightingale), who "gave voice to the dreams of India and connected music with emotions." He noted that Hazarika's compositions reflected the essence of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'.

"Bhupen Hazarika was a hero of India's unity. Decades ago, when the North East was suffering neglect and violence, Bhupen Da continued to sing of India's oneness and dreamt of a prosperous North East," Modi said. He added that the government was now working "day and night" to realise Hazarika's vision for the region.

Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel has dissolved parliament and called for fresh elections on March 5 following a week of deadly violence that culminated in the appointment of the country’s first woman prime minister.

The statement from Paudel’s office late on Friday came just hours after he announced former Chief Justice Sushila Karki would lead the country on an interim basis following the deadly “Gen Z”-led anti-graft protests that forced former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.

According to the statement, the president has “dissolved the House of Representatives” and fixed March 5 next year for the elections.

September 14 is observed as Hindi Diwas, or Hindi Day, to commemorate the Constituent Assembly of India making Hindi the official language of the Union government.

The Constituent Assembly chose Hindi as the official — not the national — language of the country after extensive discussions over three days. Discussions were also held over what script should the Union adopt, what script should the numerals be in, and what should be the status of English. Hindustani (Hindi with more Urdu elements) and Sanskrit were among those proposed as official languages.

At length, the Munshi-Ayyangar formula — named after Drafting Committee members K M Munshi and N Gopalaswamy Ayyangar — was adopted as a compromise solution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth about Rs 6,500 crore in Darang district of Assam. On this occasion, he said that India is the fastest growing economy in the world today and Assam has become one of the fastest growing states in the country. He described Assam and the Northeast region as an important part of India's development journey.

Connectivity and health services got a new direction in the Northeast

Prime Minister Modi said that the dream of a “developed India” is the resolve of the youth and the Northeast has a big role to play in fulfilling this dream. He said, “25 years of the 21st century have passed, now the time ahead belongs to the East and the Northeast.” He emphasized that strong connectivity is necessary for the rapid development of any region, so the central government is rapidly expanding road, rail, airway and digital networks in the Northeast.