Refugee Convention | World Ozone Day | State of the World’s Birds 2026 | Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) | Tso Kar Glacier Lake | National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) | Ramanathaswamy Temple | Thirukkural

Refugee Convention

International

News- 

• The 1951 Refugee Convention recently marked its 75th anniversary.

1951 Refugee Convention

• Adopted: 1951, Geneva; key international treaty for refugee protection.
• Refugee: Person outside their country facing a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion.
• Key principle: Non-refoulement – refugees should not be returned to a place where their life/freedom is threatened.
• Rights: Employment, education, housing, courts, religion and movement.
• 1967 Protocol: Removed the Convention’s temporal and geographical limitations.
• India: Not a party to the 1951 Convention or 1967 Protocol; has no dedicated refugee law.

World Ozone Day

Environment

News

• World Ozone Day 2026 was observed on September 16, commemorating the Montreal Protocol and highlighting 10 years of adoption of the Kigali Amendment.

OZONE LAYER DEPLETION 

Basics – Ozone Layer (O3)

• It is a highly reactive molecule containing three oxygen atoms.
• Found in – It is present between 10 and 50 km above the earth’s surface, called the stratosphere. 
• Function – This ozone layer serves as a natural filter for blocking deadly incoming UV radiation from the sun.
• Significance – This ozone shield is necessary for the survival of human life on the earth.

OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

• Definition – The decrease in ozone concentration in the middle layers of the atmosphere – mainly in the stratosphere is referred to as the depletion of the ozone layer.
• Caused by – It is caused by emissions of anthropogenic halogenated hydrocarbons such as CFCs, HCFCs, Halons, Carbon tetrachloride and Methyl bromide.

Why is ozone depletion more in Antarctica than the equator?

• • The severe depletion of the Antarctic ozone layer known as the “ozone hole” occurs because of the special weather conditions that exist there and nowhere else on the globe. 

• The very low temperatures of the Antarctic stratosphere create ice clouds called polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs).

Measures to Prevent Ozone Layer Depletion

Vienna Convention

• Objective – To protect human health and the environment from any harmful effects of the depletion of the ozone layer.
• Held in – Vienna , Austria
• Adopted in – 1985.
• Came into force – 1988.

Montreal Protocol

• Enforcement – It was agreed upon in 1987 in Montreal, Canada and entered into force in 1989. 
• Objective –  To protect the Ozone layer by reducing the production of substances that are supposed to be responsible for Ozone layer depletion.
• Kigali Agreement – The protocol was further strengthened with the ratification of the legally binding Kigali Agreement in 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. 
• Significance – It seeks to phase out the production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that are potent greenhouse gases by the late 2040s.

State of the World’s Birds 2026

Environment

News – 

• BirdLife International published its quadrennial State of the World’s Birds report at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi.

About – 

• Released by: BirdLife International; published every 4 years.

Key findings:

1. 45% of migratory bird species are declining.
2. 1 in 9 migratory species faces extinction.
3. Slender-billed Curlew declared extinct in 2025; last recorded in Morocco in 1995.

• Major drivers: Invasive species, agricultural expansion/intensification, climate change, unsustainable hunting & trapping.
• Flyway: Geographical route connecting breeding and wintering grounds, with stopover sites.
• Global flyways: BirdLife recognises 14 major flyways — 8 terrestrial + 6 marine.
• Examples: Central Asian, East Asian–Australasian, African–Eurasian Flyways.
• Nairobi Flyways Declaration: Emphasises coordinated conservation across entire flyways, involving multiple countries and stakeholders.

Additional Information – BirdLife International

• Nature: Global partnership for bird and biodiversity conservation.
• Founded: 1922 as International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP).
• Headquarters: Cambridge, UK.
• Key role: Identifies Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and supports conservation research and policy.
• Reports: Publishes the State of the World’s Birds report.
• Network: Works through partner organisations across 120+ countries.

Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)

Environment

News – 

• Bangladeshi investigators reportedly traced two ring-tailed lemurs stolen from Gazipur Safari Park to Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

About

• Scientific name: Lemur catta
• Distribution: Southern & south-western Madagascar; arid spiny scrub and rocky habitats.
• Features: Omnivorous, social strepsirrhine (wet-nosed) primate; distinctive 12–14 black-and-white tail rings.
• Behaviour: Female-led groups; highly terrestrial among lemurs; males perform scent-based “stink fights.”
• Threats: Habitat loss, charcoal production, hunting & illegal pet trade.
• IUCN: Endangered (EN)
• CITES: Appendix I

Tso Kar Glacier Lake

Environment

News 

• Ladakh has launched a project aimed at reviving and conserving Tso Kar Glacier Lake.

About

• Location: Rupshu Plateau, Ladakh.
• Part of Tso Kar Wetland Complex, comprising Tso Kar + Startsapuk Tso.
• Tso Kar: Means “white lake”, referring to salt deposits/efflorescence along its margins due to evaporation of saline water.
• Ramsar Site: Designated in 2020.
• Concern: Lake has reportedly shrunk ~70% in a decade, linked to receding glacial inputs and changing climate patterns.
• Conservation: Ladakh has launched a project for its revival and conservation.

National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS)

Polity

News – 

• New Delhi Declaration adopted during 18th BRICS Summit agrees to support establishment of training hubs and Centres of Excellence for mental health, with NIMHANS being the coordinating centre.

About – 

• Full name: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.
• Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Focus: Mental health, neurosciences and neurosurgical care; patient care, research & training.
• Deemed University: 1994.
• Institute of National Importance: 2012, through an Act of Parliament.
• Tele-MANAS: Designated nodal centre.
• Bellary Model: NIMHANS’ pilot model contributed to the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP).

Additional information – Mental Health Initiatives in India 

Ramanathaswamy Temple

History & Culture

News – 

• During the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi welcomed visiting leaders at Bharat Mandapam against a backdrop featuring the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple of Rameswaram.

About

• Location: Rameswaram, Pamban Island, Tamil Nadu.
• Deity: Lord Shiva; one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and one of the Char Dham.
• Architecture: Dravidian style, famous for elaborate gopurams, carved pillars and long corridors.
• Corridor: Known for the longest temple corridor in India/world.
• History: Expanded substantially under the Nayaks and Sethupathi rulers (15th–18th centuries), with earlier Pandya patronage.

Additional Information- 12 Jyotirlingas 

Thirukkural

History & Culture

News – 

• PM Modi gifted a Russian translation of the Thirukkural to President Putin ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

About

• Author: Thiruvalluvar; foundational Tamil ethical text.
• Period: Post-Sangam era; date debated (c. 300 BCE–500 CE).
• Structure: 1,330 couplets → 133 chapters → 10 couplets/chapter.

Three divisions:

1. Aram – Virtue/ethics
2. Porul – Polity/statecraft
3. Inbam – Love

• Nature: Secular and universal; covers ethics, governance, justice and social values.
• Also known as Kural, Tamil Marai (Tamil Veda) and Divine Book.