News in Shorts: 08 October 2025

Temporo – Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Implant

Context: Recently, four patients successfully received indigenous customized Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) implants at the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS), New Delhi,

About Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ)

• The TMJ is the joint connecting the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull, allowing essential movements such as chewing, speaking, and facial expressions.
• Disorders in this joint can cause severe pain, restricted jaw movement, and difficulty in daily functions, often requiring surgical replacement in advanced cases.

About the TMJ Implant

• The indigenously developed TMJ implant is a custom-designed prosthetic created through advanced biomedical engineering at the ICMR-DHR-MedTech Product Development Acceleration Gateway of India (mPRAGATI), coordinated by MDMS at IIT Delhi.
• It provides improved jaw mobility, enhanced muscle attachment for better function and aesthetics, and faster post-surgical recovery.
• The implant is five to ten times cheaper than imported versions, developed under the Make in India initiative, ensuring wider patient access and cost-effective treatment.

World Para-Athletics Championships 2025

Context: The World Para-Athletics Championships 2025 was hosted for the first time in New Delhi, India.

About World Para-Athletics Championships 2025

• It is the flagship global event for differently-abled athletes, organized under the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to promote inclusivity and excellence in sports.
• The 2025 edition: The 12th edition of World Para-Athletics Championships held in New Delhi from 26 Sept, 2025 – 5 Oct, 2025
  • It witnessed participation from nearly 100 nations, making it one of the largest para-sport events ever hosted by India.
• It provides a platform for para-athletes to qualify for the upcoming Paralympic Games,
• Brazil finished top of the medal tally with 44 medals, including 15 gold medals, 20 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals.

India’s Performance

• India finished at 10th with its best-ever medal tally at the championships, winning a total of 22 medals, including 6 Gold, 9 Silver, and 7 Bronze.

UNESCO Director-General

Context: Egypt’s Khaled el-Anani has been nominated as the next Director-General of UNESCO, potentially becoming the first Arab to hold the position.

About UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

• UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Established in 1945 and headquartered in Paris, France.
• Dedicated to fostering international collaboration, it promotes peace and security through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms.
• In addition to choosing and protecting World Heritage sites and traditions,it also works to ensure education for girls, promotes Holocaust awareness and funds scientific research in developing countries, among other activities
• It has 194 member states and 12 associate members, with India being a founding member.
• UNESCO Administration
  • The General Conference, comprising all member states, sets policies and approves the budget.
  • The Executive Board oversees program implementation and administration.
  • The Secretariat, led by the Director-General, executes day-to-day operations, manages programs, and coordinates activities across its global offices and field missions.
• Sources of Funding:
  • Assessed Contributions: Mandatory payments from member states, providing stable and predictable income.
  • Voluntary Contributions: Additional funds from member states, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector, crucial for strategic programs and urgent needs.
  • Other Sources: Income from publications and funds-in-trust donated for specific purposes.

Financial Challenge

• UNESCO faces likely budget shortfalls after the US withdrawal, which accounts for 8% of overall funding.

World Cerebral Palsy Day

Context: World Cerebral Palsy Day was observed on 6 October 2025 to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of people living with cerebral palsy globally.

About Cerebral Palsy

• Introduction: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of disorders affecting movement, posture, and muscle control due to abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain.
  • It is the most common motor disability in childhood.
• Causes: CP can result from prenatal, perinatal, or early postnatal brain injury.
  • Risk factors include infections, hypoxia, premature birth, and Rh incompatibility.
• Prevention: Prevention involves maternal vaccinations, avoiding infections, managing health conditions, and abstaining from alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. 
• Treatment: Early interventions, therapy, assistive devices, and rehabilitation support help manage symptoms.
• Global Burden: Approximately 1.8 crore people live with CP worldwide. In India, the incidence is about 3 per 1,000 live births.

About World Cerebral Palsy Day

• Introduction: Established by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in 2012, the day unites people with CP, families, and organizations to promote equal rights, inclusion, and awareness.
• 2025 Theme: “Unique and United”.
• India’s Initiative: The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) and National Institutes/Composite Regional Centres organized awareness programs, competitions, and cultural events to celebrate children with CP.

Pasni Port, Pakistan

Context: Pakistan has reportedly offered the Pasni port on the Arabian Sea to the USA as a terminal for shipping critical minerals, aiming to strengthen bilateral economic engagement.

About Port Pasni

• Introduction: The Port of Pasni is a small deep-water harbour in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, equipped with a fish harbour, cargo jetty, and a Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) base.
• Location: The port is located about 113 km from China-backed Gwadar Port, 161 km from the Pakistan–Iran border, and 300 km from Iran’s Chabahar Port, which is being developed by India.
• Strategic Significance: Pasni could be linked to mineral-rich areas like Reko Diq through a new railway, facilitating exports to the US. 
  • Its location provides geopolitical and economic leverage in South Asia.

Global Research on Heatwave Deaths Caused By Climate Change

Context: A global research study led by Australia has revealed that over half of all deaths during the 2023 heatwaves were directly linked to human-induced climate change.

Key Findings of the Study

• Scale of Impact: Out of 1,78,486 heatwave-related deaths, approximately 54% (over 1 lakh deaths) were attributed to anthropogenic climate change.
• Scope of Analysis: The study covered 2,000 locations across 67 countries, representing the most extensive global assessment of heat-related mortality to date.
• Hottest Year on Record: The year 2023 registered a global average temperature 1.45°C above pre-industrial levels, making it the warmest year ever recorded.
• Southern Europe: Recorded the highest mortality rate, followed by Eastern and Western Europe, reflecting extreme summer heat events.
• Subtropical & Temperate Regions: Most deaths occurred in these zones of the Northern Hemisphere, where rising temperatures intensified cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
• Future Threats: Australia’s Climate Risk Report projects that if global warming exceeds 3°C by 2050, millions of homes could face rising sea levels, deadly heat, and coastal inundation.

What is Heatwave ?

• A heatwave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, often accompanied by high humidity, lasting for several days or weeks.
• It occurs when high-pressure systems trap warm air, preventing heat from dissipating and leading to prolonged hot conditions
• In India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines a heatwave based on temperature thresholds and regional norms.

IMD Criteria for Heatwave in India

• Plains: Maximum temperature ≥ 40°C.
• Hilly Regions: Maximum temperature ≥ 30°C.
• Based on Departure from Normal Temperature
  • Heatwave:  if it is 4.5°C to 6.4°C above normal 
  • Severe Heatwave:  if it is ≥6.5°C above normal.
• Based on Absolute Temperature
  • If maximum temperature ≥ 45°C → Heatwave.
  • If ≥ 47°C → Severe heatwave.

Causes of Heatwaves

• Atmospheric high-pressure systems that trap heat near the surface.
• Climate change, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events.
• Urban Heat Island effect, where cities trap more heat due to concrete, low vegetation, and pollution.
• Deforestation and land degradation, reducing natural cooling

Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0, a landmark initiative aimed at achieving self-reliance, standardisation, and interoperability in India’s military communication systems.

About IRSA 1.0

• Definition: IRSA 1.0 is a comprehensive software architecture standard for Software Defined Radios (SDRs), which are critical for modern, secure, and adaptive military communications.
• Developed by : DRDO in Collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and the Tri-Services.
• Core Features:
• • Defines standardised interfaces, APIs, and execution environments for SDR platforms.
  • Enables waveform portability, interoperability, certification, and conformance across services.
  • Ensures compatibility between communication systems used by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Built to evolve with emerging operational needs, supporting next-generation secure communication technologies and indigenous SDR innovation.

What is Software Defined Radios (SDRs)?

• It is a radio communication system where most of the functions that were traditionally implemented using hardware (like filters, amplifiers, modulators, etc.) are instead performed by software on a computer or embedded system.
• In a conventional radio, hardware circuits handle modulation, demodulation, and frequency filtering.
• In an SDR, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) converts received radio signals into digital form.
• Then, software algorithms perform signal processing tasks such as:
  • Frequency tuning
  • Modulation/demodulation
  • Encryption/decryption
  • Error correction
• Thus, by changing the software, an SDR can adapt to different frequencies and protocols without changing its hardware.
• Applications: Defence & Security, Telecommunications, Disaster Management and Space Research.

Development Journey of IRSA

• Initiation: The IRSA project was conceptualised in 2021, following recognition of the critical role of SDRs in modern warfare.
• Technical Development: In 2022, a core technical team led by DRDO began development with active participation from the IDS and Armed Services.
• Approval: Version 1.0 was approved by the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) in 2025 after rigorous validation.

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