Sriram Lakshman, a foreign correspondent for The Hindu, dives deep into Trump's unexpected victory as the 47th President. He highlights the miscalculations by Democrats and the diverse voter support Trump garnered, including from traditionally Democratic groups. Lakshman discusses the implications of Trump's controversial staff picks, touching on potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy. The conversation also addresses the evolving Democratic strategies and the global ramifications of this election outcome, hinting at a rise in divisive politics worldwide.

Saurabh Bhattacharjee, an expert on migrant worker issues from the National Law School, unpacks the grim realities faced by Indian laborers in Saudi Arabia's Neom project, including shocking stats on deaths and disappearances. He delves into the oppressive kafala system, questioning why young Indians still seek jobs in the Gulf amid such risks. Bhattacharjee calls attention to outdated legal protections, the cycle of exploitation from recruitment to labor, and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard the rights of these vulnerable workers.

Negotiators, government representatives, and activists from across the world will assemble in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 for COP29, this year's U.N. climate summit.  This COP or Conference of Parties is dubbed the "climate finance COP" as it has a big goal - setting a new climate financing target. Negotiators will discuss ways to set up a fund to help developing countries fight against climate change. But, the issues of climate financing are not just about setting a target; it is about incentivising the private sector to invest in greener technologies, forming regulations to aid the process and finding ways to fund transition from fossil fuels.  Guest: Dr. Monika Gupta, Assistant Professor, Finance and Economics, SPJIMR Host: V Nivedita Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. 

The much-delayed Census may finally be conducted next year, with the process being completed in 2026. Following the Census the Central government may go ahead with a delimitation exercise – re-drafting constituencies, based on updated population numbers. This seems to have sparked concern amongst some south Indian States, who believe that the number of seats they represent in Parliament could decrease, as their populations are lower than those of certain States in the north, as they have achieved population control milestones. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently expressed concerns about his State’s ageing population and called on residents to have more children. Two days later, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, while attending a mass wedding event, referred to a blessing about acquiring 16 different kinds of wealth, said in jest that with delimitation coming up, perhaps residents should rethink having small families.So what’s going to happen with the delimitation exercise? Will southern States lose out on a large number of seats while those in the north get more? Will these place a wedge between two halves of the country, driving ‘north-south’ politics? Is there are a fairer system to ensure adequate representation without penalising States that have performed better?Guest: Sonalde Desai: Professor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland, U.S.Host: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Francis Weston

Americans are all set to pick their 47th President on November 5. The campaigning has been one of the most fractious in US history, and the stakes have perhaps never been higher. With the Trump campaign focussed on immigration and Harris on women’s rights, whose narrative has won? With just a couple of days of campaigning left, where do the candidates stand with regard to key constituencies such as Latinos, Blacks, especially Black men, Arab/Muslim communities, and women? And who is ahead in the battleground states?Guest: Sanjay Ruparelia, Associate Professor, Jarislowsky Democracy Chair, in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson [AJR] for their work in understanding how good institutions play are essential role for a country’s prosperity. They explain how 'inclusive institutions' can help countries grow and create long-term benefits for everyone. They also explain how 'extractive institutions' provide short-term gains for the people in power.  In a press release announcing the winners of this year's Nobel Prize for Economic Science, the The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences noted that societies changed when Europeans colonised large parts of the globe. "This was sometimes dramatic, but did not occur in the same way everywhere. In some places, the aim was to exploit the indigenous population and extract resources for the colonisers’ benefit. In others, the colonisers formed inclusive political and economic systems for the long-term benefit of European migrants," the press release says. AJR's hypothesis explains the role of institutions in wealth creation why some former colonies are poor. However, their work has come under sharp criticism from several quarters for ignoring the effects colonisation had on the colonised countries and how many of these countries still reel under the effects of colonisation.Guest: Dr. Surbhi Kesar, a senior lecturer at the Department of Economics at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.Host: Nivedita. VEdited by Jude Weston

B. Kolappan, a political analyst for The Hindu, dives into actor Vijay's political debut with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. They discuss the massive rally that indicated a strong fanbase ready for political action. Kolappan analyzes Vijay's rhetorical positioning against the BJP and DMK, questioning the potential shifts in Tamil Nadu's bipolar political landscape. He also examines the complexities of caste and religion within Vijay's support, highlighting challenges in uniting diverse voter blocks as the 2026 assembly elections approach.

India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This is expected to lead to “disengagement” and eventually a proper resolution of the tensions that had emerged along the India-China border in 2020.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that this agreement is just the “first phase”. What exactly is covered by this patrolling pact? What are the outstanding issues that remain? And what is the significance of the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in the context of this agreement? Guest: Jabin T Jacob, Associate Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Shiv Nadar University. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Yayha Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and head of the group’s political bureau was killed by Israeli forces on October 16. His death sparked contrasting reactions. While the West has largely endorsed the killing of a man Israel’s considers as the ‘mastermind’ of the October 7, 2023 attack, Palestinians, Arabs, and other actors in the Middle East have hailed him as a ‘martyr’ and a ‘hero’ who will inspire Palestinians to continue their fight for self-determination and statehood.Some commentators in the West also see in his passing an opportunity for a ceasefire, return of the Israeli hostages, and a strategic reshaping of the region in favour of Israeli and American interests.What does Sinwar’s death mean for Hamas? Will it help or hinder the prospects of a ceasefire in Gaza? What does Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mean when he said that the war is “not over” despite the killing of top Hamas leaders such as Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and also much of Hezbollah’s senior leadership?Guest: Dr. Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor in the School of Security, Defence Studies Department, Institute of Middle-Eastern Studies, at King’s College, London.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Jude Francis Weston

For the fifth time in its history, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine has been given for research into RNA. This year’s Nobel Prize winners, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the prize for discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. What is microRNA? Why was its discovery important? What are the implications of this for research into human health and diseases? What is the current RNA research ongoing in India? And is RNA now taking centrestage for its importance in maintaining the balance in our cells, critical to good health and life?Guest: Reety Arora, a molecular biologist, with experience in stem cell biology, cancer research and CRISPR and currently principal scientist and head, R&D, CRISPRBITS, a company based in Bangalore.Host: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Francis Weston