In Focus by The Hindu

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heightened military strikes over the August 25 weekend. While Israel carried out large scale ‘pre-emptive’ air strikes on southern Lebanon in response to what it claimed were preparations by Hezbollah to strike Israel, Hezbollah still went ahead and launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel. The attacks left one dead in Israel and three dead in Lebanon, and raised fears of the conflict escalating into a wider regional war. But Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that their strikes on Israel had completed their retaliatory response to avenge the killing of their commander Fuad Shukr, and with Israel, too, indicating satisfaction with its strikes, tensions have reduced to a low simmer for the time being. How do we make sense of this tit-for-tat exchange? Can the asymmetric war that Iran and Hezbollah are waging against Israel help in moving the needle towards a ceasefire? And why has Israel launched a major military operation in the West Bank even as it’s bogged down in Gaza? Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The HinduEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The K. Hema Committee report has shaken up the Malayalam film industry, bringing into the public domain all kinds of horrors. Based on direct testimonies, it has documented rampant sexual exploitation, illegal bans, discrimination, wage disparity, and inhuman working conditions, with women not having access to even basic amenities such as toilets and changing rooms.Significantly, it notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by a tight-knit cabal of 10 to 15 all-male producers, directors and actors, who could ban anyone from the industry. It also flags the fear that witnesses felt in speaking freely about their experiences working in the industry.How is it that in such a big industry with an annual turnover of more than ₹1,000 crores, employees don’t have basic protections or decent working conditions? Will the persons who perpetrated the crimes documented in the Report be brought to book? And what kind of legal mechanisms can be put in place to protect the safety of women in the film industry?Guest: Thulasi K Raj, a lawyer who practices at the Kerala High Court and at the Supreme Court of India.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The HinduEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Central government, a few days ago, banned 156 fixed dose combination drugs, or FDCs. An FDC is a drug that has more than one active ingredient – two or more drugs together, in a single pill, capsule or shot. This is the latest in a series of bans brought in by the Centre – last year 14 FDCs were banned, and a total of 499 have been banned since 2014. Why is this happening? Expert committees of the government have said these FDCs are irrational or have no therapeutic value for patients. In fact, FDCs are known to contribute to a growing public health problem in India – antimicrobial resistance So then why is the Indian market dominated by FDCs? Why are there FDCs in India that are not found anywhere else in the world? How are even unapproved and banned FDCs often found in the market?Guest: S Srinivasan, co-convenor, All India Drug Action NetworkHost: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who served as Chief Adviser to an interim government in Bangladesh, provides insights into the country's political upheaval following Sheikh Hasina's departure. He discusses the resurgence of opposition parties and public expectations from the interim leadership. The dialogue includes the concerns around constitutional changes, safety of minorities, and the challenges of a two-party system. Additionally, they explore how Indian foreign policy might need to adapt to the changing landscape in Bangladesh.

In this insightful discussion, tennis legends Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jannik Sinner dive into the thrilling dynamics of the upcoming US Open. Djokovic seeks his 25th Grand Slam title, while Sinner faces a cloud of doping controversy. The conversation touches on potential matchups, the competitive landscape for both men and women, and the mental state of top athletes. The panel also addresses the disparities between top-ranked players and their lower-ranked counterparts, setting the stage for an exciting tournament.

Another public health emergency has hit the world, and this time it’s mpox, previously known as monkeypox. The outbreak is sweeping through west, central and east African countries, and in the past few days cases have also been reported closer home, in Pakistan and Thailand. While mpox has been around for decades, this time around, a deadlier and far more transmissible strain—known as Clade 1b—has driven the recent surge in cases. This strain is believed to cause death in about 3.6 per cent of the cases, with children being the most vulnerable, according to the World Health Organisation. The Indian government has said there is no call for alarm as of now but has also said that hospitals have been alerted and large-scale testing is being looked into if the need arises. So what is mpox—how is it caused and how does it spread? How do you know if you have mpox and what are the signs and symptoms? What are the treatment options and is there a vaccine available? And importantly, how concerned should India be about this latest zoonotic viral disease?  Guest: Dr V Ramasubramanian, consultant infectious diseases specialist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai and medical director, Capstone Multispecialty Clinic, Chennai Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, Donald Trump told Black journalists in Chicago, USA, that Kamala Harris had identified herself as Indian, not Black. He was trying to suggest to Black journalists and voters that Kamala Harris was not "Black enough." While that criticism has been made against Kamala as well as Obama, for that matter, it also threw into focus Indian-Americans who form a small part of the overall population in America but who are now quite visible in American politics, government, business and academia today. We have Vijay Prashad, academic, author and activist who is executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and author of the book Karma of Brown Folk about Indian-Americans to talk to us about this.Host: M KalyanaramanEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring India's 2020 FDI policy changes, experts discuss the significant drop in Chinese investments and national security concerns. The impact of recent geopolitical tensions is highlighted, especially post-Galwan Valley. Suggestions emerge for reevaluating the restrictions to boost manufacturing and technology transfer. The discussion points to the debate over balancing economic benefits against protecting local industries, ultimately advocating for a nuanced approach to managing India-China economic relations.

The fifth of August changed the course of history in Bangladesh. The images of a once-powerful Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country in a helicopter will remain etched in memory for the momentous change it marked.A government led by the high-profile Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, once the target of Sheikh Hasina’s high-handed actions, has taken charge of the country. It has, significantly, two young leaders from the student movement that took the county by storm and led to the far-reaching changes.Mr. Yunus and his government are taking steps to assure the minority Hindu community that they are safe in the country in the wake of attacks in many places. As the euphoria of change dims, the spotlight will be on how the interim government performs. What the students do in the days and weeks ahead will also be watched. They have already demonstrated their influence.So, what do all these life-changing events spell for Bangladesh? We discuss this in the episode. Guest: Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star newspaper. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The staggering decline of vultures in India has led to roughly 500,000 extra human deaths from 2000 to 2005, tied directly to the use of the veterinary drug Diclofenac. As vultures disappeared, alternative scavengers like dogs and rats surged, increasing disease transmission. The discussion highlights the essential role of vultures in public health and ecological balance. The urgent need for conservation and effective waste management solutions is emphasized to mitigate this crisis.