In Focus by The Hindu

Mala Ramanathan, a public health expert from the Achutha Menon Centre, discusses South India's concerning decline in birth rates and its unexpected link to rising maternal mortality. She highlights Kerala's historic low of 3.9 lakh births annually and the implications for an aging population. The conversation touches on socio-economic factors driving these trends and the challenges of ensuring an active, healthy society as demographics shift. Ramanathan also considers the need for policies that support the elderly and enrich their contributions to the community.

Will Arvind Kejriwal return to power once again in Delhi? Or, will the BJP build on the momentum of its recent victories in Haryana and Maharashtra to dislodge the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from power? What are the stakes for the Congress in these elections, given that its vote share in the last election had shrunk to less than 5%? These are some of the questions on people’s minds as the state gears up for the assembly polls, scheduled for February 5.In this episode of In Focus, we preview the chances of the three contenders, assess the competing narratives that each of them is pushing, and analyse the issues that could tip the balance among the voters.Guest: Rahul Verma, political analyst and Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, The Hindu broke the story of 16 Indian workers trapped in ‘prison-like’ conditions at a cement factory in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Their phones and passports had been taken away, they hadn’t been paid their wages for months, and had been forced to work for much longer hours than what was specified in their contract.These workers, hailing from rural Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, are still awaiting repatriation back to India, which is expected to happen later this month.What led these young men to seek employment in a place like Libya? What is the modus operandi of the recruitment agents that sent them there on false promises? What is the legal framework in India that regulates man power recruitment for jobs abroad? And what need to change to ensure India’s unemployed poor do not fall into such traps in the future?Guest: Kunal Shankar, The Hindu’s Deputy Business Editor, and Lucknow correspondent Mayank Kumar.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After more than 15 months of conflict and devastation, there is finally a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The ceasefire will come into force on January 19. The agreement, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and US officials, will unfold over three phases. It involves Hamas releasing Israeli captives, in exchange for Israel releasing thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and Israel allowing a surge in humanitarian aid.A ceasefire that was elusive all through 2024 suddenly clicked into place a few days before the Trump inauguration. How did it happen? What does it mean for Israel and Netanyahu? And will the ceasefire last, or will the bombings resume once again, after phase one of the deal?Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 20th, Donald Trump will take the oath of office as the United States’ President for the second time. There is a lot of speculation, and also apprehension, on what to expect from his administration: will there be mass deportations of undocumented migrants? Will we see a new tariff war as he raises import tariffs across the board? How will he deal with Iran and China? Will he break with the Biden administration’s foreign policy with regard to Europe, Ukraine and West Asia? What are the challenges and opportunities for India specifically?Guest: Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu’s Diplomatic Affairs Editor.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a long wait of sixteen months, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on January 3, 2025, unveiled the draft rules for implementing the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 —India’s first comprehensive data privacy legislation applicable across all sectors of commerce and industry. The government is currently inviting stakeholder feedback on the draft until February 18, 2025, with plans to commence implementation by mid-year.This episode offers a comprehensive understanding of the new rules. Guest: Apar Gupta, Delhi-based advocate and co-founder of Internet Freedom Foundation.Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just as the New Year 2025 began, there was panic once again in the media. Reports of a supposedly new respiratory virus that had caused a surge of infections in China began to do the rounds, fuelling speculation about its entry into India. Suddenly HMPV, the human metapneumovirus became a buzzword – headlines were full of it, cases were being detected in India and there was alarm all around. Doctors and the Union Health Ministry have said over and over again that it is not a new virus, and it is not unknown in India. But what is HMPV? And why was such a furore caused over it?Guest: Dr V Ramasubramanian, consultant infectious diseases specialist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai and medical director, Capstone Multispecialty Clinic, ChennaiHost: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special year-ender episode of the In Focus podcast, our hosts discuss the key episodes from this past year. From environmental issues and health-related topics, to international affairs and legal developments within the country, this episode covers a range of diverse subjects that were discussed in In Focus this year. With six key episodes each, our hosts discuss a recap of these issues and recent developments.Tune in for an engaging recap of all the key subjects we discussed throughout the year.Hosts: G Sampath and Zubeda Hamid00:00 Introduction10:30 - Wayanad landslide14:57 - Fortified rice distribution18:19 - Outbreak of Mpox22:36 - Waqf amendment bill25:58 - Nestle’s baby cereals30:09 - Adani airport takeover deal33:31 - Bail system in India38:26 - Electoral bond verdict of SC40:36 - Census and delimitation46:11 - Yahya Sinwar’s death50:10 - Air pollution and heart disease54:01 - Great Nicobar projectEdited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent study conducted in the U.K. found that paracetamol, a common, over-the-counter medication can have serious stomach, heart and kidney complications in senior citizens who take it repeatedly. Constant use of paracetamol was linked to a 24% risk of peptic ulcer bleeding, a 19% risk of chronic kidney disease and a 9% risk of heart failure.This is not the first time the overuse of paracetamol has been linked with adverse health effects but it continues to be a medication that is commonly bought and often used without strict consideration given to the dosage that is being consumed.What does paracetamol do to your body over the long term? How can you use it appropriately? Are drugs in India being used rationally or are they over prescribed and over consumed? What does over consumption do to the human body?Guest: Dr Sangeeta Sharma, professor at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences and honorary president, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of DrugsHost: Zubeda HamidEdited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jong Eun Lee, an Assistant Professor of Political Science and expert on Korean politics, dives into the turmoil following South Korea’s presidential impeachment. The conversation reveals the reasons behind President Yoon's abrupt martial law declaration and its swift retraction. Dr. Lee discusses the cultural evolution of protests, highlighting young activists' use of K-pop cheer sticks. The podcast explores political polarization and the complexities of leadership transitions in South Korea, setting the stage for the potential outcomes of the ongoing constitutional crisis.