In Focus by The Hindu

A politician known as the ‘Dutch Donald Trump’ has won the general elections in the Netherlands. Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, or PVV as it is known, is a frontrunner to be the next Dutch Prime Minister after his party won 37 seats, ahead of the outgoing PM Mark Rutte’s VVD, which got only 24.Wilders is both anti-Islam and anti-immigration. He is also anti-EU and is opposed to sending weapons to Ukraine. His victory in a country known for its tolerance and multiculturalism has come as a surprise.How did he end up winning? What are the chances of him heading the next government? What are the implications of his victory for the immigrant minorities, and the Muslims in particular, who comprise 5% of the Dutch population? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast discusses key topics at the 28th UN climate conference including funding the 'loss and damage fund,' climate accountability, phasing down fossil fuels, incentivizing renewable energy, addressing methane emissions, and India's objectives and progress towards national targets.

After winning ten matches on the trot, India could not win one more and bring home the World Cup. It started the final as favourites, but things did not go according to the expectations that fans had built up over one month of pure magic.So, what went wrong for India? Was the match lost with the toss itself? Was Australia too good on the day? Or did India make mistakes? If it did, what were they, and what are the positives we can take away from this tournament? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us would remember the sudden shortage of semiconductor chips during the pandemic – how it affected automobile manufacturing, delaying deliveries, and in many cases, even caused manufacturers to deliver cars without some features. But semiconductors form an integral component of not just cars but almost any high tech device we use today – from smartphones and laptops to televisions, satellites and, of course, all kinds of advanced military hardware.As nations jockey for geopolitical dominance, in addition to traditional factors such as military capabilities and economic power, technological prowess has become another, and perhaps most critical factor. Control over the manufacture and availability of the most advanced semiconductors is a key element of geopolitical security and strategic autonomy.And yet, geopolitics and semiconductor supply chains have mostly figured in separate debates. A new book, titled ‘When the Chips are Down’, by Pranay Lotasthane and Abhiram Manchi brings the two parallel discourses together, and also presents a framework for understanding where India fits into the picture.We speak with the authors Pranay Kotasthane and Abhiram Manchi.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) released a set of guidelines last month for the Central and State governments to tackle the problem of Child Sexual Abuse Material or CSAM on the internet. Over the past few years, there has been a colossal increase in the availability of CSAM online. In its 2023 report, WeProtect Global Alliance, which consists of governments, companies and charities working together for digital safety, said there was an 87% increase in such cases since 2019. What is the situation like in India? The NHRC says, that according to the Cyber Tipline 2022 statistics, of the 32 million reports received about child sexual abuse material, 5.6 million reports were uploaded by perpetrators based in India.Recently, the United Kingdom passed a stringent online safety bill that introduces a number of obligations on how large tech firms must design, operate and moderate their platforms. Other countries too are contemplating or have already put in place such measures.What are the vulnerabilities children in our country face, when they go online with their devices? How does child sexual abuse material online lead to offline consequences? Where does India stand when it comes to regulating and making the digital space safe for children? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we keep hearing everyday, artificial Intelligence is on the verge of fundamentally changing the way human beings live and work. There are also many fears about the dangers posed by AI – which range from mass disinformation and privacy risks, to extinction of the human race itself.Amid this debate over how to regulate AI so that we are able to benefit from it while keeping it safe, governments around the world have been coming up with proposals for AI governance. The latest is the Biden administration’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.What are the concerns shaping these preliminary moves toward AI regulation? Are there any fundamental principles that an AI regulatory regime needs to address? What are the potential conflicts – say, between the interests of AI researchers and ordinary citizens --- when framing such laws? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast discusses the issue of personal health data security in India, including recent cyber attacks on government research bodies and hospitals. It explores the vulnerability of healthcare organizations and the impact on patient care. The podcast also addresses the shortcomings of the Data Protection Act in protecting health data, concerns about consent and obligations in digital health programs, and the importance of ethical and secure digital systems.

A study in India reveals a link between air pollution and type 2 diabetes, with higher rates in urban areas. Particulate matter 2.5 disrupts insulin secretion and action. Air pollution in India poses risks like diabetes, stunted growth, and respiratory diseases. Urgent measures are needed. Clean air should be considered a serious health hazard. Wearing masks and reducing pollution have potential benefits.

This podcast explores the case of eight Indian navy veterans sentenced to death in Qatar on charges of spying for Israel. It discusses the confusion and speculation surrounding the charges, Qatar's mediation efforts, bilateral relations with Qatar and the chances of India bringing back the navy men on death row.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to Prof Claudia Goldin for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes. Prof Goldin’s work has looked at women’s participation in the labour force, changes across decades and the gender gap in earnings that continues to exist even today. In fact, the 2023 Global Gender Gap report pegged the gap score at 68.4%, and said it would take 131 years to equalise earnings between men and women at the current rate of progress. But how does India fare in all of this? A State of Working India 2023 report, brought out by the Azim Premji University reveals that some of Prof Goldin’s findings about women in the workforce may apply in India as well. The double burden of household work and a job continues to affect women, gender norms play a significant role and the Covid-19 pandemic had a massive impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices