In Focus by The Hindu

Last week, the Modi government proposed the biggest overall of the goods and services tax since its rollout in 2017. Aiming to collapse the current 4 slab structure into a simpler 2 slab regime with a special slab for what the government is called. As sin goods. The move, expected to reduce prices across essentials and consumer durables, comes amid US tariff headwinds and concerns about domestic demand.   Guest: Sharad Raghavan, Business and Economy Editor, The Hindu  Host: Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu   Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court, in an interim order on Thursday (August 14, 2025), directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh electors who were excluded from the draft electoral roll released on August 1 as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list must specify the precise reasons for exclusion, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration. The petitioners have argued that the poll body has failed to observe the basic principles of natural justice while carrying out the exercise. They have also questioned the “hasty” manner of its implementation. What is the constitutionality of the SIR exercise, and does it risk disenfranchising voters? What are the implications of the interim order? To what extent does the order address the contentious debate over whether Aadhaar can serve as valid proof of identity and residence in the electoral process? Guest: Shah Rukh Alam, advocate practising at the Supreme Court Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that it would cancel nearly USD 500 million of funding for mRNA vaccine projects. The reason, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, was safety and efficacy concerns.mRNA or messenger RNA vaccines hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was desperately trying to create vaccines in order to save lives. mRNA vaccines for Covid were developed rapidly, given to thousands of people and are believed to have saved numerous lives.Like all vaccines that we have today, rare cases of adverse effects are possible – but the benefits, say experts far outweigh the risks.How are mRNA vaccines different from the others we have? How effective and safe are they? Can they help with other diseases as well? And what does the cut in funding mean for vaccine development and research worldwide? Guest: Dr Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The food landscape has undergone a dramatic shift over the years, and the numbers tell a sobering story. A study in The Lancet found that childhood and adolescent obesity rates worldwide have risen nearly fourfold from 1990 to 2022, while adult obesity rates have more than doubled. At the same time, dramatic celebrity weight loss has been linked to Ozempic, an injectable drug containing semaglutide, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but now widely used off-label as a weight-loss aid. In this episode of In Focus, we ask: Why is it becoming harder to lose weight? What role do our gut and brain play in shaping our relationship with food? And should drugs like Ozempic step in where lifestyle changes and willpower fall short? Guest: Dr Jack Mosley, the author of Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings Host: Preeti Zechariah Edited by Jude Francis Weston and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Vandana Prasad, a community pediatrician and former member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, discusses the alarming issue of stunting in children. She challenges the misconception that height is solely genetic, revealing how stunting reflects malnutrition. The conversation highlights the significance of nutrition during the first thousand days of life, the vital role of maternal health, and the impact of sanitation on child growth. Dr. Prasad emphasizes community support and women's empowerment as essential to breaking the cycle of undernutrition.

Across India, EV dealers are warning that customers may have to wait longer and pay extra for their new rides. The culprit: rare earth magnets made from minerals like neodymium, which are crucial for compact, efficient EV motors. While India has its own reserves, mining and processing are largely controlled by China. Now, with Beijing cutting exports amid a trade dispute with the U.S., Indian automakers are struggling to find alternatives. Guest: Ashim Sharma, Nomura Research Institute Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Anupama Chandrasekaran and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July, Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh announced that the State may follow Goa in making HIV/AIDS test mandatory for all before marriage. The problem is multi-disciplinary; it is not merely a question of health, but also involves considerations of human rights, stigma, and free will.  Should HIV/AIDS testing be made mandatory? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Jahnabi Goswami, president of the Assam Network of Positive People; N. Kumarasamy, Chief and Director of Infectious Diseases Medical Centre, Voluntary Health Services, Chennai Host: Ramya Kannan Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s Supreme Court presented its toughest ruling yet on the country’s stray dog problem, ordering all in the Delhi capital region be moved into shelters within eight weeks. The aim: to end India’s rabies crisis, one of the worst in the world, which kills an estimated 20,000 people a year.But can such a massive operation work? Is it humane? And what happens when the law collides with the emotional bonds people have with the dogs outside their doors?In this episode, we look at the feasibility of the plan, the science of rabies control and what India’s street dog policy needs to get right to protect both people and animals. Guest: Dr. Abi Tamim Vanak, Wildlife ecologist Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nutritional Intake in India report that came out recently threw up some interesting facts -- how many calories India is consuming on an average, are Indians meetings calorific requirements, how differently urban and rural Indians eat and what is the difference in calories consumed by rich and poor Indians. Another interesting aspect was about the protein consumption in India – what is the amount of proteins Indians consume and are we getting our proteins from the right sources? Also, how are food prices impacting our diets? Guest: Dipa Sinha, an independent researcher and development economist Host: Zubeda Hamid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest transport networks, is in considerable financial trouble. Despite carrying millions of passengers, it recovers barely half the cost of each journey. Freight earnings are propping up passenger services and ticket prices remain politically sensitive. In fact the Railways is increasingly relying on borrowings and Budget support for their capital investments. In this episode, we unpack the data behind the crisis, examine why even premium classes are losing money, and ask the big question: can fare hikes save the Railways without driving passengers away? Guest: A. Madhukumar Reddy, a 1987-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service officer who retired as Principal Executive Director of the Railway Board. Host: Vignesh Radhakrishnan Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices