In Focus by The Hindu

More than 100 people have been killed and over 50,000 displaced in violence that has erupted in north-east Colombia, near its border with Venezuela. The scale and nature of the violence -- described by President Gustavo Petro as “war crimes” -- has prompted the government to declare “a state of internal commotion” and a “state of economic emergency”.Media reports indicate that the violence was due to rivalry between the guerrilla group National Liberation Army (or ELN), and remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (oo FARC), and the fight apparently was over control of coca plantations and the drug trade. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for “immediate cessation of acts of violence against the civilian population”.But the strife in Colombia is one of the longest civil wars in Latin America. What do the different parties in the conflict really want? Do they have political goals or are they fighting for control over the drugs trade? What are the options before President Petro, with regard to bringing lasting peace to his country?We speak with Santiago Rodriguez, a Bogota-based journalist with La Silla Vacia, a Colombian news website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uttarakhand becomes the first Indian state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) since Independence.On January 27, 2025, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami officially rolled out the UCC, a move that promises uniformity in civil laws but comes with key exemptions—tribal communities and the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) remain outside its purview.What does this mean for minority communities? How do the new provisions impact live-in relationships? And what are the broader implications of this historic decision? This video breaks it all down.Guest: Alok Prasanna Kumar, co-founder of the Vidhi Centre for Legal PolicyHost: Aaratrika BhaumikEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of February 1, 140 cases and four deaths due to Guillain- Barré Syndrome have been reported in Pune, Maharashtra.The outbreak has shocked the public – most people have never heard of this rare, autoimmune neurological disorder before. Guillain- Barré Syndrome or GBS leads to the immune system attacking the peripheral nervous system, causing weakness in the muscles, and in some cases, paralysis. At present, doctors have said the outbreak could be linked to a bacterial infection that many of the patients contracted prior to showing symptoms. The Pune health authorities are testing water samples in all the areas where the outbreak has been reported.But how did a rare condition show up in so many people at the same time? What could be behind the large number of cases? How is it treated? What could be done to prevent future outbreaks?Guest: Dr S.V. Khadilkar, dean, professor and head of the department of Neurology, Bombay Hospital, past president, Indian Academy of NeurologyHost: Zubeda HamidEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the administration’s crackdown on undocumented migrants has led to more than 3,500 arrests. In a related development, Colombia narrowly avoided a trade war with the US when it turned back American military planes bringing back Colombian migrants. India, in contrast, has repeatedly said that on the immigration issue, it will do the “right thing” by the US.How are undocumented immigrants affected by Trump’s recent moves changing the immigration regime? Will his attempt to end birthright citizenship withstand legal scrutiny? Are his plans for large-scale detention and deportation likely to take off? And if they do, what is the likely economic fall-out?Guest: Dr Neeraj Kaushal, Professor at the School of Social Work at Columbia University, New York.Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The HinduEdited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karthik Ganesan, a seasoned expert at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, delves into the burgeoning role of small modular reactors (SMRs) in India's nuclear energy landscape. He highlights the government's commitment to increasing nuclear's share in the energy mix and the benefits of SMRs over traditional reactors. Ganesan also addresses the financial challenges, the necessity of private sector investment, and the critical need for effective nuclear waste reprocessing. With an eye on upcoming policies, he discusses how these innovations could reshape India’s energy future.

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