In Focus by The Hindu

Early data from the National Family Health Survey-5, for 22 States and Union Territories, throws up some worrying data on child nutrition in the country. Stunting, which is low height for age, was seen to increase in 13 of the 22 States and Union Territories surveyed.The data was collected in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. Speaking to us today about the data and what it means, the impact of the economic slowdown on nutrition, the multi-pronged approach needed to deal with nutrition and what States can do, is Dr Purnima Menon, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we look back on India's major foreign policy challenges in 2020, and what the next year holds in store.In the world of diplomacy too, COVID-19 was the biggest story, heightening tensions among some nations, most notably evident in the deteriorating U.S.-China relationship, while emerging as an opportunity for others who have offered medical assistance and are now pledging support in the distribution of vaccines.We look at India's outreach to the neighbourhood on the COVID-19 front, as well as how a crisis with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh dominated attention in 2020.Looking ahead to next year, we examine how India will likely deal with the China question and an emerging two-front scenario with Pakistan, continuing challenges in the immediate neighbourhood where China's presence is looming large, and the future of relations with a new administration in Washington and why the Quad will likely play an increasing role in the region.Guests:Suhasini Haidar: Diplomatic Affairs Editor and National Editor, The HinduDinakar Peri: Defence Correspondent, The HinduMeera Srinivasan: The Hindu's Colombo correspondent covering Sri Lanka and the Maldives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we’ll discuss the plan for India’s new parliament building, part of the Modi government’s ambitious central vista project which entails building and refurbishing the government buildings on part of the 3.5km stretches from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. On December 10, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building and the new building was the need of the hour as it would be equipped with new technology and have more space for smooth functioning of Parliament and various ministries.There has also been criticism from several quarters, much of it centred on the cost of the central vista project and whether undertaking a project such as this is appropriate at a time when the economy is suffering. A batch of petitions in the Supreme Court opposing the proposed change in land usage of the Central Vista.So as we look ahead and back while trying to give context to this story one overarching question stands out - what is the case for a new parliament building and does India need one. In this episode we’ll take up that question in detail, tracking the way the role and functions of parliament have expanded since independence and whether the current infrastructure is enough to support it. We’ll also take up the question of whether an upgrade in infrastructure alone is enough to fix many of the issues with parliament’s functioning.Guest: Chakshu Roy, head of legislative and civic engagement, PRS legislative research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an emergency Cabinet meeting held on December 19, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli recommended the dissolution of Parliament of Nepal and called for a general election. The decision was ratified by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari in an official announcement hours later. The dramatic move came after weeks of tension with challenger Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who has been demanding that Mr. Oli change his style of governance.In this episode we’ll discuss the political challenges facing Mr. Oli that led to his taking this step. We’ll also discuss what this latest round of political turmoil means for India’s ongoing efforts to resume diplomatic dialogue with Nepal.Guest: Kallol Bhattacharjee, Senior Assistant Editor, The Hindu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a rare episode in which we’re discussing sports but we’re taking a slightly different tack today - we’re going to look at the science behind why a cricket ball swings and use the opportunity to highlight some really interesting research that‘s been happening in this area.Our immediate motivation, of course, is the day night test match currently underway between India and Australia that’s being played with a pink ball. The pink ball is, of course, relatively novel in cricket and there’s still a lot of curiosity and attempts to understand how it behaves differently to the red and white ball. So, while we address the pink ball in the course of the conversation today, we don’t restrict ourselves to it. We talk overall about the general mechanics of swing and the various factors that affect it.Our guest today, Professor Sanjay Mittal teaches at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kanpur and for the past several years he has been leading a team of researchers conducting experiments to understand the physics governing the swing of a cricket ball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We turn to international affairs in this episode and we look at the recent Morocco-Israel deal and its implications for the region. Here’s the story so far: Morocco has become the fourth Arab country to normalise ties with Israel in five months. On December 10, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deal, claiming that the series of normalisation agreements between Arab countries (the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and now Morocco) and the Jewish state was bringing peace to West Asia. In return for Morocco’s decision to establish formal ties with Israel, the U.S. has recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory in northwestern Africa, which has been under Moroccan control for decades. Morocco has long been campaigning internationally, using economic pressure and diplomacy, for recognition of its claims to Western Sahara. It appears that it got what it wanted from this deal but could the move now end up reigniting a dormant conflict?Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his country will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest, the first world leader to voice his views on the farmers' protests, India slammed his remarks as “ill-formed” and "unwarranted". Peeved over Canada's remarks, reports said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would skip a Canada-led virtual meeting on COVID-19. On the same day as India protested, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a dig at the state of internal affairs across the border in Pakistan and on countries that "can neither make their own road nor walk on it." Do these statements suggest interventionism in international affairs is on the rise? Is domestic politics taking increasing precedence in how countries conduct foreign policy, and is the principle of non-intervention in international affairs a relic of the past that needs revisiting?Guests: Srinath Raghavan, Professor at Ashoka University; Senior Fellow at Carnegie India; Author of "The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia"Suhasini Haidar, National Editor and Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The Hindu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an all-party meet at which he said that experts believe the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in a few weeks. Eight vaccines are at different stages of preparedness in the country, he said. On Wednesday, the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s requests for emergency-use authorisation of their vaccine candidates in India were put on hold, pending more evidence.The vaccine will have to reach the thousands healthcare workers, frontline workers and elderly persons with co-morbidities who have been prioritised to get it. How prepared is India for a vaccine roll-out? What is emergency-use authorisation, and what does it mean for a vaccine as new as the ones for COVID-19? Are people ready to take a vaccine or are there worries that may have to be combated? And what are the challenges our State healthcare system will face in rolling out what may be a vast programme that lasts for many months?Host: Zubeda HamidGuest: Dr. Rajib Dasgupta, chairperson, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University.Find the In Focus podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for ‘In Focus by The Hindu’.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, the world’s tallest mountain added a few more centimetres to its already lofty peak after Nepal and China jointly announced the new height of Mount Everest as being 8,848.86 metres, revised from the earlier 8,848m that has been recognised since 1954. And with that, Mt. Everest has officially gained 86 centimetres, or roughly three feet. The new height was announced at a high-profile virtual ceremony, with the Presidents of China and Nepal exchanging letters, foreign ministers in attendance, all aimed at showcasing a deepening strategic relationship between the two countries, for whom the height of the mountain has been a matter of long-running debate. Host: Jayant Sriram Guest: Ananth Krishnan, former China correspondent, The Hindu. Find the In Focus podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for ‘In Focus by The Hindu’. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first of two episodes on COVID-19 vaccines, we give you a quick explainer on what to expect from vaccine trials and how to interpret news around it. Concerns have risen around Bharat Biotech’s vaccine candidate after Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij, who participated as a volunteer in the phase 3 trials for Covaxin, tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the shot.As more vaccine candidates emerge, we are likely to hear of more such incidents. But it is important to remember, as we learn in this episode, that infections arising among some participants is actually part of the clinical trial design for most vaccines.Guest: Jacob Koshy, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu.Coronavirus | About 130 Covaxin trial volunteers may test positive, says Bharat BiotechFind the In Focus podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for ‘In Focus by The Hindu’.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices