In Focus by The Hindu

The fifth of August changed the course of history in Bangladesh. The images of a once-powerful Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country in a helicopter will remain etched in memory for the momentous change it marked. A government led by the high-profile Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, once the target of Sheikh Hasina’s high-handed actions, has taken charge of the country. It has, significantly, two young leaders from the student movement that took the county by storm and led to the far-reaching changes. Mr. Yunus and his government are taking steps to assure the minority Hindu community that they are safe in the country in the wake of attacks in many places. As the euphoria of change dims, the spotlight will be on how the interim government performs. What the students do in the days and weeks ahead will also be watched. They have already demonstrated their influence. So, what do all these life-changing events spell for Bangladesh? We discuss this in the episode. Guest: Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star newspaper. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did the rapid decline in the population of vultures in India affect human beings? A new study, published in the American Economic Review, says that because these birds went nearly extinct, India had about 500,000 additional deaths from the year 2000 to 2005 and the economic damages to the country amounted to about 69.4 billion dollars annually. How did this happen? Up until the early 1990s, vultures were a familiar sight in India – estimates indicate the country had about 30 to 50 million vultures. In the 20 years following 1994 however, the vulture population has been decimated – only a few thousand now exist, and they are listed as a critically endangered species. What happened to them? Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, began to be used by farmers to treat their cattle. When vultures consumed, as they always do, the dead animals or carcasses that were treated with this drug, they began to die as this drug was poisonous to their systems. It took some years for the link between the drug and the vulture deaths to be established and the drug was eventually banned for animal use, but too late for the vultures of India. So how did the loss of vultures affect the sanitation system of India? What happened to the carcasses of farm animals that were once effectively cleaned up by vultures? Did the population of dogs and rats increase because of the vulture deaths? And importantly, how did this contribute to human deaths? Guest: Eyal Frank, assistant professor, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago, and co -author of the paper Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Listen to more In Focus podcasts: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The devastating landslides in Wayanad that left over 400 dead and over 100 still missing shocked not just Kerala but the entire country. Almost immediately, a blame game began – Union Home Minister Amit Shah said adequate warning had been given to Kerala, but the government of Kerala disputes this – it said the warning came after the landslide had occurred. Experts in the meantime have pointed to a number of factors that could have acted as the trigger, including the 570 mm of rainfall received in the region on July 30 and 31st. The tragedy has also brought back into the news the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, led by Madhav Gadgil, whose report in 2011 recommended that the entire region of the Western Ghats – 1,29,000 sq km across six States be declared an ecologically sensitive zone. The report recommended three zones for ecologically sensitive areas, with strict restrictions on development activities in the first two. This report generated backlash from the States as it would significantly impact livelihoods and economic growth. Following the landslide, the Central government brought out, for the sixth time in 10 years — a draft notification classifying parts of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive areas. Concerns of the States are now to be addressed by a separate committee. What were the actual triggers of the landslide? How are the Western Ghats and other hilly regions in India particularly vulnerable? How much of a role has climate change played and will this continue in the near future? What can be done to make modelling and prediction systems better? Guest: Raghu Murtugudde is a professor of climate studies, IIT Bombay, and an emeritus professor, University of Maryland. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee announced on Thursday (August 8) to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% in its August 2024 meeting for the ninth consecutive time. It maintained its inflation projection for FY25 at 4.5 per cent. While announcing the MPC policy, Governor Shaktikanta Das noted that headline inflation reached 5.1 per cent in June 2024, driven by unexpected factors. Fuel prices remained in deflation for the tenth consecutive month, but food inflation surged. Food inflation contributed over 75 per cent to headline inflation in May and June. Vegetable prices alone accounted for roughly 35 per cent of June's inflation. Governor Das said that that the MPC cannot afford to ignore this, espicially in an environment of persisting high food inflation. Vegetables and pulses have kept headline retail inflation has been over 5 per cent for eight months in the last one year. However, retail core inflation — the non-food and non-fuel segment — moderated to a four-year low of 4.3 per cent in FY24. In fact, core inflation saw a historic low during May and June. Some experts believe that high food inflation is stopping the RBI from cutting rates. In fact, the Economic Survey has suggested that "India’s inflation targeting framework should consider targeting inflation, excluding food." The argument for the change is that core inflation is muted, meaning the domestic demand is weak. Core inflation measure the change in the cost of goods and services, but it does not include the food and energy sectors. A rate cut would help boost demand. Others say that food inflation is a very important component and it can't be excluded. In this podcast, V Nivedita spoke to Dipti Deshpande, Director and Principal Economist at CRISIL Limited, to decode the debate - should the RBI focus on core inflation while forming its monetary policy? Guest: Dipti Deshpande, Director and Principal Economist at CRISIL Limited Host: V. Nivedita Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamala Harris’s late entry in the Presidential race leaves her with just three months to roll out her campaign. What kind of campaign strategy will work best for Harris given her vulnerabilities, especially on the immigration issue, and her record as attorney general in California? As for the Republicans, their entire Presidential campaign had been designed keeping in mind a race against Biden. According to the Washington Post, Trump’s running mate JD Vance reportedly told donors in a private meeting that the Biden to Harris switch is a “political sucker punch”. What adjustments will the Trump campaign need to make, given that Harris doesn’t carry the ‘baggage’ that Biden does? We take a close look at how Team Trump and Team Harris are approaching the coming months of the Presidential race – what issues they would seek to highlight, what strategies they will adopt, and how they define their political vision. Guest: Varghese K George, The Hindu’s Resident Editor in 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

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, is now at the centre of a gender row at the Paris Olympics 2024. This controversy began after Angela Carini from Italy withdrew from her Round-16 bout with Khelif just after 46 seconds. After the decision was announced, Carini didn't shake Khelif's hand but cried in the ring on her knees. Later Carini said she hurt her nose after the opening punches. This led to a heated debate on social media. Many accuse the Algerian boxer of being male or transgender, calling it unfair to women's sports. J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk also joined the debate, questioning the decision made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Simultaneously, several childhood pictures of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif surfaced on social media, aiming to prove that she is female. Along with Khelif, Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting was cleared to compete in Paris despite both being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing the International Boxing Association (IBA) gender eligibility tests. Why is Khelif at the center of the controversy? What is the current IOC criteria for determining gender? What is the dispute between the IBA and IOC? How will the Olympic matches unfold in the coming days? Guest: YB Sarangi from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: Jude Francis Weston Listen to more In Focus podcasts: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The national capital was rocked by student protests last month after three IAS aspirants tragically drowned when the basement library of their coaching centre flooded, following torrential rains. While a police case has been registered and arrests made, the students pointed out that safety norms are routinely violated at coaching centres and stormwater drains in the area were clogged, leading to water inundation. Just this week, a woman and her three-year-old son drowned in a drain in Delhi, again following heavy rains. India has a massive problem that is not acknowledged or recognised enough: preventable drowning deaths. As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s statistics for 2022, over 38,000 people died in India due to drowning, a little over nine percent of all deaths. Apart from deaths due to flooding, there are also multiple deaths due to accidental falls into water bodies, due to boats or other vessels capsizing or due to getting washed away in rivers while doing basic household work such as fetching water, washing clothes or bathing. What is the scenario with regard to drowning in India? Are we doing enough to prevent drowning deaths? What did India’s framework on drowning prevention, released last December say? Guest: Lopa Ghosh, Senior Communications Advisor at Global Health Advocacy Incubator Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Union Budget has announced several changes to the tax regime for Long-term Capital Gains. The most controversial of them is the removal of indexation benefit for the calculation of long-term capital gains (LTCGs), which could have implications for tax obligations in real estate transactions. Many now fear that the tax obligations of ordinary investors will shoot up, that black money will flood into real estate as sellers seek to lower the paper value of the transaction, and that investors will now prefer short-term holdings rather than lobg-term ones. Are these apprehensions valid? What do these taxation changes mean for the middle income investor? How will the real estate market be impacted? Guest: Ravi Saraogi of Samasthiti Advisors, who is also a SEBI-registered investment advisor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the dust settles on the proposals that the Finance Minister made in the Budget earlier this month, some aspects have become clearer while questions remain on others. Budget 2024-25 saw several initiatives around employment and skilling being proposed. Do these form a good first step in addressing the jobs challenge the country faces? Or should the government have begun addressing the problem at the level of primary school and worked upwards? Guest: Amit Basole, Professor of Economics at Azim Premji University Host: K. Bharat Kumar Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the dust settles on the proposals that the Finance Minister made in the Budget earlier this month, some aspects have become clearer while questions remain on others. We will dwell on topics such as: Why did the Minister choose to be less aggressive on the fiscal deficit front than she could have? Why were Andhra Pradesh and Bihar given special consideration when such action was within the purview of the Finance Commission? And what does the changeover from cooperative federalism to competitive federalism mean for the States? Guest: Lekha Chakraborty is a Professor at National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), and Governing Board Member of International Institute of Public Finance, Munich. Host: K. Bharat Kumar Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The case of a probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar has exploded in the news recently. While a lot has been said and written with regard to Ms. Khedkar’s alleged demand for privileges and her use of a red-blue beacon on her private car made headlines, what has also come under the scanner is the disability quota in the All India Services – Ms. Khedkar has been accused of falsely claiming to have disabilities to use the quota. This was followed by India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant calling for a “review” of the reservations for persons with disabilities, as he claimed they were being misused. And then, Telangana IAS officer, Smita Sabharwal questioned the need for this quota. Even as this continues to rage on social media platforms, what is not making the news quite as much is that there are candidates with disabilities who have qualified in the civil services exams but are yet to be placed. So why is the disability quota – and this quota alone – being targeted? What do the rules say with regard to this reservations? What is the certification process like and does this need changes or loopholes to be plugged? And why do there continue to be barriers for persons with disabilities who qualify in the exams? Guest: Rahul Bajaj, practicing lawyer, co-founder at Mission Accessibility, Senior Associate Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and adjunct faculty at BML Munjal University School of Law Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 170 people have been killed in violent clashes following massive protests by student groups seeking a reform of the country’s quota system for government jobs. While this is not the first time students have protested against reservations, the main bone of contention is the 30% reservation for freedom fighters and their descendants – a quota that the Sheikh Hasina government has always wanted to retain but which the protesting students oppose. The situation has somewhat calmed down after a Supreme Court order scrapping this quota. But what was the immediate trigger for the protests and violence? What do they signify for the Sheikh Hasina government, which has just come back to power for the fourth time? And will Sheikh Hasina publicly apologise for the mass deaths of protesters, as the students are demanding? Guest: Kallol Bhattacherjee from The Hindu’s Delhi Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BJP-led coalition government has lifted the ban on government employees taking part in activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, an organisation which has been banned three times since India attained independence. The RSS was banned days after Gandhiji’s assassination by Nathuram Godse in 1948, during the Emergency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and under civil society pressure after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992. Interestingly, the restriction on central government employees associating with the RSS remained in force during the first two terms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his 1998-2004 terms. So, the question that arises is: why now? Is Modi trying to appease the RSS after facing an electoral setback? Didn’t RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat indirectly poke fun at Modi saying he wasn’t biological during the recent election campaign? Does this decision have anything to do with what appear to be efforts to remove Adityanath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh? Guest: Nilanjan Mukhopadyay, independent journalist, columnist and author. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Olympics are back in Paris, exactly 100 years after the city last hosted it. The opening ceremony will take place on July 26, but competitions will begin two days earlier, from July 24, and go on till August 11. About 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries will be participating. India, which came back with its best ever haul of one gold, two silver and four bronze medals in the Tokyo Olympics, will be looking to do even better this time. We are sending 117 athletes, with a massive support staff numbering 140. In this preview, we take a close look at the Indian contingent, what to expect in various disciplines, and our best medal prospects. Guest: YB Sarangi from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The assassination attempt on Republican nominee Donald Trump has queered the American Presidential race, and in a manner that wouldn’t please the Democrats. In his speech at the Republican National Convention that got over yesterday, Trump struck a new note by stressing on unity, though not at the expense of his white nativist platform. He also announced that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance would be his running mate as vice presidential candidate. If two broad themes stood out at the Republican Convention, they were unity, and the deification of Trump. Was the assassination attempt a factor in this? Would all his former primary rivals endorsed him so robustly otherwise? With reports speculating that Biden might withdraw, what are the options for the Democrats? Guest: Varghese K George, The Hindu’s Resident Editor in New Delhi, who recently travelled through the ‘swing states’ on the campaign trail. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The institution that immediately comes to mind when we speak of food security is the public distribution system (PDS), the nation-wide network of ration shops that provide subsidised food grains. But over the past decade, another initiative, at the level of state governments, has made an impact – government canteens. The Indira Rasois of Rajasthan, the Amma Unavagams of Tamil Nadu and the India canteens of Karnataka, to name a few, have become popular, especially among migrant workers in our cities. A new survey of these canteens, conducted last year, documents their efficacy and draws some lessons regarding social policy interventions. It raises, and answers, some interesting questions: Why do we need government canteens when we already have PDS? Who frequents these canteens? How much do state governments actually spend on them? And are canteens something that should be scaled up and expanded to states that don’t have them at present? Guest: Reetika Khera, Narendra and Chandra Singhi Chair Professor (Economics) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia was keenly watched across the world, after all, it was Mr. Modi's first bilateral visit since winning a third straight term. For India, the summit is a chance to engage with one of the country's oldest allies. Mr. Modi's and Russian President Putin's meeting was a chance to talk about ways to strengthen trade and investment, increase connectivity, science, technology, and deepen military ties. However, India's Western allies weren't too keen on the visit, given the Russia-Ukraine war. In fact, the U.S. State Department and Ukraine were openly critical of Mr. Modi’s visit. The visit concentrated more on bettering the economic and trade relationship -- increasing bilateral trade to $30 billion, promoting the use of national currencies in trade, develop connectivity by expediting work on the Chennai-Vladivostok (Eastern Maritime) Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor and increasing cooperation in space and energy sectors. The two sides also discussed several ways to deepen military and military-technical cooperation by focusing on joint research and development, co-development and joint production of advanced defence technology and systems. The two sides also agreed to encourage joint manufacturing of spare parts, components and other products in India. In this episode of the In Focus podcast, we talk to Swaran Singh about Mr. Modi's comments on bringing peace to the region, the challenges to increasing trade between the two countries, the changing dynamics between the two countries and India's focus on strategic autonomy. Guest: Swaran Singh, Professor, International Relations, JNU. Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent study published in the journal The Lancet Global Health, brought out a staggering figure – almost half of all Indians are not sufficiently physically active. Between 2000 and 2022, the number of adults who engaged in insufficient physical activity increased from a little over 22% to 49.4%. Women were found to be more physically inactive than men. Across the world, South Asia was ranked second highest in the number of adults being insufficiently active, after the high-income Asia-Pacific region, which came first. World over, about 1/3 of all adults, 31.3% were not sufficiently physically active, and if this trend continues, researchers said, the target of reducing physical inactivity by 15% globally by 2030, will not be met. An adequate amount of exercise has for long been known to help prevent multiple non-communicable diseases including hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, and is known to promote mental well being. India holds the dubious rank of being one of the top countries in the world when it comes to obesity and diabetes and a high burden of heart and yet the amount of physical activity Indians do, is decreasing. Why are Indians not exercising enough? What amounts to an adequate amount of physical activity for an adult per week? How is the lack of exercise going to affect the massive burden of non-communicable diseases in India? And what can be done to encourage physical activity at schools, communities and in offices? Guest: Dr K Srinath Reddy, distinguished professor of public health, Public Health Foundation of India Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iran held early Presidential elections following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. In the Presidential run-off held last week, reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won with 53.7% of the votes. During his campaign, he promised to work towards easing social restrictions, especially with regard to the mandatory headscarf and internet freedom. On the economic front, he has pledged to ease hardships by working to bring Iran out of the sanctions regime, which is only possible through sustained engagement with the West on its nuclear programme. But given that the final veto on any departure in policy or law rests with the Supreme Leader, what changes can Iranians realistically expect from the Pezeshkian presidency? Though a reformist, how will he get his appointments and legislations passed in a conservative-dominated Parliament? And what does the change in Presidency mean for Iran’s foreign policy? Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs editor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pakistan is all set to launch yet another military operation against terrorists on its soil, whom it claims are coming across the border from Afghanistan. Political and army clearance for Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, or Resolve for Stability, came in the last week of June, but it is still in the works. Several operations have been launched since 2007 by the Pakistani military to rid the country from terror, but the country's own history in backing terrorists in Afghanistan and Kashmir has ensured that there has been no lasting solution to the problem. The country has also seen a parallel wave of fundamentalism and intolerance. So, will Azm-i-Istehkam make a difference? To answer this all-important question, I am joined by Ramanathan Kumar, former Special Secretary in the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), who is an expert on Pakistan and Afghanistan. Guest: Ramanathan Kumar, former Special Secretary in the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), who is an expert on Pakistan and Afghanistan. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two years after an economic crisis sparked mass protests and a major political upheaval, Sri Lanka is getting set for Presidential elections. While the actual date is yet to be finalised, we know that it would be between September 17th and October 16th. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been saying that the country has gotten over the worst of the economic crisis, thanks to his able leadership, and that politics can return to normal. But is the economic crisis really over? The ‘Aragalaya’ protesters in 2022 had deemed the entire political elite unfit to govern, and wanted a different politics. Will they get that in the election to come? Among the three main contenders - Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP), Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), and Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, is any one likely to emerge as a clear frontrunner? Most critically, is any politician offering an economic vision for the country that does not necessarily have the fingerprints of the IMF? Guest: Meera Srinivasan, The Hindu’s correspondent in Colombo. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There have been doubts over President Joe Biden’s mental acuity for quite some time. But his performance in the recent Presidential debate seems to have come as a shock to many, and especially to Biden’s support base. Almost the entire American liberal establishment, has called on Biden to step back and allow someone else get the Presidential ticket. Is he likely to stay the course, or will he make way for someone else? With the Democratic National Convention coming up next month, what are the options for the Democrats? Can they convince donors and voters that a President well past his cognitive prime is a good idea? And if Biden does step back, which are the names that have a good chance of winning against Donald Trump? Guest: Sanjay Ruparelia, Associate Professor of Politics and Public Administration, who holds the Jarislowsky Democracy Chair at Toronto Metropolitan University. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs editor, The Hindu Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, the richest family in Britain, the Hinduja family, was convicted in a Swiss court and four of its members were given a prison sentence for exploiting their domestic workers, brought from India to a villa in Geneva. They were accused of paying the workers a pittance, making them work long hours and not allowing them to leave the premises. The family has said it will appeal the verdict, but the case throws a spotlight upon an issue that has long been neglected in India – the rampant exploitation of domestic help in the country and abroad. India has not ratified the International Labour Organisation’s Domestic Workers Convention No. 189 which advocates for their rights nor the ILO’s Forced Labour Protocol which would make it mandatory for countries to safeguard the interests of workers. India is estimated to have about 50 million domestic workers, largely women, primarily drawn from the five states of Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, with hundreds of thousands migrating within the State, to other States and abroad, but a law to protect their rights – which would cover their wages, working hours, holidays and other rights – has been pending with the Central government for some years now. So what is the legal situation of domestic workers in the country? Why is the government dragging its feet on bringing about a national legislation to protect them? Are the many recruitment agencies that have mushroomed across the country, subject to regulation? What happens when our workers go abroad? How do other countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines protect their workers? Guest: Sonia George, national vice president, of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and Asian executive member, International Domestic Workers Federation Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Labour Party has scored an emphatic victory in the July 4 British general elections and Keir Starmer is all set to be the new Prime Minister replacing Rishi Sunak. Ending 14 years of Conservative rule, Labour look all set to win about 410 of a total of 650 seats, with Sunak's party way behind at 144, BBC reported. Nigel Farage's anti-immigration Reform Party won a paltry number of seats but picked up 14 per cent of the vote. Farage won a seat in Parliament on his 8th attempt. The Liberal Democrats are expected to win 58 seats. Labour's vote percentage only increased by about four percentage points over 2019, adding up to a little over 36 per cent of the votes cast. On their part, the Conservatives lost as much as 20 per cent of their vote from 2019. So, what lies ahead for Britain under Starmer? Guest: Andrew Whitehead, historian, lecturer and journalist. Former Editor of the BBC World Service. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s historic triumph at the T20 World Cup has laid many ghosts to rest for a generation of stalwarts, who have now passed on the baton. It has also earned Rohit Sharma a place in the pantheon of world-conquering captains, alongside the likes of Kapil Dev and M.S. Dhoni. Was there anything that set this team apart from the others in the past that came too close, only to miss, such as the one that lost the ODI World Cup final last year? What does the retirement of Kohli, Sharma and Ravindrea Jadeja from the T20 format mean for Indian cricket? What’s in store for Indian cricket fans, with the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for October? And will the victory in Barbados inaugurate a phase of Indian domination in world cricket, as is being suggested by many commentators? Guest: Amol Karhadkar from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month a train accident in West Bengal killed 10 people and injured over 40. This comes just a year after the devastating multi-train collision that killed 275 people in Odisha last year. Railway accidents have decreased significantly over the past decade -- only 0.03 accidents took place per million km in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. But this number loses meaning in light of the numbers of lives lost in rail accidents over the past couple of years. After a train accident, there’s almost always several things that happen – human error or signal malfunctions are blamed, there is talk about the deployment of Kavach, India’s own automatic train protection system, and there is talk about whether the government is spending enough on safety and maintenance of the railway system, even as big ticket railway projects are unveiled. The Indian Railways moves a staggering 24 million passengers a day. What are the safety challenges it is currently encountering? What is the status on the deployment of Kavach and why is it taking so long? Are lower-level staff disproportionately blamed for accidents while responsibility should rest elsewhere? What is India’s safety track record and what can be done to improve it? Guest: Sudhanshu Mani is Retired General Manager/Indian Railways, Leader of Train 18/Vande Bharat project and independent rail consultant Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wimbledon 2024 kicks off from July 1, promising some really exciting match-ups. This would also be the first time 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner will enter a Grand Slam as the world no. 1, 24-time Grand Slam champ Novak Djokovic is racing against time to get fit after a knee surgery, and with French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, rounds out the Big Three of title contenders. Among the women, there is a lot of anticipation around the return to form of home favourite Emma Raducanu. World No 1 Iga Swiatek will once again hope for a breakthrough on grass – the one surface that she has not been able to adapt to so far. This Wimbledon will also be special for Indian fans as Sumit Nagal makes his main draw debut, and they can also cheer on Rohan Bopanna in the doubles. What does the draw look like? Who are the greats we might not see again at this venue? And how are the key contenders doing with regard to form and fitness? Guest: N Sudarshan from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is safe to say that Artificial Intelligence isn't just a fantasy anymore, we are using AI more and more in our day to day life, be it on our phones or for work. This year, every smartphone manufacturer, be it Samsung, Apple, Google to Oppo, Nothing, are placing their bets on the technology. They have announced plans to integrate generative AI in phones to provide a personalised user experience. What does this mean? The thing is, we have been using AI in our phones for a while already. We use it in various ways, be it video stabilization, image enhancement, editing, as a personal assistant, for transcribing, in various apps etc. So, what's next? Host: Nivedita V Guest: Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang earlier this month, his first visit to North Korea in 24 years. The two countries have signed a comprehensive co-operation agreement that includes a mutual defense pact – that is, if one country is attacked, the other will come to its defense militarily. It is also expected that Russia will help North Korea with technical assistance for its military, ballistic missile and satellite programs. This meeting and the security pact, coming close on the heels of a similar summit between Xi Jinping and Putin, is not likely to go down well with others in the region, especially South Korea and Japan. US officials have also said that it could create some friction between Russia and China, as it would undermine China’s more or less exclusive leverage over North Korea. But Russia-North Korea relations haven’t been great until recently. What has sparked this revival? Is there a deep ideological convergence between the two authoritarian leaders, or is it just a transactional relationship? How would China view this pact? And what would be the impact of this agreement in South Korea and Japan? Guest: Professor Sandip Kumar Mishra from the Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, 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 week, on June 15, the world marked Elder Abuse Awareness Day. How well are senior citizens in India doing? A report that was released by the NGO HelpAge India reveals that a large majority of them are not doing very well – their study conducted across 20 cities in 10 States surveying over 5,000 elderly citizens found that nearly 65% reported that they were not financially secure. Over half of those surveyed suffered from two or more non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension and at least 7% admitted to being victims of abuse. India’s demography is changing – while senior citizens now constitute around 10% of the population – this number is expected to touch 20% by 2050. Family continues to play the role of primary caregiver, but also faces challenges, physically and financially. What happens if the family is from another city or country? While India has launched programmes such as the National Programme for the Healthcare of the Elderly and has enacted legislation like the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, implementation on the ground remains. Are the current social security nets sufficient to take care of senior citizens? Does the health infrastructure need to focus on geriatric care? How can their financial challenges be addressed? And how can the country work towards providing comprehensive care for our elderly population? Guest: Anupama Datta, Head, Policy Research and Advocacy, HelpAge India Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In September 2022, India launched an ambitious project to restart a self-sustaining, cheetah population in the country by importing African cheetahs. In all, about 20 adult cheetahs were translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Of these 20, 13 have survived, and with another 13 cubs born, there are now 26 cheetahs at Kuno. Obviously, Kuno is not big enough to accommodate this many animals in the wild. So Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary – much smaller in area than Kuno, also located in MP -- is being prepared to become the second home of the imported cheetahs. According to the government, the preparations are almost done, and plans for importing more cheetahs from Africa to Gandhi Sagar will be finalised after the monsoons. While the government has said that the Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary is a perfect home for the cheetahs, there are concerns about prey density, space, and adaptability. What preparations have been made to make Gandhi Sagar a suitable home for the African cheetah? Are these preparations, including large-scale relocation of prey animals from elsewhere, sound from a conservation viewpoint? How will the authorities ensure that the cheetahs don’t stray into human habitations? Guest: Ravi Chellam, Bengaluru-based wildlife biologist and conservation scientist. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court, in May this year, directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to ensure that advertisers and ad agencies submit self-declarations for every ad they put out. In these self-declarations, the advertisers would have to certify that their ads contain no ‘misleading’ content and are in compliance with all applicable regulations. With the Ministry complying with the apex court directive, starting from June 18, no new ad campaigns can be released without this self-declaration. This mandate seems well-intentioned – the objective is to curb misleading ads and protect consumer interest. But it has not found favour with industry bodies. It is expected that for the next three weeks, there might even be a slowdown in the launch of new ads. So, what exactly triggered this new mandate? Why is the ad industry unhappy about it? And if this is not the best way to protect consumers from fake claims, what are the alternatives that India could explore? Guest: Gowree Gokhale, lawyer with Nishith Desai and Associates, who specialises in Technology, Advertising, Media and Entertainment, and Data Protection law. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2024 have sparked a major controversy. Students and experts have flagged plenty of irregularities. Petitions were filed in the Supreme Court over the award of grace marks to more than 1,563 students by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body that conducts the exam. A concerned Supreme Court observed that the sanctity of the exam had been affected. The NTA informed the Court that the grace marks given to the 1.563 students would be cancelled and they would be given an option to take a retest, which would be held on June 23, with results declared on June 30. However, grace marks were not the only irregularity. For the first time in the history of NEET, 67 candidates topped with the maximum possible score, with eight of them from one centre, whereas there has never been a year where more than 3 students have scored maximum marks. There were also reports of question paper leaks, torn OMR sheets, and question papers in the wrong language being distributed. Even if we set aside NEET 2024as an aberration, experts have flagged systemic problems with NEET itself as a mode of selection. For instance, the Justice AK Rajan Committee, set up by The Tamil Nadu government to study the impact of NEET, had concluded in its report that NEET was anti-poor, anti-social justice and favoured students from affluent families, students from urban centres, and students who could afford to spend lakhs on coaching centres. So, what are the various problems with NEET 2024? Is an independent probe required? How do we ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of NTA? Why are states like Tamil Nadu seeking an exemption from NEET? Guests: Professor Anita Rampal, former Dean, Faculty of Education, at Delhi University, and Dr G R Ravindranath, general secretary of the Doctor’s Association for Social quality, who also a Member of the Justice AK Rajan Committee constituted by the Tamil Nadu government to study the impact of NEET. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

North India is enduring its hottest ever summer this year, with the number of heat wave days in May increasing by 125%. As per reports, extreme temperatures – in the range of 48-49 degrees - have caused the deaths of around 77 people across the country, including 33 who were on election duty. Not only have average temperatures been high, they have been consistently high across a vast region, and across a high number of days. How do we understand this trend? Is this primarily due to climate change? Or is this due to environmental degradation and rampant loss of green cover? What are the public health implications and what is the remedy? Guest: Raghu Murtugudde, Professor of Climate Studies at IIT, Bombay. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu is back in the news again – at least four states in India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Jharkhand have already reported outbreaks among poultry. The Centre has asked all States to be vigilant, and said all necessary measures have to be taken to prevent its spread. It’s not just in India that bird flu is in the news though – the United States has been battling this problem as the infection has now spread to cattle herds in several states in that country. The World Health Organisation recently said that A (H5N1) strain of avian influenza has become "a global zoonotic animal pandemic" with thousands of animals infected across multiple countries. While so far there is no evidence that H5N1 virus is spreading from human to human, the risk remains for people who come into contact with infected animals. Two cases were in the headlines recently – one of a child who was diagnosed with H5N1 in Australia where she had just returned after a trip to Kolkata, and another case in Mexico, where a man died of a strain of bird flu called H5N2, which had never before been found in humans. What are the ramifications of bird flu in India? Who is vulnerable to the disease and how can its transmission be curtailed? How do we ensure the safety of eggs, chicken and other animal products? And does India need reforms in its poultry and animal food sector to ensure better safety of animal and human health? Guest: Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, Director Infectious diseases gleneagles hospitals. Vice president clinical infectious diseases society of India. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 73-member Union Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath on the 9th of June. A vast majority of BJP ministers have been retained even as about half a dozen Cabinet slots have been given to allied parties in the NDA government, the first since 2014 where the BJP doesn’t have a majority of its own. So, what kind of government are we looking at? Will the BJP’s divisive plans of one nation, one election, a Uniform Civil Code or taking over mosques in Varanasi and Mathura be jettisoned? Or will the anti-Muslim speeches delivered by Prime Minister Modi during the election campaign be taken as the governing philosophy of the NDA government? Interestingly, not a single Muslim has found space in the 70-plus Council of Ministers. Joining us to delve into these questions is author and journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an expert in BJP and Modi's politics. Guest: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, political journalist and author. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barely a month after Israel rejected a three-phase peace plan brokered by Egypt and Qatar, President Joe Biden has announced another version of a three-phase peace plan. He has put himself on the line by publicly claiming that it is Israel that has come up with this proposal. But Israeli leaders are yet to own up to this plan, and keep repeating the old line that they will not accept any eventuality that leaves Hamas in power in Gaza. But the US has been circulating a draft resolution among the UN Security Council members asking them to support this ceasefire proposal. What prompted President Biden to publicise this plan? What does it propose? And how likely is Israel to accept it? 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

A lot has already been said and written about the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But a lot more remains to be unpacked. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has secured a majority, its biggest constituent, the BJP itself, has fallen short of the 272 mark by 32 seats. Is there a message in this mandate? Or is the outcome an effect of several factors and concerns? Also, what went wrong for the BJP, whose performance has fallen way below its own projected expectations? What went right for the INDIA alliance? And does this verdict mark the beginning of a new coalition era in Indian politics? Guest: Rahul Verma, political analyst from the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the forum through which the 194 member-states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) discuss and decide on policy matters. Every year, the WHA meets for a week in May. This year’s session, the 77th World Health Assembly, started May 27 and will conclude on June 1. There is a lot of interest in the WHA negotiations this year as the agenda items include an ambitious Pandemic Agreement, and amendments to the International Health Regulations. What progress has been made in the negotiations this year? What role can the World Health Assembly play in democratising the policy-setting space at the WHO? And where does the WHA figure in the WHO’s evolving funding scenario where it has to juggle the pressures from Big Pharma while staying true to its core mission of health equity and social justice? Guest: Professor T Sundararaman, a public health expert, who has served as Executive Director of National Health Systems Resource Centre and as Dean and Professor at the School of Health Systems Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has put out a draft Digital Competition Bill to regulate anti-competitive practices in the digital space. The Bill has provisions for identifying Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs) – basically large digital platforms. These would then be subject to certain restrictions aimed at preventing anti-competitive conduct. For instance, they would be forbidden from practices such as self-preferencing, anti-steering, etc. While the Bill seems well-intentioned, various stakeholders have expressed concerns that it is far too invasive and could stifle innovation, undermine the interests of Indian tech companies, including MSMEs, and make consumers more vulnerable to cyber fraud. Are these concerns valid? What has been the experience with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), on which this Bill seems modelled? And what changes are needed to allay the concerns raised so far? G. Sampath is joined by Meghna Bal, Director, Esya Centre, New Delhi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel has continued air strikes in and around Rafah’s humanitarian zone in Gaza killing at least 65 Palestinian civilians since the 25th of May in the face of stringent international condemnation. The air strikes came after the International Court of Justice directed Israel on the 24th of May to stop its offensive in Rafah, an area supposed to be a safe zone for those displaced by an earlier Israeli offensive. The ICJ also directed that Israel must take effective measures to enable any UN-backed commission of inquiry to enter Gaza and inquire into genocide allegations. Putting more pressure on Israel, Ireland, Spain and Norway recognised Palestine as a state, something that India did back in 1988. So, will the ICJ ruling make any difference to Israel given that it has continued attacks on civilians? Does the condemnation from countries in the region matter at all till the United States gives a free pass to Israel? Will the European Union finally adopt a more independent posture when it comes to dealing with Israeli aggression? Guest: Syed Akbaruddin, formerly India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The French Open will kick off on Sunday in Paris. This would be the last time the tournament will host 14-time champion Rafael Nadal. The ‘King of Clay’ has been struggling with injuries, and as this is his last year on tour, he would be hoping to make a deep run in the major where he’s tasted the greatest success. But there are a lot of younger players standing in his way, including the in-form German Alexander Zverev in Round 1. Also hungry for a title is world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, who would be keen to make amends for a lacklustre year so far. On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek will start as a firm favourite, with none of the big names looking likely to cause her major trouble. There will also be, after a long gap, an Indian challenger in the main draw, in the form of Sumit Nagal. How many rounds can Nagal, and Nadal, go? Is there a chance for one last Nadal-Djokovic final this time? And what are India’s chances in the doubles, where Australian Open champion Rohan Bopanna will be in action? Guest: N. Sudarshan from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The untimely death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on the 19th of May has many implications not just for Iran but the region as a whole. Along with him, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also perished in the crash. As Iran goes to the polls on the 28th of June to elect a new President, all eyes will be on the country’s Guardian Council that has the power to decide which candidates get to contest. There is also speculation in the Western press about who might replace Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei. So, what is Raisi’s legacy on the domestic and international front? How will Iran deal with the many challenges that it faces in the region especially as it claims to be a bulwark against Israeli aggressionin Gaza? Will Raisi’s tango with Russia and China as well as an opening to Saudi Arabia hold his successors in good stead? Guest: Dinkar Srivastava, former Indian Foreign Service officer, who worked as India’s Ambassador to Iran. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chinese President Xi Jinping last week hosted a reception for Vladimir Putin at the historic Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two-day summit was marked by a lengthy joint statement that, among other things, said that China and Russia will promote “an equal and orderly multipolar world”. The statement also outlined a vision of a new world order with “no neo-colonialism and hegemonism” of any kind. The two countries took aim at the US, criticising unilateral sanctions and what they termed ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ without basis in international law or UN Security Council authorisation. The statement also highlighted the expansion of Russia-China ties beyond “opportunistic” bilateral cooperation to one of deeper partnership. What are the implications of this growing strategic convergence between two major powers, both of whom are veto-holding Security Council members? Can China balance Western concerns about its aid to Russia, especially dual-use technology? What are the implications of this friendship for India, which views China as a geopolitical rival and military threat, but is highly dependent on Russia for defence imports? G. Sampath is joined by Jabin T Jacob, Associate Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Shiv Nadar University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Covid-19 may not be raging any more, but a controversy over the AstraZeneca vaccine, sold as Covishield in India is. The issue first erupted when AstraZeneca, in a submission to a court in the UK, acknowledged that its vaccine could cause a rare, potentially life-threatening condition, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome or TTS. This led to everything from outrage on social media, to political parties issuing statements and to a host of misinformation being circulated. What is significant is that this information about TTS is not new – it was established as early as in 2021, when India’s vaccination programme was underway, and it has been a known fact now for well over three years. Just a short time after the court submission made headlines, AstraZeneca also announced the worldwide withdrawal of its vaccine, citing a decline in the demand. As of this year, India has administered over 1.5 billion doses of Covishield to its eligible population. What led to the furore over the vaccine’s rare side effect and what do we know about it? How robust is India’s system to monitor adverse events arising from vaccinations? And what happens to India’s vaccination programme if Covishield is no longer available – are there other options available for those who need them or for future immunisations? 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

In a major embarrassment for India’s human rights image, the National Human Rights Commission has been denied ‘A’ status accreditation for a second year in a row. The Geneva-based, United Nations-linked Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) took the decision to defer it again during a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) earlier this month. The NHRC was set up under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, and it had enjoyed ‘A’ Status accreditation since the beginning of the accreditation process in 1999, which it retained in 2006, 2011 and in 2017 also, after a deferment. So, what are the reasons for the deferment of accreditation for India’s top human rights institution? What are the implications of not possessing this accreditation? And what does India have to do get the accreditation back? Guest: Henri Tiphagne, Executive Director, People’s Watch, a non-profit that works in the field of human rights. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India is seeing a sharp increase in the number of ghost shopping malls, according to a new report from real estate consultancy, Knight Frank India. The report, titled ‘Think India Think Retail 2024’, found that in 2023, there was 13.3 million square feet of ‘ghost shopping infrastructure’ across 29 cities, causing a loss of $798 million. By definition, a ghost shopping mall is one where the vacancy rate of retail space is above 40%. If we counted only the eight Tier 1 cities, the pan-India vacancy rate across all categories of malls stood at 15.7%. Also, while Tier 1 cities had 271 shopping malls in 2022, the number came down to 263 (77% of total shopping centres) in 2023. So, what is the reason behind this phenomenon of ghost shopping malls and high vacancy rates? Is it because offline shopping is giving way to online shopping? Is it due to weakening consumer demand? Or are there other industry-specific dynamics at play? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been given interim bail to campaign in the elections. After many hearings, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court granted conditional bail to Kejriwal on the 10th of May. Describing the elections to the Lok Sabha as the most significant event this year, the bench, facing stiff resistance from the Centre, pointed out that Kejriwal had no criminal antecedents nor was he a threat to society. What implications does Kejriwal’s release have smack in the middle of the election campaign? Will he impact elections in the seven seats of Delhi or even beyond? Guest: Javed Ansari, senior journalist and commentator, and former political writer for The Hindu. Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seven months into Israel’s military assault on Gaza, more than 34,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed, more than 78,000 wounded, and northern Gaza is facing a “full-blown famine” according to the UN. Earlier this week, there was a slight whiff of optimism in Gaza when Hamas announced that it had accepted a three-phase ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatar and Egypt, and Israel, too, sent a delegation to Cairo to discuss it further. But in the interim, Israel ordered Rafah to be evacuated, launched aerial strikes on the city, and took control of the border crossing there, which was critical for sending humanitarian aid to Gaza. Meanwhile, President Biden has halted a major shipment of bombs headed for Israel, signalling that US weapons should not be used to target Palestinian civilians. What exactly was the ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted but Israel didn’t? Will the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future survive a ceasefire agreement at this stage of the conflict, when Israel’s self-proclaimed military objective of “destroying Hamas” hasn’t been met? Would the Biden administration’s pausing of the shipment of offensive weapons have any effect on Israel’s military plans going forward? Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The delay by the Election Commission (EC) in sharing the aggregate polling data of the first and second phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections has evoked sharp questions from the Opposition and civil society. The EC released the final voter turnout figures for phase 1 after 11 days, and for phase 2 after four days. Moreover, it has only released turnout percentages – 66.14% in Phase 1 and 66.71% in phase 2. It is yet to release the actual numbers of voters who cast their vote. The Election Commission has also not put out the absolute number of voters in each constituency, raising disturbing questions about the possibility of manipulation at the counting stage. Another issue that has been flagged is the sizeable difference in turnout figures between the close of polling day, and the date of announcement of final voter percentages. So, what has traditionally been the EC’s practice with regard to sharing of electoral data? How much time is it supposed to take? What kinds of data does it share as a matter of course? And are the concerns about vote manipulation at the counting stage valid or misplaced? G. Sampath is joined by MG Devasahayam, a former IAS officer who is also Coordinator, Citizens Commission on Elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices