Episodi
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The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is a Stockholm-based intergovernmental organisation that advocates for democracy worldwide. It has come out with a report on the health of democracies. Titled, ‘The Global State of Democracy 2024: Strengthening the Legitimacy of Elections in a Time of Radical Uncertainty’, the report has found that while one in four countries have improved in democratic metrics, a greater proportion – four out of nine – have declined.
It also says that electoral participation has declined, one in three voters live in countries where the quality of elections has declined, and in what is clearly a dangerous trend, between 2020 and 2024, in one out of five elections, the losing candidate or party rejected the electoral outcome. Interestingly, the Report also found that disputes about the credibility of elections centred mostly on voting irregularities and vote counting.
Coming to country rankings, the Report finds that India has declined on all four major categories of evaluation – Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation. India is ranked 71 on Representation (a year-on-year decline by 1 place), 116th on rights (slipping down by 6 places), 80th on Rule of Law (down by 4), and 104 in Participation (down by 13 places). What is behind this democratic erosion – not just in India but across the globe? Why is voter turnout falling worldwide? And what can be done to reverse these worrying trends?
Guest: Leena Rikkila Tamang, Director for Asia and the Pacific at International IDEA.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
Many African and Asian countries, including India, are leaning towards biofortification of crops. It is the process by which the nutrient density of food crops is increased by various means without sacrificing characteristic that is preferred by consumers or farmers. Thus, biofortified crops are more nutrient-dense than non-biofortified varieties.
Experts believe that these crops can help end 'hidden hunger' or micronutrient malnutrition.
Research is underway to add iron, Vitamin A, and Zinc to humble staple foods. Iron-biofortification of beans, cowpea and pearl millet, zinc-biofortification of maize, rice, and wheat, and pro-vitamin A carotenoid-biofortification of cassava, maize, rice, and sweet potato are currently underway and at different stages of development across the world.
In August, PM Narendra Modi released 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops at India Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. So, How can India get the best use of the process? And, what are the challenges involved in it?
Guest: Suneetha Kadiyala, Professor of Global Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Host: Nivedita V
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian -
Episodi mancanti?
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Jammu and Kashmir is set to hold its first assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370. The polls will take place in three phases, on September 18, 25th and October 1. The counting of votes will happen on October 8.
Given that these are the first assembly elections in ten years, what is the mood on the ground? What are the poll promises being made by the contending parties, and how do they stack up against each other in different parts of the Union Territory?
Guest: Peerzada Ashiq, The Hindu’s Srinagar correspondent.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
Last July, a whistleblower in Kenya posted on social media that the country’s main international airport would be taken over by India’s Adani Group. The news sparked widespread outrage in Kenya. It has since emerged that the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA), which runs the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, has signed a $2.5 billion build-and-operate deal with the Adani Group. Under the agreement, the Adanis would renovate the airport and add a new runway and terminal, and in exchange, they would manage the airport for 30 years, after which they would get an 18% equity stake in it.
Hundreds of airport workers protested against the deal on Wednesday, causing flight cancellations and leaving passengers stranded. Meanwhile, the Law Society of Kenya, the country’s bar association, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have filed a joint application against the deal in the high court. The court on Monday issued an order suspending any action on the Adani proposal until the court case is settled.
Why are Kenyans upset with this airport expansion project? Did the deal follow due process, in terms of transparency and bidding procedures? What are the demands of the Kenya Airport Workers Union?
Guest: Senator Richard Onyonka, Member of Kenyan Parliament representing Kisii county.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
In this episode, we dive into the Uttar Pradesh government's new social media policy, which encourages influencers to promote the state's initiatives and achievements with incentives. However, this move has sparked controversy, with opposition parties criticizing it as an attempt to sway public opinion ahead of the upcoming elections.
How does UP’s policy compare to other states? What are the rules for government advertising, and how does this new policy affect influencers and current practices?
Guest: Apar Gupta, a lawyer, tech policy expert, and co-founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation
Host: John Xavier, Technology Editor, The Hindu
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
The merger of Air India and Vistara would be complete by November 12. From this day, all of Vistara’s bookings would be automatically transferred to Air India, and the same goes for Vistara’s crew and air craft.
This merger has been in the works for a while now. But mergers in the aviation sector don’t always go down smoothly, and the Air India-Vistara case faces many challenges. What would be the fallout of killing a successful brand like Vistara, which commands considerable flyer loyalty? Can Air India deliver the premium experience that Vistara passengers have come to expect? What would be impact of this merger on the competitive landscape in the domestic aviation sector?
Guest: Jagriti Chandra, The Hindu’s aviation correspondent.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
There were two recent court proceedings in the country that related to divorce and maintenance: in July, the Supreme Court once again upheld a divorced Muslim woman’s rights to claim maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code or the secular law ruling that this applies to all women “irrespective of religion.” And then just a couple of weeks ago, questioned a woman who had asked for over Rs. 6 lakh per month as maintenance from her ex-husband. The court advised the woman to provide a more reasonable account of her expenses if she wanted the court to consider her application further.
So what exactly is a divorced person entitled to as maintenance – spousal and child support if children are involved, under the divorce laws in the country? How is this amount calculated? Why do so many women have to approach the higher courts for maintenance? Does the principle of being able to live in the same position as prior to the divorce apply? And does there need to be a fairer, more sensitive system for all involved?
Guest: Guest: Mihira Sood, a lawyer at the Supreme Court of India and a visiting professor at the National Law University, Delhi
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
X (formerly known as Twitter) has gone offline in Brazil. The country’s Supreme Court issued an order to block X in Brazil after Elon Musk refused to appoint a legal representative for the company in the country. This defiance came on the heels of repeated flouting of the court’s orders to block certain far-right accounts that were allegedly spreading disinformation.
X has more than 22 million users in Brazil, who suddenly find themselves cut off from their accounts. The judge who ordered the ban, Alexandre de Moraes, has also said in his order that those who use VPN to access X will face a fine of 50,000 reais, or $8,850 per day. Musk, meanwhile, has gone all out vilifying Judge Moraes, calling him an “evil dictator” ‘Darth Vader’ and Voldemort’.
The ban on X has raised several questions about the global governance of social media. For instance, does this ban amount to some form of censorship, as Musk is claiming? Is it okay for an American tech platform owner to publicly back a particular political faction in another country, as Musk has been doing? Can an MNC expect to operate in a given country without complying with local laws? What lessons does the Brazilian court’s action hold for other nations in the Global South, such as India?
Guest: Jyoti Panday, who is with the Internet Governance Project at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
For nearly a month now, the country has been rocked by protests by medical professionals – services at many hospitals stalled, at many others, healthcare staff wore black badges while working and in Kolkata, the epicenter of the protests, doctors have now begun telemedicine services to help patients while they continue their protest. The agitations began after the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The protesting healthcare workers are demanding, among other things, speedy justice for the victim as well as a Central law that protect healthcare workers and spaces. The Kolkata case, they point out is not the first: there have been scores of incidents of violence against healthcare workers across the country and the problem is escalating.
What are the reasons behind violence in healthcare spaces in India? How many States have laws to protect healthcare professionals and why is there no Central law despite a 2019 draft bill? How can the government, the medical community and other stakeholders help build trust in the medical system once again?
Guests: Aatmika Nair and Uma Gupta of the Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR)
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heightened military strikes over the August 25 weekend. While Israel carried out large scale ‘pre-emptive’ air strikes on southern Lebanon in response to what it claimed were preparations by Hezbollah to strike Israel, Hezbollah still went ahead and launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel.
The attacks left one dead in Israel and three dead in Lebanon, and raised fears of the conflict escalating into a wider regional war. But Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that their strikes on Israel had completed their retaliatory response to avenge the killing of their commander Fuad Shukr, and with Israel, too, indicating satisfaction with its strikes, tensions have reduced to a low simmer for the time being.
How do we make sense of this tit-for-tat exchange? Can the asymmetric war that Iran and Hezbollah are waging against Israel help in moving the needle towards a ceasefire? And why has Israel launched a major military operation in the West Bank even as it’s bogged down in Gaza?
Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
The K. Hema Committee report has shaken up the Malayalam film industry, bringing into the public domain all kinds of horrors. Based on direct testimonies, it has documented rampant sexual exploitation, illegal bans, discrimination, wage disparity, and inhuman working conditions, with women not having access to even basic amenities such as toilets and changing rooms.
Significantly, it notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by a tight-knit cabal of 10 to 15 all-male producers, directors and actors, who could ban anyone from the industry. It also flags the fear that witnesses felt in speaking freely about their experiences working in the industry.
How is it that in such a big industry with an annual turnover of more than ₹1,000 crores, employees don’t have basic protections or decent working conditions? Will the persons who perpetrated the crimes documented in the Report be brought to book? And what kind of legal mechanisms can be put in place to protect the safety of women in the film industry?
Guest: Thulasi K Raj, a lawyer who practices at the Kerala High Court and at the Supreme Court of India.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
The Central government, a few days ago, banned 156 fixed dose combination drugs, or FDCs. An FDC is a drug that has more than one active ingredient – two or more drugs together, in a single pill, capsule or shot. This is the latest in a series of bans brought in by the Centre – last year 14 FDCs were banned, and a total of 499 have been banned since 2014.
Why is this happening? Expert committees of the government have said these FDCs are irrational or have no therapeutic value for patients. In fact, FDCs are known to contribute to a growing public health problem in India – antimicrobial resistance So then why is the Indian market dominated by FDCs? Why are there FDCs in India that are not found anywhere else in the world? How are even unapproved and banned FDCs often found in the market?
Guest: S Srinivasan, co-convenor, All India Drug Action Network
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
Bangladesh is in the midst of tumultuous change. After former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge as ‘Chief Adviser’ to an interim government. Meanwhile, with Hasina out, the future of the Awami League looks uncertain. The Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is back in the reckoning, and so is the Jamaat-e-Islami.
What do the people of Bangladesh expect from the interim government? Will there be changes to the Constitution in the near future? Did Indian foreign policy miss a trick or two in anticipating and/or responding to these changes in its neighbourhood? What is the situation with regard to the safety of minorities?
Guest: Kallol Bhattacherjee from The Hindu’s Delhi Bureau
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Edited by Jude Francis Weston
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The last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open kicks off on Monday, with all the top players in attendance on both the men’s and women’s section. The draw is out, and interestingly for Novak Djokovic, who will be seeking a 25th Slam, his three biggest challengers – Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner – are all on the opposite side of the draw, which means he won’t meet them before the final.
World No. 1 Sinner enters the event under the cloud of a doping controversy, and it remains to be seen if that affects his game or preparations. On the women’s side, as usual, the Big Three – Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina -- remain the favourites, with a couple of dark horses in the likes of Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini.
Who are the stars in form? Which are the match-ups to look out for? And what are the prospects for Indian hope Sumit Nagal?
Guest: N Sudarshan from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau.
Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
Another public health emergency has hit the world, and this time it’s mpox, previously known as monkeypox. The outbreak is sweeping through west, central and east African countries, and in the past few days cases have also been reported closer home, in Pakistan and Thailand.
While mpox has been around for decades, this time around, a deadlier and far more transmissible strain—known as Clade 1b—has driven the recent surge in cases. This strain is believed to cause death in about 3.6 per cent of the cases, with children being the most vulnerable, according to the World Health Organisation.
The Indian government has said there is no call for alarm as of now but has also said that hospitals have been alerted and large-scale testing is being looked into if the need arises.
So what is mpox—how is it caused and how does it spread? How do you know if you have mpox and what are the signs and symptoms? What are the treatment options and is there a vaccine available? And importantly, how concerned should India be about this latest zoonotic viral disease?
Guest: Dr V Ramasubramanian, consultant infectious diseases specialist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai and medical director, Capstone Multispecialty Clinic, Chennai
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian. -
A few weeks ago, Donald Trump told Black journalists in Chicago, USA, that Kamala Harris had identified herself as Indian, not Black. He was trying to suggest to Black journalists and voters that Kamala Harris was not "Black enough." While that criticism has been made against Kamala as well as Obama, for that matter, it also threw into focus Indian-Americans who form a small part of the overall population in America but who are now quite visible in American politics, government, business and academia today.
We have Vijay Prashad, academic, author and activist who is executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and author of the book Karma of Brown Folk about Indian-Americans to talk to us about this.
Host: M Kalyanaraman
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
In 2020, the Indian government issued a directive that made changes to its FDI policy. The Directive, called Press Note 3, made it mandatory for companies that are based in countries that India shares a land border with to get the government's approval before investing in India.
Experts saw this as a move to curtail Chinese investments into India and protect Indian companies from hostile takeovers. Chinese investments in India have fallen to a nearly two-decade low as a result. However, it is important to note that China is not a major investor in India, only $4 billion of Chinese FDI has entered the country in two decades.
Over the last couple of months, several reports, including the Economic Survey, have made a case for urging the govt to allow Chinese investments in India. “To boost Indian manufacturing and plug India into the global supply chain, it is inevitable that India plugs itself into China’s supply chain. Whether we do so by relying solely on imports or partially through Chinese investments is a choice that India has to make," the Economic Survey stated.
Several media houses, including from The Hindu businessline, reported that the government is willing to relook this policy, even though the government has denied this. This could help get more investments in India. Meanwhile, India's net FDI inflow dropped by 62.17% to $10.58 billion in 2023-24 (FY24), a 17-year-low, from $27.98 billion the previous year, data from the RBI showed.
Can such a move benefit India? We discuss this in the episode.
Guest: Santosh Pai, Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies
Host: Nivedita V
Edited by Jude Francis Weston -
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 -
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
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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 - Mostra di più
