First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Purnima Sah about Maharashtra’s new anti-conversion law, why Christian congregations are asking worshippers to sign self-declaration forms, and the concerns surrounding disruptions and monitoring of prayer meetings.

ext, we speak to The Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt about Intismeran, a personalised cancer vaccine that has shown promising results against skin cancer, how it works alongside immunotherapy, and whether similar treatments could eventually become accessible in India. (12:50)

And in the end, we look at Cricket Australia’s decision to allow former Mumbai Under-19 cricketer Anaya Bangar to play women’s community cricket following her gender transition, and the different eligibility rules governing transgender participation at the community and elite levels. (23:35)

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava, Niharika Nanda and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Brendan Dabhi about the latest Chandipura virus outbreak in Gujarat, where 25 children have died and 39 have been confirmed infected. But the biggest question that medical professionals and researchers can't answer is where the virus is coming from.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Sujit Bisoyi about a cargo ship that sank off the coast of Odisha, leaving 22 seafarers missing. He talks about the ship, the search and rescue operations, the two crew members who have been rescued and the investigation. (12:23)

Lastly, we discuss the Delhi Police's decision to expand its information-gathering efforts and collect more specific intelligence ahead of every planned protest, as a takeaway from the CJP protests. (19:21)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Ichha Sharma, and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Shubham Tigga about why Jharkhand’s 26-day protest over alleged recruitment-exam irregularities ended, how a High Court stay complicated the government’s response, and what the cancellation and suspension of dozens of recruitment processes mean for candidates.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, what his remarks signal about Washington’s position on the region, and their significance for India-US ties. (14:05) 

And in the end, we examine an unverified audio clip in which fugitive gangster Goldy Brar purportedly claims involvement in the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a case that triggered a major diplomatic crisis between India and Canada. (23:50) 

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava, Niharika Nanda and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

Earlier this month, Maharashtra allowed practitioners of homeopathy who have completed a specific bridge course to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council — a body traditionally meant for doctors practising modern medicine.

The move has sparked protests from doctors, including strikes by the Indian Medical Association that disrupted outpatient services and elective surgeries.

Why has Maharashtra introduced this change? Why are doctors so concerned about it? And what does scientific evidence actually tell us about homeopathy?

In this episode, we speak to The Indian Express’ health reporter Anonna Dutt, who has been closely following the developments, to understand the controversy and what it could mean for healthcare in Maharashtra.

You can watch the video edition of the show here.

Produced, writen, and hosted by Shashank Bhargava

Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the week by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Dheeraj Mishra about an audit of Indian non suburban railway stations conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General. He shares the issues and lapses highlighted during the audit, the concerns they raise and the steps the government is taking. 

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Pratip Acharya about the Dharavi redevelopment project and the requirement to clear the Deonar landfill for it. He discusses the challenges the project faces, the delay in clearing the landfill, the prescribed timeline and the current status of the project. (11:10)

Lastly, we discuss the Supreme Court reconsidering the University Grants Commission regulations aimed at preventing caste discrimination in higher education institutions and why it has put the government in a politically difficult position. (19:30)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Ichha Sharma, and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express