Geeta's World

The Taliban's new 35-article morality law restricts women from speaking, singing, or even making eye contact in public, requiring them to cover their bodies completely. This is part of a broader push to enforce their strict interpretation of Islamic principles.

Western countries have linked sanctions relief to restoring women's rights, but the Taliban have only increased restrictions, dismissing this as an internal matter. Despite sanctions, reports suggest the Taliban are already getting foreign aid.

If sanctions aren't working, what should the international community do to pressure the Taliban to uphold human rights?

Has India, as a neighbouring country and a leading voice of the global south, done enough to voice concerns?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

In the lead-up to the US election, the Democrats are hosting their National Convention—a high-energy event often seen as a show of strength, where supporters rally behind their nominee and make its formal announcement. The convention kicked off yesterday in Chicago and is expected to be a significant moment in Kamala Harris’ campaign.

But amidst the political fervour, Kamala Harris faces pressure from uncommitted delegates demanding a more progressive stance on Israel, including a Gaza ceasefire. Will this anti-war movement overshadow Harris’s cause?

Given that both Democrats and Republicans seem to be adopting similar economic policies, how different will Kamala Harris's agenda at the Democratic Convention really be from Trump’s? Have Republicans already set the narrative on the economy, leaving Harris with little room to manoeuvre?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

Bangladesh is facing unrest, with ensuring peace being the foremost challenge. While it was expected that violence would cease after Sheikh Hasina's resignation, the situation has worsened, particularly with escalating atrocities against Bangladeshi Hindus.

Why is the caretaker government under Mohammed Yunus letting people run amok and not ensuring communal harmony?

Before her exit, Sheikh Hasina claimed that "conspiracies" were being plotted to topple her government. She alleged that the US intended to acquire St Martin's Island to build a military base in exchange for the BNP's electoral victory.

Is it true that this island influenced how the US sought to steer Bangladesh's political landscape? Given that both the US and China believe the BNP would align more closely with them, which superpower is getting its calculations wrong?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

After weeks of massive turmoil in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina has stepped down as its prime minister today following a 45-minute ultimatum from the army. With that, her 15-year-long rule has come to an end. She fled to India amid student protests against the Awami League’s quota system for freedom fighters. It is not known what her final destination is.

Dramatic visuals of protestors bringing down statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s first President and Sheikh Hasina’s father, have flooded social media, bringing forth different perspectives about the country’s history.

What happens now? Bangladesh Army Chief Waker Uz Zaman has addressed the nation, stating that the Army would form an interim government to restore peace. But how will the Army ensure peace during this critical period? And why is it letting protestors run amok and vandalise statues of freedom fighters?

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has remarked that over one crore Bangladeshi Hindus might seek refuge in India. Other members of the ruling BJP are also echoing this rhetoric. But is there any truth to the claim that with Sheikh Hasina gone, Bangladesh will fall to Islamic fundamentalists?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

Days after visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, PM Modi is expected to visit Kyiv around Ukrainian National Day on August 24. This would be his first visit to Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022 and the first-ever by an Indian PM since Ukraine's independence following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Considering Modi’s Russia visit irked Ukraine and the West, is this visit just to placate the West and strike an equilibrium?

Observers say finding a middle ground could serve the global good, but what more can India offer now, two years into the war, after failed peace attempts?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

With Joe Biden stepping down as US president and endorsing Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate, the race to the White House is becoming more intense and dramatic by the day. Though there was talk of holding an open convention to select a new nominee, it seems unlikely now that Harris has secured enough Democratic delegates to become the party’s nominee.

But how will Kamala Harris differ from Biden?

And does Kamala Harris have a chance to beat Donald Trump?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

On July 13, former U.S. President and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump experienced a near-death incident when he was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The FBI identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, labelling it a potential act of domestic terrorism.

How did such a security lapse occur under the US Secret Service's watch? An eyewitness claimed he reported a suspicious man with a rifle on the roof, but authorities ignored him. What does this reveal about the security measures in place?

With the US elections just months away, could this incident give Trump a decisive edge over Biden? What new challenges do Democrats face now?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

On June 23, gunmen attacked two churches, a synagogue, and a police post in Russia’s Dagestan region, killing at least 19 police officers, National Guard members, civilians, and an Orthodox priest and injuring 12 others. The attacks occurred in Derbent and Makhachkala.

No group has claimed responsibility, but considering past attacks by Islamic militants in the region, can these attacks be linked to groups like the Islamic State?

And despite evidence of homegrown terrorism in Russia, President Putin insists that Russia cannot be a target of Islamic fundamentalist attacks. Instead, it pins the blame on Ukraine. What explains this reluctance to acknowledge the presence of Islamic fundamentalists and the underlying resentment among Muslim conservatives in Russia?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

Switzerland hosted a two-day high-level Peace Summit for Ukraine last weekend, but Russia did not participate, dismissing it as a “waste of time.”

So, can this peace summit meaningfully contribute to ending the war and ensuring regional peace without involving both parties in dialogue, given their differing views on 'peace'?

Interestingly, many countries that once proposed peace plans—such as Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Indonesia, Brazil (which remained an observer), and China (which declined to participate)—dissociated from the summit's outcome document.

Why did these countries, once advocates for peace plans, refuse to participate?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

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Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

Narendra Modi has secured a third term as India’s Prime Minister. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 293 seats, although, unlike the 2019 elections, the BJP itself did not achieve a majority.

As Modi 3.0 begins, PM Modi has promised a “new chapter of big decisions” for India. But, considering the BJP is not a party with a brute majority anymore and relies on an NDA coalition instead, the scope of these decisions might be limited. Will major foreign policy decisions be hindered? 

And will Modi 3.0 tweak India’s foreign policy at a time when foreign media is reporting about the state of Indian democracy and calling press freedom, political freedom and human rights into question?

In this episode of Geeta's World, our host, Anna Priyadarshini, and the foreign affairs editor at India Today, TV Today Network, Geeta Mohan, discuss!

Listen in!

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi