In Focus by The Hindu

It’s official now – the number of births in Kerala have hit an all-time low of about 3.9 lakh per year, a significant drop from the previous average of about 5.5 lakh per year. This ironically, has led to a spike in maternal mortality – not because more mothers are dying – Kerala has an excellent track record – but because fewer babies are being born.

The State has led the demographic transition in south India – it was the first to achieve replacement levels of fertility and now has a total fertility rate of around 1.5. Other south Indian States including Tamil Nadu and Karanataka have followed.

But what does the declining fertility and falling birth rates actually mean for the society in Kerala, and by extension, for the rest of south India? How rapidly is the senior citizen population growing? Do south Indian States need to increase their fertility rates and is this even possible? What measures need to be put in place to ensure an active, healthy population, both of those working and those who are retired?

Guest: Prof Mala Ramanathan, from the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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Will Arvind Kejriwal return to power once again in Delhi? Or, will the BJP build on the momentum of its recent victories in Haryana and Maharashtra to dislodge the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from power? What are the stakes for the Congress in these elections, given that its vote share in the last election had shrunk to less than 5%? These are some of the questions on people’s minds as the state gears up for the assembly polls, scheduled for February 5.

In this episode of In Focus, we preview the chances of the three contenders, assess the competing narratives that each of them is pushing, and analyse the issues that could tip the balance among the voters.

Guest: Rahul Verma, political analyst and Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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Last month, The Hindu broke the story of 16 Indian workers trapped in ‘prison-like’ conditions at a cement factory in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Their phones and passports had been taken away, they hadn’t been paid their wages for months, and had been forced to work for much longer hours than what was specified in their contract.

These workers, hailing from rural Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, are still awaiting repatriation back to India, which is expected to happen later this month.

What led these young men to seek employment in a place like Libya? What is the modus operandi of the recruitment agents that sent them there on false promises? What is the legal framework in India that regulates man power recruitment for jobs abroad? And what need to change to ensure India’s unemployed poor do not fall into such traps in the future?

Guest: Kunal Shankar, The Hindu’s Deputy Business Editor, and Lucknow correspondent Mayank Kumar.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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After more than 15 months of conflict and devastation, there is finally a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The ceasefire will come into force on January 19. The agreement, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and US officials, will unfold over three phases. It involves Hamas releasing Israeli captives, in exchange for Israel releasing thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and Israel allowing a surge in humanitarian aid.

A ceasefire that was elusive all through 2024 suddenly clicked into place a few days before the Trump inauguration. How did it happen? What does it mean for Israel and Netanyahu? And will the ceasefire last, or will the bombings resume once again, after phase one of the deal?

Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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On January 20th, Donald Trump will take the oath of office as the United States’ President for the second time. There is a lot of speculation, and also apprehension, on what to expect from his administration: will there be mass deportations of undocumented migrants? Will we see a new tariff war as he raises import tariffs across the board? How will he deal with Iran and China? Will he break with the Biden administration’s foreign policy with regard to Europe, Ukraine and West Asia? What are the challenges and opportunities for India specifically?

Guest: Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu’s Diplomatic Affairs Editor.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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After a long wait of sixteen months, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on January 3, 2025, unveiled the draft rules for implementing the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 —India’s first comprehensive data privacy legislation applicable across all sectors of commerce and industry. The government is currently inviting stakeholder feedback on the draft until February 18, 2025, with plans to commence implementation by mid-year.

This episode offers a comprehensive understanding of the new rules. 

Guest: Apar Gupta, Delhi-based advocate and co-founder of Internet Freedom Foundation.

Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik 

Edited by Jude Weston

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Just as the New Year 2025 began, there was panic once again in the media. Reports of a supposedly new respiratory virus that had caused a surge of infections in China began to do the rounds, fuelling speculation about its entry into India. Suddenly HMPV, the human metapneumovirus became a buzzword – headlines were full of it, cases were being detected in India and there was alarm all around. Doctors and the Union Health Ministry have said over and over again that it is not a new virus, and it is not unknown in India. But what is HMPV? And why was such a furore caused over it?

Guest: Dr V Ramasubramanian, consultant infectious diseases specialist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai and medical director, Capstone Multispecialty Clinic, Chennai

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Jude Weston

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In this special year-ender episode of the In Focus podcast, our hosts discuss the key episodes from this past year. From environmental issues and health-related topics, to international affairs and legal developments within the country, this episode covers a range of diverse subjects that were discussed in In Focus this year. With six key episodes each, our hosts discuss a recap of these issues and recent developments.

Tune in for an engaging recap of all the key subjects we discussed throughout the year.

Hosts: G Sampath and Zubeda Hamid

00:00 Introduction

10:30 - Wayanad landslide

14:57 - Fortified rice distribution

18:19 - Outbreak of Mpox

22:36 - Waqf amendment bill

25:58 - Nestle’s baby cereals

30:09 - Adani airport takeover deal

33:31 - Bail system in India

38:26 - Electoral bond verdict of SC

40:36 - Census and delimitation

46:11 - Yahya Sinwar’s death

50:10 - Air pollution and heart disease

54:01 - Great Nicobar project

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Jude Weston

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A recent study conducted in the U.K. found that paracetamol, a common, over-the-counter medication can have serious stomach, heart and kidney complications in senior citizens who take it repeatedly. Constant use of paracetamol was linked to a 24% risk of peptic ulcer bleeding, a 19% risk of chronic kidney disease and a 9% risk of heart failure.

This is not the first time the overuse of paracetamol has been linked with adverse health effects but it continues to be a medication that is commonly bought and often used without strict consideration given to the dosage that is being consumed.

What does paracetamol do to your body over the long term? How can you use it appropriately? Are drugs in India being used rationally or are they over prescribed and over consumed? What does over consumption do to the human body?

Guest: Dr Sangeeta Sharma, professor at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences and honorary president, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

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South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached by the country’s National Assembly. His impeachment follows his sudden declaration of martial law on December 3, a move he was forced to withdraw in a few hours after the Parliament voted it down.

Mr Yoon’s Presidential powers remain suspended as the impeachment goes to the Constitutional Court for review and a final verdict. In the interim period, Prime Minister Han Duck Soo will serve as the acting President.

So, what prompted Mr Yoon to suddenly declare martial law? What will be the impact of the current developments on Korean politics? And what happens next, as the Constitutional court takes up this case?

Guest: Dr Jong Eun Lee, Assistant Professor of Political Science at North Greenville University in South Carolina.

Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

Edited by Jude Francis Weston

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