In Focus by The Hindu

Franklin Templeton, one of India’s top 10 mutual fund houses, announced last week that it would be winding up six of its debt schemes. The move has resulted in about ₹30,000 crore of investor money being locked up.The development sent shockwaves through the mutual funds industry, and this week, the RBI announced a ₹50,000-crore “liquidity window” specially for mutual funds, to help them tide over redemption pressures.What exactly went down at Franklin Templeton? Will the investors in those debt funds ever get their money back? And what does this mean for the aam aadmi with money in other mutual funds — especially people who have invested in debt funds thinking they are “safer” like FDs? For many, mutual fund investments are not just investments, they are their savings. What does the future look like for people who are looking to redeem their mutual fund investments at this time of pandemic-induced emergency?To answer these questions and more, we have with us Vivek Kaul, well-known business columnist, personal finance expert, and bestselling author of the Easy Money trilogy.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the end of the 40-day lockdown period approaches and we move toward a gradational exit, K. Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India, member of the ICMR’s COVID-19 task force and one of India’s most eminent doctors, takes stock of what has been achieved during this period in respect of the public health systems. With systemic weaknesses still remaining, he cautions that we would have to be on guard against the virus at least until next April or May even as he discusses details of what we can and cannot do as a society once the lockdown lifts.Guest: K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of IndiaWrite to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The national lockdown will be extended by a further two weeks after May 4. However, under this broad umbrella policy, there will be some relaxations, based on the classification of the country’s 733 districts into Red Zones (hotspots) where all restrictions will continue, and Green and Orange Zones where there will be considerable relaxations. In this episode, we discuss the extension, the differences between zones and what it all means.Guest: Jacob Koshy, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a brief episode today we discuss some highlights from briefings at the Health Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs.Guest: Suhasini Haidar, National Editor, The Hindu; Jacob Koshy, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a brief episode of the daily update podcast we cover two developments involving the Ministry of Home Affairs — the issuing of a fresh set of guidelines to allow stranded migrant workers, students, tourists and pilgrims to get back home, and a late-evening announcement that considerable relaxations would be given in many districts from May 4.Guest: Suhasini Haidar, National Editor, The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we take the opportunity to discuss plasma therapy for COVID-19 in detail after the ICMR on April 28 said that despite some hospitals and other facilities conducting trials it could not be deemed an approved treatment for the disease yet. We’ll also get an update on the latest numbers and the progression of the caseload in India.(Recorded on Tuesday, April 28)Guest: Jacob Koshy, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an earlier episode of this podcast, we had discussed some of the mathematical models initially presented for India, some of which projected astronomical figures of COVID-19 cases and deaths. We discussed the parameters and assumptions that those models, many prepared by Universities in the United States and discussed the need for mathematical modelling that could be applied for individual States and districts. In a follow-up discussion today, we discuss a new mathematical model, created through an inter-city collaboration by Indian scientists, that can reflect these local realities and is also more accessible to the public. Guest: Dr. Gautam Menon, Professor of physics and biology, Ashoka University, and researcher on the modelling of infectious diseases and its implications for public policy. Host: Shubashree Desikan, Science Correspondent, The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the last week of the 40-day lockdown begins, the Prime Minister held a video conference with Chief Ministers on April 27, and indicated that any exit from the lockdown would be gradational in terms of resuming economic activity, with particular emphasis still being placed on bringing down the case load in ‘red zones’. The ICMR, meanwhile, has asked States to stop using antibody test kits supplied by two Chinese companies. We will discuss that with National Editor Suhasini Haidar, who has also interviewed India’s ambassador to China.Plus, a quick update on Tamil Nadu imposing more stringent lockdown measures in five cities and the reasoning behind it with T.N. Bureau Chief Ramya Kannan.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Coronavirus pandemic has posed huge political and economic challenges to China, the country where the virus originated. While the Chinese government has touted its massive national response as an example of how strong its political system is, questions have been asked, even within China, about the ruling Communist Party’s handling of the initial stages of the outbreak. What do we make of the public criticism levelled against Chinese premier Xi Jinping by the likes of party-member and former real-estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang? And how will China’s foreign relations take going forward? Host: Ananth Krishnan, former China Correspondent, The HinduGuest: Richard McGregor, Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute, author of The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers, and former foreign correspondent in China for The Australian and Financial Times.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On World Malaria Day, we get a perspective on India’s battle with a disease that still remains a significant challenge even if it’s very much out of the news at the moment. We also have reports on Indian citizens from the Gulf who will be repatriated first after flight restrictions are lifted and on a government panel projection on the slowing of new coronavirus cases thanks to the lockdown.Recorded on April 25, 2020Guest: Kaushik Sarkar, India technical lead, Malaria No More India; Suhasini Haidar, National Affairs Editor, The Hindu; Jacob Koshy, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices