In Focus by The Hindu

Manu Joseph, a journalist and author known for 'Why The Poor Don’t Kill Us', dives into India’s stark social inequalities. He explores why the poor don’t revolt despite extreme exploitation, discussing the psychological dimensions of poverty and contrasting perceptions between Indian and Western societies. The conversation also touches on the cultural aspects of austerity, the stigmas of pawnbrokers, and the nuances of class dynamics. With humor, he critiques societal views on small dog breeds, adding a light-hearted twist to serious themes.

The singles main draw of the US Open kicks off on August 24. Who are the favourites? Who are the dark horses? Can Jannik Sinner sustain his hard court dominance? Or, will Carlos Alcaraz avenge his defeat at Sinner’s hands in Wimbledon this year? Is a Sinner vs Alcaraz final a foregone conclusion, or can the old fox Novak Djokovic crash their party?  On the women’s side, can Aryna Sabalenka defend her crown or will Iga Swiatek add to her growing tally of majors? And what’s with the new mixed doubles format being launched at this year’s US Open – is it unfair to the doubles pros on the ATP/WTA tour?  We speak with former pro player and top coach Nandan Bal, who has the rare distinction of having both played for India in the Davis Cup and coached the Indian Davis Cup team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and two allied Bills that extend its applicability to Union Territories and Jammu and Kashmir, were tabled by the government in Parliament yesterday, and they have sparked massive resistance and outrage in the Opposition ranks.  The Bills enable the removal of Central and State Ministers, as well as the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, if they are arrested on serious criminal charges. If the Bills become law, any CM arrested on serious criminal charges will be out of office within 31 days of arrest.  The government has justified these Bills as necessary to bring in political morality in public office. The Bills have now been referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, which will have to submit its report by the Winter session of Parliament.  What is the rationale behind these Bills? Are they anti-federal and anti-democratic?  And does the government have a realistic of chance of passing them in Parliament? Guest: Sanjay Hegde, Senor Advocate at the Supreme Court Host: G. Sampath, Podcast Editor, The Hindu  Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A proposal to restructure the World Test Championship (WTC) into a two-tiered system, potentially dividing the 12 Test-playing nations into two groups of six teams, or into two groups of seven and five teams, is gaining traction. While some argue that this system could improve the quality of matches and increase competitiveness by having top teams play each other more often, others worry that lower-ranked teams will get fewer opportunities to play. Will a two-tiered WTC do more harm than good? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Deep Dasgputa, former Test cricketer, and cricket broadcaster; Jatin Paranjape, ODI cricketer-turned-sports marketing professional and member of the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee Host: Amol Karhadkar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Modi government proposed the biggest overall of the goods and services tax since its rollout in 2017. Aiming to collapse the current 4 slab structure into a simpler 2 slab regime with a special slab for what the government is called. As sin goods. The move, expected to reduce prices across essentials and consumer durables, comes amid US tariff headwinds and concerns about domestic demand.   Guest: Sharad Raghavan, Business and Economy Editor, The Hindu  Host: Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu   Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court, in an interim order on Thursday (August 14, 2025), directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh electors who were excluded from the draft electoral roll released on August 1 as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list must specify the precise reasons for exclusion, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration. The petitioners have argued that the poll body has failed to observe the basic principles of natural justice while carrying out the exercise. They have also questioned the “hasty” manner of its implementation. What is the constitutionality of the SIR exercise, and does it risk disenfranchising voters? What are the implications of the interim order? To what extent does the order address the contentious debate over whether Aadhaar can serve as valid proof of identity and residence in the electoral process? Guest: Shah Rukh Alam, advocate practising at the Supreme Court Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that it would cancel nearly USD 500 million of funding for mRNA vaccine projects. The reason, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, was safety and efficacy concerns.mRNA or messenger RNA vaccines hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was desperately trying to create vaccines in order to save lives. mRNA vaccines for Covid were developed rapidly, given to thousands of people and are believed to have saved numerous lives.Like all vaccines that we have today, rare cases of adverse effects are possible – but the benefits, say experts far outweigh the risks.How are mRNA vaccines different from the others we have? How effective and safe are they? Can they help with other diseases as well? And what does the cut in funding mean for vaccine development and research worldwide? Guest: Dr Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The food landscape has undergone a dramatic shift over the years, and the numbers tell a sobering story. A study in The Lancet found that childhood and adolescent obesity rates worldwide have risen nearly fourfold from 1990 to 2022, while adult obesity rates have more than doubled. At the same time, dramatic celebrity weight loss has been linked to Ozempic, an injectable drug containing semaglutide, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but now widely used off-label as a weight-loss aid. In this episode of In Focus, we ask: Why is it becoming harder to lose weight? What role do our gut and brain play in shaping our relationship with food? And should drugs like Ozempic step in where lifestyle changes and willpower fall short? Guest: Dr Jack Mosley, the author of Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings Host: Preeti Zechariah Edited by Jude Francis Weston and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Vandana Prasad, a community pediatrician and former member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, discusses the alarming issue of stunting in children. She challenges the misconception that height is solely genetic, revealing how stunting reflects malnutrition. The conversation highlights the significance of nutrition during the first thousand days of life, the vital role of maternal health, and the impact of sanitation on child growth. Dr. Prasad emphasizes community support and women's empowerment as essential to breaking the cycle of undernutrition.

Across India, EV dealers are warning that customers may have to wait longer and pay extra for their new rides. The culprit: rare earth magnets made from minerals like neodymium, which are crucial for compact, efficient EV motors. While India has its own reserves, mining and processing are largely controlled by China. Now, with Beijing cutting exports amid a trade dispute with the U.S., Indian automakers are struggling to find alternatives. Guest: Ashim Sharma, Nomura Research Institute Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Anupama Chandrasekaran and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices