Episodes

  • Can Trump realistically deport millions of undocumented immigrants?

    Can Trump realistically deport millions of undocumented immigrants?
    Jan 31 2025
    Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the administration’s crackdown on undocumented migrants has led to more than 3,500 arrests. In a related development, Colombia narrowly avoided a trade war with the US when it turned back American military planes bringing back Colombian migrants. India, in contrast, has repeatedly said that on the immigration issue, it will do the “right thing” by the US. How are undocumented immigrants affected by Trump’s recent moves changing the immigration regime? Will his attempt to end birthright citizenship withstand legal scrutiny? Are his plans for large-scale detention and deportation likely to take off? And if they do, what is the likely economic fall-out? Guest: Dr Neeraj Kaushal, Professor at the School of Social Work at Columbia University, New York. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston
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    42 mins
  • Can SMRs power India's renewable energy transition?

    Can SMRs power India's renewable energy transition?
    Jan 30 2025
    The government is slowly but steadily, increasing its focus on nuclear energy. India's nuclear power operator NPCIL invited proposals from industry to set up captive small nuclear reactors on December 31, 2024. This invite is in line with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement that the government would support the use of SMRs to increase the share of nuclear power in India's energy basket. While presenting the Union Budget 2024-25 in July last year, Ms. Sitharaman announced that the government would partner with the private sector to develop SMRs. “Nuclear energy is expected to form a significant part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat. Towards that pursuit, our government will partner with the private sector to set up Bharat Small Modular Reactors and research and develop newer technologies for nuclear energy,” she said. What is NPCIL’s proposal? Can these SMRs help India Inc. become greener? Are there any obstacles that can derail the nuclear push? To answer these questions we bring you this episode. Guest: Karthik Ganesan, Fellow and Director — Strategic Partnerships, at CEEW Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston
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    38 mins
  • How will South India's declining births affect society

    How will South India's declining births affect society
    Jan 29 2025
    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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    28 mins
  • Can the AAP return to power in Delhi yet again?

    Can the AAP return to power in Delhi yet again?
    Jan 27 2025
    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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    35 mins
  • How did workers from UP end up trapped in a cement plant in war-torn Libya?

    How did workers from UP end up trapped in a cement plant in war-torn Libya?
    Jan 22 2025
    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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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal: How did it happen?

    Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal: How did it happen?
    Jan 17 2025
    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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    29 mins
  • Agenda of Trump 2.0: What can the world expect?

    Agenda of Trump 2.0: What can the world expect?
    Jan 16 2025
    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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    39 mins
  • Decoding the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025

    Decoding the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025
    Jan 13 2025
    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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    37 mins