Why are mumps cases spiking in India and can the vaccine help?

What comes to mind when someone says the word ‘mumps’? You’re vaguely remembering that it’s supposed to be a mild, childhood illness, one that you haven’t perhaps heard about in a long time. The fact is however, that there are thousands of mumps cases being reported in India every year. And this is not just limited to one or two States — cases occur across the country. A vaccine for mumps has been available for over 50 years now — in fact, India manufactures and exports this vaccine to other countries, and yet, it is not part of our country’s universal immunisation programme for children. So why are mumps cases spiking in India? What does the mumps viral illness do to the body? And is there a case to be made out to include the mumps vaccine in routine immunisations for children? Guest: Dr. Vipin M. Vashishtha, Past National Convener of the IAP Committee on Immunisation and Director of Mangla Hospital & Research Center, Uttar Pradesh Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The annual UN Climate Conference, COP30, concluded in Belem, Brazil, last week. The final text of the outcome did not mention "fossil fuels" at all, and did not strengthen financial commitments. However, voluntary plans announced by the COP30 President to create roadmaps to transition away from fossil fuels and to stop deforestation show some hope. In this episode of InFocus, we speak with Zerin Osho, director of India Programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, to break down the results of COP30. Guest: Zerin Osho, director of India Programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development Host: Priyali Prakash Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 21, the Union Labour Ministry announced the implementation of the four labour codes: The Code on Wages, 2019; The Industrial Relations Code, 2020; The Code on Social Security, 2020; and The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Several trade unions have expressed concern over the notification of the four labour codes, with many of them demanding that they be revoked. Are the labour codes labour-friendly? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Amarjeet Kaur,General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress; R. Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Chemicals Limited  Host: A.M. Jigeesh Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 5-judge Bench of the Supreme Court has given its opinion on the 16th Presidential Reference. This Reference pertained to the discretionary powers of the Governor and the President. The Supreme Court said that no timelines can be fixed for Governors or the President to act on Bills passed by State legislatures. It also said there can be no ‘deemed assent’. But it added that in cases where the Governor’s inaction “is prolonged, unexplained and indefinite” there will be ‘limited judicial scrutiny”. This advisory opinion of the Supreme Court contradicts its own judgement of April 8, in State of Tamil Nadu vs Governor of Tamil Nadu & Union of India. In this case, the two-judge Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, had held said that the Governor cannot exercise a “pocket veto” by indefinitely sitting on Bills, and they fixed a three-month timeline for them to act on the Bills. What happens to this judgement now? Former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai did clarify that the opinion given in a Presidential judgement did not overrule a judgement. Nonetheless, the question remains: given that a Supreme Court judgement declares the law, what happens to the April 8 judgement now? Does the Court’s ‘opinion’ mean that the Centre now enjoys a default ‘pocket veto’ on state laws? Does it mean Governors can sit on any Bill as long as they like, waiting for the state to go to court? Guest: Krishnadas Rajagopal, The Hindu’s Legal Correspondent. Host: G. Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kerala has declared that it has “eradicated extreme poverty,” identifying over one lakh people as the final few remaining in this category in the State. But what does “extreme poverty” actually mean, and is it possible for a State to eradicate it? This episode unpacks the definitions, the methodology used by the State, the gap between Kerala’s estimates and the Central government’s Antyodaya Anna Yojana’s numbers, and the wider questions this raises about poverty measurement and verification. The conversation also looks at whether States should set their own criteria, what an ideal poverty tracking system should look like, and how journalists can independently assess such claims. Guest: Prof. R. Ramakumar, Former Dean of the School of Development Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a non-ministerial member of the Kerala government’s State Planning Board Host: Devyanshi Bihani Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australian-born footballer Ryan Williams has given up his Australian passport to take Indian citizenship and join the national team. His move has reopened a long-standing debate on whether India should rely on foreign-born players and those of Indian origin to strengthen the squad, or if this undermines the country’s grassroots development and talent pipeline. In this episode, we discuss what this shift means for the sport in India, whether India should rope in OCIs, if the struggling national team would benefit from this change and how Indian football is coping with a stalled ISL season. Guest: Amitabha Das Sharma, The Hindu’s sports reporter Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world shut down during the pandemic, chess migrated to screens and found a new pulse. The game sped up, audiences multiplied and Grandmaster Daniel “Danya” Naroditsky became an unusually humble and accessible teacher in a space that often rewards sharpness over gentleness. But the digital arena carried its own tensions. Chess engines grew stronger and suspicion spread. So when former world champion Vladimir Kramnik accused Naroditsky of cheating, the chess community split. So, how did speed and doubt shape a landscape where the game never really ends and what did that world do to those inside it? Guests: Viswanathan Anand, five-time World Chess Champion; Dr. Kenneth Regan, expert on chess-cheating detection; Dr. Michael Rich, digital wellness researcher; Krish Rastogi, young player shaped by online chess’s rise Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Shot by: Thamodharan B Production Assistance: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and Edited by: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As IPL teams submitted their final retention lists ahead of the December mini-auction, the league witnessed one of its most dramatic reshuffles in years — major releases, headline trades, and two giants, CSK and KKR, signalling sweeping squad revamps. In this episode of In Focus, we break down the big moves, from the sensational Samson–Jadeja–Curran swap to price-correction calls, Punjab’s stability-first approach, and RCB’s calm after their maiden title. How are teams shaping their auction strategies, and what does it tell us about the season ahead? We also track emerging trends, purse strengths, and the key players expected to trigger bidding wars on December 16. Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Guest: Amol Karhadkar, The Hindu’s sports reporter Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh has handed a death sentence to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The tribunal found her guilty of crimes against humanity. It convicted held her of ordering the killing of anti-government protesters between June and August 2024. Sheikh Hasina fled to Delhi last year when her government fell. She has lived in exile ever since. But now she is a wanted criminal in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government wants India to extradite her. Will India agree to do so? Does this mark the end of Hasina’s political career? With national elections due in February, what does this tribunal verdict mean for domestic politics in Bangladesh? What does it mean for the future of Awami League, the party Hasina leads?  Guest: Kallol Bhattacherjee from The Hindu’s Delhi bureau. Host: G. Sampath Recorded by Aniket Singh Chauhan Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax brought cheer to consumers, but triggered another row between the Centre and some States, which fear a decline in revenue collection. Opposition-ruled States have been at loggerheads with the Centre over Centrally sponsored schemes, release of disaster relief funds, and the Finance Commission's recommended share. Some of these issues have also reached the Supreme Court. The fallout in the Centre-State relations has triggered debates over the essence of Indian federalism, which, the Supreme Court has said, is a basic structure of the Constitution. Is federalism in retreat under single-party hegemony? Guests: Yamini Aiyar and A. Kalaiyarasan Host: Sharath S. Srivatsa Edited by Sharmada venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices