What happens to astronauts on an extended stay in space

What’s a quick measure of how healthy you are? Most people would say Body Mass Index or BMI. But increasingly, experts have come to the conclusion that BMI has several limitations. Why? For one thing it was made using data from 19th century Europeans and does not work well across different populations. For another, it does not tell you the composition of your weight, or crucially, where that weight is located. Indians are genetically predisposed to putting on more weight around the abdomen region, and it is this fat that puts at risk of various diseases including diabetes. And this where another index comes in – the Body Roundness Index or BRI. Devised in 2013, studies over the last decade have now shown that BRI may be a better predictor of what health risks you may face. BRI, unlike BMI, takes your waist circumference into account, essentially letting you know if you are too round, and therefore unhealthy. How does the BRI calculation work? What has research about it shown so far? And is it a better metric for Indians to use? Guest: Diana Thomas, the mathematician who devised BRI. Dr Thomas is a a full professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the United States Military Academy, West Point Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston

India has made chess history winning both the team golds at the Budapest Olympiad, which saw participation from a staggering 193 teams in the Open section and 181 women’s teams. In the Open section, the Indian men’s team of D Gukesh, R Praggnanandha, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi and P Harikrishna were so dominant they finished a good four points clear of the second-placed USA. The Indian women’s route to the team gold was much tighter. They had to win their match on the final day, which they did. What does the double triumph mean for Indian chess? What went into this historic achievement? And how can India build on this success? Guest: Rakesh Rao, former Deputy Editor with The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Today we are at the Hindu discussing a topic which has been making news since yesterday. It's been over 24 hours since Akshay Shinde, who was accused in the Badlapur rape case, was shot dead in a police encounter. The police have claimed that he was trying to run away and that he snatched the service revolver and thereafter the police had to shoot him down. This incident has clearly snowballed into a political controversy, not just in Maharashtra but far and wide. The Badlapur case has been in news for quite some time now after reports emerged from the couple about few minor girls who were sexually assaulted, allegedly by Akshay Shinde. The most important question about the incident that has been making news since yesterday is what does the law say when it comes to the security of the accused?  Guest: Mihir Desai, senior advocate, national vice president PUCL Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit

Anurag Kumara Dissanayake of the JVP has been elected as the 9th President of Sri Lanka. The results clearly signal a dramatic change from the politics of the past in Sri Lanka. In this episode of In Focus, we decode the Sri Lankan presidential election results. Nirupama Subramanian, and Meera Srinivasan provide in-depth analysis on what the outcome means for the country’s political landscape. Host: Amit Baruah Edited by Jude Francis Weston

On June 5 this year, when NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams flew the Boeing Starliner crew capsule to the International Space Station, they expected to be back within about eight days. Now however, these seasoned astronauts will remain in space for eight months – until February 2025. What happened? Their capsule which on its first flight with a human crew was not deemed safe enough to bring them back after helium leaks and other malfunctions developed. Eventually, the Starliner capsule returned to Earth without its crew. Barry and Sunita are now scheduled to return in a SpaceX crew capsule next year. So what happened to the Boeing Starliner? Who is on the ISS now, and is there enough space and adequate supplies for all of them? What happens to the bodies of astronauts who stay in space for extended durations and how does it affect their health? When will the ISS be decommissioned and will India be part of the next, new ISS? Guest: T.V. Venkateswaran is a science communicator and visiting faculty member at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is a Stockholm-based intergovernmental organisation that advocates for democracy worldwide. It has come out with a report on the health of democracies. Titled, ‘The Global State of Democracy 2024: Strengthening the Legitimacy of Elections in a Time of Radical Uncertainty’, the report has found that while one in four countries have improved in democratic metrics, a greater proportion – four out of nine – have declined. It also says that electoral participation has declined, one in three voters live in countries where the quality of elections has declined, and in what is clearly a dangerous trend, between 2020 and 2024, in one out of five elections, the losing candidate or party rejected the electoral outcome. Interestingly, the Report also found that disputes about the credibility of elections centred mostly on voting irregularities and vote counting. Coming to country rankings, the Report finds that India has declined on all four major categories of evaluation – Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation. India is ranked 71 on Representation (a year-on-year decline by 1 place), 116th on rights (slipping down by 6 places), 80th on Rule of Law (down by 4), and 104 in Participation (down by 13 places). What is behind this democratic erosion – not just in India but across the globe? Why is voter turnout falling worldwide? And what can be done to reverse these worrying trends? Guest: Leena Rikkila Tamang, Director for Asia and the Pacific at International IDEA. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Many African and Asian countries, including India, are leaning towards biofortification of crops. It is the process by which the nutrient density of food crops is increased by various means without sacrificing characteristic that is preferred by consumers or farmers. Thus, biofortified crops are more nutrient-dense than non-biofortified varieties.   Experts believe that these crops can help end 'hidden hunger' or micronutrient malnutrition.  Research is underway to add iron, Vitamin A, and Zinc to humble staple foods. Iron-biofortification of beans, cowpea and pearl millet, zinc-biofortification of maize, rice, and wheat, and pro-vitamin A carotenoid-biofortification of cassava, maize, rice, and sweet potato are currently underway and at different stages of development across the world.  In August, PM Narendra Modi released 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops at India Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. So, How can India get the best use of the process? And, what are the challenges involved in it?    Guest: Suneetha Kadiyala, Professor of Global Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine  Host: Nivedita V  Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Jammu and Kashmir is set to hold its first assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370. The polls will take place in three phases, on September 18, 25th and October 1. The counting of votes will happen on October 8. Given that these are the first assembly elections in ten years, what is the mood on the ground? What are the poll promises being made by the contending parties, and how do they stack up against each other in different parts of the Union Territory? Guest: Peerzada Ashiq, The Hindu’s Srinagar correspondent. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Last July, a whistleblower in Kenya posted on social media that the country’s main international airport would be taken over by India’s Adani Group. The news sparked widespread outrage in Kenya. It has since emerged that the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA), which runs the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, has signed a $2.5 billion build-and-operate deal with the Adani Group. Under the agreement, the Adanis would renovate the airport and add a new runway and terminal, and in exchange, they would manage the airport for 30 years, after which they would get an 18% equity stake in it. Hundreds of airport workers protested against the deal on Wednesday, causing flight cancellations and leaving passengers stranded. Meanwhile, the Law Society of Kenya, the country’s bar association, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have filed a joint application against the deal in the high court. The court on Monday issued an order suspending any action on the Adani proposal until the court case is settled. Why are Kenyans upset with this airport expansion project? Did the deal follow due process, in terms of transparency and bidding procedures? What are the demands of the Kenya Airport Workers Union? Guest: Senator Richard Onyonka, Member of Kenyan Parliament representing Kisii county. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

In this episode, we dive into the Uttar Pradesh government's new social media policy, which encourages influencers to promote the state's initiatives and achievements with incentives. However, this move has sparked controversy, with opposition parties criticizing it as an attempt to sway public opinion ahead of the upcoming elections. How does UP’s policy compare to other states? What are the rules for government advertising, and how does this new policy affect influencers and current practices? Guest: Apar Gupta, a lawyer, tech policy expert, and co-founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation Host: John Xavier, Technology Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston