For centuries, 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya, northern India, has been a site of dispute between Hindus and Muslims. Now, as a panel of mediators appointed by India's Supreme Court try to find a solution for the future of the site, Amalenda Misra examines its contested history. And to find out more about the politics of Hindu nationalism in India, as the country votes in the world's biggest election, listen to the latest episode of The Anthill podcast.

With just less than three weeks to go until South Africans go to the polls in a national and provincial election, there's been a surge in protest action around the country. The protests are taking place in townships and shack settlements, where many of the country's poorest residents live. Steven Friedman takes issue with the way in which the protests are being portrayed. He argues that the media, and all the country’s political parties offer trite, and distorted views of why poor people take to the streets.

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