In Focus by The Hindu

Epizódy

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  Is BRICS coming of age? 15.09.2026 34min

  The recent BRICS summit in New Delhi, held under India’s presidency, brought together an expanded grouping at a time of major geopolitical and economic shifts. The summit sought to deepen cooperation among its members while navigating their often divergent strategic interests. West Asia, in particular, posed a significant diplomatic challenge. The New Delhi Declaration addressed the situation in Gaza, the Iran conflict and the wider instability in the region, while India also sought to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the UAE. So, what were the key takeaways of the Delhi summit? How did BRICS handle the conflicts in West Asia? And why was the grouping able to find greater consensus on Palestine than on the Iran conflict?  Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and published by Sharmada Venkatausbramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Exclusive | Is the United Nations broken?: Antonio Guterres on reforming the world body 14.09.2026 27min

  The Security Council is paralysed, and Superpowers haven’t recognized there are limits to their power says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in his most scathing comments about the culture of “impunity” and divisiveness that besets global leadership. This episode, we have an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, the UNSG, who demits office at the end of the year weighed in on a number of issues, including UN reform, the election for his successor, the latest developments in the West Asia war, Israel’s war in Gaza, India’s efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war, and the latest controversy of a new UN resolution on the world map. Guest: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Host: Suhasini Haider Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Hugging Face attack: Can ‘rogue agents’ bring about AI Armageddon? 11.09.2026 45min

  Doomsday scenarios of an ‘AI takeover’ have been part of popular lore for a long time. Skynet, Terminator, and Agent Smith are fictional icons of this narrative. What may seem a paranoid fantasy appears to have unfolded in real life, with the recent hacking incident involving AI infrastructure platform, Hugging Face. OpenAI was conducting a cyber-evaluation of some of its AI models, and according to a report put out by MERT and Redwood Research, AI safety experts, about 1,200 AI agents, who were supposed to be isolated from one another, colluded and collaborated through an unsanctioned message board. They cheated on their task, and covered their tracks by falsifying their logs. It was as a part of this ‘rogue’ action that 700 of them attacked Hugging Face. The report says that more than a thousand agents carried out a massive, unsanctioned, collaborative project over months, before being discovered and shut down. OpenAI’s own report revealed that after the Hugging Face attack, the ‘rogue’ agents even took over a cluster of OpenAI’s own computers. What does this entire incident mean for AI safety? Are fears of an AI takeover justified? How to ensure that frontier AI research is properly regulated and doesn’t endanger humanity itself? Joining us today is Sayash Kapoor, incoming professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information and co-author of the book, ‘AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence can do, what it can’t, and how to tell the difference’. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Iran takes escalation dominance 10.09.2026 28min

  The Iran war has entered another dangerous phase, with the confrontation between Tehran and Washington increasingly spilling into the Persian Gulf. Iran has stepped up attacks on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. has intensified efforts to restrict Iranian oil exports. At the same time, questions over Iran’s nuclear programme remain unresolved, and tensions are rising across Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. So, what is Iran trying to achieve with this escalation? What remains of Iran’s nuclear programme? Is the conflict turning into a wider regional war, and is Lebanon becoming its next major front? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Should the use of Gen AI be banned among younger students in schools? 10.09.2026 26min

  Recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools for public school students through Class 8 for the 2026-27 academic year. Officials argued that young children require human connection and independent problem-solving skills instead of relying on algorithms. Should the use of Gen AI be banned among younger students?   Guests: Lavina Jaswani and Deepa Jacob Host: Priscilla Jebaraj Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Saving the Western Ghats 09.09.2026 27min

  The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a biological treasure trove with a high degree of endemism and scenic beauty. It has also been declared as one of the world’s hotspots of biodiversity. However, in recent times, it has been in the news for threats to its unique ecosystem, especially with every episode of an ecological disaster. Yet, every attempt that has proposed to address these problems - be it the Gadgil committee report or the Kasturirangan report - has met with opposition. The latest in this list is the draft notification issued by the Centre proposing the Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) that would cover a 20,668 square kilometre area spread across 1,449 villages in Karnataka, which has been vehemently opposed by the Karnataka government. AS Ponnanna, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and MLA from Virajpet in Kodagu, nestled in the Western Ghats, talks about the concerns the Karnataka government has with the Kasturirangan report and the Centre’s latest draft notification. Host: K. C. Deepika, City Editor, The Hindu, Bengaluru Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Ravichandran N Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  OBC reservations: Should ‘creamy layer’ be junked in favour of sub-categorisation? 08.09.2026 48min

  The implementation of the creamy layer doctrine for OBC reservations has been beset with complications. A Supreme Court judgement on March 11 essentially held that Union government has been doing it all wrong all these years, and that their income/wealth test was subjecting a section of OBC applicants to “hostile discrimination”. The Supreme court gave the government six months to implement its order with regard to the litigants. But the government has told the court that it will be too complicated to implement its order retrospectively. For instance, one immediate concern: what happens with the results of the 2025 civil services exams that were declared on March 6? With the court set to hear the matter again on September 17, we unpack the complex history of creamy layer implementation. How effective has it been -- in remedying the hogging of OBC reservations by a few select groups? Isn’t sub-categorisation a better approach compared to the creamy layer doctrine – when it comes to ensuring opportunities for under-represented communities within OBCs? Guest: Abhinay Lakshman from The Hindu’s bureau Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Bonus episode: Is Israel winning? 07.09.2026 43min

  This is a special bonus episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast where Sharmada venkatausbramanian is in conversation with Stanly Johny. Israel has fought multiple wars and military campaigns since October 7, in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, while expanding its military and intelligence operations across the region. But military reach does not necessarily translate into strategic victory. What has Israel actually achieved, and at what cost? Has it strengthened its security and position in West Asia, or created new vulnerabilities and deeper isolation? How have these wars changed Israel’s relationship with the United States, the Gulf and India, and what do they mean for the future of the Palestinian question?  In this episode of Global Faultlines, we examine Israel’s wars, its security establishment, its evolving regional strategy and the larger question: Is Israel winning? Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu  Research, Editing and Production: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Camera: Johan Sathyadas J Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  What are cancer 'vaccines' and will they revolutionise treatment? 05.09.2026 32min

  There’s been a lot of excitement in the cancer research field recently. Preliminary results from a trial with patients who had melanoma or skin cancer, showed that a ‘cancer vaccine’ had been successful in reducing the recurrence of melanoma tumours. This vaccine, called instamaren autogene, is based on mRNA technology – the same tech that was used to manufacture Covid vaccines during the pandemic. A number of other trials across the world are also looking into how mRNA vaccines can help prevent the recurrence of certain hard-to-treat cancers. So what are these new therapies and what cancer do they treat? Why are they called vaccines when they don’t actually prevent cancer? How does mRNA tech work and how is AI helpful in this? Will these personalised treatments be available in India any time soon and how expensive will they be? Guest: Dr. Narayana Subramaniam, Lead Consultant, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Aster Hospitals, and Adjunct Faculty at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  From 3rd at Olympics to 8th at World Cup: What’s ailing Indian hockey? 04.09.2026 31min

  Much was expected from the Indian men’s hockey team after back to back bronze medals at the highest level of the sport – the Olympic Games. The core of the team that took part in the recently concluded World Cup was the same as the one that medalled at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Yet we struggled against the top teams at the recently concluded World Cup. Despite having a coach in Craig Fulton who is known for a defense-first approach, the single most disappointing aspect of the team’s performance was in defence, as it conceded 19 goals in just six games. What is the team missing, and what does this performance bode for the upcoming Asian Games where are the defending champions? We speak with Uthra Ganesan from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  In Focus-Parley | Are brands overreacting to manufactured outrage? 03.09.2026 28min

  Last week, jewellery brand Giva withdrew an advertisement it made for Raksha Bandhan after netizens criticised actress Kriti Sanon’s outfit as too revealing for a traditional festival. The incident is the latest in a series of brands backtracking on their advertisements following backlash that is often religiously or communally charged. Given India’s current socio-political climate, are brands overreacting to manufactured outrage? Here, we discuss the question. Guest: Mitushi Sharma and Santosh Desai Host: Sonikka Loganathan Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Freebies or Rights: What is India's approach to welfare spending? 02.09.2026 1h 6min

  The resilience of a nation’s economy is determined by the quality of its human capital. Other things being equal, a country with a healthy and educated population will grow much faster than one with a semi-literate and undernourished one. And yet, has historically, and consistently, under-invested in health and education – neglecting them even in years of high economic growth. There is a strong tendency to dismiss state expenditure on people’s well being a as ‘freebies’ or ‘revdi’. But are they freebies or are they basic rights that people can demand from the state? Guest: Reetika Khera, professor of economics at IIT, explores this question in her book, ‘Freebies or Rights: Understanding Social Policy in ’, which maps ’s welfare architecture and its effectiveness. Host: G Sampath Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Ukraine war: Is Russia testing NATO’s resolve? 01.09.2026 25min

  As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year, the conflict shows little sign of ending. Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify drone and missile attacks, while efforts for a possible diplomatic breakthrough remain uncertain. Is Vladimir Putin under growing pressure? How has the nature of the war changed, what is driving the escalation? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Smriti Sudesh Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  More sugar, different labels: How global food brands treat the Indian market 31.08.2026 26min

  “Do you not want people to be healthy?” That was the question the Supreme Court put to the FSSAI earlier this month, while hearing a case over warning labels on the front of packaged food, for foods high in sugar, salt, and fat. The Court questioned why the regulator had delayed implementing stronger warnings, particularly when the issue directly concerns public health and children.The question becomes even more significant now, after a media investigation found that some of the world’s biggest food and beverage brands use substantially different formulations for their products in India and abroad, with Indian products containing higher levels of sugar, salt or fat, along with less prominent health warnings.So, what determines what consumers get on their shelves and how much protection do our food-safety rules really provide? To understand this, today, on In Focus, we’re joined by Hyderabad-based paediatrician Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, whose eight-year fight over the misleading use of “ORS” label on high-sugar electrolyte drinks eventually led to FSSAI banning the use of the term by products that do not follow the prescribed formulation. Guest: Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, Paediatrician Host: Rishita Khanna Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Weekend Bonus episode: The Mathematics and Loneliness of DD Kosambi w/Prof. Ram Ramaswamy 29.08.2026 1h

  This is a special weekend crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Rearview podcast. Did Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi solve the Riemann Hypothesis - one of mathematics's greatest puzzles? Was Kosambi, who wrote one of the most influential books on studying Indian history, ignored by both mathematicians and historians? Is he India's Alan Turing? This week we interview Prof Ram Ramaswamy, whose biography of the remarkably eclectic DD Kosambi: DD Kosambi, One Life, Many Worlds, gives a dispassionate, scholarly and insightful look into this mathematician and historian who was also a Sanskrit scholar and avowed Marxist. Ramaswamy, who's taught at JNU, IIT Delhi and is a former Vice Chancellor at University of Hyderabad, has unearthed rich archival material to investigate the motivations, frustrations and sources of inspiration that shaped one of India's greatest polymaths. Host: Jacob Koshy Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  What a waste: Can India get rid of its garbage mountains? 28.08.2026 38min

  India has a waste management problem. Though we reportedly collect 90% of our municipal solid waste, nearly 40% does not enter formal processing. Due to this large share that is out of the formal processing system, most Indian cities have garbage mountains – open dump sites and landfills. These dump sites have been linked to groundwater contamination and other public health risks. Critically, they are massive sources of non-CO2 greenhouse gases such as Methane.How to eliminate or shrink these dump sites? How to ensure that waste segregation is followed all the way from the collection point till the end of the fresh-waste disposal chain? What are the chances India can reduce landfill methane emissions to zero?A new report, titled ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in : Policy and Technology Pathways for Climate Action’, says that with the right reforms, can reduce waste sector methane emissions by 99% within 10–15 years. Guests: Zerin Osho, Director of the Indian Program at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD), and Akshat Patni, Senior Adviser with IGSD. Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  In Focus-Parley | Is English a foreign language in India? 27.08.2026 41min

  The Supreme Court has been discussing linguistics this month, while hearing challenges to the CBSE’s three-language formula, which mandates that two of the three must be native Indian languages, a category that does not include English. The Bench has been debating whether English should be considered a foreign language in India, given its long history in the country, and its role as a link language in governance and in higher education. We discuss the same question in this week’s Parley, with Apoorvanand, a professor in the Hindi department of the University of Delhi, and Ganesh Devy, a former professor of English and the man behind the People’s Linguistic Survey of India project. Host: Priscilla Jebaraj Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Cash transfers for women: Do they challenge gender norms on unpaid care work? 26.08.2026 49min

  Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) for women have become extremely popular. So far, more than 14 states have done it, benefiting 120 million women. The monthly payouts range from Rs833 to Rs2,500. State governments spend more than Rs2 lakh crore annually on such schemes. But at the same time, at least six such states projected a revenue deficit for 2025-26, pointing to the growing fiscal pressure due to the rapid expansion of women-centric cash transfers. There is a raging debate on whether unconditional cash transfers are crowding out state expenditure on social infrastructure such as public health and education. A new book by Prabha Kotiswaran, titled ‘Wages for Housework: ’s experiment with Unconditional cash transfers for women’ defends such payouts from a feminist perspective, and argues that they are a form of economic, social and political recognition of women’s unpaid domestic and care work. Prabha Kotiswaran is Professor of Law and Social Justice at King’s College, and she joins us today for a discussion on women-centric UCTs. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Can you get dementia from long-term exposure to traffic noise? 25.08.2026 39min

  Road traffic noise is a major environmental pollutant. Indian cities are cacophonous. They are not designed to insulate residents from sustained exposure to traffic noise. A new research paper has found a worrying link between traffic noise exposure and dementia, and also cognitive impairment. The paper, titled ‘Association of road traffic noise exposure with dementia or cognitive impairment – A systematic review of longitudinal cohort studies’, has been co-authored by Emil Basil Scaria and Nisha Dhanda, and was published on PLOS Global Public Health earlier this year.  We speak with the lead author of the study. Guest: Emil Basil Scaria, a public health researcher and physician based in Dubai Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How water stressed are Indian cities? 24.08.2026 46min

  This year, residents in several Indian cities -from Mumbai to Bengaluru - have experienced a shortage in water supply. India's big cities are expanding in terms of size and population. This has also meant a strain on existing resources such as land and water. We have already seen cities such as Bengaluru attempting to implement restrictions on use of potable water for non-potable purposes. But do our cities need more than that to ensure water security for the future? How water stressed are Indian cities? Guest: Priyanka Jamwal, Programme Leader and Senior Fellow, Water and Society Programme, ATREE Raj Bhagat, Senior Program Manager, Geo Analytics for Sustainable Cities & Transport program, WRI India Host: K. C. Deepika, City Editor, The Hindu, Bengaluru Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices