In Focus by The Hindu

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

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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

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The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Host: G Sampath

Producer: Shiksha Jural

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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

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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

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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

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