In Focus by The Hindu

A serene Sunday morning at the Louvre turned chaotic in just seven minutes. Four thieves, using construction vests and a mechanized lift, cut through reinforced glass and stole eight priceless pieces of the French Crown Jewels—some linked to Napoleon Bonaparte. Guards prioritized visitor safety, while a 60-officer manhunt began. What does this heist reveal about museum security, cultural heritage and the lengths organized criminals will go to target history’s treasures? Guest: Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International, art crime investigator Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bihar will go to the polls in November. There are 243 seats, and three major players. The NDA Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is facing 20 years of incumbency. There are also adverse reports about his health, and his ability to lead for another term. The BJP doesn’t have a strong electoral face either. As for the Mahagathbandhan, many believe this is their election to win – provided they get their act together. But can they? There is also the unknown variable -- Prashant Kishore’s Jan Suraaj Party. Whose fortunes will it dent more – the NDA’s or the Mahagathbandhan’s? Which will way will the Extreme Backward Classes (EBCs), Dalits and the Pasmanda vote swing? The NDA is big time into ‘revdi’ politics. Offering ₹10,000 through the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana (MMRY). Will it be enough to get them the women’s vote? How will the Special Intensive Revision impact the polls? Guest: Professor Kumar Sanjay Singh, who teaches history at Swami Shraddhanand College, Delhi. Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a paper in 1992, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt explained how economic growth is propelled by a cycle of innovation, in which outdated technologies and firms are replaced by newer technology. This cycle of “creative destruction” leads to sustained economic growth, as new technologies and firms outcompete and replace the old, driving productivity and efficiency.  Joel Mokyr’s historical analysis shows that technological progress is not merely a result of scientific discovery, but also depends on the cultural and institutional contexts that support the dissemination and application of knowledge.  Together, their work underscores the importance of innovation in driving economic prosperity and the need for supportive institutions and policies to sustain this growth. So, what can we understand from these works, given that are entering a new era of technological innovation? Guest: Partha Chatterjee, Dean of Academics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Professor, Department of Economics, Shiv Nadar University.  Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They travel with boards in their backpacks and cameras in their faces. Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Vaishali, Divya now play before millions online. For parents, the dream is intoxicating: can my child be next? But the path is heavy: endless hours and lonely tournaments. Few know this better than R.B. Ramesh, who has walked it himself and guided India’s brightest through it. In this weekender episode, he strips away the glamour and tells us what the game really demands of children and of their families. Guest: RB Ramesh, Indian chess grandmaster and renowned chess coach Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and Produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s World Cup has been a mix. Some matches went well. Others, not so much. The regular batters haven’t quite clicked. The bowling still lacks variety. Five reliable options weren’t enough to trouble South Africa or Australia. With tough games against England, New Zealand and Bangladesh coming up, India will need a new strategy.This World Cup has also been about inter-team relationships. Harmanpreet Kaur and Alyssa Healy fight hard on the field. But off it, there’s banter and respect. A two-year-old clip shows Ellyse Perry, Australia’s pace-bowling allrounder, talking with Pakistan’s 23-year-old captain Fatima Sana. She’s learning control. You see curiosity and the game passing from one player to another.Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu leads by example. She pushes her team to believe in themselves. Fans cheer her because she earns it, not because she shouts or poses.From the stands, The Hindu’s Anirudh Velamuri sees it all—the tension, the laughs and moments like when Nadine de Klerk, South Africa’s captain, gesticulates and talks to herself. Now, the question is whether India can find the spark to turn the tables on an unbeaten England in the upcoming match? Guest: Anirudh Velamuri Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India has big plans — and even bigger dreams — to host the 2036 Olympics. But before that, the country will look to prove its ability to do so, by hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games. India has bid for Ahmedabad as the host city for the Games — with Nigeria being the only other contender. This comes 15 years after the 2010 Delhi Games, the largest multi-sport event India has ever hosted. On October 15, Commonwealth Sport endorsed India’s bid, making it all but certain that the CWG will be held in Ahmedabad. But India’s lofty ambitions raise plenty of questions. Do mega sporting events really benefit India, or do they simply strain public resources? And can we pull it off this time — without the scandals, overruns, and chaos that marred Delhi 2010? Guest: Sharda Ugra, veteran sports journalist Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is election season in Bihar. While the Opposition often speaks about the lack of development and industrialisation in the State, in its campaigns, the National Democratic Alliance, which is in power, argues that a change of government will bring back the ‘Jungle Raj’ of the earlier decade. What makes Bihar one of India’s most underdeveloped States? Is landlockedness a reason for its underdevelopment, as some argue? Here we discuss the question. Guests: R. Nagaraj, Economist and retired professor from the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai; Manindra Nath Thakur, Professor , Centre for Political Studies, JNU, Delhi Host: Saptaparno Ghosh Edited and produced by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, U.S. president Donald Trump made a startling announcement: he said using the common painkiller paracetamol, or acetaminophen, known as Tylenol in the U.S. during pregnancy, could cause autism in the baby. This announcement came after earlier this year, the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine sceptic, announced a massive testing and research effort to identify the “environmental toxins” that he said were behind the growing “epidemic” of autism in the U.S. It is true that more cases of autism are being reported now than in previous decades, and this is the case in several countries including India. But is autism actually caused by Paracetamol use? Why are cases on the rise? And how much do we actually know about genetic and environmental factors that contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders? Guest: Dr. Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy, neuropsychiatrist and founder, Buddhi Clinic, Chennai. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a significant diplomatic development, a Taliban delegation led by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister recently visited New Delhi for official talks, the first such high-level engagement since the group took power in Kabul in 2021. Following the talks, India announced plans to reopen its full-fledged embassy in Kabul and expand cooperation in health, infrastructure, and education. But the visit also drew criticism after female journalists were reportedly barred from attending the Taliban minister’s press briefing, a reminder of the regime’s continuing restrictions on women and the media, and a point of discomfort for India’s democratic image. This renewed engagement comes as Taliban–Pakistan relations deteriorate, creating new strategic openings that India appears ready to explore. Yet, New Delhi’s outreach raises difficult questions: what has prompted this shift now? Can India balance pragmatic diplomacy with the values it has historically stood for? And can it deepen ties with the Taliban without extending formal recognition? Guest: Kallol Bhattacharjee, Foreign affairs reporter, The Hindu. Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is set to take up a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Securities Transaction Tax (STT). This is a direct tax levied on all transactions that happen through a stock exchange. The STT was brought in under the Finance Act, 2004. It has since become a significant source of revenue for the government, netting an estimated ₹55,000 crore in FY 2025. But this petition argues that the STT is deeply flawed, and violates constitutional guarantees of equality, freedom of trade and proportionality. How valid are these arguments? Should the STT be scrapped, or retained with modifications? Guest: Deepak Joshi, advocate-on-record at the Supreme Court, and a Chartered Accountant. Host: G Sampath Recorded, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another upgrade, another round of applause. OpenAI’s GPT-5 has arrived—sleeker, quicker and kind of the talk of the town. But peel back the glitz and questions pile up. In this episode, we will know who builds these systems, and at what cost? Who reaps the rewards? And what happens when a few voices decide how billions will live, work and learn? Guest: Payal Arora, Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures, Utrecht University; author of From Pessimism to Promise Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She has been tear-gassed, threatened, and banned from office — yet María Corina Machado never stopped speaking for a silenced nation. Now, at 58, Venezuela’s most determined dissident has been named the country’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner — and only the 20th woman to ever receive it. An engineer turned opposition leader, she has spent years standing up to Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, a government that jails critics and silences dissent. Now in hiding, Machado continues to speak out — urging even soldiers to trade loyalty to power for loyalty to the people. Her surprise and humility in accepting the award stood in sharp contrast to nominee Donald Trump, who chest thumped and demanded it. Amid bloody wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, peace seems unattainable. But perhaps that’s why this award matters — because someone, somewhere, must still believe. The question is, do we? Guest: Harsh Mander, human-rights activist and founder of Karwan-e-MohabbatHost: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump's new 20-point peace plan promises to end hostilities, free hostages, and rebuild Gaza under a new framework of international oversight. Backed by several Arab nations, it’s being routed as the most detailed roadmap yet to stop the war. But is this really a plan for peace, or just another political blueprint that sidesteps the core issues fuelling the conflict ? Who gets to decide what Gaza’s future looks like? And with Israel still reluctant to commit to a full withdrawal, can any of this hold on the ground? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and Produced by Sharmada Venkatausbramanian Camera: Shivaraj S Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, political parties are rolling out several welfare measures for women. On October 3, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar transferred ₹10,000 to the bank accounts of 25 lakh women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. Earlier, on September 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also announced the transfer of ₹7,500 crore under the same scheme to 75 lakh women. This pattern has been seen in other Assembly elections as well. Moreover, the share of women voters has also been steadily increasing over the years. Are women deciding Assembly elections?  Host: Joan Sony Cherian  Guests: Ruhi Tiwari and  Rajeshwari Deshpande  Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, Indian households relied on fixed deposits, insurance, and gold to grow their savings. A large faction still continues to do that. But in the last few years, more and more Indians have opened demat accounts, started SIPs, and entered the stock market. In this episode, we explore what’s driving this shift in how Indians invest, and whether the rise of domestic investors is making our markets more resilient at the time when foreign investors have been pulling money out from Indian stock markets. Guest: Ankit Mandholia, Head Equity and Derivatives, Wealth Management at Motilal Oswal Financial Services Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices