Letters to The Editor — April 26, 2025

Now, action All the steps taken by India in its anger to punish Pakistan could turn out to be double-edged swords. India cannot take back the areas under the occupation of Pakistan (PoK) without unleashing a war which could end up with catastrophic consequences given that both nations possess nuclear weapons. ‘Annulling’ the Indus Waters … Read more

A chance for India’s creative ecosystem to make waves

In the face of global trade tariffs and stock market volatility, India shines as a resilient economy. Leveraging its demographic advantages and technological capabilities, India can turn challenges into opportunities, positioning itself as a global ‘Creative Powerhouse.’ With a rich storytelling tradition, India’s Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector aims to ‘Connect Creators’ worldwide through the … Read more

​Carrot and stick: on the U.S. and Iran talks

The U.S. and Iran are currently engaged in rare high-stakes diplomacy. They have held two rounds of talks, in Muscat and in Rome, with Oman as the mediator, about Tehran’s nuclear programme. A third technical round has been confirmed for the coming days. However, tensions still remain high between the Trump administration and the Islamic … Read more

‘Bengaluru is a city thriving with innovation, strong academic institutions, and a spirit of progress’

Forging a new bond in research, the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom has recently opened a new centre on the campus of Bangalore City University. Born from a two-and-a-half-year vision shaped by professors of the universities, the Wolverhampton-Bengaluru Centre for Research and Innovation (WBC) is a testament to what happens when academic ambition … Read more

Treating the dead with dignity

Family members of Uphaar Cinema fire victims pay homage during the 18th anniversary of the tragedy in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: The Hindu In the pre-privatisation era, public hospitals faced huge challenges in managing patients due to overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure such as beds and equipment, and limited resources. The 1990s were also the time … Read more

Is the World Trade Organization still relevant?

United States President Donald Trump’s ‘reciprocal tariffs’ have been compared to the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s, which many say hastened the slide into the Great Depression. The difference between the 1930s and now is that we have the World Trade Organization (WTO) to oversee and enforce global trade rules. However, some argue that over … Read more

Where tariffs trump economics – The Hindu

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office on April 24, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP The recently announced reciprocal tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump have led to a decline in the prices of key commodities, crude oil, volatility, and a downturn in stock markets. Since the tariff announcement, crude oil … Read more

Amidst regional ferment, Kurds’ quest for statehood

West Asia is in a geo-engineering flux not seen since the birth of Israel 77 years ago. The perennial Palestinian issue is at a pivotal moment with an extreme right Israeli government’s hard-line position at odds with the Arab States’ insistence on a two-state solution for the Abraham Accords’ expansion. After the loss of regional … Read more