3 Things

First, Indian Express' Ankita Upadhyay joins us to talk about the fire that broke out at a children's hospital in Vivek Vihar in Delhi. She shares the red flags that were discovered by the authorities, steps taken by them and everything that has happened since then.Next, Indian Express’ Film Critic Shubhra Gupta speaks to us about the Indian film All We Imagine As Light winning the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival and Payal Kapadia, the writer and the director of the film. (9:25)And in the end, we talk about record breaking temperatures in Delhi, with the maximum temperature nearly touching 50 degree Celsius and the capital being on a Red Alert for a severe heatwave. (24:10)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Vijay Doiphode

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 28th of May and here are today's headlines.Delhi Rouse Avenue Court today issued summons to Delhi Education Minister Atishi in connection with a defamation case filed by Praveen Shankar Kapoor. The case relates to Atishi’s accusations that the BJP attempted to poach Aam Aadmi Party MLAs. Atishi has been ordered to appear in court on the 29th of June. Meanwhile, the court has denied the bail plea of Umar Khalid, who is accused in the ‘larger conspiracy’ case related to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Khalid, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), had earlier told the Delhi court that other accused facing graver allegations than him were out on bail as well as people allegedly involved in similar activities were not even made an accused by the Delhi Police.At least 15 people have been killed in multiple landslides across Aizawl today. This included 11 deaths in a stone quarry collapse, with Mizora

First, Indian Express' Gopal Kateshiya tells us about the fire that broke out at an indoor game zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Saturday, killing 28 people, including children, and injuring nine others.Next, Indian Express' Udit Misra explains how unemployment has fared under the Modi government and how it is distributed across religious and caste lines (11:02).Finally, we discuss why two doctors from a government hospital have been booked in the Pune Porsche crash case (26:35).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaAdditional support by Mahiyar Rohinton PatelEdited and mixed Vijay Doiphode

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 27th of May and here are today's headlines.Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in an exclusive interview with the Indian Express. He expressed confidence in forming the government based on the results from the first five phases, with a projected tally of 300-310 seats. He said, quote, “We are somewhere between 300 and 310. This is without counting the sixth phase. We are in a comfortable position. This time, we went to the people with 10 years of track record and 25 years of a powerfully positive agenda.” Unquote.In the Pune Porsche crash that resulted in the deaths of two young engineers, the Pune police said that doctors of Sassoon General Hospital the blood sample of the minor driver in a dustbin and sent another person’s blood to the forensic lab. Dr Ajay Taware, the head of the Sassoon Hospital’s forensic medicine department, and Dr Shrihari Harnol have been arrested for allegedly changi

First, Indian Express' Hamza Khan joins us to talk about the BJP and what challenges it might face when it comes to Rajasthan. The party that made a clean sweep in the state for two consecutive elections, might not be able to do so this year. Next, Indian Express’ Flora Swain speaks to Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs editor Shubhajit Roy about a post-Raisi Iran and how everything will function now that the President and the Foreign minister of the country are no more. (12:14)And in the end, we talk about a massive fire that broke out in a children's hospital in east Delhi killing seven newborn babies. (21:48)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 24th of May and here are the top stories of the week.The voter turnout in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 49 constituencies on Monday was higher than the polling in the same seats in 2019, as per provisional figures at 10.30 pm on Tuesday. Though the final turnout figure is expected to be released by the Election Commission today, the EC’s Voter Turnout app, showed Monday’s turnout at 62.15%, higher than the 2019 final polling figure of 61.82%.Six people were killed and 48 were injured in a boiler blast at a chemical company in Mahrashtra's Thane on Thursday afternoon. According to officials, the number of deceased and injured may go up as several workers and residents were feared trapped in the factory in Dombivli’s MIDC phase-2 region. Officials of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation said a massive blast occurred in the Amudan Chemicals Pvt Ltd. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lak

First, Indian Express' Partha Sarathi Biswas joins us to talk about the the horrific case where a minor mowed down two people with his Porsche. Partha Sarathi talks about the verdict of the Juvenile Justice Board and everything that has been happening since the incident.Next, Indian Express’ Shantanu Chowdhury and Apurva Vishwanath talk to us about the Calcutta High Court's decision on the West Bengal government issuing OBC certificates to people from 77 Muslim communities since 2010. (13:08)And in the end, we talk about a massive blast that happened in a chemical company in Maharashtra's Thane that killed six people. (21:08)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 23rd of May and here are today's headlines.Tensions flared in Nandigram in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district today. Hours after a woman worker of the BJP was killed and seven others were injured after being attacked on Wednesday night, days before the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in the state. As the BJP took to the streets in protest today by torching shops and blocking roads using trees and setting them on fire, security was beefed up with Rapid Action Force and central forces being deployed, apart from the police.A senior Kolkata police officer said that the initial probe into the “murder” of Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar revealed that one of his friends had paid around Rs 5 crore to kill the neighbouring country’s parliamentarian. Anar, who went missing in Kolkata since 13th of May, was found murdered and three people have been arrested, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan had said on Wednesday. The

First, Indian Express’ Sujit Bisoyi discusses the biggest narratives dominating the Odisha polls and explains why Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, despite facing the toughest challenge in over 20 years, is still not worried.Next, Indian Express’ Rural Affairs Editor Harish Damodaran explains why India’s wheat production has hit a 16-year low and highlights the two states that helped avert a crisis (15:12).And in the end, we provide a brief update about the Election Commission issuing notices to the BJP and Congress Party (23:25).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 22nd of May and here are today's headlines.Almost a month after issuing notices to Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over alleged Model Code of Conduct violations by their star campaigners, the Election Commission of India today directed BJP star campaigners not to make communal speeches and those of the Opposition party to refrain from saying the Constitution may be abolished. While the EC did not name PM Modi or Rahul Gandhi, it asked Nadda and Kharge for their “comments” on the “star campaigners” alleged MCC violations.The Supreme Court today declined to entertain former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s plea seeking interim bail on money laundering charges in a land scam-related case to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The court said his bail plea was pending before the trial court when he approached the apex court seeking the relief. The bench was upset that Soren

First, Nandagopal Rajan, COO, The Indian Express Online is joined by Anand Trivedi,  Director, CyberProof, a UST company, to talk about the menace of deepfakes that has surfaced in the process of the Lok Sabha elections. Next, Indian Express’ Asad Rehman talks to us about the influence that Bahujan Samaj Party and Mayawati have in Uttar Pradesh as the state approaches the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on 25th of May. (16:30)And in the end, we talk about Singapore Airlines aircraft that encountered turbulence so severe that it resulted in the death of a passenger. (23:31)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 21st of May and here are today's headlines.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Bihar today asserted that the people of the country are his successors. He said, quote, “I don’t have any successor, the people of this country are my successors,” Unquote. Earlier in East Champaran, PM Modi alleged that the INDIA bloc stood for corruption, appeasement politics and a “perverted anti-Sanatan mindset”, all of which would receive a “big blow” when the Lok Sabha poll results are announced on 4th of June.Election Commission today barred former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, now the BJP’s Tamluk Lok Sabha candidate, for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The EC’s ban on campaigning will be in effect from 5 pm today and be in place for the  next 24 hours. The decision comes a day after Gangopadhyay sent his reply to a show-cause notice issued by the EC for his “undignified” remark against W

First, Indian Express’ Mallica Joshi discusses the allegations made by AAP's Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal against Bibhav Kumar, a close aide of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and how these allegations have affected the party’s campaign leading up to the polls.Next, Indian Express’ Bijin Jose explains what Artificial General Intelligence is and why many in the global tech community are apprehensive about it (15:35).And in the end, we provide a brief update on the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash (25:58).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced Shashank Bhargava and Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh PawarAudio clips sourced by Mahiyar Rohinton Patel and Kumar Siddhartha

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 20th of May and here are today's headlines.Polling is underway for 49 Lok Sabha seats across six states and two Union Territories including Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla. As of this afternoon, the Election Commission received about 1036 complaints from various political parties in West Bengal related to malfunctioning EVMs, agents being stopped from entering polling booths, and voters being threatened or stopped from going to cast their votes in different constituencies.  Meanwhile, in addition to five Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, voters will also cast their ballot for the second phase of simultaneous state assembly elections in 35 seats today.Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that he was hurt seeing the poverty in Odisha despite the state having “so many mineral resources”, and alleged that the Chief Minister’s Office and residence had been captured by “a handful of corrupt people”. In an indirect dig at V K Pandian, Chi

First, Indian Express’ Nayonika Bose joins us to talk about the massive hoarding that collapsed in Mumbai killing 16 people and injuring many more. She talks about why it collapsed and everything that has happened since.Next, Indian Express’ Shubhajit Roy talks to us about the recently signed 10 year contract between India and Iran regarding the strategically important Chabahar port. (12:07)And in the end, we talk about what Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar said about India and Pakistan's ties. (19:52)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 17th of May and here are the top stories of the week.The voter turnout in the 96 constituencies across 9 states and a Union territory that went to polls in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Monday reached 67.71% as of 10 am on Tuesday. The Election Commission had said the provisional turnout at 11.45 pm on Monday was 67.25%, however, the final turnout would be announced today. Significantly, the turnout in Srinagar, which was the one seat in Jammu and Kashmir that went to polls on Monday, recorded a turnout of 37.98%, which was the highest since 1996.Bhavesh Bhinde, owner of a hoarding in Ghatkopar that collapsed amid rains was arrested on Thursday by the crime branch from Rajasthan’s Udaipur. The director of Ego Media Private Limited, which had the contract for the hoarding on a 10-year lease, was absconding since the incident took place. The death toll from the giant hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar area of Mumba

First, Indian Express’ Santanu Chowdhury tells us about the fierce poll battle between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal, and how the winning margins are likely to narrow this time.Next, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt shares details about the comprehensive guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on what Indians should be eating (15:02).And in the end, Indian Express’ Shashank Nair talks about some of the biggest highlights from the career of Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri, who announced his retirement yesterday (24:25).Hosted, produced and written by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 16th of May and here are today's headlines.The Supreme Court today said it had not carved out an exception for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while granting him interim bail till June 1 to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The apex court added that “critical analysis or even criticism of the judgment” was “welcome”. The remarks came as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, took “exception” to Kejriwal’s reported comments that he will not have to go back to jail on June 2 if people vote for the Aam Aadmi Party and senior advocate A M Singhvi objected.The Supreme Court today said that the Enforcement Directorate cannot directly arrest a person under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, once a special court takes cognisance of the complaint but will have to approach the special court if it wants his or her custody. Th bench said that after cognizance is taken of the offence punishable under Sec

First, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath explains why the Supreme Court has declared the arrest of the founder and editor-in-chief of NewsClick illegal and what it means for the case.Next, Indian Express’ Sreenivas Janyala discusses why Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is facing anti-incumbency and the extent to which the opposition alliance threatens his position (09:20).And in the end, we take a look at what Union Home Minister Amit Shah said about Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s interim bail (19:12).Hosted, written, and produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 15th of May and here are today's headlines.Invalidating his arrest in a terror case, the Supreme Court today ordered the release of Newsclick founder-editor Prabir Purkayastha. The reason the court gave: the Delhi Police failed to inform Purkayastha the grounds of his arrest before taking him into custody. The ruling is significant because it emphasises that proper procedure and due process are the guardrails against arbitrary action, even in stringent terror cases. Purkayastha was arrested on 3rd of October 2023 by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, who alleged that Newsclick received money for pro-China propaganda.One of the 14 people who were trapped after a lift collapsed at a copper mine in Rajasthan’s Neem Ka Thana district passed away today, hours after all of them were rescued. Besides workers, members of a Vigilance team from Kolkata and senior officials of the Khetri Copper Corporation were also trapped following