3 Things

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 8th of May and here are today's headlines.Fresh remarks by Indian Overseas Congress chairman Sam Pitroda, where he seeks to emphasise the diversity of India, prompted a sharp reaction from the Prime Minister as well as BJP chief ministers from the Northeast. In an interview to The Statesman, Pitroda said, quote, “People in the East look Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North like, maybe, White, and people in the South look like African.” Unquote. At a rally on Wednesday, Modi referred to the remarks along with Rahul Gandhi and said, quote, “Shehzada will have to answer. The nation and Modi will not tolerate insulting our citizens on the basis of skin colour.” Unquote.The Civil Aviation ministry today sought a report from Air India Express on cancellation of flights after a section of cabin crew reported sick evidently to protest against changes in the human resources policy. The ministry has asked the Tata-gr

First, Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar brings us a ground report from the Hassan constituency, where over the past 10 days, survivors of the alleged sexual assault case involving JDS leader and MP Prajwal Revanna have had to flee their homes.Next, Indian Express’ Parthasarthi Biswas tells us about the Centre lifting the export ban on onions ahead of the polls in Maharashtra, and why farmers in the state are expressing discontentment over this move (11:46).And finally, Indian Express’ Abhishek Angad provides us with the details of the latest raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate in Jharkhand and how they have led to political mudslinging between the Congress and the BJP (20:35).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced and written 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 7th of May and here are today's headlines.The third phase of the Lok Sabha elections is underway today with voters in 93 parliamentary constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories casting their ballot to elect the new government. The state of Gujarat and the union territories of Goa, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will complete polling in a single phase on Tuesday. Among the other constituencies voting in the third phase are four in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, 10 in Uttar Pradesh and four in West Bengal.The Supreme Court today said that if it grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal, he cannot function as the chief minister as it will have “cascading effect” on other issues. The court noted, quoted, “We are on the issue of propriety today, not on legality. We do not want anything to affect the functioning of the government," Unquote. Former Depu

First, Indian Express’ Aditi Raja joins us to talk about the Tribal belt of Gujarat that cast its votes yesterday for the Lok Sabha elections and the challenges that they have been facing.Next, Indian Express’ Nihal Koshie talks to us about the BJP fielding Karan Bhushan Singh from the Kaiserganj seat instead of father and former President of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. (13:02)And in the end, we talk about the Election Commission of India issuing an advisory for all the parties to remove all the deepfake content, audios and videos from their social media pages which have been used as a part of the election campaigns. (20:13)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 6th of May and here are today's headlines.Exuding confidence that the BJP would form the government in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government’s “expiry date” was 4th of June– the day the results come out. Addressing a rally in Berhampur parliamentary constituency, Modi said, quote, “Today is May 6. By June 6, a BJP chief minister will be nominated and on June 10, an oath-taking ceremony will be held. Write it down. I have come here to welcome you to the BJP government’s oath-taking ceremony. The double engine government will come to Odisha for the first time,” unquote. Odisha Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls.A day ahead of polling in all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, 16 schools in Ahmedabad received bomb threat emails today. According to JCP (Crime Branch) Sharad Singhal, 12 schools in Ahmedabad city and four in Ahmedabad rural jurisdiction received

First, Indian Express’ Maulshree Seth tells us why Rahul Gandhi decided to contest from Raebareli instead of Amethi, and why Priyanka Gandhi chose not to make her electoral debut in these polls.Next, Indian Express’ Mohamed Thaver informs us about the incident of firing outside Salman Khan's residence and the key suspects in the case (13:35).Lastly, we provide you with the details of the latest terror attack in Jammu's Poonch district (22:40).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced and written 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 3rd of May and here are the top stories of the week.Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in UP’s Bareilly attacked Rahul Gandhi, saying he started his party’s campaign with Bharat Jodo Yatra that will end with a ‘Congress Dhoondho Yatra,’ suggesting that the party will get a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a rally in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a new attack on Congress saying “it is a mureed (follower) of Pakistan.” In Shivamogga, Rahul Gandhi raked up the many allegations of sexual abuse against Prajwal Revanna and said, “PM Modi has asked for votes for a ‘mass rapist’.”Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Thursday that Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is at the centre of a sexual abuse case, travelled to Germany on a diplomatic passport and no political clearance was either sought from or issued by the MEA with respect to his travel to the cou

First, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt joins us to talk about AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company that produced the Covid-19 vaccine - Covishield and its admission of the fact that its vaccine causes blood clots. She also shares the severity of the situation and whether or not it's a cause for concern. Next, Indian Express’ Anjali Marar talks to us about why the month of April was warmer than usual and what to expect from the upcoming months according to the India Meteorological Department. (8:16)And finally, we talk about the BJP fielding Karan Bhushan Singh from Kaiserganj instead of father Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. (17:43)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 2nd of May and here are today's headlines.Intensifying the attack against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the “partnership between Congress and Pakistan” has been “exposed” as leaders in Pakistan are “offering duas” for Rahul Gandhi to become India’s prime minister. While addressing an election rally in Gujarat, Modi said Pakistan “has been crying” as the Congress, which “only handed terror dossiers” to Pakistan, continues to lose ground in India. All 26 seats of Gujarat will go to poll on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024.Meanwhile, in Shivamogga, Rahul Gandhi raked up the many allegations of sexual abuse against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and said, “PM Modi has asked for votes for a ‘mass rapist’.” Speaking of Revanna, the Special Investigation Team probing the allegations of sexual abuse against him has issued a lookout circular after he failed to appear before it officials foll

First Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar and Liz Mathew tell us about the Karnataka sex abuse case, in which Janata Dal (Secular) MP and its Hassan candidate Prajwal Revanna is the main accused. They delve into the allegations, the timeline since the matter surfaced, and the statements made by the JDS’ alliance partner, the BJP, regarding the issue.Next, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath discusses the Delhi liquor policy case and outlines a common challenge that the defense side is facing in the matter (12:32).And in the end, Indian Express’ Arnabjit Sur reports on the recent bomb threat received by nearly 100 schools in Delhi and the NCR region, which the police claim to be a hoax (20:12).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 1st of May and here are today's headlines.Around 100 schools in Delhi and the National Capital Region received a bomb threat email in the early hours today. The schools received the threats on their official email IDs around 4 am. Speaking to reporters, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, said that the Delhi Police has found out the origin of the threat emails and that an investigation is underway. He added, quote, “I want to assure the people of Delhi that Delhi Police is fully prepared and we will try to prevent any untoward incident from happening.” Unquote.In other news, Anuj Thapan, one of the accused in the case related to firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Bandra home, has died by suicide in the lock-up of Mumbai Police’s crime branch. According to police officials, Thapan attempted to die by suicide at around 11am. “The incident took place in the bathroom of the police lock-up on the first floor,” the of

First, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt joins us to talk about why Hong Kong and Singapore withdrew products from MDH and Everest and how FSSAI has responded to it. Next, Indian Express’ Damini Nath talks to us about the voting process and the verdict that was recently given by the Supreme Court of India regarding the EVMs and VVPATs. (5:15)And finally, we talk about  AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company that created the Covid-19 vaccine - Covishield and its admission of the fact that their vaccine causes series health issues. (12:12)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 30th of April and here are today's headlines.The Janata Dal(Secular) today suspended Hassan MP and the party’s Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna, in connection with the explicit video clips allegedly involving him. The decision was made following a meeting of the JD(S) core committee held in Hubballi. Addressing media persons, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy said the duration of the suspension “was until the completion of the probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). If allegations against him are proved, then he will be suspended permanently.”Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah broke his silence on the alleged sex abuse case involving Prajwal Revanna, an MP with BJP’s alliance partner in Karnataka, the JD(S). Speaking in Guwahati, Shah, when asked about the allegations against Prajwal, who is also the JD(S) Lok Sabha candidate and the grandson of H D Deve Gowda, said, “It cannot be tolerated.” However, he s

First, Indian Express’ Jatin Anand tells us the reasons behind Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely resigning from this post, and the concerns it raises for the party ahead of the polls.Next, Indian Express’ Vikas Pathak explains how Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently reframing the slogan 'Abki baar 400 paar' and highlights the major trends for the party after the completion of two poll phases (14:12).And in the end, we give you a brief update on India's summoning of the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner following the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at a Toronto event addressed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (24:18).Hosted by Shashank BhargavaProduced and written by 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 29th of April and here are today's headlines.The Congress in Madhya Pradesh received a setback today with its Indore candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrawing his nomination. BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi confirmed the development to The Indian Express and said, quote, “The Congress candidate has withdrawn his nomination. This is the failure of Congress leadership. It’s a failure of their policies. Their vote bank politics, inheritance politics… has backfired. Congress karyakartas were already leaving, and now the leaders have joined.” Unquote. As the Karnataka Special Investigation Team launches a probe into allegations of sexual abuse by JD(S) MP and its Hassan candidate Prajwal Revanna, G Devaraje Gowda, a BJP leader told The Indian Express that he wrote an email and a letter to BJP state unit president BY Vijayendra as well as the central leadership on the allegations on 8th of December last year.Will an ex-Muslim con

First, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt joins us to talk about a report by the Swiss NGO Public Eye in collaboration with the International Baby Food Action Network which said that baby products sold in different countries, including India, had sugar above the international food safety guidelines.Next, Indian Express’ Shubhangi Khapre talks to us about Maharashtra's  communally sensitive city of Aurangabad now called Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and why it is of crucial importance in the Lok Sabha polls.(11:13)And finally, we talk about a call for indefinite shutdown by the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Nagaland which caused the general public to go to the neighbouring state of Assam to buy essential commodities. (23:35)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 26th of April and here are the top stories of the week.In the second phase of Lok Sabha elections today, voting took place in 89 seats across 12 states and UTs. By day's end, one-third of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats, including all seats in Kerala, Rajasthan, Manipur, and Tripura, and 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, had completed polling. In Outer Manipur, 13 Assembly segments participated in the second phase, while the remaining 15 had voted in the first phase alongside the Inner Manipur seat. Among the 89 seats, 9 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 7 for Scheduled Tribes.A day after the chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda was on the receiving end over his comments on the US inheritance tax, he issued a clarification on Wednesday saying that his statements were twisted. He added that the comments had nothing to do with the Congress party or their manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The comments, how

First, Indian Express’ Manoj CG and Kamal Saiyed inform us about how the BJP candidate from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency won unopposed, and the allegations made by the Congress and the BSP.Next, Indian Express’ Ritika Chopra discusses the Election Commission's unprecedented move of issuing notices to both the Congress and the BJP, rather than their candidates or star campaigners (04:50).And in the end, in response to Prime Minister Modi mentioning it in a recent speech, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath discusses the efforts to provide reservations to all Muslims in Andhra Pradesh (10:30).Hosted, written and produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar(In the episode image: BJP's Mukesh Dalal with Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil)

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 25th of April and here are today's headlines.In the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections tomorrow, 89 seats across 12 states and UTs will go to polls. By the end of the day, a third of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats — including all the seats in Kerala, Rajasthan, Manipur and Tripura, and 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka — will have completed polling. In Outer Manipur, 13 Assembly segments are voting in the second phase; the remaining 15 had voted in the first phase along with the Inner Manipur seat. Of the 89 seats, 9 and 7 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively.In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission of India issued notices to political parties, seeking responses to alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct by their star campaigners. On Thursday, the poll panel wrote to BJP President J P Nadda regarding complaints about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congress Presi

First, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath joins us to talk about the petition that was filed by the Indian Medical Association against Patanjali, claiming that their advertisements violated the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.Next, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt talks to us about Blue Origin, a private space company owned by Jeff Bezos, giving people a chance to experience space travel. (9:00)And finally, we talk about Sam Pitroda's comments on the US's inheritance tax and what reactions it got from the BJP. (14:32)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar