Episódios
-
his is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 14th of June and here are the top stories of the week.
In the midst of a controversy over the NEET-UG results declared on 4th of June, including allegations of a paper leak, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that there was no evidence of a paper leak. NTA and the Union Education Ministry formed a committee last week to review the normalisation policy that was adopted for over 1,563 candidates who were awarded “grace marks” to compensate for the “loss of time” suffered while appearing for this year’s NEET UG.
Kannada film star Darshan Thoogudeepa and nine others were taken into custody on Tuesday morning in connection with a murder that took place in Bengaluru. The police on Sunday had recovered the dead body of a man from a drain and identified the deceased as Renukaswamy. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that it is alleged that Renukaswamy was sending abusive messages and comments to Pavithra Gowda, who is in relationship with Darshan.
As many as fifty people have been detained so far in connection with the recent terror attack on a bus ferrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Nine pilgrims were killed and over 41 injured after terrorists fired on their bus in Reasi, which resulted in the vehicle plunging into a gorge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a review meeting of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, wherein he was apprised of the counter-terror efforts being undertaken in the Union Territory. The meeting comes in the wake of four militant attacks in three days in the region.
This week, apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet of ministers taking oath, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh, four-time MLA Mohan Majhi in Odisha and BJP leader Pema Khandu in Arunachal Pradesh were sworn-in as Chief Minister ministers along with their respective council of ministers.
Kuwaiti authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals killed in the tragic fire incident in a building housing foreign workers in the Gulf Kingdom. The number of people from Kerala who died in the Kuwait fire tragedy has risen to 24, while five deceased victims are from Tamil Nadu. The blaze erupted early on Wednesday morning in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf area claiming 49 lives and injured 50 others. Kuwait’s Foreign Minister assured full support to the Indians affected in the fire and vowed to promptly investigate the tragedy, hours after meeting Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express' Arun Sharma joins us to talk about the terrorist attack that happened in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, where 9 pilgrims were killed and 33 were left injured when fire was opened on a bus which then plunged into a gorge.
Next, Indian Express’ Amrita Nayak Dutta speaks to us about the Agnipath scheme that was introduced by the government for recruitment of young individuals in the armed forces. She talks about the scheme, the opposition it faced and how the government responded to it. (9:16)
And in the end, we talk about a fraud that is being investigated by the CBI in Odisha. It pertains to the submission of forged class 10 certificates for recruitment in postal services. (20:00)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar -
Estão a faltar episódios?
-
This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 13th of June and here are today's headlines.
BJP leader Pema Khandu was sworn in as Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister for the third consecutive term at Itanagar today. The BJP returned to power in the northeastern state for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly. Chowna Mein secured the Deputy Chief Minister’s position again and a total of 10 other ministers were inducted into the Cabinet.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed all reports of paper leaks in NEET UG 2024 today and came out in support of the National Testing Agency who has announced a retest for the 1563 candidates who were awarded grace marks due to ‘loss of exam time’. As per the decision announced by NTA today, the affected candidates will now be given two options — either to accept the score that they were originally awarded, without the grace marks, or re-appear for the exam on the 23rd of June. Meanwhile, the Opposition demanded an SC-monitored investigation into the NEET UG case.
The Indian Express has learnt the Army is conducting an internal survey on the Agnipath scheme to assess its impact on its recruitment process so far. Based on the findings, it is likely to draw up recommendations for the incoming government on possible changes to the scheme. One of the changes being discussed is a hike of retention percentage from the current 25 per cent to 60-70 per cent for regular troops and nearly 75 per cent for technical and specialist soldiers, including Special Forces.
At least five workers were killed and five others injured in an explosion at an explosives manufacturing factory in Nagpur today. ANI news agency quoted the Police Commissioner saying, quote, “About four-five people died in this incident, including 4 women. Our investigation is ongoing. Our team, crime branch and senior officers are present on the spot, and action is being taken.” Unquote. The incident took place at Chamundi Explosive Pvt Ltd at Dhamna when the workers were packing explosives.
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya assured full support to the Indians affected in the fire at an apartment housing foreign workers and vowed to promptly investigate the tragedy that killed 49 people, including about 40 Indians. He gave this assurance after meeting Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who landed in the country this morning. About 24 people from Kerela and 5 from Tamil Nadu are among the 40 Indian casualties.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar tells us about the murder case involving popular Kannada actor Darshan, who has been taken into police custody.
Next, Indian Express’ Sujit Bisoyi talks about Odisha’s new Chief Minister, the reasons behind the BJP's choice, and the challenges that lie ahead for him (09:22).
And in the end, we provide a quick update on a massive fire that broke out in a building in Kuwait yesterday, killing at least 49 people, most of whom were Indian nationals (18:58).
Hosted, written, and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar -
his is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 12th of June and here are today's headlines.
Hours after a Central Reserve Police Force personnel died following an encounter with militants during a search operation in Kathua, the Jammu and Kashmir Police today killed a second militant hiding in the area. The slain militant had managed to flee on Tuesday night after the death of his accomplice. The police and paramilitary forces had then launched a search operation in the Kootah area. The two militants had entered a house in the village last night and asked for water, following which they opened fire and injured a civilian.
Calling the newly-sworn National Democratic Alliance dispensation “crippled”, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to change his attitude. Rahul told voters at Ernanad assembly constituency under Wayanad, which has voted him as MP for the second consecutive time. This is his first visit to the constituency since his election, quote “The Opposition has dealt a fatal blow to the BJP. Even Prime Minister Modi’s attitude will have to change, because the people of India have sent him a clear message." Unquote.
On Tuesday, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa and his friend Pavithra Gowda were arrested over the recent murder of a 33-year-old man in Bengaluru. The victim has been identified as Renukaswamy, a resident of Chitradurga district and a fan of the actor. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said their investigations so far suggest that Darshan was upset with Renukaswamy for allegedly sending “abusive comments and messages” to Pavithra on Instagram.
A fire broke out in a building housing workers in the city of Mangaf in southern Kuwait early on Wednesday, killing at least 41, including several Indians, and injuring more than 50. The building reportedly had nearly 160 people living in it, who are workers of the same company. The Kuwaiti health ministry said about 43 people were hospitalized due to the fire, and four of those people had died. Posting about the incident on the social media site X, External Affairs of India, Dr S Jaishankar expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. The Indian ambassador visited the Al-Adan hospital in Kuwait, where the injured are undergoing treatment.
A day after Chinese Premier Li Qiang congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his re-election for a third term, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi today said that Beijing was willing to work with India to push forward bilateral relations in the right direction. A post on X stated and I quote, “#China and India are important neighbouring countries. Relevant border issues should be handled properly. A sound and stable #ChinaIndia relationship is in the interest of both countries, and conducive to the peace and development in this region and beyond,” Unquote.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express' Vikas Pathak joins us to talk about the new cabinet that has been formed under the Modi government 3.0. With some changes and some similarities, the new cabinet is signaling towards continuity.
Next, Indian Express’ Rural Affairs Editor Harish Damodaran speaks to us about the appointment of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the Union Agriculture minister and what makes this appointment particularly important. (12:34)
And in the end, we talk about US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's possible visit to India to discuss projects and initiatives that India and the US are taking up together. (22:14)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited 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 11th of June and here are today's headlines.
The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre and National Testing Agency (NTA) on a plea seeking cancelling of NEET-UG 2024 exams over allegations of leak of question papers. The bench said the “sanctity has been affected” and that they need answers. However, the court refused to stay the counselling process for admission of those who have cleared the exam. Two days after the NEET-UG 2024 results were declared, The Indian Express reported that out of the 67 top scorers, 44 got a basic Physics question wrong but were awarded “grace marks” because of an error in an older version of the NCERT Class 12 textbook. More than 13,000 NEET-UG 2004 candidates challenged it, citing information in the textbook indicating a different answer, even though the provisional answer key released by the NTA selected the correct answer from the choices given.
Two days after the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers, S Jaishankar assumed charge as the Minister of External Affairs once again. Expressing confidence in Modi 3.0’s foreign policy, Jaishankar highlighted key priorities such as addressing challenges posed by China’s tactics along the frontier and safeguarding India’s interests amidst developments in West Asia and the conflict in Ukraine.
The national capital today witnessed massive power cuts, following a fire at UP’s power grid, Delhi minister Atishi said. She wrote on X, quote, “This is due to a fire at a sub-station of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) in Mandola, UP,” Unquote. However, she said that the process of restoration had begun and power had returned in some areas. While highlighting that Delhi has a very limited production of power, the AAP minister said that she would speak to the Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the Chairman of PGCIL to ensure that such a major failure is not repeated.
In his first public remarks on the outcome of the elections in which the BJP fell short of a majority in Lok Sabha, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that a true sevak (one who serves the people) does not have “ahankar” (arrogance) and works without causing any hurt to others. Referring to the bitter poll campaign, he said “decorum was not maintained”.
Malawi’s vice president and nine others were killed in a plane crash, the country’s president said today. The wreckage of the military plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima was located in a mountainous area in the north of the country in a search that lasted more than a day. There were no survivors of the crash, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera said in a live address on state television. Hundreds of soldiers, police officers and forest rangers searched a missing military plane carrying Malawi's vice president, a former first lady and eight others.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express’ Deeksha Teri discusses the controversy surrounding the NEET UG results, where an unprecedented 67 candidates scored a perfect 720 out of 720 marks.
Next, Indian Express’ Sukrita Baruah talks about the fresh tensions arising in Manipur and the recent attack on a police convoy escorting Chief Minister Biren Singh (10:22).
And in the end, we provide an update on a large mob that rampaged through the Baloda Bazar district collector’s office in Chhattisgarh, torching part of the government building and several vehicles within its perimeter (19:18).
Hosted by Shashank Bhargava
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited 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 10th of June and here are today's headlines.
A day after Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister along with his new Cabinet and Council of Ministers, he signed his first file authorising the release of around Rs 20,000 crore to about 9.3 crore farmers. Approving the 17th installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, he said, quote, “Ours is a government fully committed to Kisan Kalyan. We want to keep working even more for the farmers and the agriculture sector in the times to come.” Unquote. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on who gets what in NDA 3.0. The new portfolios are likely to be announced today prior to the new Cabinet’s first meeting this evening.
Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna Monday has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody in first of the three sexual assault cases lodged against him. He has been remanded to the Bengaluru Central Prison till June 24. The special investigation team (SIT) probing these cases may seek custody in a second case of sexual assault for custodial investigations at a later stage. Prajwal has sought anticipatory bail in the two other cases and the matter is being heard by a special court.
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha convenor Prem Singh Tamang took oath as the chief minister of the Himalayan state for the second consecutive term today. Tamang and his Council of Ministers were administered the oath of office at the Paljor stadium in Gangtok. The ruling SKM secured a resounding victory in the state, by capturing 31 out of 32 seats in the assembly elections. In contrast, the Sikkim Democratic Front only managed to secure a victory in the Shyari constituency.
Indicating that the battle for the control of the Nationalist Congress Party would continue, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said today her party will continue to pursue the case in the Supreme Court strongly. On the occasion of the 25th foundation day of NCP, she said the voters have stood strongly behind the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the party was very grateful to them.
Pakistan's coalition government is expected to lay out ambitious fiscal targets in the 2024/2025 (July-June) budget on Wednesday that will help strengthen its case for a new bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund, officials and analysts said. Pakistan is in talks with the IMF for a loan estimated to be anything between $6 billion to $8 billion to avert a default for an economy that is growing at the slowest pace in the region.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express' Deeptiman Tiwary joins us to talk about the demands that have been extended by BJP's alliance partners TDP and JD(U). With the NDA forming a coalition government, these longstanding demands have been highlighted, Deeptiman shares what these demands are and whether or not can they be materialized.
Next, Indian Express’ Varinder Bhatia speaks to us about the electoral setback faced by the BJP in Haryana, what caused this setback and how it is going to impact Haryana's upcoming assembly elections. (11:54)
And in the end, we talk about 9 people being killed and 33 getting injured in a suspected terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where fire was opened at a bus full of pilgrims on their way to Katra. (19:27)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited 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 June and here are the top stories of the week.
The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Party is set to return for a third term by winning 293 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha elections. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party suffered a major setback as it fell short of a majority – with 240 seats – on its own as it was heavily dependent on alliance partners such as the TDP and JD(U) to secure 272 seats required to form the government.
The Opposition INDIA bloc combined by the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won a total of 232 seats. The Congress got back on its feet with 99 seats and the SP gave a stunning show by winning 37 seats from a mere 5 seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. The TMC won 29 seats in West Bengal while the DMK had leads in 22 seats. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP won 7 seats and the Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray secured 9 seats. In Bihar, the RJD was ahead in 4 constituencies and the AAP and JMM in 3.
In Odisha, the BJP is all set to form a majority government of its own for the first time, winning 78 out of 147 seats in the assembly elections of the coastal state. The outcome brings to an end the five-term reign of Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, which managed to retain only 51 seats this time. Patnaik was eyeing to become the longest serving Chief Minister in India, but fell short by 76 days.
Actor Kangana Ranaut, who recently won the Mandi Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket, was allegedly slapped by a woman constable of the CISF at the security area of Chandigarh airport. Afterwards, the CISF constable, Kulwinder Kaur, suggested her actions were linked to a statement Ranaut had made about women joining the farmers’ protest. The CISF suspended the constable, initiated departmental inquiry, and lodged a police complaint against her. Ranaut, who was taking a Vistara flight to New Delhi and was accompanied by members of her family, said she will file a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which congratulated Narendra Modi, the BJP and NDA on their election victory, has protested the exchange of messages between Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and Modi on the poll outcome. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, responding to a question on the interaction between Modi and Lai, said there is no such thing as ‘president’ of the Taiwan region and that China opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan authorities and countries having diplomatic relations with China. She further stated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express’ Dheeraj Mishra tells us why the BJP lost the Faizabad seat (of which Ayodhya is a part) to the Samajwadi Party, and the lessons it holds for the party.
Next, Indian Express’ Udit Misra reviews the biggest economic reforms under the previous two BJP-led governments and discusses the challenges and advantages of passing reforms under a coalition government (12:45).
And finally, Indian Express’ Avaneesh Mishra informs us about the nine people from Karnataka who passed away during a trek to Sahastratal in Uttarkashi (26:48).
Hosted and written by Shashank Bhargava
Produced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited 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 June and here are today's headlines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on the evening of 9th of June, according to sources. Earlier, the ceremony was slated to take place on the 8th of June, but now it may be held at 6 pm on Sunday. The swearing-in of Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh is likely to be postponed to 12th of June from 9th of June, as he has to attend PM Modi’s swearing-in first.
Meanwhile, there were more than 150 politicians who shifted from one political party to another in the fray in the elections. Of these, 13 candidates or their family members are facing probes either by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department, or the Enforcement Directorate. Of the 13, eight had switched sides to the BJP — seven from Congress and one from Trinamool Congress; two had switched sides to the Shiv Sena Shinde faction from the Shiv Sena, one switched to TDP from YSRCP; and two to Congress from the Jharkhand Vikas Party and Punjab Ekta Party, respectively.
The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts starting today. Similarly, the Pune Fire Brigade had received 50 calls related to water logging and tree falls as rainwater logged major portions of roads due flash floods that hit several parts of the city. The rainfall, which meteorologists said, was very close to a cloud burst that was localized in nature.
Nine trekkers from Bengaluru died in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi after their 22-member team which was on a trekking expedition to Sahastra Tal was hit by bad weather on Tuesday afternoon. Officials confirmed today after four more bodies were recovered. The deceased were part of a 19-member group of trekkers from The Karnataka Mountaineering Association.
In global news today, Israel targeted a Gaza school that it alleged contained an Hamas compound, killing fighters involved in the Oct. 7 attack. On theother hand, the Gaza media said the strike killed at least 27 people seeking shelter. The Hamas-run government media office, rejected Israel's claims that the UN school in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, had hidden a Hamas command post. Israel's military said that before the strike by Israeli fighter jets, the military took steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. Israel has said there will be no halt to fighting during ceasefire talks.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Flora Swain is joined by Indian Express' Sujit Bisoyi and veteran journalist Sandeep Sahu to discuss BJP's very first victory in Odisha which broke the 24 year long streak of Naveen Patnaik and the BJD. They discuss at length why it happened and where VK Pandian stands in this whole situation.
Next, Indian Express’ Premankur Biswas speaks to political analyst Jayanta Ghoshal about Trinamool Congress' win in West Bengal despite the talks about it facing anti- incumbency. And the BJP losing ground in the state with its tally decreasing from 18 to 12 seats. Jayanta has been writing about the state for the last 40 years. (15:12)
And in the end, we talk about China congratulating PM Modi on NDA's win in the Lok Sabha elections. China has said it wants to work on the bilateral relations between the two countries. (30:05)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited 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 5th of June and here are today's headlines.
The National Democratic Alliance is likely to stake a claim to form government for the third consecutive time today, after the meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. Earlier today, Modi tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu along with his Council of Ministers. He is likely to take oath for a third consecutive term on the 8th of June. This is the first time since Jawaharlal Nehru that a prime minister will be returning to power for a third consecutive term. With the BJP failing to go past the majority mark on their own, their allies Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar are in Delhi today for a meeting.
As the INDIA bloc leaders prepare to meet at Congress President Malllikarjun Kharge’s residence today, NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar said that there had been no discussion within the bloc on reaching out to the TDP or JD(U) to shore up the numbers of the alliance for government formation. Congress leader KC Venugopal said that the INDIA bloc’s tally in the Lok Sabha Elections was “excellent” and that the alliance leaders would discuss their strategy at the meeting.
While taking responsibility for the setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party Maharashtra in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections, Devendra Fadnavis today offered to step down as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and work for the party. Fadnavisa said the Lok Sabha election results were way below the party’s expectations.This is the second time that Fadnavis has expressed his wish to remain outside the government and lead the BJP unit.
A city court has rejected Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s interim bail plea in a money laundering case related to the excise policy, even as it extended his judicial custody till 19th of June. Special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Courts dismissed Kejriwal’s plea seeking interim bail for seven days on medical grounds. The blow comes just a day after the Kejriwal’s party AAP failed to make a mark in the Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP dominating the national capital for the third time in a row, winning all seven Lok Sabha seats.
Wishes poured in from across the world for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for a third term in a row as they won 293 Lok Sabha seats. The American daily The Washington Post called India's Lok Sabha election results 2024 as determined by Indian voters to be an "unexpected repudiation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership." British daily The Guardian said "it was clear that the landslide for the BJP predicted in polls had not materialised and instead there had been a pushback against the strongman prime minister and his Hindu nationalist politics in swathes of the country."
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
From the BJP managing to win only 240 seats (despite a '400 paar' campaign), to the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh emerging as the party with the third-highest number of seats in the country, to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) pushing back strongly in West Bengal, and the Congress party significantly increasing its tally, today on the podcast, we decode the rather surprising results of the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.
Guests: Indian Express’ Vandita Mishra, Neerja Chowdhury, Asad Rehman, Shubhajit Roy, Liz Mathew, Deeptiman Tiwary, and Hamza Khan.
Hosted and written by Shashank Bhargava
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Additional support from Mahiyar Rohinton Patel -
This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 4th of June and here are today's headlines.
With the NDA poised to form the government for a third consecutive time, bagging at least 290 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “historic feat”. As the INDIA bloc managed to halt the BJP’s march towards majority, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came out to hit out at the BJP, saying that the mandate today was a clear indication that the people of the country do not want to PM Modi and Amit Shah to run the country. The Opposition INDIA bloc has reversed all exit poll predictions, leading in at least 228 seats, according to the latest numbers. However, despite a stiff contest, the BJP-led NDA is inching closer towards the 300-mark, standing at 297 at the moment.
In what is probably the biggest upset state-wise, the tug-of-war for Odisha between BJP and BJD ended today with the Bharatiya Janata Party set to form the next government. Though the ruling BJD party hels various rallies and election campaigns, the saffron party has crossed the majority mark of 74. Odisha CHief Minister Naveen Patnaik served for five consecutive terms, but now the lotus party will form its first cabinet in the coastal state.
In a major setback for the BJP, Union minister Smriti Irani lost to the Congress’s K L Sharma in Amethi, as Congress wrest back power. The Amethi win comes as a big boost to the Congress, with Rahul Gandhi losing the seat to Irani in 2019. In neighbouring Rae Bareli, a Congress party bastion for decades, Rahul defeated BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, who apologised to the people of Rae Bareli.
Behind the remarkable turnaround for the Opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress in Uttar Pradesh where the INDIA bloc was leading, some fascinating factors may have given them an upper hand over the BJP. One of the factors that may have worked in favour of the SP, is its ticket-distribution strategy. Unlike previous elections, the SP ticket distribution focused on non-Yadav OBCs. Also, the SP changed candidates in several constituencies, depending on feedback from local cadre and local caste equation.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its allies, the JanaSena Party (JSP) of Pawan Kalyan and BJP, are headed for a landslide in Andhra Pradesh, in what is a complete reversal of the 2019 results. This is quite a turnaround for the TDP-led alliance, which was almost written off months before the elections after its chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest. Jagan seemed to have lost focus on governance issues in trying to implement his nine welfare schemes, which he had promised during his padyatra ahead of the 2019 polls.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
First, Indian Express' Sukrita Baruah joins us to talk about Arunachal Pradesh's assembly elections. She shares the results of the assembly elections and the seat distribution that it has led to.
Next, Indian Express’ Damini Nath speaks to us about the BJP and the opposition INDIA Bloc approaching the Election Commission with concerns, days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results. She shares the issues that were expressed and the election authority's response. (8:26)
And in the end, we talk about BRS leader K Kavitha who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate due to her involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam. Her judicial custody has been extended till June 3. (14:53)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited 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 June and here are today's headlines.
With less than 24 hours to go for the counting of votes to start, all eyes are on whether the exit poll predictions will hold ground — the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government coming back to power with thumping majority. While the Opposition’s INDIA bloc has rubbished the exit polls, the BJP is confident of easily crossing the majority-mark, even planning out how they want to celebrate the landmark victory. All major exit polls have projected a resounding victory for the NDA with the BJP expected to better its own 2019 tally of 303 seats.
A day before the vote counting of 18th Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Monday said the EC had failed to counter “mischievous” narratives – starting with allegations that the electoral roll was faulty, then questions raised on EVMs and voter turnout, and now the counting processes. Asked whether there were any learnings from the election process, he said that in hindsight, given the heatwave, the polls should have been finished within a month. Additionally, he said that the EC has to be better prepared to counter “false narratives”.
The Delhi government has approached the Supreme Court, seeking increased water allocation from neighboring states due to an acute water crisis caused by extreme heat waves. While Himachal Pradesh has agreed to share surplus water, the Haryana government is not providing necessary support. The Supreme Court has called for an urgent meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board to address the critical situation.
Bengaluru experienced a heavy downpour on Sunday, during the Southwest Monsoon, breaking a 133-year-old record for the highest daily rainfall in June. According to the India Meteorological Department, the city received 111.1 mm of rainfall on that day, surpassing previous 101.6mm in 1891. The current forecast suggests that rainfall will continue for the next two days, accompanied by overcast conditions and light to moderate thunderstorms. This recent heavy rainfall has put Bengaluru on track to potentially break its highest monthly rainfall record for June, which currently stands at 228.2 mm recorded in 1996.
Two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including one who has long evaded security forces, were trapped in a gunfight with a joint team of security forces in Kashmir's Pulwama. The militants, identified as Riyaz Ahmad Dar (a militant since September 2015) and Rayees (who joined in 2021). A joint team comprising personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army, and paramilitary forces cordoned off Pulwama’s Nehama village after specific inputs about the presence of militants in the village.
This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express. -
Large parts of the country are currently experiencing an intensely hot summer, with temperatures soaring to record levels. The extreme heat has already claimed lives in states like Bihar, Odisha, Gujarat and Delhi.
So today, we dedicate this episode to discussing heat waves, how they affect our bodies, and the precautions you should take to stay safe. Joining us for this discussion is Dr. Dileep Mavalankar, honorary professor and former director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar.
Hosted and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Timestamps:
What counts as a heatwave (01:21)
What happens during a heat stroke (04:40)
Prickly heat, heat cramps, and heat syncope (06:36)
The difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion (07:26)
Precautions to take when stepping out (10:46)
When your job requires you to be outside (12:53)
Is electrolyte better than water? (14:23)
Does the temperature of drinking water matter? (15:25)
When you don't have access to air conditioning (18:42)
Should you avoid showering when the water is not cool? (21:35)
A note for kids and pregnant women (22:53)
Why cities are getting hotter (23:41)
The best time to exercise/workout (26:26)
Changes that can be implemented to cities (27:06) - Mostrar mais
