3 Things Express Audio

First, Indian Express' Abhinaya Harigovind talks to us about the Delhi water crisis and the reasons behind it. She shares the sources through which Delhi gets its water and the Supreme Court's order according to which Delhi should receive water from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. 

Next, Indian Express’ Nikhil Ghanekar speaks to us about the government's plan to develop Great Nicobar through the Great Nicobar Project. This is a Rs 72,000 crore worth infrastructure upgrade project that is facing opposition by conservationists and researchers. (8:38)

And in the end, we talk about BJP leaders launching a series of posts on social media site X about the imposition of Emergency in 1975 on its 49th anniversary. (17:53)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and 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 25th of June and here are today's headlines.

The Bombay High Court has ordered the release of a juvenile accused in the Pune Porsche crash case. The court allowed a habeas corpus plea by his aunt seeking quashing of remand orders sending him to observation home. The paternal aunt of the child in conflict with law had claimed that he was sent to custody in an “unlawful and arbitrary” manner. The court observed that the custody order was illegal and passed without jurisdiction and directed that his custody will be handed into care and custody of the paternal aunt.

The Opposition has fielded Congress leader K Suresh for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker after the BJP refused to make a commitment for the post of Deputy Speaker, which the Opposition has been pushing for. Meanwhile, the NDA has nominated Om Birla for the Speaker’s post. The election for the post will be held tomorrow. Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said that the Opposition was willing to support the NDA’s candidate for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker provided the government followed the convention and gave the deputy speaker’s post to them.

The Delhi High Court today stayed the regular bail granted by trial court to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case stating that the lower court did not “apply its mind” while passing the order. Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain passed the order while hearing ED’s application seeking stay of trial court order which had granted bail to Kejriwal on 20th of June. A day earlier, the Supreme Court had said it will wait for the High Court verdict and hear his plea against the HC move on 26th of June.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference today, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, stated, quote, “Since Atishi is admitted in the ICU, we must discontinue the ‘anischitkalin anshan’ (indefinite fast) for water. We will continue the agitation in other ways.” Informing the media about Atishi’s health, the Minister said, “Atishi is still admitted in the Lok Nayak ICU after her state in night became unstable, her medical examination is going on. Presently, there are doctors in the hospital ICU looking after her… We are also writing a letter to the PM today to consider the matter (of the water crisis in Delhi).”

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange landed in Bangkok today, as he is on the way to enter a plea deal with the US government that will free him and resolve the legal case that spanned years and continents over the publication of a trove of classified documents. He's expected to plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defence information, according to the US Justice Department in a letter filed in court. He is expected to return to his home country of Australia after his plea and sentencing.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath discusses why a trial court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, why the Delhi High Court stayed the decision, and what the Supreme Court will now be considering.

Next, Indian Express’ Mihir Vasavdatalks about how India wants the inclusion of sports like Twenty20 Cricket, Kabaddi, Chess, Squash, and Kho Kho, as well as Yoga, in the 2036 Olympics (11:28).

And in the end, Indian Express’ Liz Mathew shares the highlights of the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha and explains what made it different from the previous sessions under the PM Modi-led NDA government (18:50).

Hosted, written and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Audio clipped sourced by 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 24th of June and here are today's headlines.

In the first sitting of the 18th Lok Sabha today, Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi were seen holding up copies of the Constitution book as Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked up to take oath as the member of the House. Talking about the display in Parliament, Rahul said it was done to show that the attack by “the PM and Amit Shah on the Constitution is not acceptable to us, we will not let this happen”. Among other Congress leaders who took oath were Manish Tewari, who spoke in Punjabi.

Meanwhile, sharing his remarks ahead of the first sitting where all 280 new MPs will take oath, PM Modi said all efforts will be made to move forward with “consensus” to serve the people of the country. The resurgent Opposition which is gearing up to push the NDA government for answers on several issues including the ongoing NEET-NET exam paper leak row among others has begun its aggressive stance over Mahtab’s appointment as the pro-tem Speaker and said it will not “help or assist the government” in this matter

The Supreme Court today adjourned the hearing till June 26, on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court order putting on hold the bail granted to him by a trial court in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. The vacation bench took note that the high court is yet to pronounce the final order in the matter. The bench said it would wait for the high court order to come on record without which it would not be able to ascertain the reasoning.

The Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit, which has handed over the probe into the alleged irregularities in NEET-UG to the CBI, said it has arrested a “solver gang” member. This individual had received a PDF of the solved question paper on his phone on 4th of May, a day before the exam. Baldev Kumar, alias Chintu, was among five people arrested by the EOU from Jharkhand. The EOU produced them before a Patna court, which sent them to judicial custody. In a statement, the Bihar Police agency said Baldev Kumar is associated with the alleged kingpin of the “solver gang”, Sanjeev Kumar, who is at large.

A fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory near South Korea’s capital today left at least 16 people dead, seven injured and six missing, officials said. Rescue workers at the factory in Hwaseong city, just south of Seoul, retrieved the bodies after combing through the site. Local fire officials said most of the missing people were foreign nationals including Chinese and those found dead likely failed to escape via stairs to the ground. President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier ordered officials to mobilize all available personnel and equipment to find survivors

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express' National Education Editor Ritika Chopra talks to us about the irregularities that have come to light about the NEET UG 2024 examination. She also shares the steps that have been taken by the authorities and the reasons behind the postponement and cancellation of other national examinations.

Next, Indian Express’ Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy speaks to us about Indo-China relations post the Galwan clash of 2020. He also shares the recent developments between the two nations and how they might impact future relations. (15:31)

And in the end, we talk about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approaching the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's hold on his bail order. (26:10)

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 21st of June and here are the top stories of the week.

Under scanner for the cancellation of UGC NET and facing criticism for the NEET issue, the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said that the enquiry conducted till now shows evidence of “errors in some regions”, and assured students that everyone involved in the security breach will be punished. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said the main reason for paper leaks is that educational institutions have been dominated by the BJP and its parent organisation RSS and paper leaks will not stop unless that is reversed. Congress has decided to hold a nationwide protest today demanding justice for the NEET candidates.

Three months after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy case being probed separately by the CBI, AAP leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail Thursday by a Delhi court. While granting bail, Special Judge Niyay Bindu also declined ED’s plea to keep the bail order in abeyance for 48 hours. Arrested on March 21, Kejriwal had stepped out last month on interim bail to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered on June 2.

Two days after 10 persons were killed following a collision between the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express and a goods train in Darjeeling, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Northeast Frontier Railway said on Wednesday that the freight train was moving at a high speed on the day of the accident and that drivers of the train were not ‘following the procedure’. At least nine persons were killed and around 40 injured in the accident.

Around 68 Indians are among scores of those who have died during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca amid the scorching heat, a diplomat told news agency AFP. On Tuesday, AFP reported that at least 550 people have died on the Hajj pilgrimage. Out of those, 323 were Egyptians who died due to heat-related illness, the international news agency reported citing two Arab diplomats. According to Saudi media reports, temperatures rose to 51.8 degree Celsius in the shade at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on Monday.

In what seemed to be a direct reply to the Canadian parliament's tribute to the pro-khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was allegedly assassinated last year, the Indian consulate in Vancouver reiterated New Delhi's unwavering commitment to combating terrorism globally and gave a reminder of the Khalistani bombing of Air India 'Kanishka' flight in 1985. The embassy further announced that it would hold a memorial next week commemorating the anniversary of the flight bombing resulted in the deaths of 329 individuals, including 268 Canadians and 24 Indians. The Indian Consulate's statement is a sign that bilateral ties between India and Canada are likely to spiral further downwards.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.