3 Things

This week on the show, we are reflecting on the past year and trying to assess what lies ahead for us in 2024. So far, we have discussed the narratives that shaped Indian politics, the factors that contributed to India’s unexpected economic growth last year and some of the most significant geo-political and diplomatic events that India had to navigate in 2023. Today, we delve into the major scientific milestones that India reached and how AI changed the world of technology in 2023.To discuss the major developments of science and technology in 2023, we have Indian Express' Amitabh Sinha and Nandagopal Rajan.

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Written and Produced by Rahel Philipose, 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 4th of January and here are the headlines.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responded to ED summons today at a press conference, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s objective is not a fair investigation, but political intimidation. He added, quote, "If corruption really occurred, then where did crores of Rupees go? The truth is that there was no corruption." Unquote. The press conference comes after several AAP leaders, including Atishi and party’s national general secretary, Sandeep Pathak, took to X late last night claiming that Kejriwal’s home could be raided today, and that he could be arrested.

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge today urged leaders to commit themselves to the party for the next three months to ensure its victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. During a meeting of party leaders from across the country, he said, quote, "By working day and night, we will be able to provide an alternative govt after Lok Sabha elections," Unquote. He urged leaders to set aside their differences, not raise internal issues to the media and to work as a team to ensure the party’s victory.

The Supreme Court today rejected Indian national Nikhil Gupta’s plea for its intervention in his detention in the Czech Republic over an alleged failed plot to kill US-based Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta has been accused by the US of plotting to kill Pannun at the behest of an Indian intelligence official. He was arrested in June last year and Czech courts are considering his extradition, as requested by the US.

More than 23 years after he laid its foundation stone, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Lower Suktel irrigation project, which would benefit one lakh acres of land in drought-prone Balangir district. Delay in implementation of the project has led to cost escalation of over 12 times, with the Odisha government spending around Rs 2,723 crore. The initial cost was Rs 217 crore.

After months of speculation, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister and YSR Telangana Party chief Y S Sharmila joined the Congress today. She also announced the merger of her party with the Congress, and said she would fulfil any responsibility given to her. She said, quote, "Congress party is still the largest secular party of our country and it has always upheld the true culture of India and built foundations of our nation." Unquote.

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

This week on the show, we are reflecting on the past year and trying to assess what lies ahead for us in 2024. So far, we have discussed the narratives that shaped Indian politics and the factors that contributed to India's unexpected economic growth last year. However, today we will delve into some of the most significant geo-political and diplomatic events that India had to navigate in 2023.

To shed light on these challenges, we are joined by Shubhajit Roy, the Diplomatic Affairs Editor at The Indian Express.

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, wishing all our listeners a very happy new year!

It’s the 3rd of January and here are the headlines.

The Supreme Court today refused to transfer the probe into the allegations of stock price manipulation by Adani Group to a special investigation team and directed market regulator SEBI to complete its probe into two pending cases within three months. The bench said the facts of the case do not warrant a transfer of investigation from the SEBI and stated that it should take its probe to a logical conclusion as per the law.

In other news, asserting that it will have to examine to what extent it can exercise its jurisdiction in the matter, the Supreme Court today sought a reply from the Lok Sabha Secretary General in a plea moved by TMC leader Mahua Moitra against her expulsion from the House. The court will hear the matter again in the week commencing on the 11th of March. Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha on 8th of December after the Ethics Committee of the House submitted a report that found her "guilty of unethical conduct".

Reaching out to the people of the Muslim-dominated Lakshadweep, which witnessed massive protests against reforms introduced by his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the archipelago is small, but its heart is large. He was there to inaugurate and lay the foundation for various projects worth Rs 1,150 crore in the Union Territory. He took a dig at the previous non-BJP governments at the Centre, stating that their only priority for decades was the development of their own political parties.

The deaths of a wealthy Indian-origin couple and their daughter in the US state of Massachusetts last week have been ruled a murder-suicide by medical authorities after autopsy. Autopsy results issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirm that Teena Kamal and her daughter Arianna were victims of homicide by gunshot and Rakesh Kamal died from a "gunshot wound consistent with being self-inflicted".

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said sometimes one ends up in "vanvas" (exile) while waiting for "rajtilak" (coronation). After the BJP’s victory in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, the party chose Mohan Yadav as the chief minister, replacing Chouhan who served as the state’s CM for four times. Chouhan, while addressing a gathering, said he will continue to be among the people, especially his sisters.

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

This week on the show, we are taking a look at the most significant events of 2023 and discussing what lies ahead in the coming year. Yesterday, we shed light on the dominant narratives in Indian politics, and in the upcoming days, we will explore international relations, science, and technology.

However, today's focus is on the surprising growth that the Indian economy witnessed this past year. Joining us for this discussion is Indian Express’ Udit Misra.

Produced by 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, wishing all our listeners a very happy new year!

It’s the 2nd of January and here are the headlines.

With the nationwide transportation strike entering its second day today, vehicles lined up outside petrol pumps as fuel supply was impacted in cities across the country. The three-day strike was launched by truck, bus and tanker drivers to protest against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the newly-launched Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for hit-and-run cases. Since Monday, protestors have blockaded roads and highways across states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and MP.

Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar today said that India is focusing on how to expand its relationships with nations across the world, and responded to the criticism over his recent Russian visit in Western media by asserting that every nation has its values and interests. He also weighed in on the difference between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s and then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s policies with regard to neighbouring China, stating that India should deal with China on the basis of realism as Patel had advocated.

Hours after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks and tsunami hit Japan’s western coast, officials said that at least 48 people have been killed as relief and rescue operations continued. Thousands of rescuers are still struggling to reach the worst-hit area in Ishikawa due to badly damaged and blocked roads. More than 90 tremors have been detected since the quake first hit on Monday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which has warned more strong shocks could hit in the coming days.

Speaking of Japan, a Japan Airlines aircraft with passengers still on board was on fire on a runway at Tokyo’s Haneda airport today after a possible collision with a Coast Guard aircraft. Live footage on public broadcaster NHK showed flames coming out of the windows of the aircraft. NHK, citing Japan Airlines, stated that roughly 400 people on board have been evacuated.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram appeared before the Enforcement Directorate today for a fresh round of questioning in a money laundering case linked to issuance of visas to some Chinese nationals in 2011. He was questioned in this case on 23rd of December last year and the central agency recorded his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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

As we embark on the New Year, we are reflecting on the past year to assess what the upcoming year holds.

This week, we will delve into the significant moments of 2023 and discuss the future prospects for India's economy, international relations, technology, and science. To kick off this series, we speak to the Chief of the National Political Bureau, Manoj CG, who shares insights into the prevailing narratives that shaped Indian politics throughout the year.
Hosted by Shashank Bhargava
Written and 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, wishing all our listeners a very happy new year!

It’s the 1st of January and here are the headlines.

Tsunami waves hit several parts of Japan’s coastal areas and urgent evacuation warnings have been issued after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit north-central Japan today. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a televised address, asked citizens to follow evacuation orders closely and warned that more powerful quakes and tsunami waves might follow the initial ones. As per local media reports several coastal roads have been closed and bullet trains in the region have been suspended.

With the new year chiming in, several leaders from the Centre, states, and the Opposition conveyed their greetings on social media platforms early this morning. President Droupadi Murmu wished her countrymen and laid emphasis on committing the coming year to sustainable growth and development. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar met out his wishes with a renewed enthusiasm to build a better Bharat. Prime Minister Modi, also wished everyone a happy new year.

Indian Space Research Organisation began the New Year "in style" with its popular launch vehicle PSLV-C58 putting its first polarimetry mission XPoSat in a precise circular orbit this morning. ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, quote, "2024 is going to be the year of Gaganyaan. The TV-D1 mission happened last year and this year we are expecting two more such test flights of the Test Vehicle followed by the unmanned mission of Gaganyaan programme." Unquote.

Over 25,000 fair price shop dealers from Jharkhand today joined the nation-wide indefinite ‘Ration Bandh’ call given by All India Fair Price Shop Dealers’ Federation. The strike might impact over 65 lakh beneficiaries covered under national and state food security schemes in Jharkhand, if it goes long. As per reports, the ‘Ration Bandh’ call has been given in protest against the Central Government’s failure to ensure a minimum monthly income guarantee for the dealers and some other issues.

A 36-year-old lawyer was allegedly shot dead by a security manager in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi following a heated argument fueled by a purported casteist remark during a New Year’s Eve party on Sunday. Assistant Commissioner of Police of Varanasi Vidush Saxena said, quote, "We have arrested security officer Hadendu Shekhar Tripathi in the case. The security officer claims he was intoxicated at the time and reacted impulsively to the victim’s remark." Unquote.

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

First, Indian Express’ Pratip Acharya informs us about why a plane, carrying 303 passengers, predominantly Indians, was grounded in France for four days.

Next, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt tells us about the JN.1 variant of COVID-19, and how worried we should be about it (06:42).

And in the end, we provide a crucial update on the eight ex-navy men who have been sentenced to death in Qatar (12:16).

Hosted by Rahel Philipose
Written and produced by Rahel Philipose, 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 28th of December and here are the headlines.

India saw a single day rise of 702 cases of COVID-19, with the number of active cases of the infection rising to 4,097. Six new fatalities — two from Maharashtra and one each from Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, and Delhi — were reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry’s data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits by December 5, but the cases have again gone up after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.

The death toll in the bus accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district Wednesday evening has gone up to 12. The police said that the bus was headed from Guna to Aaron when it collided with a dumper truck, at around 8.30 pm. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, has directed the district administration to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those killed, and Rs 50,000 each to those injured.

The Enforcement Directorate, in a recently filed money laundering case charge-sheet claimed that the purchase of three plots of land in Haryana in 2005-06 by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra from a real estate agent is being probed along with a land deal made by his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The federal agency filed the charge-sheet in November before a court against NRI businessman C C Thampi, who is allegedly linked to Robert Vadra, and Sumit Chadha, a relative of alleged middleman Sanjay Bhandari.

Tamil super star and DMDK founder Vijayakanth, fondly called as ‘Captain’, passed away at a private hospital in Chennai today after a prolonged illness. He was 71.Vijayakanth’s death marks the end of an influential chapter in Tamil Nadu’s political history and leaves a void in the state’s diverse political tapestry. MIOT Hospital in Chennai released a statement confirming that he was admitted for pneumonia, was placed on ventilator support due to the severity of his condition, before succumbing to illness.

The Aam Aadmi Party has slammed the BJP-led Central government for allegedly rejecting its entry for the Republic Day tableau segment and termed the move politically motivated. AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said Delhi wanted to showcase its transformation of education and health facilities in the tableau, but was denied the opportunity. Furthermore, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that he received a letter of R-Day tableaux finalists from the Centre which did not have names of Delhi and Punjab.

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