3 Things

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Drishti Jain about the Cockroach Janta Party's first protest, which took place on Saturday. She shares how things unfolded, the movement's founder Abhijit Dipke's return to India, how he and the other leaders led the protest, their demands, the people, especially students who gathered in support and more.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about India's relations with Nepal and how things are changing now that they have a new political generation. He shares the details of Nepal's ruling party chief Rabi Lamichhane visit to India which was followed by a visit by  Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and the bilateral talks that occurred during these visits. (14:38)

Lastly, we talk about a tragic incident where at least nine workers were killed in an accident at a steel plant in Andhra Pradesh. (26:00)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Ichha Sharma and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

To know more about the Cockroach Janta Party, listen here - https://indianexpress.com/audio/3-things/the-stray-dog-issue-cockroach-janta-partys-rise-and-tiger-attacks-in-mp/10707771/

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Pragynesh about the deadly fire at a bed-and-breakfast in Delhi’s Hauz Rani that killed 21 people, and how the tragedy has exposed alleged fire safety violations, illegal construction, and regulatory failures across the city’s guesthouse sector.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express’ Brendan Dabhi about the Rajkot maternity hospital CCTV case, where footage of female patients was allegedly recorded and sold online, leading to multiple arrests and the rare application of cyberterrorism charges. (15:25)

And in the end, we look at growing strains within the INDIA bloc ahead of a key meeting in Delhi, with the DMK staying away amid tensions over Congress’s alliance decisions in Tamil Nadu and disagreements among several opposition partners. (27:10)

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava, Niharika Nanda and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the week by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Nayonika Bose about Maharashtra’s new Marathi language requirement for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, and how thousands of migrant workers in Mumbai are balancing long shifts with language classes to keep their permits.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express’ Aditi Raja about the debate over how the Ahmedabad Air India crash site should be remembered, after the Gujarat government announced plans to redevelop the damaged BJ Medical College hostel blocks while families of victims seek a memorial at the site. (13:00)

And in the end, we look at a government-commissioned review of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), which found that funds intended to help rural women start small businesses were often diverted toward immediate household expenses instead. (20:50)

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Jay Mazoomdar about a mining project recently exempted by the Maharashtra government from wildlife clearance because it does not fall in any tiger corridor. However, the map submitted by the company to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forests stated otherwise. He talks about the project, the importance of clearances, and more.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Himanshu Harsh about Bihar's alcohol ban and its impact on the state in the last decade. He shares the improvements, but also discusses unintended consequences, such as other substance abuse and a major rise in the consumption of codeine-based cough syrups as a substitute.  (12:08)

Lastly, we talk about a tragic incident where a deadly fire at a bed and breakfast in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar killed 21 people. (19:58)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

Every winter, as Delhi's pollution levels peak, the conversation tends to focus on the same culprits: vehicles, construction, and garbage burning. But one of the biggest contributors to the city's pollution crisis—one that remains with us throughout the year—barely gets discussed: dust.

A year-long Indian Express investigation examined road dust in Delhi and tracked the movement of the city's Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs), its primary defence against dust pollution. The findings reveal serious gaps in coverage and a fleet far smaller than what experts recommend. In this episode, we speak to The Indian Express' Sophiya Mathew and Drishti Jain, who led this investigation for the paper.

To find out whether your zone has been cleaned by MCD's sweeping machines, click here.

Hosted and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express