3 Things

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Parul Kulshrestha  about a protest that turned violent in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh district. The protest was being led by farmers of the region who were against the construction of an ethanol plant there.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Tanushree Bose about the chaos that ensued at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata when football star Lionel Messi was there as a part of his GOAT tour in India. She shares why fans who came to see him got angry and vandalised the venue. (10:17)

Lastly, we speak about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-country tour which includes Oman, Ethiopia and Jordan. (18:48)

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

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

The Indian cricket system is built on the promise of merit and fierce competition. But an investigation by The Indian Express shows that, in Puducherry, that promise does not always hold.

Private coaches there have been helping players from other states “become locals” — using paid packages, questionable documents, and fast-tracked entry into teams under the Cricket Association of Pondicherry. In this episode, Mihir Vasavda speaks with The Indian Express’ Lalith Kalidas, who led the investigation, reviewed thousands of registration records, and reported on the ground to uncover how this parallel pathway works.

You can read the investigation here.

Produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the week by The Indian Express

First, The Indian Express' Vineet Bhalla talks about Rajasthan where a three year standoff between the residents of Jodhpura village and UltraTech Cement has entered a new phase.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express' Rural Affairs Editor Harish Damodaran about the ongoing tariff related tensions between India and the United States. (12:40)

And in the end, we discuss how the deadly nightclub fire in Goa has now led to arrests in Thailand. (19:45)

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

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Udit Misra about the Indian rupee slipping below the critical 90-per-dollar mark and closing at around 89.4. He shares why this is concerning and the significance this fall holds.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Vidheesha Kuntamalla about the complex emotions and pressure that students are facing these days, how it is impacting their mental health and the patterns that are noticed by school counsellors. (16:04)

Lastly, we talk about a political controversy around Shashi Tharoor's refusal to accept an award. (26:13)

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

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, The Indian Express' Pavneet Singh Chaddha talks about the nightclub fire in Goa that killed 25 people and what the incident reveals about India’s recurring failures on basic fire safety and regulation in booming tourist hubs.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express' Vikas Pathak about why a parliamentary motion to commemorate Vande Mataram has escalated into a fierce battle over history and the legacy of the national movement. (11:45)

Lastly, we look at how Rahul Gandhi is sharpening his critique of India’s electoral reforms and the EC’s SIR exercise. (23:40)

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