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Welcome to The Daily Catch-Up, your three-minute evening briefing from .

Podcast of the day: UGC caste discrimination guidelines under review says Centre ( 20 August)

When protest became an FIR: Inside the Noida workers’ arrests

How does an arrest during a labour protest turn into weeks in jail? The latest Express investigation traces the cases that followed demonstrations by factory workers in Noida, examining the FIRs, the allegations, the court orders and the gaps that emerged between mass arrests and individual scrutiny of the evidence.

Jailed for 53 days on average, then courts stepped in

An examination of 222 bail orders across seven major FIRs shows courts granting bail in a large majority of cases.

Why India sings only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram

The national song has been at the heart of political and cultural debates for decades.

Why Vande Mataram is now part of the Congress’s political conversation

The Congress is revisiting the history and politics surrounding the song as the debate returns to the national stage, with the party attempting to frame its own position on a subject long associated with competing ideas of nationalism.

The purification row and the Congress Working Committee

A controversy involving Mallikarjun Kharge has added another layer to the Congress’s political discussions, bringing questions of symbolism, identity and the party’s messaging into focus.

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Four years, a missing engineer and the journey home

A Nagpur engineer who had been separated from his family for four years has finally been reunited with them.

Bharat Taxi drivers say the numbers aren’t adding up

Drivers associated with the new platform are grappling with questions about earnings and viability as they navigate competition in India’s crowded ride-hailing market.

Punjab bandh: What will remain closed and what may stay open

A bandh is scheduled across Punjab on Friday. The Express breaks down the likely impact on transport, markets, schools and other services.

Karnataka cancels 1,100-plus sites under MUDA’s 50:50 scheme

The Karnataka government has moved to cancel a large number of sites associated with the controversial scheme, which has been under scrutiny over land allotments and compensation.

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ED makes allegations involving Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter and Dubai transfers

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that money was transferred through a hawala route to Dubai in a case involving the Kerala Chief Minister’s daughter.

What Sergio Gor’s Pakistan visit says about the US position on Kashmir

The visit and the diplomatic signals surrounding it have renewed attention on Washington’s approach to Kashmir and its balancing act between India and Pakistan.

 

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Denied boarding on a Canada-bound flight, passenger wins Rs 1.53 lakh payout

A consumer dispute over an international journey has resulted in compensation for a passenger who was unable to board.

A kidney donor, family support and a court dispute over a job

A family’s experience with organ donation and subsequent questions over employment has reached the courts, raising issues around eligibility, dependency and the interpretation of service rules.

Mumbai murder case: Police allege a family conspiracy

Investigators say a woman allegedly hired a domestic worker and members of her family in a plot to kill her daughter-in-law.

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Rajpal Yadav on a Rs 250-crore loss and the 13-year struggle that followed

The actor looks back at the financial setbacks that followed his move into film production and the long road that followed.

The Daily Catch-Up: Your evening briefing

Awarapan 2 crosses the Rs 150-crore mark

The Emraan Hashmi film continues its box-office run, building on the renewed popularity of the franchise.

Batwara 1947’s box-office run, six days in

Sunny Deol’s latest release is finding its place at the box office as comparisons emerge with his earlier blockbusters and the wider commercial landscape.

Why Operation Safed Sagar wanted to bring Pervez Musharraf back into the story

Manu Rishi Chadha discusses the creative decisions behind the series and the challenge of bringing real political and military figures into a dramatic narrative.

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Tendulkar, Kohli or someone else? The debate over India’s best overseas batter

A discussion involving some of cricket’s biggest names has reopened the familiar question of how India’s greatest batters should be judged away from home.

Khushbu Sundar on losing 40 kg over five years

The actor’s long-term approach to weight loss involved changes to diet, walking and lifestyle.

The Daily Catch-Up is published Monday to Friday by .