CPEC Attacks: Is China-Pakistan Relationship Souring? | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

0:09 Hello namaskar. This is first post and you're watching Vantage with me Pali Sharma. India is not out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the Maldives signaling a reset in the Indian Ocean and a win for Delhi's diplomacy. We'll tell you why this visit is significant and what transpired today. Meanwhile, Thailand has declared martial law as border clashes with Cambodia escalate. Is Southeast Asia inching towards a bigger conflict? And do bigger powers

0:55 have a role to play in this one? In the US, Donald Trump is changing visa rules and telling tech giants to hire American. What does it mean for Indian techies? Protect our people, says China, not to its own army, but to Pakistan's military chief. We'll tell you all about Asimir's trip to Beijing. In West Asia, Syria remains mired in violence months after Assad's ouster, but they're also trying to rebuild with Saudi Arabia pledging $6 billion in investments. Also, the global sentiment viz Israel is hardening as children starve to death in Gaza. France is the latest European country to recognize the state of Palestine. Russia is reinventing itself in Africa. Wagner is out. Africa Corps is in. We'll tell you what this new Russian military group is up to. Is artificial intelligence

1:42 killing Google search. The algorithm that changed the world may now be facing its biggest disruption. Back in India, the government has banned 25 OTT apps. We'll tell you why. And finally, is your sunscreen harming you more than the sun? We'll tell you what new investigations say. All this and more coming up, the headlines first. A big boost to India's defense capabilities. It successfully test fires a precision guided missile launched from a drone. The Defense Research and Development Organization carried out the trials in Andhra Pradesh. The missile was fired from an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by an Indian startup. This is a key milestone in India's push for indigenous defense systems. Pakistan and Bangladesh agree on visa free entry of officials. The move

2:28 signals a major reset in bilateral ties as Dhaka continues to warm up to Islamabad under the UNUN government. Since the 1971 war, ties between the two countries have remained frosty frosty. The implications of this visa-free arrangement could concern India. Iranian diplomats meet officials from the UK, Germany, and France for nuclear talks. The European powers have warned that they could reimpose sanctions. The Iran says it won't give up its right to enrich uranium, but it's ready to discuss the rate and level of enrichment. The meeting in Istanbul was the first one since the Israel Iran war in June. The Philippine Supreme Court blocks Vice President Sarah Duterte's impeachment trial, says it violates a constitutional

3:15 provision which prohibits multiple impeachment proceedings within a single year. Duterte is accused of graft and an alleged assassination plot against her former ally, the president. And Meta to ban political advertisements in the European Union from October. The decision comes ahead of the block's new regulation targeting such ads. The EU says this will increase transparency, but Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized the block's regulation of social media, accusing Brussels of censorship.

4:03 Hey, open your heart. patience and resolve. Two underappreciated qualities in everyday life, but invaluable in diplomacy. It's easy to blow a fuse in geopolitics. It's harder to stay calm. But if you do, the gains are sweet. Just ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In late 2023, he

4:50 faced a rebellious new leader in the Maldives, President Muhammad Muizu. He campaigned on a policy of India out. He removed Indian soldiers from Mallay, even cozied up to China and Turkey. But India did not lose patience with him. Nor did we lash out. We waited for strategic reality to kick in. And this week it did. Today, Prime Minister Modi landed in Mali. He is the first world leader to visit under Muiz's leadership. Tomorrow, he will be chief guest at their independence day. This invite itself was a U-turn by Muisu. How big a U-turn? Well, the airport welcome made it clear.

5:45 Hey, dance, hugs, ceremony. onial receptions. Clearly, Muizu was pulling out all the stops and India reciprocated. We'll get to the announcements and statements, but first look at the symbolism. Muizu welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the airport. He even organized a procession outside his office. The Maldivven military also pitched it. Look at their defense, new defense ministry building in Mallay. They displayed a portrait of Prime Minister Modi. All of this looked

6:32 nearly impossible in early 2024. Maldivian politicians were mocking Prime Minister Modi. Indian tourists were boycotting the Maldives. Yet here we are in the middle of a historic reset. Prime Minister Modi and Muizu held two rounds of talks. First they spoke one-on-one, then the delegations joined in. Afterwards both leaders oversaw the signing of multiple documents. We are told four memorandums of understanding orus and three bilateral agreements. After the deals and talks, it was time for statements. All eyes were on the the joint conference. How would Prime Minister Modi and Muizu reset this relationship? The Maldivian leader spoke first. He did not address

7:18 the recent rift in ties, but he did talk about building mutual understanding and goodwill. Our people-to-people connections have long been the foundation of the relationship between the Maldives and India. Through cultural exchanges, tourism, education, and familial bonds, we continue to strengthen mutual understanding and goodwill between our nations. Looking ahead, we are fully committed to further strengthen our cooperation with India across a broad range of sectors through exchange of high level visits. That doesn't sound very India out. Mizu says he wants more cooperation with New Delhi that too on a broad range of

8:03 issues. Again, Prime Minister Modi reciprocated. He reaffirmed India's role as first responder to the Maldives. Yeah, first responder for us. It is always friendship first. Oh, our friendship will always remain bright and clear. That's a subtle reference to the past.

8:49 The prime minister knows about the bad blood, but he says friendship comes first. He also spoke about defense and maritime security. These are both crucial issues for India. Mou may have forced Indian soldiers to leave the Maldes, but the country still depends on Indian tech. And for India, the Maldes is a key part of its Indian Ocean strategy. We know China is trying to make inroads here. They have been sending spy ships to the Indian Ocean. So, Prime Minister Modi made it a point to praise the defense cooperation.

9:40 Hindu Mahasagetra Shanti or Samr. The two leaders had a couple of joint engagements. They inaugurated a new defense ministry building in the Maldives. They planted a sapling together. And afterwards, Prime Minister Modi handed over a special shipment to Mouisu. What you're looking at are medical kits. India calls them Bhishma cubes. It's an acronym. Bharat Health Initiative for Sahog, Hit and Metri, Bhishma. These cubes have medicines and equipment inside. The idea is to speed up medical deployment because as you know the Maldes is made up of remote islands. Not all of them have proper hospitals.

10:25 Therefore, such portable medical kits are crucial. That wraps up the pictures and the symbolism. Now, let's look at the takeaways. What has this visit delivered so far? India has announced a major line of credit for the Maldives. It's worth around $565 million. Another big announcement was on trade. India and the Maldives will start free trade talks. They will also look to sign a bilateral investment treaty. Again, this is significant because China and the Maldives already have a free trade agreement. It went into effect in January this year. On defense, India handed over 72 heavy vehicles to the Maldivian military. And on tourism, they agreed to boost exchanges, perhaps even

11:11 increase direct flights. All these announcements only confirm what we already knew. India and the Maldives need each other. It's a geographical truth. Muhammad Muizu tried to ignore it for a long time. He tried to replace India with far-off partners. But in the end, reality hit back and credit to India because we hung in there. New Delhi was patient and mature enough to ride the storm. They ignored the media pressure. They contained the social media backlash and today all of it has delivered. India now has a template to handle belligerent neighbors. A template that is proven to work. Let's see if we can deploy it beyond the Maldives.

12:30 On most mornings, the Thailand Cambodia border is quiet, but not today. The only sound echoing is that of gunfire. It's day two of the clashes. Clashes between neighbors Thailand and Cambodia. It started off as a standoff, but now it has escalated into a conflict. Both countries continue to exchange fire. At least 16 people have been killed. More than 150,000 have been displaced. The border areas resemble a war zone. Schools are shut. Shops are boarded. Emergency shelters are overflowing. Fighter jets are flying over the area. Drone incursions have become common. And the Thai army is even releasing videos of its operations. One of them showed drones striking a Cambodian arms depot.

13:34 Bangkok insists this is a quote unquote limited engagement, but eyewitnesses suggest otherwise. There is use of rockets, cluster bombs are being dropped. There's heavy exchange of artillery fire. Bangkok has declared martial law in some of the border regions. Thailand says says Cambodia started it, but Cambodia blames Thailand for the provocation and the deadly clashes continue. Cambodian forces continue to use heavy weapons and long range weaponry supporting fire to attack the front lines and rear areas affecting civilians and humanitarian sites such as hospitals. Thailand's attacks are aimed at taking

14:20 Cambodia land, which is another reason that I think the international community as well as the international court of justice can clearly see the purpose of the royal government of Cambodia in bringing this case to the court to solve. The acting Thai prime minister says the situation is volatile. One wrong move and it could lead to war and this has unnerved the region. Malaysia is the current chair of the ASEAN which is a Southeast Asian regional block. It has put forward a ceasefire proposal. Cambodia has backed it but Thailand has rejected it. Now this is not the first time the two sides have clashed. Thailand and Cambodia. There have been flare-ups in the past. People have died but things were largely managed.

15:06 Also this dispute dates back to a map from 197. That's when this region was a French colony. So France drew a map to separate Thailand and Cambodia. Yet over a century later, there are still issues. Both sides claims the same regions. And the result is an 800 kilometer long riddle. So the dispute is old. Yet this time it seems different, more intractable. And that's because of a complete breakdown of trust. You see, for years Cambodia and Thailand put up with each other, not out of some friendship, but out of sheer necessity. Cambodia sheltered Thai dissident. Thailand turned a blind eye to crossber crime rings. The relationship was built on two things.

15:51 Unspoken understandings and mutual convenience. It was held together by silence. But that silence was shattered last month via a leaked phone call. We told you about this yesterday. A phone call between Thai Prime Minister Pong Tan Shinoa and Hunen, the Cambodian president, also a longtime leader in the country. Now when the armies clashed last month, the Thai leader Pong Tan Chinoa called Hunen. After all, they were longtime family friends. So she addressed him as uncle and she slammed the Thai military. This was supposed to be a confidential call. But it was leaked and it took the job of the Thai prime minister. She was suspended. But do you know who leaked this? Who

16:36 published the entire conversation? It was Hunen himself, the Cambodian president. Why did he leak the call? Well, that remains a mystery. Some believe he smelled blood. The Shinar dynasty was struggling. So, Hunen sees the opportunity. He used their fall to burnish his nationalist credentials. Others say that it was a strategic move. Cambodia is increasingly dependent on China both militarily and economically. So, this was to draw a red line. Either way, the result was devastating. a border conflict and exchange of fire. That's what we have now. And on paper, this is a fight between two neighbors. But in the shadows, two other names loom large. China and the United States.

17:22 I'll explain how. Thailand is one of the oldest US treaty allies in the Indoacific. It's a major non-NATO ally. The Thai air force is stocked with Americanmade jets and US warships routinely dock in Thai ports. But Cambodia, like I said, is increasingly dependent on China. Beijing upgraded a naval base in the country recently. It is building infrastructure. It is supplying military equipment. So this regional fight is part of a large larger power play. At this point, neither China nor the US wants want things to escalate, but both are watching closely. We're also gravely concerned by the escalating violence along the Thailand Cambodia border and deeply saddened by reports of harm to civilians. The United States

18:07 urges an immediate sessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We know that the both Cambodia and Thailand are good neighbors of China and to each other and also they are very important members of the ASEAN and ASEAN has a long tradition of uh settling their differences uh through peaceful means. We do hope that this time around the peace can prevail again which brings us to the question that a lot of you have asked. Is it safe to travel? Will this border conflict impact tourism? Both Thailand and Cambodia are popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. Thousands of people travel to these two countries every day. So will that change? Well, for now there

18:55 is no such indication. Travel operations remain normal as of today. Both sides are asking citizens to avoid the border zones. However, tourists rarely travel to these areas. So, it's not a big issue, at least not yet. But there is a catch and Cambodia is feeling it first. Around 30% of tourists in Cambodia are Thai nationals. The border has been sealed for nearly a month. So, that stream has dried up. If tensions rise further, it won't stop there. Thailand and Cambodia both depend heavily on tourism dollars. A prolonged conflict could scare off global travelers. It would bleed both economies dry. And that's the danger here. This is not just a border dispute

19:40 anymore. This is a geopolitical flash point. And if cooler heads do not prevail, this could spiral into Southeast Asia's next crisis. We need US technology companies to be allin for America. We want you to put America first. Donald Trump has picked a new target. This time it's Indian tech workers.

20:27 After tariffs and trade wars, he's going after tech talent. The US president has issued what sounds like an ultimatum. It is aimed squarely at big tech. Trump wants them to cut back on hiring from abroad. Listen to this. For too long, much of our tech industry pursued a radical globalism that left millions of Americans feeling distrustful and betrayed. And you know that. Everybody knows that. Everybody in this room certainly does. Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India, and slashing profits in Ireland. You know that. all the while dismissing and even censoring their fellow citizens right here at

21:13 home. Under President Trump, those days are over. We need US technology companies to be allin for America. We want you to put America first. You have to do that. That's all we ask. That's all we ask. He's accusing them of what he calls radical globalism. That's a new phrase from Donald Trump, but it conveys the same old message. America first. Trump wants Silicon Valley to follow his America first rule. He's demanding what he calls national loyalty from them. Now, we've heard such threats before. In the month of May, Trump went after Apple. He threatened Apple with a 25% tariff. He said, "If iPhones sold in America are made in India or any other country for that matter, they will be taxed."

21:59 That was a push to make in America. Now, he's asking them to hire American. And like always, he's using a stick to force compliance. Trump could target the H-1B visas. It's the most popular visa for Indian tech workers. In the 2023 financial year, more than 70% of H1B visas went to Indians. This visa is also one of the hardest to get. And Donald Trump now wants to change how the visa is granted. His team is considering a new system. It would replace the current random lottery with what's been called a weighted model. What does that mean? What's a weighted model? Let's look at how the system works. As of now, every year there are a fixed number of H1B visas that are issued, only 85,000 to be exact,

22:47 but demand far exceeds supply. In 2024, more than 780,000 people applied for this visa. 7 lakh 80,000 people. That's more than nine times the available visa slots. So when there are too many applicants, they all go into a lottery. A computer picks names at random and the winners get the visa. But now Trump wants to scrap that lottery system. He wants to bring in a pointsbased system instead. And under this plan, some applicants would get extra points if they have a high salary offer. If they hold an advanced degree or if they've been hired by a large well-known firm, then they will get more points. Of course, more

23:34 points means better chances and less room for smaller companies or fresh graduates. In other words, Trump's new system could favor the elite and make it harder for Indian techies to get through. And even if you get a visa, there is no guarantee that you're safe. A growing number of Indian techies have received deportation notices in recent months. And these are people who hold a valid H-1B visa, but they were they were recently laid off. Now, as you know, H-1B visas are tied to employment. But even in the event of a job loss, these workers have certain rights. They have a 60-day grace period. 2 months, 60 days. In this period, they can find new jobs, transfer their H-1B visas to another employer, or even switch to a

24:21 different visa. Basically, they get a 60-day window after losing a job to reorganize their papers. But these people are now getting deportation notices. And Trump is clearly saying that he does not want foreign workers. There is no room for ambiguity as to where this is going. And that won't sit well with the tech industry because America's tech dominance is not just about geography. It's not about companies being based in California. It's about the people who built those companies, immigrants. Today, 66% of tech workers in Silicon Valley are foreigners. 66% that's two out of three people. Many of America's most valuable tech firms are run by Indian origin leaders. There's Sundar Pichai at Google, Satya Nadella at

25:07 Microsoft, Shantanu Narayan at Adobe just to name a few and even Trump's top AI adviser Shiram Krishnan is an Indian-American. He is one of the most influential voices in global venture capital. These are the people powering America's innovation and yet they are the ones being shown the door. Trump is not just changing immigration rules, he's killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Heat. Heat.

26:03 Pakistan has aced a new foreign policy. It's a twist on multi-alignment. We call it multi-dependency and it's exactly what it sounds like. You're basically at the mercy of multiple countries and that is Pakistan right now. Last month they were nominating Donald Trump for a Nobel Prize. This month they are being scolded by China. At the receiving end is army chief Aim Munir. He visited Beijing today. He met China's foreign minister Wongi. At first things went well. Wong congratulated Munir for his promotion. Remember he is field marshal now. He also talked about China's ironclad commitment to Pakistan. But then the talks veered to a sour top topic. The Cpek the China Pakistan

26:48 economic corridor. Beijing has a number of billiond dollarar projects in Pakistan like roads, power plants and ports. Many of them are run by Chinese experts. But in recent years, these people have come under attack. People and assets both. The locals feel that they're not benefiting from these Chinese investments. So some groups have resorted to attacks. Of course, China is not happy about that. As Wongi made clear to Munir, China hopes that the Pakistani military will continue to make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan. Make allout efforts to protect Chinese

27:33 personnel. That's what Wong told Mun. Some reports also say that he got a dressing down that Wong used stern language to reprimand the Pakistani army chief. Now, we cannot verify those reports. So, let's focus on Munir's reply. Here is what he told Wong Yi, and I'm quoting. The Pakistani military will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel projects and institutions in Pakistan and is willing to actively advance stronger counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries. So, Munir is trying to allay China's fears. But will it work? Let's look at the scale of the problem first. The CPEC is worth $60 billion. A lot of its

28:20 projects are located in the Baloasan province, including the muchhived Guadada port. Hundreds of Chinese experts also live in Pakistan. They lead and manage these Chinese projects. Recently, they've become targets. Some 14 attacks have been reported since 2021, and they have killed at least 20 Chinese nationals. So clearly it is a big problem big enough for China to rethink its investments. They haven't announced fresh funds or projects since 2023. No fresh projects or funds for Pakistan in the last two years. The focus is on completing the stalled ones. And even that is a long shot. Just look at Guada. It was supposed to be a jewel of the Arabian Sea. Instead, it's a ghost town.

29:08 So simply put, China's bet is not paying off. These attacks are only adding to their concerns. Of course, this worries Pakistan too. So, they're making moves to appease China. For example, police officers are being given military training. They are being deputed solely to protect Chinese workers. But going forward, Beijing has to make a choice. Do they stick with Pakistan or do they get out before things unravel? Financially, the jury is still out. They may still pull the plug on CPEC if it does not work. And politically, well, that's where it gets tricky. Look at China's actions during Operation Synindhur. They use satellites to track Indian soldiers. They relayed this information to Pakistan. Not to mention,

29:54 most of Islamabad's weaponry was Chinese. And it's not a surprise. China does use Pakistan to contain India's rise to keep us busy in the West. But today things got a bit interesting. I'll show you two Chinese readouts. One is from 2023 from a meeting between Asimonir and Wangi and the other is from today 2025. Now listen to the 2023 statement first. China will continue to firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignity, independence and territorial integrity. No matter how the international situation changes, China will always be Pakistan's reliable, strategic, cooperative partner.

30:41 That's a very strong commitment. Now look at 2025. Those words and commitments are missing. Instead, here is what it says, and I'm quoting again. China will as always take Pakistan as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy. Not even the priority, just a priority. This is strange because of two reasons. One, the obvious dilution of China's commitment and second, the timing. This was Munir's first trip to China after the fighting with India. So, if anything, China had more reason to support Pakistan. Now was the time to talk about sovereignity and independence. Yet, Beijing omitted it from the statement. The question is why? Are they

31:26 unhappy with the C cpek delays? Are they angry about the attacks on their people? Are they trying to protect their reset with India? Are they unhappy with Pakistan cozing up to the US? Or are we simply reading into it? At this point, we cannot be sure. But either way, one thing is clear. This iron brotherhood is rusting in parts. Something strange is happening in Syria. Almost every week there's a blast. On the 11th of July, there was a military base. Suddenly, it erupted into flames. The site had been abandoned months ago when Bashar al-Assad was ousted in the month of December. It was full of

32:11 leftover war weapons. Residents had warned authorities. They begged them to secure the area, but nothing was done. And then there's a massive explosion. 14 people were injured. Houses were damaged. And this wasn't an isolated incident. Look at what happened in Idlib on Thursday. There was a huge explosion at an ammunition depot. At least four people were killed. 100 others were injured. No one knows why this blast happened. Some say summer heat triggered munitions that were left behind. Others suspect foul play. But what's undeniable is the pattern. Five such incidents in July alone. And the government, they have no clear answers. You see, Syria was ravaged by a

32:58 civil war for 13 years. It left behind stockpiles of deadly weapons often stored near civilian communities. In December, the Assad regime collapsed and so did the control over these sites. Now, children play near these weapons. Scrap dealers try to hunt through them. In some cases, it triggers explosions, but some blasts are a mystery. The government, the new government is trying to be proactive. It has pledged a mine removal center, but nothing has happened so far. Even the defense ministry appears clueless. They don't know why there are so many blasts. And their latest theory is unbelievable. They're blaming it on the summer heat.

33:43 So, this is a story of Syria's north. repeated blasts, unexplained blasts. What about the south? Well, the south is not peaceful either. Just days ago, it witnessed violence. It started out as sectarian clashes. Soon, the government got involved. And once that happened, Israel was drawn into this. Israel conducted air strikes in Syria. It hit the capital, Damascus. More than 1400 people were killed. It looked like West Asia was on the verge of another war. Thankfully, it did not escalate, but it's still volatile. There are reports of frequent clashes. The committee verified serious and widespread violations against civilians on March 7th, 8, and 9, 2025, including

34:29 multiple killings, premeditated murder, looting of property, destruction, and burning of homes, torture, and sectarian insults. Amid all this, Damascus has its eyes set on one thing, investment. It is striking deals with Saudi Arabia. The two nations have just signed 47 investment agreements. This is worth over 6 billion, spanning key sectors like finance, real estate, and telecommunications. The deals could create 50,000 direct jobs and up to 150,000 indirect ones. Saudi companies with investments across continents and which invest worldwide are eager to invest in Syria in the fields of energy, industry,

35:14 infrastructure, real estate, financial services, health, agriculture, communications, information technology, contracting, education and more. This forum will witness the signing of 47 agreements and memoranda of understanding worth a total of nearly 24 billion reals covering the fields I mentioned. This is a country whose economy has been ravaged by war. So this is a rebuilding effort. And it's not just the Saudis. Qatar is in too. Both Gulf states will settle Syria's debt to the World Bank. The goal here is simple. Rebuild the economy, revive stability, and reintegrate Syria into the Arab world. On paper, this looks like a lifeline. But the questions won't go away. Who

36:00 really benefits from these projects? Is it the Syrian people or former opposition fighters who are now snapping up contracts? Is this truly reconstruction or just selective rebranding? That's the test for President Muhammad Al-Shara. He promised a new Syria and sure Saudi investments could bring much needed funds. But there's also a fear, a fear that old wounds could reopen because rebuilding without reconciliation is just a band-aid on a bullet wound. So what will it be for Syria? It has spent 13 years at war, 7 months without Assad, and now it stands at a crossroads. On one side, there's a promise of rebirth, foreign investments, jobs, infrastructure, a second chance at

36:46 normaly. But on the other hand, there's lingering chaos, mysterious explosions, sectarian fault lines, and a government that does not have the answers. Syria is trying to turn the page, but first it has to put out the fires still burning from the last chapter. And staying with West Asia, global sentiment is shifting on the Gaza war. When it started, most people were silent. They understood the scale of Israel's pain on October 7th. So most of the world said nothing. Almost two years later, that is changing. The sympathy has firmly shifted from Israel to Palestine. The latest shift has come from France.

37:31 President MRO has announced a major decision. Paris will recognize the state of Palestine in September. Now, just to be clear, more than 140 countries already recognize Palestine, including India, China, and Russia. But most Western governments do not. They say, "Let's find a two-state solution first. Then we will recognize Palestine." But that attitude is changing. Last year, three European countries made the move. Norway, Ireland, and Spain. All three recognized Palestine. And now France has done the same thing. Ireland and the US, Israel and the US of course are not happy about it. Washington is calling it a reckless decision. They say it's a slap in the face to the October 7 victims. Of course, Israel is

38:18 also limited. Prime Minister Netanyahu has condemned President Macron's decision. He says it will create another terror launchpad against Israel and all of this is expected criticism. The question is, will others follow France? And what does this recognition change on the ground? Well, as a policy, it is quite significant. France is a heavy weight in the European Union. They hold considerable sway in Brussels. So for Paris to recognize Palestine is indeed a big deal, but others are wary. Germany says it has no such plans in the near term and the UK says we need a ceasefire first. We need the ceasefire. We are calling for a ceasefire and then of course we will do everything we can from a

39:05 position of uh of of a supporter for the region to get the circumstances where there's negotiations for the long-term statethood in Palestine and security for the region that they need. Prime Minister Kia is under a lot of pressure. His election manifesto promised to recognize Palestine. Plus public opinion is changing. Most Britons condemn Israel's war in Gaza. Almost half of them say it's a genocide. So it's not clear how much longer stmer can resist. Which brings us to the second question. What does it change on the ground? Well, nothing. Palestine does not have sovereign land. It is occupied by Israel. It also does not have membership at the United Nations. For that you need

39:50 approval from the security council. But the US will never agree. they will veto any such proposal which makes you wonder does this recognition help Palestine or is it simply performative? Well, it's not an isolated move. We are seeing global opinion toughen against Israel. On Tuesday, 28 countries signed a joint statement. 28 countries they said that the war must end now. And these were not Arab or Muslim nations. These were allies of Israel. We're talking about countries like the UK, Canada, Austria. They're not just calling for a ceasefire. They are sharpening their language, too. Listen to some of this. We've seen too many images of of children being killed, of of horrific

40:36 slaughter, uh, of churches being bombed. The international community is united in its revulsion to what is happening in Gaza. This horror must end. The Israeli government must answer what possible military justification can there be for strikes that have killed desperate starving children. Intermittent pauses and hostilities are not enough to address the scale of humanitarian challenges confronting the people who grapple daily with acute shortages of food and fuel, inadequate medical services and lack of access to education. So there is a global shift in opinion and what has caused it? the scale of suffering in Gaza. The World Health Organization says there is a man-made,

41:22 this is man-made mass starvation. More than 120 Gazins have died from starvation. Let that sink in, not missiles or bullets. They were killed by hunger. When aid trucks arrive, the scenes are heartbreaking. Dozens of starv starving gazins rushing for a morsel of food. And even there, they're not safe because Israel has been attacking aid seekers. The United Nations says they have killed more than 1,000 aid seekers, people who came looking for aid. 1,000 of them killed. It's hard to describe the suffering in words. I let the pictures do it. And I must warn you, it is not easy to watch.

42:17 Hey, if that doesn't change world opinion, I don't know what will. A lot of people say it is coming too late, that too much damage has already been done. And we get why. Nearly 60,000 gazins have been killed in this war. Around 50,000 children have been killed or injured. 50,000 children. Even Holocaust scholars are speaking out. They say Israel is committing genocide. So, it's easy to see why global opinion is shifting. But it does

43:04 not seem to be worrying Israel. They have recalled their truth negotiators from Katr. They say Hamas is not acting in good faith. And yes, there is some truth here too. Hamas may be emboldened by the change in global opinion. They may decide to play hard ball, but even that doesn't give Israel the right to starve children to death. I know we talk about geopolitics as a game of realism, but sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's about compassion, grief, and sympathy. Now, let's turn our attention to Africa, specifically to the Sahil region. It stretches across the continent from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. This resourcerich, conflictridden, couprone

43:50 region is home to countries like Nijair, Mali, and Burkina Faso. For years now, the Wagner group lurked in the shadows here. This is a Russian mercenary group, Wagner. It has helped expand Moscow's influence in the Sahel. But in recent months, its efficacy has been questioned. Wagner has regularly come under attack by terror groups. So now, Russia has switched things up. It has taken Wagner out, but not itself because in its place is the Africa Corps. This is a Russian paramilitary group, but it is no Wagner rebrand. It is structured. It is directly run by the Kremlin and it is on a mission. Here's a report.

44:37 The Sahel is the name given to a vast coup zone in Africa. It stretches across the continent from the Atlantic to the Red Sea and it has slowly turned Russifile from Niger to Mali from Bkina Fazo to Sudan. Moscow has been keen to expand its sphere of influence in the region. Previously, this influence was mostly executed in the shadows through the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary outfit. For years, it played a crucial and controversial role across the African continent. For instance, in Mali, after the military hunter took power in back-to-back coups, it grew closer to Russia. Wagner came in. It battled rebels and

45:23 armed groups on behalf of the government while asserting Russia's interests in the region. But soon there were reports of human rights abuses. and in recent months of Wagner fighters coming under attack during terror assaults. And this trend has persisted across the Sahel region, raising concerns about the efficacy of Wagner. So on June 6th this year came a shift. The Wagner forces officially withdrew from Mali. But Russia wasn't just going to give up its power in the region. This was merely a transition because the very next day Africa Corps was deployed. This is an umbrella entity run by the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is a

46:09 Kremlin controlled paramilitary group apparently named after a German outfit in North Africa during the Second World War. In 2023, Yavghi Priazen then Wagner boss mutinied against the leadership in Moscow. Then he died in a suspicious plane crash the very same year. Fearing another uprising, Russia reigned in its paramilitaries. They were more tightly integrated into the command. That's when the Africa Corps rose to prominence. Now about 70 to 80% of Africa Corps consists of Wagner veterans, but they work differently. Wagner was actively engaged on the battlefield. Africa Corps

46:55 has a more advisory role. Wagner operated covertly. Africa Corps is directly controlled by Russia. So it is expected that the Kremlin would bear more responsibility. That said, according to fresh reports, by using Africa Corps, Russia has now officially transitioned its military operation in the Sahel region. From quote unquote plausible deniability, it has moved to institutionalized engagement. But what does this mean for the Sahel? So far, few things are clear. In Mali, the Africa Corps will provide training to the Ha. It will secure the military regime and protect key infrastructure. As per experts, Africa Corps is slowly expanding its reach to Burkina Fazo,

47:42 Niger, the Central African Republic, and Libya. And it is more than Wagner rebranded. Through this group, Russia has three goals. First to shore up the hunter regimes in the Sahel. Secondly to extract natural resources especially gold which the region is rich in. And thirdly to undermine western especially French influence. So while Russia continues to shape Africa's geopolitical landscape it no longer lurking in the shadows. It is official, strategic, structured to cement the Kremlin's role in the conflict struck resourcerich Sahel.

48:28 Remember searching on Google before 2023? You typed something in and got 10 blue links, maybe a thousand more if you dared to click page two. You scrolled through it. You read through the articles. You pieced together the answers yourself. Of course, it took time, but you understood what you were reading. That internet is fast fading. And what is taking its place? AI overviews. Instant answers by artificial intelligence. No need to click, no need to scroll, just a summary delivered to you in seconds. And for the first time in decades, it has left Google in a dilemma. It is the king of search. A title that Google has held for over a decade. Nearly 90% of it goes through Google.

49:13 90% of search. So much so that Googling is now a verb. Yet AI is changing that. Google is going through an identity crisis. And how is it adapting? By betting on that same artificial intelligence. Let's start with the basics. Traditional Google search relied on ranking websites. This was based on keywords, back links, and a sprinkle of SEO. That is search engine optimization. SEO. I'm sure you've heard of it. Maybe you were text plain by your digital manager. In simple terms, it is the art of getting your website to show up on Google. But SEO is now dead. That model is eroding because you don't even need to click on a link. AI can answer your question first. And this is

49:58 affecting websites. Here's a new study on this. Users now click on links just once in every 100 queries. One in a 100. In the rest of the cases, they just read the AI summary. And websites are facing the brunt of this. Top websites have lost almost 80% of their traffic. And who's responsible for this? Well, you could blame AI. But we'll also have to say Google. Google must take part of the blame. It is fast adapting to stay ahead in the AI race. In the last two years, it has unveiled a number of tools. First, there was the AI overview rolled out in May 2024. It summarizes your search query almost like a brief for a meeting. Then there was AI mode. It breaks

50:45 complex queries into simple answers complete with images, videos, and even follow-up questions almost like a personal assistant. And now Google has launched something called the web guide. Think of it as AI organizing your search in clusters. Say you search for solo travel to Argentina. So the web guide will divide it into categories like safety tips, personal blogs, budget hacks, visa rules, all of it. So Google is basically trying to behave like a librarian who will choose the books for you to read but also allow allow you to read them yourself. Regulation must also take a and yet it's nothing like the old search. Here's a statistic for you near in 2024 nearly 60% of Google searches resulted

51:30 in no clicks at all. 660% of searches, no click. Users are getting what they need instantly in AI summaries. For Google, that's efficiency. For websites, that's slow death. And it's not like they're just it's just traffic that they're losing. They're also losing revenue and relevance. And all of this has a downside for you too, the consumer, because AI is not always accurate. It can hallucinate or distort sources. It often provides no links. and prioritizes Alphabet owned content, meaning content that is owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet. For example, YouTube videos over other sources. And this is a problem for Google, too. After all, it earns most of its revenue

52:16 from ads. In 2024, ad revenue is more than $260 billion. But summarizing answers hurts that model. Although now Google is doing it on purpose. It is sacrificing its old cash cow. Do you know why? Because it would rather change its search engine than be taken over by another platform. So, is Google search dying or is it reinventing? You could say it's a bit of both. Google search as we knew it is dying, but search as a concept, well, that's not going anywhere. Instead, it is being reimagined by Google itself. So the way we search has changed for good and Google is racing to stay ahead of the answers.

53:05 Now let's talk about a crackdown that India has has taken. India has taken a tough action in fact against more than two dozen OTT apps. They have been banned from the country. The reason these apps were distributing obscene content and it wasn't their first offense. These apps have committed several violations of India's IT rules. They showed graphic scenes and sexually explicit material. The government says this is not entertainment. It is exploitation. The apps were warned on repeated occasions. Multiple advisories were issued, but they did not mend their ways. They exploited loopholes to keep the obscinity flowing, and now they have been banned. Here's a report.

53:51 It began with complaints from parents, teachers, and ordinary citizens. They all wrote to the government complaining about certain OTT or over-the-top apps. Names like Ulo, Alt, Desaflex, they were accused of running obscene content. Today, as many as 25 such apps have been banned. The Indian government has blocked access to them. websites, apps, streaming links, everything has been disabled. These apps have been accused of obscinity and sharing pornographic content. This was not a sudden move. The action followed months of review. Several warnings were issued. Multiple ministries were involved. India's information and broadcasting ministry

54:37 led the process. It worked with the home affairs and the information technology ministry. The Department of Legal Affairs was consulted too. So were industry bodies and experts on child and women's rights. Warnings have been issued to these apps in the past. In 2024, India's child rights body had raised the alarm if flag shows on Ulu and Alt. One of the series was removed as well, but only after pressure from the government. The warnings didn't stop there. India's digital publisher content grievances council also took action. This council oversees over 40 OTT platforms. It is headed by a former Supreme Court judge. It asked Ulu to remove over 100 web series. Why? Because they showed

55:24 nudity and sexual content, often with no story, no plot, no context. But the platforms didn't comply. They took the shows down briefly, then uploaded them again, unchanged. One government official put it simply. There was hardly any storyline. A large portion of the content was obscene and vulgar. All was also pulled up. Its scenes were called distasteful and bizarre. Sexual content was inserted for views with no social message and no narrative depth. These weren't unknown platforms. They are mainstream names in India media. Yet they crossed the line. Complaints continued to mount over a period of 2 years. The government issued advisories once in

56:11 September 2024, then again in February 2025. The message to these OTT players was clear. Follow the IT rules and respect the code of ethics. They didn't. Some platforms even tried to relaunch using new websites. This was a direct violation of the law. Now the government has acted. It says digital platforms are not above the law. Streaming content is not immune from scrutiny. India will not allow pornography to masquerade as entertainment. This is the sharpest crackdown on OTT platforms so far. And it sends a clear message. This is not censorship. It is regulation. Not a fight against art, but a defense

56:56 of decency. Keys check. Phone check, sunscreen check. It's the typical pre-summer outing trinity. By now, you probably know that you need to wear sunscreen, and you probably know what happens if you don't. There is too much exposure to the sun's rays. It can hasten signs of aging. It can worsen skin conditions. It can lead to skin cancer. Then there is the annoying skin burn. If you want to avoid the pain, there are sunscreen, lotions, moisturizers, lip balms, sprays, and even pills. It's quite the range. This is after all a $15 billion global market. So what else do you expect? Well,

57:43 certainly not this. In recent months, a series of reports have come out. This one focuses on sunscreens in the US and it says that only one quarter of sunscreens on store shelves are safe and effective. Meaning only one in four actually does what it promises. This is based on research by an advocacy group. It's called the environmental working group. It has analyzed more than 2,000 sunscreens this year and this was the conclusion. Only 1/4 of them are safe. But the US is not alone here. Many Australian sunscreens are in the same boat. Now this is based on an investigation by Choice which is a consumer advocacy group. It looked at a

58:28 range of sunscreen brands, all of them household names in Australia, and it found that they were lying. Lying about what? About their SPF content. SPF is sun protection factor. As the name suggests, this is a sunblock. It protects you from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. And the SPF number of a sunscreen is a measure. It tells you how well the sunscreen will protect your skin. or so we think. But look at the investigation's findings. You have most most likely heard of this brand. It promises SPF 50, the gold standard, but apparently delivers SPF 24. Now, this brand again SPF 50, but tested at 26.

59:15 And the winner is the sunscreen from the bottom. It made promises of SPF 50, but when tested, the product was SPF 4. Do you feel betrayed yet? Well, these are not isolated cases. We have been hearing this for years now. In 2021, 51 sunscreens were tested in Europe. Only 35% of them of them met the standard. Earlier this year in India, two popular brands fought it out on billboards. They called each other out for not meeting SPF claims. As a marketing gimmick, this would have been funny, but this is no gimmick and no laughing matter. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. The last official United Nations data is

1:00:01 from 2022. That's when 1.5 million people were diagnosed with skin cancer. And on average, more than 5,000 people die from it every month the world over. Research shows that the risk of melanoma, which is the most serious form of skin cancer, doubles with only five sunburns in adults and just one sunburn in children. So, this is a serious problem. But brands are busy joking or lying about SPF. And it's not just that our sunscreens are not protecting us. Many of them are also harming us. Some of them get absorbed into our bloodstream after a single day of use. And once in, they can change hormone levels or cause shorter pregnancies.

1:00:46 Some sunsprays can cause heart or lung disease. So where is the regulation? Technically, it exists. Sunscreens are regulated in most countries, but there is no uniformity. In countries like the US, Canada or or Australia, they are categorized as drugs. But in European countries and here in India, sunscreens are considered cosmetic products. So there are different rules and different standards. The only common factor is this. The regulation is lax everywhere. Promises of SPF 50 cannot come with SPF 4. This is outrageous. There need to be better checks and balances. But until that happens, do not give up on sunscreens altogether. It is still

1:01:32 among our most powerful defenses against the sun. At the same time, do not trust the number on the packet. Do your research. Follow regulator recommendations and consult a doctor you trust because you have to shield yourself against two things. The sun and the bogus sunscreen claims. Donald Trump has many nemesis. Joe Biden, the US media, Barack Obama, the truth, way too many to count. But yesterday he came face tof face with one of his newer rivals, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump wants Powell to cut lending rates in America, but Powell refuses to do so. In this

1:02:17 backdrop, both men got together yesterday. They tooured the central bank's headquarters in Washington. The building is undergoing some repair works, and Trump said it was going over budget. Powell was having none of it. He fact checked the president on the spot. Something tells me this won't be a one-off because both men are not giving an inch. So, we're taking a look and uh it looks like it's about 3.1 billion. We went up a little bit or a lot. Uh so, the 2.7 is now 3.1. He's handed out a word. He's handing out a word. Yeah. It just came out. Yeah. And that's I haven't heard that from anybody at the Fed. which man just came.

1:03:03 I know that at about 3.1 that's left 3.2. This came from us. Yes. I don't know who does that. You're including the market renovation. You just added our entire capital. Yeah. You just you just added in a third building is what that is. That's a third building. Well, I got it's a building that's being built. Oh, it's been it was built 5 years ago. Accordingly,

1:03:51 it is my pleasure and my honor to announce my nomination of Jerome Jerome Powell to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve. Congratulations, J. He's a terrible Fed chair. I was surprised he was appointed. I was surprised, frankly, that uh Biden put him in. And now it's time for vantage shots. Images that tell the story. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese citizens gather for an anti-China rally. The Russian Navy conducts massive drills with live fire from the Pacific to the Baltic Sea. and Madame Tus re unveils 13 new Taylor Swift statues to celebrate the era tour. Finally, we're taking you back in history. On this day in 1978, the world's first baby conceived by IVF was

1:04:39 born. IVF stands for invitro fertilization. It involves the fertilization of the female egg in a laboratory. Today, IVF is a mainstream medical treatment for infertility. Globally around 2.5 million IVF cycles are performed every year. We are leaving you on that note. Thank you for watching. Have a great weekend. You'll

1:05:27 be missing all Wonderful.

1:07:21 First post now available in nine languages on YouTube. English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish. Go to settings, click on audio track, and select the language of your choice. Be the first to know what's happening around you in your first language. First post.