Trump Implicated in Epstein Docs? White House Denies, Fallout Grows |Vantage with Palki Sharma |N18G

0:08 Hello namaskar. This is first post and you're watching Vantage with me Bali Sharma. We begin with the latest border clash. Thailand has dropped a bomb on Cambodia using an F-16. What triggered this and how is it shaping up? We'll discuss that tonight. In Russia, a Soviet terra passenger plane has crashed. All 49 people on board are feared dead. We'll tell you why this is being linked to Western sanctions. In London, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seals a long-awaited trade deal. It's been

0:54 brewed longer than British tea, but it's finally served. We'll bring you the highlights across the channel. Things are less diplomatic. French President Emanuel Macron is suing a US podcaster for claiming that first lady Bridget Macron is a man. Elon Musk's empire is wobbling. Tesla profits have fallen and Trump doesn't want to give him federal contracts. Speaking of, the US president remains caught in the Epstein nightmare. Turns out Trump's name is in the Epstein files. In Beijing, European leaders discuss trade and ties. They're calling it a summit, but it's more like a summons. We'll explain why. Armenia and Azarjan are shaking hands. The US is brokering peace. But where is Russia? In Gaza, the alarm bells are deafening. More than 100 aid agencies

1:40 warn of mass starvation. India calls for an end to the fighting. And finally, the great mystery of our time. How many steps do you really need to walk? The answer is not 10,000. All this and more coming up. The headlines first. Big relief of Brazil's former president Jared Bolsinaro who is on trial for allegedly trying to overturn his 2022 election loss. The country's Supreme Court has ruled out his detention but warned Bolsinaro not to violate legal restrictions which include a social media ban. The former president is also required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. In India, the Supreme Court stays the order acquitting those convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train blast case. Just days ago, the Bombay High Court had absolved

2:26 all the 12 men. Today, the top court said that the lower court's judgment should not be treated as a precedent, but it did not stop the release of the accused from prison. Greece warns Turkey threatens to block its access to a European Union defense fund unless Ankara guarantees that the weapons won't be used against Athens. EU member Greece and Turkey have long sparred over sovereignity rights in the agency. The two countries are also at odds over energy exploration and migration. Myanmar zonta claims to have recaptured a gold mining hub and ousted anti- coupoo rebels after a year-long battle. This is a second win for the military in a week. Myanmar has been mired in a civil war since a coup in 2021.

3:12 Recently, the Huta backed by Russia and China has managed to regain lost ground. And in the UK, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn launches a political party. Last year, he was expelled from Prime Minister Kia Star's party. In the 2024 election, Corbyn had fought as an independent and won. His announcement comes amid a rise in popularity of smaller parties in Britain. Money.

4:04 All right. It was just after dawn in Southeast Asia, but there was a roaring sound in the skies over Cambodia. The sound of Thai F-16 jets. Within seconds, two bombs dropped. They damaged Cambodian military bases. Sirens blared. Villagers ran for their lives. More than 40,000 civilians were forced to flee. Clashes broke out. 12 people were killed. And just like that, a onceforgotten sleepy border resembled a war zone.

4:52 So what led to this flare up? Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting? And is Southeast Asia on the brink of a war? To understand this conflict, we have to go back in time to the 11th century. That's when this temple was built. The Priyavihar temple. This is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by the Kam Empire. Today this temple is at the heart of this fight. Like many disputes in Asia, this too began with a badly drawn colonial map. The year was 197. Cambodia was under French rule. So the French drew a border to separate it from Thailand. The result was an 800 kilometer long boundary. But some areas are vaguely divided,

5:38 especially around the Priyhar temple. Cambodia says the temple is ours. Thailand claims the map is flawed and they keep fighting over it. In 2008, things escalated violently. Thai and Cambodian troops clashed near the Priya Vihar. 28 people were killed. There was a diplomatic breakdown. In 2011, it got so bad that the United Nations had to step in. The matter went to the ICJ, the International Court of Justice. In 2013, the ICJ ruled that the land belonged to Cambodia. Thailand was not impressed. It rejected the court's ruling and things were quiet since then, but this year it exploded again. On May 28, the two militaries clashed briefly. A Cambodian soldier was

6:26 killed near the Emerald Triangle. This is the area where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos meet. There was an exchange of fire. Cambodia claimed that Thailand attacked first. Thailand said it was responding to gunshots. Either way, the border went hot and soon a political fire followed. A phone call was leaked. A phone call between then Thai Prime Minister Pong Tang Chinoa and Cambodian leader Hunen. She called him uncle and she criticized the Thai military's handling of the issue. I'll repeat that for you. The Thai prime minister criticized her own army in a phone call with the Cambodian leader. You can imagine the public anger and the political backlash. Prime Minister Pong

7:13 Tan Chinoa was suspended but the border situation did not improve. Then on July 16th, a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine in this area. He lost a leg. On July 23rd, there was another landmine blast. Five Thai soldiers were wounded. Bangkok had had enough. It recalled its ambassador to Cambodia and it closed all border crossings. Given the current situation, it is necessary for Thailand to close various border points for the purpose of protecting our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of the people in the border areas. Cambodia responded with a tit fortat move. It downgraded diplomatic ties with

8:00 Thailand which brings us to today. Now there are two versions of this story. Ask Thailand and they will say that Cambodia started it. They say this morning Cambodian drones buzzed overhead. Thai soldiers asked them to deescalate but minutes later Cambodia opened fire. So Thailand had no choice but to retaliate. We condemn it because it is a forceful act that does not adhere to the strict observance and compliance with international law. Furthermore, what happened does not constitute a declaration of war. We did not declare war. It is just a conflict. We still insist on the principles of peace and nonviolence. We will try to talk to each other to solve the problem.

8:50 This is Thailand's side of the story. But if you ask Cambodia, the story flips entirely. They say Thai troops broke a long-standing agreement. They moved towards the temple and then came the gunfire. Cambodian officials say the Thai forces had launched a preemptive attack and that left Cambodia with no choice. They had to return fire in self-defense. So like any conflict, this too is a battle of narratives. Who started it first? But the question is who has the upper hand here? Militarily it is Thailand. They have the advantage. Thailand has a defense budget of 5.7 billion. Their army has 245,000 personnel. Compared to that, Cambodia's army is much smaller, just 124,300

9:36 active military personnel and a military budget of $1.3 billion. Thailand also has 28 F-16 jets. Cambodia has no fighter jets, so Thailand has the better military here. But will things go that far? As of today, 12 people have been killed. Thailand has called for international condemnation. It has ruled out any talks with Cambodia. Cambodia, on the other hand, wants the United Nations Security Council to step in. They want the Security Council to reign in Thailand. So the shooting may have stopped for now, but the real danger is not just in the fire, it's in the politics around it. Neither Cambodia nor Thailand in neither of these two countries can the current leadership afford to look

10:23 weak. At this point, backing down seems like surrender. And that's the problem here. When history, politics, and pride collide, it's never just about a temple or a border. It's about who blinks first. And right now neither Thailand nor Cambodia is blinking.

11:15 Global aviation is going through a rough patch today. There was another plane crash, this time in Russia. There were 49 people on board. None of them is believed to have survived this crash. The flight was operated by Angara Airlines. This is a Siberia ba based carrier. The flight had taken off from Blaga Veschensk and it was on its way to Tinda. Now this is a remote town in Russia's Amur region bordering China. We have footage from the crash site. It shows the burning wreckage of the plane. Take a look.

12:06 Reports say this plane was trying to land. It made two attempts to land. Then it disappeared from the radar and crashed near the airport. So what could have happened? What caused this plane to crash? Of course, an investigation has begun. It will give the full answers. But here's what the initial reports say. The airworthiness of the Russian plane was in doubt. This was a Soviet era plane called the A24. Now these planes are also called flying tractors because of their ruggedness. They once had a reputation of reliability. They were well suited for the harsh conditions of Siberia. Such planes can operate in sub-zero conditions and they don't even need runways to land. Sounds like an ideal aircraft for for

12:52 Russian conditions, which raises the question, what went wrong with this one? Why did it crash? To begin with, it's an aging aircraft. This one was 50 years old. Now, typically, passenger planes are retired after 20 to 30 years of flying, but this plane was flown for 50 years. It was designed during the Soviet era. It was built in 1976. Experts say it was not airworthy. But you see, some regional airlines in Russia still operate these old planes. A few years back, they were supposed to go out of service, but in 2023, the regional airlines reached out to Russian authorities and they sought an extension. They wanted to keep these old planes in the air to extend their service life and they managed to get the permission because frankly the Russian state does

13:37 not have many options. They've been hit by Western sanctions, thousands of them. So airlines in Russia cannot buy modern aircraft. They cannot place an order for say an Airbus or a Boeing. They can only use what they've got right now. And Angara is one such airline. It has a fleet of about 10 A&24 planes and they run these planes despite the obvious threats, the obvious risks. Plus, they struggle with the servicing. According to one report, the plane that crashed today was having problems. On at least two occasions in the last three years, the same plane malfunctioned. In May 2022, its generator failed

14:23 mid-flight. And then this year, in March, the aircraft suffered radio communication issues. And this is not a one-off case, by the way. Reports say Russian aircraft are maintained poorly. Airlines are known to smuggle components from friendly countries. They even cannibalize old aircraft to get parts. And again, Western sanctions are to blame here. Overall, Russia's economy has absorbed the shock of these sanctions, but Russia's aviation sector is struggling because here the impact has been sweeping. Consider a story from 2023. This is about Aeroflat. This is Russia's biggest airline. Two years back, Aeroflat had issued orders to its employees. They were asked to not report aircraft malfunctions. They were asked to log falls only after

15:10 the pilot in command approves them. So planes were allowed to fly with significant falls and the staff was fully aware of this and this even led to some close calls. In the same year in January, one Aeroflat flight made an emergency landing. This was after a fault in the plane's laboratory system. A month later there was another emergency landing. This time the plane's air conditioning malfunctioned. So today's crash shows that the situation has hardly changed. With old aircraft, poor maintenance, and no access to critical parts, Russian airlines are at the risk of turning into flying coffins.

16:04 This is the biggest and most economically significant trade deal. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi embarked on a foreign trip. It lasted a whopping 9 days. Right now, he is on another foreign trip and this one is less than 24 hours. Such is the nature of diplomatic visits. I'm talking about the prime minister's trip to the UK. He landed in London yesterday evening. As always, the Indian community gathered to meet him. But there wasn't time for a lot of ceremony because this trip was about business. Prime Minister Modi was in the UK for the free trade deal. It was agreed by both sides in the month of

16:50 May and today this deal was signed. Take a look. All this was happening at Checkers, which is the British Prime Minister's country home. It's located on the outskirts of London. After the signing, both leaders addressed the media. We'll focus on their statements first and then we'll unpack the deal. Prime Minister Modi called this trade deal a historic milestone. He said it would help Indian textiles, footwear and gems industry. After talking about trade, he veered to

17:36 extremism. As you know, the UK is home to many Kalistthani separatists and Prime Minister Modi appeared to warn them. He switched to English to ensure that the message was clear. freedom. Those whom misuse democratic freedoms to undermine democracy itself must be held account. Of course, he had to speak about cricket. India and England are playing in Manchester right now. Prime Minister Modi used cricket to define this relationship.

18:37 Cricket is not just a game but a passion and also a great metaphor for our partnership. There may be a swing and a miss at times but we always play with a straight bet. We are committed to building high scoring solid partnership. UK Prime Minister Kia Tama also praised the trade deal. He said it would generate investment worth $8 billion and for him this is quite significant. The UK had to reset its trade ties after Brexit. It had to go around striking new

19:24 deals and Starmer has got two now, one with the US and one with India. And he says the India deal is the biggest since Brexit. This is the biggest and most economically significant trade deal that the UK has made since leaving the EU. Um, and I think I can say that it's one of the most comprehensive deals that India has ever done. So, thank you, Prime Minister. Both leaders appear to have a good time, but I'll tell you who did not. The translator. At one point, she couldn't keep up with the British Prime Minister. That's when Prime Minister Modi jumped in. Listen to this. Apologies.

20:12 Don't bother. We can use English words in between. Don't worry about it. Sorry, his excellency. Um, I've lost the the speech. Yeah, no problem. Yeah. Sorry. Do you want me to repeat? Yes. It will I think we we um understand each other well. Now let's come to the deal. In one word, it's ambitious. Like all free trade deals, the goal is to reduce or remove tariffs to make sure that trade is free. Look at the numbers. Right now, our trade with the UK stands at 56 billion. This deal could add another $34 billion to it. That's $34 billion extra every year. The goal is to

20:58 reach 120 billion by 2030 and $160 billion by 2040. Like I said, it's very ambitious. Here's how the deal will achieve that. 99% of India's exports have become duty-free, meaning zero or near zero tariffs. In return, India has cut tariffs on 64% of British exports. Our average tariff rate is 15% or was 15%. It has now been cut to 3%. Lower tariffs will make products cheaper on both sides. Cheaper product equals more demand. More demand equals higher trade. And that is the logic behind such free trade deals. Certain Indian industries are poised to benefit from this like gems and jewelry. Indian exports are projected to double

21:44 in two years. They're expected to reach $2.5 billion. Another sector is garments. India faces stiff competition from Vietnam and Bangladesh, but lower tariffs will make us competitive. Right now, India makes up 6% of the UK's imports. It is projected to reach 12% in the coming years. Then you have engineering goods, things like car parts and machinery. This is also projected to double by 2030. The expectation is 7.5 billion. Finally, you have seafood. Right now, India makes up less than 3% of the UK's imports, which is around hundred million dollars. This is projected to reach $200 million by next year. So, it'll double. Now, do you notice a trend in these sectors? They're all labor intensive,

22:32 meaning they employ a lot of people, which is why this deal could have a multiplier effect. If the demand rises, producers will have to increase output. And to increase output, they must hire new people. Of course, it's not just about the producers. Trade deals also help consumers. So which British goods are going to get cheap? For starters, scotch whiskey. The tariff was 150% before the deal. Now it has been cut to 75%. So ideally the prices should have. Then you have cars. India used to charge 110% tariffs on British cars. They will now be cut to 10% from 110 to 10% over 5 years. This will benefit the auto giants of Britain like Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover.

23:18 The tariff cuts will also make smaller items cheaper like chocolates, biscuits and cosmetics made in Britain. As always, India has protected some items from the deal like dairy, oils and fruits. They are key to India's farming community and therefore they have been kept out of this deal. Beyond these details, there is a larger message here and that is a commitment to free trade. In Trump's world of tariff and barriers, two major economies, India and the UK, have come together not to complain of deficits and tariffs, but to vote in favor of free trade. An unprecedented legal showdown is looming in America. On one side is a president and his wife. on the other is

24:04 a right-wing troll. And what's the case? Defamation. Wait till you hear why. This case has been filed by France's first family, President MRO and his wife Bridgetette. They filed a lawsuit in a court in Delaware, the US. And why in the US? Because the other party is American. A right-wing commentator named Candace Owens. She has around 7 million followers on X and four and a half million on YouTube and her claim to fame peddling absolute nonsense. Since last year she has trained her guns on Bridget Macron. She says the first lady of France was born a man. Now this conspiracy is not new. It has

24:50 existed in the dark corners of the internet. But Oans took it further. She released an eight-part podcast series on this. She called it becoming Bridgetette. Now Avin says that the first lady was born as Jean Michelle Tonio and that she later transitioned to a woman. Needless to say, this is fake. Bridgetette Macron has has been a woman all her life. She is a mother to three children and Jean Michelle is not an old alter ego. It's her brother's name. Despite all this evidence, Candace Ovens went ahead. At first, the Macrons tried reaching out. They told her to retract her claims thrice, but Oans refused. In 2024, she promised to stake her entire

25:36 professional reputation on this claim. I know it sounds very dramatic, but remember, we're talking about a troll. She doesn't have any professional reputation. Not that it bothers her. Aans has responded to the case with defiance. Listen to what her team has said. This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist. Candace repeatedly requested an interview with Bridget Merrron. Instead of offering a comment, Bridget is resorting to trying to bully a reporter into submission. Two things here. First, a journalist. Really? Candace Ovens is a commentator at best. Leave the journalism to people who care about facts. Secondly, you reached out for a comment on what? What

26:24 exactly was the first lady supposed to say? It's like asking a scientist to comment on the flat earth theory. Anyway, the case has been filed. The Macron say that that they have been harassed and bullied. They're even willing to turn up in court if needed. The question is, will they win? I know this sounds like an openandsh shut case, but experts are wary because the US has a very high bar for defamation, especially against public figures. I think that President Mron is going to have a very difficult time with this liel suit. And the reason for that is really simple. Under US law, public officials are required to prove actual malice, knowledge of falsity, reckless

27:10 disregard for the truth. In his lengthy complaint, he has certainly alleged that on the part of this uh podcaster, that's the land of freedom for you. You can get away with almost anything. Candace Ovens isn't exercising her free speech. She is spreading hate and falsehoods. And this transgender claim is just one example. She also says that Macron was installed by the CIA, that the president and the first lady are blood relatives and therefore engaged in incest. If this is free speech, America needs a reality check. Who knows, maybe this case will do it because this is unprecedented. We've seen foreign governments file cases in America before, but those were not personal lawsuits. They were linked to

27:57 critics living in the US or crimes committed back home. Such a defamation suit is unprecedented, and it's a commentary on the US media ecosystem. Because Bridget Macron is not alone. US commentators have made a habit of targeting women. They have called Michelle Obama a man. They call Kamala Harris transgender. They accuse Serena Williams of being a man. Also, pop star Lady Gaga. This is the result of two trends in American politics. First is the obsession with conspiracies. You're seeing that with the Jeffrey Epstein files. President Trump fanned those theories. Now he's paying for it. And secondly, the obsession with controlling the narrative around women. They want to decide everything. Who is a woman? Who is not a woman? Can women have abortion?

28:43 Can all women take part in sports? They want to decide everything. It's an almost weird and controlling obsession. American politicians fueled this fire and now it's a raging inferno. Even the first lady of France is not immune to it. Okay, now the meeting with this guy.

29:35 It was supposed to be the future on four wheels. Sleek, silent, and self-driving. Tesla was not just a car. It was a cult. Elon Musk did not just sell vehicles. He sold a vision. And for over a decade, Tesla led the charge. It led the EV revolution. But today, that future feels a little derailed. Tesla just reported its quarter 2 earnings, and the numbers are not pretty. From April to June, revenue dropped to $22.5 billion. It is down from 25.5 billion last year. And that's the biggest quarterly decline in over a decade. Car sales dropped by 16%. Deliveries fell by 14%. Now, if you zoom out, this is not a complete collapse. Analysts saw it coming, apparently, but

30:22 it was enough to rattle Wall Street. Tesla's share is down by almost 9%. And that's not that's not all. The road a ahead looks bumpy too. And we are not the ones saying this. Elon Musk is in the earnings call. He warned of a hard year ahead, a tough year for Tesla. He said, and I quote, "We probably could have a few rough quarters." So this is not it for Tesla. Things could get worse in the coming days. That's what Musk is saying. And it raises the inevitable question. Is Elon Musk losing control of his empire? You see, Musk is not just Tesla CEO. In some ways, he is the brand. He turned

31:08 the cars into symbols of style and investors bought. And literally Tesla became a trillion dollar company. Musk became the world's richest man. It was like a Silicon Valley fever dream. But lately, that dream is turning hazy. In the last few months, the hits have kept coming. Tesla's earnings are missing the mark. Executives are exiting. Tariff costs are ballooning. Sales of regulatory credits are down by 26%, meaning the government incentives have been cut and the price of the car is up. Trump's new bill could hurt EV demand further. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is flirting with politics. He first funded Trump's campaign. Then he got a government department called Doge. After that, he picked a fight with Trump and was out of that same government.

31:56 And finally, Musk talked about a new political party, a third party in the United States. All of this has alienated Tesla's key user base. There were protests against Tesla. Cars were set on fire. Customers started looking elsewhere. Sales were dropping in Europe and other parts of the world. Rivals from China to Detroit are catching up. So what is Musk doing about all of this? He seems unfased. During the earnings call, he spoke less about Tesla and more about X AI. That's his artificial intelligence startup. X AAI. Speaking of XAI, it is not like things are going well there. The White House is sidelining this company. Trump does not want XAI in the government. He does not want Musk's company to get federal contracts.

32:44 So Elon Musk's feud with the US president is bleeding his many businesses both directly and indirectly. And all of this explains the paradox of Elon Musk. He owns many companies. He is their greatest asset, but he is also their biggest liability. His vision turned Tesla into a top player. His antics are now dragging it down. Same for XAI. Elon Musk had high hopes for this company, but now his feud with Trump is killing its opportunities. So, is this the beginning of the end for Musk's empire? Not so soon. There are still some glimmers of hope. Tesla is working on a more affordable car, a budget version of its current Model Y. This could bring in new buyers. There's also potential expansion in the robo

33:30 taxi service and many believe Tesla's long-term AI strategy could click. Having said that, this is a this is still a make orb breakak moment for Tesla. It's no longer the undisputed king of EVs. And there's just one question on the mind of investors. Can Elon Musk's empire survive Elon Musk? We'll be tracking the story. US President Donald Trump has a long list of threats for the whole wide world. But now, one name has crippled his administration. Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted pedophile financier. Last year, Trump promised to release files about Epstein and the

34:17 investigation around Epste. He said he will release files. This was during his campaign run. But when he became president, he said that there is no client list, that there are no files, no files to be released. So for for weeks now, pressure has been mounting on Trump. He has been bleeding support and now fresh reports are making things worse. Apparently Trump's name appears in the Epstein files and Attorney General Pam Bondi told him about it in the month of May. Here's a report. Epstein files. These words have been haunting the Trump administration for weeks now. Now, some Republicans are growing more defiant. The MAGA movement's outrage is bubbling. The crisis is spiraling. And

35:04 the latest development has possibly the greatest capacity to make the situation worse for US President Donald Trump. According to the Wall Street Journal, the president attended a routine briefing by Attorney General Pam Bondi in May where he was told that his name appeared in the files related to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. And this has shaken the president's supporter base. In the 2000s, the rich and popular financier Jeffrey Epstein was big in the New York social circles. He was also a sexual predator. Allegations that Epstein sexually abused underage girls first surfaced in 2005. In the early 2010s, the accusations piled up. In July

35:50 2019, he was arrested under charges of sex trafficking. And within a month of his arrest, Epstein was dead. He died by suicide in a Manhattan jail. But the case remained alive and well. Now, simply being mentioned along with hundreds of others in documents pertaining to the Epstein investigation does not imply wrongdoing. And that's exactly what the White House is saying. All fake. All that information was fake. They're calling the report a fake news story. But this contradicts Trump's earlier account where he said that he had not been told by Bondi that his name appeared in the files. The Trump Epstein relationship goes back to the 1980s. They partied together.

36:37 They were photographed together. Epstein attended Trump's wedding to Mara Maples at the Plaza Hotel in New York in 1993. In 2002, Trump called Epstein a terrific guy. But in 2004, the two had a falling out due to a property dispute. And by late 2010s, Trump was calling Epstein a creep. In 2024, during his campaign, Trump promised to release the Epstein files, the names of people linked to him. He rallied support over this promise. But after becoming president, Trump has offered something quite anticlimactic in return. In a memo earlier this month, the Justice Department and FBI said there was no such list.

37:23 This spurred massive outrage among Trump's supporters, including his former adviser, Tesla CEO Elon Musk. There are accusations of cover up. A storm is intensifying in the Congress as well. The US House of Representatives voted to subpoena the Justice Department to unseal the files. So, as pressure mounts, what is Donald Trump doing? He has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its allegations of a sexually suggestive letter from Trump to Epstein. He is also pushing conspiracy theories against his predecessor Barack Obama. The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold. Tulsi Gabbard uh

38:11 what they did to this country in 2016 starting in 2016 but going up all the way going up to 2020 of the election. They tried to rig the election and they got caught. So Trump is resorting to old tricks, denial, sabotage, and one conspiracy theory to counter another. According to a latest poll, while 40% of Republicans back how Trump is handling the issue, 36% disapprove of it. So Trump is fast losing support. And as the furer persists, the president seems to be running out of options to control this crisis. Europe's time is over. It's been over

38:57 for a while now, but this week made it clear. Their top leadership is in Beijing today. Normally, they would say China is hosting them, but that's not the right word. European leaders were effectively summoned to Beijing for what? A summit between the EU and China. This meeting was supposed to happen in Brussels, that too, back in the month of April, but Xi Jinping refused to go. So, the European leaders had to visit Beijing instead. That's a typical Chinese power move. Gain an upper hand even before the talks. I'm sure the Europeans were not thrilled because they cut short the trip. The talks were supposed to span two days. Now it's a one-day affair. The EU leaders met Xi Jinping and Premier Lee. They mainly talked about two issues,

39:42 trade and Ukraine. The EU president said the relationship had reached an inflection point and that a rebalance was necessary. We have reached an inflection point. Rebalancing our bilateral relation is essential because to be sustainable the relations need to be usually beneficial. We know that our trade relationship today needs more balance. Rebalancing is a necessity and it is also in the interest of a stronger relationship between us. What does she mean by rebalance? Well, look at these numbers. EU exports to China amount to $250 billion. $250

40:29 billion EU to China. And EU imports from China more than $600 billion. So, the EU has a massive trade deficit with China. It's worth around $350 billion. And that's what Brussels wants to balance. China has long used state support to suppress prices. They offer billions in subsidies and tax cuts. As a result, Chinese goods are cheaper. They are artificially cheaper. Consider the example of Chinese EVs. European markets are flooded with them. Their homegrown EVs, European EVs simply cannot keep up. Which is why Brussel Brussels wants to rebalance. But will Xi Jinping agree? As expected, he gave no commitment.

41:15 Faced with accelerating global transformation not seen in a century and a changing and turbulent world, Chinese and EU leaders should once again demonstrate vision and leadership and make the right strategic choices that will meet people's expectations and stand the scrutiny of history. Again, classic China. talk about vague choices and expectations, but offer no concessions. This leaves the EU in a bit of a pickle. They're facing tariff threats from Donald Trump. Other countries are striking deal after deal, but Brussels is not making ground. Yes, they are exploring agreements with India and Indonesia, but those are long-term fixes. They won't solve the looming tariffs

42:02 from the US. On the other side, China's strategy is quite clear. They did not look for a deal. Instead, they took an aggressive approach. The Chinese slabed tariffs on American goods. They also curbed the supply of crucial rare earths and it worked. The US came to the table for talks. They also resumed selling semiconductors to China. So, Xi Jinping has a working plan to go on the offensive. But the EU does not have such a plan. They still need US support for most things. They need it for trade, for defense, and for fighting Russia. It's frankly looking a bit sad. In Beijing today, the EU president made a laughable attempt. He requested China's help to reign in Russia.

42:47 We discussed at length with President Xi our expectations for China to use its influence as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to bring an end to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We say good luck with that. China is not even neutral in this war. They're supplying dual use goods to Russia and they won't be stopping that. So I guess the European mission was a failure. All they managed was this a joint statement on climate change. That's all they that they got. Having said that, the summit reaffirmed two things. One, there isn't a great deal of respect for Europe in Beijing. They're seen as America's lackey. And we've seen evidence of that before

43:33 as well. In 2020, for example, European ambassadors wrote an oped for China state media. In it, they mentioned that the Wuhan virus emerged in China. Guess what Beijing did? They censored that part out. What's worse, Europe agreed to it. They censored their own officials to suit China. So, like I said, there is not much respect. Secondly, Europe is running out of options. If they wanted to jointly fight the tariffs, they're too late. They should have started a campaign earlier. China has a has has struck a small deal. Japan has struck a deal. So have the UK and the Philippines. Meanwhile, Brussels is left out in the open. They have two

44:19 options now. Unleash counter measures and trigger a brutal trade war or bury their ego and look for a deal. It's certainly a rude wakeup call for Europe. Let's see how they recover from it. Now let's talk about Armenia and Azarbjan. Two neighbors locked in a cycle of wars and ceasefires. The flash point was a small piece of land, Nagoro Carabah. Both sides claimed it and they fought over it. And through all of this, there was there was only one constant and that was Russia. After all, this was Moscow's backyard, its old Soviet playground. Russia called the shots. It sent peacekeepers. It brokered truce.

45:05 And the Kremlin had all the leverage. But not anymore. Today, Armenia and Azarbjan are edging closer to something unimaginable, a permanent peace deal. And guess who's not at the table? Russia. And who is taking its place? The United States of America. Washington is pushing itself as a new power in the caucuses. Steve Woodco is here and I I think we could have something fairly soon to talk about and we solved other one uh that we just seem to have Armenia and Azer Bjan. It looks like that's going to come to a conclusion, successful conclusion.

45:51 To understand what the deal looks like, let's first look at the conflict. There's the Nagorno Carabach region. Internationally, it was recognized as part of Azarbjan, but the residents are mostly Armenians, ethnic Armenians. So, it's a classic ethnic conflict. In 1917, Armenia and Azarbjian fought over the region. In 2020, they waged a war again. Azar Bejan took control of most of Nagorno Carabach. But the issue is not just Nagorno Carabak. There's also a small enclave called Nakivan. It is wedged between Armenia, Iran and Turkey and it belongs to Azarbjan but there's no direct land route connecting it to

46:37 the rest of the country. So after the 2020 war, Baku demanded a corridor. Azarjan demanded a corridor. A corridor through Armenia's Sunnic province. Soon a ceasefire was brokered, but the corridor remained a sticking point. Armenia stalled. Azarbjan pushed. Russia became preoccupied with Ukraine. It could not pay attention to this. And into this vacuum stepped the United States. And here's where things get wild. In June, Washington apparently pressed the two sides with a solution. The US offered to lease the corridor that too for 100 years. So basically a 32 kilometer road will be built through Armenian territory. The US will control

47:24 it and that apparently will make it neutral a neutral passageway. It will be open to all. That's what the Americans suggested. Armenia rejected this proposal. But the offer itself has surprised many. After all, this should have been Russia's show. The 2020 ceasefire was their deal. Moscow has been the referee in this feud for decades. So where is it now? Tied down in Ukraine. In Armenia, Moscow has become the new enemy number one. They openly criticize the Russians. Prime Minister Nicole Pashanyan has been quite brazen about it. His government has arrested pro-Russian oligarchs. They're also sidelining the once powerful Armenian church, which was long seen as a Kremlin proxy.

48:10 And on the Azarbjani side, it's the same story. President Ilham Aliv has grown weary of Moscow. He doesn't think Russia is dependable anymore. So this month when both sides held peace talks, Russia was not even invited. The talks took place in Abu Dhabi of all places, making Moscow persona non- grata. And this is not just about America's signal to Russia. There's also another party that's quite nervous about these developments and that is Iran. If the US controls this corridor through Armenia, it would be a nightmare scenario for Thran. US presence so close to their border would be a red line for the regime. So Thran is pressuring Armenia. It wants

48:57 Armenia to refuse any US involvement. The question is what will Armenia do? On one hand, agreeing to the corridor could bring peace. Armenia is desperate for a western for Western investment. So this could be a solution. It also wants closer ties to the US. So giving Trump a win here would help them. On the other hand, Armenia fears loss of sovereignity. They are worried about giving up territory. Which is why Prime Minister Pashanyan has made one thing clear. A corridor deal can only happen with one condition. full Armenian control. In other words, no US troops will be allowed. So, here's where things stand. A region is this region is closer to peace than ever. But this road to peace runs through a corridor of uncertainty.

49:45 Armenia can choose the west. Azarbjan can get its connection. But whatever they choose, Russia stands to lose. Now, let's talk about Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is deepening. More than 100 people have died from hunger in Gaza. Thousands more are going without food, clean water, or medicine, and aid still remains blocked. The United Nations says more than a thousand people have been killed just trying to reach food. Hospitals too are now reporting deaths from malnutrition. Even journalists in Gaza say that they cannot feed their families. India has expressed concern over these events. It says temporary pauses in fighting are not enough. New Delhi has

50:32 called for a full ceasefire. Here's a report. It's been 21 months. Gaza still remains under siege and the pictures coming out of the war zone are grim. Bodies have been found near aid trucks. Children are dying from hunger and families are still being crushed by air strikes. This is no longer just a war. It is a total collapse. In the past 24 hours, two more children have died from starvation. That brings the official death toll to 113 from starvation alone. The real number is likely higher. Hospitals are overwhelmed.

51:19 Doctors are running out of food, medicine, and power. The World Health Organization has called it what it is, mass starvation. Not by drought, not by disaster, but man-made. The UN says over a thousand people have been killed while seeking food. They have been shot, bombed, or trampled. Many victims died near aid sites. These sites are run by a new body. It's called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation or GHF. It is backed by Israel and the United States. GHF was supposed to replace the UN's role in aid distribution, but instead of relief, it has made things worse. Aid delivery is

52:08 patchy. Distribution is chaotic. And food is still not reaching those who need it most. Even journalists who are covering this war are starving. Leading news agencies are now speaking out. The Associated Press, AFP, the BBC writers. Together, these four organizations have issued a joint statement. They say journalists in Gaza are going without food. They cannot feed themselves or their families and they are reporting while hungry. Israel rejects the criticism. It blames Hamas for the crisis. It says the food shortage is being staged and that aid is being

52:54 blocked or stolen. In Gaza today, there is no famine caused by Israel. There is however a man-made shortage engineered by Hamas. But the facts on the ground say otherwise. There is not enough food. There is not enough fuel. Hospitals are unable to function. And children cannot go to school. India is now voicing its concern. At the UN Security Council this week, it made its position clear. New Delhi says the war must stop and intermittent pauses are not enough. India believes a full ceasefire is needed and the humanitarian

53:41 crisis demands urgent action. Meanwhile, there is talk of a ceasefire. Hamas has submitted a revised proposal. Israel says it is reviewing it, but the air strikes still continue. So do ground assaults and the allervasive hunger. This war has already broken Gaza's infrastructure. Now it is breaking its people. If somewhere there is a pit labeled fitness cliches, then this is their hall of fame. No pain, no gain, longer workout, better workout, and 10,000 steps. For decades, 10,000 steps was touted as

54:29 a magic number, the ultimate goal, the magic portion that would bring you good health. But now a new study is out. It says that 7,000 steps is good enough. And hitting that mark can benefit you in big ways. Walking 7,000 steps a day can boost your brain power. It can protect you from cancer and heart disease. But this can come as a surprise, especially if you're an ardent supporter of the 10,000 step club. But news flash, 10,000 steps is less medicine, more myth. You see, in the run-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a brand of pedometer was launched. A pedometer is an instrument. It calculates how much distance someone has walked or how many steps you've taken. Now, this Japanese pedometer was called Manpo K in English that

55:17 translates to 10,000 step meter. The company also came up with a slogan, healthcare with 10,000 steps a day. And people ate it up the world over. Soon schools were telling students to walk 10,000 steps. Locality evening walks were bubbling with this knowledge. Companies were holding employee fitness programs and wearable devices saw a boom. Look at the fitness company Fitbit. It launched its first wearable device in 2009 and it came with a preset walking target. You guessed it, 10,000 steps. So with trackers and apps, 10,000 steps has fueled a $60 billion global industry. But quick reality check, where did this number even come from? 10,000

56:05 steps? No one knows. Although there are conspiracy theories. Some say that the Japanese character for 10,000 looks like a running a man running or walking. So it was an easy pick mainly for brand recall. But no one is really sure. No one knows for sure. Neither do the company spokespersons and they have apologized for it. So coming back to the golden question, how much do you really need to walk? How many steps do you need per day? According to the latest study we spoke about, we need 7,000 steps a day. But in recent years, research has piled up. And while many agree with this number, some have shared other findings.

56:51 According to a 2019 study, about 4,000 steps a day is enough. It can drop the risk of death by 40%. 4,000 steps a day. According to a 2023 study, just over 2,000 is good enough. Apparently, it really benefits the heart. So, what is the right answer? Well, we hate to break it to you, but there is no right answer. It depends on your body, your lifestyle, your genes. And before we cue an existential crisis, let's make one thing clear. Rather one thing that scientists s scientists still think remains very clear that walking improves health. It boosts metabolism. It makes the heart stronger. It reduces blood sugar levels. It improves brain function and it cuts the risk of death. But there is no oneizefitsall solution.

57:38 Scientists say think of walking like juicing an orange. You get a lot of juice during the first few squeezes, but after a while it dries up. Between 2,000 to 4,000 steps per day, there is a 36% lower risk of death. But between 4 to 7,000 steps, there's a 17% lower risk. And beyond this, the gains flatten. So, you can still do 10,000 steps. In fact, there is no real limit defined when it comes to walking as long as you're not overdoing it and tiring yourself too much. But after a point, you won't see a significant difference in benefits. Plus, intensity still matters, like picking up the pace or choosing an upward slope. And most doctors will tell you to not just walk, but mix it up with

58:26 some other physical activity. So far, so complicated. But I guess our point is quite simple. Don't just fixate on numbers. Don't feel guilty for not hitting that 10,000 mark. And don't forget to switch things up. Just move. And while you're at it, feel free to throw out that tracker. There's a conflict brewing in Southeast Asia. Someone better wake up Donald Trump. The fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has not ended. But who knows? Maybe he can step in. maybe use some of the tariff magic to get a ceasefire and we are not the ones saying that social media is. The moment the bombs dropped,

59:13 the internet was at it. They asked the wannabe Nobel laurate why he wasn't meddling. It's around 12:30 in Washington, so I'm sure a truth social post is coming any time. Heat. Heat.

1:00:48 And now it's time for vantage shots, images that tell the story. Turkey unveals its first domestically built hypersonic missile. Thousands protest in Kiev over the new anti-corruption law for the second straight day and activists rally against oil drilling in the Amazon ahead of the COP 30 in Brazil. Finally, we taking you back in history on this day in 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins successfully returned to Earth after landing on the moon. The three astronauts splashed in the Pacific after spending more than 8 days in space. With that, the final leg of the Apollo 11 came to an end. We're leaving you on that note. Thank you for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.

1:02:12 Yeah. cheese. Watch the Almost done.

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