LIVE: Did "Hidden" Chinese Research Ship Spy on India? | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

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1:42 Hello namaskar. This is first post and you're watching Vantage with me Pali Sharma. [Music] A spy ship was caught snooping near India. It was Chinese. China called it a research vessel. Then why were they hiding it? Also, this was not a first. So, what is China trying to do in the Indian Ocean? And how should New Delhi respond? We'll discuss that tonight. In the US, Donald Trump has slapped tariffs on Canada again. What is he trying to do

2:28 and who stands to gain? In Gaza, is the Hamas losing ground? A new, more radical group is rising. Could this be the end of one terror regime and the beginning of another? In India, an increasing number of people are living the good life on credit. Buy now, pay later is the new mantra, but is it building lifestyles or lifestyle debt? In the US, the FBI doesn't just want loyalty. It is testing it complete with lie detectors. We'll tell you why. Indian cities are living the monsoon nightmare with endless jams, water logging, and luxury villas turning into Venice. In Silicon Valley, big tech is throwing cash like confetti. To steal each other's stars, sporting has become a sport, and the bonuses are obscene. On the other hand, some good news. Exercise cuts your risk of early death

3:14 by 40%. Forget the fountain of youth. Just walk and lift weights. At the Wimbledon, climate change has crashed center court. Rain delays and heat waves. Can sports survive a warming world? That's what we'll discuss. All this and more coming up. The headlines first. Lebanon's president rules out normalization with Israel, but says he hopes for peaceful relations with Beirut's neighbor neighbor, which still occupies parts of southern Lebanon. This is the first official reaction to the Israeli Foreign Minister statement last week where he had expressed interest in normalizing ties with Lebanon and Syria. Fighters of the Kurdistan Workers is party or PKK destroy their weapons at a ceremony in Iraq. Ankara calls it an important step towards terror-free

4:00 Turkey. In the month of May, the PKK ended their decadesl long armed struggle against the Turkish state. The conflict killed more than 40,000 people. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets China's top diplomat Wongi in Malaysia. This is their first face-to-face meeting since Donald Trump returned to the White House. Rubio says a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is highly likely. Washington and Beijing have been at loggerheads over several issues ranging from trade to Taiwan. Mali's Honta chief grants himself a 5-year presidential mandate and he can renew it as many times as he wants without holding an election. Last week, the West African country passed the contentious bill. The Honta has ruled Mali since back-to-back coups in 2020.

4:48 They had promised to return to civilian rule in March last year. And India's Animesh Kujour set to make history. The 22-year-old will make his diamond league debut in Monaco later this later tonight. He will be the first Indian sprinter to do so. Just days ago, he had set a new national record in the 100 m. [Music]

5:34 Nice. Nice. [Music] Where is the India China rivalry? Where is it playing out? Most people would say on land in the rough Himalayan terrain. And yes, that is the biggest flash point. But away from global coverage, China is mounting another challenge in the seas. Chinese vessels are sailing near Indian waters. That too in secret. Let me show you a new report. It was prepared by a French intelligence firm. They tracked

6:21 around 1,900 ships in the Bay of Bengal. Most of them had their tracking on. Some quick context here. Ships are tracked using the AIS, the automatic identification system, AIS. If the AIS is on, a ship can be tracked. But this French report found that 10% of the ships had turned off their AIS, meaning they wanted to remain hidden. They did not want to be tracked. 10% of 1900 ships. And out of these, one vessel caught the firm's attention. A Chinese vessel, a so-called research vessel. And why did it stand out? Because it was sailing close to Indian military zones.

7:06 Let me pull up the map for you. The ship was identified in these 10 locations. All of them are close to India and Sri Lanka. Certainly close enough to Snoop. And that's the thing about these so-called research ships. In reality, they are spy vessels. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. If the tracking was off, how did these guys find the ship? Using radio frequencies, every ship emits radio signals. If you study them closely, you can track the ship, which is what this French group did. They found that the Chinese ship had strategic intent. It wasn't doing research. It was doing something more sinister. The question is

7:52 what? What was it doing? Well, here's the French assessment. They think the ship was mapping the seafloor and more importantly, it was identifying submarine corridors. Basically, finding out the routes used by Indian submarines. And why is this important? If a war breaks out, this information will be crucial. China is digging for it and it has been doing this for a while now. In recent years, China has sent spy ships to Sri Lanka. India objected to those voyages. So eventually Sri Lanka banned them. Perhaps that explains these secret voyages. Whatever the trigger, this episode raises three questions. Number one, what is China's end goal here? Number two, what's at stake for India? And number three, how should India respond?

8:38 Let's look at the first question first. China's goal is to project power in the Indian Ocean. And this mission has unfolded in parts over the years. First, China deployed warships to the Indian Ocean back in 2008. Then they deployed submarines in 2014. And then they opened their first Indian Ocean outpost in 2017, the one in Djibouti. So this has happened over a period of time over many years. Beijing is also holding more drills in the region. Between 2020 and 2022, the Chinese organized seven exercises. In 2023, they held 14 exercises and in 2024, 12 exercises. And don't forget the infrastructure push. China has stakes in multiple Indian Ocean ports like Karachi

9:24 and Guada in Pakistan and Humba in Sri Lanka. In fact, this map shows all the ports with Chinese stakes. Look at how expansive their foothold is. The Indian Ocean carries around 80% of China's oil. 80% of Chinese oil goes through here. So, it's a key choke point for Beijing. Plus, if you dominate the Indian Ocean, you can box India in. So, China's goal is twofold. To secure their supplies and to surround India, which brings us to the second question, what's at stake for India? Simply put, a lot. We are a seafaring nation. Our coastline is more than 11,000 kilometers long. Around 95% of our trade is

10:10 seaborn. And almost all our oil comes through the Indian Ocean. So it's not just for China. The Indian Ocean is a choke point for India too. Which is why China's research is worrying. India's naval bases are spread across our coastline. This year we unveiled a submarine base in Andhra Pradesh. As always, India has to guard these assets not just from attacks but also from surveillance. Which brings us to the last question. How should India respond? Our sources say this particular incident happened some time back. The Navy was tracking this Chinese ship. They also asked them to turn the tracker on. But since it was outside Indian waters, there was nothing more to do for India.

10:58 Just keep track of what was going on. And we've done this in the past as well. Consider what happened in August last year. China deployed three research ships in the Indian Ocean. The Navy said it was tracking all of them. But what about the long run? How do we tackle Chinese ambitions in the Indian Ocean? For starters, we must recognize one thing. India is the dominant power here. This is not the South China Sea. This is the Indian Ocean. So the Indian Navy is better place than China. Our job is to retain that primacy and in that context two goals are important. The first is obviously building a large naval fleet. Look at the numbers. India has 293 vessels but China has 754. They

11:44 have more carriers, more destroyers, submarines and frigates. Of course, New Delhi is aware of this. As we speak, 61 warships and submarines are being constructed in India. 17 more are awaiting approval. This is part of a big naval upgrade. It is expected to cost around $28 billion and that's the first goal. Close the gap with China. Goal number two is political. China is building ports and other infrastructure in Indian Ocean countries like in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the Maldes. And this is crucial for Beijing. They do not have a coastline on the Indian Ocean. So they rely on foreign countries. India must battle this campaign. In 2015, Prime Minister Modi unveiled

12:31 the Saga initiative. Its goal was pretty simple. Reaffirm India's role as the net security provider in the Indian Ocean. Whether it's against piracy or non-state actors or even during natural disasters, as things stand, India does have primacy. China may send warships and submarines to the Indian Ocean, but they haven't sent the bigger carriers yet. That could be a major red line for the Indian government. The key is to ensure that we never come to that.

13:26 [Music] There's this one moment in most disaster movies. Someone pulls down a red lever, alarms blare, lights flash, and everything spirals into chaos. That's what America's trade policy looks like in 2025. Donald Trump is calling the shots. His lever is Truth Social, and the blinking lights. That's global markets in fullblown panic. First in the line of fire was Canada. Trump will impose 35% tariffs on Canada. This will go into effect from the 1st of

14:13 August. Donald Trump says this new rate is final and if Ottawa retaliates it will only go up which is a bit surprising because it looked like Trump and Canada were finally getting along. Prime Prime Minister Mark Carney had visited the White House. He held a cordial meeting with Donald Trump. The two leaders also met at the G7. So these 25 35% tariffs seem sudden. But Trump does have a reason. He says the tariffs are over the fentinel crisis. A short primer here. The US has a drug crisis. An alarming number of people are dying because of drug overdose, mostly fentinyl. Donald Trump says it comes from Canada, Mexico, and China. So, he has slapped tariffs on all of them for failing to stop the flow of fentinil into the US.

15:00 Canada and Mexico deny any role. They also promised to crack down on drug suppliers, so the tariffs were delayed. But now, President Trump is back at it again. He says Canada failed to act and so the tariffs are back. But if Canada acts now, the US could think of a so-called adjustment. That's what Trump said. And how has Canada reacted? Well, Prime Minister Mark Carney has not said much. He has bagged Canadian workers. He has promised to stand by Canadian businesses. Ottawa insists it is still committed to trade talks. In other words, Carney is keeping it cool. But Canada is not the only one bearing the brunt. Since Monday, Trump has issued 20 such letters, and Asia is reeling under the impact. Close allies

15:47 are on the hit list. Countries like Japan and South Korea. The blanket policy is a 15 to 20% levy on most nations, on those who've got Trump's letter, 15 to 20% tariff. And what about the countries that have not got the letter? Well, they aren't safe either. Donald Trump says this is only the beginning, so more tariffs could come. But what exactly is the US president trying to achieve? Trade in Trump's world is a loyalty test. Tariffs are not just economic tools. They are bargaining chips. In theory, it's a bold plan to revive American manufacturing, but in practice, it is a geopolitical migraine. Some countries get deals, others get

16:33 deadlines. Many get both or neither depending on the mood in Washington that week. And let's get one thing out of the way. No one is winning this game. Everyone stands to lose. Trump may sell this as a patriotic victory. But behind the scenes, even these supposed winners are nervous. Take Vietnam. They rushed to strike a deal first. But the ink was not dry before Trump raised the tariff to 40%. Vietnam blinked. Trump doubled down and now their manufacturing economy is rattled. Then there's Japan. It held many rounds of talks with Washington offered concessions. None of that saved them. Meanwhile, an Indian team is heading back to the US.

17:18 They will seek clarity on the recent announcements. Also resume trade negotiations. That said, what should countries do? How do they deal with this ridiculous haphazard policy maker that is the US president? They have a new deadline, August 1st. But it may or may not be final. And in this time, in these three weeks, countries have to bend, break, or bluff. Some, like Vietnam, are negotiating out of desperation. Others like Japan are playing the long game. and Canada, they're strapping in for another round of trade war chicken. Because one thing is very clear here. Trump's tariff tsunami is not about

18:04 trade. It's about control. But in 2025, America must realize that trade is not a one-way street. It is a tangled web of supply chains, mutual dependencies, and decadesl long relationships. Unraveling it is not just messy, it is dangerous. If this is a disaster movie, then we are way past the sirens now. [Music]

19:03 Gaza has been reduced to rubble. But even amid the debris and deaths, a turf war is unfolding. A new group is challenging the Hamas. A militia called the Popular Forces. That's what this group is called, Popular Forces. They're set to have some 300 fighters in their ranks. What's more, they have Israeli support. But will it be enough to topple the Hamas to end their rule over Gaza? For starters, there is not much to end. The January ceasefire gave the Hamas a chance to regroup, but since that ended, since the ceasefire ended, it's been relentless. 95% of their senior leaders are dead. Top military commanders of the Hamas have been killed. They have lost control over 80% of Gaza. So Hamas is on

19:48 its last leg. They don't have the men or the organization to rule anymore. In their place, multiple gangs have emerged. One of them is being touted as a successor to Hamas, the popular forces. This group mainly operates in Rafa. It is led by a man named Yaser Abu Shahab. He used to smuggle drugs into Gaza before October 7th. He had been jailed by the Hamas. He says he's not party to any conflict. He says he's not a professional fighter. Instead, his goal is to protect Gazans from Hamas looting. That's what he says. His goal is basically to end Hamas rule. But can he do it? Well, Abu Shahab spoke to Israeli TV recently. He said he was coordinating

20:34 with Israel. The popular forces, his group, later denied that such an interview ever took place, but the game is pretty pretty evident. Israel is propping up this group. And it's an old strategy. In Lebanon, Israel propped up Christian militias. In Gaza, they propped up the Muslim Brotherhood. In both cases, the goal was the same. Create new power centers to weaken your rivals. In Gaza, Israel wanted to weaken the Palestinian Authority. Hence, they supported the Muslim Brotherhood. But that same Muslim Brotherhood morphed into Hamas. Years later, they're doing it again. Israel wants to get rid of Hamas rule in Gaza. So, they're propping up a new group, a rival. A rival they hope will

21:21 be better. There is certainly a chance to make this work. Arab countries and the US are looking for an alternative to the Hamas. the popular forces is one such alternative, one that is also acceptable to Israel. Plus, Hamas is losing support among Gazins. They were never very popular to begin with, but this endless war has only made things worse. Like I said, multiple gangs have popped up across Gaza. All of them have a score to settle with Hamas. If the popular forces can unite them, who knows, maybe they can pull off a coup. But this plan carries risk for both sides. For Israel, the risk is obvious. Last time they did, they tried something similar, they ended up creating Hamas. What if they repeat that mistake again?

22:07 What if this group, the popular forces, grows into another Hamas? That is a clear risk for Israel. For the popular forces, the risk is domestic. Israel has killed more than 55,000 civilians in Gaza. 55,000 civilians. Yes, Hamas is unpopular there, but Israel is public enemy number one. So if if Israel supports this group, if Israel supports the popular forces, will Gazen stand behind them or will they see this group as the enemy's puppet? Clearly, that's a concern already. As things stand, a lot depends on the ceasefire. There's a flurry of diplomacy happening. US President Donald Trump is hopeful of a ceasefire maybe this week or next. Well, we're talking about Gaza

22:53 for the most part. I think we have a chance this week or next week, not definitely. There's nothing def, you know, definite about war and Gaza and all of the other places that we all deal with so much. A ceasefire would give Hamas some time, some breathing space to regroup and rebuild. If not, Israel will continue to pound them and Hamas will keep losing leaders and firepower. There was a time in India when being in debt carried a bit of shame. You did not advertise it. You did not celebrate it. You kept it hush hush. You only borrowed when you had to to build a house or to educate your child or or maybe a medical crisis. But today being in debt feels

23:40 normal. Debt is like a lifestyle choice. Need a new fridge? Borrow some money. Need a Botox appointment? Well, you can borrow some money for that, too. Fancy vacations, the latest iPhone, weekly facials, everything is available on EMIs. That's equated monthly installments, EMIs. You get what you want now and you can worry about the payment next month. And I'm not even talking about your generic loans like a car loan or a or a home loan. I'm not even talking about credit cards or loans that you may need to invest in your business. I'm talking about these so-called lifestyle loans that have normalized indulgence that you cannot afford.

24:26 Today, everything comes with an EMI plan. You buy now and pay later. That's what they are called BNPL. BNPL plans. Buy now pay later. And India's fintech boom has powered this trend. Everything is connected to your phone. You have your ID, you have your bank account, you tap a few buttons and you get the money. Earlier getting loans was a lengthy process and not everyone got it. But now the process is much easier. Loans are at your fingertips and this has not just democratized credit. It has also normalized debt. Look at the numbers. In the first quarter of 2025, household debt soared to 42% of the GDP. 4 to 42% of the GDP. It's the highest ever. Even during the pandemic it was at 35%, now it is it is

25:14 at 42%. And more than 32% of that is unsecured debt like credit cards, BNPL schemes and short-term personal loans. This unsecured debt is growing fast and the defaults are coming faster. As of 2025, 11% of small borrowers have already defaulted. So why are Indians borrowing so much? Of course, some of it is for necessary purchases. Sometimes emergencies plunge families into debt. Sometimes you borrow to make ends meet. There are everyday costs that you cannot survive without. But the problem arises when you confuse your wants with your needs. Take an iPhone for example. It is it is still an aspirational symbol. According

26:00 to some estimates, 70% of iPhones in India are sold on EMI. 7070% of iPhones sold on EMI. Then there's beauty treatments. Again, this is a luxury. Yet people are borrowing money for it. Companies like FIB hand out 20 cr rupees every month in wellness loans. Needless to say, this leaves people in more debt. Earlier we used to budget around needs. Now we budget around repayments. And this is what the loop looks like. You earn money, you borrow and buy something, you repay that debt, you run out of money and you borrow again. Once upon a time, the average Indian household saved nearly 30% of its income. That number is now below 20%. In

26:46 some cases, it is dangerously close to zero. So here's the bitter truth. You don't need to fe to be rich to feel free. You just need to owe less money. And there are a few ways you can manage that. First, track your EMIs. Know how much you actually owe. Even if it is just 2,000 rupees on some BNPL platform you should know. Two, cap your EMI burden. Experts suggest it should not be more than 40% of your income. Three, start a rainy day fund. Even a,000 rupees per month gives you a cushion. Four, invest slow and steady. SIPs, PPF, the national pension scheme. Just start somewhere. And the last one, try to say no to lifestyle loans. If it's not

27:32 urgent, maybe it can wait. Because here's the thing about debt. It does not knock on your door loudly. It creeps in quietly until one day you're working not for your future, but to pay for your past. The good life is not about what you borrow. It's about what you build. Brick by brick, choice by choice. And that starts with being honest about what you really need. If you have ever seen an action movie, you probably know all about lie detector or polygraph tests. They operate on the basis that when a person lies, their body produces signs like changes in breathing or heart rate. So polygraph tests are often used in law enforcement,

28:19 including by the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is a US intelligence agency and for years it has used lie detector tests to sniff out criminals. But now it is using the test on its own employees to test their loyalty to the FBI director Cash Patel. So what's behind this move? And have other countries done something similar? Here's a report. A lie detector test, technically known as a polygraph test, is used by governments the world over. The test measures a person's heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and sweating. It operates on the basis that when a person lies, their body produces

29:05 telltale physiological responses. So, it is believed that the test can help authorities find out if someone is lying. Polygraphs are regularly used by law enforcement agencies to interrogate suspects. And the US intelligence agency, FBI, or the Federal Bureau of Investigation has used it on its employees time and again. Usually in three ways. When people are being considered for a job there, when FBI officers betray their country, and when they show that they cannot be trusted with critical secrets. This is the typical use of a polygraph test by the FBI. But now a fourth use has been added to this list. The agency is trying to sniff out employees who may not be loyal to their director.

29:54 According to reports, since cash Patel took office as the FBI director, the bureau has ramped up its use of the lie detector test on employees. And what are they being asked reportedly? if they have ever said anything negative about Patel, if they have cast dispersion on him or if they have disclosed a piece of news to the media. It is unclear how many people have been asked to take the test or asked questions about Patel, but as per reports, the number is in dozens. So, what's behind this move? Experts say that this is part of FBI's broader crackdown on news leaks as well as Patel's concerns of how he is portrayed in the public. After all, he has sued multiple people over negative portrayals, including a $75,000 defamation suit

30:41 against an MSNBC contributor for alleging that he spent more time in nightclubs than The Office. So now, intelligence officials must undergo a loyalty test. And unsurprisingly, this has sparked outrage. Critics call this move politically charged and highly inappropriate, especially given the circumstances. Since US President Donald Trump came to power, his administration has tightened its grip on the FBI. Many employees have been forced out or put on administrative leave and in a matter of months, the number of victims has exploded. According to reports, top agents in about 40% of the field offices have either retired or moved into different jobs. And this is a worrying

31:28 trend. Now, the cherry on the top is that many well-respected officers at the highest ranks of the bureau have to prove their loyalty not just to the US Constitution, but also to the FBI director. And the US is not an isolated case here. China has put its armed officers through lie detector tests to ensure their loyalty. So has Taiwan, where lie detector tests have been used for military personnel based abroad to evaluate whether they are spying for other countries. Often where there aren't loyalty tests, there are loyalty oaths like in the Hermit Kingdom where all North Koreans start their year by signing a loyalty oath document to show their allegiance to their leader Kim Jong-un.

32:14 Clearly from democracies to dictatorial regimes, many leaders share a common thread. Trust issues. Our next story is especially for our viewers here in India. Let's say you've made it in life. You drive a German car. You drink almond milk. You rent a 75,000 rupee per month apartment in Gurugram's most expensive and exclusive neighborhood. Flats here go for 50 cr rupees. You've got the gated complex, the concier who nods at you, the meditation room you will never use. Everything is perfect until it rains. One good downpour and you finally understand why the prices are so high.

32:59 After all, your living room is a shallow lake. Your society turns into a koi pond. And if you're lucky, that diving certification is just within reach. Your apartment is flooded. So is your society. There's so much water everywhere that you're not just waiting through it. You would be winging through your life savings. [Music]

33:46 And this is not just a Guru Graham specialtity. There is something unique about India's monsoon season. The first drop of water hits the pavement and suddenly you're transported to Atlantis. Take Kolkata for example. This week it rained overnight and suddenly residents were transported to Venice. Yellow taxis became lifeboats. Water was leaking into metro stations and if you were heading to work, congratulations. This is a sort of willpower they write books and movies about. And when it comes to rain, how can Mumbai ever be left behind? India's financial capital has made this season its whole personality. Rain, cutting chai, vapa and 5 hours of grinding traffic. But if you're blessed, at least the fly over you're on won't become an

34:32 off-roading track like this 250 cr palava fly over in the city. It lasted lesser than a teenager situationship. On day one, people clicked selfies. By day two, bikers were skidding. There were visible cracks. By day three, cement had started coming off like dead skin in a spa. And by day four it was being patched up by authorities. 4 days 250 crores. We say it screams value for money. And here's the strange part. None of this is new. Yet the headlines still manage to surprise us every year. It's like we forget that rain happens every single year. More importantly, we've normalized

35:17 it. Flooding is an annual tradition. We've become koshers of chaos. We've turned potholes into landmarks. We've romanticized inconvenience because what else can you do? Complain to the authorities. Well, they're definitely not listening. Cry. You'll just add to the water levels. But at least we have our infinity stones. You know those magical payments that we make every year hoping that things might work. Your property tax, your road tax, your toll tax, and the million other payments you make every single year. But here's the bright side. At least your city is not actively sinking. It is just slowly drowning in negligence. So what do you do when a 75,000 rupee

36:04 rent per month buys you a built-in waiting pool? When the roads melt, when the bridges collapse, when the drainage doubles as a mythology, will you float? You send WhatsApp forwards. You upload videos on X. You call your plumber. And you move on with your life because at least your overpriced apartment now comes with a waterfront view. Just don't ask if it is covered under maintenance. In every battle, there is a war room. A room where the top minds get together. They plan strategies and strike their enemies. For Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg,

36:49 his war room is recruiting party. According to reports, that's the name of his group chat, recruiting party. His group chat with other Meta executives. This is where they discuss potential recruits, propose multi-million dollar offers, and decide when to poach. And Meta is not alone here. As the AI race heats up, tech giants are competing for dominance. But they cannot do this without top talent. So, from Google to Meta to Open AAI, company after company is poaching the best in the business and offering them pay packages that will blow your mind. Here's a report. If you don't live under a rock, you have probably seen this hyperplanning meme. Now, all you need to do is picture Mark Zuckerberg doing just that. That's probably a bit much. But this analogy is

37:35 likely to be in the ballpark because as the AI race heats up, so have the big tech poaching wars. According to reports, the metab boss has spent months putting together a list or as the Silicon Valley calls it, the list. So much for genius maths minds, but reportedly this list includes top AI engineers and researchers of the world. Like recent graduates from top PhD programs at the University of California at Berkeley and Carnegie Melon, or those employed by Meta's AI competitors, including OpenAI and Google's DeepMind project. Zuckerberg has spent months putting together this list, preparing to offer the potential recruits huge pay packages. The Silicon Valley has been talking about it for months and quite

38:20 openly. Like last month when OpenAI CEO Sam Alman talked about Meta offering his staff $100 million bonuses. And now the world can see this plan in action. Meta has just lured an engineer who previously led Apple's AI models team for its super intelligence team. And the new recruit is being offered a pay package of more than $200 million. Meta's super intelligence team focuses on building AI systems that can complete tasks as well as or better than humans. That's the promise at least. And it already includes former GitHub chief Nat Friedman and Scale AI co-founder Alexander Wong with a 14.3 billion acquisition for a 49% stake in his company. But this is the tip of the

39:07 iceberg. For months now, tech giants have been competing for AI dominance. This includes Meta, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon. They have invested billions of dollars into research. They are introducing new products at breakneck speed. And to research better, they need top talent fast. So, the recruitment race is heating up, too. Meta has reportedly poached 10 of Open AAI's top researchers and model developers with pay packages reportedly adding up to $300 million. Last year, Google bought out the shareholders in Character.ai, which is a chatbot service for $2.7 billion. Meanwhile, Microsoft has handed out multi-million dollar pay packages to

39:52 retain talent. And after calling out meta, now open AAI has poached four high-ranking engineers from Tesla, XAI, and Meta. The pool of top AI research talent in the world is quite small. As big tech scrambles to secure the cream de cream, it is not afraid to spend the big bucks. For much of the past century, life expectancy has steadily increased. In most part most parts of the world, on average, children now live longer than their parents, and that is good news. But for many, it doesn't seem to be enough. They want to live longer. They're obsessed with finding the secret to longer life. They have poured money

40:37 and time to stave off the inevitable. So, what is the secret to longevity? If you're a billionaire, you could try exchanging your blood with your relatives. Some clearly think that it helps. But if not, then science has an answer for you. Exercise. Research says it is the elixir of a long life. A new study is out. It is a metaanalysis. Meaning it looks at a number of smaller studies to come to a single conclusion. This meta study, this large study focused on 85 others. It covered 7 million people the world over and it has reached one conclusion. Exercise can increase your lifespan. It can reduce the risk of early death

41:23 across all causes by up to 40%. And what makes it even more interesting is this. The study tracked people's physical activity at multiple points over time from early adulthood to older age. And here's what it found. Age does not seem to matter. Sure, starting young helps, but people who start exercising at an older age also increase their longevity. In fact, the positive impact is often stronger in older adults. They're more likely to face health problems. So, when they start exercising, the risk of early death is further reduced by 15%. Simply put, it is never too early or too late to be physically active and starting at an at any point can lead to

42:08 a longer life. It is easy to understand why exercise is magic. It is good for the body and the mind. It gives you better sleep, improved blood pressure, strength, mobility, more confidence, better memory and mood. It prevents a range of diseases from cancer to diabetes, anxiety and depression. But we know this already and yet many of us do not exercise. According to the World Health Organization, 31% adults and 80% adolescents do not exercise enough. This is hurting their health. It is also costing the global economy $27 billion every year. That is the cost

42:54 because let's be honest, if it were easy, everyone would be physically active. Workouts can be hard to stick to. They demand discipline even if you do it regularly. And it doesn't help that society has unrealistic ideas of what fitness means. Plus, you have to make time. It's a busy world. So, we get it. As important as it is, physical activity can be a task. But the fact is we need it. So, it is important to get started. Even couch potatoes who exercise see a 22% drop in the risk of early death. And once you start, it is important to be consistent. keep doing it. People who stop exercising lose the longevity momentum. So the obvious next question is how much exercise is enough? At least 150 minutes

43:42 of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity throughout the week. This reduces the risk of heart disease and the number which is the number one killer. It reduces the risk by 40%. And the risk of cancer is reduced by 25%. But this is the average minimum requirement. Depending on your age, you can switch things up. For instance, in your 20s, sky is the limit for peak fitness. So, you can focus on functional moves like planks or squats or sports. But in your 40s, muscle mass really starts to decline and the key is to increase your strength. So, my point is quite simple. Yes, it can be tough and complicated, but no matter your age, exercise and do it with intention.

44:28 Because whatever your goal, the result will most likely be a longer, healthier life. It's a big week for sports in London. The Wimbledon is reaching its business end as we speak. The men's semi-finals are underway. Also in London is a big cricket match, the third test between England and India. Do you know what's common to both? Nearly unbearable heat. There's a heat wave in London this week. Temperatures have crossed 30° C. It is tiring, yes, but it's also altering the playing conditions. At Wimbledon, the players are complaining of slow bounce. At Lords, the pitch is dry instead of green. Our next report tells you how climate change and heat are affecting sports.

45:15 This Wimbledon, there's a new player on court, Mr. Heat. He is relentless and lethal. On opening day, temperatures soared past 32° C. That's the hottest opening day in the tournament's history. There are certainly more sun hats and water coolers around, even free sunscreen for the fans standing in line. The impact of this heat goes beyond just tiredness. It is affecting the playing conditions. Sorry. Many players have complained about the bounce at Wimbledon this year. They say it's too slow, almost like a clay court, and Wimbledon's head groundsman has an idea why.

46:00 I think you probably will see the ball a little slower. And I think the reason for that is probably where the grass leaf is drying out a bit more. The ball is gripping the leaf a little bit more. If the grass is dry, the ball tends to grip more. More grip equals slower bounce. Slower bounce equals longer rallies and draining matches, which isn't the point of a grass court. Grass is supposed to be a fast court where players serve and volley, but the temperatures have turned it into a nutritional battlefield. A few miles from Wimbledon is the Lord's cricket ground. It usually serves up spicy green tops that offer loads of swing. But this time, the pitch for the third test between India and England

46:46 looked extremely dry. Forget swing, the ball was turning by the end of day one. Once again, heat seems to be an issue here. London is in the middle of a heat wave. Temperatures this week crossed 30° C. Not ideal for making spicy green tops. This problem isn't limited to cricket and tennis. Sports in general is not insulated from the impact of climate change. Heat appears to be the major problem. Higher temperatures increase the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke. Endurance sports are among the worst affected. An example of this impact was seen at the 2023 US Open with temperatures

47:34 soaring past 35° Cu. Russian player Daniel Medvidev spoke out. He warned mid-match, one player is going to die and then we will see. Playing surfaces are also at risk. Nowhere is this more stark that in winter sports you cannot hold skiing or snowboarding competitions without snow. But when temperatures rise, snow isn't easy to come by. Consider what happened at this year's Kao India Winter Games. The event in Gulmar was slated to start in February, but it had to be postponed due to the lack of snow. Football hasn't been spared either. It faces the threat of flooded stadiums. At least a third of all English clubs are

48:20 expected to face climate related challenges. Fulham Stadium in London is expected to be underwater by 2050. It's located right next to the Tempame's River, which is rising. Stadiums of Chelsea and West Ham are also likely to face annual flooding by 2050. The players will adapt to drier grass and slower pitches. They will learn to play in hotter conditions. In the grand scheme of things, it's not sports we should be worried about. It's our planet. And now it's time for vantage shots. Images that tell the story. South Korea, US, and Japan hold aerial drills as a

49:06 show of strength against North Korea. A car falls into a gorge in Maharashtra after an Instagram stunt goes wrong. And cheetahs and their cubs steal the show in India's Kuno National Park. Finally, we're taking you back in history. On this day in 2006, a string of powerful blasts rocked India's financial capital, Mumbai. The bombs were placed in local trains. More than 200 people were killed. Over 700 were injured. Pakistan's Lashkarb was behind the attacks. We're leaving you on that note. Thank you for watching. Have a good weekend. [Music] Heat. Heat.

50:22 Yeah, [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]

51:10 Heat up [Music] here. [Music] ahead. [Music] Nice. Nice. [Music]

52:04 Where is the India China rivalry? Where is it playing out? Most people would say on land in the rough Himalayan terrain. And yes, that is the biggest flash point. But away from global coverage, China is mounting another challenge in the seas. Chinese vessels are sailing near Indian waters. That too in secret. Let me show you a new report. It was prepared by a French intelligence firm. They tracked around 1,900 ships in the Bay of Bengal. Most of them had their tracking on. Some quick context here. Ships are tracked using the AIS, the automatic identification system, AIS. If the AIS is on, a ship can be tracked.