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hello namaskar this is first post and you're watching vantage with me py Sharma
[Music] after days of speculation Israel has attacked Iran the target was Isfahan a city that has Iranian nuclear assets so what was the reaction will there be a Counter Strike what is the world saying and doing what will it take to restore peace or at least the absence of war in this region we'll discuss all of that meanwhile oil prices continue to rise and this has little to do with the conflict who is engineering a global oil crisis is why was Palestine denied membership of the United Nations how does it change their life India delivers a first batch of brahos missiles to the Philippines why is this significant also India votes in the first phase of the world's biggest election we'll bring you the highlights Joe Biden says his uncle was eaten by cannibals in Papua New Guinea true or false we'll tell you does France owe Haiti $200 billion is China sinking are camels the new cows all this and more coming up the headlines first Poland arrests a man over a suspected plot to assassinate the Ukrainian president the Polish national has been charged with aiding a Russian plan to kill volodimir zilinski Ukraine had tipped off Poland about this suspect since the Russian invasion Warsaw has been one of kev's staunchest backers another suicide attack in Pakistan targeting foreign workers all five Japanese Nationals survived the blast which took place in Karachi the suicide bomber was killed in retaliatory Fire by the police in recent months there have been frequent attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan Kenya's military Chief dies in a helicopter crash President William Ruto declares 3 days of morning the general was promoted just a year ago this is the latest military accident in Kenya involving a high-profile figure Croatia's Top Court bars its president from becoming the next prime minister on Wednesday parliamentary elections were held in the country president Zoran milanovich had campaign to become the new prime minister the court called his campaign illegal and a violation of the Constitution and the winner of beijing's half Mar marathon heay is stripped of his medal this comes after a probe into the controversial result three African Runners had slowed down near the finish line and allowed the Chinese athlete to win the race [Music] Israel has hit back no more speculation no more dissecting options Benin Netanyahu has launched air strikes on Iran the news trickled in this morning reports of explosions in the skies above Iran a bit like what Israel reported last week but this strike appears more limited it targeted a city in central Iran a city called ispahan it's around 400 km south of the capital videos on social media showed explos ions in the sky which usually means one thing projectiles being shot down by the air defense but the specifics are not clear in public Israel has not even confirmed this attack but us officials did confirm it apparently they were informed in advance Israel is said to have shot missiles and drones at Iran did any of them hit again the US says they did but Iran is downplaying the whole thing their state media claims small drones were fired at them most of which were shot down you're seeing Isfahan which is in complete peace people are living their normal lives I think two or 3 hours earlier at midnight sounds were heard in Isfahan Sky based on the information we acquired several small drones were flying in the sky over Isfahan which were fired at so Iran says no biggie but they did take precautions this morning major airports in the country were closed most flights in the region were also diverted but later those restrictions were lifted Iran now says its airspace is open so the assumption is the strike was limited more symbolic than deadly but why is fahan it's a strategically important city you have an Airbase with fighter jets a missile production complex and key nuclear facilities in fact Isfahan is very close to Iran's natan's nuclear site just about 100 km but Israel did not Target it even the United Nations Atomic Watchdog has confirmed this they said the nuclear sites are fine so what was Israel hoping to achieve well this operation had two main goals one was was to establish deterrence Iran had launched missiles and drones at Israel so Israel wanted to say you can't do that if you do we will hit back that's the logic of deterrence the second goal was to display Israel's capability Isfahan is deep inside Iran it's not some remote Border Town so by targeting this city Israel is sending a message that nowhere in Iran is safe which brings us to the reactions how are Iranians reacting to the strike many of them have shaken it off some don't even believe that the strike happened they couldn't handle Gaza that is close to its borders attacking Isfahan that is ridiculous if Israel makes the slightest mistake the reaction from Iran would be more severe in a way that silences Israel and its Master the us forever what about Israel this morning Sirens ran across Northern Israel it turned out to be a false alarm but the danger has not passed along with Iran Israel also struck other targets explosions were reported in Syria and Iraq both countries host Iranian proxy groups plus the hisbah and Lebanon has stepped up attacks so the next few hours will be crucial Israel will be keenly watching for a possible response as for the people their reaction has been mixed some say the attack was necessary others fear what could happen next I think the attack in Iran is a necessary action in our environment which is much harsher than the jungle in Africa ER animals over there behave much nicer than human in this area I'm very sad that Israel attacked Iran and I'm afraid what will happen now what will be in Israel now to the million dollar question what happens next will they there be more escalation between the two sides well it seems unlikely at the moment and there are three reasons why number one Israel's Behavior there's no chest thumping no Grand statements in the media Israel has not even admitted to the strikes usually that means one thing Netanyahu considers the matter closed reason number two Iran's reaction to the whole thing their state media is downplaying the strikes most reports don't even mention Israel if they wanted escalation we would have seen the opposite more Israel blaming more rallying of public opinion and finally reason number three Global pressure us officials say they did not approve Israel's air strike most of the world says it's time to deescalate the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations uh what we're focused on what the G7 is focused on and again it's reflected in our statement and in our conversation is our work to deescalate uh tensions um to deescalate from any potential conflict significant escalation is not in anyone's interest what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region it is absolutely necessary that the region stays stable and that all sides refrain from further action China opposes any actions that lead to tension and further escalation of the situation maybe today's strike will end this conflict maybe Iran will not retaliate but a new normal has been created one where Israel and Iran can strike each other basically the shadow war is not Shadow anymore it's out in the open and that spells chaos for all of West Asia it also means chaos in the oil markets West Asia produces a third of the world's oil if there is a war here oil supply will be the first casualty there would be a shortage and prices would go up in fact it's already happening there is a supply shortfall and this is before the war as in a wider Iran Israel war it is yet to break out we hope it doesn't but irrespective oil supplies are already under stress and prices are expected to remain high through the year at over $100 per barrel and this is not due to the conflict in West Asia this is a deliberate ploy to shrink supplies and it's being orchestrated by the US and OPEC two major players in the global oil Market their decisions and their actions are squeezing the pipelines let's start with OPEC that's the organization of petroleum exporting countries op it's an oil cartle with the world's biggest producers as its members there are 13 countries in OPEC they have almost 80% 80 80% of the world's known oil reserves they produce 40% of the world's oil so you can say OPEC controls the global oil markets and their favorite tactic is production Cuts whenever OPC wants to make make more money they curtail oil supplies and that's exactly what they're doing right now in November last year OPEC met with its allies they decided to slash production significantly by how much 2.2 million barrels per day that represents 2% of the world's oil production so every day the global markets have less oil available their supply has reduced by 2% and they had a meeting again in March they decided to extend production Cuts till the month of June now this has pushed up Global prices since December the price of Brent crude has climbed by more than 20% that is opec's gift to the world and the Americans could make it worse through their sanctions they're going after oil producing Nations this month the US sanctioned Venezuela which is a major producer of both oil and gas American sanctions Target both Venezuelan oil and gas so they'll have a tough time selling it in the international market Venezuela will not be able to accept payments dollar which is a de facto currency for energy trade America's Next Target could be Iran there is growing speculation that the US could sanction Iranian oil this is over the attack on Israel last Sunday as punishment earlier this week the US Treasury secretary dropped some hints the attack by Iran and its proxies underscores the importance of treasury's work to use our economic tools to counter Iran mign activity sanctions on Iranian oil will only worsen the supply situation the US has already made it hard for the world to access Russian oil last month Indian buyers had to reject some oil cargos they came from a company called pjsc solcom flot now this is a major transporter of Russian oil last year this company delivered a fifth of all Russian oil purchases by India 1/ fifth of them but now Indian companies are wary of it it they do not want to take deliveries from this Russian supplier because it faces us sanctions this is what oil politics looks like a few powerful players hack the global market for their own gains OPEC wants to raise prices the United States wants to dictate who can sell oil to whom this must be called out because it bleeds the global economy especially countries like India that rely heavily on oil imports they're sensitive to price fluctuations OPEC and America are artificially cutting supplies and eliminating supplies from the market Mexico has halted some of its oil exports countries like Libya and Sudan are engulfed by conflict so they cannot boost supplies which leaves us at the mercy of OPEC and the US it's far from ideal our world is dealing with a slew of problems the last thing we need is a Market I know the situation looks hopeless but on the upside the world has seen far worse so this two shall pass the only question is how what will it take to restore peace in West Asia how can the region return to normal there is no Silver Bullet to fix this conflict but a few steps will help the first and most pressing one is this a seiz fire in Gaza the fighting has been going on for more than 6 months it has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians and that is the root problem here Israel has set itself a very ambitious goal in Gaza to eliminate the Hamas but experts say that could be impossible just consider the current situation Israel spent months fighting in the streets of Northern Gaza but then they moved South which gave Hamas time to reorganize Reports say they are reestablishing themselves in the north plus Israel's Army could be overstretched they have spent 6 months in Urban War zones and now they face threats from Iran and hisbah so Israel needs to take a call do they go ahead with the invasion of Rafa do they refocus on the North or do they pursue a ceasefire because one thing is clear the current strategy is not working Israel is nowhere near getting the hostages back dozens of them are presumed dead so a cease fire is the need of the hour it would reduce the pressure on Israel's government it would also put the focus back on Arab Israel normalization which brings us to step two more communication and shuttle diplomacy and this is very important during conflicts if communication is not clear there will be miscalculations and miscalculations lead to more conflict I'll give you two examples from this standoff first before Israel's strike on Iran's Consulate in Syria Reports say they told no one about it not even the Americans only moments before the attack did they alert Washington that to not to discuss but to inform that they're going to strike and Now official are regretting it they say the attack was a miscalculation the second example is before Iran's response thean says they informed the us about the impending attack and look what happened 99% of the drones were shot down so communication and calculation is key sometimes they avert conflict sometimes they can minimize the impact but Netanyahu does not seem interested so far he's ignored his allies and Partners at all stages whether it's the Gaza War or the war in Lebanon or now in Iran which brings us to the third step a possible reig in Israel netanyahu's popularity is nearing Rock Bottom around 76% Israelis want him to resign and you can see why he has no plan to get the hostages back he has started a seemingly endless war in Gaza he has triggered a conflict with Iran and he has alienated his Western allies so perhaps Netanyahu has to go perhaps a new leadership can give Israel a Fresh Start someone who can heal the country someone who can reassure Israel's allies which brings us to step four American policy must change right now it's rooted in hypocrisy the Americans give military aid worth billions to Israel Israel uses that to flatten Gaza then the same America offers humanitarian Aid to Gaza how does this policy make sense and finally step number five probably the most important step of them all a two-state solution Palestine must become a sovereign country because it would trigger a chain reaction Saudi Arabia would would likely recognize Israel armed Palestinian groups would lose their rallying call and a strong Arab Israel Alliance could emerge one that would surely deter Iran I know it's a long shot right now but it's also a short shot and some of these steps cannot wait because the events of this week have created a new equation in West Asia Iran says it could review its nuclear Doctrine publicly tan has ruled out making a bomb a nuclear bomb but a review could change that the regime could actively pursue a bomb same with Gaza and offensive in Rafa would be deeply traumatic it would force Arab states to abandon Israel completely so time is of the essence Israel needs to think Beyond ego and narrow political gains it needs to think about its future does it want to be surrounded by enemies and Rivals forever or does it want to live in peace now let's take a step back and look at what started this mess in West Asia the original conflict between Israel and Palestine another blow was dealt to the Palestinians yesterday this time at the United Nations the UN Security Council held a vote yesterday on the question of palestine's membership to the the UN 15 members of the security Council voted like this will those in favors favor of the draft resolution contained in document s224 SL 312 please raise their hand okay we been recorded 12 right okay abstentions 12 Security Council Members voted to allow Palestine to join two members abstain that's Britain and Switzerland they chose not to vote and one loan security council member rejected the resolution that is the United States of America of course because of how the UN works the resolution was rejected the US used its veto and torpedoed Palestinian dreams of un membership after the veto the US said this the United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution this vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties the US says it's strongly supports a two-state solution but it seems that strength did not extend to un membership if the US had not VTO the resolution Palestine would have become the 194th permanent member of the United Nations now remember this does not mean much not on the ground anyway un membership would not have created a new country called Palestine it would not have forced Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza or even the West Bank for that matter nothing would have really changed on the ground nothing other than a symbolic victory for the Palestinians which they clearly knew this resolution naturally will not be the alternative for serious political negotiations that are time bound to implement the two-state solution or relevant Security Council and G resolutions and to resolve the pending issues between Palestinians and Israelis however this resolution will grant hope to the Palestinian people hope for a decent life within an independent state the Palestinian representative said it was about hope nothing else but that isn't what the US believes Israel did not believe it either after the vote Israel thanked the US for its veto and it criticized all the other Security Council Members I explained how the Palestinian Authority does not meet even the basic criteria that they have no authority over their territory and that the Palestinian author Authority is a terror supporting entity now the Israeli representative mentioned something interesting Palestine does not meet the basic criteria of statehood they don't have any authority over their territory passion which is true this is a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories based on the 1967 borders on the bottom left is Gaza the Palestinian Authority does not control that Gaza is ruled by Hamas then there is the other part of Palestine the West West Bank it's called that because it is located on the West Bank of the Jordan River this is the territory that the Palestinian Authority governs except it doesn't actually govern the area not independently the Palestinian Authority manages some Affairs in just these regions the rest of the area is administered by Israel they have controlled this area since the 7th of June 1967 so technically the Palestinian Authority is an authority only in name that is why Israel says it does not meet the Bas basic criteria of statehood and that is true there is no denying the reality but here's the catch this has not stopped the United Nations from recognizing a member before the UN admitted Ukraine in 1945 when it was still part of the Soviet Union it admitted Monaco in 1993 even though most of its governance was taken care of by France so there's definitely a precedent Palestine could have been made a member it's not something something the UN hasn't done before most countries think it is time to allow Palestine to have a seat at the table from across the world about 140 countries have already recognized the state of Palestine almost all the countries are in Asia Africa and South America India Brazil the Philippines Poland almost everyone is on board India supports Palestinian statehood only the West has not recognized Palestine yet admit us to membership it's an investment in peace no matter how much the Palestinians plead because the US holds disproportionate power at the United Nations because it has a veto Palestine member today is a significant day for India's aspirations as a major defense manufacturer the Philippines has received the brahmos missiles Manila now has an Indian Shield to defend itself against Chinese aggression the Indian air for made the delivery today the deal was signed 2 years ago the contract was worth $375 million some notable firsts come with this deal the brahmos is India's first major defense export and the Philippines is the first nation to get the brahos missile system Manila has bought three batteries of brahmos Now One battery of the system has two missile launchers a radar and a command and control center so the Philippines gets three sets of the system from manila's perspective the deliveries could not have come at a better time tensions with China are growing in recent months the pla the Chinese Army has become more aggressive they're targeting ships from the Philippines firing water cannons at them coast guards from both sides have clashed repeatedly on more than one occasion their ships have collided plus Beijing has been issuing threats and warnings the Philippine site on the one hand induced external forces to interfere in the South China Sea issue and intruded into relevant islands and reefs of China's ncha chinga on the other hand it activated its propaganda machine against China to Hype up the so-called the big bullying the small and played victim the Chinese side is strongly opposed to this the situation is dangerous and China's actions could trigger a conflict so Manila desperately needs an effective deterrent the brahmos could fit that role Manila could deploy the system in the west Philippines Sea that's where their forces clash with the Chinese this region is part of the China Sea dispute China has been trying to assert itself here it claims most parts of the West Philippine Sea Chinese ships are often seen here they try to disrupt the freedom of movement so deploying the brahmos in this region would defend Manila against Chinese ships the missile has been specifically calibrated for this Mission Manila has bought a shore-based anti-missile version of the brahmos meaning it can it can be deployed near the sea if the Chinese engage in aggressive behavior the brahmos can be pointed at their ships and this sale is just the beginning it's a foundation for a deeper defense partnership between India and the Philippines to begin with the brahos deal includes Clauses around training and logistic support India has trained military officials from the Philippines on the braho system it has off also offered spare parts so this pack creates long-term interdependencies it also creates opportunities for both sides to engage in joint military drills especially on the high seas since both militaries operate the brahmos and this could already be in the pipeline in 2023 Manila and New Delhi signed a pact about and I'm quoting enhancing Maritime cooperation that was a deal with today's deliveries they can Elevate their defense partnership and for India this also opens new doors the success of this deal will boost India's standing in defense exports Regional players like Indonesia Vietnam and Thailand have all expressed interest in the brahmos success with the Philippines can influence the outcomes of these negotiations in the long run these deals cement India's position as a net security provider in the region [Music] it's election season in India today was the first phase of voting 160 million people voted in 102 constituencies it was mostly business as usual but some states saw bouts of violence too in Manipur for instance there were reports of vandalism and evm destruction but there were also some positive stories like2 year old woman casting her vote election commission officials using mules to set up polling boots it was truly a mixed bag a true picture of the world's largest democracy our next report brings you the highlights 28 States eight union territories 543 constituencies about a billion voters and six weeks this is the world's biggest Democratic exercise [Music] elections kicked off in India today this is the first phase of voting it covers a total of 21 states and 102 constituencies 160 million people are eligible to vote in this phase until 5:00 p.m. nearly 60% voter turnout was recorded across the states voters headed to The Ballot Box as political leaders led by Prime Minister Modi and different parties urge citizens to cast their vote I [Music] I am proud to cast my vote all voters should vote so which major States voted today the first is tamilnad all 39 constituencies went to polls it's a litmus test for the ruling BJP or bhara janata party they want to make inroads in the South and tamilnad is a big part of the mission meanwhile the ruling DMK aims to repeat its 20 19 performance and sweep the state once again other major states that voted today include Rajasthan utar Pradesh madya Pradesh West Bengal and the Northeastern State of Manipur has seen bouts of violence in the last few months it reported 68% voter turnout but there were several incidents of firing and vandalism there were also reports of Booth capturing and destruction of EVMS that's electronic voting machines but it's not just about numbers and violence India's elections are about its voters the 968 million people who will queue up to cast their votes from the world's shortest woman to a newly wed couple in Jammu and Kashmir from a 102-year-old woman in tamilnad to an ancient tribe in the Andaman today citizens from all walks of life showed up across the country to make their voices heard India's Election Commission says every vote counts and it isn't just a hashtag they are traveling to Great Lengths to make sure everyone can exercise their Democratic right this is the first phase of voting in India there are six more phases left 434 more constituencies will go to polls in the coming days the voting will end on June 1st the results will be announced on June 4th in 2019 the BJP Le NDA Coalition secured a landslide Victory it won 353 seats while the Congress and its Partners won just 91 seats this time the BJP aims to further its gains they are aiming for 400 seats meanwhile the opposition Alliance India is hoping to stop the ruling BJP but that's highly unlikely according to Trends and if the BJP wins it will be a record third term for Prime Minister nendra Modi world leaders must choose their words wisely they don't just speak for themselves they speak for a nation so the last thing you want is a gaff or an insult or Worse both but Joe Biden did not get the memo this week he visited a war memorial in Pennsylvania it is dedicated to soldiers of World War II among them was Biden's Uncle Ambrose J finegan he died fighting in the Pacific region as for how he died we let his nephew tell the story he flew those single engine planes as reconnaissance over War zones he got shot down in New Guinea and uh they never found the body because they used to be there a lot of cannibals for real in that part of New Guinea took a wild turn didn't it Biden says his uncle was flying over the Pacific his plane crashed in Papua New Guinea and then cannibals ate him you know what the sounds like a scary story your parents discuss at home a story you decide is true and then narrates 70 years later as president but why cannibals why not a legendary dog fight with Japanese fighter because Papua New guini did have cannibals some communities practiced it not because they did not have food but because it was tradition they would cannibalize dead relatives out of respect of course that does not happen today uh but let's come back to Uncle finegan if cannibals did not get him how did he die well here's what the US government says in 1944 Uncle Finnegan's plane was flying over the Pacific but at low altitude both engines failed so the plane's nose hit the water three men did not survive the crash and among them was Biden's Uncle his body was never recovered from the area but the statement does not mention cannibalism so Biden was wrong about two things the plane was not shot down it had engine trouble and his uncle was not cannibalized his body just went missing so Biden's story was all cooked up and not for the first time the US president seems to get confused a lot he's getting world leaders wrong he's getting cities wrong and he's is getting the date wrong listen in and I sat down and I said America's back and mean from Germany I mean from France looked at me and said uh said you know what why how long you back for all right God Save the Queen man harder than getting a a ticket to the Renaissance tour or or or ritage tour elect me I'm in the 20 20th century 21st century and I made it clear to Israelis I know what you're thinking nobody's perfect everyone mixes up names and places once in a while well two problems here one Biden is not just anybody he's the president of the United States a country that is deeply involved in two Wars so he cannot afford this and two it's not once in a while Biden keeps making such mistakes and some of them could have political consequences just consider the latest one Papua New Guinea is a country in the Pacific it's become a key strategic Battleground China is trying to make inroads there so Biden must be on top of his game he cannot afford to insult or offend their government and he certainly cannot accuse their ancestors of eating his uncle it's also perfect ammunition for his opponents look at what a recent poll found 60% Americans doubt Biden's mental capacity a recent investigation found his memory to be hazy and poor so the concerns are valid now Democrats will say Donald Trump is equally bad Trump will mostly most likely challenge Biden for the White House house and his gaps are world famous but Biden is the incumbent he's also 3 and a half years older than Donald Trump so the onus is on Joe Biden he must prove that he's fit to serve on we've always heard that election is All About Numbers well this time that number could be age our next story is about Haiti the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere a base for dozens of armed gangs who even forced their prime minister to resign Haiti always seems to be in a state of chaos it's been that way since it became independent back in 18004 but maybe that's not the country's fault completely a group of NOS has gathered in Geneva they're trying to form an independent commission to help undo a historic Justice they want France to pay a ransom that it took from Haiti back in the 1800s the price it extracted for haes Freedom how how much money does the Coalition want France to pay anywhere between 150 to $200 billion here's our report have you heard of the term War reparations it's a specific type of payment given by a losing country to the winner of a war this has always taken place in history Germany paid this to the Victorious allies after World War II and after World War I as well France paid this to Britain after Napoleon Was Defeated War reparations are a way for the losing sight to pay for the lives lost this is how it has always been the business side of War but what if the roles were reversed if the winner of a war had to pay the loser even if the war was justified if it was the morally right thing to do we don't have to imagine that scenario it's what happened to Haiti and the country has been suffering for 200 years because of this Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere it's a country in the Caribbean Sea it occupies half of an island Hispanola the other half is a different country the Dominican Republic where the people are on average 10 times richer than the Haitians what led to this Stark disparity simply put France Haiti was once a French colony called San doing France filled it with sugar and coffee plantations and slaves to work on them by the year 7 1989 90% of the people in San doing were slaves subjected to barbaric cruelty by the French colonizers so the slaves rose up to break their shackles they finally won their freedom from the French in 1804 after fighting for over a decade the people even defeated Napoleon's Armada making a place for themselves in history but the joy was shortlived Napoleon was beaten in Europe as well the French monarchy was restored and they wanted their colony back France sent another Armada in 1825 500 cannons were pointed at the now free nation of Haiti and the French made them an offer at gunship Point pay 150 million Franks for your freedom or we'll enslave and kill you again let's look at a contemporary comparison the Louisiana Purchase the US actually purchased much of the present day South and Midwest from France back in the year 1804 more than 2 million square km of land about 77 times the size of Haiti how much did the US pay France 80 million Franks or $15 million 21 years later France forced Haiti to pay almost double this amount 150 million Franks now obviously Haiti did not have that kind of money so France made it borrow the money from French Bankers there were Banker fees and interest which meant Haiti was paying off the rent for 122 years the final payment was made in 1947 that is when Haiti was free of the French debt so how much do you think the total debt was worth well that is a question that will be debated by a United Nations group the UN permanent Forum on people of African descent 20 NOS have come together they're asking the forum for justice they want France to return what it took from Haiti when you add interest it may be between 150 to $200 billion France will deny this of course they have only ever acknowledged a moral debt that they owe Haiti never actual compensation Haiti is the poorest of its neighbors brimming with gang violence and a history of impoverishment the French robbery played a huge part in this mess and this time ptis should be the one paying our next story comes with a sinking feeling it's about China the second most populous nation in the world China is home to 1.4 billion people and now land is sinking underneath their feet a new study is out it's the first to measure subsidence across many parts of China and here is what it says Chinese cities are growing rapidly and with that they're also sinking nearly half of China's urban areas are sinking fast faster than 3 mm per year these areas have 29% of the country's population that's 406 million people living on slowly sinking land meanwhile 16% of the urban areas are losing more than 10 mm of elevation per year meaning 67 million people are rapidly sinking the numbers may seem small but they accumulate quickly in 100 years a quarter of China's Coastal land will sit below sea level level and there are two parts to it one China is sinking and two the sea level is rising thanks to climate change and this makes a dangerous combination we don't have to wait for a century to witness the consequences they're already upon us with every little decline in elevation the country is at a greater risk of flooding you may remember the floods of 2023 that's when record rain drenched China more than a million people were displaced and dozens died if China continues to sink such scenarios will only wor it's a national problem but how did it occur there are two reasons first the infrastructure China has 600 million buildings 600 million their sheer weight is pushing down on the ground secondly China does not have enough ground water so cities are rampantly pumping water from the underground now parts of the underground are Hollow and this is causing the land to sink not just that the land is also collapsing we saw this last year in the city of theen streets suddenly split apart there were giant cracks and thousands of residents had to be evacuated theen is one of the fastest sinking places in China but it's not alone Beijing the capital city is also among the worst hit so shangi a major Center for finance and Manufacturing and this is not good news for president Xi Jinping but what has he done about it not very much it seems he fails to grasp the gravity of sinking land yes Beijing has introduced some new laws to control groundwater pumping shanga and surrounding areas have been limiting water withdrawal but other cities receive have received stepchild treatment plus China's coastal areas have built physical protection this has helped retain water but sinking land is not just a coastal problem China needs to focus on Urban cities as well some of which are sinking faster than coastal cities so they must act fast maybe learn from other nations like Italy the UK the US the Netherlands India Indonesia Thailand and Bangladesh parts of these countries are sinking as well and how are they coping well some nations are injecting water into the soil Venice and Italy is building seaw walls Indonesia's Jakarta is sinking rapidly so they're building a whole new capital city from scratch so the measures differ some are about prevention others are about accepting the reality of a losing game and starting a new one but whichever path China takes the decision must come before it has to choose whether to sink or swim that's not the end of problems created by climate change extreme weather is making it increasingly difficult to put food on the table or should we say milk and now people are adapting camels are equipped to handle extreme weather so many parts of West Asia and Africa are depending on camel milk in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia camel Dairy Mega Farms have been set up in East African countries including Kenya Ethiopia and Somalia Farmers have depended on cows for eons but they're gradually transitioning to camels what is behind the shift are camels the cows of the future here's our report camels may be the next cows don't worry we aren't talking about a body swamp simply put the ships of the desert are taking up more livestock duties across parts of Africa and West Asia camel milk is in high demand in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia camel dairy farms have been set up where they have tens of thousands of camels and these Mega Farms are producing camel milk on an industrial scale in Africa too camels have arrived to replace the cows people are transitioning to camel milk especially in Kenya and the Horn of Africa which consists of jibuti Atria Ethiopia and Somalia for centuries these nations have depended on cows for their milk so much so that they outnumber camels 10 to1 but cows are no longer having their movement pardon the pun various nations are in different stages of transitioning the shift has been happening for about five decades and now governments are speeding up the process Regional governments are purchasing camels from Traders and then Distributing them across the lowlands in both West Asia and Africa cows are part of sedentary farming where livestock agriculture happens in a single location year after year but camels have so far resisted it why is that changing there are various reasons let's start with West Asia it has eyes on the global market for camel milk which is growing rapidly it's worth $2 billion but by the end of this decade it's a expected to stand at $13 billion herders in arid regions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have always depended on camel milk but this new marketability is because of its taste and health benefits to those who've tried camel milk and found its salty taste disturbing here's a fun fact fresh camel milk often comes with a milder taste that becomes sweeter in particular seasons and camel milk is a healthier alternative to cow sheep or goat milk it's high in vitamin C and low in fat so in West Asia money-making opportunities are driving this change but so is pragmatism with climate change the food industry is adapting and among mammals camels are almost singularly equipped to handle extremes and many people are betting on that including East Africa it has been breathing a drought for 3 years now whose severity has become 100 times worse due to CL climate change now grazable land is shrinking water sources are drying up and cows are dying in the Horn of Africa the drought has killed 80% of the cow population this has shattered millions of livelihoods all my cattle are dead the field they used to graze from is now filled with carcasses the drought now has got to the level of taking our lives before the drought I had plenty milk and meat now nations are looking to camels to save the day because camels can go up to 2 weeks without water as opposed to a day or two for a cow they can also lose 30% of their body weight and still survive that's one of the highest thresholds for any large animal plus camel milk is a comparable substitute for cow's milk and it's healthier plus a camel requires less food and water than a cow to produce the same amount of milk which is why camels are often called The Miracle species so whether it's about more money or M survival countries are increasingly hoping for their own Miracle now it's time for Vantage shorts images that tell the story in Dubai Drone footage showed a flooded Highway with submerged Vehicles days after torrential rain hit the city in Bucharest the Romanian circus performed at the city's airport and three Russians set a world record for parachuting from the earth Stratosphere to the North Pole finally we're taking you back in history on the this day in 1975 India's first satellite arabat was launched it was launched by a Soviet rocket initially the satellite was supposed to be launched with the help of the US but in 1971 then prime minister indraa Gandhi received a message from Moscow the Soviet Union offered to assist India in the launch in the end India decided to take them up on their offer we're leaving you on that note thanks for watching have a great weekend night over 300 missiles and drones made their way towards Israeli soil Iran launched its first ever direct attack at its fo Israel Israeli fighter jets swung into action as they roared across the North in defense Israel says it had successfully foiled the attack with its Iron Dome bringing down 99% of the Iranian missiles and drones after more than a decade of Shadow war and simmering tensions the attack has brought the two countries to the brink of an allout conflict and it has pushed West Asia deeper into crisis The Man Behind this attack is none other than the supreme leader of Iran ayatullah Ali he has led the Islamic regime for over three decades no other figure in Iran carries as much Authority and stature as he does the Supreme Leader is the head of state and commanderin-chief he is empowered to command the armed forces and even Declare War and Peace he controls the Islamic revolution guard Corp or the irgc so a decision to strike Israel could not have gone forward without kamani stamp Reports say the irgc presented Kini with several options to strike Israeli interests including one that included a direct attack with medium-range missiles hours before Iran launched its attack Ali kamini put out a message on X and reiterated what he had said just a few days ago Israel will be but Ali kamini did not gain a firm grip on power overnight in 1962 the 23-year-old Ali kamani joined the religious opposition movement of ayatullah Rah Ki The Young Ali K became a devout follower of K in 1979 K's government overthrew Muhammad RZA Pahlavi ending the Sha's rule from 1981 to 89 Ali heni served as the President of Iran becoming a close Ally of the first supreme leader Rola k a decade after the Islamic revolution when the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran died in 1989 it left a brief vacuum in the seege of power shortly before his death Ki had a fall out with his chosen Heir Hussein Ali montazeri so there was no agreed upon successor at the time Ali Kini was not even the most senior political or religious figure in Iran or even an Ayatollah yet he took over the clerical Throne to facilitate this the Assembly of experts a group of senior clerics that picks the supreme leader amended the Constitution to allow for a supreme leader with less than Stellar religious credentials Ali keni was elevated overnight from the clerical rank of haat al-islam to Ayatollah Iran's Constitution was also changed to abolish the post of a prime minister and vest greater Authority in the president since then Ali keni has has found several ways to increase his influence he managed to develop a cult of personality his supporters describe him as a Divine gift to mankind formally or informally the executive the legislative and the judicial branches of the government all operate under his absolute sovereignty he controls Iran's security military operations and nuclear activity his views also shape all of Iran's foreign policies Ali Kini had already set the tone for his leadership back in 1981 when he was president and he stands by it till date the elimination of the state of Israel and a Resolute opposition to the United States remain his ultimate goals he has even repeatedly called Israel a cancerous tumor that must be removed from the region never ever ever in my life in 2018 when former US president Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions the ayatullah told Washington that it had made a mistake he said America should never be trusted in 2020 the US killed powerful Iranian General kasim suani in a drone strike General suani was a close Ally and a friend of Kam fuming over the attack the Iranian supreme leader promised severe revenge in retaliation Iran fired ballistic missiles on two Iraqi bases hosting US forces ayatullah Kini called this a slap on the face for America he said it's important to end the corrupt presence of America in the region the Islamic Republic has even been ramping up its production of Highly enriched uranium last year kamini once again set Iran on course for acquiring nuclear arms warning world powers that they cannot stop his regime if it desires to build the bomb while ayatullah Ali keni remains on course for a head-to-head collision with the West troubles for him on the domestic front have only been rising exponentially people in Iran are growing increasingly frustrated with the regime there have been multiple uprisings against the supreme leader in the last few years but he has been playing his hand at quashing descent even more [Applause] brazenly in 2009 protests erupted in major Iranian cities during the presidential election protesters said the election was rigged there were violent protests and clashes demonstrators chanted death to dictator and ripped down posters of Kam several protesters were arrested and tortured from impeachments to inaugurations if it's a political story we are on the scene the race for the White House is heating up we're beating Biden how dare he say that if it's breaking news we're live with the latest coverage from the White House the state department and Capitol Hill we know the issue but above all we know the players to bring you the latest in-depth analysis on all the key stories that we're covering I'm Eric ham join me from Washington here on first post America [Music] hello and welcome to first post America your Global pit stop for the latest news and headlines from the United States and around the world I'm Eric ham coming to you live from the nation's capital in Washington DC we'll get you a round up of all the day top stories but first let's take a look at the headlines one man arrested in Poland over an alleged Russian plot to assassinate Ukraine's president vlodimir zalinski lawyers and Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial
