Transcription
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hello and welcome to First Post Vantage with me Horsoya. Let's get started.
The oil kings have turned on the faucets, but cheap oil usually comes with an expensive motive. It's a new oil price war, and the prize is Asia. I'm talking about Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman versus UAE President Muhammad bin Zad al- Nayan. And Prime Minister Modi is on a three nation tour. His first stop, Indonesia. And we are tracking every move. And speaking of Indonesia, the Southeast Asian nation has turned to India for its security needs. It isn't just buying missiles, it's buying into India's security story. Also on the show, bomb explosions near a hotel in Damascus. at the same place hosting French President Emanuel Macron. Damascus rolled out the red carpet. The bombs were a violent reminder of Syria's reality. Stay tuned for the latest. And turns out even the world's most optimized human is still human. Brian Johnson says his stomach is eating itself. I'll tell you about that in just a bit. All this and much more lined up. But first, the headlines.
Three tankers struck within hours in the straight of Ormus. Qatar has blamed Iran for attacking one of its ships. All three vessels were struck close to a man. No casualties have been reported. The future of Hormuz has been a sticking point during talks between Iran and the United States. Britain's hardright politician Nigel Farage announces his resignation. He's stepping down as a member of parliament to force a snap bi-election. This is a highstakes gamble following weeks of scrutiny over his finances. A French court clears Marine Le Pen to run for next year's presidential elections, but she has to wear an ankle tag. This has cast doubt over the farright leader's political future. Last year, a lower court had sentenced Le Pen to a 5-year ban from public office over a fake job scam. Kenya and Tanzania deploy a massive police presence to prevent protests in Kenya's capital Nairobi. Police shut down roads. Both countries have faced frequent public unrest in the last 2 years. The East African nations have responded with brutal police oppression. And in India, monsoon fury reres havoc in Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy rainfall triggered flash floods damaging houses, shops and vehicles. The Doda highway was also blocked. This is the third flash flood in the region in the last 2 days.
The straight of hormones may be open for business but has created a new problem. Too much oil, not enough buyers. Now the G's two most powerful leaders, Saudi crown prince Muhammad bin Salman and UAE President Mohammad bin Zad al Nayan are opening the oil taps to win a new battle for Asia's energy market. Here's what's new. Saudi Arabia has announced its biggest oil price cut in more than two decades. It is offering its flagship Arab light crude at a rare discount for Asian buyers. At the same time, the UAE after leaving the OPEC alliance earlier this year has ramped up oil production. Both these decisions are aimed at wooing the Asian refiners and it has us questioning, is the world heading towards another oil price war? Here's why I ask. You see, for decades, Saudi Arabia has been the world's oil firefighter. Whenever prices crashed, Riyad cut production. Whenever supplies tightened, it pumped more. It was called the swing producer, the stabilizer. Now, of course, things have changed. The Gula saw a war that has tested the very foundations of what made it stable. One of those foundations was the uninterrupted flow of energy. Needless to say, the war challenged that perception and exposed to the world just how vulnerable this energy corridor really was. So when things stabilized, the world was prepared for an oil shortage. Instead, it looks like we have got an oil surplus. Shipments that had been delayed due to the war began pouring into the market, but demand failed to keep up, especially in Asia, where China's crude imports have remained weak. So suddenly there was too much oil and too few buyers. And that left Saudi Arabia with little choice. It cut prices and it has cut them aggressively. As I mentioned earlier, Riyad has made big reductions to the price of its flagship crude for buyers in Asia, selling oil at a discount because there's simply more oil in the market and far more competition for every customer. State Saudi Aramco has cut the price of its Arab light crude for the next month by $11 a barrel, taking it to $1.50 below the regional benchmark. The last time Saudi Arabia sold this grade at a discount was during the price wars of 2020 and before that in 2015. This is also the biggest monthly reduction in its official selling prices since at least 2000. That should tell you just how dramatically the market has changed. What's more, Saudi Arabia's big price cut may not be enough because some Asian buyers are still finding oil from rival producers cheaper. And that means that more price cuts could follow as the battle for Asia heats up. And while Saudi Arabia is cutting prices, the UAE is pumping more oil. After walking away from OPEC's production limits earlier this year, Abu Dhabi is wasting no time. Its crude oil production has already climbed above 3.8 million barrels a day in June. That is its highest level in more than 6 years. So simply put, while Saudi Arabia is defending market share with price cuts, the UAE is defending it with more oil and both have eyes on the same market, Asia. The UAE says it has spent tens of billions of dollars expanding its oil capacity. Today, ADNO or Abu Dhabi National Oil Company can produce as much as 5 million barrels a day. And after making that kind of investment, Abu Dhabi has little incentive or reason to leave those oil barrels underground. So it wants returns. So it is not just producing more oil. It is also changing how it sells it. ADNO has also changed the way it prices its oil and has even offered discounted cargos to attract more buyers. It means that the UA is not waiting for customers to come. It is going to them. And most of those customers are in Asia. And look at the price of oil now. Brent crude has fallen from more than $120 a barrel during the war to below $72 today. The fear is no longer an oil shortage. It is an oil glut. But this story is bigger than Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is about OPEC. It was created to do just one thing. Keep the oil market in balance by managing supply. Now that job is becoming much harder. Remember, OPEX unity isn't what it used to be. The UAE has walked away. Iraq wants higher quotas. Kazakhstan is already producing above its limits. And just days ago, OPEC plus approved another round of production increases by adding more than 900,000 barrels a day. But does the world even need more oil? Or are producers now just flooding a market that is already well supplied? And if every oil producer decides it wants its own national profit over larger market stability, then is the next oil price war coming soon? By the looks of it, the first shot may have already been fired.
India is no longer just making friends. It is building partners. And nowhere was that more visible than in Jakarta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Indonesia yesterday. He is on a 3-day visit to the Southeast Asian country. And the visit wasn't merely about ceremonial welcomes and diplomatic smiles. It was about something much bigger. It was about two ancient civilizations deciding that the future of Asia will not be written somewhere else. It will be written by Asians themselves. And if symbolism matters in diplomacy, Indonesia made its intentions crystal clear. Two fighter jets escorted Prime Minister Modi's aircraft into Indonesian airspace. Indonesian President Prabhu Sububanto personally received him at the airport. The welcome was filled with pump and show. Traditional dancers welcomed him. A ceremonial guard of honor followed. Diplomacy rarely speaks loudly, but when it does, it sounds exactly like this. And then came one of the most defining moments. Indonesia conferred its highest civilian honor the Vidag Adipura on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is now the 33rd international honor received by the Prime Minister. And interestingly, Prime Minister Modi becomes only the second Indian prime minister to receive this honor after Javar Lu. He wore the sash. He gave the speech. He called it an honor for millions of Indians. Diplomatic, gracious, very on brand. Indonesia, Indonesia. President Indonesia. And now the moment that stole the show. It was not the award. It was the lunch. Indonesian President Prao Sububanta stood up at his own banquet and admitted on record that he's been copying Prime Minister Modi's playbook. Government programs, policy templates, the whole toolkit, his reasoning, no copyright fees involved. Diplomacy usually hides its admiration behind vague words like shared values. Praova Subanto skipped the euphemism and went straight to I copied your homework. I also want to admit your excellency. I uh follow your career and I copy many of your programs. I don't uh I don't mind I don't mind admitting I'm very happy there's no copyright to to all to all your program. Just I think yesterday a team from Indonesia just came back from I think two or three weeks of study of uh the achievements many Indian uh groups. Now what made the moment worth remembering was Prime Minister Modi's reaction. He laughed when Povo Subanto mentioned the copyright and what followed was just warm admiration for the head of a state. President Copyright is frame is sniper. is copyright president. Of course, behind the jokes and laughs was serious business. Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Indonesian President. He declared that India and Indonesia are entering a golden chapter in bilateral ties. Friends, maritime maj. Defense exchange, disaster management or industrial. Both countries announced a raft of deals. Let me break them down for you. First comes the education sector. India's prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore will establish an overseas campus in Indonesia. Then came healthcare. Indian pharmaceutical regulators and their Indonesian counterpart signed agreements to improve regulatory cooperation and expand market access, meaning more Indian medicines, more healthcare cooperation and perhaps lower health care costs for millions. Now comes the strategic heart of this visit. Defense India and Indonesia expanded cooperation on Brahmos missile, Astra air-to-air defense missiles, defense technology and military industrial collaboration. I will tell you more about that in our next story. Then there is geography. Indonesia sits aside the straight of Malika, one of the busiest shipping lanes on earth. A huge percentage of global trade passes through these waters. Indonesia and India agreed to strengthen maritime cooperation, improve domain awareness, fight piracy and jointly develop Sabang port which is located right near the street. ports orch. Another fascinating announcement involve critical minerals. Indonesia possesses some of the world's largest nickel reserves. Nickel is essential for electric vehicle batteries. India wants to become a manufacturing powerhouse. Indonesia wants greater industrial partnerships. One country has the resources, the other has manufacturing ambitions. In the digital world, the partnership became even more interesting. India's unified payments interface or UPI is set to integrate with Indonesia's payment ecosystem. Anyone who knows who has used UPI knows what this means. Payments become faster and convenient. And if you've ever stood searching for exact change, you'll know digital payments deserve their own award. Indonesia is also looking towards India's digital public infrastructure model. Even more remarkably, India will support Indonesia in developing country specific electronic voting machines. You see, Indonesia is the world's third largest democracy and after India and the United States and they still use paper ballots during elections. So, managing elections there is an enormous logistical exercise. If India's election model helps simplify that process, it becomes yet another Indian institution finding global acceptance. Taken individually, these agreements may seem technical. Together, they reveal something much larger. In an era where the Indoacific is becoming the center of global competition, nations want partners who offer capability without coercion. India increasingly fits that description. Perhaps that is why this visit felt different. It wasn't transactional diplomacy. It was strategic confidence. A confident India sharing technology institutions and opportunity. It also highlights India and Indonesia shared history as mentioned by Prime Minister Modi. Nand or Boro books, Indonesia. Nothing could have described the ties between both countries in a better way. It isn't just history. It is a bond that has survived centuries carried through stories, symbols, shared traditions. Civilizations remember each other long after empires disappear. That historical memory continues to shape modern partnerships. And this connection is not limited to ancient texts, temples or traditions. It lives on in pop culture, music and everyday affection, too. President President he said strip away the garlands and the fighter jets. And here's the real headline. Prime Minister Modi and POV Subanto just upgraded a comprehensive strategic partnership that had been sitting untouched since 2018. This is Prime Minister Modi's first bilateral visit to Indonesia since that upgrade entice. 7 years of a relationship on paper now finally getting substance. So here's Jakarta's verdict on New Delhi. Fighter jets to welcome Prime Minister, a medal to honor him. and a president openly admitting he is the biggest fan. So we have two nations over 1.7 billion people combined sitting on opposite ends of the Indian Ocean deciding it's finally time to stop being polite neighbors and start being actual partners.
Staying with Indonesia, the Southeast Asian nation has turned to India for its security needs. It has placed an order for two different types of missiles. First is the Brahmos, the supersonic cruise missile that can obliterate high value targets. The second is the Astra, India's homegrown air-to-air missile. This is the first time India has received an export order for an air-to-air missile. Both the Brahmos and Astra are battle tested. The Indian Air Force used them during Operation Synindu last year. Pakistan's air force didn't know what hit them. Indonesia was clearly impressed and today they placed an order for the bramos and the Astra. This marks a significant boost for India's influence and defense industry. Our next report tells you more. For decades, India was known as one of the biggest importers of weapons. But today, the country is turning a new page. And that script is being written in Southeast Asia. Enter Indonesia. Southeast Asia's largest military power. The country is currently hosting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indonesia's President Poa Sububanto has left no stone unturned to boost bilateral relations. From the presidential guard of honor to a parliamentary welcome and even a lavish dinner, Indonesia has rolled out the red carpet for the Indian prime minister. But along with the grand welcome, Indonesia has turned to India for its security needs. Jakarta has signed a deal for not one but two Indian weapons. Indonesia and India have signed a multi-layered strategic defense pact worth $630 million. Jakarta has placed an order for the Brahmo supersonic cruise missile and the Astra beyond visual range air-to-air missile. What exactly are these two platforms and why did Indonesia go with the Indian weapons? The Brahmos is a supersonic cruise missile. It has a range of up to 300 km. It can be launched from land, sea, and air. The missile travels at mark 3 or three times the speed of sound. That means speeds of up to 3,700 km per hour. The BRAMOS can fly low and skim the surface or sea, making it difficult for radars to detect and due to the sheer velocity of the missile, it is almost impossible to intercept. The missile has been jointly developed by India and Russia with New Delhi having the majority stake. The weapon is already combat tested. The Indian Air Force fired multiple BRAMOS missiles during Operation Synindur last year. The missile was responsible for cratering Pakistan's runways, transforming hangers into rubble and destroying command and control bunkers where the missile sniffed out an air conditioning shaft. Seeing the lethality of the Brahmos, Indonesia has placed an order for two batteries. The other missile on Jakarta's radar is the Astra Mark1. The Astra is India's homegrown missile. It's a beyond visual range air-to-air weapon. The missile travels at a blistering speed of Mark 4.5. It can engage aerial targets up to a range of 100 km. It uses a mix of internal navigation coordinates along with a smart radar in the nose cone. So if an enemy aircraft adjusts its flight path, the missile makes changes accordingly. And because of its smart radar, the Astra is known as a fire and forget weapon. This missile has also been tested in combat. It was used by the Indian Air Force against Pakistan during Operation Sindur. Indonesia is impressed with the Astra and that is why it wants this missile. The Indian Air Force has installed the Astra on its Sukoy 30 and Tjis fighter jets. And now India will assist the Indonesian Air Force by mating the Astra missile with Indonesia's Sukoy 30 jets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Indonesia visit is historic in many ways. Indonesia has become the first country to place an order for an Indian air-to-air weapon. Till now, the Indian Air Force was the sole operator for the Astra missile. Soon, the Indonesian Air Force will also field the weapon. Meanwhile, India is rapidly expanding its influence in the region. With today's Brahmos deal, Indonesia has become the third operator for the missile. The Philippines and Vietnam have already purchased the Brahmos. Clearly, India is creating a new security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. Today's deal has validated New Delhi's position as a trusted weapons exporter. For Indonesia, the Brahmos will rule the seas while the Astra will dominate the skies. But together they represent something much bigger. New Delhi's influence is growing and more nations are turning to India in a volatile world.
French President Emanuel Macron made a visit to Syria. He became the first head of a major western nation to visit Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. And two bomb blasts took place very close to Macron's hotel. Yes, the French president may have been the target of a bombing. Take a look at the visuals that are coming in. Macron was reportedly staying at a four seasons hotel. He also took a meeting there this morning. He met with members of civil society. Video show just how close the explosions were to Macron's hotel. The blast was clearly visible from the hotel gate. 18 people were injured in the attacks. This includes at least four police officers. The bombs had been detected before they went off. Syria's interior ministry says one was inside a car. The other was inside a garbage container. Syrian forces had been preparing to dismantle the bombs when they exploded, but luckily for Macron, he had already left. Macron had a meeting with Syria's president Ahmed al- Shar. So Macron was on his way to the presidential palace. He arrived shortly after the explosions and the event proceeded according to schedule. Macron later addressed the incident and said certain groups wanted to destabilize Syria. First of all, my thoughts are with those injured this morning, whether civilians or security forces, and I hope that everyone's health and situation will improve as soon as possible. Things have been well organized. We made this trip with full awareness. Being organized on the French side, being organized on the Syrian side. We are not fooled about both the risk factors, but they are under control. And also about the desire of certain groups to prevent Syria's full and complete return to the community of nations. And I think we must at once stand alongside those who have been injured. Continue to be uncompromising on security. You are here and we are when we travel. but not let ourselves be destabilized regarding the importance of the path that is ours. So we move forward. Now Macro signed multiple agreements with Alshar. The focus was on energy. The USIsraeli war on Iran showed how vulnerable the straight war moves. So it seems even bomb blasts won't deter France from finding an alternative. After the straight of Hormma's crisis that we all experienced this year, the world came to recognize the value of safe and stable trade corridors in this region. This is where Syria's strategic geography comes to the forefront, having today regain its vital role as an indispensable hub in the global market of trade corridors. We want France to be our foremost partner in this endeavor. France has been at the forefront of trying to rehabilitate Syria and return it to the international fold. Ahmed Al-shar ousted Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. This ended the 13-year long civil war in Syria. Al-shar spent a year consolidating power. He then made his first visit to a European nation last May and that nation was France. Macron was the first western leader to welcome Al-shar. It was after visiting France that Alra went to the United States to meet Donald Trump. These close ties between Syria and France seem to be growing. Their partnership spans both economics and defense. Syria wants France to help reign Israel in. Israel has regularly attacked Syria. So, Alur hopes Paris can get Israel to back down. Meanwhile, France insists that Syria must respect the rule of law. There have been massacres in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Syria's Alawad and Ruse minorities have faced brutal attacks often by supporters of the government. Macron wants Alshar to protect Syria's minorities and put an end to terrorism in the country. As I said, France remains committed in the region in the fight against terrorism. We were until very recently in your country in northeastern Syria. We are in Jordan, in Iraq, and with consistency. And so we are also ready within a framework we are currently redefining to provide our support through our special forces in the fight against terrorism and terrorist groups for all the reasons I mentioned. The twin blast in Damascus show that terrorism is far from defeated and there is still a lot of work to do to bring peace to Syria.
Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House, he has ruffled the feathers of America's closest allies. First, it was tariffs on Europe's wine and cars. Then, he threatened to invade Greenland. He didn't even spare Canada and called it the 51st state of the United States. Trump has bullied every nation the United States once called a strategic partner. But today, he got a taste of his medicine. Canada and Europe executed a multi-billion dollar passive aggressive snub. They signed weapons deals worth nearly at least $90 billion. Canada is buying German submarines for $30 billion. This is Ottawa's largest weapons deal in history. What else? European nations have picked Sweden to supply airborne warning and control systems, also called Awax. These deals were signed today in Turk's capital Ankora. And all of this happened before Trump's Air Force One even touched down for the NATO summit. Our next report tells you more. The 36th NATO summit has officially kicked off in Turkish capital, Anara. The transatlantic security alliance is meeting at a crucial time. On one hand, you have the Russia Ukraine war that has now lasted longer than World War I. On the other, you have almost 30% of the world's energy stuck in the straight of Hormuz. But instead of focusing on resolving problems with Russia and Iran, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is busy fighting one of its own, the United States of America. NATO members are fed up with Trump's demands. First, the US president wanted all 32 allies to increase defense spending to 5%. Then during the Iran war, Trump demanded loyalty and air base access. Instead of following Trump's commands, NATO members are carving their own path. Canada has made the first move. Prime Minister Mark Carney has picked Germany for its future submarines. Otawa will play almost $30 billion for 12 warships, making it the largest defense deal in Canada's history. Today, as part of our commitments to defend Canada and to support our allies, I'm pleased to announce that Canada has selected TKMS as the preferred supplier for Canada's patrol submarine project. Canada will get the type 212 submarines starting 2034. These are hybrid submarines that are powered by a diesel engine and lithium batteries. They can operate for a span of 41 days in one go. Each submarine is armed with 14 torpedoes, anti-aircraft missiles, and drones. Germany says the submarine deal will boost bilateral relations and strengthen Europe's ties with Canada. With this decision, we will be sending a strong signal in support of transatlantic and European cooperation at the start of the summit. For this is truly a strategic initiative that will bind Canada, Germany, and Norway together as partners in the North Atlantic region for decades to come. As Turkey opened the 36th edition of the NATO summit in its capital, Ankara, NATO announced some major defense deals. NATO secretary general reaffirmed NATO's commitment to European manufacturers. First he announced the creation of a strategic airlift fleet comprising of Airbus A400 aircraft. Then he announced the order for 10 airborne warning and control systems or Awax. That order has been awarded to Sweden. Surveillance acies are also launching a new multinational project focused on the Airbus A400M. This is worldclass strategic airlift capability. The A330 MRT and the A440400 will provide the alliance with two highly capable multinational fleets. For decades, NATO has relied on a fleet of E3 airborne warning and control systems that have been our eyes in the skies. They have been deployed from northern Norway to southern Turkey. They have served us well and continue to do so, but they are reaching the end of their lives. Today, several allies are announcing the joint procurement of up to 10 SAP Global Eye aircrafts to replace them. The Airbus A400 is a strategic airlifter. It is powered by four powerful propeller engines. The aircraft can airlift 37 tons of gear, including tanks, helicopters, and troops. Without any cargo, the aircraft can fly more than 8,000 km on a full tank. Even with its heaviest loadout, it can ferry for more than 3,000 km without refueling. Europe already operates 130 of these aircrafts, and now they are buying more. But this is not the only strategic aircraft that European NATO members want. An order has been placed for 10 Awax. These will be made by Sweden's SAB. The Global Eye is a flying command center. It is based on Canada's Bombardier jet. It can fly non-stop for 11 hours. It has an active electronically scanned array radar strapped to the aircraft spine. And this radar can track multiple targets up to a range of 600 km. The Global Eye is also equipped with advanced cameras and sensors for intelligence gathering. For nearly three decades, Europe depended on the Americanmade Boeing E3 Awax. But Trump's tantrums and threats have cast a shadow on America's relations with NATO allies. Today, Canada and European members announced multiple deals worth more than 90 billion. And these were announced when Trump had not even arrived for the NATO summit. Looks like somebody was not invited to the party. Europe and Canada are now turning away from the US and developing their own military-industrial complex. Clearly in today's world of geopolitics, spite has become a powerful motivator.
Biohacker Brian Johnson just hit the one thing you cannot optimize. Brian Johnson has spent the last few years trying to do do only what only a few have attempted. engineer aging. The Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned himself into perhaps the world's most measured human being. Hundreds of biomarkers, MRIs, blood tests, organ scans, strict sleep, eating his last meal at 11:00 a.m. injecting himself with his teenage son's blood. Millions spent year after year chasing one goal, don't die. But this week, Johnson revealed something that no amount of optimization could have prevented. My stomach is eating itself. Brian Johnson has been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis, an incurable condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the stomach lining. The disease gradually damages the cells responsible for producing stomach acid and absorbing nutrients like vitamin B12 and iron. It often develops silently over years before anyone notices. For years, Johnson had persistently low feritin. That is the body's iron stores. Supplements didn't help. Extensive investigations eventually led to stomach biopsies and specialized antibbody tests, confirming autoimmune gastritis. He has since begun iron infusions, vitamin B12 treatment and long-term monitoring while promising to throw AI and cuttingedge medicine at solving the disease. This isn't just another health health update. It's a fascinating moment because he is the face of an entire philosophy. Just take a look at his blueprint project. Sleep gets optimized, meals get optimized, heart rate gets optimized, every calorie, every hormone, every minute of recovery becomes another variable to control. In many ways, Johnson has become the logical endpoint of Silicon Valley thinking. If there's enough data, every problem has a solution. And to be fair, Brian Johnson has always been transparent. From all the various therapies to all the data, the scientific literature, he has made it all available to his followers for them to make an informed choice. Johnson's biomarkers often resemble those of someone decades younger. His experiments have generated valuable public data about sleep, nutrition, exercise, preventative medicine. Even critics acknowledge that he has pushed conversations around longevity into the mainstream. But autoimmune disease doesn't really care about your spreadsheet. Scientists still don't fully understand why many autoimmune diseases begin. Genetics matter. Environmental triggers matter. Infections may matter. Sometimes they simply appear without a clear cause. More than 100 autoimmune disorders exist, and many remain impossible to predict or prevent, even in otherwise healthy people. That's what makes Johnson's diagnosis so curious. Not because biohacking failed, but because it found its limits. The internet loves extremes. Either Johnson is a genius, proving we can defeat aging, or he is a fraud, exposed by one diagnosis. Reality is less dramatic, and it is that deep. His relentless monitoring may have actually caught the disease earlier than most people would have. Many patients spend years before getting an autoimmune diagnosis because the symptoms are vague and routine blood work can appear normal. Yet this case also reminds us of something modern culture often forgets. Optimization isn't the same thing as control. Nature isn't software. Biology is messy, probabilistic, and full of tradeoffs that evolution never designed to be elegant. You can improve the odds. You can reduce risk. You can live healthier. But there is still a difference between increasing your chances and mastering nature itself. Brian Johnson may eventually help discover better treatments for autoimmune disease. His willingness to document every step could genuinely advance medical understanding, but his latest diagnosis may have already taught us something much more valuable. Perhaps the future isn't about conquering biology. It's about respecting just how much of it remains unconquered. Even the world's most optimized human is still human.
Before I begin our next story, here are a few numbers for you. One person is laid off from a tech company approximately every minute. Every hour around 35 tech employees lose their jobs. And every day that number is as high as 874. Now look at what happened yesterday. Microsoft announced job cuts in its gaming division Xbox. It laid off nearly 2% of its global workforce, around 4,800 employees. It's a sweeping restructuring at its struggling gaming division. A move to spend more on artificial intelligence. And Microsoft is not alone. Meta, Oracle, Accenture. It's the same story everywhere. So far in 2026, there have been more than 400 layoffs at tech companies with more than 160,000 people impacted. By the time the year ends, the number is expected to go up to around 300,000. Just look at the number of people who have lost their jobs over the past few years. Alarming, isn't it? So I ask, in this economy, how do you even find a job? And once you have it, how do you keep it? Because tech companies have found a new hobby. Firing people on one hand, writing AI investment checks with the other. Remember when businesses competed to hire as many as possible? Those days are over. Today, companies don't want more employees, they want better employees. Quality has defeated quantity. Think of it like cricket. Earlier companies wanted 11 decent players. Now they want three match winners and AI to fill the remaining eight positions. That's where the hiring market is heading. Recently, Upgrad Recruit, the talent and staffing arm of the upskilling platform Upgrad, conducted a survey of over thousands of human resource leaders across multiple industries in India. And what they found was fascinating. Nearly eight out of 10 companies failed to meet their hiring targets. Not because they couldn't find candidates, because they couldn't find the right candidates. Some critical roles are taking up to 20 weeks to fill. That's about 5 months to hire one person. Think about it. By then, the candidate might need a refresher on the role they were interviewed for. And who's most wanted in the slow, cautious hiring spree? professionals with 38 years of experience, preferably with the energy of a 25year-old. At the same time, AI literacy has taken center stage. Although only 8% of companies currently make AI literacy a mandatory hiring requirement. Now that sounds tiny, but don't celebrate just yet because AI related hiring demand in India is expected to almost double within the next 2 years. That means companies are quietly preparing for a future where AI knowledge becomes as basic as knowing Microsoft Excel as it once was. Remember when typing skills were considered impressive? Today they're resumed. AI is heading in that direction. But here's where things get interesting because despite all the gloomy headlines, India's job market is not collapsing. It's evolving. Another report by the job website Norri found that white collar hiring actually grew by more than 6% in June. Hiring for AI roles within India's IT sector outpaced overall recruitment within the industry. The Indian IT sector's AI hiring increased by 16% while overall jobs declined 3%. There's good news for you if you're a fresher because entry- levelvel jobs saw an 8% rise. Now, here's the most important question. What should you do if you're looking for a job today? First, become AI literate. And please notice that I said AI literate, not become an AI engineer. Those are two different things. You don't need to build chat GPD, but you should know how to use AI tools relevant to your profession. Whether you're a lawyer, a teacher, a designer, an accountant, if AI can make you twice as productive, you're suddenly twice as valuable. Number two, become specialized. Generalists are finding it harder to stand out. Companies are increasingly paying premiums for people with niche expertise. The more difficult your skill is to replace, the safer your career becomes. Number three, learn continuously. The half-life of skills is shrinking. Your degree got your first interview. Your ability to learn gets you the next 10. The resume of the future won't be judged by what you studied 5 years ago. It'll be judged by what you learned last month. And finally, stop thinking about job security because because that phrase no longer exists. Instead, think about career resilience. There's a difference. Job security depends on your employer. Career resilience depends on you. One can disappear after an earnings call. The other stays with you forever. Remember the age of mass hiring is ending. The age of precision hiring has begun. It's uncomfortable. I understand it's competitive. But it also creates opportunity because every technological revolution looks terrifying until you become part of it. The industrial revolution rewarded those who embraced machines. The internet rewarded those who embraced computers. The AI revolution will reward those who learn to work with the tech instead of competing against it. The future isn't asking whether you're human or artificial. It's asking one simple question. Can you keep learning faster than the world keeps changing?
Now, let's turn to the FIFA World Cup. It seems like the tournament saw a case of instant karma. US President Donald Trump meddled in the World Cup, but his plan backfired and the Americans were knocked out. It was one of the highlights of the round of 16. So, as the round draws to a close and as we gear up for the quarterfinals, we decided to take a look at some of the top moments so far, the most iconic and controversial moments over the past few days. Now, Donald Trump managed to unite almost all of the footballing world and promptly turn it against the United States. This is because he interfered in the World Cup to give team USA an advantage. I told you about this yesterday. Trump got US striker Follerin Bulligan's red card overturned. Trump personally called FIFA officials three times, including FIFA president Giani Infantino. and Infantino gave Trump what he wanted. Much like a certain absurd peace prize, Belgium were outraged and the country's football association tried to make an appeal to FIFA, but they were denied. So, you can imagine this would have not gone down well with the players. The whole episode rigged to favoritism and the Belgian team responded in the best way possible. On the pitch, Belgium were fired up. They had a point to prove and in a way they were fighting for all of football and they delivered with style. The first goal for the Red Devils took less than 10 minutes. The Americans equalized but the score stayed level for only 2 minutes. Then it was Belgium all the way. The match ended 4-1 with a late strike by Romelo Lukaku adding icing to the score line. But the cherry on top was this post by the official Red Devil social media handle. two words, overturn this. Belgium won the game and the internet. Now, let's talk about Cristiano Ronaldo. Love him or hate him, you must agree that he is an icon of the game. The Portuguese legend is 41 years old and he was playing his sixth consecutive World Cup. And he didn't just play, he managed to score for a sixth World Cup in a row. And in doing so, he made history. But there's one historic feat he will not be accomplishing. Cristiano Ronaldo will not be winning a FIFA World Cup. Well, I'm sad as it's normal after getting knocked out of the World Cup like this. But as I said yesterday at the press conference, I gave it all. I did my best and I'm leaving with a clear conscience. That's football. That's the life of a footballer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and you have to carry on. To be honest, it was my last World Cup. Yes, but I'll have time to think about the rest later. I'll be with my family. I won't make any decisions in the heat of the moment and I'll just get on with life. Cristiano Ronaldo has bowed out. Neymar has bowed out as well. And very soon we'll see MSalah or Lionol Messi bid the tournament farewell. This World Cup is the last for an entire generation of football legends. While this is the last World Cup for some footballing icons, others are using it to build their legend. And one of these rising stars is of course Kilian Mbappe. The French captain won his first World Cup in 2018. He reached the final in 2022 and he has held power France to quarterfinals this time as well. His penalty sang Paraguay in the round of 16. But sadly a senior a senator pardon me from the South American nation has kicked up a row. The senator put up multiple racist statements on social media. At one point she called him a colonized Cameroonian. Her comments were pure filth. Clearly the ranting of a sore loser and Mbappé has called her out. He called the senator despicable and unworthy of her position and he said he would never allow bigots like her to spread racism across the world. The biggest the biggest underdogs of the World Cup were Cape Verde. The tiny African island nation of half a million people went further than anyone expected. They reached the round of 32 during their debut World Cup campaign. But Cape Per's dream run was finally halted by Argentina. However, the defending champions had to work hard to avoid an upset. Cape Verde were level with Argentina, one all after 90 minutes. The game went into extra time and even then Cape Verde pushed Argentina all the way. Argentina went ahead, but Cape drew level again. Only an own goal in the 111th minute spared Argentina's blushes. It was a hard-fought victory for Messi and company and Cape Verde walked away with the hearts of the entire footballing community. And our fifth World Cup highlight involves Norway and their now famous football chant, the Viking row. The row is definitely the ritual of the World Cup and it helps that it's the signature move of one of the most popular World Cup stars, Erling Holland. The giant Norwegian striker who seems to be built like a Viking radar is seen has seen his popularity surge as well. And when you take both things together Holland and the Viking round, Norway's fan base has exploded during this tournament. And what's more, the Norwegians seem to be thriving in the attention, it may have fueled them during their latest conquest. The Norwegian Vikings put Brazil to the sword and knocked them out of the tournament. Those are our top five moments from this last week. And the tournament isn't over yet. Hopefully, we'll have a lot of other epic moments over the next few days as well.
A city can have the tallest skyscrapers, the biggest economy, and millions of people. But does that make it the best place to live? Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranks the world's most livable cities, not by GDP or by its size, but by something far more important, quality of life. And for the second year in a row, one city has claimed that top spot. Which city is it? Our next report tells you what makes a city truly livable. Is it the glitzy skyscrapers? Is it the bustling streets, the cafes, restaurants, and markets? Is it the night life or the grand architectural facads? While those things certainly make a city memorable, they don't necessarily make a city livable. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister organization to the Economist magazine, the cities where people live best are those that get the basics right. It has ranked 173 cities around the world on a number of different factors, including safe neighborhoods, reliable health care, quality education, efficient public infrastructure, and culture. This year, there's one city that checked every box. For the second year in a row, Copenhagen has been named the world's most livable city. The Danish capital topped the economist intelligence unit's global livability index and earned perfect scores in stability, infrastructure, and education, making it the global benchmark for urban living. And the rest of the cities in the top 10 list have a similar story. Vienna came in second. Australia's Melbourne climbed to third, followed by Sydney, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver, and Tokyo. And what do these cities have in common? Efficient public transport, check. Accessible healthcare, check. Safe streets and green spaces, check, and check. As far as this list is concerned, the message is clear. The cities that people want to live in are not necessarily those generating the most wealth, but those providing the best quality of life. The rankings today also have been shaped by global events. Take the Gulf for example. The region just came out of a war. Regional instability and the war involving the US and Iran pushed down stability scores for several Gulf cities. Musket recorded the biggest fall, dropping 14 places. and Kuwait city slipped by 12 spots. But while the Gulf had a hard year, Asia has been on a bit of an upswing. Cities across the continent continued their steady rise. Welfare gains in China and Japan drove Asia's historic recovery. Their average scores have improved, driven largely by stronger healthare systems. And where does India stand? Delhi ranks 120th and Mumbai ranks 121st in the list. Chennai was in the 123rd spot and Bengaluru in the 127th spot. While these Indian cities score well on education, connectivity and economic opportunities, it's worth asking what factors continue to drag down their overall livability scores. At the bottom of the index, the picture is unchanged. Syria's capital city, Damascus, continues to rank as the world's least livable city. Ukraine's Kiev and Iran's Thran also remain near the bottom as these countries have been at war. But overall, the 2026 rankings are a reminder of a simple reality. The world's best cities are not defined by their tallest towers or biggest economies. Because at the end of the day, people don't want some futuristic metropolis. They just want cities where life simply works.
We talked about the top moments of this FIFA World Cup and right now two of football's biggest icons are battling it out on the pitch. Lionel Messi versus Mohammad Salah. Argentina versus Egypt. Predictions have been flying, debates have been raging, and every possible outcome has already been argued online. The internet has had its say, and now it's the player's turn to write the story. Heat. Heat. N.
And now it's time for vantage shots, images that tell a story. In Iran, tens of thousands gathered in the seminary city of K to take part in the funeral procession of late Supreme Leader Ali Kamani, walking towards the Jamaran mosque. In Spain, thousands of participants took part in the first San Ferman 2026 bull run, racing through the narrow cobblestone streets of Pamplona with bulls charging towards the city's bull ring. And in Australia, a man climbed Melbourne's 460 foot tower and painted a giant cartoon bird on it, disrupting morning commute. Finally, taking you back in history, on this day in 2005, London was hit by coordinated suicide bomb attacks on its transit system, killing 39 people and injuring more than 700. That's all for today. Thank you so much for watching. See you tomorrow. Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.