hello namaskar this is first post and you're watching Vantage with me Pali Sharma tonight we begin with a riot in the US in Los Angeles California the images are quite dramatic protesters and lawmakers clashing with the National Guard us President Donald Trump has deployed troops the California governor is calling him a dictator as the city burns the matter has reached courts we'll tell you all about it also why riots in California a state with a $4 trillion economy will hurt America in more ways than one and as Trump unleashes soldiers on Americans why isn't the West lecturing him and talking about a backsliding democracy meanwhile the FBI chief went on a podcast and sought India's help to fight the fentinel drug crisis in the US we'll also tell you why Brazil plans to buy Panda bonds to woo China why Saudi Arabia deployed American missiles to protect the Hajj pilgrimage how Colombia's presidential hopeful was shot in the head twice what Macron's visit to Greenland says about his geopolitical ambitions how Thailand and Cambodia are clashing over an old border dispute and why Iran has banned dog walking in many cities all this and more coming up the headlines first a new round of US China trade talks begin in London both sides are trying to resolve a longunning trade war chinese rare earth exports are expected to top the agenda beijing's access to American te tech products is also up for discussion china's exports grew slowly in May missing market expectations official data shows a 5% rise down from 8% in April imports fell even more sharply experts say this signals a weak domestic demand and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 11 years in office today he was first elected in 2014 as the prime minister of the country he's currently serving his third term in office he's the first Indian leader after Javahar Lal Neheru to achieve this feat russia launches its biggest drone attack in Ukraine kiev says more than 400 drones were fired overnight its air force shot down almost all of them says Kiev these strikes come amid an American push for a ceasefire president Donald Trump has urged Russia to pursue negotiations and Russia says it wants to deepen military ties in Africa this comes amid reports that the Wagner group has left Mali the Russian mercenary group's presence has long been controversial mali's Honta denies the claim saying it only hosts Russian trainers in the country they spit hit we hit los Angeles is on fire again but this time it's not wildfires it's riots and what lit the spark was a whisper the rumor of an anti-immigration raid by nightfall that whisper turned into a war cry and the streets of LA exploded cars were torched freeways were blocked journalists were hit by bullets the National Guard was on the streets on one side is a Republican president who wants to crush the unrest on the other is a Democratic governor who refuses to back down it looked like a scene from a movie from the land of Hollywood but this time there were no cameras there was only chaos the riots have gone on for three days today is day four it's much quieter today although there are small sporadic protests 60 people have been arrested and there's still tension in the air as far as uh people worried about the the violence that we're seeing this violence that I've seen is disgusting it's escalated now uh since the beginning of uh this incident what we saw the first night was uh was bad what we've seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent so how did all of this begin why did Los Angeles turn into a flash point and what exactly is Donald Trump trying to do here let's go back to Friday it all started in Paramount it's a workingclass suburb in LA it is home to tens of thousands of Hispanic families in fact they make up 82% of the population here 82% and for a lot of these people their immigration status is a point of concern on Friday a rumor started spreading it said that there were ICE vehicles in the neighborhood what is ICE ice stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE it's the American agency that monitors immigration the rumor was that this agency was conducting a raid an immigration raid at a home depot nearby it's where undocumented workers go a lot of them pick up shifts at this depot they heard that immigration officials were raiding the place and this sent shock waves through the community by sundown the rumor ignited something far bigger it sparked protests authorities say there were no raids but that did not stop the people they descended on the streets take a look at this over the weekend it got worse the riots spread on Friday and Saturday there were reports in many parts there were protests rather in many many parts the main Los Angeles city the suburbs of Paramount and Compton until then most of these protests were peaceful a gas station was vandalized a few cars were damaged but beyond this there was nothing major now Los Angeles is located in the US state of California it is a Democratic state meaning they vote for the Democrats remember Donald Trump belongs to the Republican party so California is technically an opposition state their governor is a man called Gavin Mu he said the protest was under control and that local authorities were handling it it also arrested two people so the leadership in California said that they will handle it but Donald Trump was having none of it he was done with a quote unquote lawlessness so on Saturday the US president decided to intervene he mobilized the California National Guard he did not consult with Governor Gavin Newsome trump just bypassed the state and to do this he invoked a law it's controversial it's a very rare move in American history and we will talk about the legality of this move but for the moment let's tell you what happened trump invoked this law and deployed some 2,000 soldiers in LA be watching it very closely and uh when they spit at people you know they spit that's their new thing they spit worse you know what they throw at them right and when that happens I have a little statement they say "They spit we hit." And I told them "Nobody's going to spit on our police officers nobody's going to spit on our military." By Sunday morning the troops were in Los Angeles and that made things much worse there was absolute mayhem on the streets protesters faced off with the National Guard clashes broke out there were tear gas and bullets everywhere cars were set on fire there were some reports of looting as well even the press was caught up in this an Australian news correspondent was reporting on the protest she was struck by a rubber bullet it was fired by a police officer in the video the officer can be seen turning towards the camera and firing through the heart of LA you just shut the Okay in another instance a British photographer was in the line of fire he was struck by a sponge bullet he had to get surgery for it so you can imagine how how things got heated up today the protests have mellowed down but now a legal battle has begun a constitutional cage match governor Gavin Newsome is slamming the US president over the deployment of the troops he's called it abuse of power the LA mayor has called it and I'm quoting a dangerous escalation officials are urging protesters to not engage in violence newsome says Trump just wants a spectacle and he's asking the people of LA to not give him one but the Trump administration remains defiant cracking down on immigration was Trump's big election promise in fact he also appointed a man to oversee it Tom Hman he's called Trump's border zar and he has now threatened to arrest the California governor and the US president seems to be supporting the idea listen to what he said california officials could face federal charges if they stand in the way of the deportation this will stand in the way of law and order they will face charges the thing is this is not a first not the first time los Angeles is burning over questions of power and race it happened in 1992 there were riots when the police brutally beat up an African-Amean man after that the police officers were acquitted and that is when the city exploded the national guard was deployed but back then it was done at the request of the state governor this time Donald Trump has done it on his own he has bypassed the elected officials of California state and the result is this a constitutional gray zone that feels dangerously unstable because if the president can send troops to California he can do the same with other states what's stopping him from sending troops to other Democratic states and cities like Chicago or New York or Portland that's what Trump's critics are asking and as the situation evolves it looks like Los Angeles just became ground zero for America's next constitutional battle donald Trump never shies away from a fight from NATO to China from trade partners to his own party men and more recently his first buddy Elon Musk trump takes on everyone his latest target is California a state ruled by the opposition Democratic Party a state that has witnessed violence and protest over immigration as we just told you it happened in Los Angeles trump wants to crush the protest and liberate Los Angeles that's how he put it liberating LA and for this he decided to use the US military well we're going to have troops everywhere we're not going to let this happen to our country we're not going to let our country be torn apart like it was under fight at his uh photo pen trump did not waste any time he signed off on a presidential order and sent 2,000 troops to Los Angeles it's the most populous city in the state of California led by a Democrat called Gavin Nuome and Muhamm was quite clear he did not want troops to be deployed he said there was no emergency and that the state could handle the protest but Trump was not convinced and he took an extreme step you see troop deployments within the country are rare and troop deployments without the state's consent are extremely rare but Trump's decision fits an old pattern because he has targeted California before in the past he criticized the state's climate policies he cut funding to the state and he repeatedly mocked their leadership on many occasions Trump has called Newsome names and now Gavin Newsome is fighting back calling Trump a dictator and blaming him for the violence meanwhile on the streets of LA lawmakers are clashing with troops what are you going to do you going to shoot some kid who's a friend of you and run you're going to shoot an elected official if you shoot me you better shoot straight i don't know why you're in my city you did the the the governor was not contacted this is Trump and his outrageous attempt to not only target our sanctuary city but to frighten us and intimidate us that was a California lawmaker this battle has reached the courts california is suing the US president US President Donald Trump the state is challenging the legality of the troop deployment so this is headed towards a full-blown constitutional showdown this is no longer just about restoring order it's about who gets to define that order the United States is built on a balance you see between state governments and Washington in the US system states enjoy significant autonomy but when a president overrides a governor that balance is lost and the consequences can be serious also California is not just any other state it's a political powerhouse it has the largest number of electoral votes it is also an economic engine for the United States california's GDP is more than $4 trillion 4 trillion for one state that's bigger than many nation states it's bigger than Japan the United Kingdom France Italy Canada among others california is also a global hub for a range of industries from technology to entertainment from innovation to investment the Silicon Valley is based here so is Hollywood these industries like all industries need pol need policy stability they need it to survive and thrive but Donald Trump's actions have sown chaos in fact chaos has become a defining feature of his presidency bit by bit trump is chipping away at American institutions he has threatened trade partners he has attacked the US Federal Reserve he has targeted universities like Harvard and now he's going after an entire state investors are taking note some foreign funds have put a new condition they're demanding a risk premium before putting money into US assets why because they fear political interference they fear that their investment can be confiscated or penalized and neighbors like Mexico have have also expressed concern we disagree with this approach to addressing the migration phenomenon we won't address the migration phenomenon with raids or violence we will address it by sitting down and working on comprehensive immigration reform that considers all Mexicans across the border that is our position and it always calls for peace and nonviolence yet Donald Trump remains unmoved he frames these fights as reform as a crusade against what he calls a broken system in fact his battle with California is just the latest front this is a test case what is happening in Los Angeles today could happen in any other American state tomorrow and the consequences will be felt beyond America's borders because at the end of the day this is not just about immigration this is about power and Trump doesn't want to share it burnt police cars thrash protesters and tear gas in the air i thought this only happened in this in the third world maybe in Asia or Africa surely not in the land of freedom and what's with all the rubber bullets and flashbangs why not hold talks with the protesters why not let them block highways to make a point sounds absurd doesn't it well this is what we usually hear from Washington DC lectures and advice just imagine these scenes in South Africa or India or Kenya the US would be all over us they would be noting the protest with concern they would be advising restraint and they would be reminding governments of the rule of law but now those scenes are happening in California there is no restraint or rule of law there is absolute carnage reporters are being attacked with rubber pellets public property is being burnt and protesters are being teargassed where is the global outrage so far we've only heard from non-western countries mexico for instance has slammed Trump's immigration raids we disagree with this approach to addressing the migration phenomenon we won't address the migration phenomenon with raids or violence we will address it by sitting down and working on comprehensive immigration reform that considers all Mexicans across the border china has a consulate in Los Angeles it has issued an advisory for Chinese citizens monitor official announcements take more precautions and avoid going to crowded places that is what China has told its people india does not have a diplomatic mission in the city but India does have a consulate in San Francisco though so far no advisory has been issued we say it's about time los Angeles is home to about 150,000 Indians and Indian-Americans it is the home of Hollywood it is the home of the 2028 Olympics if this city is not safe people deserve to know because this is so unpredictable if you're a migrant you can be raided anytime if you own a business you could lose everything in a riot if you're a cop you could be attacked by protesters if you're a protester you could be teargassed and if you're a journalist you could be shot by security officials i wonder what's that what that's worth in a press freedom report surely a couple of ranks but so far most countries have been silent the usual suspects have no lecture to give no moral outrage to display and no criticism to level because it's all about politics and convenience just think about it the US government is talking about deploying the army against its own people not terrorists or rebels but protesters imagine if this happened anywhere else every Western government would have lined up to criticize to give unsolicited advice but because it's America they're silent it's about time we call out this hypocrisy the truth is America is a backsliding democracy their president is a convicted felon their protesters are arsonists their women have no rights over their body they are illegally raiding citizens and migrants they're banning travelers on the basis of religion they're barring media outlets over ideology and they're using force to quell disscent 20 years back the US military would have invaded this country i mean it checks all the boxes an authoritarian leader a lot of gas and oil and a fractured political landscape it's the perfect nationbuilding mission for America and I know a lot of US politicians will spin this differently especially the Democrats they will say Trump's raids and deportations are illegal that they're unAmerican that they will divide the society well we say wake up to the new reality of your country this is not unamerican this is on point for you let me show you the latest opinion poll 54% Americans approve of Trump's deportations 54% 42% said it is making them safer i know it's easy to blame Trump and move on but the fact is Americans want this yes the policy is divisive illegal and high-handed but most of America wants exactly that there is no point pretending that your country is better than this you're only as good as the people you elect so ditch the moral high ground stop lecturing other countries and get your house in order and speaking about US failures let's look at their war on fentinil it's a very potent opioid drug even a small quantity can kill you and right now it's spreading havoc in the US last year alone fentinil killed almost 49,000 people 49,000 in a year so simply put it's a national crisis president Donald Trump has promised to end this problem and apparently he's getting help from India says who the chief of FBI Cash Patel fbi is the Federal Bureau of Investigation the domestic intelligence and security service it is led by an Indian-American called Kashap Patel better known as Cash Patel he went on a podcast last week and he said that he is running operations in India listen to this what China doing now to get cute is they're not shipping fentinil straight to here they're going to places like India and I'm also doing operations in India i literally just got off the phone with Indian government i said "I need your help this stuff's coming into your country and then they're moving it from your country." Now let me break it down for you first some basic information about fentinyl like I said it's an opioid drug in hospitals it is mainly used for pain management say you're a late stage cancer patient or you've just got out of surgery then doctors may prescribe fentinil for you the problem is this drug is very potent it is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroine almost 100 times more potent than morphine even 2 milligrams of fentinyl can be fatal it can kill you 2 milligs in the US this drug has caused a nationwide crisis there have been three waves of fentinyl outbreaks in the late 1990s in 2010 and in 2013 and in this time 564,000 Americans have died from overdose 5 lakh 64,000 in 2021 alone 100,000 people died which brings us to India and China where do they come in well China is the top producer of opioid drugs the US says Beijing exports the raw inputs from Mexico dug drug cartels convert them into fentinil and finally it is smuggled across the border into the US so Washington claims that China is behind this epidemic in fact Cash Patel went a step further he feels it's a conspiracy in my opinion the Chinese Communist Party has used it as a directed approach because we're their adversary and they don't like us and we don't like what they're doing when it comes to fentinel and their long-term game is this how do I in my opinion kneecap the United States of America our largest adversary well why don't we go and take out generations of young men and women who might grow up to serve in the United States military or become a cop or become a teacher since the mid 2010s pressure has mounted on China they have listed fentinel as a narcotic they have also curbed some of the inputs which brings us to India now cash patel says the cartels are now sourcing from India from India these inputs head to Mexico in Mexico the fentinil is produced and from Mexico it is smuggled into the US cash Patel says he needs India's help to fight this trade and what is New Delhi saying well we haven't heard an official reaction yet but American agencies have been cracking down in March 2025 they published an intelligence report it named two main suppliers of fentinil inputs china followed by India before that in the month of January two Indian firms were charged in the US rexuta chemicals and Athoros chemicals their charges conspiracy to import and distribute fentinel here in India the government is also cracking down in the month of March Gujarat's anti-terror squad busted a fentinel ring a few chemical companies were shipping fentinel inputs to Mexico and Guatemala but Indian officials nabbed them in 2024 drugs worth 25,000 crores were seized in India 25,000 cr rupees that's around 2.9 billion that's also 55% higher than the year before so India has to be extremely vigilant our goal is to become a pharmacy to the world to become the top producer of medicines so it is important to root out these bad elements we must ensure that our chemical and pharma industry remains clean and to be fair the government is working towards that at the same time we must watch out for politicization just look at what Trump is doing to Canada less than 1% of fentinel enters the US from Canada less than 1% it made up 0.2% of all fentinel seizures yet Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on the Canadians for this so India must take a nuanced approach to this problem if there is smuggling it must be stopped because it does not just help America it helps Indian industry too it must be stopped but if Trump tries to weaponize it New Delhi must be ready for that too now let us turn to Brazil their president is Lula Dilva his government wants to raise some money typically that means issuing government bonds and taking on debt but this time Brazil is trying something very different they want to use they want to issue panda bonds which have nothing to do with the animals the pandas panda bonds are about Chinese capital they're named after China's national animal the panda but their roots lie in China's financial markets a panda bond is a debt issued by a foreign government in Chinese currency not in US dollars not in euros but in renmbe the currency of China and that is why the debt is called a panda bond it is targeted at Chinese investors so to put it simply Brazil wants to borrow from Chinese investors and for this they will sell panda bonds the Lula government says the sale could happen this year when it does Brazil would set a record it will become the first major Latin American country to enter the Panda Bond Club and this is a significant move because it goes beyond investment and debt it is a political statement from Brazil using a Panda bond sends a message that Brazil no longer wants to stick to traditional methods of raising debt it is willing to look beyond the US dollar for decades the world has borrowed in dollars they depended on the green back because they trusted the US the US dollar it offered the deepest access to capital markets dollar bonds were considered the safest but that system has begun to crack countries want alternatives now they want to borrow in different currencies they want cheaper loans they want protection from dollar swings and that is where the Panda bonds make make sense for Brazil a bond in the renmi can help Brazil avoid currency shocks get access to Chinese financial markets and tap into one of the largest cash pools in the world also this is not a new move other countries have used panda bonds before the list includes European nations like Poland Hungary and Portugal in Asia South Korea and the Philippines have used it in the month of March this year Pakistan too expressed interest in Panda bonds and no surprises there when it comes to borrowing pakistan has tried just about everything a panda bond might be the last option that they're left with of course Brazil is not Pakistan it is not short of options brazil can raise money from anywhere it wants to so why is it making this pivot multiple reasons first of all because China has become a compelling option more than 70 countries are active in China's bond market today 70 countries and second trust is fading in the US this is an America led by the mercurial Donald Trump initially he tried to re-engage with South America in the early days of his administration senior Trump officials toward the region but the effort has stumbled since there is tension over tariffs trade and immigration and perhaps this is pushing leaders like Lula towards China and to alliances like the bricks listen to this this is not about taking a stance for or against Trump the global south has a single goal growth and development the bricks have no enemies nor do they want any however the countries of the South have been treated for too long as mere developing nations that pose no problem to anyone that era is over the bricks now account for 39% of global GDP and more than half the world's population we have become an essential economic and political player to be reckoned with brics has become a force that's the opinion of President Lula and it's not it's no secret that Trump is actively trying to stop bricks he has threatened the group with 100% tariffs although Lula remains unfased trump's threat does not scare anyone we will act in the interests of our countries and we will fight for fairer international trade it is neither simple nor easy but it is out of the question to ask Washington's permission to choose the currency we consider most suitable for our trade that statement should make Trump think because the currency you borrow in shapes your economy it shapes your risk it shapes your independence and that is why Panda bonds matter far beyond Brazil they are a sign that power is dispersing that the global south is exploring new routes to capital where China has a greater role it is not just a trading partner now it is now a banker to many countries where does that leave the US dollar it is still dominant but it's less influential south America was once Washington's backyard now it's a chess board where Beijing is making strong moves and staying with the region political violence has stunned Colombia the country is going to polls next year citizens will vote to elect their next president so candidates are on the campaign trail this includes Miguel Uribe he is 39 years old he was giving a speech on Saturday in a park when he was shot at three times twice in the head he fell down and bled before he was taken to hospital while his asalent tried to flee and failed the suspect by the way is just 15 years old he has been arrested this entire incident was captured on camera it has left Colombia and the world horrified why did a teen shoot at the presidential candidate and is this attack a sign of Colombia's return to its bloodied past here's a report an assassination attempt against a presidential hopeful it was all captured on video and it has rocked Colombia this is the highest profile incident of political violence in Colombia in years the victim is Miguel Oribe Turbe oribe is a 39-year-old conservative politician he is the grandson of a former Colombian president and a presidential candidate himself so Oribe has been on a campaign trail on Saturday he was at a campaign event in the capital Bogatar he was delivering a speech suddenly multiple loud bangs rang out oribe winced and crumpled to the ground as he bled many people fled in panic while some supporters and the police rushed him to an ambulance the asalent was in the crowd mid speech he raised a handgun and shot Oribe from behind thrice twice in the head he tried running away but was shot in the leg by police and pinned down the asalent is a 15year-old he was carrying a 9 mm Glock type firearm and he has been arrested his motive remains unclear and an investigation is underway there is speculation that the minor was not acting alone there should be no resource spared not a single peso not a single moment of energy dedicated exclusively to finding the masterminds with their real names in the place where they live whether in Colombia or abroad after the attack Oribe was airlifted to a hospital and rushed into surgery he continues to remain in intensive care his condition is serious the attack has drawn international condemnation us Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called the attack a direct threat to democracy as people carry out vigils on the streets of Bogatar Colombia is horrified after the incident i acknowledge that as a leader and international representative of this country I have failed many of us have failed at this time we have failed to provide security and peace for all Colombians i feel sadness uselessness anger no one can express themselves whoever expresses a different opinion gets murdered many Colombians fear that the nation is headed back to its blooded past between 1980s and early 2000s attacks from Colombian criminal groups were common in major cities they used kidnappings and assassinations to sow discord and pressure the government orbe's mother was among the victims she was a popular journalist in a highly publicized case she was killed in 1991 after being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar's cartel orabe was 4 years old at the time we cannot return to those times yoribe is a victim of violence his mother died when he was about the same age as his son is now this is a Colombian tragedy that we cannot accept colombian President Gustavo Petro was elected in 2022 with the promise of bringing peace in the country but amid a rise in kidnappings and violence he has made little headway inviting criticism from both the right and the left oribe has been a vocal critic of pro the next presidential election is not for a year but experts say that the attack on Oribe is a clear message that he is no longer a symbol of the country's violent past without a political solution the assassination attempt against Oribe could be a sign of what the Colombian future looks like our next story is from Saudi Arabia it is hosting it was hosting the Hajj Islam's holiest pilgrimage it's an annual affair nearly 2 million Muslims arrive in Mecca and this year was no different the pilgrims came in droves praying walking and circling the Cabba the holy structure at the center of the Grand Mosque and watching over them were not just security officials and clerics but also America's patriot missile systems that's right saudi Arabia deployed American missile systems to secure the Hajj look at these images they were posted by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense they show the Patriot missile system parked right in the middle of the holy city and this is it's not just the missiles there were multiple pictures of helicopters hovering over the city of soldiers keeping watch and reports say this is not new saudi Arabia has deployed the Patriot missiles to guard the Mecca before the question is why what kind of attack did they fear and from whom experts say the roots of this defensive posture run deep in 2015 Saudi Arabia entered the war in Yemen they backed the Yemeni government in Sana it was fighting the Houthi rebels this was in 2015 it's a war that Saudis remain mired in and the Houthis have not been defeated if anything they've been attacking Saudi cities over the years they've fired dozens of ballistic missiles and drones into Saudi Arabia most were intercepted some of them landed and a few were allegedly aimed towards the Mecca reports say in 2016 a missile flew towards the holy city saudi Arabia says it was intercepted in the skies and the Houthis have denied it then in 2019 similar reports emerged they said missiles were intercepted near Jedha saudi Arabia says that the the target was Mecca again the Houthis denied it they said that they never tried to attack the Mecca but the Saudis apparently did not want to take any more chances so in 2019 they deployed the Patriot missile system during the Hajj pilgrimage and in the years since the security situation in West Asia has only worsened there's a war raging in Gaza israel is bombing the strips the strip the Gaza Strip meanwhile rockets are flying in from Yemen the Houthis have been targeting Israel with missiles and drones so Riyad stepped up security arrangements because the Hajj is too big to mess up and Mecca is not just a holy city for Muslims it is the birthplace of Islam for Saudi Arabia it is the jewel in the crown the heart of its legitimacy this is the pillar on which Saudi Arabia built its moral authority so any attack on the Mecca even a possibility is just not just a military threat it's an existential one for Riyad which is why the kingdom turned to American firepower in fact Saudi Arabia was the first country in West Asia to purchase the Patriot missile system it used it to bolster air defenses during the 1991 Gulf War and since then the system has been upgraded and redeployed many times in 2022 the US approved the sale of 300 Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia this was part of a $3 billion defense package the Patriot as you may know is a surfaceto-air missile defense system it is designed to detect track and shoot down enemy missiles midair and that's not all saudi Arabia pulled out all the stops during the Hajj there were tens of thousands of security officers surveillance drones and emergency response units along with these missile defense systems a lot of other security arrangements were in place the pilgrims walking through Mecca may or may not have noticed all of this they came for God not geopolitics but the arrangements show that even the holiest of cities are not immune to the dangers of modern warfare holy cities too need a shield and for Saudi Arabia that shield is made in America it's 2025 but Southeast Asia is still living with the borders drawn in 197 the Europeans drew these borders for convenience but the region is still living with its consequences take Thailand and Cambodia two neighbors sharing over 800 kilometers of border yet historical disputes over land simmer beneath the surface last month those tensions boiled over a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash in response Thailand shut its border and sent in reinforcements both sides are now bracing for what could come next is this just a flare up or are we on the brink of something bigger our next report tells you on May 28th a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief military clash with Thai forces near the Emerald Triangle this is where Thailand Cambodia and Laos meet the clash wasn't a full-scale war but it wasn't an isolated accident either the two sides exchanged fire cambodia claimed Thailand attacked first thailand said it was responding to gunshots either way the border went hot and tensions followed the soldiers death is a rare fatality along the long sensitive frontier so why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting the root of this dispute is a badly drawn map from 1907 this is from when Cambodia was still under French colonial rule france and Sem that is modern-day Thailand drew up a border right now Thailand and Cambodia share an 817 km border but the boundary especially near ancient temples was vague fast forward a century and both countries now claim sovereignty over certain overlapping zones in 2008 things escalated violently when Thai and Cambodian troops clashed near the Priahir an 11th century Hindu temple that conflict dragged on for years with 28 deaths and diplomatic breakdowns in 2011 it got so bad that the UN had to step in in 2013 the International Court of Justice ruled the disputed land belonged to Cambodia thailand wasn't impressed it rejected the ruling and insisted on solving things bilaterally this year tensions had already been simmering a viral video showed Cambodian women singing a patriotic song near another disputed temple prompting a formal Thai protest then came the May 28th clash where one soldier was killed both sides accused each other and added troop reinforcements on the ground thailand shut down two border crossings to tourists the Thai army said it was ready to defend its national sovereignty thailand says Cambodia reinforced troops first the army is ready for a highlevel operation if needed but trade and movement of workers continue so this isn't a full shutdown i want both sides there at the border to remain calm and discuss what we can agree upon i hope we can have peaceful discussion the thing is there was misunderstanding on both sides both sides have spoken about where the operations were taking place in the area and have claimed that the other side has encroached on the territory help cambodia said it wouldn't withdraw troops from the area it's a matter of sovereignty and national security they're defending national territory based on international law both sides insist they want peace while still increasing troop presence there is an effort to deescalate on June 2nd both militaries agreed to reposition troops away from flash points thai PM Ping Tarn Shinowatra said talks have reached a positive conclusion a joint boundary commission meeting is scheduled for June 14th where the two sides will try to resolve their long-standing differences so at the moment this is not a full-blown war but it is a serious standoff it highlights the fragility of Southeast Asia's borders many of which are based on colonial era agreements all eyes are on the June 14th talks if both sides deescalate the standoff might quietly fade as it has in the past years but if there's another flare up this could spiral quickly it's a busy week for French President Emanuel Macron right now he's hosting a mega summit in Paris a UN conference on oceans after that he will travel to Greenland the same Greenland that is coveted by Donald Trump macron will visit the island on Sunday the prime minister of Denmark will join him there both of them will be hosted by Greenland's new leader and the agenda macron made that clear today today itself he spoke at the opening of the UN conference listen to what he said let me make this very clear the deep oceans are not for sale nor is Greenland nor is Antarctica nor are the high seas nor are the fishing licenses for developing countries greenland is not for sale that's the message a clear message to the US president and the import of the messages back off trump has repeatedly talked about taking over Greenland at one point he also suggested using force and this has clearly worried Europe because Greenland is a semi-autonomous region of Denmark and Denmark is a NATO and EU member so Trump basically threatened to invade an ally which is why Emanuel Macroy is traveling there he wants to show solidarity with Greenland as for the talks they will focus on strategic issues like Arctic security energy transition and critical minerals and Denmark is also quite happy about it they're calling it a testimony of European unity but frankly this is not just about Greenland this is about Macron's grand ambitions he knows that Trump is withdrawing from world affairs so he is trying to fill that gap macron basically he's offering an alternative path and I'll give you three recent examples the first is Macron's trip to Southeast Asia last month the trip may have been overshadowed by the infamous slap but Macron's pitch was quite powerful there the media don't feel pressured by China or America france will offer a third way that is what he offered and the idea was quite simple southeast Asia faces security challenges from China they face tariff pressure from Trump so Macro said "Why don't you join us?" That's the first example now to the second one defense trump is moving away from European security he is more focused on China so what does Macron do he offers the French nuclear shield to European countries some quick context here only one EU member has nuclear missiles and that is France the others mainly rely on American protection but what if Trump pulls that protection well Macro says do not worry he will use French nukes to defend Europe and finally the third example macro spoke about science today specifically about climate science we know that Trump is not convinced about climate change he pulled America out of the Paris Accords he also cut funding to scientific for scientific research and the French president took aim at that for several years now we've been hearing that basically climate change the threat to biodiversity the problem of the oceans all of that is a matter of opinion in fact we could do without it besides we're not entirely sure and I'm even noticing that some people are cutting funding to continue research in this area i'm going to tell you no we don't have the right to do that because it's not an opinion it's scientifically established and so it is a political ethical and scientific duty to continue to fund free open and cooperative science to continue to understand research and base our decisions on this science that sums up Macron's plan stuck between China and America turn to France for help afraid of losing American protection take shelter under French nuclear weapons scared about climate denial joined France in its scientific crusade there is clearly a pattern to what Emanuel Macron is doing and it's not exactly new the French have always had radical ideas to break free from the US the problem was no one in Brussels listened to them but Donald Trump has solved that problem for Paris he has shaken Europe into taking radical decisions the question is what is the endgame what is Macron's vision here in public statements he has always talked about multilateralism in Southeast Asia he talked about it in February at the artificial intelligence summit he spoke about it and again today at the UN conference clearly Macron feels that France will gain from a multipolar world even his outreach to India stems from that if he succeeds Europe would become one of those polls and naturally France would lead them in a nutshell that is Macron's ambition but is he reaching beyond his grasp does France have the clout to bring about this transformation i guess his trip to Greenland will offer some clues iranians are not allowed to do a lot of things they cannot dance in public they cannot wear sleeveless shirts they cannot drink women cannot bicycle on in many cities they cannot be seen without a hijab if caught flouting these rules people face harsh punishments from fines to flogging to even death but why am I telling you all of this because now the regime has further tightened its leash on personal freedoms now even walking a dog is banned in about 20 Iranian cities pet dogs are no longer allowed in public they cannot be taken for walks they cannot be seen inside a vehicle so what is behind this move here's a report imagine this it is a pleasant sunny Sunday morning you have taken your pet dog out for a walk maybe even a game of fetch in the park sounds fun doesn't it well if you live in Iran you may not be able to do it anymore in 2019 the country introduced a police order it barred dog walking in the capital Thrron now Iranian officials have expanded this ban on dog walking to at least 18 other cities including Isvahan and Kerman which have implemented bans in recent days transporting dogs and vehicles has also been outlawed and the punishment it depends from city to city in some parts law enforcement has been directed to confiscate vehicles transporting dogs in the city of legal action will be taken against violators in Isvahan dog walking will be seen as a quote unquote violation of public rights and will be dealt with seriously but what's driving this move since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 dog ownership has been frowned upon in Iran dogs are seen as a legacy of Western culture and viewed as unclean by authorities iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kamune has previously described dog ownership as reprehensible unless it is for the purpose of hurting hunting or security iranian politicians regard pet ownership especially dog ownership as unislamic many religious scholars view coming in contact with dogs and their saliva ritually impure in fact Saudi Arabia too had previously banned pets on transportation but lifted it in 2023 meanwhile Iran has taken one measure after another in 2010 they banned advertisements for pets and pet related products in 2014 a bill was introduced in the parliament to fine and fogg walkers though it did not pass in 2019 came the thrron dog walking ban in 2021 75 lawmakers condemned dog ownership calling it a destructive social problem that could change the Islamic way of life and now more than a dozen cities have banned dog walking though despite the range of efforts dog ownership is rising in Iran especially among young people they view it as a form of rebellion against the restrictive regime after all dogs are merely caught in a long-standing crossfire which also includes dancing drinking alcohol and the compulsory wearing of hijab by women if the rules are flouted punishments range from fines to flogging to death penalties nevertheless young Iranians are quietly rebelling sometimes by appearing in public without the compulsory headscarf other times by attending underground parties so experts say making dogs off limits is only going to worsen the scenario especially as restrictions in the past have not helped much in Tyrron many dog owners have continued to walk their dogs in public and even with the ban's expansion there is no national law in place local restrictions are both varying and vague critics say that the recent crackdown is less about dogs more about Thrron lashing out it is a case of misplaced priorities as Iran tightens the leash on personal freedoms it is more about barking than biting what is a US president's biggest threat you may think think Russia or Iran or China but the real answer is a flight of stairs specifically the stairs on Air Force One they haunted Joe Biden for most of his presidency and now they're haunting Donald Trump he stumbled while climbing those stairs yesterday though unlike Biden it wasn't a complete fall if you ask me the problem is not with Trump or Biden the problem is with the stairs because moments later Marco Rubio stumbled at the very same place and Rubio is just 54 years old so what's his excuse well the internet has theories heat hey hey hey and now it's time for bandit shots images that tell the story israeli forces intercept and seize an aid boat heading towards Gaza which was also carrying Gretenberg nasa astronaut captures a time lapse of the northern lights and a runaway zebra named Ed was rescued after a week on the run finally we're taking you back in history on this day in 1934 Donald Duck made his first movie appearance the character featured in Walt Disney's The Wise Little Hen donald Duck remains Disney's most popular character he's also the most published comic book character in the world after superheroes we're leaving you on that note thank you for watching we'll see you tomorrow heat heat