Why INS Malvan Matters as China and Pakistan Expand Underwater Fleets | Vantage on Firstpost | 4K

[00:00:08]Hello and welcome to First Post Vantage with me Him Corsoya. Let's get started.

[00:00:15]144 days of war, days of ambiguity. Iran has finally said it. It has declared a fullscale war. So what happens next? We did a roll call and the endgame, it seems, has taken another sick day. The Strait of Armuz is no longer the only hostage and now the strategic waterway has been taken prisoner. The Houthi have announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Dragon is back to doing what it does best, turning maritime mids into maritime confrontations. Reports say Chinese Coast Guard personnel assaulted Filipino sailors in the West Philippine Sea.

[00:00:51]We'll tell you what happened. And then a strange case from Brown University. A professor noticed something odd. How were so many students suddenly scoring so spectacularly? The answer wasn't hard work. AI passed the test. The exam system did not. And finally, it took Odysius 10 years to reach Athika.

[00:01:11]Hollywood took a few more years to get there. And tonight, we are sending across a query, hoping it will take a lot less time to reach the Greeks. What do you think of the Odyssey? All this and more lined up. But first, the headlines.

[00:01:28]Russia carries out a live fire weapons exercise in international waters. This took place in the channel south of the UK port city of Plymouth. The British Navy monitored the exercise. In June, a Russian warship had fired warning shots to a yacht in the English Channel.

[00:01:46]Lebanon's president meets Donald Trump in Washington. This comes as Beirut's military moved into an area under a deal with Israel to disarm Iranbacked Hezbollah. But the Lebanese army accused Israel of firing near its troops. The United States and Israel have been ramping up pressure on Lebanon to prove that it can and will disarm Hezbollah.

[00:02:10]UK's new Prime Minister Andy Bernham holds his inaugural cabinet meeting. He unveiled an energy tax cut from the 1st [music] of October. Electricity bills will be VAT-free in the UK. The tax cut will cost the government more than a billion dollars. Bernham also told his ministers to show fiscal discipline.

[00:02:29]In India, tunnel collapses at an under construction hydroelect electric project in Sikkim. 12 people have been rescued but 11 others died in the accident.

[00:02:38]Rescue teams are working round the clock to reach the workers still trapped inside the tunnel.

[00:02:45]And Spain moves to ban smoking in outdoor places. This includes bar terraces, parks, and beaches. Spain's minority left-wing government has approved a draft law. It must be approved by parliament where the government lacks a majority.

[00:03:07][music] 100. 44 days. That's how many days the US Iran war has now lasted. Longer than anyone expected. Deadlier than either side admits. And with peace talks hanging by a thread, the war may be entering its most dangerous phase yet.

[00:03:54]And if you want to understand the cost of this war, just take a look at the numbers. 10.

[00:04:01]That's how many consecutive nights America has hit Iran since the talks collapsed. The United States has expanded the war by targeting Iran's infrastructure, bridges, energy, and reportedly even water. Iran's UN ambassador calls it war crime, while Washington insists the strikes are meant to degrade Iran's command and control capabilities. Either way, the question is, can 10 nights of renewed bombing achieve what the first 100 plus days of war could not? Can they force regime change or at least deliver a peace on US terms?

[00:04:59]7,600.

[00:05:01]And that's how many lives this war has already claimed. More than 3,600 Iranians have been killed, including at least 2,100 civilians, most of them in US-Israeli strikes.

[00:05:15]>> In any case, he is destroying our country now. And we cannot just sit back and allow him to destroy whatever infrastructure we have while we do nothing. It would be much better if this could be resolved through diplomacy. If we could reach an understanding. But in my view, if we are going to fight, although this war is very difficult, we can no longer easily repair the damage.

[00:05:35]Anything that is destroyed cannot simply be rebuilt.

[00:05:39]>> And America has lost at least 17 service members in this war with Iran without stepping foot inside the country. Its ally Israel has lost at least 39 people, including a few dozen Israeli Defense Forces soldiers, fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, and at least four civilians by Iranian missile attacks. And in Lebanon, the death toll has now passed 4,000 as the Hezbollah Israel conflict continues to escalate. 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced so far. But the war hasn't stopped at its main battlefields.

[00:06:15]It has also claimed lives in Gulf states and even killed at least seven Indian sailors working on oil tankers in the straight of Warmus.

[00:06:53]over $90 a barrel. That's where Brent crude now trades as tensions in the strait escalate. That's an increase of nearly 30% since the ceasefire collapsed. LG doesn't have a single global price benchmark because shipping costs play a much bigger role. But analysts say panic buyers in Europe and Asia are already driving spot LG prices to their highest levels in four months.

[00:07:17]Remember around 20% of the world's oil normally passes through the straight of moose.

[00:07:23]$2.2 trillion in counting. That's the estimated hit to the global economy. All because the straight of remains disrupted. Remember eight countries Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahin and Oman depend on the straight or moose and that's for the bulk of their exports.

[00:07:46]But the closure has led to energy shortages and conservation efforts in farther removed countries as well. The International Energy Agency has described this as the greatest energy security challenge in history.

[00:08:00]$29 billion.

[00:08:03]That's the official price tag of US President Donald Trump's Operation Epic Fury. But that may only be the beginning because several estimates suggest that the true cost could be closer to $50 billion once the damage to US bases and the cost of replacing lost missiles, drones, and the military equipment is factored in. And that's not all. The war has also reportedly drained America's weapons stockpiles. According to reports, the United States fired more Patriot missiles in the first four days of this war than it has supplied to Ukraine over the past four years.

[00:08:39]And according to US lawmakers, it could take years to rebuild those stockpiles.

[00:08:43]All of this as higher oil prices continue to push up inflation and weigh on the US economy.

[00:08:50]$270 billion. That's the estimated damage to Iran's economy. The International Monetary Fund projects that Iran's economy will shrink 6.1% this year, though that was assuming Hormuz would be normalizing now, not freezing. And that is a country that was already struggling under years of sanctions and economic isolation.

[00:09:11]The says any lasting peace deal must include access to tens of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets held abroad. Those funds could become critical to rebuilding a war ravaged economy.

[00:09:24]But it remains one of the key sticking points of the talks between Thran and Washington. And finally, 105 days.

[00:09:35]That's how long Trump has before Americans vote in the midterm elections in November. And the higher US casualties rise, the higher oil prices climb, and the more America's military and global standing are stretched, the tougher that election could become.

[00:09:51]These numbers, shocking as they are, only tell part of the story. If this war continues, the numbers will only get bigger, as you can imagine. Which means more debts, more displacement, higher oil prices, and even greater economic damage. The reality is both sides are now bleeding just in different currencies. But the question is still the same as day one of the war. Who blinks first?

[00:10:21]Looks like the world is running out of safer routes. The straight of Ormu is effectively shut. Iran has reduced almost traffic to a trickle. And now another sea route is the new flash point. The Houthis have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia.

[00:10:38]The Yemeni armed forces announced a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy based on the equation of a blockade for a blockade and it will enter into force effective immediately upon the issuance of this statement.

[00:10:52]>> So what is a maritime embargo?

[00:10:56]The Houthis want to make the shipping route so dangerous that ships stop using it. Along with the embargo, the Houthis also declared a general mobilization, calling on fighters to reinforce front lines and warned that any Saudi escalation would be met with what they called a fullscale and severe response.

[00:11:15]Saudi Arabia has not yet formally responded, but the Saudiled coalition in Yemen said it would respond with force and announced that it had begun implementing protection measures for its ships.

[00:11:27]Now, this declaration was days in the making. So let's rewind to last week.

[00:11:31]Saudi aircraft struck Sana International Airport, the main airport in Yemen's capital, wished the Houthi control. It was one of the deadliest strikes in years. The Houthis called it red line.

[00:11:42]Days later, they made good on their threat.

[00:11:47]>> Accordingly, the Yemeni armed forces affirm the following. First, we warned the criminal Saudi enemy against repeating any attempt to violate our airspace or carry out aggression against our country. Any such action will be met with a comprehensive response targeting its airports and vital interests on land and at sea. Second, we will not accept the continuation of the unjust Saudi American blockade on our country indefinitely and we will take all legitimate measures to bring this blockade to an end.

[00:12:18]The Houthis are formerly known as Ansarah. They are a Yemeni armed movement. They've controlled Yemen's capital SA since 2014. They are backed by Iran, armed by them, and in the current broader conflict aligned with them. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthis, backing Yemen's internationally recognized government. That war has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

[00:12:43]It's created one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A fragile truth had largely held in recent years until last week.

[00:12:52]And this is where things get alarming.

[00:12:54]Let's pull up the map for you. You can see that Saudi Arabia borders the Red Sea. Its western ports matter immensely especially for oil exports and commercial cargo and ships leaving these ports must sail south towards one narrow passage called the Babal Mandave Strait.

[00:13:11]And this trait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aiden. It is one of the world's most important shipping choke points. West Asia, Europe and Asia heavily depend on it. The straight of is shut. So Saudi Arabia has been rerouting its oil exports westward through the East West Petroline pipeline, a 1,200 km pipeline that runs from eastern oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. It pumps approximately 7 million barrels of oil per day. And the Houthi blocking the waters those tankers sail through. So the Houthi are not saying they'll block Saudi's entire coastline. What they are talking about is shipping lane off Yemen's coast. especially around the Babal Mandave Strait. So the full closure of the Babal Mandave Strait would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia, heavily impact Europe and could produce it could reduce global oil supply by a further 7%.

[00:14:09]The Iran war has already cut global supply by 10%. So the numbers are stacking up. Now that brings us to another question. Will the Houthis act on this threat? Their track record makes this threat credible.

[00:14:23]They disrupted global commerce in 2023.

[00:14:25]Attack ships in Babal Mandave in response to Israeli attacks on Gaza.

[00:14:30]Those attacks stopped only when a ceasefire was announced. Now they are back. So attacks on commercial shipping very much possible. It takes years to build global trade routes. It can take just a few missiles to throw them into chaos. The Houthis have shown that before. The question now is whether they're about to do it again.

[00:14:50]And this story isn't just about Saudi Arabia or Yemen. It's about the global economy, too. When the world's major shipping lanes come under threat, the impact does not stay at sea. It can show up in the price of the fuel you buy, the cost of the goods you order, and even the food on your table. That is why the world is watching this very carefully.

[00:15:22]Oh my god.

[00:15:41]>> A violent flare up has taken place at sea. The Chinese Coast Guard has clashed with members of the Philippines Navy.

[00:15:48]Now, this isn't exactly unusual. China has attacked people from the Philippines at sea before. But what makes this latest attack unique is that the Chinese Coast Guard used battons. They ended up injuring several of the Filipino service members. Take a look.

[00:16:28]One of the Filipino Navy crewmen was hit in the head. He ended up with a deep wound. And here's a closer look at the weapon used on him.

[00:16:36]It's a heavy baton used by a mass member of the Chinese Coast Guard. Let's take a closer look at where the attack took place. This is the second thrash shaw.

[00:16:46]It's a submerged reef and it is located about 105 nautical miles west to the west of the Philippines. Pardon me. That means it falls right in the middle of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Right at the center of its territorial waters. Manila calls these territorial waters the West Philippine Sea. It is part of the larger South China Sea region.

[00:17:13]But the Shaw where the dispute took place is well within the Philippines territorial limits. This isn't a matter of debate. It is clear under international maritime law.

[00:17:24]Try explaining that to China though.

[00:17:27]Just because the greater water body is called the South China Sea, Beijing thinks the entire thing belongs to it.

[00:17:35]It even came up with its infamous nine dash line a while ago to try and claim the sea and everything in it. This includes the second Thomas Shaw. But the Philippines has no intentions of letting China walk all over it. Back in 1999 when Manila saw the ba that Beijing had designs on the island, it intentionally grounded a navy ship there. It's called BP Sierra Madre. The grounded ship serves as a forward post. Members of the Philippines Navy stay there to prevent Chinese encroachment.

[00:18:07]Now with this context, let's turn to China's version of events. Take a look at this video.

[00:18:14]It was posted by both the Chinese Coast Guard and the Chinese embassy in Manila.

[00:18:20]Judging by the English captions, it's clearly meant for an international audience. China put out this video and claimed that it was the Philippines that started the fight. China's foreign ministry spokesperson also tried to claim that the Chinese Coast Guard had no choice but to attack. Listen to this.

[00:18:41]The Philippine side deliberately dispatched two small boats from its illegally grounded warship, dangerously approached and rammed a Chinese vessel, and violently attacked Chinese law enforcement personnel.

[00:18:52]China had no choice but to respond resolutely in accordance with the law.

[00:18:59]Now, Beijing accused the Filipino Navy men of approaching the Coast Guard vessel first, and the video shows the Navy personnel brandishing and or Okay, that part is true. But think about it for a second. This is an island about 100 nautical miles from the Philippines.

[00:19:15]It is about 600 nautical miles away from the nearest Chinese coast. As we said earlier, the second Thomas Shaw lies within the West Philippine Sea within the country's exclusive economic zone.

[00:19:30]So then ask yourself, what would you do in the situation? What would your country's military do if foreigners with clubs approached your military outpost, especially if they've had a history of violent conduct like ramming ships and harassing your citizens with water cannons? This is exactly the point the Philippines has tried to highlight. A Filipino spokesperson said the Chinese account inverts the aggressor and the victim. He added that the nation provoking violence is the one sending people 600 nautical miles away to foreign seas. As you might expect, China has ignored this basic fact and Beijing continues to pedal its bogus claims. The second Thomas Shaw is just one of the many islands China has laid claim to.

[00:20:19]It also has territorial disputes with Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan. When one country always seems to have problems with all of its neighbors, it's hard to believe that it is the victim. And it's why most of the world doesn't buy Beijing's side of the story. No matter how many videos it puts out, drones have changed how wars are being fought. These cheap weapons certainly pack a punch, but the real challenge is intercepting them. You can fire machine guns or shoot missiles. Either way, you spend millions just to bring down a $20,000 drone. Clearly, the cost is too high. Not only is that bad military strategy, it's a nightmare for accountants. But the United States has found a cheap solution. Not a smaller missile or laser gun, but a microwave.

[00:21:11]The same science that warms your leftovers is now frying drones out of the sky. Our next report tells you more.

[00:21:21]>> The US Army has unveiled a new weapon to shoot down drones. No, it's not a new interceptor missile or an air defense gun. It is a microwave cannon designed to disable swarms of drones by frying their electronics rather than blowing them up in the sky. So, how does it work and will it change the future of warfare?

[00:21:45]Drones have officially taken over the battlefield. These weapons that can be assembled even in a garage offer pinpoint attacks with a loud bang. They are cheap, they are reliable, and they make headlines. But bringing them down has armies worried.

[00:22:02]You can fire machine guns, launch interceptor missiles, even scramble fighter jets. Either way, the cost to shoot down a drone remains extremely high and the US is slowly changing that.

[00:22:15]Loheed Martin has come up with a cost effective weapon to bring down drones. A microwave strapped to a drone called the Morpheus Xrotor. This is a ground launched airborne high power microwave. A counter drone system that is mounted to the spine of a drone. It can neutralize 50 swarm drones in one go. It directs beams of electromagnetic energy as it nears enemy drones that fries the circuit board of the drones, forcing them to fall down without entirely destroying them. This is the same technology we see in our kitchens in the microwaves that we use to warm our food. The Morpheus Xrotor is reusable. It has a significantly low cost per kill compared to other anti- drone systems because it costs just a few thousand to make it. Essentially, it is just another drone.

[00:23:09]That's what the future looks like. The easiest way to counter cheap drones is using cheap drones. We're already seeing that in Ukraine. Ukrainian armed forces are using cheap interceptor drones that cost a few hundred to take out Russian drones. But these interceptions can be risky because these drones are packed with explosives. Compare that to the Morpheus Xrotor that the US has unveiled. It involves no explosions. The microwave frequencies simply fry the electronics on board the incoming threat. So enemy drones can even be taken out over civilian areas, making it one of the most effective counter drone systems. History tells us that military evolutions begin with a simple question.

[00:23:52]What if we fight differently? Gunpowder replaced swords. Tanks broke trench warfare. Cheap drones changed the battlefield. And now microwave weapons will reshape air defenses not because they are louder but because they are cheaper and smarter.

[00:24:16]Now let's turn to India.

[00:24:19]Every year millions of students appear in competitive exams to get admission into the country's top universities.

[00:24:26]Some dream to be lawyers or engineers.

[00:24:29]Many aspire to be doctors.

[00:24:32]Students who want to join medical colleges, they give an exam called the NEAt. It stands for national eligibility come entrance test. This exam is conducted once every year. Those who qualify get admission into India's medical colleges. Almost 2 and a half million students sit for the exam each year. For those students, neat is like a dream. It can make or break their careers.

[00:25:00]Today that dream has spilled onto the streets in anger. Thousands of students are protesting in New Delhi over irregularities in the examination system mainly the paper leak that happened this year along with unfair checking practices and cheating rackets that were busted in several states. So what exactly is happening? Why are the students protesting? What are their demands? Let's break it down. At the heart of the protest is one simple concern, trust. The need is not just another entrance test. Millions of students spend months, even years preparing for this exam. This year, the exam for undergraduate admissions was held on the 3rd of May. More than 2 million students appeared for it, but a paper leak was detected.

[00:25:51]The question paper had been circulated on Telegram and WhatsApp.

[00:25:55]By the 12th of May, the NEAT was cancelled. A re-examination was announced. On the 21st of June, it was conducted again. And on the 16th of July, the results were announced. During this period, the government launched an investigation. A total of 13 people have been arrested for leaking the paper. So why are the students upset? Because the NEAT is one of the most stressful exams in India. Children put their entire future on the line for it. Any lapse by the examination agencies hurts millions of students. A re-examination means they have to relive the stress, the pressure for no fault of theirs. So when the leak was detected and the retest was announced, millions of students were left grieving.

[00:26:39]For some, that stress went beyond limits.

[00:26:44]At least 14 students died by suicide after the leak was detected. They cited mental stress and financial strain.

[00:26:53]Since the paper leak, students are worried about the entire examination process. They want to know that they have a fair and equal chance and that their hopes and ambitions are being taken seriously. That's why they are protesting in the nation's capital because they want accountability.

[00:27:12]Now, there are various student groups taking part in the demonstrations. Some are trying to push political agendas, but this protest is about the students. They have been wronged and they've put forward some demands.

[00:27:26]The first, a transparent investigation into the paper leak. Second, stronger safeguards to ensure future exams remain safe and credible. Third, accountability and responsibility from institutions and officials that conduct examinations.

[00:27:42]This includes the resignation of education minister Dhandra Pradhan.

[00:27:48]Yesterday saw one of the biggest demonstrations so far. Thousands of students gathered in central Delhi. They marched towards the parliament.

[00:27:56][screaming] The police stopped them with barricades.

[00:28:00]What followed were intense clashes.

[00:28:01]Several students were wounded. Some police personnel were also injured.

[00:28:06]Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the concerns of the students.

[00:28:09]He called the paper leak a grave sin.

[00:28:15]He said the neat paper leak was a gore path. We acted immediately, arrested all those involved and 13 accused are currently in jail. Do not incite children. Show them the right path. It is easy to go on the wrong path but much tougher to return. It is our responsibility to guide them.

[00:28:36]But the protests don't seem to be slowing down. The issue was raised in the parliament as well and now India's opposition parties have joined the movement. They marched to the prime minister's residence.

[00:28:48]>> The point is the point is that this is no way to treat the young people of this country. The young people of this country do not have any opportunities.

[00:29:00]All the doors are closed. There is only one door which is open which is the door of the competitive exam and that door is also destroyed.

[00:29:10]>> Now it is important to remember why neat carries enormous significance. This exam is the single gateway into medical education across India. For those aspiring to be doctors, years of preparation comes down to this one exam.

[00:29:24]Any disruption like the paper league directly affects millions of students and their parents.

[00:29:30]That explains why the emotions surrounding the protests are so high.

[00:29:34]But this issue has opened larger conversations in the country.

[00:29:39]How do you conduct exams for millions and ensure complete integrity? Can technology make the exams more secure?

[00:29:46]Should question papers be handled differently? Can stronger surveillance and logistics prevent future leaks?

[00:29:52]Whatever may be the outcome of the protest, one thing is clear. For millions of students in India, the need is more than an examination. It is years of preparation, sacrifice, expectations.

[00:30:05]It's hope. That is why any question over the integrity of the examination resonates so deeply. Because in competitive exams, students can accept a difficult paper. They can take on tough competition. But above all, they want to know that the standards are same for all. The students trust that the institutions will be fair and equal.

[00:30:29]But once that trust is questioned, restoring it becomes just as important as conducting the exam itself.

[00:30:40]India's newest anti-ubmarine warfare warship INS Malwan is joining the Navy at a time when China and Pakistan are rapidly expanding their underwater fleets. Built with over 80% indigenous content, INS Malvan is designed to detect, track, and destroy hostile submarines in shallow coastal waters, giving India powerful new layer of maritime defense and strengthening security across the Indian Ocean. Here's a report.

[00:31:10]>> After decades of preparing for threats above sea, India is preparing for the enemy below it.

[00:31:18]On the 22nd of July, it'll take its underwater military power to the next level with the induction of the INS Malvan, a new generation submarine hunter built to detect, track, and destroy enemy submarines lurking close to India's coastline. What makes it special? The INS Malvan is the second of 16 new anti-ubmarine warfare shallow water craft being built entirely in India. But don't let its size fool you.

[00:31:47]Its mission is among the toughest in naval warfare. Finding submarines that do not want to be found. Remember, modern submarines are among the deadliest weapons at sea. They can remain underwater for weeks, lodge torpedoes, fire cruise missiles, and disappear without ever being seen. Therefore, finding one is like searching for a needle in a moving hay stack.

[00:32:14]That's where the INS Malban comes in.

[00:32:17]It's packed with sonar systems and anti-ubmarine rockets, lightweight torpedoes, and underwater decoys. The job is simple. Detect, track, and destroy enemy submarines before they even get a chance to get close enough.

[00:32:31]And unlike destroyers or frigots, the INS Malvan is designed for shallow coastal waters, exactly where enemy submarines must pass to target Indian ports, warships or merchant shipping.

[00:32:45]Its induction into the Indian Navy comes at a critical time. China now operates one of the world's largest submarine fleets, including nuclearpowered submarines capable of operating across the Indian Ocean.

[00:32:59]Meanwhile, Pakistan is beginning to induct eight Chinese origin submarines.

[00:33:04]It would give Islamabad its biggest underwater capability in decades.

[00:33:09]India today operates around 16 conventional submarines and the Indian Navy is strengthening its anti-ubmarine shield, a network of helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft, surface warships, and now dedicated submarine hunters like the INS Malban. That's not all. It's learned that the Indian Navy is also planning to add a total of 18 vessels this year alone, including more submarine hunters, stealth frig, support ships, and auxiliary vessels.

[00:33:41]As the great power competition intensifies in the Indian Ocean, India is betting on dominating its own backyard. So, it is best positioned to win tomorrow's battles. And all signs suggest the next naval battle may be invisible because it'll be fought underwater.

[00:33:59]For centuries, naval power was measured by the number of battleships a nation could put to sea. But now the real contest is invisible and deep underwater. With the INS Malban, India has added another hunter to that silent war.

[00:34:22]For as long as there have been exams, there have been students trying to cheat. Some copied from the person sitting next to them. Some passed shits across the classroom, while others hid notes inside their pencil boxes, even wrote formulas on their palms. Every generation found new ways to beat the system. And their goal was always the same. Get the right answer without doing the hard work. But today, the rules have changed because students are no longer just copying answers. They're asking artificial intelligence to create them.

[00:34:51]You see, unlike a search engine, a chatbot can write an essay. It can solve a maths problem, summarize an entire chapter, or even explain a difficult concept, all in a matter of seconds.

[00:35:03]That has left schools and universities globally facing a question they never had to ask before. How do you test a student's knowledge when a machine can produce the answers?

[00:35:15]That question is now forcing teachers to rethink and debate the way they teach and conduct exams. In fact, one professor in the United States found himself living it. His name is Roberto Serrano. He teaches economics at Brown University and he noticed something extraordinary.

[00:35:32]Last year, a gunman opened fire on Brown University campus. Two students were killed. The attack shocked the entire university.

[00:35:39]Many students were afraid of returning to class. So when the next semester began, Srano decided to do things differently. He allowed his students to write their first major exam from home.

[00:35:50]The idea was to reduce anxiety after the trauma. But something unexpected happened. His class usually had around 30 students. This time 86 students enrolled. And when the papers were marked, the results were astonishing.

[00:36:04]The average score was 96%.

[00:36:08]That had never happened before. In previous years, the class average had been between 65 to 80%.

[00:36:14]And the results did not look normal. The professor wanted to know why. So, he asked Chad GPT the same questions. Now, Chad GPT, as you may know, is a chatbot owned by OpenAI. The answers looked strikingly similar. The same structure, same language, and same style of explanation. And that made him even more suspicious as you can imagine. So he changed the final exam. This time every student had to return to the classroom.

[00:36:41]They had to write the paper under his supervision.

[00:36:45]The difference was dramatic. Several students dropped or never turned up for the course. The class average fell from 96% to just 48.6%.

[00:36:54]The professor canceled the first exam scores. And the bigger question became clear. How could a university know whether a student had actually learned anything?

[00:37:06]And Brown University is not the only only university asking that question.

[00:37:11]The same concern is now spreading across the world. But why are students using AI in the first place? It could be for various reasons. Some want to finish assignments faster. Others want to improve their grades, of course. Some are trying to keep up with their peers.

[00:37:26]And for many, AI has become a shortcut.

[00:37:28]Nowhere is that pressure more visible than in East Asia. In South Korea, two people taking an English language exam were caught using AI powered smart glasses. The glasses looked completely ordinary, but they could read the questions and display the answers inside the lenses. A similar case was reported in Taiwan. A student taking an entrance exam for a top medical school. It was also caught using was also caught using AI smart glasses.

[00:37:56]The incident raised the fresh concerns about how exams can be protected. And then came the experiment that put it all in perspective. Researchers at a university in Hong Kong wanted to test how capable AI glasses had become. So they put them to the test. The glasses were given an undergraduate engineering exam. The AI scored among the top five students. This is in a class of more than 100. That experiment then raised another question. If AI can perform like one of the best students, then what should exams test in the future?

[00:38:30]A Pew Research survey found that more than six in 10 American teenagers now use AI chatbots regularly. More than half said they use them for school work.

[00:38:41]About 1 in 10 said they complete all or most of their schoolwork using AI. And nearly six in 10 believe AI assisted cheating has become common in their schools. So what are universities doing about it? In Australia for instance, some colleges are bringing back more classroom exams. Others are asking students to explain their answers face to face. In fact, some are also increasing handwritten tests. The goal is no longer to check the final answer.

[00:39:08]It is to understand how the student reached it. And perhaps that's the biggest lesson here. You see, artificial intelligence is not the enemy. It can help people learn, explain complex ideas, and make education more accessible. But it cannot replace the one thing education is supposed to build, critical thinking.

[00:39:30]And that's the real test of the AI era, not whether AI can pass an exam. We already know it can. The question is whether education can still produce students who can think without one. Our next story is from Latin America. From the nation of Nicaragua, the country seems set to abandon democracy altogether. Nicaragua's longtime dictator just declared that there will be no more elections, which technically means that we may be getting a new monarchy right on America's doorstep. This is Nicaragua.

[00:40:04]It's the largest country in Central America. It is home to about 7 million people. And for the last 19 years, it has been under the thumb of Daniel Ortega. Ortega is one of the presidents of Nicaragua. Last year, he elevated his vice president.

[00:40:22]So, the country now has two co-presidents. And as I mentioned that this VP turned co-president actually happens to be his wife.

[00:40:33]Her name is Rosario Marillo. Ortega changed Nicaragua's constitution last year. He introduced the concept of co-president and then he elevated his wife to that post. It's probably going to take a lot to top that anniversary gift. Jokes aside, Nicaragua's first couple have taken a hatchet to democracy there. It wasn't really great to begin with. The country has a history of dictatorships, courtesy the United States and its meddling. Ortega himself is a byproduct of Washington's puppet show there. He first rose to power after a coup in 1979 overthrowing the USbacked Anastasia Samuza. Back then, Ortega styled himself as a coordinator of the Honta, but soon enough he wriggled his way into presidency. Ortega was president from 1985 to 1990, but then he lost the next election. He was voted out in 1990 and then he was kept out in the two following elections.

[00:41:31]But it seems every dictator has his day.

[00:41:33]He won the 2006 election, which happened to be a three-way battle, and he's been in power ever since. Over the past two decades, he's cracked down on the opposition. He is accused of rigging elections, and of course, he has been elevating his beloved wife, but it seems he's tired of that whole charade. Now, here's what he finally said this weekend.

[00:41:57]>> They better forget it. here there will be no more elections so they can try to grab the government and seize power.

[00:42:05]>> Ortega says there will be no more elections. His justification is that this will prevent his opponents from returning to power. Now that might sound self-explanatory, but there is some context here. Ortega accuses his opponents of being American proxies or at the very least backed by the United States. This of course comes from the history of American meddling in Nicaragua. That did happen. [snorts] And knowing the CIA, it might not be a thing of the past either. Ortega leans heavily into the conspiracy of American meddling.

[00:42:40]>> Don't think that because there is no war, we are at peace. No, they are there conspiring, conspiring, organizing, looking to organize parties so that in an election which they assume, then those parties win the elections. And the days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somatistas would return to power are over. Never again.

[00:43:05]>> We have no way of knowing just how true Ortega's allegations are. He's not exactly the most reliable source and neither is Trump's United States. The people of Nicaragua have always been between a rock and a hard place, but it seems Ortega has decided to take it to the next level. He looks all set to declare himself emperor because that's pretty much the only next step. After all, what happens when a democratic republic falls? When the Roman Republic fell, you got the Roman Empire. The first French Republic gave rise to Emperor Napoleon Bonapart. It's always the next logical step. But Ortega is no Napoleon, definitely no Augustus. So the people of Nicaragua look like they're in for an even tougher time ahead.

[00:43:55]One of the world's oldest stories is back on the big screen. It is called The Odyssey. It's a Greek epic written nearly 3,000 years ago. This time it has been retold by Christopher Nolan. But before the rest of the world could judge the film, one audience mattered the most to the makers, the Greeks. For them, the Odyssey is not just a story. It's part of their history. It's part of their school education.

[00:44:18]And so, what do they think of Nolan's version? Our next report explores.

[00:44:25]>> Christopher Nolan has made one of the biggest films of his career. But this time, the toughest critics were never in Hollywood. They were in Greece.

[00:44:35]the birthplace of one of the world's greatest stories.

[00:44:39]For nearly 3,000 years, the Odyssey has been a part of Greek life. It was written by the ancient poet Homer. Every child studies it in school. They probably imagine what they would have done in Odysius's place. So, when Christopher Nolan decided to retell this ancient epic, Greeks had one big question. Did he get it right? The film tells the story of Adysius. He's the legendary king of the Greek island of Ithaca. After fighting in the Trojan War, he begins his journey home. The Trojan War is one of the best known stories in Greek mythology. It's the war between the Greeks and the city of Troy.

[00:45:19]The Greeks eventually win. That is when Odysius sets sail for home. The journey home should have taken days. Instead, it takes 10 years.

[00:45:30]Along the way, Odysius battles monsters, faces powerful gods, survives deadly temptations, and never gives up on returning to his wife and son.

[00:45:42]Oscar winner Matt Damon plays Adysius in the movie. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathway, Robert Patson, Zenaia, and Lupita Nyongo.

[00:45:53]The film has already earned more than $264 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

[00:46:00]But before it reached cinemas, it had already sparked debate.

[00:46:05]>> Some questioned Nolan's interpretation of a Greek classic. Others criticized some of the casting choices.

[00:46:12]One of the biggest debates centered on Lupita Nyongo's casting as Helen of Troy. Some argued the mythical queen should have been played by a Greek actress. The criticism even reached social media. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was among those who questioned the casting.

[00:46:31]>> If Nolan does these things as a director, then it is respected. But he does them as a film producer, as a businessman, and he puts in the elements of a woke agenda and inclusion.

[00:46:46]>> Christopher Nolan brushed aside the criticism. He said people were judging the film before they had even seen it.

[00:46:53]Then opening day arrived and many Greeks left the cinemas impressed.

[00:46:59]>> I think Nolan reintroduces us to the Odyssey in his way of course. I like the film, a very good film because ancient mythology can be a bit k but I think this work is timely.

[00:47:13]For many, the film also brought back memories not of another movie, but of their own classrooms. That's because the Odyssey is taught in every Greek school.

[00:47:22]Students spent months discussing its characters. They ask whether Odysius is really a hero. They debate whether revenge is ever justified. And they learn why the story still matters today.

[00:47:37]>> We used to read the Adysi and I remembered it. I thought they made this nice film and brought it for us to remember the past when I was a student.

[00:47:46]I remembered old times.

[00:47:50]>> Not everyone agreed with every decision.

[00:47:53]Some viewers preferred parts of Homer's original story. Others felt a few scenes could have stayed closer to the epic, but many still admired the film's scale and ambition. Nolan says every adaptation deserves its own voice.

[00:48:08]We sort of realized that you you just have to make the best film you can and put a strong interpretation your interpretation on. And I think people who who love the piece of literature, in this case the Odyssey, hopefully they they enjoy the respect that we're showing.

[00:48:24]>> Many Greek scholars agree. They say myths survive because they keep changing. Every generation tells the story in its own way.

[00:48:35]reinterpretation, the re-imagination keeps vital this heritage over time.

[00:48:46]Otherwise, Greek mythology would be a mummy, a museum exhibit.

[00:49:01]That may be the real verdict. Nearly 3,000 years after Homer first told the Odyssey, people are still reading it, still debating it, and now filling cinemas to watch it all over again.

[00:49:22]And Pakistan is going viral again. And this time, it has nothing to do with missiles or political drama. It's a bicycle ambulance, a cycle with a stretcher attached. The video of the ambulance which is now viral is from Karach. However, it did not make sense to the internet. People started posting comparisons to drone deliveries in Dubai and flying ambulances in Singapore. For everyone else, it's a bicycle. But for Pakistan, it's apparently the next generation of emergency healthcare.

[00:49:49]Because while others in the world are racing to build the future, Pakistan is trying to pedal towards it.

[00:49:57][music] Heat. Heat.

[00:50:03][music] [music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] [music] >> And now it's time Time for vantage shots, images that tell a story. In Hassan, the Indian army has rescued over 200 people under operation Jal Rahut as floods continue to batter the state with the death toll now at 11. Similar scenes in Chile where devastating floods and mudslides have forced the government to declare a state of catastrophe, leaving at least five dead and more than 99,000 people isolated.

[00:51:13]And for some relief from all that grim news, rare new footage of a snow leopard has been captured in China's Sichuan province. A welcome sign for one of the world's most elusive big cats. Finally, taking you back in history. On this day in 2007, the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hit bookstores, ending one of the most successful literary series in history.

[00:51:35]That's all from us. Thank you so much for tuning in. See you [music] tomorrow.

[00:51:40]Heat. Heat.

[00:52:02]Hallelujah.

[00:52:17]Hallelujah.

[00:52:46]Look at this.

[00:53:15]Heat up here.

[00:53:18]Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music]