Race begins to replace Canadian PM Trudeau

Ottawa (AFP) – The race to be Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s successor kicked off on Tuesday, a day after he resigned amid a looming trade war with the United States and a divisive political climate at home.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned on Monday, facing dwindling domestic political support and a possible trade war with the United States

NASA eyes SpaceX, Blue Origin to cut Mars rock retrieval costs

Washington (AFP) – NASA announced Tuesday it may turn to Elon Musk’s SpaceX or Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin to help reduce the soaring costs of returning Martian rocks collected by the Perseverance rover to Earth.

This NASA photo released on February 24, 2021, shows images from NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover in Jezero Crater on February 21, 2021

Venezuela's Gonzalez Urrutia says son

Caracas (AFP) – Venezuela’s Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who the opposition says won a July presidential election over incumbent Nicolas Maduro, said Tuesday his son-in-law was detained by “hooded men.”

Years of protests and US sanctions imposed over previous elections tainted by fraud allegations have failed to dislodge Nicolas Maduro, who has the support of the military

Invisible man: German startup bets on remote driver

Las Vegas (AFP) – With no one in the driver seat, the SUV pulling up resembles an autonomous robotaxi like those becoming increasingly present in some cities — but the car from German startup Vay is something else.

Thomas von der Ohe, CEO and Co-Founder of Vay Technology, stands for a portrait with a remote driving Kia. Over the last year, riders in Las Vegas have been able to test drive the vehicle

Turkey threatens military operation against Syrian Kurdish fighters

Istanbul (AFP) – Turkey threatened Tuesday to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria unless they accepted Ankara’s conditions for a “bloodless” transition after the fall of strongman president Bashar al-Assad.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan threatens to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria unless they accept Ankara's conditions

Second accused in Liam Payne drug death surrenders: Argentine police

Buenos Aires (AFP) – The second of two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne, who plunged to his death from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires last year, has turned himself in, Argentine police said Tuesday.

British singer-songwriter Liam Payne fell to his death in Argentina in October 2024

Disinformation experts slam Meta decision to end US fact

Washington (AFP) – Tech giant Meta’s shock announcement that it is ending its US fact-checking program triggered scathing criticism Tuesday from disinformation researchers who warned it risked opening the floodgates for false narratives.

Meta faces criticism over its decision to 'get rid' of US fact-checkers.

'Snowball's chance in hell' Canada will merge with US: Trudeau

Ottawa (AFP) – There is not a “snowball’s chance in hell” that Canada will merge with the United States, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, while his foreign minister added the country will “never back down” from threats by Donald Trump.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was a "snowball's chance in hell" the country would merge with the United States