Former President Donald Trump announced he would block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Michigan and Canada unless Ottawa renegotiates trade agreements with the United States, according to Fox News. The announcement came on Monday via a post on Truth Social, where Trump accused Canada of unfair trade practices and cozying up to China.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is named after the legendary Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings. Trump’s threat is an attempt to bring Canada to the negotiating table, according to Fox News. The former president's statement came amidst ongoing trade tensions between the two countries.
In other news, Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, invoking her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, reported the BBC. Maxwell appeared virtually for a closed-door deposition from a Texas prison where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer expressed disappointment, stating, "This is obviously very disappointing. We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein."
Meanwhile, the European Union has told Meta that it breached its rules by blocking rival AI firms' chatbots from WhatsApp, according to BBC Technology. The tech giant changed the popular messaging app on January 15th, and since then only its AI assistant Meta AI can access it. The European Commission said WhatsApp was an "important entry point" for AI chatbots like ChatGPT to reach people, claiming Meta was abusing its dominant position by blocking them. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC the EU had "no reason" to intervene and claimed it had "incorrectly" assumed WhatsApp Business was a key way that people use chatbots.
Finally, a major new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ipbes) warns that businesses risk extinction unless they protect and restore the natural world, reported BBC Business. The report, based on contributions from leading scientists and approved by 150 governments, sets out how companies can shift from harmful approaches to ones that help restore nature. Experts are calling for urgent action to restore the natural systems that keep the economy running.
In a separate development, Texas State Rep. Gene Wu faced backlash after a clip resurfaced showing him calling on various racial groups to unite against their common "oppressor," according to Fox News. The clip, from a December 31, 2024, episode of the "Define American" podcast, showed Wu stating that these groups "are the majority in this country now" and should unite.
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