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New Nice mayor poses a 'real problem' for 2030 Winter Olympics

The 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, already bedevilled by several senior executives quitting, faces another potential headache with the election of far-right politician Eric Ciotti as mayor of Nice.

Meta awaits verdict in New Mexico child safety trial

A New Mexico jury began its first full day of deliberations on Tuesday in a trial where social media giant Meta is accused of endangering children by making them vulnerable to predators.

Pinheiro Braathen wins World Cup giant slalom title after Odermatt crashes

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed the men's giant slalom World Cup title on Tuesday after the discipline's leader Marco Odermatt crashed out on the first run at the season-ending race in Norway.

Aid flotilla arrives in Cuba as US oil blockade bites

The first boat of a flotilla carrying medical supplies, food and solar panels reached Cuba on Tuesday to aid the island as a US fuel blockade deepens its energy crisis.

Residents recount guilt, chaos in hearing on deadly Hong Kong fire

Survivors who escaped the massive blaze that killed 168 people at a Hong Kong housing estate last year told a public hearing Tuesday they still blame themselves for failing to save their neighbours.

World Snooker Championship to stay at Crucible

Sheffield's Crucible will remain home to the World Snooker Championship until at least 2045, ending fears that the sport's flagship event would quit the celebrated venue.

Mercedes new electric VLE: Price and performance?

Mercedes is not simply pushing the V-Class into the electric age; it is changing the vehicle’s very character. With the VLE, the familiar people carrier becomes something much closer to a rolling grand limousine. That is the real message behind this reboot. In the future, Mercedes will draw a clearer line between the VLE, positioned roughly on E-Class territory, and the even more luxurious VLS at the top end. This restart is therefore aimed not only at European families or hotel shuttles, but at a global market in which large luxury vans have long since become status objects.The technical leap is just as significant. The VLE is the first model to sit on a dedicated electric van architecture and it brings precisely the ingredients Mercedes wants to associate with its upper-class passenger cars: 800-volt technology, very fast charging, air suspension, rear-axle steering, a much more digital cockpit and an interior that feels more like a lounge than a traditional van. Up to eight seats, a highly flexible rear compartment, generous luggage space and strong towing credentials are all meant to prove that this is not merely a beautifully staged product, but a genuinely usable one. Mercedes wants to dissolve the old compromise: the VLE is supposed to be a business shuttle, a family car, a travel vehicle and a prestige product all at once.That inevitably puts range at the centre of the debate. On paper, the package is convincing: a large battery, a modern EV-first platform, strong aerodynamics, rapid charging and a clear attempt to present long-distance usability as something tangible rather than theoretical. All of that supports the idea that the official WLTP claim is not just marketing theatre. Even so, it would be a mistake to read that figure as an everyday guarantee. A vehicle of this size already weighs roughly three tonnes before passengers or luggage are added, and the heavier versions push total weight significantly higher still. Add several occupants, baggage, winter temperatures, climate control, large wheels and brisk motorway speeds, and the usable range will naturally fall. The VLE does not defeat physics; it simply shows how far current engineering can reduce the traditional drawbacks of large electric vehicles.

Xiaomi quarterly profit slumps despite annual EV gains

Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi announced a dip in quarterly profit on Tuesday after slower smartphone sales, while electric vehicles drove a modest surge in annual revenue.

IPL's Bengaluru to keep 11 seats empty in honour of stampede dead

Indian Premier League champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will keep 11 seats at their M. Chinnaswamy Stadium empty in memory of the fans crushed to death in title celebrations last year, the team said Tuesday.

Mbappe says injury is behind him, all systems go for World Cup

French superstar Kylian Mbappe says the knee injury that kept him sidelined for almost two months is "behind him" and there had never been a concern he would miss this year's World Cup.