Mark Carney sworn in as Canada's prime minister

Canada's ruling Liberal Party leader Mark Carney was sworn in as the 24th prime minister of the country and appointed a new cabinet on Friday.

The 24-member transition cabinet includes the main players who held portfolios central to managing Canada-U.S. relationship.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly stays where she is, while former Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc retains the Canada-U.S. file as Carney's new international trade minister. Former Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne was promoted as finance minister.

At a press conference following the swearing-in ceremony, Carney outlined the government's top priorities which are safeguarding Canadian workers and strengthening the national economy, especially in light of ongoing trade tensions and tariff threats from the United States.

"Our leaner cabinet will focus on two priorities in particular: First, protecting Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified foreign trade actions. And second, growing this great country by putting more money in Canadians' pockets, by ensuring the government spends less so Canada can invest more," Carney said.

He also announced potential visits to the United Kingdom and France next week, with no plan to visit the United States.

"I received the questions on a trip to Paris and London in a few days. I received an invitation from the president of France to discuss a variety of issues, both economic, commercial, to reinforce those relationships, also issues related to security in Europe, in Canada. Similar discussions will be had with the prime minister in the United Kingdom. I don't have plans to go to the United States. I look forward to speaking to him at an appropriate moment," he said.

Addressing U.S. President Donald Trump's previous remarks about making Canada the "51st U.S. state," Carney said Canada will "never in anyway, shape or form be part of the United States."

After decisively winning the Liberal leadership last Sunday, Carney took the reins from Justin Trudeau who officially tendered his resignation to Governor General Mary Simon before Carney's swearing-in ceremony.

Mark Carney sworn in as Canada's prime minister

Mark Carney sworn in as Canada's prime minister

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation