
Diving into DeepSeek: inside the 7 February Guardian Weekly
It's been a tale of technology and tariffs this week as a Chinese-developed chatbot delivered the first shock to stock markets after appearing to have stolen a march on US tech supremacy. For our big story, technology editors Robert Booth and Dan Milmo dived into the implications of DeepSeek, a cheaper and less energy intensive AI tool than Silicon Valley rivals such as OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Within days of DeepSeek's stealth launch, it had raced up the download charts but equally as fast, its limitations when questioned on tricky subjects such as contentious Chinese history were pointed out by testers. With the help of typical Turing test questions we, however, report that all chatbots on the market have their limitations. And, as commentator Kenan Malik writes, the real shock of the new pretender owes more to economics than technical developments.
Meanwhile, barely recovered from their tech tremors, the markets reeled again as Donald Trump unveiled his promised tariff tactics. While Mexico and Canada won a month's reprieve after agreeing to shore up their borders against Trump's claims of migrants and illegal drugs coming into the US, China stood up to the White House by imposing its own tariffs on US imports. In a week when the news, seemingly, never had a moment to draw breath, this edition of Guardian Weekly is a chance to reflect on these two globally significant events.
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Spotlight | My home was crushed and buried Gaza-based reporter Malek A Tantesh records her family's arduous walk back to Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, the joy of making her way home but the sorrow of the destruction she saw
Environment | Why icebreakers are a hot topic in the Arctic?While Donald Trump seems intent on securing Greenland, our Nordic correspondent Miranda Bryant speaks to local experts, who explain that it will be no mean feat to control shipping routes through the prized Northwest Passage
Feature | My inside storyImprisoned for her part in the UK's Just Stop Oil protests, Louise Lancaster reflects on prison conditions and what she has learned from her time in jail
Opinion | Labour is sacrificing everything to the god of GDPThe government is committing environmental vandalism via chancellor Rachel Reeves' push for growth at all costs and is no better than its Tory predecessors, says George Monbiot
Culture | Bridget Jones is back As the ultimate singleton returns, older and wiser after 25 years, the star and creator of the new movie, Renée Zellweger and Helen Fielding, tell Hollie Richardson why her appeal hasn't dimmed
Wider fears about the direction of artificial intelligence were allayed somewhat by this sweet tale of an 'AI granny' chatbot named Daisy, designed to frustrate telephone fraudsters with a stream of befuddling inquiries about cups of tea, knitting and how computers work. Graham Snowdon, editor
Audio | Alice Weidel: the far-right banker Elon Musk wants as German chancellor
Video | How immigration is used as a political weapon
Gallery | Marianne Faithfull – a life in pictures
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the magazine: for submissions to our letters page, please email weekly.letters@theguardian.com. For anything else, it's editorial.feedback@theguardian.com
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Oil prices down, markets assess US-China trade talks outcome
TOKYO, June 11 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell in early trade on Wednesday as markets were assessing the outcome of U.S.-China trade talks, yet to be reviewed by President Donald Trump, with weak oil demand from China and OPEC+ production increases weighing on the market. Brent crude futures lost 24 cents, or 0.36%, to trade at $66.63 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 21 cents, or 0.32%, to $64.77 at 0119 GMT. U.S. and Chinese officials agreed on a framework to put their trade truce back on track and resolve China's export restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Tuesday at the conclusion of two days of intense negotiations in London. Trump will be briefed on the outcome before approving it, Lutnick added. "In terms of what it means for crude oil, I think it removes some downside risks, particularly to the Chinese economy and steadies the ship for the U.S. economy - both of which should be supportive for crude oil demand and the price," said Tony Sycamore, a market analyst for IG. Oil import data from China earlier this week and ongoing production increases from OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, were adding to the downside. OPEC+ plans to increase oil production by 411,000 barrels per day for July as it looks to unwind production cuts for a fourth straight month. Meanwhile, China's customs data showed this week the country, the world's biggest oil importer, brought in 46.60 million tonnes of crude oil in May, down 3% from the previous month, with imports of oil products falling by 12.9%. Later on Wednesday, markets will be focusing on the weekly U.S. oil inventories report from the Energy Information Administration, the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy. Analysts polled by Reuters expect U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell by 2 million barrels in the week to June 6, while distillate and gasoline inventories likely rose. Their estimates are for a bigger decline in crude stocks than figures from American Petroleum Institute showed. The API reported on Tuesday that crude stocks fell by 370,000 barrels last week, sources said on condition of anonymity.


The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
American carnage revisited as Trump plays president of permanent emergency
Donald Trump was hundreds of miles away from the White House on Tuesday, visiting one the country's most venerable military bases, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, partly to big-up Saturday's forthcoming celebration of America's armed might in Washington – a parade spectacular ostensibly held in honor of the US armed forces' birthday. But also his own. With a new setting came the chance for a new theme. Instead the president chose an old one – American carnage. It was the same discordant melody he had gone off on in his memorably dark first inauguration speech of January 2017, prompting George W Bush – who has kept an otherwise sphinx-like silence on things Trumpian in recent years – to murmur that it was 'some weird shit'. Given the martial setting, it would have been worthier, though unquestionably duller, to hum a tune of virtue and valor. But with Los Angeles, long his favourite city whipping boy, in the spotlight – by dint of his having dispatched 4,000 national guards troops there on dubious pretext to confront protesters against his immigration roundups – there was never a chance of that. Confrontation on the streets of what is sometimes called Tinseltown but is more noted by the president's Maga followers as the capital of 'woke' handed Trump the chance to adopt his most favoured posture – the president of permanent emergency. Having used economic emergency powers to adopt, against all sound advice, tariffs, and other legislation designed to be applied only in wartime to unleash the furies on undocumented migrants, he now had the perfect setting to expound on the extraordinary measures he planned to take against domestic unrest. 'I want to say a few words about the situation in Los Angeles, California,' he told his audience of uniformed active servicemen. Context and setting, you understood, was everything here. What were once considered policing matters would require, not to put too fine a point on it, military solutions. 'The police in LA, who are very good, but they weren't aggressive, like our soldiers. Our soldiers really were aggressive,' he said. Weird shit indeed. The national guard and active Marine Corps deployments in LA, he strongly hinted, would not be the last. 'I will be calling you early, as I see this happening,' he said, expanding his horizons to other settings, taking the opportunity to target Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota – running mate of Kamala Harris, Trump's defeated Democratic opponent in last year's presidential election. 'Because, you know, in theory,' he said, warming – revealingly – to his theme, 'I guess you could say a governor could call, but they don't call. They let their city burn, like in Minneapolis.' Walz, Trump went, had refused to deploy the national guard in Minneapolis after violence flared in the city amid protests in 2020 following the murder of a Black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin. 'I called the guard and I saved it, but I wish I would have called it the first day,' he said. In fact, local media reports say records confirm that it was Walz who called in the national guard. But no matter, Trump had made his intent clear. The US military – buoyed with its new $1tn budget announced in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' and a pay rise announced in his speech – had a new enemy, and it lay inside America's borders. Those troops on duty on the streets of Los Angeles were setting the template others could honorably follow. 'Not only are these service members defending the honor of citizens of California, they're also defending our republic itself,' he said. 'And they are heroes. They're fighting for us. They're stopping an invasion, just like you'd stop an invasion. The big difference is, most of the time when you stop an invasion, they're wearing a uniform. In many ways. It's tougher when they're not wearing a uniform, because you don't know exactly who they are.' For Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, and Karen Bass, the Los Angeles mayor, there was some ominous 'enemy within' language of the type Trump resorted to on last year's campaign trail. 'They're incompetent, and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists,' he said. 'They're engaged in this willful attempt to nullify federal law and aid the occupation of the city by criminal invaders.' It was a tour of Trump's darkest horizons – all the bleaker for being leavened with a comical parting serenade. As he exited the stage, the PA boomed out his favorite anthem, the Village People's YMCA. The president drew the biggest cheer of the day from the watching troops by playful indulging in his trademark little dance, culled from distant memories of late nights at Studio 54. Then he waddled off stage, like some aging dystopian disco king.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Army restores the names of seven bases that lost their Confederate-linked names under Biden
Seven Army bases whose names were changed in 2023 because they honored Confederate leaders are all reverting back to their original names, the Army said Tuesday. The announcement came just hours after President Donald Trump previewed the decision, telling troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that he was changing the names back. Fort Bragg, which was changed to Fort Liberty by the Biden administration, was the first to have its original name restored after the Army found another person with the same last name. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was with Trump at Fort Bragg, signed an order restoring the name in February. 'Can you believe they changed that name in the last administration for a little bit?' Trump said. 'We'll forget all about that.' In March, Hegseth reversed the decision changing Fort Benning in Georgia to Fort Moore. To restore the original names of the additional seven bases, the Army once again found service members with the same last names to honor. Those bases are Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett and Fort Robert E. Lee in Virginia, Fort Gordon in Georgia, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Rucker in Alabama. The decision strips names chosen in 2023 to honor top leaders, such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as Black soldiers and women. No women are included in the new Army list. There was no immediate cost estimate for changing all the signs at the bases, just two years after they were revamped. Fort A.P. Hill Originally it was named after Confederate Gen. Ambrose P. Hill, before being renamed Fort Walker after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Now it will be named to commemorate three different people: Medal of Honor recipients Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Pvt. Bruce Anderson for heroism during the Civil War. Fort Pickett Fort Pickett was changed to Fort Barfoot in honor of Tech Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II. It will now honor 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War II when he fired grenades while pinned down by enemy machine gun fire and destroyed enemy positions. He was captured, then escaped and rejoined his unit, but was killed in action. Fort Lee Fort Lee was changed to a hyphenated name, Fort Gregg-Adams, and was the only one to commemorate someone who remained alive at the time — Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg. He was known as a logistics leader and died last year. Lt. Col. Charity Adams — the other half of the name — led the first female Black unit of the Army deployed in World War II. Fort Lee will now be named for Pvt. Fitz Lee, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Spanish-American War, when he moved under fire to rescue wounded comrades. Fort Gordon Fort Gordon was changed to Fort Eisenhower to commemorate the former president's time leading Allied forces in Europe in World War II. It will now be named for Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon. He was honored for his valor during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, where he defended wounded crew members at a helicopter crash site and held off an advancing enemy force. Fort Hood Fort Hood was changed to Fort Cavazos in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, the Army's first Hispanic four-star, who served in the Korean War and got the Distinguished Service Cross. It will now honor Col. Robert B. Hood. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War I, when he directed artillery fire in France. Fort Polk Fort Polk was changed to Fort Johnson after Black Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William Henry Johnson, who served in World War I. It will now honor Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk. Then-Col. Polk was honored for gallantry during World War II, when he led reconnaissance and combat missions under fire. He later served as head of U.S. Army Europe. Fort Rucker Fort Rucker was named Fort Novosel after Medal of Honor recipient Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel, who served in World War II and Vietnam. It will now honor Capt. Edward W. Rucker. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in World War I when he flew deep behind enemy lines in a daring air battle over France.