What is DeepSeek, the Chinese Open AI rival sparking chaos in big tech?
There's a new AI player on the world stage: DeepSeek, a Chinese startup that's throwing tech valuations into chaos and challenging U.S. dominance in the field. Its creators claim it can do what U.S. models do but at a fraction of the cost. 
Impact on the AI Market
Chinese startup DeepSeek claims its AI models rival US giants OpenAI and Google but at significantly lower costs, shaking the US AI market. 
President Donald Trump warns that DeepSeek's advancements should serve as a “wake-up call” for American tech firms to stay competitive. Stocks tumbled after a Chinese AI startup said its models can compete with the likes of ChatGPT and other U.S.-based models at a fraction of the cost.
Financial Implications and Industry Response
TransLink says it desperately needs a new funding model to make up for a $600 million budget shortfall. Other large cities like New York and London have instituted congestion pricing to improve their transit systems. But as CBC’s Jon Hernandez reports, TransLink says it isn’t yet interested in that solution.
OTTAWA — Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland argues Canada can turn the tables on U.S. President Donald Trump and avoid massive U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods by scaring key American businesses.
International Reactions
Cuba’s small Chinese community celebrated the Lunar New Year overnight, ushering in the Year of the Snake with a vibrant parade, glowing lanterns, and dragons winding their way through the narrow streets of Chinatown.
Germany's opposition conservatives won parliamentary approval on Wednesday for a proposal to drastically restrict migration with the help of votes from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), breaking a taboo on cooperation with the far-right. Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, is keen to seize the initiative on migration policy.
Technological Advancements
T-Mobile and Elon Musk's SpaceX are currently testing the Starlink cell network on a trial basis after receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission in November last year. The trial offers 'text via satellite', while voice and data features will be added in the future, according to the T-Mobile website. 
Legislation and Policy Changes
Google has said it will be updating its maps to change the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America" for people using the search engine across the United States. The tech giant promised to make a similar change for the tallest peak in North America, reverting the name for Mount Denali in Alaska back to Mount McKinley. President Donald Trump on Wednesday will sign the Laken Riley Act into law as his administration's first piece of legislation. It mandates the detention and potential deportation of people in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft and violent crimes before they've actually been convicted.
