This is Beirut

DeepSeek's 'Sputnik moment' exposes holes in US chip curbs

This is Beirut, 29/01 11:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump United States Washington

US export controls on high-tech chips may have inadvertently fuelled the success of start-up DeepSeek's AI chatbot, sparking fears in Washington there could be little it can do to stop China in the push for global dominance in AI. The firm, based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has stunned investors and industry insiders with its R1 ...

US Lawmakers Urge Lebanese Leaders to 'End Hezbollah’s Influence'

This is Beirut, 29/01 11:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Lebanon Hezbollah Joseph Aoun Nawaf Salam

In an open letter sent on Tuesday, US lawmakers Darin LaHood and Darrell Issa, co-chairs of the US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus in the House of Representatives, urged Lebanese leaders to end Hezbollah’s influence on the country’s political and security landscape. The letter, addressed to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf ...

Rubio Widens Exemption for US Aid After Freeze

This is Beirut, 29/01 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday widened exemptions in a sweeping freeze on foreign assistance, saying the United States would keep funding humanitarian items such as shelter and medicine. President Donald Trump on returning office last week ordered a 90-day pause to review assistance by the United States, the world's largest donor in ...

Putin Agrees To Talks With Ukraine But Without Zelensky

This is Beirut, 29/01 06:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Donald Trump Kyiv USA

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that his country could take part in peace talks with Ukraine, but ruled out speaking directly to President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he described as ‘illegitimate’. The Ukrainian leader responded by saying that Mr Putin was ‘afraid’ of negotiations and was using ...

Ukraine: Putin Says He Is Ready to Negotiate but Rules Out Zelensky

This is Beirut, 28/01 21:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Donald Trump USA Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that talks with Ukraine were possible but not with its President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he deemed "illegitimate". US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to end the nearly three-year conflict, saying last week that Zelensky wanted to negotiate a "deal" to stop the fighting. "If ...

Turkish Airstrikes Kill 12 Civilians in Northern Syria

This is Beirut, 28/01 20:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Turkey USA

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Tuesday that two days of Turkish strikes had killed 12 civilians in Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria. Turkish-backed forces launched an offensive against the SDF in November that has seen them capture several Kurdish-held enclaves in the north despite US efforts to broker a ceasefire. The ...

US Stocks, Nvidia Shares Steady After Chinese AI Shock

This is Beirut, 28/01 19:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Banks New York

US stocks and shares in chip-making giant Nvidia on Tuesday clawed back some of their losses following a sell-off triggered by the sudden success of Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek. US tech shares tanked Monday, with Nvidia tumbling 17 percent, after China's DeepSeek unveiled its R1 chatbot, which can apparently match the capacity ...

LAF Continues Deployment Amid Israeli Breaches in South Lebanon

This is Beirut, 28/01 18:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanese Army South Lebanon Hezbollah Israel USA

On Monday evening, the Israeli army released six Lebanese who had been captured on Sunday evening in Houla (Marjeyoun) when a large number of civilians tried to reach their villages in the south between Sunday and Monday. Situation on the ground and deployment of the Lebanese army On Tuesday, the Israeli army blew up the area around a mosque in ...

Boeing Reports 2024 Loss of $11.8 bn After Strike, Safety Issues

This is Beirut, 28/01 15:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA

Boeing reported a hefty fourth-quarter loss Tuesday following a bruising 2024 that included a lengthy labor strike, major safety issues on commercial planes and defense contract cost overruns. The US aviation giant reported a fourth-quarter loss of $3.9 billion, putting the full-year loss at $11.8 billion. Revenues in the fourth quarter were ...

Al Habtoor Halts Investments and Plans Full Exit from Lebanon

This is Beirut, 28/01 11:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA

Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor has announced the cancellation of all planned investment projects in Lebanon, citing the country’s deteriorating security and economic stability. The decision marks a significant blow to Lebanon’s investment landscape, which has struggled to attract foreign capital amid ongoing political and financial ...

DeepSeek: Chinese AI Firm Sending shock Waves Through US Tech

This is Beirut, 28/01 09:45 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump DeepSeek

Chinese firm DeepSeek's artificial intelligence chatbot has soared to the top of the Apple Store's download charts, stunning industry insiders and analysts with its ability to match its US competitors. The program has shaken up the tech industry and hit US titans including Nvidia, the AI chip juggernaut that saw nearly $600 billion of its ...

Trump Orders Planning for 'Iron Dome' Missile Shield for US

This is Beirut, 28/01 09:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Israel Iron Dome

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order to start planning for an "Iron Dome" air defense system for the United States, like the one that Israel has used to intercept thousands of rockets. Trump ordered the defense secretary to submit within 60 days an implementation plan for the "next-generation missile defense shield" designed ...

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