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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Tue Jan 28 2025

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

A competitive artificial intelligence model from a Chinese startup showed high-powered AI can be done much cheaper than U.S. models perform. The prices of eggs are estimated to rise, despite promises from the White House otherwise. USA soccer player Naomi Girma has set a record for women in the sport.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Is it a good idea to start the car before driving on a frigid morning?

China's DeepSeek AI sows doubts about US tech edge

Disruption among global tech stocks continued Tuesday morning after a small Chinese artificial intelligence startup said it can compete with the likes of ChatGPT and other U.S.-based AI models at a fraction of the cost.

More detail: Chinese startup DeepSeek released this month a cost-efficient AI model to compete with OpenAI using a fraction of computing power, or the type of technology sold by Nvidia and other companies. DeepSeek said it cost less than $6 million to train its powerful tools.

•	How did the stock market react to DeepSeek? Chip manufacturer Nvidia ended Monday down 17%, wiping out nearly $600 billion from the company's market cap, a record single-day loss.
•	Why DeepSeek is a threat: The impressive tech is on par with OpenAI and Meta's most advanced models, but can be cheaper to use.
•	Trump called this a "wake up" for U.S. tech: The president has bet big on AI, announcing a $500 billion investment to outpace rival nations in the business-critical technology.

Chinese firm DeepSeek's artificial intelligence chatbot has soared to the top of the Apple Store's download charts, stunning the AI industry.

Greg Baker, AFP via Getty Images

Rain provides only a brief break in Los Angeles wildfires

As a weather system finally brought substantial rain to Southern California, battle-scarred residents may be wondering how long they're safe from the kind of wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County neighborhoods this month. That doesn't mean such devastating infernos will return in early February, only that the weekend's precipitation wasn't strong enough to fully soak the drought-stricken region and eliminate fire danger. Read more

More news to know now

•	A Trump order recognizes only two sexes. Advocates call it "lawless."
•	Steel, semiconductors, computer chips and other imports face steep new tariffs.
•	Costco is under pressure by Republicans to end its DEI policies.
•	Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deployed 400 additional National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Donald Trump to House GOP:

"We're going to have a lot of people bidding on it. And we can save all that voice and all the jobs, and China won't be involved. We'll see what happens."

~ President Donald Trump on Monday at a retreat with Republican lawmakers at Trump Doral Miami addressed the future of TikTok. Trump issued an executive order last week that extends the ban on the Chinese-owned app, which briefly went dark in the U.S. But the legal logistics of the order remain uncertain, as has much regarding TikTok's future.

'Wanna just split the omelette?'

You might be hearing this question at brunch more often. Ordering or purchasing eggs might become more challenging as the popular breakfast item is expected to become pricier throughout the year, despite Vice President JD Vance recently saying otherwise. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) outlook, egg prices are predicted to increase about 20% in 2025, compared to about 2.2% for overall food prices. The USDA attributed the rise in egg costs to the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak, which has caused a strain in supply. Read more

Today's talkers

•	First lady Melania Trump's official portrait was unveiled.
•	These are the best movies we saw at the Sundance Film Festival.
•	Selena Gomez cried in a video reacting to Trump's immigration orders.
•	Auburn is still No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports college basketball coaches poll,
•	Here's the state of soccer in the U.S. 500 days before World Cup 2026.

Girma out-earns the competition

U.S. Women's National Team star Naomi Girma has become the first million-dollar female soccer player after English club Chelsea paid a record transfer fee and signed the American defender to a long-term contract. British media reported the club agreed to pay $1.12 million to acquire Girma, who was under contract with the NWSL's San Diego Wave until 2026. Girma is considered to be one of the world's best defenders, playing every minute of the 2024 Paris Olympic tournament where the Americans won gold with a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final.

Soccer International Friendly Womens Soccer Argentina At Usa

USWNT defender Naomi Girma dribbles during an Oct. 30, 2024, friendly against Argentina in Louisville, Kentucky.

Katie Stratman, Imagn Images

Photo of the Day: Pamela in Paris

Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week is back to tickle our fashion fancy with refined glamour, and the stars are here for it. The French capital and cultural mecca is hosting a series of runway shows featuring avant-garde collections from Chanel on Tuesday morning.

Pamela Anderson poses ahead of the Chanel Women's Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2025 collection in Paris, France, on January 28, 2025.

THIBAUD MORITZ, AFP via Getty Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.