Meta launches new AI tools and assistant app
Meta unveiled new AI technologies at its first developer conference in California.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg presented a new Application Programming Interface (API) that allows developers to create AI products based on Meta's Llama model while combining characteristics from other models such as DeepSeek and Qwen, according to Reuters.
The API is currently available in preview for select users, with pricing yet to be announced. APIs are a key revenue source for competitors like OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
Meta has released a standalone AI assistant app focusing on natural voice interaction. Chris Cox, Chief Product Officer, stated that it provides low latency, expressive voice answers, and personalized experiences by tying to users' Facebook and Instagram activity.
Reuters reports that Meta plans to test a paid subscription for its AI assistant in the second quarter.
CESIF organizes National Seminar on “Strengthening Nepal’s Diplomatic Negotiations”
The Center for Social Innovation and Foreign Policy (CESIF) organized a National Seminar on “Strengthening Nepal’s Diplomatic Negotiations.”
The seminar was organized to disseminate key findings of CESIF’s new research on Nepal’s Negotiations with China and discuss practical and strategic approaches to enhance Nepal’s diplomatic capacity in a complex geopolitical landscape.
Speaking at the program, CESIF’s Executive Chairperson, Ambassador Vijay Kant Karn,a said that this seminar aimed to be a platform for strategic reflection, critical analysis, and the formulation of actionable insights to contribute to shaping Nepal's diplomatic future,” reads a statement issued by CESIF.
He further said that in the current global environment of shifting power dynamics, it is crucial for Nepal to “navigate this complex landscape with skill and foresight.”
Highlighting China’s growing strategic interests in Nepal, he underscored the importance of building strong, capable negotiation teams that can safeguard Nepal’s long-term interests.
Policymakers, politicians, national and international experts, analysts, academics, diplomats, bureaucrats, and journalists attended the event.
Vietnam marks 50 years since war’s end with national celebrations
Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Wednesday with a large parade and air show in Ho Chi Minh City, commemorating the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, Reuters reported.
The event, which was attended by thousands, marked North Vietnamese forces' victory, which resulted in national reunification and the end of a 20-year conflict that killed over 3m Vietnamese and approximately 60,000 Americans.
Calling it a “victory of faith and justice,” Communist Party chief To Lam quoted Ho Chi Minh’s motto: “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one” , according to Reuters.
The closing days of the war were marked by the dramatic evacuation of thousands of Americans as North Vietnamese forces entered the city. Vietnam was officially reunified a year later, bringing an end to decades of conflict.
About 600 North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine, say South Korean lawmakers
South Korean lawmakers revealed that over 600 North Korean soldiers were killed in Russia's battle in Ukraine, citing intelligence from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Al Jazeera reported.
An estimated 15,000 North Korean forces have been deployed, with a total of approximately 4,700 casualties. Pyongyang has acknowledged its involvement, with Kim Jong Un promising to back Russia in "liberating" Ukraine's Kursk area.
In exchange, North Korea reportedly acquired satellite technology, drones, and air defense systems. Intelligence authorities claim that North Korean forces are getting more effective as they gather battle experience, according to Al Jazeera.
