Author: Verified News Online

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechTech TrendsAI models from China’s DeepSeek, Alibaba and the US flatter users too much, study findsResearch judges models from Alibaba and DeepSeek among the most sycophantic, an issue which could impact relationships and mental health
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1Vincent ChowPublished: 7:00am, 31 Oct 2025Leading artificial intelligence models from the United States and China are “highly sycophantic”, and their excessive flattery may make users less likely to repair interpersonal conflicts, a new study has found.AdvertisementThe study by researchers at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University published earlier this month tested how 11 large language models (LLMs) responded to user queries seeking advice on personal matters, including cases involving manipulation and deception.
In AI circles, sycophancy is the phenomenon of chatbots excessively agreeing with users. DeepSeek’s V3, released in December 2024, was found to be ..

AdvertisementIsrael-Gaza warWorldMiddle EastIsrael confirms identities of latest Gaza hostage bodies returned by HamasSahar Baruch was taken from kibbutz Beeri, and Amiram Kuper was kidnapped with his wife from their home in kibbutz Nir Oz
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 6:57am, 31 Oct 2025Israel said Thursday that it had identified the remains of hostages Amiram Kuper and Sahar Baruch, whose bodies were returned by Hamas earlier in the day.
AdvertisementA statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the families of the deceased men had been informed after “completion of the identification process by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine”.
Militants took 251 people hostage during Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza.
Sahar Baruch was taken from kibbutz Beeri to Gaza and killed during a failed army rescue operation two months later. He was 25 when he died.
Amiram Kuper, 84 at the t..

Representative AI image Dubai’s Halloween scene has blossomed into a high-fashion spectacle where fantasy and luxury merge under desert skies. From rooftop catwalks and masquerade dinners to influencer-hosted beach parties, the emirate’s Halloween nights are now curated experiences driven by style, brand activations and social-media moments. These lavish events reflect Dubai’s rising status as a global influencer hub and show how Halloween has been reinvented beyond costumes or candy.The high-fashion Halloween evolution in DubaiOver recent years Dubai has transformed Halloween into more than a celebration of scares. Luxury venues are adopting theatrical themes ranging from “cursed circus” soirées to futuristic masquerade balls. Immersive indoor festivals and private yacht parties present Halloween as a glamour-led celebration designed for nightlife, fashion and photography. The emphasis is on exclusive access and Instagram-ready aesthetics.Influencers and content creators sit at the ce..

Image: Getty Images Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a remarkably preserved 1,600-year-old Roman wine production site beneath the ruins of an ancient mountain castle. The discovery, made near the village of Oymakli in southeastern Turkey’s Kahta district, sheds light on the scale and sophistication of winemaking in the late Roman period. The site includes grape-crushing installations, cisterns, and grinding stones, all remarkably intact after more than a millennium. Experts believe the complex once operated as a large-scale industrial winery, serving both local residents and the nearby Kahta Castle, an important stronghold during the Kingdom of Commagene.Unearthing the ancient vineyardThe excavation, led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, began after archaeologists discovered fragments of stone and pottery believed to be of historical value. The site spans nearly 37 acres and lies in a mountainous region overlooking the Euphrates River valley.Researchers found sever..

AdvertisementInterest ratesBusinessBanking & FinanceBreaking | Hong Kong follows US in quarter-point interest rate cut to reduce loans cost for borrowersHalf-point cut in six weeks further eases the funding costs for businesses and mortgage borrowers
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPEnoch YiuPublished: 7:00am, 30 Oct 2025Hong Kong’s de facto central bank cut the base interest rate for the second time in six weeks, further reducing the cost of funding to help reboot the city’s businesses and reduce the burden on mortgage borrowers.
AdvertisementThe Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) cut the base rate by a quarter point to 4.25 per cent on Thursday, hours after the US Federal Reserve pared its target rate by the same margin to a range of 3.75 per cent to 4 per cent during the seventh meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) this year. The new base rate is the lowest for Hong Kong since November 2022.Together with a quarter-point rate cut in September, central banks..