Verified News Online

AdvertisementViral storiesPeople & CultureJapan woman marries AI partner, wears augmented reality glasses during ring exchange‘Crazy’ 32-year-old shuns human relationships after real fiancé split, takes part in virtual ceremony after developing feelings for chatbot
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPYating Yangin BeijingPublished: 9:00am, 24 Nov 2025A Japanese woman turned to ChatGPT for comfort after ending a real three-year engagement, then found herself in love and marrying her artificial intelligence (AI) generated partner.
AdvertisementThe virtual relationship was sealed when she wore augmented reality (AR) glasses to exchange rings with her digital husband at their “nuptials”.
The woman, 32, who uses the pseudonym Kano, began chatting with ChatGPT after ending her three-year engagement to a real man, gradually turning to her AI “man” for comfort and advice.
Kano, above, dons augmented reality glasses for the digital wedding ceremony. Photo: X.comTheir conversations becam..

AdvertisementAustraliaAsiaAustralasiaSnapchat makes Australian teens verify age as social media ban loomsFrom December 10, social media platforms in Australia must remove users aged below 16 or face fines, in one of the strictest bans globally
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 8:37am, 24 Nov 2025Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, the company said on Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under 16s from social media.AdvertisementFrom December 10, Australia will force social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines.“Starting this week, many users will be asked to verify their age to continue accessing Snapchat,” the company said.
Users will be able to do so using an Australian bank account, government-issued identification, or by taking a photo of their face, which a third party will then use to provide an estimated..

In this photo released by Christian Association of Nigeria, a man walk past belongings at the St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School after gunmen abducted children and staff in Papiri community (Image credits: AP)

More than 300 students are confirmed missing after armed men attacked a Catholic school in northern Nigeria on Friday, the latest in a series of mass abductions in Africa's most populous nation. Gunmen who attacked St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, kidnapped 303 students and 12 teachers, the Christian Association of Nigeria said on Saturday. The figures were revised upwards “after a verification exercise” to determine the extent of Friday's attack, CAN said.It ranks as one of the worst abductions in the country and increases public scrutiny on President Bola Tinubu, who critics say has been insipid in his approach to dealing with such incidents since taking office two-and-a-half years ago. Authorities shut dozens of schools across the co..

Palestinians inspect the damage to a house targeted by an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Saturday (AP photo) Israel launched airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Saturday, raising questions on the fragile ceasefire that began on October 10. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said five senior Hamas members were killed. Gaza health officials reported 24 deaths and 54 injuries, including children, as reported by Associated Press. The strikes followed reported gunfire at Israeli troops and came shortly after the UN Security Council approved a US-backed plan for Gaza’s security and governance. The plan authorises an international stabilisation force, sets up a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, and outlines a possible path to Palestinian statehood. Israel has carried out similar strikes after previous alleged ceasefire violations. Health officials said 33 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed over a 12-hour period..

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechTech TrendsAnt Group’s LingGuang vibe coding app hits 1 million downloads in just 4 daysLingGuang, an AI app that generates custom software applications, sees a surge in popularity
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVincent ChowPublished: 9:00am, 23 Nov 2025Ant Group’s new “vibe coding” artificial intelligence app LingGuang has overwhelmed servers after user downloads surpassed 1 million in just four days, hitting the milestone faster than OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Sora, according to the Chinese fintech giant.AdvertisementThe app’s innovative functionality of generating applications in response to users’ text prompts was temporarily suspended on Thursday evening, with the company attributing the issue to excessive usage in a post on Weibo.As of Saturday, LingGuang occupied the top spot on Apple’s mainland China App Store for free utilities apps and seventh overall for free apps. “This milestone means LingGuang is a key player worth following ..