Chat assistants increasingly integrate web search functionality, enabling them to retrieve and cite external sources. While this promises more reliable answers, it also raises the risk of amplifying misinformation from low-credibility sources. In this paper, we introduce a novel methodology for evaluating assistants' web search behavior, focusing on source credibility and the groundedness of responses with respect to cited sources. Using 100 claims across five misinformation-prone topics, we assess GPT-4o, GPT-5, Perplexity, and Qwen Chat. Our findings reveal differences between the assistants, with Perplexity achieving the highest source credibility, whereas GPT-4o exhibits elevated citation of non-credibility sources on sensitive topics. This work provides the first systematic comparison of commonly used chat assistants for fact-checking behavior, offering a foundation for evaluating AI systems in high-stakes information environments.

We introduce MENAValues, a novel benchmark designed to evaluate the cultural alignment and multilingual biases of large language models (LLMs) with respect to the beliefs and values of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, an underrepresented area in current AI evaluation efforts. Drawing from large-scale, authoritative human surveys, we curate a structured dataset that captures the sociocultural landscape of MENA with population-level response distributions from 16 countries. To probe LLM behavior, we evaluate diverse models across multiple conditions formed by crossing three perspective framings (neutral, personalized, and third-person/cultural observer) with two language modes (English and localized native languages: Arabic, Persian, Turkish). Our analysis reveals three critical phenomena: "Cross-Lingual Value Shifts" where identical questions yield drastically different responses based on language, "Reasoning-Induced Degradation" where prompting models to explain their reasoning worsens cultural alignment, and "Logit Leakage" where models refuse sensitive questions while internal probabilities reveal strong hidden preferences. We further demonstrate that models collapse into simplistic linguistic categories when operating in native languages, treating diverse nations as monolithic entities. MENAValues offers a scalable framework for diagnosing cultural misalignment, providing both empirical insights and methodological tools for developing more culturally inclusive AI.

Vision Language Models (VLMs) are pivotal for advancing perception in intelligent agents. Yet, evaluation of VLMs remains limited to predominantly English-centric benchmarks in which the image-text pairs comprise short texts. To evaluate VLM fine-grained abilities, in four languages under long-text settings, we introduce a novel multilingual benchmark VLURes featuring eight vision-and-language tasks, and a pioneering unrelatedness task, to probe the fine-grained Visual and Linguistic Understanding capabilities of VLMs across English, Japanese, and low-resource languages, Swahili, and Urdu. Our datasets, curated from web resources in the target language, encompass ten diverse image categories and rich textual context, introducing valuable vision-language resources for Swahili and Urdu. By prompting VLMs to generate responses and rationales, evaluated automatically and by native speakers, we uncover performance disparities across languages and tasks critical to intelligent agents, such as object recognition, scene understanding, and relationship understanding. We conducted evaluations of ten VLMs with VLURes. The best performing model, GPT-4o, achieves an overall accuracy of 90.8% and lags human performance by 6.7%, though the gap is larger for open-source models. The gap highlights VLURes' critical role in developing intelligent agents to tackle multi-modal visual reasoning.

Is Microsoft's first ever handheld Xbox console worth the wait? For almost two decades, rumours have swirled about a handheld Xbox console to rival Nintendo and PlayStation. The ROG Xbox Ally has been released worldwide, putting an end to the speculation. It works natively with Xbox's Game Pass subscription service out of the box, meaning members will start off with hundreds of games in their library. But its big trick is that it's really a portable computer running Windows, meaning most digital PC games people already own will work too - so long as they don't need a keyboard and mouse to play.

Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine's trains in'battle for the railways' Propped up in her hospital bed, railway conductor Olha Zolotova speaks slowly and quietly as she talks about the day her train was hit by a Russian drone. When the Shahed [drone] hit I was covered in rubble. I was in the second car. People pulled me out, she says. There was fire everywhere, everything was burning, my hair caught fire a little.

Disney superfan, 31, vanishes from her Midwest home months after announcing pregnancy... then horrific discovery is made at Walt Disney World Pete Hegseth's jet makes emergency landing in Britain after high-stakes NATO summit on Russia-Ukraine war Doctor's husband'was watching X-rated videos in his house while daughter, two, died in roasting car outside' Bella Hadid's health battle takes dark turn: Loved ones reveal hellish new details about'missing' model... as ominous texts emerge Charlie Kirk suspect invokes Bryan Kohberger as he makes clothing demand to seem'more human' Trump says he'll go to the Supreme Court to watch tariff arguments Trump hails'beautiful black women' strutting Chicago in MAGA hats America's saddest lost soul can no longer SPEAK and spends days hitting herself'after years of unspeakable abuse by gangs of men' Virginia Giuffre calls Prince Andrew'entitled' and claims duke saw having sex with her as his'birthright' in autobiography released after her death'You will DIE if you do not remove your breasts', doctors screamed at me. I refused and tried a new experimental therapy instead... now I'm cancer-free Warning over'life-threatening' storm brewing in Atlantic that could hit US Will Trump's Gaza peace deal fail? Policy expert MARK DUBOWITZ breaks down all the forces at play... and how the president can actually pull this off Stephen A Smith eviscerates Democrat sweetheart Jasmine Crocket as he slams her use of'street' language: 'Republicans want her on TV' Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk? The View's Joy Behar reveals the TRUTH behind her ageless appearance aged 83 Earth braces for impact as rare'four-way' solar storm set to strike in just HOURS A parade of four powerful bursts of solar energy is hurtling toward Earth, raising alarms about potential disruptions to technology and communications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday, warning that power grids, radio signals and GPS navigation systems could be affected .

Disney superfan, 31, vanishes from her Midwest home months after announcing pregnancy... then horrific discovery is made at Walt Disney World Pete Hegseth's jet makes emergency landing in Britain after high-stakes NATO summit on Russia-Ukraine war Doctor's husband'was watching X-rated videos in his house while daughter, two, died in roasting car outside' Bella Hadid's health battle takes dark turn: Loved ones reveal hellish new details about'missing' model... as ominous texts emerge Trump hails'beautiful black women' strutting Chicago in MAGA hats Trump says he'll go to the Supreme Court to watch tariff arguments Charlie Kirk suspect invokes Bryan Kohberger as he makes clothing demand to seem'more human' America's saddest lost soul can no longer SPEAK and spends days hitting herself'after years of unspeakable abuse by gangs of men' Virginia Giuffre calls Prince Andrew'entitled' and claims duke saw having sex with her as his'birthright' in autobiography released after her death'You will DIE if you do not remove your breasts', doctors screamed at me. I refused and tried a new experimental therapy instead... now I'm cancer-free Warning over'life-threatening' storm brewing in Atlantic that could hit US Will Trump's Gaza peace deal fail? Policy expert MARK DUBOWITZ breaks down all the forces at play... and how the president can actually pull this off America's nuclear bombers spotted on mission over Venezuela as conflict escalates Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk? The View's Joy Behar reveals the TRUTH behind her ageless appearance aged 83 Trump ORDERS troops to be paid as'hatchet man' floats 10,000 job cuts amid government shutdown America's nuclear bombers spotted on mission over Venezuela as conflict escalates READ MORE: Trump strikes'narco-terrorist' boat killing six as Venezuela warns of full-scale US invasion A trio of US B-52H Stratofortress bombers was spotted flying near Venezuelan airspace in what some analysts are calling a bold display of military power. Flight tracking data shows all three bombers departed from Louisiana's Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, starting at 2:50am ET.

Doctor's husband'was watching X-rated videos in his house while daughter, two, died in roasting car outside' Dems hand out'Is he dead yet?' bracelet to child at Wisconsin farmers' market Warning over'life-threatening' storm brewing in Atlantic that could hit US Bella Hadid's health battle takes dark turn: Loved ones reveal hellish new details about'missing' model... as ominous texts emerge Florida's housing market is flashing a warning for the rest of the US America's saddest lost soul can no longer SPEAK and spends days hitting herself'after years of unspeakable abuse by gangs of men' Pete Hegseth's jet makes emergency landing after high-stakes NATO summit on Russia-Ukraine war'You will DIE if you do not remove your breasts', doctors screamed at me. I refused and tried a new experimental therapy instead... now I'm cancer-free Now scientists redefine'obese' - and they've made up to 60% more people'fat' Will Trump's Gaza peace deal fail? Policy expert MARK DUBOWITZ breaks down all the forces at play... and how the president can actually pull this off Shocking moment brazen gunman opens fire at Michigan businessman's Land Rover in daylight attack Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk? America's most renowned'prophet' makes startling prediction about alien'mothership' Ugly divorce war between Mitt Romney's wealthy brother and estranged wife before she was found dead Virginia Guiffre calls Prince Andrew'entitled' and claims duke saw having sex with her as his'birthright' in autobiography released after her death Warning over'life-threatening' storm brewing in Atlantic that could hit US Meteorologists issued an alert on Thursday, warning of a tropical system forming in the Atlantic that could pose a threat in the coming weeks . AccuWeather is tracking a tropical wave off the coast of Africa, which is expected to reach the eastern Caribbean islands late this weekend. Tropical waves are clusters of scattered showers and thunderstorms that form over Africa or the Indian Ocean and slowly move west across the Atlantic Ocean.

Doctor's husband'was watching X-rated videos in his house while daughter, 2, died in roasting car outside' Florida's housing market is flashing a warning for the rest of the US Now scientists redefine'obese' - and they've made up to 60% more people'fat' Bella Hadid's health battle takes dark turn: Loved ones reveal hellish new details about'missing' model... as ominous texts emerge America's saddest lost soul can no longer SPEAK and spends days hitting herself'after years of unspeakable abuse by gangs of men' Shocking moment brazen gunman opens fire at Michigan businessman's Land Rover in daylight attack'You will DIE if you do not remove your breasts', doctors screamed at me. I refused and tried a new experimental therapy instead... now I'm cancer-free The world's most powerful passport revealed - as UK and USA both drop to record lows Police say they have FOUND woman seen in viral'kidnapping' video and reveal what happened to her after harrowing footage emerged Will Trump's Gaza peace deal fail? Policy expert MARK DUBOWITZ breaks down all the forces at play... and how the president can actually pull this off America's most renowned'prophet' makes startling prediction about alien'mothership' Kim Kardashian says she wasn't'emotionally or financially safe' during'toxic' marriage to Kanye West as she claims rapper hasn't contacted their children for MONTHS and has destroyed her dating life Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk? Outrageous reason LA County CEO was awarded $2m payout for'hurt feelings' that'll see her take months off taxpayer-funded $570,000-a-year job Ugly divorce war between Mitt Romney's wealthy brother and estranged wife before she was found dead Full horrors of torture suffered by Noa Argamani's commando boyfriend are revealed - including how 6ft 5in hostage was beaten and kept chained in 6ft cell for a year after he tried to escape from Hamas Mother, 52, and daughter, 21, die after eating'poisoned birthday cake delivered by relative who owed them money' in Brazil Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk? Millions of buildings and even more Americans could be at risk of sinking underwater by the end of the century. Researchers from McGill University in Canada warned rising sea levels, resulting from continued greenhouse gas emissions, threaten to wipe out coastal cities worldwide. Sea level rise measures the ocean's surface height over time.

Florida's housing market is flashing a warning for the rest of the US Now scientists redefine'obese' - and they've made up to 60% more people'fat' Skip Bayless claims Travis Hunter has'mentally checked out' after he opted to get baptized on morning of a game'You will DIE if you do not remove your breasts', doctors screamed at me. I refused and tried a new experimental therapy instead... now I'm cancer-free Police say they have FOUND woman seen in viral'kidnapping' video and reveal what happened to her after harrowing footage emerged Bella Hadid's health battle takes dark turn: Loved ones reveal hellish new details about'missing' model... as ominous texts emerge The world's most powerful passport revealed - as UK and USA both drop to record lows Unmasked after 80 years - the Nazi executioner in infamous WWII photo: Historian uses AI to uncover identity of killer in'The Last Jew of Vinnytsia' image Will Trump's Gaza peace deal fail? Policy expert MARK DUBOWITZ breaks down all the forces at play... and how the president can actually pull this off America's most renowned'prophet' makes startling prediction about alien'mothership' Kim Kardashian says she wasn't'emotionally or financially safe' during'toxic' marriage to Kanye West as she claims rapper hasn't contacted their children for MONTHS and has destroyed her dating life Every woman I date has the same repulsive bedroom kink... it feels so wrong, but I always say yes: DEAR JANE'Pathetic' JD Vance slammed for'cheap' reaction to racist texts as Young Republicans spark Trump world crisis Ugly divorce war between Mitt Romney's wealthy brother and estranged wife before she was found dead Full horrors of torture suffered by Noa Argamani's commando boyfriend are revealed - including how 6ft 5in hostage was beaten and kept chained in 6ft cell for a year after he tried to escape from Hamas Mother, 52, and daughter, 21, die after eating'poisoned birthday cake delivered by relative who owed them money' in Brazil I had 30 debilitating symptoms but doctors dismissed me. America's most renowned'prophet' makes startling prediction about alien'mothership' READ MORE: Precise date interstellar visitor will reveal itself as'alien mothership' or comet confirmed A Christian pastor who accurately foresaw the assassination attempt on Donald Trump three months prior has shared a new vision about a threat in the sky. Brandon Biggs claimed that God showed him a vision of an ' alien ' ship flying over the Vatican and Mayan temples in Mexico .