Fetch current SBS News top stories from its public RSS feed to quickly view headlines and keep up with breaking coverage.
Get SBS News top stories. Returns current SBS News Top Stories from its public RSS feed.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.7Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations, so the description carries the full burden. It usefully notes the data comes from a public RSS feed (implying free, read-only, current), but says nothing about authentication, caching, rate limits, or how many stories are returned.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two short front-loaded sentences with no fluff, though the second largely restates the first ('top stories' -> 'current ... Top Stories'), making it slightly redundant rather than additive.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a simple no-parameter feed with no output schema, the description is minimally adequate: it says what comes back and from where. It omits return size, date coverage, and ordering, which an agent would want to know before relying on it.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool takes zero parameters, so the baseline of 4 applies. Nothing in the schema needs compensating for, and the description correctly implies a no-argument call.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
States a specific verb (Get) and resource (SBS News top stories) and even discloses the underlying source (public RSS feed). It does not, however, distinguish itself from the very similar sibling sbsnews_headlines, leaving top-stories vs headlines ambiguity.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No when-to-use guidance, no alternatives named, no exclusions. With siblings like sbsnews_headlines, sbsnews_article, sbsnews_sections in the same family, the agent gets no help deciding which of them to call.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.