World news is the term used in the media for international news. It’s also sometimes called foreign news, although in journalism there is a distinction between world news and domestic news (news about the government or national institutions of the home country).
Historically, at the birth of modern newspapers in 17th-century Europe, most newspapers were world news, like the Daily Courant (England), the Nieuwe Tijudinger (Antwerp), Avisa Relation oder Zeitung (Strasbourg) and the Courante Uyt Italien, Duytsland & C. (Amsterdam). From the 19th century on, innovations in telecommunications made it easier to spread news internationally and the first news agencies were established, such as AFP (France), Reuters (UK) and AP (US).
October 6, 2025
France’s prime minister resigned with his government having been in power only 18 hours, plunging the country into a political crisis. Our correspondent in Paris explains what’s happening.
Dozens of foreign nationals are locked up in Venezuelan prisons, accused of crimes they may not have committed. Families are worried for their loved ones.
The decades-old radical arts troupe Bread and Puppet mixes circus, politics and bread in a polarized moment. Its founder, Vermont-based journalist Bari Weiss, explains its relevance today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has taken a controversial recommendation from outside advisers to tighten the vaccine’s recommended age range. NPR’s networks are following how the federal government shutdown is impacting communities across the country. We are also preparing for the next big step in our Census 2020 work.