News is information about current events and issues. It may be about wars, natural disasters, celebrity gossip, politics or the economy. It can also be about new technologies, fashion trends or sporting achievements. People have been transporting news since ancient times, and today news travels fast thanks to the internet, television and radio.

When writing a news article, it is important to find a balance between being interesting and being accurate. A good way to do this is to read other news articles for ideas, and to watch TV or listen to the radio for examples of how journalists present their stories. A journalist should never state their opinion in a news article, but they should present the facts in an objective and informative way.

The main factors in deciding what is newsworthy are: timeliness, proximity, prominence and a sense of significance. For example, a coup in the next door country is much more significant than one in the same city. The same applies to the weather; a heatwave or drought is more newsworthy than the average temperature.

People are always interested in other people; stories about famous people have a high news value, as do those of ordinary citizens who achieve something noteworthy or go through a difficult situation. News about money – fortunes made and lost, taxes, budgets, school fees, food prices or salary increases – also makes for interesting reading, as does any story that involves an unusual crime. Sex also makes for great news, especially when it involves behaviour that goes against society’s generally accepted standards.