World news is a subset of journalism, covering international events that affect people worldwide. It is distinct from national news, which focuses on events occurring in one country.

Covering the world can be a challenging task for journalists, due to the variety of subjects and geographical scope. For this reason, it has evolved into a separate field of specialization for many news organizations around the globe.

Some of the key areas for world news include wars, diplomacy, human rights, climate change and other environmental issues. Other topics include the impact of globalization on society, economic growth, and health and food security.

The field includes many subfields, including military and diplomatic reporting (often known as foreign affairs). Reporting can also be done by reporters from news agencies who are sent to other countries to cover a specific subject for a short period of time.

These reporters are often called stringers because they have no permanent labor contract with media outlets. They usually produce material for several different companies at once.

In this way, a news agency can provide reports in bulk and at relatively low cost. They can also provide a more comprehensive view of the news.

Increasing numbers of journalists are being killed and jailed in developing nations and in the West, and the business models of many news organizations are under threat. Independent journalism is in crisis, and the world needs to take action urgently to protect and promote press freedom, as well as public access to free, independent, and pluralistic news media.