World news is the name used in most of the world’s news media for news that is not national in focus. It is also sometimes called international or foreign coverage. The term “world” is often used to distinguish this type of journalism from the local news, which is news that focuses on events in the immediate neighborhood.

At the birth of modern journalism, most news was foreign, as registered in courants and other newspapers of 17th-century Europe (like the Daily Courant, English; Nieuwe Tijudinger, Dutch; Avisa Relation oder Zeitung, German; or Agence France Presse, French). It was only after the invention of telegraphy that the concept of nation-states allowed for the specialization of world news as a distinct field of reporting.

A large part of the world news coverage is produced by news agencies that prepare hard news stories and feature articles that are sold in bulk to other news organizations such as newspapers, radio and television broadcasters and Internet sites. These reports are sent in bulk electronically, usually via wire services. Individuals, corporations and intelligence agencies may also subscribe to these services.

From transit strikes to a frozen waterfall and the Iranian Revolution, this month’s most compelling images from around the globe.