mcp_news

What is mcp_news?

mcp_news is a tool for searching and summarizing web news using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It allows a language model to securely access a news search tool via a password and return structured results. Built with Python, it is designed for users of Claude Desktop who want concise, journalistic-style news summaries on a given topic.

How to use mcp_news?

Install Python 3.10+, the uv package, and Claude Desktop. Clone the repository, run uv init inside the project folder, then add dependencies with uv add mcp[cli] dotenv smolagents[toolkit]. Rename .env.example to .env and set the password. Add the MCP server configuration to claude_desktop_config.json using the command uv --directory <path> run server.py. Finally, use the prompt "acesso" via the Claude Desktop interface, fill in the password and topic, and execute the prompt.

Key features of mcp_news

• Provides a search_news tool with password-based authentication.
• Includes a predefined acesso prompt for structured summarization.
• Uses smolagents' WebSearchTool for web news search.
• Built with FastMCP and the official MCP Python SDK.
• Outputs news summaries in a specific format: title, summary, additional context.

Use cases of mcp_news

• Quickly obtain a structured summary of recent news on any topic.
• Enable an LLM to act as a journalist, researching and formatting news.
• Securely delegate news retrieval to an AI assistant within Claude Desktop.
• Simulate editorial research workflows using MCP tools.

FAQ from mcp_news

How does the password protect the search tool?

The search_news tool checks the provided password against a value stored in a .env file. If correct, it proceeds with the web search; otherwise, it returns an error message.

What format does the news summary follow?

The prompt "acesso" instructs the model to return a summary with a title, a first paragraph providing a brief summary, and a second paragraph with additional context.

What are the runtime requirements?

Python 3.10 or higher, the uv package, and Claude Desktop installed on the computer.

Can I use mcp_news without Claude Desktop?

The README specifically provides installation instructions for Claude Desktop and configures the server in claude_desktop_config.json. No alternative client is mentioned.

Is there any known limitation of the server?

The README describes it as a simple MCP server using only FastMCP and following Anthropic’s Python SDK examples. No explicit limitations are listed.