english-news-skill

name	english-news-skill
description	English news aggregator fetching from 40+ major sources across Tech, Finance, AI Research, Geopolitics & Policy. Covers FT, Bloomberg, WSJ, Economist, MIT Tech Review, Stratechery, Arxiv, think tanks (CFR, Brookings, RAND), and more. Best for 'morning briefings', 'market updates', 'AI news', 'geopolitics', and 'policy analysis'.

English News Skill

Fetch real-time news from 40+ major English-language sources worldwide.

Sources

Category	Sources
Tech	Hacker News, GitHub Trending, Product Hunt, Reddit (r/technology, r/programming), TechCrunch, Ars Technica, The Verge
Global	BBC News, Reuters, AP News
Finance (Core)	Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters Breakingviews, The Economist
Markets/Trading	MarketWatch, Barron's, Semafor Business, Axios Markets, FT Alphaville, Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Reddit Stocks
AI/Tech (Serious)	MIT Technology Review, The Information, Platformer, Stratechery, SemiAnalysis, The Decoder, State of AI
AI Labs & Research	HuggingFace Blog, OpenAI Blog, Anthropic Blog, DeepMind Blog, Arxiv AI (cs.AI + cs.LG)
Geopolitics & Policy	Politico, Foreign Affairs, War on the Rocks, CSIS, CFR, Brookings, RAND
Social Media	Truth Social (Trump)

Tools

fetch_news.py

Location: scripts/fetch_news.py

Usage:

# Single source
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source hackernews --limit 10 --deep

# Source groups
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source tech --limit 10 --deep
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source global --limit 10 --deep
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source finance --limit 10 --deep

# Full scan (all sources)
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source all --limit 15 --deep

# Keyword filtering with smart expansion
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source tech --keyword "AI,LLM,GPT,Claude,Agent" --deep

Arguments:

Argument	Description
--source	Source name, group name, or comma-separated list. Groups: tech, global, finance, finance_core, markets, ai_research, ai_labs, geopolitics, policy, trump, all_finance, all_ai, all_politics, all
--limit	Max items per source (default: 10)
--keyword	Comma-separated keyword filter (case-insensitive)
--deep	Fetch full article content for deeper analysis
--no-dedup	Disable deduplication (raw output, backward compatible)
--diff	Show changes since last run (new/dropped/rank changes)
--format	Output format: json (default), md/markdown, slack
--rank-by	Ranking strategy: trending (social heat), signals (credibility), combined (default)

Individual Sources:

Category	Sources
Tech	hackernews, github, producthunt, reddit_tech, reddit_programming, techcrunch, arstechnica, theverge
Global	bbc, reuters, apnews
Finance Core	ft, wsj, bloomberg, reuters_breakingviews, economist
Markets	marketwatch, barrons, semafor, axios_markets, ft_alphaville, yahoo_finance, cnbc, reddit_stocks
AI Research	mit_tech_review, theinformation, platformer, stratechery, semianalysis, thedecoder, stateofai
AI Labs	openai_blog, anthropic_blog, deepmind_blog, huggingface, arxiv_ai
Geopolitics	politico, foreign_affairs, warontherocks, csis, cfr, brookings, rand
Social Media	truthsocial

Reddit Stocks Tracker (NEW)

Scans r/wallstreetbets, r/stocks, r/investing for the top 10 most discussed stock tickers.

# Get top discussed stocks
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source reddit_stocks --limit 10

# Include in finance scan
python3 scripts/fetch_news.py --source finance --limit 10

Output example:

{
  "title": "$META - Mentioned 15x across r/wallstreetbets, r/stocks",
  "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/META",
  "heat": "15 mentions",
  "description": "META $90K YOLO + DD",
  "top_post_url": "https://reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/..."
}

Smart Deduplication (NEW)

Stories are automatically deduplicated across sources using:

• URL matching (after stripping tracking params)
• Title fuzzy matching (70% similarity threshold)
• Content hash matching (for --deep mode)

Benefits:

• Same story from HN + Reddit + BBC = 1 entry with source attribution
• Multi-source coverage = credibility signal (bigger story)
• Ranked by: (source_count × 100) + normalized_heat + recency_bonus

Output format:

{
  "meta": {
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-25T10:30:00Z",
    "sources_scanned": 40,
    "raw_items": 320,
    "after_dedup": 180,
    "duplicates_merged": 140
  },
  "stories": [
    {
      "title": "DOOM Ported to an Earbud",
      "url": "https://doombuds.com",
      "sources": ["Hacker News", "Reddit r/technology", "The Verge"],
      "source_count": 3,
      "heat": {"hackernews": "227 points", "reddit_tech": "5.2K upvotes"},
      "time": "7 hours ago"
    }
  ]
}

Interactive Menu

When the user invokes this skill without specific instructions, READ templates.md and DISPLAY the menu.

Smart Keyword Expansion (CRITICAL)

ALWAYS expand simple keywords to cover the domain:

• User: "AI" → Agent uses: --keyword "AI,LLM,GPT,Claude,Gemini,OpenAI,Anthropic,Machine Learning,Neural,Agent"
• User: "crypto" → Agent uses: --keyword "crypto,Bitcoin,Ethereum,blockchain,DeFi,Web3"
• User: "Apple" → Agent uses: --keyword "Apple,iPhone,Mac,iOS,macOS,iPad,Vision Pro"

Response Guidelines (CRITICAL)

Format & Style

• Headlines: English (preserve original)
• Analysis/Summary: Simplified Chinese (简体中文)
• Style: Magazine/Newsletter style (Morning Brew / The Economist vibe)

Report Structure

1. 🔥 Top Stories - Multi-source coverage (3+ sources) - most important
2. 🌍 Global Headlines - News from BBC, Reuters, AP
3. 🤖 Tech & AI - Technology, software, AI developments
4. 📈 Markets & Finance - FT, WSJ, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Barron's
5. 🧠 AI Research & Labs - OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, Arxiv papers
6. 🌐 Geopolitics & Policy - Think tanks (CFR, Brookings, RAND), Foreign Affairs
7. 💡 Developer Insights - Single-source but high-value items

Report Header

Always include scan summary at the top:

---
📊 **Scan Summary**: 40+ sources • 300+ items fetched • 150 unique stories (duplicates merged)
🔝 **Top Signal**: "Story Title" covered by 4 sources
---

Item Format

For multi-source stories (3+ sources):

### 1. [Headline Title](https://url.com)
**🔥 Covered by 4 sources**: Hacker News (529 pts) • Reddit (11K) • BBC • The Verge

One-line punchy summary.

- **Why it matters**: Technical details, context
- **Industry impact**: Market or industry implications
- **Keywords**: `#AI #Tech #Finance`

For single-source stories:

### 5. [Headline Title](https://url.com)
**Source**: BBC News | **Time**: 2 hours ago | **Heat**: 500 upvotes

One-line punchy summary.

- **Why it matters**: Technical details, context
- **Keywords**: `#AI #Tech #Finance`

Output Requirements

• Title MUST be a Markdown link to the original URL
• Metadata line must include Source, Time, and Heat/Score
• Save report to reports/ with timestamped filename (e.g., reports/tech_news_20260124_0800.md)

Time-Based Filtering

If user requests a specific time window (e.g., "past 6 hours"):

1. Prioritize items within the window
2. If sparse (<5 items), include high-value items from wider range
3. Mark supplementary items with ⚠️ or 🔥 annotations

Example Prompts

User Says	Action
"Morning tech briefing"	Fetch --source tech --limit 15 --deep, generate newsletter-style report
"What's happening in AI?"	Fetch --source all_ai --limit 15 --deep with expanded AI keywords
"Global news scan"	Fetch --source all --limit 10 --deep, comprehensive report
"Market news"	Fetch --source all_finance --limit 15 --deep
"Premium finance briefing"	Fetch --source finance_core --limit 15 --deep (FT, WSJ, Bloomberg, Economist)
"AI research updates"	Fetch --source ai_labs --limit 10 --deep (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, Arxiv)
"Geopolitics briefing"	Fetch --source geopolitics --limit 15 --deep (think tanks + policy)
"Trading desk news"	Fetch --source markets --limit 20 --deep (MarketWatch, Barron's, etc.)
"HN top stories"	Fetch --source hackernews --limit 20 --deep
"Trump's latest posts"	Fetch --source truthsocial --limit 10
"Politics + Trump"	Fetch --source all_politics --limit 15 --deep (think tanks + Truth Social)

---

Headline Generation Guidelines (CRITICAL)

Chain-of-Thought Process

When rewriting or improving a headline, follow this structured reasoning:

Step 1: Extract the 5 Ws

• Who: Primary actors/companies/people
• What: Core action or event
• When: Time relevance (breaking, ongoing, announced)
• Where: Geographic or platform context
• Why: Significance or motivation

Step 2: Determine the Angle

Angle	When to Use	Example Signal
Breaking	Time-sensitive, just happened	"announces", "launches", "just"
Impact	Major consequences	Market moves, policy changes
Conflict	Competing interests	Lawsuits, rivalries, debates
Trend	Pattern or movement	"rise of", "growing", statistics
Surprise	Unexpected development	Contradicts expectations

Step 3: Generate 3 Variations

1. Viral/Clicky: Optimized for shares, curiosity gap
2. SEO/Searchable: Keyword-optimized, clear value proposition
3. AP Style/Factual: Neutral, objective, traditional journalism

Step 4: Select Based on Style Setting

Headline Style Selector

Use {{HEADLINE_STYLE}} variable (defaults to ap_style):

Style	Description	Use When
clicky	Curiosity gap, emotional hooks	Social media, viral content
ap_style	Factual, neutral, objective	Default, professional reports
seo	Keyword-optimized, clear value	Blog posts, search-focused
economist	Witty, sophisticated wordplay	Premium newsletters

Examples by Style:

Original: "Apple announces new MacBook with M4 chip"

Style	Rewritten Headline
clicky	Apple Just Changed Everything About Laptops
ap_style	Apple Unveils M4-Powered MacBook Lineup
seo	Apple M4 MacBook 2026: Price, Specs, Release Date
economist	Chip Off the Old Block: Apple's Silicon Saga Continues

---

Banned Words & Phrases (NEGATIVE CONSTRAINTS)

NEVER use these in headlines or summaries:

Hype Words

❌ delve, game-changer, revolutionary, unprecedented, groundbreaking, disruptive, paradigm shift

Vague Intensifiers

❌ very, really, incredibly, literally, absolutely, extremely, totally

Clickbait Triggers

❌ you won't believe, shocking, mind-blowing, insane, wild, jaw-dropping, unbelievable

AI Writing Tells

❌ "in the realm of", "it's worth noting", "it's important to note", "in today's world", "in this day and age", "at the end of the day", "needless to say"

Filler Phrases

❌ "as we all know", "of course", "obviously", "clearly", "certainly", "undoubtedly"

Prefer instead:

• Specific numbers and facts
• Active voice verbs
• Concrete nouns
• Direct statements

---

A/B Testing Mode

When user requests headline comparison, output in table format:

| Version | Headline | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---------|----------|-----------|------------|
| **Viral** | Apple Just Made Every Other Laptop Look Ancient | High curiosity, emotional | Vague, no specifics |
| **SEO** | Apple M4 MacBook Pro: 18-Hour Battery, 2x Faster | Keywords, scannable | Less engaging |
| **Formal** | Apple Launches MacBook Pro with M4 Processor | Accurate, neutral | Lower click appeal |

**Recommendation**: [SEO] for search visibility while maintaining accuracy.

---

Few-Shot Examples

Tech Headlines

Original	Improved (AP Style)
"New AI model is really good at coding"	"Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.5 Matches Human Programmers on SWE-Bench"
"Company raises money"	"Stripe Raises $1.2B at $95B Valuation, Largest Fintech Round of 2026"
"Big tech layoffs happening"	"Google Cuts 1,200 Jobs in Cloud Division Amid Restructuring"
"Cool new open source project"	"Rust-Based Database 'TurboSQL' Hits 10K GitHub Stars in 48 Hours"
"Cryptocurrency going up"	"Bitcoin Surges Past $100K as Institutional Inflows Hit Record $2.3B"

Global Headlines

Original	Improved (AP Style)
"Big election news"	"UK Labour Wins 200-Seat Majority in Historic Parliamentary Shift"
"Climate change update"	"Antarctic Ice Sheet Loses 2 Trillion Tons in 2025, Fastest Rate on Record"
"International conflict"	"EU Imposes Sanctions on 12 Russian Oligarchs Over Ukraine War"

Finance Headlines

Original	Improved (AP Style)
"Fed does something with rates"	"Federal Reserve Holds Rates at 5.25%, Signals Two Cuts by Year-End"
"Market is volatile today"	"S&P 500 Swings 3% as Earnings Season Delivers Mixed Results"
"Big company earnings"	"NVIDIA Q4 Revenue Beats Estimates by 40%, Data Center Sales Double"

---

Bias & Sensationalism Self-Check

Before finalizing any report, verify:

Balance Checklist

• Are multiple perspectives represented when applicable?
• Is the source type disclosed (wire, original reporting, aggregator)?
• Are claims attributed to specific sources?

Emotional Language Score (Rate 1-5)

Score	Description	Action
1-2	Neutral, factual	✅ Acceptable
3	Some emotional words	⚠️ Review for necessity
4-5	Heavily emotional	❌ Rewrite with facts

Red Flags to Avoid:

• Superlatives without evidence ("biggest", "worst", "best ever")
• Loaded adjectives ("controversial", "divisive", "troubled")
• Speculation presented as fact
• Missing context or counterpoints

Evidence Check

• Numbers are sourced or verifiable
• "According to" attributions are specific (not "experts say")
• Breaking news is marked as developing if unconfirmed

---

Configuration

User configuration in config.yaml:

sources:
  enabled: [hackernews, github, bbc, reuters]
  per_source_limits: {hackernews: 15, default: 10}

dedup:
  title_threshold: 0.70
  preserve_alternates: true

output:
  language_mode: "bilingual"  # bilingual | english | chinese
  default_format: "json"      # json | markdown | slack

keyword_presets:
  ai: [AI, LLM, GPT, Claude, Gemini, OpenAI, Anthropic]
  crypto: [crypto, Bitcoin, Ethereum, blockchain, DeFi]