Fast News MCP README
The full upstream README, mirrored here for reference. Install config, tool schemas, adoption signals, and an original overview live on the Fast News MCP listing page.
Fast News MCP Server
Real-time news search, trending headlines, topic categories, and local news — exposed as MCP tools so your AI agent can query news in plain language. No HTTP boilerplate required.
The server is hosted by RapidAPI and connects via mcp-remote. All you need is a RapidAPI subscription and your API key.
Demo
See the Fast News API in action: the-dispatcher-demo.vercel.app
Get an API Key
- Subscribe on RapidAPI (free tier available)
- Your API key appears on the Endpoints tab
Every request needs two headers:
| Header | Value |
|---|---|
x-rapidapi-key | Your API key |
x-rapidapi-host | fast-news-with-previews.p.rapidapi.com |
Quick Start
Prerequisites: Node.js (for npx) and a free RapidAPI subscription.
Add the following to your AI agent's MCP server configuration. Replace YOUR-API-KEY with your RapidAPI key.
The
mcp-remotepackage is installed automatically bynpx. You don't need to install anything manually.
See the per-agent setup instructions below for client-specific details.
Alternative: npm package (secondary option)
Prefer the Quick Start above. Use this only if your setup specifically benefits from a single published package.
This repository is also published as the npm package @wllrdev/fast-news-mcp. It's a thin wrapper around mcp-remote that reads your key from the RAPIDAPI_KEY environment variable instead of the command line:
Available Tools
Once connected, your AI agent has access to these tools:
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| search_news | Search any topic with filters for language, country, and timeframe. Supports source diversity and built-in deduplication. |
| advanced_search | Like search_news but with post-fetch controls — include/exclude specific sources, require thumbnails, and change sort order. |
| trending_headlines | Top headlines auto-translated into 40+ languages. Optionally filter by country and timeframe. |
| topic_categories | Browse 11 predefined categories: world, national, business, technology, entertainment, sports, science, health, politics, economy, environment. Combine two categories in one request. |
| local_news | News about a specific city, region, or area. |
For full parameter documentation, see the API reference.
Setup for Your AI Agent
Find your client below and expand it for setup steps.
Claude Code (docs)
Option A — CLI command:
Add --scope user to make it available globally across all projects.
Option B — Manual config:
Add the Quick Start config to your Claude Code MCP settings.
Claude Desktop (docs)
- Open Claude Desktop settings
- Navigate to Developer > Edit Config
- Paste the Quick Start config into
claude_desktop_config.json - Restart Claude Desktop
Cursor (docs)
- Open Cursor Settings > MCP > New MCP Server
- Paste the Quick Start config
- Replace
YOUR-API-KEYwith your key - Enable the server
VS Code Copilot (docs)
Add the following to your .vscode/mcp.json:
Windsurf (docs)
Add the Quick Start config to your Windsurf MCP config file (~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json).
Cline (docs)
- Open Cline settings
- Go to MCP > Add New MCP Server
- Select Local and paste the Quick Start config
Continue (docs)
Add the Quick Start config to your ~/.continue/config.json under the mcpServers key.
OpenCode (docs)
Add the following to your opencode.json:
Codex CLI (docs)
Usage Examples
Once connected, try these prompts in your AI agent:
- "What are the trending headlines right now?"
- "Search for news about artificial intelligence"
- "Find local news about Tokyo"
- "Show me the latest technology news from the past week"
- "Search for climate news from BBC and Reuters only, sorted by newest first"
- "Get trending headlines in German"
- "Find sports and business news combined"
- "Show me health news with thumbnails only from the last 7 days"
The agent will use the MCP server to call the appropriate endpoint and return formatted results.
API Documentation
For full endpoint documentation, parameters, response formats, and code examples:
- Overview: docs.marvelousapi.com/apis/fastnews
- Endpoints: docs.marvelousapi.com/apis/fastnews/docs/endpoints/news
- Error Handling: docs.marvelousapi.com/apis/fastnews/docs/error-handling
Key Features
- Source diversity — no single domain dominates your feed (max 25% per domain)
- Built-in deduplication — near-identical articles are collapsed automatically
- 40+ languages — trending and topic searches auto-translate into local queries
- Clean previews — up to 250-character excerpts with thumbnail URLs
- Timeframe filters — last hour, 24h, 7 days, 30 days
Links
License & API Terms
The configuration and documentation in this repository are MIT licensed. The Fast News API itself is a commercial service hosted on RapidAPI — usage is subject to the RapidAPI Terms of Service and your subscription plan. The MIT license does not grant access to the API.