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from training.npr.org: https://training.npr.org/2016/10/12/leads-are-hard-heres-how-to-write-a-good-one/

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A good lead is everything — here's how to write one

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(Deborah Lee/NPR)

I can’t think of a better way to start a post about leads than with this:

“The most important sentence in any article is the first one. If it doesn’t induce the reader to proceed to the second sentence, your article is dead.” — William Zinsser, On Writing Well

No one wants a dead article! A story that goes unread is pointless. The lead is the introduction — the first sentences — that should pique your readers’ interest and curiosity. And it shouldn’t be the same as your radio intro, which t ells listeners what the story is about and why they should care. In a written story, that’s the function of the “nut graph” (which will be the subject of a future post) — not the lead.

The journalism lead’s  main job (I’m personally fond of the  nostalgic spelling , “lede,” that derives from the bygone days of typesetting when newspaper folks needed to differentiate the lead of a story from the  lead  of hot type) is to make the reader want to stay and spend some precious time with whatever you’ve written. It sets the tone and pace and direction for everything that follows. It is the puzzle piece on which the rest of the story depends. To that end, please write your lead first — don’t undermine it by going back and thinking of one to slap on after you’ve finished writing the rest of the story.

Coming up with a good lead is hard. Even the most experienced and distinguished writers know this. No less a writer than John McPhee has called it “ the hardest part of a story to write.” But in return for all your effort, a good lead will do a lot of work for you — most importantly, it will make your readers eager to stay awhile.

There are many different ways to start a story. Some examples of the most common leads are highlighted below. Sometimes they overlap. (Note: These are not terms of art.)

Straight news lead

Just the facts, please, and even better if interesting details and context are packed in. This kind of lead works well for hard news and breaking news.

Some examples:

“After mass street protests in Poland, legislators with the country’s ruling party have abruptly reversed their positions and voted against a proposal to completely ban abortion.” (By NPR’s Camila Domonoske )

“The European Parliament voted Tuesday to ratify the landmark Paris climate accord, paving the way for the international plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions to become binding as soon as the end of this week.” (By NPR’s Rebecca Hersher )

“The United States announced it is suspending efforts to revive a cease-fire in Syria, blaming Russia’s support for a new round of airstrikes in the city of Aleppo.” (By NPR’s Richard Gonzales )

All three leads sum up the news in a straightforward, clear way — in a single sentence. They also hint at the broader context in which the news occurred.

Anecdotal lead

This type of lead uses an anecdote to illustrate what the story is about.

Here’s a powerful anecdotal lead to a story about Brazil’s murder rate and gun laws by NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro :

“At the dilapidated morgue in the northern Brazilian city of Natal, Director Marcos Brandao walks over the blood-smeared floor to where the corpses are kept. He points out the labels attached to the bright metal doors, counting out loud. It has not been a particularly bad night, yet there are nine shooting victims in cold storage.”

We understand right away that the story will be about a high rate of gun-related murder in Brazil. And this is a much more vivid and gripping way of conveying it than if Lulu had simply stated that the rate of gun violence is high.

Lulu also does a great job setting the scene. Which leads us to …

Scene-setting lead

Byrd Pinkerton, a 2016 NPR intern, didn’t set foot in this obscure scholarly haven , but you’d never guess it from the way she draws readers into her story:

“On the second floor of an old Bavarian palace in Munich, Germany, there’s a library with high ceilings, a distinctly bookish smell and one of the world’s most extensive collections of Latin texts. About 20 researchers from all over the world work in small offices around the room.”

This scene-setting is just one benefit of Byrd’s thorough reporting. We even get a hint of how the place smells.

First-person lead

The first-person lead should be used sparingly. It means you, the writer, are immediately a character in your own story. For purists, this is not a comfortable position. Why should a reader be interested in you? You need to make sure your first-person presence is essential — because you experienced something or have a valuable contribution and perspective that justifies conveying the story explicitly through your own eyes. Just make sure you are bringing your readers along with you.

Here, in the spirit of first-personhood, is an example from one of my own stories :

“For many of us, Sept. 11, 2001, is one of those touchstone dates — we remember exactly where we were when we heard that the planes hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I was in Afghanistan.”

On a historic date, I was in a place where very few Americans were present, meaning I’m able to serve as a guide to that place and time. Rather than stating I was in Afghanistan in the first sentence, I tried to draw in readers by reminding them that the memory of Sept. 11 is something many of us share in common, regardless of where we were that day.

Observational lead

This kind of lead steps back to make an authoritative observation about the story and its broader context. For it to work, you need to understand not just the immediate piece you’re writing, but also the big picture. These are useful for stories running a day or more after the news breaks.

Here’s one by the Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty , a political reporter with decades of experience:

“At the lowest point of Donald Trump’s quest for the presidency, the Republican nominee might have brought in a political handyman to sand his edges. Instead, he put his campaign in the hands of a true believer who promises to amplify the GOP nominee’s nationalist message and reinforce his populist impulses.”

And here’s another by NPR’s Camila Domonoske , who knows her literary stuff, juxtaposing the mundane (taxes) with the highbrow (literary criticism):

“Tax records and literary criticism are strange bedfellows. But over the weekend, the two combined and brought into the world a literary controversy — call it the Ferrante Furor of 2016.”

Zinger lead

Edna Buchanan, the legendary, Pulitzer Prize-winning crime reporter for the Miami Herald , once said that a good lead should make a reader sitting at breakfast with his wife “spit out his coffee, clutch his chest and say, ‘My god, Martha. Did you read this?’”

That’s as good a definition as any of a “zinger” lead. These are a couple of Buchanan’s:

“His last meal was worth $30,000 and it killed him.” (A man died while trying to smuggle cocaine-filled condoms in his gut.)

“Bad things happen to the husbands of Widow Elkin.” (Ms. Elkin, as you might surmise, was suspected of bumping off her spouses.)

After Ryan Lochte’s post-Olympic Games, out-of-the-water escapades in Rio, Sally Jenkins, writing in the Washington Post , unleashed this zinger:

“Ryan Lochte is the dumbest bell that ever rang.”

Roy Peter Clark, of the Poynter Institute,  deconstructs Jenkins’ column here , praising her “short laser blast of a lead that captures the tone and message of the piece.”

Here are a few notes on things to avoid when writing leads:

• Clichés and terrible puns. This goes for any part of your story, and never more so than in the lead. Terrible puns aren’t just the ones that make a reader groan — they’re in bad taste, inappropriate in tone or both. Here’s one example .
• Long, rambling sentences. Don’t try to cram way too much information into one sentence or digress and meander or become repetitive. Clarity and simplicity rule.
• Straining to be clever. Don’t write a lead that sounds better than it means or promises more than it can deliver. You want your reader to keep reading, not to stop and figure out something that sounds smart but is actually not very meaningful. Here’s John McPhee again: “A lead should not be cheap, flashy, meretricious, blaring: After a tremendous fanfare of verbal trumpets, a mouse comes out of a hole, blinking.”
• Saying someone “could never have predicted.” It’s not an informative observation to say someone “could never have imagined” the twists and turns his or her life would take. Of course they couldn’t! It’s better to give the reader something concrete and interesting about that person instead.
• The weather . Unless your story is about the weather, the weather plays a direct role in it or it’s essential for setting the scene, it doesn’t belong in the lead. Here’s a story about Donald Trump’s financial dealings that would have lost nothing if the first, weather-referenced sentence had been omitted.

One secret to a good lead

Finally, good reporting will lead to good leads. If your reporting is incomplete, that will often show up in a weak lead. If you find yourself struggling to come up with a decent lead or your lead just doesn’t seem strong, make sure your reporting is thorough and there aren’t unanswered questions or missing details and points. If you’ve reported your story well, your lead will reflect this.

Further reading:

• A Poynter roundup of bad leads
• A classic New Yorker story by Calvin Trillin with a great lead about one of Buchanan’s best-known leads.
• A long read by John McPhee , discussing, among other things, “fighting fear and panic, because I had no idea where or how to begin a piece of writing for The New Yorker .” It happens to everyone!

Hannah Bloch is a digital editor for international news at NPR.

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• Article Writing

How to Write a Newspaper Article

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 329,114 times.

A newspaper article should provide an objective, factual account of an event, person, or place. Most newspaper articles are read quickly or skimmed by the reader, so the most important information should always appear first, followed by descriptive content that rounds out the story. By conducting research and following the correct organizational structure, you can create an informative newspaper article in no time.

Sample Articles

Conducting Interviews and Research

• Your sources should be experts in the field your article is focusing on, such as a certified professional, a professor, or an academic. You can use sources that have extensive experience or background in a field that relates to your article.
• Sources like a witness to an event can also be useful, especially if they have first-hand experience of the topic you are covering.

• You may need to conduct more than 1 interview with your sources, especially if they are a major source for the article. You can also send follow-up questions to your sources as needed.
• You will need to transcribe your interviews by typing them up to ensure you quote your sources correctly. Having transcriptions will also make fact checking your article and backing up your sources much easier.

• Make sure you cite the information properly in your article by noting the name or organization that provided the information. You should have credible sources to back up any claims or arguments made in the article.

• If you are writing the newspaper article for an editor, they may require you to provide a list of your sources for the article to show you have fact checked your work.

Structuring the Article

• For example, you may create a headline like, “Teen Girl Missing in Okotoks” or “Congress Stalls on Family Planning Bill.”
• In some cases, it may be easier to save the headline for last, after you have written the article, so you know what the focus of the article is and can sum it up clearly.

• For example, you may write a lead like, "An outbreak of flu in San Francisco has led to 3 elementary school closings this week, according to school officials." Or, "A missing girl originally from Okotoks was found Monday in an abandoned cabin in the Minnetonka area, according to local police."

• For example, you may write, “10-12 students have been diagnosed with the flu and health officials fear it could continue to spread if it is not contained.”

• For example, you may write, “The teen girl was reported missing on Friday afternoon by her mother after she did not come home from a study date at a friend’s house. She is the second girl to be reported missing in the past 2 weeks from the Okotoks area.”

• For example, you may write, “‘The girl is shaken, but does not appear to have any serious injuries,’ stated local Police Chief Wilborn.” Or you may write, “According to a statement by school officials, ‘The shutdown will prevent the flu from spreading further and ensure the safety of our students.’”
• Avoid using long quotes or more than 4 quotes in the article, as the reader may get confused or lost if there are too many quotations.

• For example, you may write, “The girl’s mother expressed relief for her daughter and concern about her community, noting, ‘I just hope no other girls go missing in this area.’”
• Or you may write, “Local health officials are urging parents to check the municipal health and wellness website, www.hw.org, for updates on when schools are able to reopen.”

Creating the Appropriate Voice and Tone

• For example, rather than write, “The missing girl’s mother thought it had to do with school,” you may write, “The missing girl’s mother thought bullying at school may have caused her daughter’s absences.”

• For example, rather than write, “A press conference will be held by local police tomorrow to address the missing girls and the public’s concerns,” you may write, “Local police will address the missing girls and the public’s concerns in a press conference tomorrow.”

• For example, if you're writing about two political candidates running against each other in an election, present both candidates in an equal light, rather than giving extra details about 1 candidate.
• If you're writing an op-ed piece, it's okay to mix some of your opinions with the facts.

Polishing the Article

• Reading the article aloud can also help you catch any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.

• For example, you may ask others questions like, “Were you able to understand what happened, based on the information in the article?” “Was the language clear and easy to follow?” “Was the article well supported with sources and quotes?”

• If you are writing the newspaper article for a class, make sure it falls within the prescribed word limit for the assignment.

Carve out a niche by gravitating towards underreported stories. "I personally tend to be drawn to stories that aren't paid much attention to, or stories that aren't on people's radar."

Expert Q&A

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing as a career, check out our in-depth interview with Gerald Posner .

• ↑ https://guides.lib.vt.edu/researchmethods/interviews
• ↑ https://www.csus.edu/indiv/o/obriene/art116/readings/guide%20for%20conducting%20interviews.pdf
• ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/01/22/part-4-what-people-want-from-their-libraries/
• ↑ https://settlement.org/ontario/daily-life/communication/ethnic-and-cultural-media/what-is-fake-news-and-how-to-stop-spreading-misinformation/
• ↑ https://www.viasport.ca/communications-toolkit/module-4-how-write-engaging-sports-article
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/journalism_and_journalistic_writing/writing_leads.html
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/05/
• ↑ https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/writing/sources/quoting
• ↑ https://lib.trinity.edu/in-text-citation-and-notes//
• ↑ https://www.csus.edu/campus-safety/police-department/_internal/_documents/rwm.pdf
• ↑ https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf

About This Article

To write a newspaper article, gather all of your sources and verify any facts or sources you plan to use. Write an opening sentence that tells the readers the most essential details of the story. Write in third person, active voice, and maintain an authoritative tone throughout the article. Keep in mind the questions “Who,” “What,” “Where,” “When,” “Why,” and “How” when you’re writing your story, and try to answer as many of them as you can. When you’re finished writing the article, craft a short, engaging headline that tells readers what the article is about. To learn how reading your article out loud can help you proofread it, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Newspaper Article: A Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting a compelling newspaper article is an art form that requires a unique blend of creativity, research, and storytelling. Whether you’re a seasoned journalist or a budding writer looking to break into the world of news reporting, mastering the art of writing a newspaper article is essential.

In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of writing a successful newspaper article that engages readers and delivers the news in a clear and concise manner.

Understanding the Basics

Research and interviewing, writing the article.

Before you begin writing your newspaper article, it’s important to understand the basic structure and components that make up a well-written piece. A typical newspaper article consists of the following elements:

Headline: The headline is the title of your article and should grab the reader’s attention while accurately summarizing the main point of the story.

Byline: The byline includes the name of the author or reporter who wrote the article.

Lead: The lead, or opening paragraph, is the most crucial part of your article. It should succinctly summarize the main point of the story and entice readers to continue reading.

Body: The body of the article includes the main content, which is organized into paragraphs that provide additional details, quotes, and information to support the main point of the story.

Ending: The ending of the article should tie up any loose ends and provide a sense of closure to the reader.

Before you start writing your newspaper article, it’s important to conduct thorough research and gather all the necessary information. This may involve interviewing sources, reviewing relevant documents or reports, and fact-checking your information. When conducting interviews, be sure to prepare a list of questions in advance and take detailed notes to ensure accuracy.

Once you have gathered all the necessary information, it’s time to start writing your newspaper article. Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling and engaging piece:

1. Start with a strong lead: Your lead should grab the reader’s attention and provide a clear summary of the main point of the story. Avoid using cliches or vague language and instead focus on being concise and to the point.

2. Use clear and concise language: When writing a newspaper article, it’s important to use simple and straightforward language that is easy for readers to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may confuse your audience.

3. Include quotes and sources: Incorporating quotes from sources adds credibility to your article and provides additional perspectives on the story. Be sure to attribute quotes to the appropriate sources and provide context for the information presented.

4. Organize your information: Structure your article in a logical and coherent manner, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the story. Use headings and subheadings to guide readers through the article and make it easier to follow.

5. Edit and revise: Once you have finished writing your article, take the time to edit and revise it for clarity, accuracy, and coherence. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure that all information is accurate and up to date.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a newspaper article be.

The length of a newspaper article can vary depending on the publication and the nature of the story. In general, most newspaper articles range from 300 to 800 words, although feature articles or in-depth investigative pieces may be longer.

How do I come up with ideas for a newspaper article?

Generating ideas for a newspaper article can be as simple as staying informed about current events, trends, and issues in your community or industry. You can also draw inspiration from personal experiences, interviews with sources, or research on a specific topic.

How can I pitch a newspaper article to an editor?

When pitching a newspaper article to an editor, it's important to be concise and to the point. Clearly outline the main point of your story, why it is newsworthy, and how you plan to approach the topic. Be sure to provide any relevant background information, sources, or research to support your pitch.

In summary, writing a newspaper article is a rewarding and challenging endeavor that requires careful planning, research, and storytelling skills. By following the step-by-step guide outlined in this article, you can create compelling and engaging articles that inform, entertain, and inspire readers. So, grab your pen and paper, and start writing your next great newspaper article today!

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Throughout her career, Ara has made significant contributions to various publications and online platforms, covering an eclectic range of topics spanning from technology and business to arts and entertainment. Her writing style is characterized by its clarity, wit, and ability to connect with diverse audiences.

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How to write news articles

Latest posts.

Creative writing prize: New Voices First Novel Competition 2024

30 may 2024.

Learn the basics of writing a news story or information-led article with our expert help

You may never need to write a news article. But knowing how to do it will help you with any kind of article writing , because it is a fundamental journalistic skill that will provide you with the bones to help structure any non-fiction pieces that you write.

A news story is how newspapers and magazines break a story, in print or online. It may be about events of national or local importance; it may be about a new development in a specialist area of interest; it may be, like our news section, a way of informing interested readers about something new: a competition, a publishing opportunity. But whatever kind of news it’s imparting, it will conform to a basic format. 

The basic model for writing a news story is the inverted pyramid. What this means in practice is that the most important news goes at the top , in the lead paragraph, usually the ‘what’, followed by the who, where, why, when and how in the second and third. As you read down, the information becomes less important, and the least important information goes at the bottom. The practice developed largely as an aid to deadline-fuelled newspaper production: the sub-in-a-hurry with only limited space could cut from the bottom knowing that the story would still make sense without much rewriting. The same principle holds true online. Some readers will click away before reaching the bottom of a story, confident they already got the important details from the article opening. 

Bear in mind with this structure that all the information in a news story has to be there: ‘least important’ is not the same as ‘not necessary’. In a story for a local or national newspaper about an armed robbery in which two people were shot, the top paragraph would contain the information that two people were seriously injured in an armed robbery. Subsequent paragraphs would include information about where the robbery took place, who the victims were and what they were doing when they were shot, and what the robbers got away with. None of that information should be left out. The news writer’s job is to prioritise it. 

The key job of the writer of a news story is to find the facts and present them to the reader in a logical way , so that the story makes sense. There is no room in a news story for anything superfluous – every word has to do a job, and earn its place. Writing in this way forces the writer to concentrate on what is most important. 

If you write fiction, this style of writing is the opposite of what you’re used to. A news story breaks down information whereas a fictional story builds a picture. The reveal in a news story comes at the beginning, not the end.

News story basics: 

• It is always time-sensitive: this has happened now. 

• It is concerned with passing on the necessary factual information relating to the story. 

• Its tone is always neutral. News stories are objective. This is not an opinion piece, or a place for writers to insert their personality. 

• Information is reported. It is written in the third person, past tense. 

As we said at the beginning, most of you will never need to write this kind of story for a news publication. But whenever you need to write something that conveys new information to a reader, knowing how it’s done will provide you with a very useful model. It will help you to concentrate on the information you need to present, and understand how to prioritise it. 

Let’s break down an imaginary news story – the kind you you might read in Writing Magazine . 

The first, or lead, paragraph will tell the reader, in a nutshell, all the basic facts. 

Denise Lace-Crawford from Newport has won the Roachford Prize for Non-Fiction for her first book, Arsenic and Old Mrs Lace. 

With no messing about, the reader knows the key facts. They tell readers why they should be interested, now. Further paragraphs – short, informative paragraphs – will expand on the information that has been summed up in the opening paragraph. Our sample story might continue like this:

The second par: The £3,000 prize, announced this morning by the University of Placename, was awarded for a biography of Denise’s forensic scientist mother, whose work was key to modern understanding of Victorian domestic poisoning. This expands on the information in the lead par. It also attributes the information to its source: the University of Placename.

Third par: Denise was inspired to write the book when she discovered her mother’s research notes after her death ten years ago. ‘I knew she went to work every day in the university laboratory but I had no idea that her work was so significant – mother never discussed it at home,’ she said. 

In fifty words our knowledge has been widened significantly: we now know what Denise’s mother did, that she died ten years ago, why Denise decided to write her book, what its sources are and that her mother’s work and home lives were entirely separate. 

Fourth par: Engineer Denise, 57, only started writing because her daughter enrolled her in a course at her local library. ‘It was my fiftieth birthday present because I’d often talked about writing our family history and Yasmin knew this was the only way I’d make a start on it.’ 

Now we have more facts, this time personal information about Denise. We know her age, occupation, and that she has a daughter who cares about her enough to help her achieve a long-term ambition. In the space of a few words, we know enough about her to care about her. This has longer-term implications for writer and reader, as there may be more coverage of this story: perhaps a feature article, a review, an opinion piece? 

Fifth par: The Roachford Prize, which is funded by the University of  Placename, was set up in 1975 by scientist and philanthropist DK Khan to reward a first publication that adds to knowledge in the field of popular science. 

This is all potentially useful information, and it adds to the reader’s knowledge. But it’s not as interesting or attention-grabbing as the information at the top of the story, so it goes near the bottom. If the story gets split over pages, it may not even be on the same page as the rest of the story.

Sixth par: Denise’s book was published by local small press Honeyford Books, and is available from Waterstones. More facts, useful but without the immediacy of the top four paragraphs. Readers know where to get the book and the local interest is reinforced by the mention of the publisher.

Seventh par: ‘I thought mother’s story might interest friends and family,’ said Denise. ‘I never expected to win anything like this.’ A nice, neat conclusion takes the story back to Denise – and in this case, reinforces the human interest angle. But this is not essential information, and if we were short of space, the editor might cut this par. 

Best practice for news article writing:

• Ask yourself what questions a reader might ask, and answer them in your story.

• Get your facts right. Check them and double-check them. How much was the prize money? Check it. Who set up the prize? Check it. What is the correct spelling of Denise’s daughter’s name? Check it. Never assume anything. The old journo’s mantra ‘If in doubt, leave it out’ could be adapted to: ‘If in doubt, find it out.’

• Don’t split information. If you have two paragraphs about Denise, don’t insert one between them about the Roachford Prize. 

• Keep your writing tight and your sentences short. You can’t go far wrong with subject-verb-object. This keeps things to the point. News stories are not the place to display your extensive repertoire of adjectives, or your command of complex clauses. 

• Information must be attributed. Make it entirely clear where the information comes from. Credit your sources. It might be as simple as ‘said Denise’. 

Using quotes:

Perhaps you’ve interviewed someone for your news story. Perhaps you’ve interviewed several people. You have probably got much more information than you need. Prioritising information in a news story also means using the most important quotes.

• Ask pertinent questions.

• Don’t try to use everything. 

• Good quotes support your story and spark the reader’s interest.

• A good quote will grab attention, evoke images and convey the speaker’s personality.

• A bad quote is one that is unclear, or doesn’t add anything to the story. 

Use news writing techniques to put together your own press releases

Being able to write a news story comes in handy when you’re writing press releases for your books. Use the inverted pyramid structure to write your press release like a news story, with the key information at the top. Journalists are looking for a story: use this structure to give them one. 

All journalists are familiar with badly-written amateur press releases that jumble facts and hide useful information (‘when we were moving house – we used to live in Swindon, where some of the book is set – we found a box full of my grandfather’s old war diaries, and because I’ve always wanted to write a novel, that inspired me to think about…’). Your news-writing skills in using the minimum of words to present all the relevant facts will make it easier for the journalist to see why they should write about you. If you are sending out information about your book to media outlets, you need to present it clearly and confidently to professional journalists who will have little time, and less patience, to search for buried information in a press release full of waffle. 

Writing exercise:

Turn this information into a news story, putting the most important information into a lead paragraph and then writing the rest of the story as an inverted pyramid:

A fire in a furniture shop next to the main bus garage in your local town took place in the late afternoon on the last Friday before Christmas. It shut down all the traffic to and from the area for several hours, including a van of students returning from volunteering with refugees in Calais, a coach containing pensioners coming back from a festive trip to the Christmas market in Munich and a woman whose dog escaped from her car. Witnesses said the woman was crying and the dog was running up and down the hard shoulder but it came back eventually. Local services were affected and theatre and restaurant takings on the night were also badly affected. Thieves took advantage of the chaos to ramraid a local department store. There were no serious injuries, but damage to the business, which has been owned by the same family since 1937, was estimated at £1.5 million.  

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News Writing Fundamentals

One of the most fundamental differences between journalism and other forms of writing is the way journalists obtain the information they write about. Journalists obtain information through a variety of reporting techniques, which can include interviewing sources, looking through government documents, researching old articles, and observing events firsthand.

Good news writing begins with good, accurate reporting. Journalists perform a public service for citizens by presenting truthful facts in honest, straight-forward articles.

News Values

Journalists commonly use six values to determine how newsworthy a story or elements of a story are. Knowing the news values can help a journalist make many decisions, including:

What information to give first in a news article, and in the lede

Which articles to display on a newspaper’s front page

What questions to ask in an interview

The six news values are:

Timeliness- Recent events have a higher news value than less recent ones.

Proximity- Stories taking place in one’s hometown or community are more newsworthy than those taking place far away.

Prominence- Famous people and those in the public eye have a higher news value than ordinary citizens.

Uniqueness/oddity- A story with a bizarre twist or strange occurrences. “Man bites dog” instead of “dog bites man.”

Impact- Stories that impact a large number of people may be more newsworthy than those impacting a smaller number of people.

Conflict- “If it bleeds, it leads.” Stories with strife, whether it’s actual violence or not, are more interesting.

The newsworthiness of a story is determined by a balance of these six values. There is no set formula to decide how newsworthy a story is, but in general, the more of these six values a story meets, the more newsworthy it is.

Libel is defined as the published defamation of a person’s character based on misleading or inaccurate facts. Newspaper reporters can often run into issues of libel because it is their job to write truthful articles about people that might not always be flattering.

Even though we live in a country with a free press, journalists cannot write anything they want. Reporters do not have the right to state something about a person that could damage their reputation and that is untruthful.

One of the easiest ways to protect oneself from libel is to make sure to always do accurate reporting and to attribute all information in an article. If you write something about someone that you’re unsure about, just ask yourself if it’s true, and how you know it’s true. Rumors, gossip, and information you received from an anonymous or unreliable source are all dangerous to report, and they could run you the risk of a libel case.

The lede (or lead) of a news article is the first sentence, usually written as one paragraph, that tells the most important information of the story. When writing a lede, it is helpful to use the “tell a friend” strategy. Imagine you had to sum up to a friend, in one sentence, what your story is about. How would you sum up quickly what happened? A story’s lede answers the “Five W’s” in a specific order: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

For example:

The Atlanta Police Department will hold a memorial service Wednesday at Holy Christ Church in Buckhead for fallen officer Lt. James Montgomery.

WHO: The Atlanta Police Department WHAT: will hold a memorial service WHEN: Wednesday WHERE: Holy Christ Church in Buckhead WHY: for fallen officer Lt. James Montgomery

Other Examples:

Gwinnett County Public Schools was awarded $250,000 early Wednesday as a finalist for what’s considered the Nobel Prize of public education.

A man beat an Army reservist in front of a Morrow Cracker Barrel, yelling racial slurs at her as he kicked her in the head, Morrow police said.

Examples courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Inverted Pyramid

News articles are written in a structure known as the “inverted pyramid.” In the inverted pyramid format, the most newsworthy information goes at the beginning of the story and the least newsworthy information goes at the end.

After you have written your story’s lede, order the information that follows in terms of most important to least important. There is NO formal conclusion in a journalism article the way there is in an essay or analysis paper.

Attributing information

ALL information in a news article MUST be attributed to the source where the reporter got his/her information. The reporter must indicate in his/her article where material was obtained from – from an interview, court documents, the Census, a Web site, etc. Direct quotes and paraphrasing can be used to attribute information obtained in an interview with a source.

According to a police report, the suspect threatened the cashier with a gun before running away with the money.

In a 500-page government report, investigators reported evidence that the army had committed crimes against humanity.

Integrating quotes

The first time a source is introduced in an article, you should use that source’s full name and title. After this initial reference, use the last name only.

“The swine flu vaccine is an incredible advance in modern medicine,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

When attributing a direct quote, always use the verb “said” and never any other verbs such as “explained,” “whispered,” etc. It is also more common to use the format “XXX said” instead of “said XXX.”

“The housing crisis is growing out of control,” Bernanke said.

Even when information from a source is not used in a direct quote and is paraphrased instead, it still must be attributed to that source.

Bernanke said the recession is probably over. The recession will most likely begin to recede in six to eight months, Bernanke said.

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If you have a class filled with newshounds eager to write their own front-page stories about classroom events or the latest happenings in the cafeteria, Scholastic Teachables has you covered with ready-to-go resources for your young journalists.

These 5 resources will help students in grades 3–5 learn about the newswriting process and how to add descriptive elements that will engage readers. Not only will they learn how to write a news article, students will also learn important content-area vocabulary that gives new meaning to words like  dummy ,  bleeds , and  widow . Before you know it, your classroom will be a busy newsroom filled with young reporters looking to break the next big story!

1.     Newspaper Writing: Narrative Learning Center

This  narrative learning center  specifically designed for newspaper writing helps students report facts and write a compelling news story that will engage their readers. The printable includes an introductory lesson, student directions, model writing samples, graphic organizers, differentiation tips, and an assessment rubric.

2.     Newspaper Article: Leveled Graphic Organizers

This lesson with  tiered graphic organizers  will help your cub reporters and front-page newshounds learn the basics of news writing. Students will write a news article that opens with a lead, includes who, what, when, where, and why, and presents details in the body of the story.

3.     Newspaper Jargon: Grade 4 Vocabulary

To be true news writers, students need to know the industry jargon. This  vocabulary packet  teaches students what words like  bleeds ,  dummy , and  stringer  commonly mean in newsrooms.

4.     The Daily News: Language Arts Bulletin Board

This  bulletin board  resource not only turns your classroom into a newsroom, it also helps students develop the speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills they need to run it effectively. 

5.     Plenty of Plastic: Grade 5 Opinion Writing Lesson

Every respected newspaper has a robust editorial section. This  writing lesson  helps create persuasive opinion writers by encouraging students to take a written stance for or against plastic bags.

Scholastic Teachables helps teachers like you build the next generation of journalists and newshounds. Even better, these teaching materials are ready to go, saving you time when you need it most during the school year. The printables are free to subscribers of Scholastic Teachables or are available for individual purchase.  Log in or subscribe today  for teaching tools to help your students write news articles that can make a difference in your classroom, school, and community!

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A creative Newspaper Story Activity

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

13 January 2015

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Helping you create amazing content!

News Article Generator

The News Article Generator is a unique online tool that lets you easily create high-quality, original news articles. Enter a topic, choose a headline style, and let News Article Generator do the rest!

This generator should be used to make newspaper articles of a beneficial, human interest, opinions, or informative nature. It should not be used to relate facts or breaking news without researching it first. If you use it to create fake news, please do so responsibly.

You can also use this tool for

• Product Pages
• Online newspaper
• Newsletters

Instructions

Put in a short subject and press the button. The generator will write a short news article about your subject. PLEASE fact-check any information you are given unless you use this for a creative writing project.

Suggestions for input

• Science and technology
• A news story about a natural disaster.
• A story about political unrest.
• News about a new product or service.

Input : Culture

Output : As the global economy struggles, people turn to art as an escape. In response, some art directors and curators are creating more traditional galleries that focus on exhibiting new and experimental works. Others are finding ways to bring art into people’s everyday lives by creating public installations and events.

Some of the most successful recent examples include the installation “Life is Beautiful” at New York’s Lincoln Center, which features pieces from over 50 different artists, and “Rapture” at The Tate Gallery in London, which features pieces from 30 different artists. These projects have brought attention to the importance of art in today’s world and helped revive interest in traditional galleries and museums.

Input : Languages

Output : Languages are unique, global communities of sign languages that share a common vocabulary and grammar. They can be found in many different parts of the world, and their use varies from culture to culture.

There are over 350 languages spoken on Earth today, making them one of the most prominent language families on Earth. Each language is made up of a variety of dialects and subgroups. The most fluent speaker of any language is usually a native speaker, but anyone who can learn a few essential words can understand most languages.

Despite their diversity, languages share some standard features. For example, they all have phonemes – sounds that make up the letters in a text or speech sentence – and they all use word order (the order in which words are spoken). When you see a word in one language and hear it in another, you typically know which word comes after which letter in the original text or speech sentence.

Tips and tricks

• Don’t get overly complicated with your inputs on the tool. Keep it simple.
• Current events may not be recognized as the AI is not kept up with daily happenings.
• Research your topic thoroughly before beginning your reporting.
• Be precise in your language and avoid assumptions about readers’ knowledge or experiences.
• Use active and concrete verbs to convey the story’s action, and use specific details to help readers follow along.
• Stick to reliable sources when reporting on controversial or sensitive topics.
• Be mindful of the tone of your article—it should be objective but also engaging and readable.
• Proofread your work carefully to ensure that all facts are accurate and that there are no spelling or grammatical errors

Frequently asked questions

What are the most significant steps in writing a news article.

The major steps in writing a news article are gathering information, analyzing the data, and writing the article.

How do you establish a news story’s premise?

The premise of a news story is the idea or assumption that is the article’s focus. It can be an event, a problem, or a proposal. The reporter or the writer must find a way to make this idea attractive to readers and persuasively argue for its importance.

How do you research a topic?

There are many ways to research your topic. You can look online, in books, or magazines. You can also talk to people who have experience with the topic you’re interested in. Don’t assume that it is true just because it is on the internet!

What are the critical elements of a compelling headline?

Effective headlines are catchy and memorable while accurately reflecting the article’s content. They should be short and to the point without being misleading or overly promotional.

How do you structure your article?

One of the most important things to remember when writing an article is to structure it well. You need to have a beginning, middle, and end, so your readers will understand what you are trying to say.

Additionally, you should ensure that each section is cohesive and flows logically from the previous one.

Finally, use strong verbs and descriptive language when describing your points so that readers will clearly understand what you are advocating.

What common grammar and style mistakes to avoid when writing news articles?

When writing news articles, it is important to use correct grammar and style. Some standard grammar and style mistakes to avoid when writing news articles are using incorrect verb tenses, incorrect nouns or pronouns, and inaccurate information. Additionally, it is essential to use accurate spelling when reporting on events or names.

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Dul creative writing awards - deadlines june 15, 2024, may 29, 2024.

Are you an undergraduate who enjoys creative writing?  You could win an award for your talents!

The Rudolph William Rosati Creative Writing Award

The Rosati Creative Writing Prize is awarded each spring in recognition of an outstanding work of creative writing.  All Duke first year or sophomore students are eligible to submit work for consideration.  Projects may be any genre and take any form (audio/video, digital media, etc.), but must include a substantial creative writing component .  

Deadline:  June 15 th , 2024

Prize:  $1500

For more details: https://library.duke.edu/research/awards/rosati

The William Styron Creative Writing Award

The Styron Creative Writing Prize is awarded each spring in recognition of an outstanding work of creative writing. All Duke juniors and seniors are eligible to submit work for consideration. Projects may be any genre and take any form (audio/video, digital media, etc.), but must include a substantial creative writing component.

For more details: https://library.duke.edu/research/awards/styron

Eligibility for both awards:

• You must be a Duke undergraduate student
• You may submit multiple, different projects in a given year but each project should be submitted individually with an accompanying application cover sheet
• Submitted projects must have been written during the current academic year
• Projects are judged based on quality and originality of writing
• At this time submissions must be written in English
• No minimum or maximum length required

Contact Arianne Hartsell-Gundy, Librarian for Literature, at [email protected] , if you have questions.

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The Ancient Art of Calligraphy Is Having a Revival

Calligraphy, which means “beautiful writing” in Ancient Greek, is seeing a surge of interest from younger people who say it offers a meditative and creative escape.

Supported by

By Jenny Gross

Jenny Gross attended a recent beginner’s calligraphy class in London.

• May 29, 2024

For the first time in many years, a teacher was correcting my handwriting.

“Go more slowly,” Laura Edralin, a calligraphy teacher in London, told me, as she walked around a table of beginners on a recent Wednesday night, explaining how to achieve even, flowing strokes.

As a breaking news reporter for The New York Times, I am not used to being told to slow down, nor am I accustomed to writing by hand. But both those new to the medium and seasoned calligraphers say the deliberate, steady nature of the practice is a huge part of its appeal — one that is on the upswing. With so much digital fatigue, writing elegantly with pen and paper can be a joy.

Calligraphy, a centuries-old art form, is seeing a surge of interest, including among young people more familiar with coding than cursive. At Michael’s, the largest arts and crafts chain in North America, more than 10,000 customers signed up for lettering classes online between January 2023 and March 2024 — nearly three times more than in the same period a year ago, when about the same number of classes were offered.

An increase in calligraphy-related posts on social media and the popularity of online classes may have helped drive the trend. On TikTok, where users can find how-to videos or watch clips of experienced calligraphers at work, 63 percent more posts used #calligraphy in April 2024 than in April 2023, according to TikTok. And on Instagram, top calligraphy influencers such as Nhuan Dao in Ha Noi, Vietnam, and Paola Gallegos in Cusco, Peru, have 2 million or more followers apiece (on TikTok , Gallegos has 9 million).

@calligraphilic ¿Qué nivel eres tú? 🤔😍🥰😜 #calligraphy #lettering #artistatiktok ♬ GATA ONLY - FloyyMenor

Rajiv Surendra, a calligrapher and actor (best known as the math M.C. Kevin G. in the 2004 film “Mean Girls”), said he was surprised to find that his how-to calligraphy videos were some of the most popular posts on his YouTube channel; one video on calligraphy basics has garnered more than 840,000 views.

In this digital age, “we have come so far away from consciously thinking about how to form a ‘w’ — and how to form a beautiful ‘w,’” he said in a recent interview. For that reason, he explained, now more than ever, people are craving the ability to bring intention and care not just to what they write, but to how they write it.

He has seen this reflected in the response to his videos: A woman in Denmark recently told him, in a handwritten letter, that they had inspired her to start practicing calligraphy with her grandfather’s fountain pen.

Calligraphy dates back to before the 1st century A.D., said Dr. Chia-Ling Yang, a Chinese art history professor at the University of Edinburgh. By the 10th century, good brushwork had become known in China as a sign of good character . Separate traditions also developed with roots in other parts of East Asia and the Middle East.

In Europe, the introduction of the printing press in the mid-15th century paved the way for a distinction between handwriting and more stylized scripts. Calligraphy in Europe experienced a decline in the 19th century, with the advent of the typewriter, but it continued to be used for official documents and scholarly purposes. “What is the same in all practices of calligraphy, regardless of the language, is the beauty of the confident stroke,” Mr. Surendra said.

Today, part of calligraphy’s appeal is its accessibility: Anyone with a pen and paper can give it a go. Ms. Edralin, the London calligraphy teacher, took up the practice in 2017 as a way to cope with anxiety from a demanding job. Other than a few classes in high school, she had never really pursued art — certainly not professionally — but she lost herself in the beauty of crafting strokes into letters, and letters into words. “I could scratch the creative itch that I knew was in me, but it didn’t require me to sit at an easel for weeks on end,” she said.

Practicing calligraphy helped make Ms. Edralin aware of self-critical thoughts that had become ingrained in her internal dialogue. “If that’s happening day in and day out in everything you’re doing, it’s really hard to spot,” she said. Now, when she hears students criticizing themselves or wanting to give up halfway through a word, she encourages them to embrace imperfection and revel in the thrill of learning something new — lessons she hopes they can apply to other parts of their lives, she said.

Like Ms. Edralin, Amanda Reid, a calligrapher in Austin, Texas, began experimenting with calligraphy both as a creative outlet and as a way to ease stress — in her case, from a graduate degree she was pursuing in physical therapy. She started her own calligraphy business in 2019, taking commissions and teaching workshops, and it grew quickly during the coronavirus pandemic, when people were at home with time to learn new skills online, she said.

For Ms. Reid, crafting elegant words with her pens is not just an artistic practice, but a physical one, with a meditative rhythm of upstrokes and downstrokes. “Some people do yoga,” she said. “But I do calligraphy.”

Some preliminary studies suggest that working with your hands — whether by writing, knitting or drawing — can improve cognition and mood , and a study published in January by researchers in Norway found that writing by hand was beneficial for learning and engaged the brain more than typing on a keyboard. Some states, including California and New Hampshire , have begun reintroducing cursive (long regarded as obsolete in a digital age) into their curriculums, citing it as important for intellectual development.

The new emphasis on cursive comes even as researchers are developing products that will use artificial intelligence to replicate handwriting based on just a small sample of written material, Bloomberg reported .

Even with technological advances on the horizon, Ravi Jain, who attended the recent calligraphy class in London, said the beauty of calligraphy surpasses what any computer-generated letters could achieve. “Nothing will replace the amount of love, patience and time that goes into creating something by hand,” said Mr. Jain, 27, a data analyst at Credit Karma. “I know that the cards I give last a lot longer than a text message.”

Calligraphy by Alice Fang . Images by Marcelle Hopkins .

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

The Rise of TikTok

News and Analysis

TikTok said that it was introducing new measures to limit the spread of videos from state-affiliated media accounts , including Russian and Chinese outlets, as the company deflects criticism that it could be used as a propaganda tool in a major election year.

An internal analysis found nearly twice as many pro-Trump posts as pro-Biden ones on TikTok since November, a sign of the right’s use of a liberal-friendly  platform.

In an attempt to rein in the amount of weight loss posts , TikTok said it will work to remove content about drugs like Ozempic, extended fasting and more from the “For You” feed.

A food editor documents the high, the low and the mid from a week’s worth  of influencer restaurant suggestions on TikTok.

At a time of heightened confusion and legal battles over access to abortion, women are turning to the social media platform to talk about their abortions  and look for answers.

Has there ever been an app more American seeming than TikTok, with its messy democratic creativity, exhibitionism, utter lack of limits and vast variety of hustlers? Here’s how the platform has changed America .

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv launches major attack on Crimea naval base using Western weapons

The early-morning attack in Crimea was carried out with weapons from Kyiv's allies - which were "extremely effective", a Ukrainian military source said. Meanwhile, the Russian foreign minister has said he hopes nuclear drills will "knock sense" into the West after jets were pledged.

Thursday 30 May 2024 13:50, UK

• Ukraine launches major attack against Russian base in Crimea  
• Moscow hopes nuclear drills will 'knock sense' into West over fighter jet plans
• Italy says no to Ukraine using Western weapons to strike Russia
• Putin names ex-bodyguard for senior role - fuelling succession rumours
• Siobhan Robbins eyewitness:  NATO's biggest drill since the Cold War is a warning for Putin to stay away
• The big picture : What you need to know about the war right now
• Live reporting by Dylan Donnelly

Russia has accused the US, NATO and others of escalating tensions with Ukraine and stoking a "senseless war".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said today the West has "in recent days and weeks embarked on a new round of escalation".

He added: "They are doing this deliberately. We hear a lot of bellicose statements… They are encouraging Ukraine in every possible way to continue this senseless war.

"This will all, of course, inevitably have consequences and will ultimately be very damaging to the interests of those countries that have taken the path of escalation."

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from NATO countries are set to meet in Prague today amid pressure to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside of Russia (see 12.10pm post). 

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, NATO countries have since provided military aid worth millions to Kyiv but with strict conditions on its use.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday it is "unfair" that Ukraine cannot strike inside Russia despite receiving long-range missiles from the West.

Russian missiles have struck the village of Mala Danylivka today, leaving many buildings in ruins.

The town, just on the outskirts of Kharkiv, was hit as part of Russia's northeastern offensive, which it launched this month.

Foreign ministers from NATO countries are set to meet in Prague later today - as calls to let Ukraine use supplied weapons in Russian territory grow.

Officials will meet for two days ahead of a NATO summit in July, where a new support package for Ukraine is expected to be announced.

Kyiv has been pressing Western supporters, particularly the US, to let it use long-range missiles to hit targets inside of Russia.

France and Germany said yesterday they support Ukraine striking military targets inside Russia, but Italy's foreign minister ruled it out.

In an interview earlier today, Antonio Tajani said "all the weapons leaving from Italy should be used within Ukraine" (see 8.50am post).

Ukraine launched a major attack against a Russian naval base in occupied Crimea early this morning.

At 1am today, the Ukrainian armed forces struck targets near the Kerch Bridge with precision guided missiles.

A Russian Mangust patrol boat was destroyed in the attack, a Ukrainian military source has told Sky News.

The source also confirmed that Western supplied weapons were used, adding they "proved extremely effective against this Russian military target despite high concentrations of Russian Air Defence Systems".

Nikolai Lukashenko, Crimea's Russian-installed transportation chief, claimed on Telegram that Ukraine's overnight attack damaged two transport ferries.

The Kerch Bridge, linking Russia and Crimea over the Kerch Strait, is regularly used by Moscow as a logistics hub to resupply its forces. It was built in 2018 after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea four years earlier.

Ukraine has launched frequent attacks on the crossing since the war began: in July last year, Kyiv attacked it with two suicide sea drones, damaging a span of the road bridge. 

The explosions  killed two civilians and injured one . Ukraine later formally admitted to launching the attack.

Our military analyst Sean Bell answered a reader's question on why Ukraine can't destroy the bridge earlier this month - click here to read more .

Ukraine's commander-in-chief says that although Russian forces are gathering near Kharkiv Oblast, they are "insufficient" to "break through" Kyiv's defences.

Oleksandr Syrskyi notes on Telegram that Russia is continuing to send additional regiments and brigades to bulk up its forces on two main lines of attack in the north of the Kharkiv region.

However, he says: "These forces are currently insufficient for a large-scale offensive and breakthrough of our defence."

He adds Ukraine is strengthening its defensive lines and has already repelled an attack near Starytsia today.

For context : The northeastern region of Kharkiv became a battlefield focus in the middle of this month when Moscow's forces launched a surprise incursion over the border after weeks of speculation.

It opened a second front, alongside the existing eastern front, and Russia has been building forces around the Kharkiv region throughout May, stretching Ukrainian defences with the aim of capturing the cities of Vovchansk and Lyptsi. 

Russia should consider a "demonstrative" nuclear blast to stop the West allowing Ukraine to use weapons inside its territory, a Putin-backed thinktank has suggested.

The suggestion came from Dmitry Suslov,a senior member of the Moscow-based Council for Foreign and Defence Policy, yesterday.

Writing in business magazine Profil, he said: "To confirm the seriousness of Russia's intentions and to convince our opponents of Moscow's readiness to escalate, it is worth considering a demonstrative nuclear explosion.

"The political and psychological effect of a nuclear mushroom cloud, which will be shown live on all TV channels around the world, will hopefully remind Western politicians of the one thing that has prevented wars between the great powers since 1945 and that they have now largely lost - fear of nuclear war."

Vladimir Putin has previously praised the Council for Foreign and Defence Policy and has taken part in policy discussions run by the thinktank. 

Germany has finished its biggest military drill in eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War.

Exercise Grand Quadriga 2024 - a large-scale joint training event with German, Lithuanian and Dutch armies, as well as the Franco-German Brigade - ended yesterday.

It was held in Lithuania, which shares a border with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. 

General Valdemaras Rupsys said: "This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that Germany has run such a large-scale, division-level, deployment into NATO's eastern flank, including Lithuania, operation."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said yesterday Ukraine should be allowed to use Western weapons to strike inside Russian territory.

Italy's foreign minister has said weapons it sends to Ukraine should not be used in Russian territory.

In a break from France and Germany - which said yesterday that Kyiv should be allowed to strike inside Russia with weapons supplied by the West in certain circumstances - Antonio Tajani also said Italy will never send troops to Ukraine.

"All the weapons leaving from Italy should be used within Ukraine," he told the Italian broadcaster RAI today.

For context: Italy supports Ukraine but has so far refused to support Kyiv using Western-supplied weapons to strike into Russia.

On Monday, Italy's deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini fiercely rejected calls from Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary general, to lift restrictions on weapons.

Matteo Salvini said at the time: "NATO cannot force us to kill in Russia, nor can anyone compel us to send Italian soldiers to fight or die in Ukraine.

"If they want to go and fight in Ukraine, let Stoltenberg, Emmanuel Macron and all the bombers who want war go there."

By  Siobhan Robbins , Europe correspondent

In a dusty clearing in Lithuania, NATO is rolling out the big guns.

Leopard 2 tanks fire their rounds with a deafening thud, while Puma fighting vehicles add to the eerie chorus, accompanied by the buzz of helicopter blades.

The firepower on display is the crescendo of the alliance's biggest military training exercise since the Cold War, led by the Germans and taking place a few miles from the Lithuanian border with Belarus.

The aim is to show how NATO can defend Europe's eastern flank from invasion, offer reassurance to allies and a warning to President Putin.

"Today's exercise sends a clear message - a message of deterrence to Russia," said General Carsten Breuer, Germany's chief of defence.

Read the rest of Siobhan's eyewitness account  here...

Russia says it hopes nuclear deterrence will "knock some sense" into the West over plans to send fighter jets to Ukraine.

Speaking to the RIA state news agency today, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia regards Belgium's pledge to send US-made F-16 warplanes to Kyiv as a "signal action".

He adds: "They are trying to tell us that the United States and NATO would stop at nothing in Ukraine.

"Nevertheless, we hope that the Russian-Belarusian drills on the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons that are under way now will knock some sense into our opponents by reminding them about the catastrophic consequences of further nuclear escalation."

Russia has been carrying out nuclear exercises throughout May, and are currently conducting joint air force and air defence ministry drills with Belarus.

For context:  Earlier this week, Belgium agreed to send Ukraine 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028. 

It marked part of a security pact Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Alexander De Croo, the Belgian prime minister, signed in Brussels on Tuesday.

As part of the agreement, Belgium will also provide Ukraine with at least €977m (£832m) in military aid.

After securing more NATO support, Mr Zelenskyy again demanded the West lift restrictions on the use of supplied weaponry to hit targets in Russia, saying it was "unfair" that Ukraine could not strike back.

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