Skip to main content
Glama
Octen-Team

octen-mcp

Official
by Octen-Team

news_search

Search recent news and get ranked articles with title, URL, and snippet for current events, headlines, and timely reporting.

Instructions

Search recent news and return ranked articles (title, url, snippet) — current events, headlines, timely reporting. This is search locked to topic: news; same options as search (domain / text filters, language filter, time window, highlight / full_content, media) except topic, which is fixed to news.

For a single news lookup this is the right tool. For a multi-angle news question ("what shipped across the industry this month", "how are different outlets covering X"), use broad_search with topic=news instead of looping news_search.

keywords: news search, latest news, headlines, current events, breaking news, recent, today, this week, press coverage

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
countNoNumber of results to return (1-100). Default 5.
queryYesSearch query. Max 500 chars.
formatNoFormat of returned content. Default text.text
timeoutNoRequest timeout in seconds (1-60). Defaults to 30s if unset.
end_timeNoUpper bound for the time window, ISO 8601.
languageNoLanguages to filter results by, as ISO 639-1 codes. Empty = no filter.
highlightNoReturn a ranked highlighted snippet per result. Omit to use the server default.
safesearchNoAdult-content filter. Default strict.strict
start_timeNoLower bound for the time window, ISO 8601 (e.g. '2025-01-01T00:00:00Z').
time_basisNoWhich timestamp the time window filters against: page `published` date, last `crawled` date, or `auto`. Default auto.auto
time_rangeNoRelative time window (e.g. `week`, `month`). Mutually exclusive with `start_time`/`end_time` — if both are given, the absolute range wins.
exclude_textNoDrop results whose content contains any of these strings. Max 5, each ≤30 chars.
full_contentNoReturn the cleaned full page body per result. Heavier than `highlight` — use only when the snippet isn't enough. Omit to use the server default (off).
include_textNoOnly return results whose content contains all of these strings. Max 5, each ≤30 chars.
include_imagesNoReturn image URLs (and a cover image) found on each result page.
include_videosNoReturn video URLs found on each result page.
exclude_domainsNoDrop results from these domains. Max 150, each ≤30 chars.
include_domainsNoOnly return results from these domains (e.g. 'arxiv.org'). Max 1000, each ≤30 chars.
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It discloses return format (ranked articles, title, url, snippet) and mentions options like highlight/full_content, but does not describe behaviors such as data freshness, rate limits, or failure modes. The description adds some context (fixed topic) but lacks deeper transparency for a parameter-rich tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured and front-loaded: it starts with purpose, then relationships to siblings, usage guidance, and keywords. It is concise without unnecessary repetition, but the keyword list could be considered slightly redundant given the clear purpose; still efficient overall.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a tool with 18 params and no output schema, the description is complete: it states return format, fixed topic, and alternative tools. It does not detail interaction among params (e.g., time_range vs start_time), but schema covers that. A brief example could improve completeness, but it is adequate given complexity.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so parameters are already well-documented in the schema. The description adds context that parameters mirror `search` except `topic`, but does not add meaning beyond schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate since the description doesn't need to compensate for missing schema details.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's purpose: 'Search recent news and return ranked articles (title, url, snippet)'. It identifies the resource (news) and action (search), and explicitly distinguishes it from siblings by noting it is `search` locked to `topic: news`. The keywords list reinforces scope, making the purpose unambiguous.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides explicit when-to-use guidance: 'For a single news lookup this is the right tool' and contrasts with alternative: 'for a multi-angle news question ... use `broad_search` with topic=news instead of looping news_search.' It also clarifies that `topic` is fixed, giving clear context for tool selection.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Install Server

Other Tools

Latest Blog Posts

MCP directory API

We provide all the information about MCP servers via our MCP API.

curl -X GET 'https://glama.ai/api/mcp/v1/servers/Octen-Team/octen-mcp'

If you have feedback or need assistance with the MCP directory API, please join our Discord server