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news_top_headlines

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve top headlines from NewsAPI by country, category, query, or page size to monitor current news and support research.

Instructions

Get top headlines from NewsAPI.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "news_top_headlines"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
qNo
api_keyNo
countryNo
categoryNo
pageSizeNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Addedv0.1.5

TDQS

C2.1/5.0
Behavior2/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds nothing beyond that — no mention of rate limits, API key requirements, result limits, or what 'top' means (e.g., country/category scoping). With annotations doing the work, the description contributes minimal extra context without contradicting anything.

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

Conciseness3/5

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

One short, front-loaded sentence with no wasted words. But the brevity is under-specification rather than efficient conciseness for a five-parameter tool.

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

Completeness1/5

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

For a five-parameter, zero-coverage, no-output-schema tool, the description is far too thin. It leaves every parameter unexplained, gives no usage context, and omits any return-value or pagination hint beyond relying on annotations.

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

Parameters1/5

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

Schema description coverage is 0% and all five parameters (q, api_key, country, category, pageSize) are undocumented in the schema. The description mentions none of them, so an agent has no idea what values country/category accept or how q interacts with them.

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

Purpose3/5

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

It states a specific verb and resource ('Get top headlines') and names the data source (NewsAPI), which is clear enough on its own. However, it gives no differentiation from closely related siblings like news_search, news_get_sources, or gdelt_news_search, so an agent cannot tell what makes this the 'top headlines' variant.

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

Usage Guidelines2/5

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

There is no guidance on when to use this tool versus the alternatives (news_search, guardian_search_articles, gdelt_news_search, hn_top_stories). The agent must infer usage purely from the tool name.

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

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