News contains information about occurring and recent events. This may be provided through multiple different types of media: word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of observers or witnesses to events. News is sometimes called "hard or breaking news" to show the difference between it and soft media. Common topics for news reports include war, government, politics, education, health, the environment, economy, business, fashion, entertainment, and sport, as well as fast breaking, special, quirky or unusual events. Government proclamations, concerning royal ceremonies, laws, taxes, public health, and criminals, have been dubbed news since ancient times. Current technological, the Internet and social developments, often driven by government communication and/or espionage networks, have increased the speed with which news can spread, as well as influenced its content. Throughout history, people have transported news and information through speaking. Having developed in China over many centuries, newspapers became established in Europe during the early modern period. In the 20th century, radio and television & the Internet have become important means of transmitting news. Now the internet has begun to be the prominent form of current and developing news.