Faculty for understanding news (12)
I believe the answer is:
intelligence
This clue is a double definition.
'faculty for understanding' is the first definition.
'news' is the second definition.
('intelligence' can be a synonym of 'news')
(Other definitions for intelligence that I've seen before include "Covert information" , "Brains -- news" , "Mind; news" , "Covertly-gathered info" , "Ken" .)