diff --git a/blocks/news_items/tests/behat/display_news.feature b/blocks/news_items/tests/behat/display_news.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1768980bd35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocks/news_items/tests/behat/display_news.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+@block @block_news_items
+Feature: Latest news block displays the course latest news
+  In order to be aware of the course news
+  As a user
+  I need to see the latest news in the main course page
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: Latest course news are displayed and can be configured
+    Given the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email |
+      | teacher1 | Teacher | 1 | teacher1@asd.com |
+    And I log in as "admin"
+    And I create a course with:
+      | Course full name | Course 1 |
+      | Course short name | C1 |
+      | News items to show | 5 |
+    And I enrol "Teacher 1" user as "Teacher"
+    And I log out
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    When I add a new topic to "News forum" forum with:
+      | Subject | Discussion One |
+      | Message | Not important |
+    And I add a new topic to "News forum" forum with:
+      | Subject | Discussion Two |
+      | Message | Not important |
+    And I add a new topic to "News forum" forum with:
+      | Subject | Discussion Three |
+      | Message | Not important |
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    Then I should see "Discussion One" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I should see "Discussion Two" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I should see "Discussion Three" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I follow "Edit settings"
+    And I set the following fields to these values:
+      | News items to show | 2 |
+    And I press "Save changes"
+    And I should not see "Discussion One" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I should see "Discussion Two" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I should see "Discussion Three" in the "Latest news" "block"
+    And I follow "Edit settings"
+    And I set the following fields to these values:
+      | News items to show | 0 |
+    And I press "Save changes"
+    And "Latest news" "block" should not exist
diff --git a/mod/forum/tests/behat/behat_mod_forum.php b/mod/forum/tests/behat/behat_mod_forum.php
index 55b3f61bb89..720878d9aa4 100644
--- a/mod/forum/tests/behat/behat_mod_forum.php
+++ b/mod/forum/tests/behat/behat_mod_forum.php
@@ -39,6 +39,17 @@ use Behat\Behat\Context\Step\Given as Given,
  */
 class behat_mod_forum extends behat_base {
 
+    /**
+     * Adds a topic to the forum specified by it's name. Useful for the News forum and blog-style forums.
+     *
+     * @Given /^I add a new topic to "(?P<forum_name_string>(?:[^"]|\\")*)" forum with:$/
+     * @param string $forumname
+     * @param TableNode $table
+     */
+    public function i_add_a_new_topic_to_forum_with($forumname, TableNode $table) {
+        return $this->add_new_discussion($forumname, $table, get_string('addanewtopic', 'forum'));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Adds a discussion to the forum specified by it's name with the provided table data (usually Subject and Message). The step begins from the forum's course page.
      *
@@ -47,15 +58,7 @@ class behat_mod_forum extends behat_base {
      * @param TableNode $table
      */
     public function i_add_a_forum_discussion_to_forum_with($forumname, TableNode $table) {
-
-        // Escaping $forumname as it has been stripped automatically by the transformer.
-        return array(
-            new Given('I follow "' . $this->escape($forumname) . '"'),
-            new Given('I press "' . get_string('addanewdiscussion', 'forum') . '"'),
-            new Given('I fill the moodle form with:', $table),
-            new Given('I press "' . get_string('posttoforum', 'forum') . '"'),
-            new Given('I wait to be redirected')
-        );
+        return $this->add_new_discussion($forumname, $table, get_string('addanewdiscussion', 'forum'));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -78,4 +81,29 @@ class behat_mod_forum extends behat_base {
         );
 
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the steps list to add a new discussion to a forum.
+     *
+     * Abstracts add a new topic and add a new discussion, as depending
+     * on the forum type the button string changes.
+     *
+     * @param string $forumname
+     * @param TableNode $table
+     * @param string $buttonstr
+     * @return Given[]
+     */
+    protected function add_new_discussion($forumname, TableNode $table, $buttonstr) {
+
+        // Escaping $forumname as it has been stripped automatically by the transformer.
+        return array(
+            new Given('I follow "' . $this->escape($forumname) . '"'),
+            new Given('I press "' . $buttonstr . '"'),
+            new Given('I fill the moodle form with:', $table),
+            new Given('I press "' . get_string('posttoforum', 'forum') . '"'),
+            new Given('I wait to be redirected')
+        );
+
+    }
+
 }