diff --git a/NEWS.rst b/NEWS.rst
index b3b0adb36..0c6d135d3 100644
--- a/NEWS.rst
+++ b/NEWS.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+- [varLib] ``load_designspace()``: Provide a default English name for the ital
+  axis tag.
+
 3.38.0 (released 2019-02-18)
 ----------------------------