How many kanji are there really?! And how many do I need to read the news?

I’m currently learning Japanese and feeling overwhelmed by kanji. I’ve read that there are over 50,000 kanji in existence, but obviously, not all are used in daily life. So… how many do I actually need to know to be able to read something like NHK News or Yahoo Japan?

Also:
• What’s a realistic kanji count goal for someone who wants to read the news without having to constantly look things up?
• Are there any good websites or tools to test my kanji knowledge? I’d love to track what I know and what I still need to learn.

Thanks in advance! Would love to hear from anyone who’s crossed this hurdle.