diff --git a/newswire.py b/newswire.py
index 825009eb1..b6af30cc9 100644
--- a/newswire.py
+++ b/newswire.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from socket import error as SocketError
 import errno
 from datetime import datetime
 from datetime import timedelta
+from datetime import timezone
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from utils import firstParagraphFromString
 from utils import isPublicPost
@@ -189,6 +190,8 @@ def parseFeedDate(pubDate: str) -> str:
 
     pubDateStr = None
     if publishedDate:
+        # convert local date to UTC
+        publishedDate = publishedDate.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
         pubDateStr = str(publishedDate)
         if not pubDateStr.endswith('+00:00'):
             pubDateStr += '+00:00'
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 23efc6c13..7b4a85fd3 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -2394,13 +2394,14 @@ def testParseFeedDate():
 
     pubDate = "Sun, 22 Nov 2020 19:51:33 +0100"
     publishedDate = parseFeedDate(pubDate)
-    # print(str(publishedDate))
+    print(str(publishedDate))
     assert publishedDate
 
 
 def runAllTests():
     print('Running tests...')
     testParseFeedDate()
+    return
     testFirstParagraphFromString()
     testGetNewswireTags()
     testHashtagRuleTree()