To view current news items quickly, irrespective ot internet speed, try out Google's Fast Flip one of Google's experiments in Google Labs.
Thumbnails of news pages and news feeds from major newspapers and broadcasters display on one screen. Click a thumbnail to view the page full screen. Navigate to the next or previous page using the directional arrows.
Fast Flip aims to incorporate the ease of online searching with the serendipity of social networking and the experience of reading a print newspaper or magazine. Titles include Foreign Policy, New York Times, Business Week, The Atlantic, Washington Post and BBC News.
Read the Google blog for more details about Fast Flip such as using it with a mobile phone, or to give feedback to Google.
If your research interests require access to historical news explore the newspaper archival collections available at the University of Auckland Library or browse the Library guide on newspapers.