Google launches regional news service

Google announced on Monday that it had created Google News UK, part of a move to upgrade its Internet news aggregation service by launching five new country-specific versions. Similar local versions of Google News have also been launched in Australia, New Zealand, India and Canada.

Like the original Google News, these will gather news headlines and photographs from some 4,500 media outlets across the world, but will prioritize those that specifically refer to each country's government, business, science and technology, sport and entertainment news. Google, whose Web search technology is also used by companies such as Yahoo, recently topped a list showing which portals and search engines are most popular with Internet users looking for information.

ZDNet UK's Graeme Wearden reported from London. For the full story, visit ZDNet UK.