1. A method of responding to a search query to a user with a computing system comprising: a) processing a query from a user including a first search term with the computing system; b) automatically determining a geographic region associated with said user with the computing system; c) automatically determining if said first search term relates to a news story describing events or topics associated with said geographic region; wherein said determining is performed by analyzing content of published online news stories from local sources within or proximate to said geographic region with the computing system; d) automatically selecting first news content from said local sources relating to said first search term with the computing system when said first search term relates to a news story published within a first time interval; e) presenting search results to said user with the computing system for said query including said first news content in response to said query directed to said first search term.