[antialiasis]

Hm, yes, that should be possible. Just open the plugin "Import news" on the hook global_start and find:

PHP Code:

$newsthreads = $db->query_read("
   SELECT threadid, title, dateline
   FROM thread
   WHERE forumid = $newsforum
"); 


Replace that with

PHP Code:

$newsthreads = $db->query_read("
   SELECT threadid, title, dateline
   FROM thread
   WHERE forumid = $newsforum
   ORDER BY dateline DESC
"); 


Then find this:

PHP Code:

while ($news = $db->fetch_array($newsthreads))
{
   $newsinfo[] = array('title' => $news['title'], 'date' => $news['dateline']);
   $newsids[] = $news['threadid'];  
} 


Below that, add this bit:

PHP Code:

array_splice($newsinfo, MAX_NUMBER_HERE);
array_splice($newsids, MAX_NUMBER_HERE); 


Obviously, replace MAX_NUMBER_HERE with your maximum number of unread news items that should be shown. This should take only the latest x threads from the news forum and check if they are unread, which I believe is what you were asking for.

(If you'd rather have it cut off all news older than x or simply display only the latest x unread news so a new one is added to the list if one of them is read, just ask.)