Just a decade ago, the only persons reporting on foreign issues and events were correspondents who traveled to foreign countries on assignment. Although there's still no perfect substitute for in-person coverage, online resources now make it possible for writers to write on foreign events and issues without ever leaving home. You don't have to be conversationally fluent, but you must be able to read and translate what you read with accuracy. If writing about another country where English is spoken, be familiar with that country's English, its spelling, idioms, and taboo words or expressions. You might also want to have country-specific reference materials on hand, such as the Business Traveller's Guides published by The Economist.
Many countries have information from their national statistical bureaus online.
Bookmark the one that applies to the country you want to research or write about. Other online resources are listed at the end of this article. Recently in Spain, the Basque terrorist organization ETA has exploded nine bombs, killing two city councilmen, injuring ten people, endangering the lives of hundreds of other people in business and residential districts, and causing millions of dollars of damage to buildings and homes. Doing the Research Read the coverage provided by both national and local news sources. Next, read the news from the regions in which the attacks took place, checking the local newspapers in Madrid and Malaga.