Why it is worth it
A story about your country looks different when reported from abroad. Foreign outlets notice things local ones take for granted, and local outlets in other countries have knowledge no visitor can match. Reading both gives you a fuller picture.
Machine translation is a good guide, not a judge
Modern translation tools are good enough to follow the main points of most articles, especially between widely spoken languages. They struggle with idioms, humour, legal terms and rare languages. Treat the result as a reliable outline and be careful with exact wording.
Beware of single words
A single word can change the whole meaning, such as a negation, a number or a name. If a translated sentence seems surprising, check it against another translation or the original before drawing conclusions.
Names, places and titles
Names are often transliterated differently between languages, so the same person or city can appear under several spellings. Searching for a few variations helps you recognise that two articles describe the same story.
Cultural context matters
Words like 'conservative', 'liberal', 'left' and 'centre' mean different things in different countries. A party described as moderate in one place might be considered radical in another. Read with the local meaning in mind before comparing.
Build it into your routine
A simple way to start is to choose one story you already know about and read how it is covered in another language. You will quickly see which details are universal and which depend on the reporter's home audience.