The Lack of Foreign News The critics rebuke the press for the fact that most newspapers devote less than 10 percent of their news space to foreign items. In many hundred of papers this fells below 2 percent. Why is there the aversion to foreign news? newsmen claim that readers evince no interest in foreign affairs. In order to increase reader interest in foreign news, the vogue among editors is to sensationalize it to the point of distortion. Many other papers only do the most superficial kind of reporting in this area. to strike while the iron is hot--As soon as John heard that his father had won in the lottery, he struck while the iron was hot and asked for an increase in his allowance. (to take an action at the right moment.)