Reporters on the Job

from the May 29, 2007 edition

• Consummate Host: Correspondent David Montero relied on the connections of a friend and Pakistani journalist in Peshawar, Behroz Khan, to secure the first interview by a foreign journalist of cleric Maulana Fazlullah in Swat (see story). It helped that Mr. Khan is from the area, and had friends who could broker the deal. "Aside from prohibiting cameras, which he considered un-Islamic, Fazlullah was a consummate host," David says, adding that he served sugar-cane juice and smiled often. When the hour-plus meeting ended, David was amazed to see the reverence toward the young cleric. "As he came out of the building, he was surrounded by young admirers, who touched his clothes and then blessed themselves. " As he left, David says that his group was presented with a tea cup whose saucer read: "sharia or martyrdom."

– Amelia Newcomb
Deputy World Editor

This week's look ahead

• Tuesday, May 29

Seoul, South Korea – North and South Korea open cabinet-level talks.

Abuja, Nigeria – Umaru Yar'Adua sworn in as president.

• Wednesday, May 30

Bangkok – Constitutional Court rules if former ruling Thai Rak Thai Party and Democrat Party broke election law last year.

Berlin – Middle East Quartet (Germany, Russia, US, and UN) meets.

• Thursday, May 31

Tokyo – Tokyo High Court rules on appeal of death sentence for Seiichi Endo of doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo.

Nagoya, Japan – Nagoya High Court rules on by South effort Korean women to win damages for forced labor in World War II.

• Friday, June 1

Sydney, Australia – Initial Supreme Court hearing for nine Muslims charged in country's largest alleged terrorist conspiracy.

Cultural snapshot

Sleepless in Germany: A girl tried to stay in bed as she was pushed by her father at a bed race of 18 teams Sunday in Frederdorf, Germany. Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters More cultural snapshots

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