Reporters on the Job

from the March 24, 2008 edition

• Campaign Costume: On Friday night, when the last rallies for the Taiwanese presidential campaigns were held, reporter Simon Montlake had his journalistic integrity challenged. He had a prior dinner engagement with his wife's extended Taiwanese family. But after the feast, one of his in-laws said she wanted to go to the KMT [Kuomintang Party] rally.

"At the rally, which faced an outdoor stage where speeches and songs revved up the crowd, my journalist's neutrality was tested as my uncle-in-law handed me a baseball cap and flag to wave," says Simon. "I tried to explain that I was an observer and shouldn't take sides, but my uncle insisted. Fortunately, I didn't stay for long, so nobody spotted my KMT moment."

– David Clark Scott

World editor

• Monday, March 24:Bhutan – First national election.

• Wednesday, March 26:Canberra, Australia – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd leaves on a foreign tour, visiting Washington, Brussels, London, and Beijing.London – French President Nicolas Sarkozy visits.Recife, Brazil – Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez meets Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva..

• Saturday, March 29:Sydney, Australia – 2008 Earth Hour. Residents worldwide switch off their lights at 8 p.m. local time for one hour. Started by World Wide Fund for Nature in Australia in 2007. Harare, Zimbabwe – Presidential and legislative elections.

– Associated Press

In Olympia, Greece, actors dressed as priestesses practiced the torch lighting ceremony Sunday before it begins its official journey Monday to Beijing for the summer Olympics. PHil Ipparis/AP More cultural snapshots

Let us hear from you. Mail to: One Norway Street, Boston, MA 02115 via e-mail: World editor