Reporters on the Job

• Watch The Language : A close review of the US and Italian reports on the shooting in Baghdad that wounded an Italian journalist and killed an intelligence agent revealed word choices that shed considerable light on both sides' perspectives, says correspondent Sophie Arie in Rome (page 7). "A lot of the points are the same; there's a lot that both sides basically agree on," Sophie says.

Sophie notes that the US document is "very much a military one - very technical, precise, filled with acronyms like BOLO (be on the lookout)."

The Italian report came out after the US one. "Their frustration comes through clearly in some of the language," she says. "The document is scattered with expressions that make it clear they find it hard to understand how the US reached some of its conclusions."

Sophie says she was in contact by e-mail with Giuliana Sgrena, the journalist, for the story. "She is still quite unwell, and was at the hospital. Her injuries were more serious than many people realize."

• Taiwan on Prime Time? It was rather amazing Wednesday, says staff writer Robert Marquand, to watch China's TV coverage of Taiwan opposition leader Lien Chang as he traveled to the airport to return after his historic visit (this page). "Here he was on national TV, a moment that was treated with great solemnity and dignity," Bob says. "Think Winston Churchill leaving Buckingham Palace, or Charles DeGaulle arriving in Washington." Bob says the live coverage went on for a long time. "The visit was very skillfully covered: sophisticated mixing of images, and extensive commentary that somberly acknowledged every movement of Mr. Lien and his car. It was a Western-style broadcast approach that underscored the view here that 'we're all one Chinese nation.' "

Amelia Newcomb
Deputy world editor