Israeli official death squads yesterday killed 5 Palestinian cops. At first they said the cops were shooting at them. Then they downgraded that to behaving suspiciously. Then it turns out that 1 of them was cooking suspiciously while 2 were sleeping suspiciously when they were shot in the head at close-range--execution-style, as they say on Law and Order. Israel admits this was an intelligence mistake and says that it might even apologize.

The British elections are moving along nicely. The deputy prime minister was hit with eggs today. He responded by hitting the guy. Which The Times helpfully points out is illegal. Meanwhile a Liberal Party candidate drops out. While canvassing door to door he met a dog, which he sprayed with (illegal) pepper spray, and then ran to his car to make a quick getaway, unfortunately dragging an old woman, I believe the dog's owner, along the road.
Home Secretary Jack Straw was heavily heckled while making claims about having improved crime and the morale of the police. It was the police who were heckling him. Ian Paisley declares line dancing to be sinful. Which may be the only intelligent thing he's ever said. The Tories reveal a party political broadcast in which they blame Labour for 2 rapes, Willie Horton style, by criminals in a home detention curfew scheme.

The Irish Prime Minister--and how things have changed--has been issuing official invitations which include on them the name of his girlfriend (he is separated). The cardinal was not best pleased.

Russia's defence minister says he can understood why a colonel strangled an 18-year old girl in Chechnya, calls him a "victim of circumstances" (he was pissed off because of snipers).