yesterday was a ...

Good Day for condemned criminals in Zimbabwe, as the Minister of Justice admitted that they have still not filled the vacancy for a hangman to replace one who died in March. "There is even more need for a hangman right now," he explained, with "four or five" people who have recently lost their appeals against the death sentence. "All applications will be considered on their merits," he said.

Bad Day for taxi-drivers, who came top of a survey of most dangerous jobs in the United States based on the "workplace homicide" rate. The other jobs in the top 10 are: sheriff or bailiff; police officer or detective; hotel clerk; gas station or garage worker; security guard; retail stock handler or bagger; sales supervisor or proprietor; supervisor for police and detectives; barber - in that order.