yesterday was a . . .

Good Day for lavatories, as Singapore launched its Clean Public Toilets Education Campaign in response to an earlier call by the Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, for clean toilets to be regarded as one of two markers in establishing a more gracious society. The other marker is appreciation of good music. Failing to flush a public toilet in Singapore has been punishable by a fine since 1989.

Bad Day for bees, as tens of thousands of them were held in custody in a court in northeast Spain after being evicted from a holiday home. "The bees are now in judicial custody," a spokesman said. Three beekepers had helped scoop the insects into boxes from behind the shutters of a house in the town of Llagostera. They are still being kept in the boxes pending a decision on rehousing.