ISRAEL . . . STOP THE PRESSES (PLEASE)

The editors of Israel's two leading daily newspapers are now sitting in jail while authorities investigate allegations that the press barons ordered illegal wiretaps against each other as part of an all-out circulation war. Today, dozens of police poured into the Tel Aviv headquarters of Yediot Ahronot, the country's largest daily, carting off crates of documents and detaining the publisher and two top editors for questioning. The editor of Yediot's main competitor, Maariv, has been under arrest since Saturday. "It's a black day for journalism," said Israeli Communications Minister Shulamit Aloni, who took time to remind the country that "not everything is permitted."