News In Brief

oops, sorry. have a NICE DAY

Perhaps you recall an item in this space last month about Brazilian soccer superstar Romario, whose luxury car, cash, and cell phone were stolen by thieves who recognized him on a Rio de Janeiro street. Aiming higher still, would-be robbers in Brazil's largest city, São Paulo, approached a chauffeur-driven limo stopped at a traffic light. They demanded the valuables of all those inside. But, recognizing one of them as Pelé, the top star in Brazilian soccer history, they apologized and left empty-handed.

LIQUID REFRESHMENT

Despite the highly competitive nature of the hotel industry, a German chain openly admits there's something fishy about the amenities it offers. But it hopes that will be a lure for business travelers. The Derag Group is installing an aquarium in each room, stocked with goldfish. After a long day of doing deals, Derag ads say, they're calming and "better than watching television."

Children still missing out on health insurance, study finds

A report released this week by Families USA says in 12 states with the most uninsured children health-coverage losses stemming from welfare reform have canceled out many of the gains of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program. Established in 1997, that program allows states to bring low-income children into Medicaid or to create other health programs for those not covered. The Families USA study found that enrollment of youngsters in health-insurance programs in the 12 states with the most uninsured children has declined by nearly 220,000 since 1996. Those states:

Arizona

California

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Louisiana

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Texas

- Reuters

Compiled by Robert Kilborn,

Lance Carden, and Ross Atkin

(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society