News In Brief

WHAT IF THEY ALL SHOW UP?

In Cardiff, the capital of Wales, there's a 72,000-seat sports arena: Millennium Stadium. It may not be big enough to hold everyone attracted to an event tentatively planned for next year. To try to set a record for the largest gathering of people with the same name, the Welsh Tourist Board wants to throw a party for the Joneses. The problem: Jones is the second most common surname in Britain after - yes - Smith. Still, on the theory that some star power would help boost attendance, the board is considering issuing special invitations to singer Tom Jones and rock-music icon David Bowie, born David Robert Jones.

'tis the season to anticipate which toys will fly off shelves

Each year parents scramble to track down the hottest Christmas gifts for their small children. On the grounds that these searchers could use some help, retailers have compiled a forecast of what they project will be this season's most sought-after toys. The list, with the maker of each item:

OVERALL

Pokemon toys (Hasbro)

Pokemon trading cards (Topps; Wizards of the Coast)

Pokemon video game (Nintendo)

PC game

Quake 3 (Arena, by Activision)

Video game

Donkey Kong (Nintendo)

Bestselling toy online

LEGO Droid Kit (LEGO)

Miscellaneous

Amazing Ally (Playmates)

Barbie, millennium edition (Mattel)

Furby, Furby Babies (Tiger Electronics)

LEGO Mindstorms (LEGO)

Pop Radio (Sound Bites)

Sesame Street Rock & Roll Elmo (Fisher-Price)

Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace (various)

Toy Story 2 (Mattel)

WCW Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers (Toy Biz)

WWF Titantron (Jakks Pacific)

QX-3 Microscope (Mattel/Intel)

- Associated Press

(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society