News In Brief

IT'S OK; I'VE GOT A LICENSE

No caravan of civil liberties lawyers has been spotted heading for Calgary, Alberta, just yet. But there may be one any day now. Why? Because the City Council there plans to vote Monday on a proposed ordinance that would force panhandlers to wear ID badges when hitting up passers-by for spare change. The city is one of Canada's most affluent, and the measure is aimed at controlling "harassment or confrontations with the public," says one councilman. It also would require the panhandlers to attend counseling and job-search workshops.

What celebrities choose to read in their leisure hours

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's taste in literature leans toward "Siddhartha," by Hermann Hesse and "All the Pretty Horses," by Cormac McCarthy, according to the 14th annual "Who Reads What" list issued by the Gardiner, Maine, Public Library. Glenna Nowell, who surveys celebrities for the list, characterized this year's picks as "good literary quality" compared with previous choices. In a letter, Annan wrote of his favorites: "The environment ... is itself a character that shapes events and actions of the other characters." A few of the choices from the 2001 list:

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General: "Siddhartha," Hermann Hesse; "All the Pretty Horses," Cormac McCarthy

Brooke Shields, actress: "The Hours," Michael Cunningham

Jesse Ventura, Minnesota governor: "Rogue Warrior," Richard Marcinko

Ken Follett, author: "Casino Royale," Ian Fleming

Elmore Leonard, author: "The Blind Assassin," Margaret Atwood

Phil Knight, chairman, Nike Inc.: "The Blind Assassin," Margaret Atwood

William Kristol, editor, The Weekly Standard: "Democracy in America," Alexis de Tocqueville

Sarah McLachlan, singer: "Letters to a Young Poet," Rainer Maria Rilke

Eddie Cheever Jr., race-car driver: "A Brief History of Time," Stephen Hawking

- Associated Press

(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor