Car Safety Drive Spurs Amphibious Assault on Capitol

--Kermit the Frog, to the delight of children in attendance, appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference to emphasize the importance of the correct and consistent use of auto safety seats for youngsters. Kermit, who was inseparable from his creator, puppeteer Jim Henson, shared the spotlight with Transportation Secretary James H. Burnley IV, former Virginia First Lady Lynda Robb and several congressmen and safety advocates. National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week, which began Sunday, calls upon parents and guardians to “buckle up your valentine.” The National Passenger Safety Assn. estimates that correct use of child safety seats is nearly 70% effective in preventing death of children involved in auto accidents.

--Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits entered the gilt-ceilinged chamber of Britain’s House of Lords as Sir Immanuel and emerged after 15 minutes of 17th-Century ritual as Baron Jakobovits of Regent’s Park in Greater London. Thus Jakobovits, 67, became the first chief rabbi of Britain to join the House of Lords. It was the highest honor bestowed on a chief rabbi in Britain since Jews were allowed to resettle there in 1656 after a ban of 366 years. Archbishop of Canterbury Robert A. K. Runcie left an important Church of England synod to witness the event. As chief rabbi, Jakobovits leads the orthodox congregations in Britain, the largest Jewish community in the country. He was knighted in 1981.

--A rumor that former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos planned to leave Hawaii prompted Philippine Airlines officials in Honolulu to search a Manila-bound Boeing 747. A man who refused to give his name had phoned the Associated Press earlier to say that he believed she would be on the flight. Marcos and her husband, ousted Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos, have been banned from the Philippines by President Corazon Aquino’s government and are confined to the island of Oahu by a U.S. government order. By shortly before 3 a.m., a group of 30 Filipinos had gathered in front of Honolulu International Airport’s main terminal. A limousine arrived and Imelda Marcos emerged, escorted by aides. After a minute of picture-taking, she got back into the car and left, observers said. Spokesman Gemmo Trinidad said Marcos had been picking up a visitor. When asked whom she was meeting, Trinidad said: “It’s a secret.”