Pele Paternity?: Retired world soccer star Pele...

Pele Paternity?: Retired world soccer star Pele could be the father of a 27-year-old woman who filed a paternity lawsuit against him in Sao Paulo, Brazil, newspapers report. Sandra Regina Machado contended she was conceived during a 1963 liaison between Pele and her housemaid mother. Pele, who took a DNA test in November, said he would abide by the results, which were turned over to a judge. A spokesman for the lab that did the tests would say only that Machado was pleased. Pele could not be reached for comment.

Subtracting the Ads: In Bogota, Colombia, where Roman Catholicism is strong, abortion is a crime and divorce was legalized only last July, would a condom ad on TV survive? Bishop Dario Castrillon called on the government to “respect Christian morality” by pulling the government-sponsored, anti-AIDS spots. The ad tells viewers that when “making love . . . the only clothing you need is a condom,” and viewers see a naked man lying on a bed. The health minister said the purpose of the ads is only “to help prevent the spread of the HIV virus.”

Meeting of the Minds: “Roots” author Alex Haley had an unexpected emotional reunion with a man he could have killed in World War II. Haley, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard, says he was in a TV studio in Japan in 1977 when he began comparing personal notes with his talk show host: “And then came the incredible mutual revelation that, at the same time, we had been on opposite sides of war-ravaged Manus Island.” Each man realized how close he had come to killing the other, leading to a teary embrace, says Haley.

Slick Move: George and Barbara Bush did their bit for struggling retailers when they shopped at a Frederick, Md., mall for toys. Before his quick blitz through J. C. Penney’s, Bush said: “We’ve got a little toy department to look at to get some stuff for the grandchildren. ‘Slime’ is the name of it, I believe.”