Also . . .

* German media giant Bertelsmann said fiscal 1998 net income rose 9.8% to $550 million as strong U.S. sales more than offset lagging profit at its European book clubs and weak music sales in Asia. Profit was strong at its BMG Entertainment unit, U.S. book publisher Bantam Doubleday Dell and its magazine publishing unit. Sales rose 2% to $13.5 billion.

* UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and its alliance partner Lufthansa will pay a combined $4,000 in civil penalties to settle a case in which a disabled passenger was prevented from boarding a flight, the government said.