YELTSIN MAY BE OPERATED ON NEXT WEEK.

President Boris Yeltsin’s heart surgery may take place as early as next week. American heart specialist Michael DeBakey, who will supervise the operation, told the BBC in an interview today that the risk of failure in Yeltsin’s case was "normal" for such operations, "2, 3, 4 percent," and that, if successful, Yeltsin could look forward to ten years’ healthy working life. A Kremlin spokesman said Yeltsin’s doctors will meet next week to set the date. (BBC World Service, October 30)

Chubais Wants to Assert Control Over Russia’s Regions.