CAVEAT EMPTOR?

Shoppers in the Russian city of Voronezh are snapping up supplies of a new brand of locally produced macaroni. According to the label, the macaroni contains beta-carotene and protein additives that help protect against cancer and cardio-vascular disease. (Itar-Tass, January 22) Meanwhile, in the Pechora district of Russia’s Pskov oblast, residents are turning for good health to a type blue clay found in the area. Applications of the clay reportedly cure a wide range of maladies, and local authorities are planning to construct a clinic to take advantage of its remarkable healing properties. (Itar-Tass, January 28)

Yeltsin’s Successors Hover in the Wings.