CHUBAIS WIDENS AUTHORITY.

President Yeltsin has signed a decree giving the presidential administration a new role — monitoring the "power ministries." These ministries, which include Defense, Internal Affairs and Security, are directly responsible to the president, although Yeltsin has subordinated them to the prime minister while he receives medical treatment. Yeltsin’s chief-of-staff, Anatoly Chubais, will now also have a monitoring role. (Izvestiya, November 5)

Russian-South Korean Defense Accord.