* TWO ARRESTS:

On September 1 security officials arrested Vladimir Petrov, a first deputy minister of finance, for allegedly taking bribes from a bank. Also in trouble is the governor of the Kursk region, Aleksandr Rutskoi, Jr., the son of Russia’s former vice president. He was caught at the Moscow airport embarking for Germany with a suitcase containing $13,000. Authorities are said to be shocked — shocked! — at such conduct by persons in positions of public trust.