RUSSIAN PREMIER FILES INCOME DECLARATION.

Even though he was not legally obliged to do so, on April 2, former Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin released his 1997 income declaration. He had a good year, reporting income of 1,446,400 rubles ($240,000) in 1997, a thirty-fold increase on the 46,400 rubles he earned in 1996. (Both figures are given as redenominated rubles). The surge in income apparently came from the sale of property. He reported his and his wife’s combined assets as comprising a 115-square-meter apartment in Moscow, and outside the city, a house and a 25-hectare plot of land. He owns a Chevrolet Blazer and Mitsubishi-Pajero. Western commentators suspect Chernomyrdin has considerably more assets stashed away, stemming from his tenure as head of Gazprom. (Kommersant-daily, April 3)

Blast at Synagogue Targeted Country.