— BEAUTY CONTEST: A

poll by the respected All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion shows reform economist Grigory Yavlinsky for the first time tied for first in a presidential-preference sweepstakes, even with Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov at 17 percent. The poll of 2,400 Russians put Krasnoyarsk governor Aleksandr Lebed at 16 percent, with Mayor Luzhkov at 14 percent and Prime Minister Primakov at 11 percent. Primakov, whose presidential ambitions are unknown, received quasi-endorsements last week from a number of regional governors in what may be a move to slow a Luzhkov bandwagon.