LOCAL NEWS

BUSH'S TARIFF DRAWS MOSCOW'S WRATH

MOSCOW - Top government officials warned Washington on Wednesday that Russia was prepared to retaliate for the U.S. decision to impose punitive tariffs on steel imports, and demanded a legal justification for the protectionist measure.

"It cannot be ruled out that if this question, which is very sensitive for us, is not resolved, Russia would introduce retaliatory measures," Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref was quoted by news agencies as saying.

Gref estimated that the tariffs, introduced by President George W. Bush on Tuesday, would cause Russia losses of $400 million to $500 million per year.

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said that Russia was ready to take similar steps to protect domestic goods, but added that the U.

58 YEARS ON, THIS LOVE IS STILL GOING STRONG

"There are still no letters. Today I'm on night duty. It will be a tough night. Again many injured."

Galina Popova, 79, thoughtfully fingers the yellow pages of her wartime journal.

LOCAL BUSINESS

RUSSIA STICKS TO CHICKEN GUNS

MOSCOW - Despite increasing pressure from the United States, Russia will follow through on its decision to ban as of Sunday all U.S.-poultry imports due to health concerns, a top government official said Wednesday.

"The decision has been made and the ban will go into effect," Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergei Dankvert said, news agencies reported.

GERMANY'S METRO CHAIN COMING TO TOWN

German retail store chain Metro Cash & Carry, which already operates two stores in Moscow, is getting ready to take its first steps into St. Petersburg market.

CULTURE

RIBOT BRINGS CUBAN RHYTHMS TO TOWN

Marc Ribot, a New York guitarist - best known for playing in a wide range of styles and for his numerous collaborations, including playing with artists such as Tom Waits and Elvis Costello - will be playing Red Club on March 12 with his popular Cuban-style band, Los Cubanos Postizos.

When Ribot played Moscow in January, his stripped-down experimental solo set demanded attention and a familiarity with contemporary improvised music.

PHILHARMONIA AND PETROV PUSH BOUNDARIES

A new work by renowned Russian composer Andrei Petrov - the composer of music for the ballets "The Creation" and "The Master and Margarita," the opera "Peter the First," numerous symphonic works and over 80 soundtracks - will premiere Thursday in the Shostakovich Philharmonic.

CHERNOV'S CHOICE

Red Club will host two Western acts next week - the main attraction is Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos (see more about them on page i), but Les Hurlements d'Leo may also be interesting, as this act has won many a local heart.

SOVIET MINDSET LOWERS THE STEAKS

Recently, the Montreal Steak House sent us a heads-up that it was reopening at their location on Apraksin Pereulok, so three of us decided to pop by and see what was up.

ballet festival a breath of fresh air

With the International Festival of Jazz Music and Dance swinging to a close last week and Mariinsky dancers limbering up for that theater's international ballet festival next week, local audiences are being treated to a veritable dance extravaganza this month. This week sees the Hermitage Theater putting on a festival of contemporary dance featuring guest companies from London and Yekaterinburg flying in.

WORLD

'THE NO. 1 ISSUE IS THE LACK OF REPRESENTATION'

As it approaches its 10th anniversary, Petersburg's Center for Gender Issues faces an uncertain future. The center's founder, Olga Lipovskaya - one of Russia's most prominent feminists - talks with The St. Petersburg Times about the center's achievements, her disappointments and her plans for the future.

Q: How do you feel about the center's progress in its first decade?

A: The last 10 years have been a disappointment to me, or rather a lot of gradual disappointments.

ZENIT ANTICIPATING SUCCESSFUL NEW SEASON

It was an evening of anticipation, pledges and a big surprise for Zenit St. Petersburg fans as the club held its first ever pre-season, meet-the-team session at SKK on Tuesday.

MARCH 8 IS NOT THE SAME FOR ALL WOMEN

While many women across Russia are looking forward to some tender loving care on International Women's Day, St. Petersburg's women's boxing team will be going about things a bit differently.

"First, we are going to celebrate at home. Then on March 9 we are going to spar at the Arena Boxing Bar," said Natalia Karpovich, the president of the St.

SMIRNOV BACKS OFFICIALS AS 'ANTI-RUSSIAN' WAVE HITS SPAIN

MOSCOW - Despite the storm and emotion of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, veteran sports official Vitaly Smirnov - formerly president of the Russian Olympic Committee and current vice president of the International Olympic Committee - stands firmly behind Jaques Rogge and Leonid Tyagachyov, the heads of the International and the Russian Olympic Committees respectively.

SPORTS WATCH

VIENNA, Austria (Reuters) - New European indoor pole-vault champion Svetlana Feofanova of Russia denied she was emulating the great Sergei Bubka after she broke the world record by one centimeter for the fifth time this season. Russia's Feofanova cleared 4.75 meters on the final day of the European Indoor Championships on Sunday.