May 8 morning preview

MOSCOW

* Wreaths will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin wall (10.00 a.m.)

* Patriarch of Moscow and all-Russia Kirill and top Moscow clergy will lay wreaths at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier (fax (495) 637-43-18, e-mail: press@patriarchia.ru)

* The State Duma will hold a session (10.00 a.m., ul. Okhotny Ryad, 1, tel.: (495) 692-80-00)

* RIA Novosti will host a TV link with Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, on the worsening relations between Russia and the military alliance (11.30 a.m., Zubovsky Bulvar, 4, tel.: (495) 645-65-24, 645-64-72)

WASHINGTON

* Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama in the Oval Office to discuss Obama's upcoming visit to Moscow, scheduled for July, and arms reduction talks

* The board of directors of the International Monetary Fund will discuss providing Ukraine with the second tranche of a stabilization loan from

JORDAN / ISRAEL

* Pope Benedict XVI will pay a visit (until May 15)

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