Angela Merkel arrives in Moscow to attend May 9 celebration.

MOSCOW, May 8 (Itar-Tass) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has
arrived in Moscow to attend the celebration of the 65th Victory Day
anniversary. Her plane landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport.
Merkel in an interview to Itar-Tass noted that she was glad to accept
the invitation to the Victory Day celebration in Moscow. "Naturally I am
glad that as a German federal chancellor I was invited to the holiday, the
remembrance day," she said.





.Medvedev was immediately informed about coalmine accident.




MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was
immediately informed about the explosion in the Raspadskaya coalmine in
the Kemerovo Region.
Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to the president
by telephone about measures taken to rescue the miners, the Kremlin press
service told Itar-Tass.
Medvedev gave directions to the minister to inform him about the
rescue operation and do everything possible to rescue the people, the
press service said.
Shoigu said there was everything to help and rescue the miners. Twelve
emergencies ministry teams were working at the site. Additional groups
arrived from Novokuznetsk. Emergencies ministry forces in neighbouring
regions are ready if necessary to send specialists to the coalmine to help.
According to the updated information, seven people died and 289 were
evacuated from the mine.




.Putin discusses coalmine rescue operation with governor.



MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
called the Kemerovo Region's Governor Aman Tuleyev in connection with the
accident in the Raspadskaya coalmine in the region, the premier's press
secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
Tuleyev informed the prime minister about circumstances of the
accident and measures taken to rescue the trapped miners. Putin discussed
with the governor what forces and means were needed for help.




.Polish delegation plans to visit Katyn memorial on Sunday.




MOSCOW, May 8 (Itar-Tass) -- The Polish delegation plans to arrive at
Katyn on Sunday, Sejm Marshal and Acting Polish President Bronislaw
Komorowski said.
Warsaw is grateful to all the Russians for their solidarity and
sympathy for the Polish nation in its fight for the truth about Katyn and
for the courageous actions in dealing with the plane crash near Smolensk,
Komorowski said in Moscow on Saturday, when he presented Polish awards to
Russian citizens.
On behalf of the Polish nation he expressed gratitude for the
solidarity and sympathy. Solidarity is a special value appreciated highly,
he noted.
He expressed the hope Katyn would not divide the two countries any
longer.
The Polish delegation plans to visit the memorial to conclude Lech
Kaczynski's visit there, which was prevented by the ill fate, he said.
The delegation will take with them the coat of arms found by Russian
rescuers at the crash site. "It will be a symbol that all the crash
victims and the Katyn victims will be together with us," Komorowski noted.
-0-pan