The Russian Information Agency Novosti begins Hotline coverage for Saturday, April 17, 2004.
MOSCOW
* The Vnukovo airport is opening a new terminus. The gala will gather Georgi Poltavchenko, presidential envoy plenipotentiary to Central federal district; Igor Levitin, Transport and Communications Minister; Vladimir Khristenko, Industry Minister; Sergei Shoigu, Minister for Emergency and Calamity Relief; Vladimir Kozhin, Kremlin maintenance chief; and Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow Mayor.
* Peter Stolypin national prizes will be awarded at the Central Literati Club. Alexei Gordeyev, Agriculture Minister, and Arkadi Volsky, president of the Russian Industrialists' and Entrepreneurs' Guild, are expected to attend the gala. Top members of parliament's both houses, the government and Big Biz will be amply represented.
* The Russian Popular Party has a 3rd, emergency congress to formalise a change of leader as Gennadi Gudkov is replacing Gennadi Raikov.
* The Moscow city committee of the Russian Communist Party arranges a research and practical conference, "The Communist Party in Contemporary Russia" at the Gorki Leninskie museum preserve.
ST. PETERSBURG
* The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly has a 23rd plenary session. Speaker Boris Gryzlov of the State Duma and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Russo-Belarussian union leads the latter's delegation. The bilateral assembly will, from now on, be Interparliamentary Assembly standing observer.
NOVGOROD THE GREAT
* Russia celebrates Martial Glory Day-anniversary of the Battle on the Ice, 1242, when Russian troops, led by Prince Alexander Nevsky, routed crusaders of the Teutonic Order on the ice-clad Lake Chud. Novgorod, the canonised general's native city, hosts a 5th interregional festival, The Muster of Slavonic Troops.
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