US helps Moldova train peacekeepers.

CHISINAU, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - Peace Shield-2010 military exercises
have been launched in Moldova to train local servicemen for peacekeeping
operations under NATO's aegis.
The republic's Defence Ministry reported Tuesday that the exercises
are being held with the participation of the military instructors of the
North Carolina National Guard.
Moldovan servicemen drill such skills as patrolling within a zone of
responsibility, the evacuation of the wounded, the escorting of hardware,
and the guarding of strategic facilities. About 100 serivcemen are
involved in the exercises which are taking place at the Bulboaca military
training range and which will contiue until August 27.
In case of appreciation, a company of Moldovan infantrymen may be
invited to participate in peacekeeping operations under NATO's auspices,
the Ministry announced.
According to the Constitution, Moldova is a neutral country and is not
a party to military blocs. The republic establishes cooperation with the
Alliance on the basis of an individual plan for partnership.

.Leaders of RF, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan to meet Wed.

SOCHI, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - The situation concerning Afghanistan
and matters aimed at fighting drug trafficking will be the key subjects of
discussion at a second quadripartite meeting of Presidents Dmitry Medvedev
of Russia, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, and
Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan in Sochi on Wednesday, Russian presidential
aide Sergei Prikhodko announced.
As a result of the forum, the four presidents are to adopt a joint
statement expressing solidarity with Pakistan in connection with the
aftermath of the devastating floods hitting that country and calling on
the world community to give the necessary financial and humanitarian aid
to the Pakistani people.
On the sidelines of the four-sided summit, provision is made for the
Russian President's bilateral contacts with his Afghan, Pakistani, and
Tajik counterparts.

.Ukraine's Yanukovich to open Sorochintsy Fair Wednesday.

LVOV, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - Viktor Yanukovich, in furtherance of the
presidential tradition established in Ukraine, will officially declare
open the famous Sorochintsy Fair in Bolshiye Sorochintsy Village on
Wednesday. The present fair is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the
Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
The ambassadors of a number of countries, government members, people's
deputies, and governors will attend the festive event together with
Yanukovich.
Along with Ukrainian producers, those of Lithuania, China, Georgia,
European Union member-countries will also display their wares. More than
500,000 guests are expected to visit the fair which will continue until
August 22.

.FCC to carry out second adjustment of ISS orbit early Thurs.

MOSCOW, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - Specialists at Russia's Flight Control
Center (FCC) will carry out an operation to adjust the orbit of the
International Space Station (ISS) early on Thursday.
FCC specialists have told Itar-Tass, "The purpose of the operation is
to shape the space station's working orbit to prepare the ISS for docking
with the resupply spacecraft Progress M-07M, and to ensure conditions for
the return of the crew of the spaceship Soyuz TMA-18 together with the
ISS-23/24 crew to Earth". This will be a second orbit adjustment maneuver
after the previous one effected on July 16, they recalled.
Just as was the case during the first maneuver, eight berthing and
orientation engines of the supply spacecraft Progress M-06M, docked with
the service module Zvezda (star), will be used to raise the ISS orbit.
The ignition of the engines is scheduled for 00:30, Moscow time, on
August 19, FCC announced. Within 658 seconds of the engines' operation,
the ISS will rise by approximately 2.2 kilometres.
Orbit adjustment maneuvers are usually carried out to bring the ISS to
the needed point for docking with a resupply spacecraft or a manned
spaceship. The ISS orbit is changed from time to time for it to evade
collision with space debris -- small meteorites, the fragments of old
satellites, or spaceships. This is how it was, for example, in mid-July
2009 when the Endeavor space shuttle, docked with the space station, had
to divert the ISS from a dangerous approach to a space object.
The launch of the Progress M-07M from the Baikonur cosmodrome is
planned for September 8. The Soyuz spaceship with three cosmonauts on
board is to land on September 24, FCC specified.
The ISS orbital complex descends by 150-200 metres every day.
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