European ExoMars robot mission postponed until 2018

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ROME, July 26 (Itar-Tass) - A European space expedition to Mars, the
ExoMars, which envisages the exploration of the surface of the Red Planet
by means of robotised instruments, has been posyponed for a third time,
the Italian space agency reports.
Originally, the space mission was to begin in 2011, then it was
postponed until 2013, and now a new date for the launch has been fixed --
2018.
The mission is to be accomplsihed with NASA assistance with the use of
Italian geophysical instruments, in particular. The exploratory operation
envisages an orbital phase of observiation and the operation of
insturments on the planet's surface with a view to detecting signs of past
life on Mars.

.Navy Day marked in Russia for the 70th time Sunday.

MOSCOW, July 26 (Itar-Tass) - The Navy Day is marked in the Russian
Federation (RF) on Sunday. According to tradition, it is celebrated on the
last Sunday of July.
The holiday was instituted 70 years ago by a Government Decision
dated June 22, 1939. A Presidential Decree of May 31, 2006, defined the
holiday as a memorable day in the country's Armed Forces.
The center of festivities in Moscow will be the Kolomenskoye museum
estate on a Moskva River embankment. Over there, in one of summer palace
estates, Peter the Great during his childhood years used to stage play
battles and dreamt of creating a regular naval fleet in Russia.
Sunday's sports-and-theatricalised performance will involve navy men
and fleet veterans. Naval reviews, aquatic sports events, and other
festive activities will take place in a number of Russia's cities as well
as at other basing points of ships and units of the Navy.
The Navy is reckoned one of Russia's armed services that is designed
to defend the Fatherland at the maritime theater of operations. The
present-day Navy possesses great nuclear missile might, high mobility of
naval and air task forces, high cruising capacity, and ability to operate
in various parts of the World ocean.
This year Russian naval ships have accomplished a number of
responsible missions during international exercieses, such as the
Indra-2009, BLACKSEAFOR, Frukus - 2009, as well as the operational
strategic exercises of the Russian armed forces, the Kavkaz (Caucasus) -
2009.
The real capabilities of the Russian Navy were demonstrated at the
Internaitonal naval show in St Petersburg at the end of June.
A cruise by the striking ship force of the RF Northern Fleet to the
North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and the ongoing patrolling
by RF Pacific Fleet ships near the shores of the Horn of Africa are among
the Russian Navy's main activities of the year.

.Swimmers to contest 4 sets of medals at world champ.

ROME, July 26 (Itar-Tass) - Four sets of medals are to be contested on
the tenth day of the world aquatic sports championship here on Sunday.
Men and women will compete in the 400-metre freestyle, and the crawl
relay races 4 by 100. The finest eight men's water polo teams will launch
the quarterfinal series of the tournament.

.Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashai to head Iran presidential admin.

TEHRAN, July 26 (Itar-Tass) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran
has appointed Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashai as his adviser and chief of the
presidentail administration. A decree to this effect was circulated by
Iranian news agencies on Saturday.

.US Def Secretary to visit Israel to discuss security issues.

WASHINGTON, July 26 (Itar-Tass) - US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
leaves for Israel on Sunday to discuss security matters.
Within the scope of the six-hours-long visit, Gates is to meet with
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak
on Monday.
The sides are expected to discuss such subjects as anti-missile
defence, and Israel's plans to acquire F-35 fighter planes. The sides are
also to examine problems connected with Iran's nuclear programme, and
other matters of mutual interest.
After visiting Israel, the Pentagon chief will proceed on his way to
Jordan for talks with King Abdullah II.
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