Moldova urges clergy to “tell the truth” about Ukraine war
Chisinau, Moldova Reuters Moldova’s government, a fierce critic of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, appealed to the country’s clergy on Sunday to “tell the truth” about the war, saying that Moscow’s military actions had destroyed some 500 places of worship. Government spokesperson Daniel Voda’s appeal, on the eve of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, […]
Zelenskiy says Trump could end Ukraine war only if Kyiv included in talks
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters US President Donald Trump could fulfil his promise to end the war in Ukraine, but only if he includes Kyiv in any talks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. Zelenskiy also said the terms of any deal that might arise under Trump were still unclear – and might not even be clear […]
StrangeSights: Australian PM wades into beach cabana debate; Moldovan first dog’s NYE day out; and, Taiwan’s nonagenarian weightlifters
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Thousands left without heat or gas in Moldova’s pro-Russian separatist region
Reuters More than 51,000 households were left without gas and 1,500 apartment buildings had no winter heat in Moldova’s pro-Russian separatist enclave, authorities said on Monday, as Moldova and Russia traded blame for an escalating energy crisis. Transdniestria, a mainly Russian-speaking breakaway region along the Ukrainian border, had received Russian gas via Ukraine for decades, […]
Starved of Russian gas, industry shuts down in breakaway Moldovan region
Reuters The cut-off of Russian gas supplies to Moldova’s breakaway Transdniestria region has forced the closure of all industrial companies except food producers, an official said on Thursday. The mainly Russian-speaking territory of about 450,000 people, which split from Moldova in the 1990s as the Soviet Union collapsed, has suffered a painful and immediate hit […]
Moldova’s separatist region cuts gas as Ukraine transit deal runs out
Chisinau, Moldova Reuters Authorities in Moldova’s separatist Transdniestria region on Sunday cut off gas supplies to several state institutions as a deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine comes to an end at the close of the year. The cutoff was imposed two days before the transit deal runs out, following Ukraine’s refusal to […]
Russia launches “inhuman” Christmas Day attacks, Ukraine says
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy system and some cities with cruise and ballistic missiles plus drones on Wednesday in an “inhuman” Christmas Day assault, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Nearly three years into the war, the strikes wounded at least six people in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the […]
Moldova’s Sandu promises to bring change after narrow runoff win
Chisinau, Moldova Reuters Moldovan President Maia Sandu promised to ring the changes after narrowly winning a runoff presidential vote, an acknowledgement of the fragile foothold her pro-Western forces have ahead of a key parliamentary election next summer. Sandu, who has pressed the ex-Soviet state’s bid to join the European Union, defeated a former prosecutor general […]
Moldova’s pro-Western Sandu claims election win after meddling allegations
Updated: 11:30am (AEDT) Chisinau, Moldova Reuters Moldova’s pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu claimed victory at Sunday’s closely-fought presidential election, defeating Alexandr Stoianoglo, her rival backed by the traditionally pro-Russian Socialist Party. With 98 per cent of the ballots counted, Sandu led Stoianoglo with 54.35 per cent, the Central Election Commission said at the end of an […]
Moldova’s Sandu secures knife-edge EU vote win after “unfair fight”
Chisinau, Moldova Reuters President Maia Sandu said on Monday Moldovans had won a “first battle in a difficult fight” for their future, a day after a slim majority of 50.46 per cent backed EU accession in a referendum that was clouded by allegations of Russia-backed meddling. The knife-edge finish was a shock for supporters of […]