- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Deadly Israeli strike on Beirut likely targeted Hezbollah security chief
- Bangladesh Islamist chief backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM
- Everest climber's remains believed found after 100 years
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack
- Clashes on South China Sea, Ukraine dominate Asia summit
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Zelensky meets Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
- Hello Hallyu: why is South Korean culture sweeping the globe?
- UK economy rebounds in August in boost to new govt
- Voice of Japan's beloved robot cat 'Doraemon' dies
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack: police
- Blinken condemns China's 'increasingly dangerous' sea moves
- Toyota returns to Formula One as Haas partner
- EU chief says China must 'adapt its behaviour' to solve trade row
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- Lynx rally, stun Liberty in overtime in WNBA Finals opener
- Pogacar hunting 'perfect' season finale with Coppi's Il Lombardia record
CMSC | 0.24% | 24.65 | $ | |
RBGPF | -1.03% | 59.49 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.58% | 6.92 | $ | |
BCC | 1.84% | 141.56 | $ | |
SCS | 2.1% | 12.87 | $ | |
GSK | -1.13% | 38.77 | $ | |
RELX | 1.09% | 46.87 | $ | |
RIO | 0.17% | 66.955 | $ | |
NGG | 0.68% | 66.13 | $ | |
BCE | -0.21% | 32.79 | $ | |
VOD | -1.09% | 9.635 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.51% | 24.898 | $ | |
AZN | 0.36% | 77.15 | $ | |
JRI | 0.11% | 13.235 | $ | |
BP | -0.76% | 32.095 | $ | |
BTI | -0.15% | 35.058 | $ |
Moldova holds security talks over blasts in Russia-backed region
Ex-Soviet Moldova on Tuesday convened its security council after a series of blasts in the Russian-backed separatist Transnistria region raised fears of a spillover from the war in Ukraine.
The breakaway region saw explosions hit its security ministry on Monday and a radio tower on Tuesday morning.
President Maia Sandu was to hold a meeting of the country's Supreme Security Council "in connection with the incidents in the Transnistria region", her office said, with a press briefing to follow.
The blasts came as the conflict in Ukraine has provoked fears in Moldova that the country could become Russia's next target.
A Russian military chief last week angered Moldova by referring to "oppression" of Russian speakers in Trasnistria.
The Kremlin expressed "concern" over the blasts and Russian state news agency RIA Novosti quoted a source in the Trasnistria government as saying that attackers had entered from Ukraine.
The OSCE in Moldova tweeted that it "condemns all attempts to destabilise (the) situation" in Transnistria and its buffer zone.
Two explosions hit a radio tower re-broadcasting Russian stations near the Ukrainian border early Tuesday, the interior ministry of the breakaway region said.
The ministry said two "powerful" antennae that were re-broadcasting Russian radio were out of order, and shared images of them lying on the ground.
There were no injuries, it added.
Earlier the Transnistrian authorities said the offices of the state security ministry in Tiraspol were hit by what appeared to be a grenade-launcher attack on Monday evening.
No one was injured in the incident, which happened at around 5:00 pm on a public holiday for the Orthodox Easter.
But windows and doors were blown out in the state security ministry building and smoke was "billowing out of the buildings", the Transnistria region's interior ministry said in a statement.
Transnistria's security council also said that a military unit had been hit in the village of Parkany close to the main city of Tiraspol, regional TV reported.
- Russian speakers 'oppressed' -
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "We are observing closely and the news prompts concern," while declining to comment on the possible attackers.
Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Telegram that threats to the region had "become real" and "each challenge will receive an appropriate response".
The region declared a "red" level of terror threat for the next 15 days, stepping up security checks on roads and its frontier with Moldova, switching schools to remote learning and cancelling a parade commemorating World War II victory on May 9.
RIA Novosti quoted a source in the Transnistrian government as saying three unidentified individuals unofficially crossed the border from Ukraine, attacked the security ministry, then crossed back.
Transnistria is an unrecognised Moscow-backed breakaway region that seceded in 1990, followed by a short war in 1992, with the Russian army fighting alongside separatists against Moldovan forces.
The frozen conflict has seen Russia deploying troops there ever since.
The region is located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Moldova's capital Chisinau, bordering western Ukraine.
Moscow still has a military base there, guarding a stockpile of some 20,000 tonnes of munitions.
Chisinau has long called for the Russian troops to leave.
A senior Russian military official last week raised the issue of "oppression" of Russian speakers in Transnistria in the context of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
Moldova's foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador over the comments.
Moldova, a former Soviet republic of 2.6 million people is one of Europe's poorest countries.
President Sandu was elected in 2020 on a pro-Western programme and since the Ukraine conflict began, the country has had a flurry of visits by Western officials including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a financing boost from the IMF.
Unlike neighbouring Romania, Moldova is not a member of NATO. It formally requested to join the bloc in March.
L.Durand--AMWN