Elon Just EMBARRASED NASA (But This Is So Much Worse)

This is unbelievable... FalconSpaceX just rescued two astronauts after NASA left them stranded in space for months. But even more shocking? Elon Musk is being granted access to NASA as part of his DOGE initiative - and he's poised to expose a decades-old Apollo mission secret they've kept buried.

Moldovans grapple with outages as energy crisis grips pro-Russia region

STEPHEN McGRATH and AUREL OBREJA
January 10, 2025

COPANCA, Moldova (AP) -- Every time planned electrical outages are imposed on his village in southern Moldova, 73-year-old retiree Vasili Donici passes the time solving crosswords and puzzles in a room he illuminates using a small gas lamp.

"It's a bit hard without electricity," said the former deputy school director who has stockpiled firewood to ensure he can use his wood burning stove in the room he shares with his wife to stay warm. "There's still gas ... but it will end soon."

The village of Copanca is situated just several kilometers across the de facto border from Moldova's separatist pro-Russian Transnistria region, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left without heating and hot water after Russia halted gas supplies to the region on Jan. 1, over an alleged $709 million debt for past supplies to Moldova.

The decision by Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom, which came into effect a day after a gas transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine expired, halted gas supplies to Transnistria's gas-operated Kuciurgan power plant, the country's largest, which provided a significant portion of Moldova's electricity.

Copanca, like over a dozen other towns or villages administered by Moldovan authorities in the capital Chisinau but situated close to Transnistria, remains interconnected to the separatist region's Soviet-era energy infrastructure leaving them vulnerable amid the energy crisis.

Planned daily electrical outages throughout Transnistria -- which includes Copanca -- are currently scheduled for four hours twice a day. While the Kuciurgan power plant transitioned to coal and has led to some unexpected outages, some residual gas remained in the pipes.

"It's hard to get by with the electricity and gas shortages," said Donici. "Yesterday, we were without power for eight hours. Everyone is scratching their heads, figuring out what to do, so they don't freeze."

Citing findings by British and Norwegian audit firms, Moldova's pro-Western government claims its debt stands close to $8.6 million, and has accused Moscow of weaponizing energy to destabilize the European Union candidate country. Russia has denied it is meddling in Moldova.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean this week accused Russia of artificially creating an energy crisis to cause "instability in the region" and "to influence the results of the parliamentary elections" that Moldova will hold later in 2025.

"What they want to achieve is to have a pro-Russian government in Moldova that would ultimately allow for the consolidation of the military capacity of Russia in the Transnistrian region, and correspondingly to use this leverage over Ukraine," Recean told journalists in a closed call with other senior officials on Monday.

Transnistria -- which broke away after a short war in 1992 and is not recognized by most countries -- declared a state of emergency last month as the gas crisis loomed. A large majority of Transnistria's roughly 350,000 people speak Russian as their first language and some 200,000 are Russian citizens. Russia also bases about 1,500 troops in a so-called frozen conflict zone as "peacekeepers."

Moldova has repeatedly claimed Russia is conducting a sprawling "hybrid war" against it by meddling in elections, funding anti-government protests and running vast disinformation campaigns to try to topple the government and derail the country's EU aspirations.

Last month, Moldova's parliament also voted to impose a state of emergency in the energy sector, as the crisis threatened to leave the former Soviet republic without sufficient energy this winter, and fears that the situation could trigger a humanitarian crisis in Transnistria, where temperatures often drop to subzero degrees Celsius.

The looming crisis also prompted Chisinau to implement a series of energy-saving measures beginning Jan. 1, which include reducing lighting in public and commercial buildings by at least 30%, and energy-intensive businesses operating during off-peak hours.

Moldova's state energy company, Energocom, has increased electricity purchases from neighboring Romania to ensure capacity but are also more costly. Although a mild January is helping matters, energy prices have increased and the government has said it will provide help to offset bills.

EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, wrote on the social media platform X this week that Russia "continues to use gas as a weapon and once again Moldova is a target of its hybrid warfare," adding that "Thanks to EU support Moldova remains resilient and well-connected to European energy networks."

Moldova's government this week announced plans to connect more than a dozen towns and villages under Chisinau's control that are interconnected with energy infrastructure in Transnistria to energy networks in Moldova.

Afanasii Cutzari, the mayor of Copanca, says that so far the situation is manageable with planned electrical outages, but that if, or when, the gas runs out, "then there will be problems."

"Where possible, people bought generators, but that's also not a solution," he said. "Even with a generator, someone needs to start it, a person who understands how to use it. It requires money, staff."

Cutzari added that institutions in his village including a kindergarten, medical facilities, an ambulance, city hall and a post office would struggle if the gas ran out entirely. "It would be better if electricity and gas were always available," he said.

Prime Minister Recean said that since the beginning of the energy crisis, his government in Chisinau has "proposed organizing procurement for purchasing gas on behalf of the Transnistrian side," but that authorities in the region's de facto capital, Tiraspol, have refused.

"Tiraspol is not autonomous in the decisions it makes," he said on Thursday. "This crisis is induced by the Russian Federation in order to destabilize the Republic of Moldova and to use the Republic of Moldova in Russia's war against Ukraine."

After visiting Copanca and other villages in a similar bind on Thursday, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said some kindergartens and schools have been provided with power generators, and that mayors can request help from Chisinau to supply firewood, wood-burning pellets, and generators.

"We communicated with them that we are doing our best to provide them alternatives that provide light, water and heat for their families," she said, adding that Moldova is discussing "potential assistance" with external partners.

Carina Cazac, the owner of a convenience store in Copanca, said locals rushed to purchase essentials like oil and flour when the crisis hit, and that generators and oil lamps quickly sold out.

"A lot of people were stressed, and they started buying gas lamps," she said. "It's easier in the villages because most people have wood-burning stoves ... others bought generators."

But, she added, "Prices have risen significantly, and not everyone can afford a generator."

___

Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania.

Continue Reading...

Popular

Tried and tested in war: For European drone manufacturers, Ukraine is the place to be

LE BOURGET, France (AP) — About once a month, French manufacturer Henri Seydoux makes what has become a necessary pilgrimage for many in his business — he goes to .

New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon talks trade in meeting with China's Xi

BEIJING (AP) — The prime minister of New Zealand stressed the importance of his country's in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday.

A Better Hedge Than Gold? - Ad

While the whole world is piling into gold as a hedge... White House documents reveal Trump is betting big on a completely under-the-radar resource. This little-known resource is minting 1,600 millionaires every single day... And investors have a rare opportunity to take advantage before everyone else catches on.

Trump's Trinity: How to Triple Bitcoin's Gains - Ad

Bitcoin just hit $100K. Trump pledged a U.S. Bitcoin Reserve. And his new crypto TRUMP boosted his net worth 9X in 48 hours. Together, this "Trump Trinity" could launch Bitcoin to $500K by the end of his term. But one little-known trade could triple Bitcoin's gains-faster, cheaper, and from any brokerage account.

The Next Palantir? Does This Under $5 AI Stock Have The Potential To Rise And Shine

This micro-cap AI stock is being increasingly touted as the next Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR), but some analysts disagree with this framing.

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market - Ad

One co-founded Zillow. The other sold his company to Zillow for $120M. Now they're transforming a $1.3T market via co-ownership. Pacaso's already earned $110M+ in gross profit and reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Ahmedabad’s city police commissioner says there don’t appear to have been any survivors from an Air India airliner that crashed, and that there are likely also casualties from the area of the city where it went down.

RFK Jr Prepping for Big Pharma BLIITZKRIEG? - Ad

RFK Jr just joined Trump's cabinet and wasted no time filing an executive order to overhaul American health. But what's coming next has Big Pharma terrified. RFK may expose their top secret-one that could save lives and cost them billions. That's why we're going public now.

Rocket Lab Stock Is On Investor Radars: What's Going On?

Rocket Lab Corp (NASDAQ:RKLB) shares are up about 7% over the past month. Here's a look at why the stock has captured investor's attention recently.

Nvidia Stock Seen As 'Unique Opportunity' Amid Chip Sector Volatility, Says Morgan Stanley: 'We Are Materially Under Shipping Demand'

Morgan Stanley has reaffirmed its Overweight rating on Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), keeping the company as its top choice, despite broader concerns about the semiconductor sector.

Exposed: 3 Cent Crypto to Explode June 24th? - Ad

Chris Rowe, the man who spotted 44 different coins that have returned over 100%, is now making the biggest crypto call of his ENTIRE career.... Because a powerful crypto event will trigger on June 24th... Sending hundreds of tiny cryptos soaring 5X, 50X, even 100X -- in just days.

Civil rights agency's acting chief to face questions on anti-DEI, transgender stances

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The acting chief of the country’s top agency for enforcing worker rights will face questions at a Senate committee hearing Wednesday over her efforts to while sidelining certain racial and gender discrimination cases and .

Elon Just EMBARRASED NASA (But This Is So Much Worse) - Ad

This is unbelievable... FalconSpaceX just rescued two astronauts after NASA left them stranded in space for months. But even more shocking? Elon Musk is being granted access to NASA as part of his DOGE initiative - and he's poised to expose a decades-old Apollo mission secret they've kept buried.

How high will Bitcoin go in 2025? - Ad

A new coin is emerging in the crypto bull market. Investing now could be like buying Bitcoin in 2013. Before it took off. Or scooping up Ethereum in 2017.. before it soared.

Amazon Extends Prime Day In July As Tariff-Hit Shoppers Hunt Bargain Deals

Amazon expands Prime Day event to four days, offering millions of deals across various categories, including popular brands.

Ericsson, Supermicro Partner To Bring 5G-Powered AI To Factories, Retail And Hospitals

Ericsson and Super Micro announce strategic collaboration to accelerate Edge AI deployment. Super Micro stock down 45%, Ericsson up 38% in past year.

A Trump Order Could Send This $7 Stock Soaring - Ad

An executive order from Trump could unleash a $1.2T robotics boom-impacting 65M lives and reshaping entire industries. And one $7 stock, already backed by Nvidia, FedEx, and Toyota, is perfectly positioned. The order could hit this August... or sooner.

Truck units of Toyota and Daimler reach merger deal, first announced two years ago

TOKYO (AP) — The truck divisions of Japan’s Toyota and Daimler of Germany have agreed to merge to form “a new strong Japanese truck powerhouse” to work together in vehicle development, procurement and production.

IonQ Buys Oxford Ionics In $1.075 Billion Deal To Supercharge Quantum Tech

IonQ to acquire Oxford Ionics for $1.075 billion, combining their quantum computing technologies to deliver powerful and innovative systems.

Nvidia's Plan to Dominate the World of Robotics ... - Ad

Robots just had a coming-out party in Las Vegas. From household helpers to rescue bots, they're now essential-not just novelties. Forbes says it's a $24T opportunity. And Nvidia's CEO says one $7 stock is key to building the world's first trillion-dollar robot.

North Korea plans to send military construction workers and deminers to Russia

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea will send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to support reconstruction work in Russia’s Kursk region, a top Russian official said Tuesday, the latest sign of between the two nations.

Purdue Pharma's $7B opioid settlement plan could get votes from victims and cities

OxyContin maker 's $7 billion-plus plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over will go before a judge Friday, potentially setting up votes on whether to accept it for local governments, people who became addicted to the drug and other groups.

Judge Blocking DOGE From Revealing THIS FDA Secret? - Ad

Democrats just filed a lawsuit to bring DOGE to a halt-and an Obama-appointed judge looks ready to help. It may be a rigged move to stop DOGE from exposing the FDA's biggest secret-a threat to billions in profits and political donations. That's why we're going public now.

Tim Cook's Liquid Glass Reveal Is 'Cool,' Says Elon Musk — Apple's New Software Design A Hit Or A Miss With Everyone Else?

Apple's new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26 earned praise from Elon Musk, but sparked backlash from users and investor Ross Gerber, who say it strays from Steve Jobs' vision of simplicity.

Analysis: An outline is emerging of the US offer to Iran in their high-stakes nuclear negotiations

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The outline of the U.S. offer to Iran in is starting to become clearer — but whether any deal is on the horizon remains as cloudy as ever.

Maverick Trader Reveals 97% Accurate System - Ad

This man's simple strategy makes money in any market...With a 97% accuracy at hitting winners over the past 8 years!

Oracle Launches New Defense Program To Help US Military Tap Into AI And Cloud Tech

Oracle Corp announced the Oracle Defense Ecosystem, a global initiative to enhance technology innovation for defense & government sectors.

Apple May Launch New Hardware At WWDC 2025: Mac Pro, HomePad, AirTag 2 Expected

Rumors suggest that Apple's WWDC 2025 may feature surprise hardware announcements, including a new Mac Pro.

Why BlackRock is Hoarding 6X More Bitcoin Than Miners Produce - Ad

A Bitcoin supply shock is building. Institutions and ETFs are buying faster than miners can keep up - creating a shortage most investors haven't noticed. If Bitcoin hits $300K, altcoins could explode 1,000%+. We wrote Crypto Revolution to help you prepare.

Study finds little agreement between Republicans and Democrats on media sources they trust

A new survey that probes the level of trust Democrats and Republicans have for finds the business-oriented publications Forbes and The Wall Street Journal share an unusual distinction: They're the only two of 30 news sources that sympathizers for both parties told the Pew Research Center they're more likely to trust than distrust.

Amazon begins to ramp up its Zoox robotaxi factory as it prepares to challenge Waymo

HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — Amazon is gearing up to make as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually at a sprawling plant near Silicon Valley as it prepares to challenge self-driving cab leader Waymo. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also vying to join the autonomous race.

A Better Hedge Than Gold? - Ad

While the whole world is piling into gold as a hedge... White House documents reveal Trump is betting big on a completely under-the-radar resource. This little-known resource is minting 1,600 millionaires every single day... And investors have a rare opportunity to take advantage before everyone else catches on.

Nvidia chief calls AI ‘the greatest equalizer’ — but warns Europe risks falling behind

PARIS (AP) — Will save humanity — or destroy it? Lift up the world’s poorest — or tighten the grip of a tech elite?

Trending Now

Information, charts or examples are for illustration and educational purposes only and not for individualized investment management This message contains commercial elements, such as advertising. We only send these offers to those who have opted in to our newsletter. Past performance is not indicative of future results. For these reasons we strongly suggest trading in a DEMO/Simulated account. The information provided by us is for educational and informational purposes only. We make no representations or warranties concerning the products, practices or procedures of any company or entity mentioned or recommended and have not determined if the statements and opinions of the advertiser are accurate, correct or truthful. If you use, act upon or make decisions in reliance on information contained or any external source linked within it, you do so at your own peril and agree to hold us, our officers, directors, shareholders, affiliates and agents without fault.

Copyright systemtrading.ca
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service