A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
Ukraine and Russia trade fresh accusations of targeting a major nuclear power plant
Russia and Ukraine are trading fresh accusations over renewed threats to Europe's largest nuclear plant that has been caught up in the war, with Moscow alleging Ukraine was behind drone attacks on the facility that were witnessed by UN inspectors and Kyiv accusing Russia of disinformation tactics.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday called the drone attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine "a very dangerous provocation."
"This is a very dangerous practice that has very bad, negative consequences in the future," Peskov said during his daily conference call with reporters.
The UN's atomic watchdog agency on Sunday confirmed drone strikes on one of the plant's six reactors, which caused one casualty, but did not attribute responsibility to either side.
The Associated Press was unable to verify either side's claims in the area of heavy fighting where independent journalists are not allowed to enter.
An official at Energoatom, Ukraine's atomic energy company, blamed Russia for the attacks, saying they were "a provocation" orchestrated to malign Ukraine.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
The plant has repeatedly been caught in the crossfire since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and seized the facility shortly after. The International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN body, has frequently expressed alarm about the plant amid fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe.
The strikes did not compromise the nuclear facility, which the Kremlin's forces have been occupying and running in southern Ukraine since shortly after the war began more than two years ago, the IAEA said. The plant's six reactors have been shut down for months, and IAEA inspectors are stationed at the site.
Propaganda and disinformation have been used as weapons by both sides during the conflict, and both sides have accused each other on other occasions of planning attacks on the plant.
Last July, Ukraine and Russia accused each other of planning to attack the Zaporizhzhia plant, though neither side provided evidence to support their claims.
Even with its reactors shut down, the plant still needs power and qualified staff to operate crucial cooling systems and other safety features.
The IAEA team did not observe structural damage to the "systems, structures and components" important to the nuclear safety of the plant, it said. They reported superficial scorching to the top of a reactor dome.
The damage "has not compromised nuclear safety, but this is a serious incident (with the) potential to undermine (the) integrity of the reactor's containment system," the IAEA said on X, formerly Twitter.
IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said the main reactor containment structures took at least three direct hits. "This cannot happen," he said on X.
Zaporizhzhia is one of four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022.
The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, said Russian authorities are seeking "to use Russia's physical control over the (plant) to force international organizations, including the IAEA, to meet with Russian occupation officials to legitimize Russia's occupation of the (plant) and by extension Russia's occupation of sovereign Ukrainian land."
------
Associated Press Writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump expected to name Marco Rubio secretary of state, reports say
Donald Trump selected U.S. Senator Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state, sources said on Monday, putting Rubio on track to be the first Latino to serve as America's top diplomat.
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.
Canada soccer icon Christine Sinclair leaves the pitch for the final time
Christine Sinclair played her final professional match Saturday night, capping off a career that saw the Canadian superstar win three professional league titles, an Olympic gold medal and finish with the most international goals, men or women, in soccer history.
23andMe cuts 40 per cent of its workforce, discontinues all therapy programs
Genetic testing firm 23andMe said on Monday it is reducing about 40 per cent, or 200 employees, from its workforce and discontinuing all its therapies.
'Your body, my choice': Attacks on women surge on social media following U.S. election
Sexist and abusive attacks on women, like 'your body, my choice' and 'get back to the kitchen,' have surged across social media since Trump’s reelection.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
Megan Fox is expecting a baby with Machine Gun Kelly
Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are expecting to grow their family. Fox announced her pregnancy in a social media post Monday.
A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats against his partner is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.
Local Spotlight
Should Toronto tear up its bike lanes to improve traffic flow? Critics say it's not so simple
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.