International
Russia accuses Ukraine of trying to attack Kursk nuclear power plant with drone
MOSCOW: Russia accused Ukraine on Friday of trying to attack the Kursk nuclear power station overnight in what it called an act of “nuclear terrorism,” days before the head of the UN atomic watchdog is due to visit the site.
The Ukrainian defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegation, the second that Moscow has made in two days. The nuclear plant is located in the Kursk region of western Russia, where fierce fighting has raged since Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion on Aug. 6, hitting back as Russian troops advance in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that its air defense units had shot down three Ukrainian drones overnight in the Kursk region and spoke of thwarting a Ukrainian attempt to carry out “a terrorist attack” against Russian facilities.
Russian state news agency TASS quoted an unnamed source as saying a drone had been shot down near a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at the Kursk power plant. Reuters could not independently confirm details of the alleged incident.
TASS quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying it was an “act of nuclear terrorism” that required an immediate response from the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, is due to visit the power station next week. He has appealed for maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Thursday of trying to attack the facility, and said Moscow had informed the IAEA. He did provided no details or evidence of a Ukrainian attack.
Ukraine’s Aug. 6 incursion into Kursk, in which thousands of Ukrainian troops punched through Russia’s border, is the biggest into Russia by a foreign power since World War Two and Moscow was caught by surprise.
Kyiv has said it has carved out a buffer zone from an area that Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, has used to pound targets in Ukraine.
Fighting around 30km from the nuclear plant has raged since then as Russian troops battle to dislodge the Ukrainian soldiers who have sought to consolidate and expand the territory they control.
The plant has four reactors, of which two are operational. Construction of two more reactors began in 2018.
Russian state nuclear firm Rosenergoatom said on Friday that unit number 4 at the plant would be disconnected from the grid on Sunday for what it called “scheduled preventive maintenance” lasting 59 days. It said the work would involve modernization and extending the service life of equipment.
London, UK – April 4,2025 – The Social Rehabilitation Foundation UK (SRF-UK), an international humanitarian organization committed to sustainable development, today issued a global call for partnerships with NGOs, charities, and civil society organizations to address interconnected crises in poverty, education, women’s empowerment, and public health in vulnerable communities worldwide.
A Multidimensional Crisis Demanding Collective Action
SRF-UK’s latest research highlights alarming global disparities:
• 689 million people live in extreme poverty (World Bank)
• 258 million children remain out of school (UNESCO)
• 1 in 3 women experiences gender-based violence (WHO)
• 50% of the world’s population lacks essential health services (WHO/World Bank)
“These aren’t isolated issues but interconnected challenges requiring collaborative solutions,” said Mr.Asif , Director of SRF-UK. “From the local Desk, we need united action.”
Priority Areas for Partnership
SRF-UK seeks partners for:
1. Poverty Alleviation
• Microfinance initiatives
• Sustainable livelihood programs
• Emergency shelter projects
2. Education Revolution
• School construction in conflict zones
• Digital literacy programs
• Vocational training centers
3. Women’s Empowerment
• Gender-based violence prevention
• Economic inclusion programs
• Leadership development initiatives
4. Public Health Advancement
• Mobile health clinics
• Nutrition programs
• WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) projects
Why Partner With SRF-UK?
✔ Global Footprint: Active in 15 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
✔ Proven Model: 78% program success rate in sustainable interventions
✔ Local Expertise: 85% of field staff are community members
Join Our Global Network
NGOs, international organizations, and corporate social responsibility partners interested in collaboration may contact:
Partnerships Team
Email: info@srfoundation.uk
Website: www.srfoundation.uk/global-partnerships
“The Sustainable Development Goals won’t be achieved by any single organization. We need an alliance of change-makers,” Mr.Asif .
Available for Media:
• High-resolution photos/videos from our field operations
• Expert commentary on global development challenges
• Customized regional data snapshots
About Social Rehabilitation Foundation UK
A UK-registered working organization to create lasting change through education, economic empowerment, and health initiatives. SRF-UK has impacted over 2.3 million lives across 46 projects worldwide.
Michael Storc and his family had just survived a devastating wildfire.
Now they have to face a daunting new challenge that he had hoped to never experience again – the Los Angeles housing market.
After losing the Altadena home that he owned in the Eaton fire, he was scouring for a new place to rent, and having little luck.
“What’s available is not nice at all and the rents have gone up a lot,” Mr Storc told the BBC. “I told my teenage daughter we had to accept we would live somewhere not very nice.”
The Los Angeles area already has one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. And with thousands now displaced by the Palisades and Eaton fires, Angelenos are anxious that the sudden surge in demand could make rents and home prices soar even higher.
California has an anti-price gouging law that prevents landlords from raising rents more than 10% after the governor declares an emergency. It applies to both existing and tenants and new leases.
Follow live updates
LA brain surgeon saves street from fires
Many Los Angeles County buildings are also covered by rent stabilisation laws, which prevent landlords from raising the rent for existing tenants above a certain percentage even in normal circumstances.
“It is illegal. You cannot do it,” California attorney general Rob Bonta said at a Saturday press conference. “It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines.”
Not everyone was certain that the law would be completely enforceable, however.
“We’re aware of that but my question is, how is that being regulated? And who’s monitoring that?” said Jessica Heredia, a realtor based in the high-end Brentwood neighbourhood for the last 20 years.
A Los Angeles brain surgeon who fought for almost a week to save the houses on his street from wildfires told the BBC he spent 15 years preparing for such an event.
Malibu resident Dr Chester Griffiths, 62, ignored evacuation orders to keep flames from the Palisades fire at bay with the help of his son and neighbour, until emergency services were able to reach them.
“We had always known that a fire would come someday – but we didn’t know when,” Dr Griffiths told the BBC’s Today Programme.
“We never fathomed it would be this catastrophic and apocalyptic.”
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