Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
Ukraine said on Friday that radiation levels had increased in the Chernobyl exclusion zone after Russia seized the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
It added to concern about nuclear safety in Ukraine after the International Atomic Energy Agency urged troops to show “maximum restraint” around the country’s four operative reactors as well as at Chernobyl.
At the heart of the Chernobyl exclusion zone lie the remains of the reactor that exploded in 1986, unleashing a cloud of radioactive waste into Europe’s skies. Although they are entombed in concrete and steel, radiation levels are still high at the plant and a 30-kilometre radius around it is largely uninhabited.
Inside that zone, Ukraine’s nuclear regulatory agency and its delegation to the UN in Geneva said on Friday that gamma radiation was above control levels at a “significant number of observation points”.
That claim was supported by a monitoring group in Ukraine, Save Dnipro, whose online radiation map showed gamma ray levels on Friday far exceeding those in the days before Russia’s invasion.
Gamma radiation comes from decaying radioactive material and exposure to it can increase the risk of cancer. The nuclear agency suggested that the disturbance of soil by Russian troops might be to blame for the increase, although officials said it was difficult to investigate the causes because Ukraine had lost control of the area.
A British intelligence assessment backed up Ukraine’s claim that Russian troops had occupied the area on Thursday, in a move analysts said could be explained by Chernobyl’s geographic position between Kiev and the Russian border.
The White House separately condemned reports of hostages being taken at the plant and described Russia’s behaviour at Chernobyl as “incredibly alarming and greatly concerning”.
Russia’s Defence Ministry had earlier on Friday described radiation levels at the plant as normal and said its paratroopers would help to protect the site.
Nuclear experts said any release of the buried radioactive material at Chernobyl would probably require a concerted effort and said the risk might be just as high at currently operating reactors.
IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi said the agency was gravely concerned by developments in Ukraine.
He said it was “appealing for maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put the country’s nuclear facilities at risk”. Ukrainian officials had offered assurances that the four operative plants were running smoothly, he said.
Ukraine disconnected its electricity grid from Russia’s on Thursday, in a move which the European Union said had been planned but had to be implemented earlier than expected.
On Chernobyl, Mr Grossi said it was “of vital importance that the safe and secure operations of the nuclear facilities in that zone should not be affected or disrupted in any way”.
Exposure to small amounts of radiation is not fatal, and tourists sometimes visit the exclusion zone and the abandoned town of Pripyat. Some of the radioactive elements released four decades ago have decayed into nothing, but the isotopes Strontium-90 and Caesium-137 still linger today.
The most dangerous material on the site is a “lump in the basement of the reactor building,” said retired nuclear scientist Cheryl Rofer, who said the danger from an explosion or attack at Chernobyl was small.
The 1986 accident was compounded by the failure of Soviet officials to come clean about what had happened. It emerged after high radiation levels were detected in Sweden.
Some people kept their children inside as far away as Western Europe. In Germany, the accident helped to spur the rise of an anti-nuclear movement that ultimately succeeded in getting atomic energy cut out of the power grid.
Scotland's team:
15-Sean Maitland, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Nick Grigg, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Byron McGuigan, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price, 8-Magnus Bradbury, 7-Hamish Watson, 6-Sam Skinner, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Ben Toolis, 3-Willem Nel, 2-Stuart McInally (captain), 1-Allan Dell
Replacements: 16-Fraser Brown, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Jonny Gray, 20-Josh Strauss, 21-Greig Laidlaw, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Chris Harris
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French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
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Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)
Saturday
Brescia v Torino (6pm)
Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)
Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sunday
Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)
Udinese v SPAL (6pm)
Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)
Lazio v Lecce (6pm)
Parma v Roma (9pm)
Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
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Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality