'Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood," said the scientist Marie SklodowskaCurie, the first person to be honoured with two Nobel Prizes.
Since I truly admire Madame Curie, who was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity, I decided to conquer my fear of nuclear energy by educating myself through a trip to a Japanese nuclear plant.
I was supposed to be on a plane just one day after the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit. In the immediate aftermath of the quake, there was no nuclear crisis yet, but nonetheless, the trip to the nuclear plant was canceled as a precaution. I recall my annoyance at that. But now bless the conservative Japanese authorities who had the foresight to avoid any risks.
I was to go inside the Tokai No 2 Power Station, Japan's first large-scale light water reactor plant. It is located in the northeast of Tokyo, and is known as the birthplace of Japanese atomic energy.
I had also planned to go to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where I could visit medical and research clinics dedicated to the hibakusha victims, which refers to radiation victims of the atomic bombs and survivors of nuclear reactor accidents. I was surprised to find out there are still people suffering from the bombing 66 years on. I was supposed to meet a few of them.
Now, with Japan's growing reactor crisis, the decades of work by these clinics will be priceless for anyone exposed to radiation. I am sure lessons learnt from history will help them to deal with the unfolding tragedy.
I am not a scientist and so I will not speculate on the safety of nuclear power. All I know is that back in 1986, on April 26, my family and I were in Poland when the relatively unknown town of Chernobyl in Ukraine made headlines when one of the reactors at its nuclear plant exploded. I don't remember much about the actual incident as I was just seven years old, but I clearly remember the fears expressed by my family. We were back in Saudi Arabia the next day - Poland shares its borders with Ukraine.
My parents weren't taking any risks, especially given that back then, Ukraine and Poland were under the Soviet Union, a power notorious for its suppression of information particularly regarding casualties. Given that radioactive debris spread all across Europe from that incident, I don't think my parents overreacted at all.
Decades later, when I travelled through Belarus and Eastern Europe to report on orphanages, I discovored a "Cherno" ward in one of them. It was believed that these children's deformities and illnesses were due to the world's worst nuclear incident. (I say "believed" because it is difficult to measure the effects of a naturally-occuring element on the human body, even when it is known to be harmful.)
All I know is what I saw. Children of different ages, including toddlers, were struggling, and it was heart-breaking. Some were missing limbs, others had deformed fingers or toes, and a third group had difficulty with their perception and coordination.
I can't forget how the supervising nurse told me that they kept these children away from couples that would come in hoping to adopt, as they could "scare them away". The "special" ward was more like the unwanted children ward. Some doctors, who are friends of mine, dismissed the idea that Chernobyl had caused the children's deformities, saying that statistically, at least, they were normal.
Whatever the case, since I didn't get the chance to actually learn more about nuclear power in Japan, I can only watch in horror as the country struggles with destruction and radiation risks that may last for years to come.
rghazal@thenational.ae
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm
Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
New schools in Dubai
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group C
Liverpool v Napoli, midnight
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
