Concerns of nuclear catastrophe in Europe
A Russian serviceman guards an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control, southeastern Ukraine, May 1, 2022. Ukrainians are once again anxious and alarmed about the fate of a nuclear power plant in a land that was home to the world’s worst atomic accident in 1986 at Chernobyl. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, has been occupied by Russian forces and continued fighting nearby has heightened fears of a catastrophe that could affect nearby towns in southern Ukraine or beyond.
For the first time in its history, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine was completely disconnected from the electric grid on Thursday. While power was restored, at least partially, on Friday, the event has raised serious concerns about the potential for a nuclear catastrophe in Europe. And, six months since Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine began, it’s settled into an attritional grind. We hear from a former commanding general for the US Army in Europe about the strategic outlook for both sides. Also, on Thursday, about 500 Iranian women were allowed to attend a soccer match at a stadium for the first time in 40 years. Women in Iran had been banned from attending since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Plus, a young folklorist is on a quest to save Rohingya folk tales.
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