Lebanon has received three military helicopters from the US as part of attempts to boost the army’s capabilities.
Washington’s ambassador to Beirut, Dorothy Shea, said it would help the army defend Lebanon.
“This equipment, like donations we have made before, directly contributes to the professional capabilities of the [army], ensuring its operational readiness to defend Lebanon and its people,” she said, according to a statement by the US embassy in Lebanon released on Saturday.
Lebanese Major General Milad Ishak said the handover represented the material support that showed Washington’s confidence in the army.
Valued at more than $32 million, the helicopters will be used in border and land security operations, the statement said.
Rear Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of US Special Operations Command Central, met the Lebanese army head General Joseph Aoun to discuss co-operation this week.
“For many years we have had a strong and enduring relationship with the [Lebanese army] and their special forces, maintaining this relationship is essential in promoting trust and legitimacy,” he said.
The US has donated more than $2 billion to Lebanon’s armed forces in the past decade.
The Lebanese army relies on external assistance for the bulk of its procurement but has close ties with the US, the UK and France.
Washington views a strong competent army in Lebanon as a counterweight to the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah, the only militia that held on to its arsenal after Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990.
It is considered to be a terrorist group by the US as well as many European and Arab countries.
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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