Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday. Eduardo Munoz / Reuters
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday. Eduardo Munoz / Reuters

World

Russian foreign minister in blistering attack on West and Nato

Sergei Lavrov says western states are unable to change their Cold War "genetic code" and the US must abandon its claims to "eternal uniqueness".

UNITED NATIONS // the Russian foreign minister issued a blistering attack on the West and Nato, accusing them of being unable to change their Cold War “genetic code” and saying the United States must abandon its claims to “eternal uniqueness”.

Sergey Lavrov said at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that the crisis in Ukraine was the result of a coup d’etat in that country supported by the United States and the European Union. He made no mention of Western allegations that Russia has sent troops and heavy weapons into eastern Ukraine in support of pro-Russian rebels who have taken over a number of cities.

Lavrov also says the Russian annexation of Crimea earlier this year was, in fact, the choice of the largely Russian-speaking population there.

* Associated Press

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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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.”