<p>The Middle East has been the worst hit by significant rise in sand and dust storms, with major impacts on human health, United Nations scientists say.</p><p>Iran and Kuwait are the most affected countries, largely because of sand and dust blowing in from Syria and Iraq.</p><p>Mismanagement of land and water amid conflicts in the region has been a key factor, as well as climate change.</p><p>Meteorologists say sand and dust storms are also happening in new places like some parts of Central Asia.</p><p><br></p>

Why are sandstorms becoming more common in the Middle East?

<p>"In the Middle East there has been a significant increase in the frequency and the intensity of sand and dust storms in the past 15 years or so," said Enric Terradellas a meteorologist with the World Meteorology Organisation's sand and dust storm prediction centre for the region.</p><p>"One of the main sources of sand and dust storms is Iraq, where the flow of rivers has decreased because of a race in dam constructions in upstream countries.</p><p>"That has led to the disappearance of marshes and drying up of lakes both in Iraq and Iran, and the sediments left behind are very important sources of dust "</p>

Cause Of Dust Storm In Middle East? 

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The Middle East's $13 billion sandstorm problem is about to get worse

<p><span>By Sophie Tremblay, CNN </span> </p>

<p>A version of this story first appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region's biggest stories. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/specials/middle-east-newsletter?source=article">Sign up here </a>.  </p>

<p><cite>Washington, DC (CNN) </cite>The skies from Dubai to as far away as Syria turned an apocalyptic orange as dust and sand whirled through the air this month. </p>

<p>As sandstorms spread through the Middle East, <a href="https://twitter.com/chadmyerscnn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chadmyerscnn </a>explains how climate change is playing a role: <a href="https://t.co/cbiU9wdm7D">pic.twitter.com/cbiU9wdm7D </a> </p>

<ul><li><em>Background </em>: The 10-storey residential and commercial building partly collapsed on Monday, trapping at least 80 people under the rubble, according to state TV. Authorities said other sections of the building may collapse and called on people not to gather near the site. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><em>Why it matters: </em>The disaster prompted accusations that warnings about poor safety standards and the building's weak structure had been ignored. In 2017, 20 firefighters were killed when a 17-storey commercial building in the capital Tehran collapsed as they tried to put out a blaze. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><em>Background </em>: Qatar and Turkey had already sent temporary technical teams to help airport operations and security after the Taliban took over in August last year as foreign forces withdrew. Baradar said his administration was renewing an airport ground handling agreement with the UAE. </li><li><em>Why it matters: </em>The airport talks have demonstrated how countries are seeking to assert their influence in Afghanistan even as the hardline Islamist group largely remains an international pariah and its government not formally recognized by any nation. Qatar and the UAE have had strained relations for years as they compete for regional influence. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><em>Background </em>: Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are locked in proxy conflicts across the Middle East, have held five rounds of talks hosted by Baghdad. "We continue to encourage our neighbors in Iran to lean into what can be a very, very important sea change in our region," bin Farhan said, adding that a "new era of cooperation" could deliver benefits for all. </li><li><em>Why it matters: </em>A resolution of differences between the two Middle East powers could significantly ease tensions in countries like Yemen, Lebanon and others where they have been engaged in proxy conflicts. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><strong>A direct line of sight: </strong>Of the 11 videos obtained by CNN, two show the scene when Abu Akleh was killed. One video shows a direct line of sight to an Israeli armored vehicle parked 200 meters away, which has an opening for a sniper. The footage shows that in the minutes leading up to the shooting, there was no active combat in the area. The video also shows the moment that Abu Akleh and other reporters were fired on from the direction of the Israeli convoy. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><strong>Targeted shots: </strong>The forensic audio analyst who assessed the footage estimated that the gunman who shot Abu Akleh was 177-197 meters away. The Israeli military has said a soldier was positioned in a vehicle the same distance from her. The explosive weapons expert who assessed the same footage, said the gunfire was consistent with assault rifles used by Israeli soldiers, and that the bullet marks on the tree behind Abu Akleh indicated that she was killed in targeted shots. He said that at 200 meters away, there was "no chance" that random or stray fire would result in such a tight configuration of strike marks, which contradicts the Israeli military's suggestion that Abu Akleh could have been hit by Palestinian gunmen firing indiscriminate gunfire. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><strong>Palestinian gunmen out of range: </strong>Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office shared footage of Palestinian gunmen firing haphazardly down alleyways in different parts of Jenin, originally claiming that the footage suggested "Palestinian terrorists were the ones who shot the journalist." CNN geolocated the videos to the south of the camp, more than 300 meters away from Abu Akleh. The coordinates of the two locations demonstrate that the shooting in the videos couldn't be the same volley of gunfire that hit the journalist. </li> </ul>

<ul><li><strong>Israeli snipers nearby: </strong>Eight eyewitnesses told CNN that Israeli forces positioned about 200 meters away on the same street fired on Abu Akleh and other reporters in a targeted attack. The eyewitnesses — five journalists and three local Jenin residents — said they saw snipers in the Israeli convoy, aiming rifles out of the vehicles toward the journalists. The eyewitnesses said that the journalists had been visible to the Israeli soldiers for about 10 minutes before the gunfire began. </li> </ul>

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The Middle East's $13 billion sandstorm problem is about to get worse

Why are sandstorms becoming more common in the Middle East?

Cause Of Dust Storm In Middle East?

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