Countries must cooperate to battle sandstorm threat, say UN, Iran
Countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia must work together to combat sand and dust storms made increasingly severe by climate change, the United Nations and Iran said. “I urge you to use your time in Tehran to build partnerships, increase cooperation and commit to practical action,” UN chief...
Iraq faces first sandstorm of the year, covering cars, homes in dust
Blanketing central Iraq in dust, the sandstorm made life diffcult on Firday for Iraqis venturing out of their homes. A thick film of dust covered cars and houses and many struggled to breathe air filled with sand. It was the first such weather event to hit the aird country this...
UAE authorities urge caution on roads as dust storms return
Large parts of the United Arab Emirates were hit by dust and sandstorms on Sunday as authorities urged caution on the roads and battened down for expected heavy rain. Homes and landmarks in major cities were caked in a fine layer of brown dirt and visibility plunged in the latest...
Iran orders complete shutdown as sandstorm hits Tehran
In April, Tehran's Air Quality Control Society said dust clouds originated from "countries to the west of Iran".
Weathering sandstorms, Iraqis grit teeth and battle on
Another sandstorm has darkened Iraqi skies and it's hard to breathe, but Baghdad motorcycle delivery rider Milad Mitti doesn't have the luxury of missing a day's work. Like most people in the now blistering hot desert country, the 30-year-old battles on in frustration, wearing goggles and a grey neck warmer...Another sandstorm brings Iraq to a halt as airports shut
President Barham Saleh warned that tackling climate change "must become a national priority for Iraq as it is an existential threat to the future of our generations to come".
Sandstorm forces closure of Iraqi airports, public buildings
Iraq closed public buildings and temporarily shut airports Monday as another sandstorm -- the ninth since mid-April -- hit the country, authorities said. The capital Baghdad was enveloped in a giant dust cloud that left usually traffic-choked streets largely deserted, an AFP correspondent said. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi ordered all...World’s tallest building engulfed as Mideast sandstorms hit UAE
The world's tallest building disappeared behind a grey layer of dust on Wednesday as sandstorms that have swept the Middle East hit the United Arab Emirates, prompting weather and traffic warnings. The 828-metre (2,716 ft, 6ins) Burj Khalifa, which towers over Dubai and is usually visible across the busy financial...
Sandstorm disrupts life in Riyadh, likely to affect Makkah and Medina
A sandstorm engulfed Saudi Arabia's capital and other regions of the desert kingdom Tuesday, hampering visibility and slowing road traffic. A thick grey haze made iconic Riyadh buildings such as Kingdom Centre nearly impossible to see from more than a few hundred meters (yards) away, though there were no announced...Eighth sandstorm since mid-April brings Iraq to a halt
On Monday a thick cloud of dust enveloped the capital Baghdad in an orange glow and blanketed many other cities.Sandstorm leaves more than 1,000 Iraqis in hospital
More than 1,000 Iraqis were rushed to hospital with respiratory ailments on Thursday due to a sandstorm, the seventh to hit the country in the past month, state media said.
