CYPRUS: The eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are warming almost twice as fast as the global average, with temperatures projected to rise up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century if no action is taken to reverse the trend, a new report says.

The region will experience “unprecedented” heat waves, more severe and longer-lasting droughts and  dust storms and rainfall shortages that will “compromise water and food security” for the region’s 400 million people, according to a summary of the report released on Tuesday.

BEIRUT: The fate of migrants on board a boat that set off from northern Lebanon over 10 days ago remains uncertain amid conflicting reports.

The boat, thought to be carrying about 70 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian migrants, is reportedly stranded near the coasts of Malta and Italy was in danger of sinking after its engine broke down. The captain of the boat is said to have abandoned the vessel three days ago on a rubber boat.

DOHA: The US said on Monday that two long-distance warplanes flew across the Middle East as part of a simulated international bombing exercise amid tense haggling on restoring a nuclear deal with Iran.

Top US General Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said the “Bomber Task Force” simulation on Sunday showed that the US and its allies can “rapidly inject overwhelming combat power into the region on demand.”

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Ministry of Telecommunications requested a treasury advance from the Ministry of Finance to avoid the repercussions of its employees’ strike that began last week.

The strike has resulted in interruptions to landlines, mobile phones and internet services for millions of Lebanese citizens. Key services at hospitals, security and military facilities were also disrupted.

ANKARA: Syrian refugees, once welcomed with open arms to Turkey, are now living in fear amid a rise in hate crimes against them, experts have claimed.

Many believe they are being used as political leverage in the upcoming Turkish elections scheduled for next year.

Syrian teenager Fares Elali became one of the latest victims of the backlash when he was recently stabbed to death in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.