MIDDLE EAST: IRIN Digest - March 2015

	humanitarian news and analysis

Table of contents 1. As Islamic State retreats, aid workers uncover human toll 2. The technology behind Syria's lights out campaign 3. Stranded Syrians at "serious risk" of losing refugee status in Lebanon 4. Coaxing the dragon: Why China should join the great aid debate 5. Killing us softly 6. Top picks: Blackboards, zakat and currency dives 7. Yemen camp bombing - what you need to know 8. Map: Which countries are doing their fair share for Syria? 9. What Jews, Syrian refugees and a Swedish King have in common 10. Syria pledging conference: Three key trends 11. Yemenis rush to buy food and fuel as conflict escalates As Islamic State retreats, aid workers uncover human toll BAGHDAD/LONDON, 12 March 2015 (IRIN) - As the Islamic State loses ground to pro-government forces in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, aid agencies that have been unable to access the region for months are expecting to find thousands in need. Read report online The technology behind Syria's lights out campaign NEW YORK, 12 March 2015 (IRIN) - Widely published satellite images of Syria's steady loss of night-time light during its four-year civil war cost only $300 to produce. Can they help humanitarians assess crises better? Read report online Stranded Syrians at "serious risk" of losing refugee status in Lebanon SAIDA, 16 March 2015 (IRIN) - Hundreds of thousands of Syrians in Lebanon are at risk of losing their refugee status due to new visa rules, the United Nations has warned. Read report online Coaxing the dragon: Why China should join the great aid debate LONDON, 17 March 2015 (IRIN) - Amid the countless meetings, summits and conferences being held around the world to determine the post-2015 development agenda and the future of humanitarian aid, how much attention is being paid to the growing role of China? Not enough perhaps, but the wariness cuts both ways. James Wan, fellow at the Wits University China-Africa Reporting Project in South Africa, argues it's time for China to get its hands dirty in the great aid debate. Read report online Killing us softly HONG KONG, 27 March 2015 (IRIN) - Of the 100 million Chinese who watched a documentary - later censored - about air pollution in their country, 172,000 are likely to die each year from air pollution-related diseases. Read report online Top picks: Blackboards, zakat and currency dives DUBAI, 27 March 2015 (IRIN) - Welcome to IRIN's weekly assortment of journalism and research about the humanitarian world that piqued our interest. This week how aid destroyed a culture, channeling Islamic duty into the humanitarian system and has 'development' run its course? Read report online Yemen camp bombing - what you need to know BEIRUT/SANA'A, 30 March 2015 (IRIN) - At least 29 people were killed on Monday after a camp for displaced Yemenis was hit by an air strike. Here is what we do and don't know. Read report online Map: Which countries are doing their fair share for Syria? BEIRUT, 31 March 2015 (IRIN) - On Monday Oxfam released a report outlining what each country ought to have given to Syria in 2014 based to the size of their economies. It called this amount their 'fair share' of the $7.7 billion sought for the over three million refugees in neighbouring countries plus millions in need inside the country. Read report online What Jews, Syrian refugees and a Swedish King have in common GENEVA, 31 March 2015 (IRIN) - With 1.7 million Syrians, Turkey is now the country hosting the largest number of refugees in the world. But this so-called "Turkish hospitality" dates back much further - from Jews fleeing the Inquisition in the 15th century to asylum-seekers from Kosovo in 1999. Read report online Syria pledging conference: Three key trends KUWAIT CITY, 1 April 2015 (IRIN) - On Tuesday, International donors pledged a record US$3.8billion towards humanitarian relief for the Syrian crisis, now into its fifth year. Here are three key trends from the conference. Read report online Yemenis rush to buy food and fuel as conflict escalates SANA'A, 1 April 2015 (IRIN) - Yemenis tried to stock up as the conflict continued to escalate on Wednesday, with Saudi-led airstrikes on most major cities and firefights across the country. Read report online

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