DUBAI, 25 March 2007 (IRIN) - DUBAI, 25 March 2007 (IRIN) - CONTENTS:

IRAQ: Police raids spread panic among Palestinians IRAQ: Baghdad security plan shows progress, but challenges remain IRAQ: Delivery of aid still a problem four years after US invasion IRAQ: Insurgency paralyses life in Diyala IRAQ: Hassan Bayat, Iraq, "They invaded my property, drank my water and treated me badly" IRAQ: Insurgents adopt new terror tactics IRAQ: Marwan Hussein, Iraq "I sell half of our monthly food ration to raise money to flee" ISRAEL-OPT: Kazim Abdullah, East Jerusalem, "I've never felt such cold before" ISRAEL-OPT: Evictions continue in East Jerusalem UAE-OPT: Interview with Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner General of the UN Agency for Palestine refugees OPT: One-third of Palestinians 'food insecure' YEMEN: Young 'MPs' call for freeing children from prisons YEMEN: Specialists fight new locust swarms

IRAQ: Police raids spread panic among Palestinians

The United Nations has reiterated its call for the protection of Palestinian refugees in Iraq after Iraqi security forces killed one and detained dozens in raids last week, causing a number of Palestinian families to flee to the border.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70751

IRAQ: Baghdad security plan shows progress, but challenges remain

Baghdad's month-old new security plan is showing signs of progress as the capital's death toll has dropped by 30 percent and execution-style slayings have halved, say specialists.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70768

IRAQ: Delivery of aid still a problem four years after US invasion

After four years of US-led military occupation, the delivery of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable groups in Iraq continues to be hampered by a number of factors.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70851

IRAQ: Insurgency paralyses life in Diyala

Relentless violence in the Sunni-dominated province of Diyala, about 60km north-east of the capital, Baghdad, has hampered the delivery of humanitarian assistance to displaced families and has paralysed life there, local officials said.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70864

IRAQ: Hassan Bayat, Iraq, "They invaded my property, drank my water and treated me badly"

Hassan Bayat is a 71-year-old farmer from the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. He has spent all his life working his land in and raising about 85 sheep on his small farm to support his family. He does not have any employees, but relies solely on family labour. Recently, people displaced by violence in other areas of the country have started camping on his land.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70750

IRAQ: Insurgents adopt new terror tactics

Anti-US insurgents in Iraq are using new methods of attack four years after US forces invaded Iraq to oust the government of former president Saddam Hussein. Their latest weapon of choice is poisonous chlorine gas, which they use in bomb explosions to cause more casualties and spread panic, say specialists.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70821

IRAQ: Marwan Hussein, Iraq "I sell half of our monthly food ration to raise money to flee"

Marwan Hussein is a 31-year-old unemployed father of two - Hala, 5, and Yehia, 7 - who is internally displaced and living in an abandoned school in the outskirts of Baghdad. Before being unemployed, he was working as mechanic and earning enough money to support his family in Dora neighbourhood. His wife, Abdya, works as a housekeeper for some families.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70841

ISRAEL-OPT: Evictions continue in East Jerusalem

Two months ago, the 12 members of the Abdullah family awoke at 7.30am to find their home in East Jerusalem surrounded by 2,000 Israeli soldiers.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70787

ISRAEL-OPT: Kazim Abdullah, East Jerusalem, "I've never felt such cold before"

Palestinian mother Kazim Zohoudi Abdullah, 48, lives with her family in a tent supplied by the Red Cross after the Jerusalem Municipality demolished their home because it was built without a permit.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70819

UAE-OPT: Interview with Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner General of the UN Agency for Palestine refugees

The decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies at the heart of 21st century world affairs, with numerous nations, international organisations and NGOs involved on both sides.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70843

OPT: One-third of Palestinians 'food insecure'

One-third of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are food insecure, according to a report by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70856

YEMEN: Young 'MPs' call for freeing children from prisons

Members of Yemen's Child Parliament are concerned about illegal practices against juveniles in prisons following field visits to a number of detention centres in Sana'a, the capital

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70752

YEMEN: Specialists fight new locust swarms

Field teams combating swarms of migratory locusts that descended upon 2,700 hectares of farmland in western Yemen say they have the situation under control

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70755

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