Yehya Hayba and his children, who fled fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition, live at the Al Sumya camp for internally displaced people near Marib city, Yemen. AFP
Yehya Hayba and his children, who fled fighting between Houthi rebels and government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition, live at the Al Sumya camp for internally displaced people near Marib city, Yemen. AFP
Children at Al Sumya camp. About 60 families were sheltering at the centre until this month, when an estimated 1,200 fleeing households arrived, the International Organisation for Migration says. AFP
Children at Al Sumya camp. About 60 families were sheltering at the centre until this month, when an estimated 1,200 fleeing households arrived, the International Organisation for Migration says. AFP
The UN children's agency says it is supporting more than 7,500 people in the camp by providing clean water, hygiene kits and portable toilets. AFP
The UN children's agency says it is supporting more than 7,500 people in the camp by providing clean water, hygiene kits and portable toilets. AFP
Yehya Hayba and his children, who fled fighting between Huthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government forces, stay at the al-Sumya camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) east of Marib city, the last remaining government stronghold in northern Yemen, on November 24, 2021. - Al-Sumya, with its clusters of makeshift tents, has witnessed an influx of displaced people, with hundreds arriving in a month, according to the International Organization for Migration. The camp, with scant resources, bears testament to a conflict that has forced millions from their homes, creating what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. (Photo by AFP)
Yehya Hayba and his children, who fled fighting between Huthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government forces, stay at the al-Sumya camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) east of Marib city, the last remaining government stronghold in northern Yemen, on November 24, 2021. - Al-Sumya, with its clusters of makeshift tents, has witnessed an influx of displaced people, with hundreds arriving in a month, according to the International Organization for Migration. The camp, with scant resources, bears testament to a conflict that has forced millions from their homes, creating what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. (Photo by AFP)
Concerns for children living in Al Sumya camp are growing as temperatures drop during the winter. AFP
Concerns for children living in Al Sumya camp are growing as temperatures drop during the winter. AFP
There are about 139 camps for the displaced in Marib province, Yemeni authorities say. AFP
There are about 139 camps for the displaced in Marib province, Yemeni authorities say. AFP

Gulf

Yemen's fleeing families face harsh desert winter

More than 45,000 people have been displaced by the fierce fighting in Marib as cold weather sets in

AFP

November 29, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Forced to flee fighting in Yemen's brutal war, Yehya Hayba and his family find themselves crammed into a desert tent with dozens of others, fearing the onset of winter.

Mr Hayba, his wife and their seven children escaped to the Al Sumya camp east of Marib city, the government's last northern stronghold, after clashes escalated nearby.

The family, displaced for the second time in the seven-year civil war, have nothing but two blankets to keep them warm during the cold nights.

"It is part of the Empty Quarter desert. There are no humanitarian services, no schools, no hospitals or any other services," Mr Hayba, 39, said.

Al Sumya, with its clusters of makeshift tents, has recorded an influx of displaced people, with hundreds arriving in a month, said the International Organisation for Migration.

The camp, with scant resources, bears testament to a conflict that has forced millions from their homes, creating what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"We have been displaced two or three times now," said Ali Abdullah, another of the camp's residents. "We have not received blankets or mattresses, and the cold is going to kill us."

The Hayba family share a tent with six other families, with only two bales of straw for around 35 people to sleep on.

"We suffer from a lot of problems here," he said. "We can't put up a curtain for privacy, and we don't even have the capability to set up a proper bathroom... Every three or four children share one blanket."

'They have nothing'

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels began a big push to seize the strategic city of Marib in February and, after a lull in fighting, they renewed their campaign in September.

Despite aerial bombardment from the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, the Houthis claim to be tightening their grip around Marib, with fighting raging to the north, west and south of the city.

IOM spokeswoman Angela Wells said about 60 families were sheltering at Al Sumya until this month, when an estimated 1,200 fleeing households arrived.

She said the IOM had started to offer services at the camp, including emergency relief items, trucking in water and building latrines and water tanks.

But concerns are growing as winter advances.

Yemeni army reinforcements arrive to join fighters loyal to Yemen's Saudi Arabia-backed government, on the southern front of Marib. AFP
Yemeni army reinforcements arrive to join fighters loyal to Yemen's Saudi Arabia-backed government, on the southern front of Marib. AFP
Outside Marib, a government stronghold in northern Yemen, joint forces have made advances in the provinces of Taez. AFP
Outside Marib, a government stronghold in northern Yemen, joint forces have made advances in the provinces of Taez. AFP
A Yemeni pro-government fighter is pictured during fighting with Houthi rebels. AFP
A Yemeni pro-government fighter is pictured during fighting with Houthi rebels. AFP
Yemeni pro-government forces. AFP
Yemeni pro-government forces. AFP
Hundreds of Houthi fighters have been killed as fierce fighting continues for a second week near Yemen's west coast. AFP
Hundreds of Houthi fighters have been killed as fierce fighting continues for a second week near Yemen's west coast. AFP
Coalition forces continued the progress and took control of areas in the provinces of Ibb and Taez. AFP
Coalition forces continued the progress and took control of areas in the provinces of Ibb and Taez. AFP
Marib, a region that hosts more than two million internally displaced people, was until recently the main focal point of the war. But focus has now moved to the west, where about 200 Houthi fighters were killed in a second week of confrontations in Hays, Al Jarahi, Maqbanah and Jabal Ras. AFP
Marib, a region that hosts more than two million internally displaced people, was until recently the main focal point of the war. But focus has now moved to the west, where about 200 Houthi fighters were killed in a second week of confrontations in Hays, Al Jarahi, Maqbanah and Jabal Ras. AFP
Saudi Arabia is backing the pro-government fighters. AFP
Saudi Arabia is backing the pro-government fighters. AFP
A Houthi fighter fires a weapon at a front line in the Al Jubah district of Yemen's Marib province. Reuters
A Houthi fighter fires a weapon at a front line in the Al Jubah district of Yemen's Marib province. Reuters
A Houthi fighter with an amputated right arm takes position, in a frame grab from video handed out by the Houthi media centre. Reuters
A Houthi fighter with an amputated right arm takes position, in a frame grab from video handed out by the Houthi media centre. Reuters
Houthi fighters in the Al Jubah district of Yemen's Marib province, in another frame grab from video handed out by the Houthi media centre. Reuters
Houthi fighters in the Al Jubah district of Yemen's Marib province, in another frame grab from video handed out by the Houthi media centre. Reuters

"With the winter months approaching, we worry that many do not have the clothing, blankets and other basic items they will need to stay safe and warm - especially those living in makeshift shelters that are not equipped to protect people from the elements," Ms Wells said.

Marib city had between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants before the war but its population ballooned to hundreds of thousands as Yemenis fled frontline cities for its relative stability.

But with about 139 camps for the displaced in the province, according to the government, hosting around 2.2 million people, many displaced civilians are in the line of fire once again.

More than 45,000 people have been displaced by the fierce fighting in Marib province in the past two months, the IOM has said.

On Sunday, the UN children's agency said it was supporting more than 7,500 people in the camp by providing clean water, hygiene kits and portable toilets.

Ali Al Habbash, supervisor of the Al Sumya camp, said people are still arriving.

"There was no other shelter, so we hosted them in this camp with other families, and they've crammed on top of each other," he said.

"Still, there is no proper shelter, no place to sleep, not enough blankets... they have nothing."

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers

Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.

It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.

The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.

Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.

Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.

He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.

AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”

A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.

Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.

Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.

Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.

By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.

Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.

In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”

Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.

She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.

Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.

BIO

Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.

Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.

Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.

Favourite colour: Black.

Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.

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The bio

His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell

His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard

Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece

Favourite movie - The Last Emperor

Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great

Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos

 

 

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Updated: November 29, 2021, 7:25 AM
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