UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg arrives for a meeting with local officials in Yemen's third city of Taez on November 8, 2021. AFP
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg arrives for a meeting with local officials in Yemen's third city of Taez on November 8, 2021. AFP
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg arrives for a meeting with local officials in Yemen's third city of Taez on November 8, 2021. AFP
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg arrives for a meeting with local officials in Yemen's third city of Taez on November 8, 2021. AFP

Yemen: 2021 ending on tragic note for civilians, says UN


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

The final days of the year will end on a tragic note for Yemeni civilians, the UN envoy to the country, Hans Grundberg, said on Wednesday.

Yemen has been mired in war since Iran-backed Houthi rebels ousted the internationally recognised government from the capital Sanaa in 2014.

“2021 is ending on a tragic note for Yemenis, millions of whom are struggling with poverty, hunger and severe restrictions on their freedom of movement,” Mr Grundberg said.

The UN official called for Sanaa airport to be opened and for the removal of obstacles hindering Yemenis’ ability to move within or between governorates in Yemen.

Since 2014, the airport has been controlled by the Houthis. They said the airport had been put out of operation after air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition.

Since the fighting began in 2015, the airport has been closed to civilian flights, although UN planes have been permitted to land there.

On Monday, the rebels said they allowed the resumption of UN flights to Sanaa airport "after malfunctions in communications and navigational devices were temporarily fixed", the agency report said.

They also urged the UN to help facilitate the delivery of air traffic control equipment from Djibouti.

Mr Grundberg "denounced the recent major military escalation in Yemen and called on the warring parties to immediately de-escalate".

“The escalation in recent weeks is among the worst we have seen in Yemen for years and the threat to civilian lives is increasing," he said.

An airport worker in a building destroyed by a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition targeting Sanaa airport on December 21, 2021. AFP
An airport worker in a building destroyed by a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition targeting Sanaa airport on December 21, 2021. AFP

The continued offensive on Marib and missile attacks on the governorate are "resulting in civilian casualties, damage to civilian objects and mass displacement”, Mr Grundberg said.

The battle for Marib began in February and has intensified in recent weeks, with Houthi gains across the gas and oil-producing region, and increased air strikes by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to deter them.

The UN envoy expressed his concern about "sustained attacks against Saudi Arabia, which also resulted in civilian casualties and damaged civilian infrastructure".

In recent weeks, attacks against the kingdom by the rebels have increased. On Saturday, an attack on the Saudi border town of Jizan killed two civilians and injured seven.

The war in Yemen has created what the UN called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

More than half of Yemen’s population of 16.2 million people faces acute hunger, with 2.3 million children at risk of malnutrition, the UN food agency estimates.

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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AWARDS
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Abandon
Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay
Translated by Arunava Sinha
Tilted Axis Press 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results

2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m

Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m

Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m

Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m

Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.

4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.

Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.

54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m

Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.

Ain Issa camp:
  • Established in 2016
  • Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
  • Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
  • Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
  • 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
  • NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
  • One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Profile Idealz

Company: Idealz

Founded: January 2018

Based: Dubai

Sector: E-commerce

Size: (employees): 22

Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)

Florence and the Machine – High as Hope
Three stars

RESULT

Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')

Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW

Stoke City v Tottenham

Brentford v Newcastle United

Arsenal v Manchester City

Everton v Manchester United

All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.

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SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free

Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets

Sri Lanka's T20I squad

Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.

MATCH INFO

Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')

Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)

Updated: December 29, 2021, 9:27 AM`