Driven by desperation: Yemenis resort to dangerous energy alternatives

Taiz, Yemen — It was around 5am in the Yemeni city of Taiz last week, with the morning’s quiet interrupted only by the tweeting of birds and a few construction workers leaving home for work. Then, an explosion shattered the calm and neighbours rushed to extinguish a large fire in Najib Abdullah’s home.

The residents in the Beer Basha area of the city were rescued from the house,...