World

Yemen on the Brink As Terrorist Threat Shuts Embassies

BY ARYN BAKER

On Aug. 6, Jane Marriott, the U.K.’s ambassador to Yemen, marked dawn with a tweet: “It’s a beautiful morning in this wonderful country called Yemen. Here’s hoping for a peaceful Ramadan and Eid.” Hours later, she and other personnel evacuated the British embassy–the U.S. consulate closed, but essential staffers remain–amid threats that an al-Qaeda attack was imminent.

The U.S. State Department justified its move by citing “an abundance of caution.” But intelligence showed the warnings came from an intercepted conversation between al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Pakistan and Nasser al-Wuhayshi, head of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the group’s Yemeni arm. (Some reports suggested al-Zawahiri had held a conference call with heads of several al-Qaeda affiliate groups.) The evacuations could indicate that U.S. drone strikes intended to weaken AQAP have only emboldened the group. And plainly, Yemen’s postrevolutionary government has been unable to impose the rule of law in much of the country.

It’s not yet clear whether the plot to attack two southern ports and oil and gas facilities, which Yemeni authorities said on Aug. 7 was thwarted, was the full plan. But driving foreigners out brings Yemen a step closer to becoming a failed state, a crucial ingredient for a rejuvenated al-Qaeda. That may have been the point all along.

Baker is TIME’s Middle East bureau chief

IRAN

‘Transparency is the key to open a new chapter in mutual trust.’

HASSAN ROUHANI, Iranian President, in his inaugural address, on improving relations with other countries; the White House said Rouhani will find a “willing partner” in the U.S. if he eases concerns over Iran’s nuclear program

POLL

DO YOU BELIEVE THERE WILL BE LASTING PEACE WITH ISRAEL?

Gallup posed that question to roughly 1,000 Palestinian adults ahead of the most recent discussions about peace talks in Washington. Here’s what they said this time vs. in years past:

YES 17%

NO 74%

2013

YES 20%

NO 71%

2012

YES 21%

NO 68%

2011

Predictor

Countries That Could Legalize Pot

Uruguay just became the world’s first nation to legalize marijuana, allowing the government to control its cultivation, trade and sale–surely soon to be a cash cow. Here’s where else that movement is gaining momentum:

COLOMBIA

President Juan Manuel Santos called drugs “a matter of national security” because of cartels and trafficking, and he supports a new approach–like legalization. In July 2012, the high court ruled that small-time possession wasn’t a jail-worthy crime.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Minor possession was decriminalized in 2010, and in February, President Vaclav Klaus signed a law that legalized medical use but restricted local growth to registered firms.

ARGENTINA

The Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that punishing people for private marijuana use was unconstitutional, as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has not weighed in on whether the drug’s production and sale should be legalized.

MEXICO

Marijuana users can already possess up to 5 grams legally, and former Presidents Ernesto Zedillo and Vicente Fox have pushed for decriminalization to curb cartel violence. President Enrique Peña Nieto opposes that legislation but is open to debate.

Innocent–in Their Eyes

ITALY

Supporters of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi carry masks of his likeness in Rome on Aug. 4 to protest the verdict in his recent trial. For the first time in decades of criminal prosecutions related to his media empire, Berlusconi, 76, was convicted; he was sentenced by Italy’s highest court to four years in prison on charges of tax fraud. The judge declared the verdict “irrevocable.” Berlusconi maintains his innocence.

Four Major Challenges Facing

Zimbabwe’s New Government

Robert Mugabe recently won his seventh five-year term as President of Zimbabwe, besting opponent Morgan Tsvangirai amid claims of fraudulent results. Here’s what his new government–and the people of Zimbabwe–are up against:

Political division

Tsvangirai vowed not to cooperate with the new government, and reports suggest members of his party have been assaulted by Mugabe supporters

Corruption

After five years of a unity government, Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party will now have unrestricted access to the country’s resources, which could lead to more shady dealings

Human rights

Zimbabwe already has a spotty record for violence in its diamond fields; now it’s starting to crack down on NGOs and human-rights groups

Fragile economy

Mugabe’s “indigenization” program requires foreign companies to be half-owned by Zimbabweans, which could scare off international investors

SPAIN

$66

Proposed fee for people crossing to and from Gibraltar, a British territory; proceeds would aid Spanish fishers affected by the construction of Gibraltar’s artificial reef

Trending In

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TV

In the U.K., 6.9 million viewers tuned in to BBC One to see actor Peter Capaldi unveiled as the 12th Doctor Who

CRIME

A suspected ivory-smuggling kingpin was arrested in Togo after officials found 1,543 lb. (700 kg) of ivory at his shop

MUSIC

The Bloodhound Gang, a U.S. band, was deported from Russia after a video surfaced of one member stuffing the country’s flag down his pants and snipping, “Don’t tell Putin”

FOOD

China and Russia banned milk-powder imports from New Zealand after some shipments contained bacteria that cause botulism

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