Conflict in Yemen

Conflict in Yemen
Reuters

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The government faces steep obstacles in its battle against the rebels. Poverty is endemic in Yemen, its oil revenue is dwindling, and water is in short supply, with much of it devoted to the cultivation of khat, a shrub whose leaves contain a compound with effects similar to those found in amphetamines. Dr. Adel al-Shojaa, a local political-science professor, outlines his country's problem thusly: "You sit up discussing your problems and think you've solved everything, but in fact, you haven't done anything in the last four hours, because you've just been chewing khat."

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