Six In The Morning

Chaos in Yemen Drives Economy to Edge of Ruin



By ROBERT F. WORTH and LAURA KASINOF  

 Even as Yemen’s political crisis deepens, the country is on the brink of an economic collapse so dire it could take years to recover, and hobble efforts to rebuild its fragmented society.

After four months of mass protests and political deadlock, Yemen – already the poorest Arab country, a place where many people have become accustomed to mere subsistence – has had its domestic oil supplies and electricity network largely cut off by hostile tribes. Gas lines now extend for miles in the capital, Sana, provoking fights and new protests; electricity is available for only a few hours a day.

Israel accused after Palestinian boys burned by mystery canister

Military experts say unidentified devices found in West Bank may have contained outlawed white phosphorus

Conal Urquhart in Buweib The Guardian, Friday 3 June 2011  

The Israeli army has been accused of leaving dangerous munitions near Palestinian homes after two boys were seriously burnt when they picked up a mysterious silver canister which exuded toxic white fumes.

A second canister, discovered nearby less than a week later, was destroyed by the army in a controlled explosion

The army does not deny leaving the devices, but would not identify them and suggested they were left over after training exercises.

Bahrain lobbies to retain Grand Prix as Formula One staff are held and abused



By Patrick Cockburn

Friday, 3 June 2011  

Formula One is expected to rule today on Bahrain’s attempt to stage a coveted Grand Prix this season despite police arresting and abusing one quarter of the local staff during a crackdown against pro-democracy protests.

Civil unrest meant that the race was postponed in February and Formula One organisers will meet in Barcelona to decide on the rescheduling of the event after a determined lobbying effort by the government to show that life is returning to normal in the island kingdom.

China says claims it hacked into Gmail accounts of US officials ‘unacceptable’

CLIFFORD COONAN in Beijing

CHINA CAME out with a stout denial of claims by web giant Google that it was behind an audacious assault on the personal Gmail accounts of hundreds of senior US government officials.

“Blaming these misdeeds on China is unacceptable. Hacking is an international problem and China is also a victim. The claims that China supports this kind of hacking are without any basis in fact, and there is another motive at work,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a scheduled news briefing.

Ivory Coast President’s forces accused of killings



By MARCO CHOWN OVED, Sapa-AP



Tires were then piled on top of his bloodied body, and he was drenched in gasoline and set alight.

A top international rights group said Thursday that the killing continues almost daily, almost two months after the arrest of Ivory Coast’s former strongman and after the legally recognized president took power last month.

Numerous witnesses in the Yopougon neighborhood told The Associated Press about last week’s bus-station lynching. Officials gave details that supported witnesses’ accounts.

Tahawwur Rana knew Major Iqbal from army days: Wife



Shalini ParekhShalini Parekh, TNN | Jun 3, 2011

CHICAGO: The mysterious Major Iqbal, whose name has cropped up most frequently in the Tahawwur Rana trial, was known to the Canadian-Pakistani doctor and his family long before Rana came into contact with David Headley, the man who recceed Mumbai for Lashkar-e-Taiba ahead of the 26/11 attacks.

This was revealed in an exclusive interview to TOI by Samraz Rana, the wife of the former Pakistani army doctor who migrated to Canada in 1997 and is being tried as a co-accused in the Mumbai terror plot.