(1) Khat is a leaf with narcotic qualities.

(2) Teenagers under the influence of the locally produced khat narcotic plant were said to be responsible for much of the artillery fire.

(3) Traditionally, khat is written using qalam - a pen made of reed - ijuk and bamboo.

(4) Khat ( Catha edulis ) is a large, thornless, flowering evergreen shrub , having manyarticulate branches.

(5) Nevertheless, many have managed to reach Yemen. The IOM says there are about 70,000 Ethiopian migrants who live in Yemen doing domestic work or employed on Khat plantations.

(6) Starting out, he adds, is easy enough but becoming good in khat takes practice and a lifetime of discipline and dedication.

(7) His teeth were chipped and some were missing; the remaining ones were stained a nasty red with the khat , but still he grinned at me, proudly displaying them.

(8) In meetings with government officials to thrash out problems, participants typically chew khat, a mildly narcotic plant that is widely consumed in Yemen but banned in many places around the world.