US to reopen missions closed amid threat

The United States government will reopen on Sunday a number of diplomatic missions that were closed last week, US State Department has said. The US closed 21 of its embassies and consulates, mostly in North Africa and Middle East, indicating a possible security threat from the terrorist group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Two were reopened later. All of the remaining 19 missions are scheduled to open on Sunday except the one in Sana'a, Yemen, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Saturday. Psaki cited "ongoing concerns about a threat stream" from AQAP for keeping Sana'a embassy closed. Meanwhile, a consulate in Lahore, Pakistan that was closed on Thursday on account of a "separate credible threat" will also remain closed, she said.