Iraq opens border

Iraq reopened its border yesterday to thousands of travellers, trucks and oil tankers after a six-day closure of its main lifeline to the world. Jordanian officials at the border post of Karama, within sight of the Iraqi checkpoint, said it began letting through travellers after midnight on Monday, Reuter reports from Amman.

Iraq shut its only officially open border without warning last week to allow it to withdraw from circulation European-printed, pre- Gulf war dinar notes that had been depressing the price of the new, locally printed currency. The move cut off a thriving market for pre- war dinars and helped the new currency rise on the black market.