Yemen minister escapes car bombing

Yemen's defence minister has escaped unscathed after a suicide attacker driving an explosives-laden car blew himself up next to his convoy. Witnesses said the bomber detonated his vehicle as defence minister Mohammed Nasser Ahmed's convoy passed along the coastal highway in the southern city of Aden. The ministry confirmed that Mr Ahmed survived the attack unharmed. A security official said at least 10 people were injured in the blast. It was not clear whether senior military officials were among the wounded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Yemen's military has been battling al Qaida-linked militants in southern Yemen who have taken advantage of the country's ongoing political turmoil to seize control of towns and swathes of territory in the south.