Car explosion kills 2 in south Yemen city

SAN'A, Yemen (AP) — A Yemeni security official says a car has exploded at a market in a southern city, killing two people and wounding 22.

The official says the cause of Thursday's blast in the city of al-Dhali is unclear. He says the car that blew up belonged to a merchant selling qat, a plant with a mild stimulant widely consumed by Yemeni men.

The official says the market is next to the city's police station. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the media.

Yemen's weak central government is struggling with a growing al-Qaida threat, as well as other crises. The country is also wrestling with a Shiite rebellion, a southern separatist movement and rampant poverty.