EGYPT: An explosion in Cairo's historic centre yesterday was caused by a male pedestrian throwing a bomb into a popular tourist area, the city's security director said.
Officials say the explosion killed up to four people, among them a US citizen and a French citizen, and wounded 18 others.
The wounded - four French, three Americans, an Italian, a Turk and nine Egyptians - were taken to hospital, the interior ministry said in a statement. No mention was made of the cause of the blast and there was no immediate indication of what the motive for it was.
"There was a big explosion and everybody started running away," said witness Rabab Rifaat.
Another witness, who asked not to be named, said he went to the scene and saw at least five foreign nationals badly wounded and a large amount of smoke.
Police sealed off the road, which was covered with shattered glass after the blast, and shops were closed.
The bombing was the latest in a series of attacks on tourists in Egypt, which thousands of foreign nationals visit each year to see its ancient treasures and pyramids.
An Egyptian man stabbed and wounded two Hungarian tourists in central Cairo last month in what police said was revenge for Western policies towards Iraqis and Palestinians.