White House closes embassies 'out of caution'

Intercepted conversations between two senior al-Qaeda figures prompted the US to shut embassies in North Africa and the Middle East, American media report.

The talk, involving top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, represented one of the most serious plots against American and Western interests since the 9/11 attacks, the New York Times says.

White House spokesman Jay Carney earlier said the closures were "out of an abundance of caution".