Plot within Ethiopian ruling party alleged

The Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, says he's thwarted an attempt to cause political upheaval by a dissident group in the dominant Tigre People's Liberation Front.

Mr Meles said the party had cleared up the mess and embarked on the right track.

Correspondents say left-wingers in the TPLF have objected to what they see as a cave-in by Mr Meles to Eritrea in their border dispute, as well as bowing to demands by the IMF and World Bank for an economic austerity programme in Ethiopia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service