More China food fears
There are growing concerns about China's dairy products after food inspectors in Hong Kong discovered eggs imported from north-east China were contaminated. The eggs contained high levels of melamine, the toxic industrial additive.

The findings suggest there might be a wider range of Chinese foodstuffs contaminated by melamine than was previously thought. Melamine in contaminated formula milk is being blamed for the deaths of four children in China and for making a further 50,000 children ill. The Chinese government has accused producers of purposely adulterating dairy products with melamine to save money, by adding the chemical, which can make the product appear to contain more protein.

 

Maldives set for run-off votes
The Maldives will hold a run off election tomorrow as its first-ever democratic presidential election goes to a second round. In the first round of voting, the president Abdul Gayoom, who has ruled the country for 30 years, received 41 per cent of the vote while former political prisoner Mohamed Nasheed took 25 per cent. Campaigns for political reforms by Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party helped to bring about the election. A spokesman for Gayoom says they need 10,000 more votes to win. The elections mark the first time Gayoom has allowed any competition.

Uganda police bus patrol
Ugandan police are to be planted on buses in an effort to cut the rising number of fatal road accidents in the country. The new strategy, which was agreed at a meeting of police and bus owners, is aimed at ensuring buses are roadworthy and arose because of concerns over passenger safety. There will be hotlines for the public to report traffic offenders as well as severe punishment.  The police blame poor roads, reckless driving and faulty cars for the rise in accidents.

Congo rebel attack
UN officials say thousands of people have fled east Congo after rebels attacked the headquarters of a refuge and an army base. Rebels and civilians were killed, but the death toll is unknown. It is the second time rebels have attacked the base since August, when rebel leader Gen. Laurent Nkunda accused government troops of breaching a January ceasefire. Around 15,000 civilians escaped the fighting yesterday, according to the UN, joining at least 1.2 million displaced in previous clashes.

Ethiopia talks of Somalia pullout
Ethiopian troops in Somalia will begin a gradual pullout from the country following a ceasefire deal between the transitional government and an Islamist opposition group. Under the deal Ethiopian troops will quit the capital, Mogadishu, and the key town of Beledweyne by November 21 leaving troops supplied by the African Union in control. The deal also says their forces should withdraw completely within 120 days but does not state a timeline. The Ethiopian troops replaced an Islamist government with a UN-backed transitional government after they entered Somalia in 2006. Fighting between pro- government forces and Islamic groups has forced one million people from their homes. The deal was signed by the government and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) in Djibouti. The dominant opposition group, al-shabaab, did not take part in the deal.