Washington  - US President George W Bush Wednesday renewed his call for the lifting of a federal ban on oil drilling off the US coast and placed the blame for high petrol prices squarely at the feet of the Democratic-controlled Congress.

Bush acknowledged the economic struggles plaguing the US population and said lifting the offshore drilling ban would help lower surging petrol prices.

Cairo  - A delegation of the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas arrived in Cairo Tuesday to discuss with Egyptian officials a truce and prisoner exchange deal with Israel.

The delegation, headed by Mussa Abu Marzouq, deputy of the Damascus-based political wing of the movement, was to discuss ways to strengthen the fragile truce between Israel and Palestinians.

Washington  - Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the US Senate, was indicted for failing to disclose corporate gifts worth more than 250,000 dollars, the US Justice Department announced Tuesday.

The 84-year-old Alaskan senator had his home raided earlier this year as part of a wide-reaching corruption probe that has already led to charges against a number of other Alaska state legislators and businessmen.

Washington  - One-time presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is offering one lucky donor a chance to dine with the former first lady herself in an effort to retire her campaign debt.

Clinton sent a mass-mailing to supporters Tuesday offering what her staff has dubbed the "retirement dinner" with a supporter that donates 5 dollars or more to help her pay back some 20 million dollars in outstanding bills.

Nairobi  - People in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo province of North Kivu are still being subjected to violence, rape and being forced from their homes despite a peace pact signed at the end of January, a group of aid agencies said Tuesday.

At least 150,000 people have been forced during the intervening months to flee their home areas either to escape government forces or those of rebels, the group of 64 agencies said.

Washington  - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with her Chinese counterpart, Jiechi Yang, on Monday ahead of next month's Olympics in Beijing.

The two diplomats were expected to discuss President George W Bush's attendance of the Opening Ceremonies on August 8 and a host of bilateral issues.

Bush decided to participate in the event despite calls from human rights groups for a boycott because of China's crackdown against Tibetan monks earlier this year.