Quito  - Ecuador has formally notified the United States that it must vacate a base used to combat drug trafficking when the lease expires next year, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

Ecuadorian officials informed the US embassy of the plans, which have long been a pledge by President Rafael Correa despite objections from surrounding residents financially reliant on the Manta base.

The US and Ecuador signed a 10-year agreement in November 1999, which expires in August 2009, to establish the base in Manta for counter-narcotics operations. About

Washington  - Karl Rove, a top former White House aide, was held in contempt Wednesday by a congressional committee for failing to appear before legislators earlier this month.

The Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives voted 20- 14 along party lines for the measure after Rove did not attend a committee hearing July 10. The contempt charge would still have to be approved by the House.

Mr Rove has left us no option," said House representative John Conyers, who chairs the committee.

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.