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.

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday strongly condemned the weekend bombings in Turkey and India and presented his condolences to families of the victims.

Istanbul was hit by a pair of bomb attacks on Sunday, killing at least 16 civilians and injuring more than 100.

Ban said in a statement he "deeply regrets the loss of life and conveys his sympathies to the families of the victims and the wounded."

Wellington  - The future of New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters was under a cloud on Saturday as a millionaire who donated cash to his party accused him of "blatant lying."

Wealthy property developer Sir Robert Jones insisted that Peters asked him for a donation to his nationalist New Zealand First party before the last election in 2005 and said he was asked to make out his cheque for 25,000 New Zealand dollars (about 18,500 US dollars) to a trust administered by Peters' brother.

Bogota  - A Colombian political leader from President Alvaro Uribe's ruling coalition was arrested Friday for alleged illegal contact with right-wing paramilitaries.

Senator Carlos Garcia, who leads the National Unity Party, was taken into custody by police in the northern city of Santa Marta on a warrant from the supreme court in Bogota.

"I am completely innocent," he told reporters.

Three former members of the since disbanded United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC) said Garcia met with AUC leaders in 2001.

Kampala - Two of three officials of Uganda's influential Buganda kingdom arrested late last week were charged with treason and terrorism Friday in a magistrate's court in the capital Kampala.

Bugandan Deputy Information Minister Medard Lubega faced the treason and terrorism charges while the head of the monarchy's civic education committee, Mrs Betty Namboze Bakireke was charged with treason. They both were released on bail.