JERUSALEM -- Despite official bans on the practice, Israeli education officials say many teachers are asking Ethiopian immigrants to change their names to Jewish names.Many Ethiopian students say their teachers are persuading them to change their first names from things like Habtam, which means "wealth," to Hannah and another student from Natab to Sarah.Ethiopian heritage places great significance on first names and members of the community say they see the practice as an effort to ... [full story]

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela and Ecuador have sent troops to their borders with Colombia following the killing of a Colombian rebel leader, El Universal reported Monday. Officials in each country have also ordered the expulsion of Colombian diplomatsColombian leftist rebel leader Raul Reyes was killed by Colombian forces about a mile inside Ecuadorian territory over the weekend, prompting both Ecuadorian and Venezuela to say it was a violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. Colombian officials said it ... [full story]

BAGHDAD -- Gunfire and car bombs killed more than 20 people -- including an Iraqi security officer -- in separate incidents reported throughout Iraq.In Basra, an Iraqi security officer and three guards were killed Monday in their car when gunmen opened fire on the vehicle in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police told KUNA, the Kuwaiti news agency. In Baghdad, meanwhile, a car bomb exploded in the center of the city, killing 15 ... [full story]

JERUSALEM -- An Israeli citizen living in the West Bank Monday shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian during a violent demonstration, one of many ripping the region.About 200 Palestinians protesting the Israeli incursion into Gaza were throwing rocks at buses when the 30-year-old man, apparently out for a walk, passed by. Haaretz, citing police reports, said the man came under attack by protesters and fired warning shots before firing directly at one of the protesters. ... [full story]

OTTAWA -- Canada has lifted visa requirements for travelers from all but two of the European Union's 27 member countries, the immigration department announced.In a statement, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration said visitors from Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia no longer require a temporary resident visa to visit Canada, effective immediately.That leaves only Bulgaria and Romania as EU member states whose residents require visas, the statement said. The two countries entered the European bloc ... [full story]

CAIRO -- The United Nations says rural areas of Egypt still lack proper sanitation, representing a significant health hazard to people living there.A recent report by Water Aid ranks Egypt the 16th worst place in the world for sanitation, the U.N.'s Integrated Regional Information Network reported Monday.While nearly all Egyptians have access to piped water, the United Nations says only 58 percent of the people living in the deserts and agricultural areas have access to ... [full story]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- The Sri Lankan navy Monday reported finding a wooden trawler that had been adrift 12 days in the Bay of Bengal, with 71 survivors and 20 dead aboard. The people were identified as migrant workers from Bangladesh and Myanmar, formerly called Burma, according to a Sri Lankan government news release.The trawler was found drifting 150 miles off Sri Lanka's Mullaithivu, the report said. Starvation and dehydration were blamed for the deaths.Among ... [full story]

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- A roadside bombing in Afghanistan killed a Canadian soldier just days away from the end of his six-month tour of duty, military officials said.Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze, 25, was in an armored vehicle as part of a resupply mission for Afghan troops 30 miles west of the Canadian base at Kandahar airfield, Brig. Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters.Hayakaze was a member of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), based out of Edmonton, ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- The two Democratic U.S. presidential hopefuls ramped up their rhetoric Monday, the day before voters in delegate-rich Texas and Ohio go to primary polls.Rhode Island and Vermont also have primaries Tuesday.Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York tried to convince Ohio voters Sunday they can fix the economy, including renegotiating the North America Free Trade Agreement, which most Ohioans blame for manufacturing jobs losses, CNN reported.A "poll of polls" ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- More than a dozen federal inmates could be released within the next few days under new sentencing guidelines for crack-cocaine convictions, officials said.Federal judges can now sentence crack-cocaine defendants under new guidelines, CNN reported. The guidelines were revised to reduce the differences in terms meted out for crack convictions compared to people convicted on charges involving powder cocaine.In addition, about 1,600 federal inmates can ask a court to reduce their sentences because of ... [full story]