JERUSALEM -- An Israeli soldier and two Hamas militants died Wednesday during an exchange of gunfire in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.The deaths occurred during a routine operation against the terrorist organization during which two Israeli soldiers were wounded, Haaretz reported.No injuries were reported after four mortar shells struck Kibbutz Ein Hasholsha in the western Negev near the Gaza border Wednesday, Haaretz said.Israeli soldiers Tuesday killed three Palestinian militants in northern Gaza and found ... [full story]

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Nostalgic images of Sen. Hillary Clinton's childhood visits to her grandfather in Scranton, Pa., are captured in a new ad, her media team said.The 30-second spot is one of five the campaign began running in the state Tuesday, The New York Times reported. Pennsylvania, which holds its Democratic primary April 22, is a critical state in the New York senator's bid to become the Democratic presidential nominee.The other four television ads include ... [full story]

HARARE , Zimbabwe -- South African leader Jacob Zuma said Zimbabwe election officials should have announced presidential election results by now.Zuma, who heads the African National Congress, said the international attention on the Zimbabwe elections should encourage the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to publicize the results. South African President Thabo Mbeki called the situation "manageable," the BBC said Wednesday.Zimbabwean police Tuesday arrested several election officials for allegedly under-counting votes cast for incumbent President Robert Mugabe as ... [full story]

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Taliban militants in Afghanistan reportedly killed at least 18 guards protecting a road construction crew in an ambush near the border with Pakistan.The insurgents attacked the group in Zabul province, The New York Times reported, quoting Afghan officials. Another seven guards were injured in the Tuesday attack, one of the worst in recent months, the report said.The workers were ambushed as they were surveying a new road leading to the hilly regions ... [full story]

SILVERTON, Ore. -- A school bus driver and one teenage passenger received minor injuries Monday afternoon when the bus lost control and flipped onto its side on Highway 213 north of Silverton. The bus was transporting four students from the Livingstone Adventists Academy in Salem.   The driver and one student received minor injuries in the crash - OSP photo According to Oregon State Police (OSP) Sgt. Dale Young, on April 7 about 4:20 p.m. the bus, ... [full story]

GRESHAM, Ore. -- Police are seeking the public's help in locating a woman who, angry with the Department of Human Services over losing her parental rights, allegedly tried to burn the agency's building down in Gresham two years ago.   Marlene Chenette - GPD photo In November 2005, Gresham Police officers were dispatched to what appeared to be a broken window at the Gresham DHS building at 335 NW Division. Since it did not appear that anyone ... [full story]

OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to expand its power in recalling unsafe products.The bill described to the Globe and Mail newspaper by party sources before its introduction in Ottawa include updates to the Food and Drugs Act, and the creation of a Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act.The legislation would give the government authority to issue mandatory product recalls and fine companies up to $1 million for selling ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- Time has come for the United States to shift political, economic and military responsibility to Iraq, the chair of a Senate panel said Tuesday.Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., opened the Senate Armed Forces Committee during which U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker offered their assessments on security, political, diplomatic and economic fronts. Petraeus recommended beginning an assessment and evaluation of further reductions in U.S. troop presence after the ... [full story]

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state politics got ugly following the death of a plan to impose a traffic toll in Manhattan, with officials exchanging barbs, legislators observed.New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's poll proposal was part of a "green" New York initiative to improve public transportation in Manhattan and decrease congestion.The proposal died Monday when State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the bill lacked support to pass without amendments.Bloomberg, apparently too upset to appear ... [full story]

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland -- Air Canada is investigating why a dead man's trip to Newfoundland was delayed for 12 hours in Montreal to make way for cargo.Judy Hamilton of Springdale, Newfoundland, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., she got a call from the local funeral director saying her brother-in-law's casket had been bumped from a connecting flight from Montreal to Deer Lake, about 90 miles from her family's home."He said he got bumped in Montreal, and ... [full story]