INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. (MCT) – Yanks with youthful indiscretions, beware: That faded… INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. (MCT) – Yanks with youthful indiscretions, beware: That faded citation for driving drunk or smoking pot might not keep you from becoming president of the United States, but with post-Sept. 11 border security, it might keep you from visiting Canada.

Americans have traditionally crossed into Canada with just a few friendly questions and a wave. But stricter anti-terrorism measures and Canada’s already tougher stance on crimes such as drunken driving have resulted in many average Americans getting the cold shoulder at the border.

Drunken driving, a felony in Canada, has long been on the list of crimes that can “deem” a foreigner “inadmissible.” But in the past, experts say, border agents were less likely to find out about a foreigner’s drunk-driving record, either because they didn’t ask or because they didn’t have extensive criminal history databases to check.

That’s changing, according to Lucy Perillo, president of Canada Border Crossing Services, a Winnipeg-based company that helps foreigners – most of them American – run the gauntlet of paperwork required to get permission to enter Canada with even a minor criminal record.

“The number being denied [entry] is increasing, and it’s directly related to more questions being asked,” Perillo said. “If you have a DUI or you wrote some bad checks or shoplifted or smoked some pot, you’re probably going to need a [special] permit to come into Canada.”

Despite the heightened scrutiny, the Canadian government denies that it is refusing entry to more Americans.

“We haven’t seen an increase in individuals found inadmissible,” Derek Mellon, a spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency, said, though he added that he was unable on short notice to provide statistics supporting his statement.

“The requirements to enter the country have not changed,” Mellon said. “We continue to welcome millions of American travelers every year to our country.” – Larry Oakes, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

WASHINGTON (MCT) – With an eight-day tour of the Middle East starting this week, President Bush hopes to spur negotiations among Israeli and Palestinian leaders vowing to make peace and lay the groundwork for two independent states by year’s end.

Yet analysts say the president will arrive in the region with too little to promise and too late in the game during this – his first visit to Israel as president – to offer any real hope of securing a lasting peace.

Bush, also touring several Arab nations, will address more than the role they can play in encouraging reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. He also will explain his vision for democracy in Iraq and his concern about the potential security threat posed by Iran.

The president’s departure Tuesday also marks the start of a globe-trotting year for a leader who has ventured abroad relatively little, as he attempts to secure a legacy in world affairs.

Bush will travel to Africa this year to tout the U.S. commitment to combating AIDS and malaria, seeking a doubling of U.S. aid during the next five years. He will travel to China for the summer Olympics and to Japan for an annual summit of Pacific Rim nations, and he most likely will make other as of yet unannounced stops.

Yet observers suggest that he will not be able to lay claim to any new legacy in one final tour de force of international diplomacy.

But the Bush administration maintains that the willingness of some Arab nations to cooperate -as evidenced by the participation of several in that Annapolis conference in November – offers reason to pursue these negotiations in earnest this year. – Mark Silva, Chicago Tribune

NAIROBI, Kenya (MCT) – In a sign that Kenya’s political crisis might be easing, opposition leader Raila Odinga canceled nationwide demonstrations Monday, saying he wanted to give internationally backed diplomatic efforts a chance to work.

Odinga’s announcement came after he met with U.S. envoy Jendayi Frazer, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs.

Frazer, who was expected to brief reporters later in the day, flew to Kenya after international observers cast serious doubt on the outcome of last month’s presidential election, in which incumbent Mwai Kibaki claimed victory over Odinga.

The election sparked violence nationwide, most of it directed at Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe, shocking a country that was thought to be one of the most stable in Africa. New government figures released Monday estimated the death toll at nearly 500 in more than a week of clashes.

Odinga’s concession paved the way for the arrival of Ghanaian President John Kufuor, the chairman of the African Union, who was expected in Nairobi as early as Tuesday to begin mediations between Odinga and Kibaki.

“We want the mediation to take place in a peaceful environment. That is why the rallies have been canceled,” Odinga said at a news conference in Nairobi, the capital.

Rallies scheduled for Tuesday had been expected to draw thousands of opposition supporters, but Kibaki’s government had said it would deploy soldiers and riot police to prevent the gathering.

Riot police blocked a large protest Thursday in Nairobi, firing water cannons and tear gas at protesters. – Shashank Bengali, McClatchy Newspapers