Israel opens at truck blocking a road in West Bank

HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel, under international pressure to ease restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, on Thursday opened to commercial traffic on a road blockade on the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army said that the control point between the city of Hebron and a commercial crossing into Israel would be open for trucks for six hours a day. The cars are still banned.

Residents explained that the measure reduces the travel time between Hebron and Tarqumiya crossing within 20 minutes, compared with the previous 45 minutes.

U.S. and a Middle East envoy Tony Blair has pressed Israel to remove some checkpoints, roadblocks and other barriers to movement of Palestinians in the West Bank.

The Palestinians say the network of hundreds of Israeli blockades of roads amounts to collective punishment, stifles its economy and undermined support for the peace talks with U.S. backing.

Israel says the barrier is needed to prevent suicide bombers from reaching bomb their cities.

Shatrat Ashraf, a seller of cooking gas for 33 years, said that a detour around the control point meant a journey of one hour at their workplace.

“Now I took two minutes and I’m happy because I do not have to suffer too driving,” he said.

The easing of restrictions at checkpoint occurred one day after the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met in Jerusalem to continue the peace talks sponsored by the United States.

Washington wants both sides to reach an agreement before President George W. Bush leaves office in January.

Tyra Banks poses for first lady

The model and host Tyra Banks made an amusing photo essay for Harper’s Bazaar magazine, which poses as Michelle Obama, wife of presidential candidate Barack Obama United States.The trial was for the September edition of the publication, and the idea started from the very presenter, who acknowledged their support for Barack for president of his country.

Federation Suspends U.S. White to two years after the U.S. Open Cup

The American Federation of Football (U.S. Soccer Federation) suspended the Chicago Fire’s Mexican striker, Cuauhtemoc Blanco for two years to participate in the powers of the U.S. Open Cup, for assaulting an officer of DC United.

On July 8, the World Cup in France 98 and Korea-Japan 2002 received a red card to react violently after a strong entry that received by the zaguero Marc Burch, in his team’s defeat Face DC United 2-1 in extra time, within the contest Copera.

After being expelled, Blanco resisted leaving the stadium and allegedly struck his head with an operations officer of the rival team.

According to the Washington Post, the federation disciplinary committee of the U.S. saw a recording done from the field and took that decision.

The rotary indicated that Major League Soccer in the United States (MLS, for its acronym in English) had not been ruled on the matter, pending a determination of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

That meeting was governed by the U.S. Open Cup, where the MLS is not interference, however, White, being a league that employees can receive a punishment for his attitude to be a representative club Chicago Fire.

Prison for man to sexually exploit immigrant

One of two illegal immigrants who were accused of bringing a teenager from Mexico to South Carolina and forcing them into prostitution was sentenced Friday to more than 14 years’ imprisonment.

Jesus Perez Laguna must also pay 52,500 U.S. dollars as compensation, according to the judgement issued at a hearing in a federal court in Columbia, reported the Department of Justice.

The federal district judge Joseph F. Anderson also ordered that child Perez Laguna outside deported after his release, and never be allowed to return to the United States.

Perez Laguna and a coacusado, Ciro Bustos Rosales, aged 36, was declared in September guilty of transporting the 14-year-old teenager from Mexico to the United States, to operate as a prostitute.

In April, Bustos Rosales was sentenced to nearly six years in prison and ordered to pay compensation. Authorities still looking for a third defendant, Guadeloupe Reyes Rivera.

In June 2006, the defendants made arrangements so that the teenager was introduced to the country, with the promise of giving work in a restaurant. The couple was taken to Charlotte, North Carolina, at various locations in South Carolina and then to Columbia, where he was forced “to perform acts of prostitution and deliver profits” earned, according to a statement under oath Craig Hannah, special agent in the office of Immigration and Customs (ICE).