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.

Anna Kournikova sexiest than ever

The girlfriend of Enrique Iglesias will be home from the new edition of U.S. magazine Maxim.
Anna Kournikova made this week a meeting of photos on the beach, where it appears sexier than ever.

Beckham and Blanco, keys to DT’s Stars

With players like David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the coach Steve Nicol’re excited about the opportunity to decide what will be his team’s attack Stars of the MLS, which face to face West Ham.

“All of these alternatives I think are very attractive,” said the coach of New England Revolution, on Monday in a conference call. “They are going to see a lot of quality. For me, this is fantastic.”

Nicols still discussing what will be the best way to exploit their dangerous alignment when the MLS All-Star was measured at the club in the English Premier League BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. This is the annual friendly match involving the U.S. stars of the league.

It will be the fifth time in six years that the MLS All-Star face a club abroad. Marchan unbeaten in four matches and have not allowed a goal in the last two years.
In 2006, overcame a 1-0 to Chelsea English and last year defeated 2-0 to Celtic in Scotland. Both Nicol as Donovan felt important that the table of stars keep alive their good run. “We want to show people what we are facts and this is the perfect way to achieve this,” said Nicol.

With just four zagueros on campus of 18 players, Donovan, gunner’s Los Angeles Galaxy, considered that it will not be easy to defend itself from West Ham.

“The guys understand that this is a great opportunity to show that we are good,” said Donovan. “If someone comes and thinks that this will be an easy match, we will let you know that is wrong.”
The West Ham was tenth in the Premier last year, rising five steps regarding their place in the immediately preceding campaign.

Beckham, fellow Donovan in the Galaxy, will make his first appearance with the Stars, like White, the wheel of the Chicago Fire.

The MLS team will also have the Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel, the New York Red Bulls, and Edson Buddle, gunner of the Galaxy.

U.S. gives two-week deadline for Iran to halt nuclear programe

Iran has two weeks to respond seriously to the international offer to curb its nuclear program or face “punitive measures”, warned U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“If there is a serious response in two weeks we will always have the opportunity to explore the trail of New York,”

Rice said in reference to the Security Council that the UN could order a new round of sanctions against Iran.

Rice made these statements to journalists accompanying him on a trip to the Middle East.
A senior American diplomat said it expects no “imminent action” to occur in August, a month of lesser political activity by the summer holidays (boreal), but it expects to begin work later in a new round of sanctions “.

Rice, travel to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss issues of Iran and the Middle East, said the diplomatic process has two avenues: on the one hand, “we have tried vigorously to negotiate” and the other way “is the possibility of punitive measures, and we are in a strong position to warn Iran that if it fails to act, it is time to return to the path “of sanctions.

In a change of U.S. policy, Rice sent the number three of its diplomatic corps, William Burns, to Switzerland to meet with Iranian representatives in an attempt to break two years without progress, the refusal by Tehran to halt its enrichment program uranium.

Until Saturday, the U.S. had refused to negotiate with Iran until this country paralysed its nuclear program.