Rice phones Lebanese premier, says she is working on lifting Israeli blockade

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised on Saturday to help lift an Israeli blockade on Beirut's airport, according to a statement by the Lebanese prime minister's office.

Rice made a telephone call Saturday to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, in which she said she was exerting "serious and prompt" efforts to lift the blockade as soon as possible, the statement said. It said Rice expressed hope that her efforts would bear fruit in the near future. (AP)