The Day in the Gulf

JOURNALISTS, POWS FREED: Forty foreign journalists and two U.S. prisoners of war were handed over to Red Cross officials in Baghdad. The Iraqi News Agency listed the journalists as 11 Americans, 17 French, three Italians, two Britons, two Norwegians, two Brazilians, one Spaniard, one Irish citizen and one Uruguayan. It said the reporters were detained during an “illegal” visit to the southern city of Basra.

KUWAITIS GO HOME: More than 1,000 Kuwaitis kidnaped by Iraqi forces in the closing days of war were bused from Iraq’s border to their homes in Kuwait city. The group was the first to be repatriated of more than 6,200 Kuwaitis abducted during the Iraqi occupation, a Red Crescent official said.

BAKER IN MIDEAST: Secretary of State James A. Baker III sounded out Saudi leaders on security arrangements and on prospects for peace between Arabs and Israel. After meeting with Baker, Saudi King Fahd agreed to back U.S. efforts toward peace in the Middle East, officials said. But the king offered no specific commitments for Saudi action.

HAPPY HOMECOMINGS: Planeload after planeload of U.S. troops arrived home, greeted by waving flags, yellow ribbons, poignant embraces and passionate kisses. They were the first of more than half a million U.S. troops in the Middle East that President Bush has ordered home. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney has said that most could be home in time to celebrate the 4th of July.

IRAN BACKS REBELS: Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani expressed sympathy for rebels trying to overthrow Saddam Hussein and urged the Iraqi dictator to surrender “to the will of the people.” It was the first time an Iranian leader has openly backed the revolt--sparked largely by Shiite Muslims, who make up 55% of Iraq’s population. Hussein and his top aides are Sunni Muslims.