Jerusalem

Israeli Cabinet approves Gaza withdrawal

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government on Sunday approved an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in principle, but a last-minute compromise with Cabinet hard-liners diluted the historic decision, leaving uncertain the future of 21 Israeli settlements.

The wording of the decision was sufficiently vague to allow both Sharon and rebellious ministers from his Likud Party to claim victory. It deferred a political crisis, but it did not resolve the deep divisions within Sharon’s center-right coalition about the dismantling of settlements.

Palestinian officials responded with skepticism.

“If approving this fragmented plan took the Israeli government this long, I wonder how much time it will take to implement it,” said Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

California

Hundreds evacuated as firefighters battle blaze

A wildfire in Southern California scorched more than 6,000 acres and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from a gated community nearby, authorities said Sunday.

The flames spread quickly through a line of narrow canyons and steep hillsides covered with dense, old-growth brush, burning on both sides of Highway 101 about 27 miles north of Santa Barbara.

Fire department spokesman Barry Peckham said temperatures in the area were expected to reach 90 degrees, making it easier for the fire to spread.

Saudi Arabia

One journalist killed, one injured in shooting

An Irish cameraman working for the British Broadcasting Corp. was killed and a British reporter injured in a shooting Sunday in the Saudi capital, just hours after the foreign minister said the kingdom was doing “everything we can” to protect citizens and residents.

The BBC identified the dead man as Simon Cumbers, 36, and the injured man as BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, 42.

The violence came less than a week after 22 people, most of them foreigners, were killed in a shooting rampage and hostage-taking in the eastern Saudi oil hub of Khobar. Saudi security forces captured one of the four attackers in the May 29 assault and still are looking for the other three.

Ohio

Kerry lauds Reagan, cancels campaign events for week

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry lauded Ronald Reagan’s legacy of bipartisanship Sunday and canceled five days of campaign events in honor of the former president’s death.

“Yesterday, we lost one of our great optimists,” Kerry told graduating seniors at Bedford High School in Toledo. “President Reagan’s belief in America was infectious. And because of the way he led, he taught us that there was a difference between strong beliefs and bitter partisanship.”

Kerry’s campaign said it was canceling all public events through Friday, including star-studded fund-raising concerts scheduled for Monday in Los Angeles and Thursday in New York.