National and International News-Saturday, Dec. 16th

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The prime minister of Iraq says he hopes it will be only a matter of days before an appeals court rules on Saddam Hussein's death sentence. Defense lawyers filed an appeal on December Third. Iraqi law states that if a death sentence is upheld, it must be carried out within 30 days.

WASHINGTON (AP) - More U-S troops could be headed to Iraq. The U-S military is looking at plans to send a brigade of about 35-hundred troops to Kuwait. They would be called into action if deemed necessary to help stabilize Iraq amid increasing violence.

MOUNT HOOD, Ore. (AP) - National Guard helicopters, a C-130 aircraft with infrared equipment and scores of expert climbers will launch the largest search yet today for three missing climbers on Mount Hood in Oregon. The men have been missing since Sunday and hope is fading they'll be found alive.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Houston (AP) - The last of three planned spacewalks is set today for the Discovery astronauts. Two members of the team will finish a re-wiring project at the international space station and may also try to unstick an older solar array, if time permits.

BEIJING (AP) - Westinghouse Electric is one step closer to building four civilian nuclear reactors in China. The U-S and China signed an agreement today that paves the way. Details have yet to be completed but it's worth billions of dollars.