It's 15:00 Universal Time and here is the news from the Voice of America. I'm Susan Yackee from the VOA news room in Washington.
President Bush is planning to name new US military commanders for Iraq and the Middle East as he prepares to announce his new Iraq strategy next week. Administration officials are quoted as saying, the president will name US Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus to replace General George Casey as commander of US forces in Iraq. He is also said to choose Navy Admiral William Fallon to succeed Army General John Abizaid as head of the US Central Command.
Meanwhile President Bush says he wishes Saddam Hussein's execution had been more dignified. VOA White House correspondent Scott Sterns reports, Mr. Bush discussed the controversy surrounding that hanging with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
In nearly two hours of talks on the secure videolink, President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki discussed the execution where some of those in attendance mocked Saddam on the gallows and filmed his death with a cell-phone camera. Iraqi officials say they are questioning at least two guards suspected of involvement. Mr. Bush says he wishes the proceedings had been more dignified, but he says Saddam did receive a fair trial, something the president says the former Iraqi leader denied his opponents.
Iraqi police officials say an American contractor and his two Iraqi interpreters have been kidnapped near the southern city of Basra. Officials say the three were seized today in an ambush north of Basra. The spokesman for the US Embassy says the embassy is aware of the reports and is investigating.
Four Americans and an Austrian who were abducted seven weeks ago near Basra are still missing. Kidnappers released a video of them earlier this week.
Australia could start selling uranium to China as early as next month after the two countries ratified treaties covering use of the nuclear fuel. Agreements aim to ensure that exports are used solely for peaceful and non-military purposes. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.
The two countries have just ratified the pair of agreements that allow China to buy Australian uranium. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Friday the agreements go into force in 30 days. The Chinese planned to quadruple their nuclear energy output by 2020 to meet rapidly growing demand for electricity and need imported uranium to achieve these goals. Two agreements signed between Canberra and Beijing aim to ensure that Australian uranium exports are used only for peaceful purposes. The treaties, the Australia-China Nuclear Transfer Agreements and the Nuclear Cooperation Agreements were signed in April during a visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Canberra. The agreements also ban China from transferring Australian uranium to a third country or reprocessing the material without Australian consents. If China breaks any parts of these agreements, Australia has the right to cancel future sales of uranium. Phil Mercer VOA news, Sydney Australia.
Somalia's Interim President Abdullahi Yusef has called for the immediate deployment of African Peacekeepers to his war-torn nation. Mr. Yusef made his plea today in the Kenyan capital Nairobi during a meeting of the international contact group on Somalia. The group includes diplomats from the United States, Europe and Africa. The meeting comes a week after Somalia government troops and their Ethiopian allies pushed the rival Islamists from the last of their strongholds.
President Bush has nominated retired Navy Vice Admiral Mike McConnell to become the Director of National Intelligence. Speaking at the White House today Mr. Bush said Mr. McConnell has the experience, character and intellect to succeed in the post. He served as director of the National Security Agency in the 1990s. Mr. Bush also announced that Intelligence Director John Negroponte is leaving the post to become Deputy Secretary of State.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says he and President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to keep gunmen from their rival factions off the streets. Mr. Haniyeh spoke early today after holding emergency talks with Mr. Abbas. Those talks were aimed at ending the factional violence.
We invite you to visit our website any old time of day at voanews.com. I'm Susan Yackee, VOA news.
