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It's 15:00 Universal Time, and here is the news from the Voice of America.

From the VOA news center in Washington, I'm Frances Alonzo.

The Pakistani military says its gunship helicopters have destroyed a terror training facility near the border with Afghanistan, killing up to 80 suspected militants. From Islamabad Iasgol reports.

Officials in Pakistan say Monday's early morning raid in the Badul rebel region targeted an Islamist school known as the M, where militants were being trained. Army spokesman Major General S S tells VOA that those running the facility were repeatedly warned to close the M before it was attacked.

"Despite the warning, M was not closed. The security forces carried out strikes this morning, in which// are knocked out. We have information about 70 to 80 militants in this M the time of the strike."

General Saddam says Islamic school belongs to a Muslim cleric that wanted by the Pakistani authorities for terrorist activities and for providing refuels to al-Qaeda militants. He dismissed allegations that Monday's airstrike also killed innocent civilians. Iasgol for VOA news, Islamabad.

Iraqi officials say a bomb blasted in Baghdad's Sadar city district has killed at least 30 people and wounded 60 others. The morning explosion struck a group of Shiite laborers who were waiting for work. Sadar city is the stronghold of Shiite militias and has been targeted in the past by Sunni extremists. Meanwhile US National Security Advisor Steven Hedley has made an unannounced trip to Baghdad for talks on military and political cooperation.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says Israel may soon expand its military offensive in Gaza. Mr. Olmert says any increase in the effort to stop Palestinian militant attacks against Israel will not be a prolonged operation. The Israeli leader made the comments today to a parliamentary committee in Jerusalem. Israeli troops have been operating against militants in Gaza since June, trying to stop the smuggling of weapons in the firing of rockets into Israel.

The commander of United States forces in South Korea says he believes North Korea is likely to conduct further nuclear weapons tests, but the alliance between Washington and Seoul will remain strong enough to deter any North Korean aggression. VOA's Kurt Asian reports from Seoul.

US General Norwell Bell says Monday in Seoul that North Korea's nuclear weapons tests on Oct.9th probably will not the last.

"I can only surmise that a success test of one that we will see some time in the future yet to get another test of a nuclear device. I hope that that is not the case."

Bell commands about 28,000 US military personnel who are inside Korea under a mutual defense treaty, an act after the 1950 to 1953 Korean War. Bell read to reporters Monday on recent high-level talks between South Korea and United States. North Korea says it needs a nuclear arsenal to deter US aggression. Washington has said it has no intention of attacking the North. Bell said Monday the alliance's business is to deter North Korea and if the deterrence fails to defeat it, but not to launch a first strike. Kurt Asian VOA news, Seoul.

Peace talks aimed at avoiding war between Somalia interim government and the country's powerful Islamist movement are due to begin today. However the talks in Sudan's capital Khartoum have been thrown into jeopardy by the Islamists' refusal to meet face-to-face with government delegates. The Islamists are protesting the presence of Ethiopian troops in the Somalia government's base of Bidowa. Ethiopia vow to protest the weak interim government which has been unable to stop Islamist forces from seizing control of much of southern Somalia.

Chad's Defense Minister’s claimed victory in a fierce battle fought with rebels near the Sudanese border, but he says the top general was also killed in that battle. Buchard D says government forces killed at least 100 rebels in Sunday's fighting.

Nigerian transportation officials say human error may have contributed to an airliner crash that killed at least 99 people. The director general of the Nigerian airspace management agency told VOA today the pilot of the Boeing 737 airliner ignored the instructions to delay take-off because of bad weather. He said two other airlines on the runway obeyed instructions not to fly. Authorities say 106 passengers and crew were onboard the plane when it crashed shortly after its take-off on Sunday from Abuja national airport.

You can get more details on these stories. More on our website 24 hours a day at VOAnews.com.

I'm Frances Alonzo, Washington. VOA news.