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

I'm David Deforest from the VOA news center in Washington.

North Korea has provoked angry responses from around the world with its announcement that it has tested a nuclear explosive. VOA's Kurt Achin has more from Seoul.

The underground blast that has resonated around the world came shortly after 10:30 in the morning Monday, Korean time. Intelligence advisors told South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun that seismographs had detected a tremor in northeastern North Korea, and that it could be the result of a nuclear test. Within hours, a North Korean broadcaster read a triumphant announcement. The announcer says the test produced no radiation leakage, because it was conducted with wisdom and scientific knowledge. She says the historic event brings the army and the North Korean people great pleasure. The rest of the world was not at all pleased. A lengthy roster of countries began condemning North Korea's actions led by South Korea, Japan, China and the United States. President Roh immediately convened a meeting of his top national security officials. Shortly after the meeting, his spokesman, Yoon Tae-young, said that South Korea would react strictly to the test, in accordance with Seoul's position that a nuclear-armed North Korea is unacceptable. Kurt Achin, VOA news, Seoul.

Nations around the world are denouncing North Korea's apparent test. President Bush says any such test by the North would constitute to(\) a threat to global peace and security. He says he spoke with the leaders of China, South Korea, Russia and Japan today.

We reaffirmed our commitment to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. And all of us agreed that the proclaimed actions taken by North Korea are unacceptable and deserve an immediate response by the United Nations Security Council.

Mr. Bush also says the United States stands by a security commitment to protect South Korea and Japan. The Chinese government called the apparent test brazen and urged the North to return to stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks. South Korean officials said that they would react strictly to the test in line with Seoul's position that a nuclear-armed North Korea is unacceptable.

The UN Security Council has nominated South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon as the successor to outgoing Secretary General Kofi Annan. The president of the council says the council believes Ban will be a good strong Secretary General. The next step in the process is seeking approval from the 192-member General Assembly which must ratify the Council's selection.

Islamist militia leaders in Somalia say government troops have taken control of a town near the government base of Baidoa that had been held by militias loyal to rival Islamic Courts Union. Cathy Majtenyi reports from Nairobi.

The town of Burahakaba is located on the road that runs from the capital, Mogadishu, which the Islamic Courts Union controls, to Baidoa, the current seat of the internationally backed transitional government. According to media reports, citing eyewitnesses, Somali interim government forces, backed by what media reports said were Ethiopian troops, overran the town, forcing fighters from the Islamic Courts Union to flee. Ethiopia has repeatedly denied any troop presence in Somalia. Somali Foreign Affairs Minister Esmael Mohamud Hurreh would not comment on the reported attack. The Courts Union first started expanding control in June, when its militias took control of the capital, Mogadishu. It has since captured much of southern Somalia. Monday's attack appears to be the first major advance against the Islamic Courts Union by the Somali government. Cathy Majtenyi for VOA news, Nairobi.

[屏蔽] troops pulled out of today after Somalia Islamists declared a holy war on Ethiopia.

Iraqi officials are investigating the food poisoning of hundreds of Iraqi police at a base southeast of Baghdad. An Iraqi official says between 350 and 400 police became ill after eating a meal Sunday in Numaniya. Officials had been quoted as saying several men died, although the defense ministry is denying reports of any fatalities. It is unclear if the poisoning was deliberate. Iraqi officials say several people have been arrested. In other news, gunmen have killed a brother of Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president. The attackers stormed the home of Amir al-Hashimi in Baghdad early today. The victim, who was a brother to Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, was also an adviser to Iraq's defense ministry.

On Wall Street, US stock indexes are mixed at this hour. I'm David Deforest, VOA news. More news on the Internet at voanews.com.