This is the BBC World Service in London. We're sorry for the interruption to our normal programmes. We're hoping to return to our regular output shortly. But until then, we'll carry on with some music.

And this is Julian Marshall here with Newshour at BBC World Service Bush House in central London. And many apologies for failing to bring you our regular news bulletin, but a fire alarm has led to the evacuation of many parts of the building. Let me, though, give you a summary of our latest World News.

The United States has been consulting its allies in East Asia about the death of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. President Obama spoke with the South Korean head of state Lee Myung-bak while the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met her Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba. Mrs Clinton said the United States and Japan shared an interest in a peaceful, stable transition in North Korea. The North Korean government has called on citizens to rally behind the son of Kim Jong-il. State media described the son, Kim Jong-un, as the "great successor".