http://www.voanews.com/archive/breaking-news/latest/3491/3491.html Breaking News http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com/archive/breaking-news/latest/3491/3491.html en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Thu, 23 May 2013 23:01:33 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA U.S. government forecasters are predicting a busier than usual Atlantic hurricane season this year with as many as six major storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday there is a 70 percent chance that 13 to 20 named storms will form in the Atlantic Ocean this season. It says as many as 11 of them could strengthen into hurricanes -- storms with winds of 119 kilometers per hour or higher. The forecasters say they cannot predict if any of those storms will strike ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-forecasters-predict-busy-atlantic-hurricane-season/1667264.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-forecasters-predict-busy-atlantic-hurricane-season/1667264.html Thu, 23 May 2013 18:18:21 -0400 Breaking News Stocks in Asia and Europe plunged Thursday after a report unexpectedly showed Chinese manufacturing is shrinking. Japan's Nikkei stock index tumbled 7.3 percent after the report's release showing Chinese factory production dropped in May for the first time in seven months. It was the Nikkei's biggest one-day loss since Japan's March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt followed suit, closing down more than two percent. U.S. markets closed ... http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1667218.html http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1667218.html Thu, 23 May 2013 16:50:30 -0400 Breaking News The top diplomats of the United States and Britain have made a joint attempt to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks by shuttling between Jerusalem and Ramallah to meet the leaders of both sides. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, saying they hope to make progress in restarting the negotiations. The two diplomats also met separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-hague-try-to-revive-mideast-talks/1667113.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-hague-try-to-revive-mideast-talks/1667113.html Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:25 -0400 Breaking News A North Korean envoy has told a senior Chinese official that Pyongyang is willing to take China's advice to start talks aimed at resolving tensions on the Korean peninsula.   Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that envoy Choe Ryong Hae made that remark to a high-ranking member of China's Communist Party, Liu Yunshan, during talks in Beijing Thursday.   Liu told Choe that China hopes all sides work to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, solve problems through dialogue and ... http://www.voanews.com/content/north-korea-willing-to-take-chinas-advice-to-start-talks/1667041.html http://www.voanews.com/content/north-korea-willing-to-take-chinas-advice-to-start-talks/1667041.html Thu, 23 May 2013 13:41:50 -0400 Breaking News VOA News The trial of a Canadian businessman who confessed to bribing Cuban officials has begun in Havana, almost two years after his arrest in a government crackdown on corruption. The closed trial of Sarkis Yacoubian, originally from Armenia and the owner of import firm Tri-Star Caribbean, is expected to last two days. Lebanese citizen Krikor Bayassalian is a co-defendant. Foreign journalists were not allowed access to the court, and government officials did not immediately respond to a request for ... http://www.voanews.com/content/canadian-businessman-on-trial-in-cuban-corruption-crackdown/1667021.html http://www.voanews.com/content/canadian-businessman-on-trial-in-cuban-corruption-crackdown/1667021.html Thu, 23 May 2013 13:20:34 -0400 Breaking News Stocks in Asia and Europe plunged Thursday after a report unexpectedly showed Chinese manufacturing is shrinking. Japan's Nikkei stock index tumbled 7.3 percent after release of the report showing Chinese factory production dropped in May for the first time in seven months. It was the biggest one-day loss since Japan's March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt followed suit, closing down more than two percent. U.S. markets were off slightly in ... http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666996.html http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666996.html Thu, 23 May 2013 12:47:25 -0400 Breaking News U.S. news reports say a Chechen man killed in an altercation with an FBI agent implicated himself in a triple slaying that may have been connected to dead Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev.   The FBI says Ibragim Todashev was fatally shot Wednesday in Orlando, in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida when he attacked an FBI agent with a knife during questioning in the Boston Marathon bombings probe.   Todashev formerly lived in the Boston area and trained in martial ... http://www.voanews.com/content/florida-fbi-shooting-may-be-linked-to-boston-area-triple-slaying/1666953.html http://www.voanews.com/content/florida-fbi-shooting-may-be-linked-to-boston-area-triple-slaying/1666953.html Thu, 23 May 2013 11:58:47 -0400 USA VOA News In a major address at the National Defense University in Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama has given a framework for ongoing counterterrorism efforts, including the use of drones in direct lethal action against terrorists.   The hourlong speech was Mr. Obama's most expansive effort yet to define threats that al-Qaida and "associated forces" pose to the United States, define how the U.S. responds, and outline limitations on such action. Related video report by Luis ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-one-drone-victim-was-intent-on-antiamerican-terrorism/1666935.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-one-drone-victim-was-intent-on-antiamerican-terrorism/1666935.html Thu, 23 May 2013 11:44:12 -0400 USA Dan Robinson http://www.voanews.com/content/us-one-drone-victim-was-intent-on-antiamerican-terrorism/1666935.html#relatedInfoContainer A prominent Syrian opposition figure has proposed a transition plan for the war-torn country, requiring President Bashar al-Assad to hand power to a senior aide and leave the country with 500 supporters. The outgoing head of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition, Moaz al-Khatib, published the plan on his Facebook page on Thursday as he met with other coalition members in the Turkish city of Istanbul. The SNC was considering whether to support a U.S.-Russian initiative calling for the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-opposition-figure-offers-transition-plan/1666911.html http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-opposition-figure-offers-transition-plan/1666911.html Thu, 23 May 2013 11:37:24 -0400 Breaking News Sales of new U.S. homes jumped higher in April, while prices hit a record high. The Commerce Department says sales of newly-built homes rose more than 2 percent from the prior month, and were 29 percent above the same month a year ago. The median price of a new home was a record $271,600. Experts say ultra-low interest rates and a gradually improving job market helped sales. If they continued for a full year at April's pace, 454,000 new houses would be sold. While that is an improvement, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-home-sales-rise-prices-hit-record-high/1666904.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-home-sales-rise-prices-hit-record-high/1666904.html Thu, 23 May 2013 11:35:20 -0400 Breaking News The number of people signing up for unemployment assistance dropped by 23,000 last week across the United States. Thursday's report from the Labor Department says there were 340,000 first-time applications nationwide. Many economists say that level is consistent with an improving job market. The U.S. central bank chief said Wednesday that the job market is still weak. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told members of Congress that the bank will continue its programs to stimulate the ... http://www.voanews.com/content/us-layoffs-drop/1666822.html http://www.voanews.com/content/us-layoffs-drop/1666822.html Thu, 23 May 2013 10:03:17 -0400 Breaking News Stocks in Asia and Europe plunged Thursday after a report unexpectedly showed Chinese manufacturing is shrinking. Japan's Nikkei stock index tumbled 7.3 percent after release of the report showing Chinese factory production dropped in May for the first time in seven months. It was the biggest one-day loss since Japan's March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt followed suit, dropping more than two percent. U.S. stocks fell in early trading in New ... http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666811.html http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666811.html Thu, 23 May 2013 09:58:20 -0400 Breaking News The top diplomats of the United States and Britain have made a joint attempt to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks by shuttling between Jerusalem and Ramallah to meet the leaders of both sides. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, saying they hope to make progress in restarting the negotiations. Kerry later met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-hague-try-to-revive-mideast-talks/1666806.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-hague-try-to-revive-mideast-talks/1666806.html Thu, 23 May 2013 09:54:24 -0400 Breaking News Stocks in Asia and Europe plunged Thursday after a report unexpectedly showed Chinese manufacturing is shrinking. Japan's Nikkei stock index tumbled 7.3 percent after release of the report showing Chinese factory production dropped in May for the first time in seven months. It was the biggest one-day loss since Japan's March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt followed suit, dropping about 2 percent. U.S. future indexes fell ahead of the opening of ... http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666789.html http://www.voanews.com/content/asian-european-stocks-plunge-on-weak-chinese-factory-data/1666789.html Thu, 23 May 2013 09:32:31 -0400 Breaking News British Prime Minister David Cameron was meeting Thursday with his top security advisers, one day after a man was butchered to death in broad daylight on a south London street near an army barracks. Police have confirmed the victim was a soldier, but have not released his identity, at his family's request. Media reports say the two suspects are believed to be British citizens of African descent. There is no official confirmation of their identities or nationalities. Mr. Cameron called ... http://www.voanews.com/content/british-pm-seeks-answers-to-terrorist-attack/1666676.html http://www.voanews.com/content/british-pm-seeks-answers-to-terrorist-attack/1666676.html Thu, 23 May 2013 06:59:23 -0400 Breaking News U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is holding another round of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders aimed at getting the two sides to restart their stalled peace negotiations. Kerry began a two-day stop Thursday in Israel, where he is meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. He then will travel to the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Kerry said he understands there is skepticism ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-continues-israelipalestinian-peace-push/1666672.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-continues-israelipalestinian-peace-push/1666672.html Thu, 23 May 2013 06:50:22 -0400 Breaking News The international humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders has suspended its medical aid in northern Nigeria's Borno state, after gunmen there hijacked one of its vehicles. Doctors Without Borders had been providing health care in the town of Baga, where last month 200 people were killed and thousands of homes were burned. But the group says it is too dangerous to continue the work after five gunmen stole one of the group's vehicles on Saturday along with medical supplies and other ... http://www.voanews.com/content/doctors-without-borders-halts-work-in-northern-nigeria/1666669.html http://www.voanews.com/content/doctors-without-borders-halts-work-in-northern-nigeria/1666669.html Thu, 23 May 2013 06:36:23 -0400 Breaking News U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon flew into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Thursday, just hours after a halt in fighting between rebels and government troops. Rebel group M23 had announced a temporary cease-fire before Ban arrived in Goma, the capital of war-torn North Kivu province.  Congo's government says 19 people were killed in three days of fighting between the army and M23 north of the city.  The U.N. secretary-general is on a regional tour to promote peace and ... http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-arrives-in-goma-after-renewed-fighting/1666666.html http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-arrives-in-goma-after-renewed-fighting/1666666.html Thu, 23 May 2013 06:29:28 -0400 Africa VOA News http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-arrives-in-goma-after-renewed-fighting/1666666.html#relatedInfoContainer A prominent Syrian opposition figure has proposed a transition plan for the war-torn country, requiring President Bashar al-Assad to hand power to a senior aide and leave the country with 500 supporters. The outgoing head of the main opposition Syrian National Coalition, Moaz al-Khatib, published the plan on his Facebook page on Thursday as he met with other coalition members in the Turkish city of Istanbul. The SNC was considering whether to support a U.S.-Russian initiative calling for ... http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-opposition-meets-to-weigh-proposed-peace-talks/1666655.html http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-opposition-meets-to-weigh-proposed-peace-talks/1666655.html Thu, 23 May 2013 05:42:55 -0400 Middle East VOA News Officials in Niger say a military base and a French-owned uranium mine were hit by separate bomb attacks early Thursday, wounding an unknown number of people. Paris-based Areva says 13 of its employees were wounded in the attack in Arlit, a mainly industrial town in the north-central part of the country. Witnesses say the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who blew up his vehicle outside the facility. Around the same time, Niger security officials say a car bomb attack occurred ... http://www.voanews.com/content/twin-bomb-attacks-strike-in-niger/1666649.html http://www.voanews.com/content/twin-bomb-attacks-strike-in-niger/1666649.html Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:24 -0400 Africa VOA News