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From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm Ray Kouguell reporting.
President Barack Obama gives his annual State of the Union address two hours from now. He'll be facing a new Congress dominated by opposition Republicans hostile to his call for higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Domestic concerns are expected to top his address. VOA's Aru Pande reports. Despite a year that was full of international challenges, President Obama has not wavered from his goal of boosting the American middle class. Former Obama adviser Larry Korb with the Center for American Progress says the U.S. leader will likely focus on domestic issues in his State of the Union speech. "I think he recognizes that, you know, we have got to get strong at home before we can be strong in the world." With a Republican-controlled Congress, the president's proposals to create manufacturing hubs, expand broadband access and offer free tuition will likely run into opposition, particularly if the programs require lawmakers to sign off on more spending. Aru Pande, the White House. VOA live coverage will begin at 1:30 Universal Time Wednesday. Yemen rebels have seized the presidential compound in Sana'a. Houthi rebels attacked the president's home Tuesday. The Shiite militiamen clashed with security forces, breaking a cease-fire that was agreed to on Monday after nine people were killed in the capital. Rebel leader Abdel Malik Al Houthi says his faction is seeking an end to "corruption and totalitarianism" in the country. He stopped short of calling for the government to stand down, but warned further action against it was possible. The U.S. Justice Department says two Yemeni nationals have been charged with conspiracy to murder American citizens abroad and provide material support to al-Qaeda. A complaint and arrest warrant were unsealed Tuesday in U.S. district court in New York City. I'm Ray Kouguell in Washington and this is VOA news. Police in southern France have arrested five Chechens on suspicion of planning an attack. The arrest took place in the city of Montpellier and the town of Beziers. A local newspaper reported an explosives cache was found near a stadium in Beziers. Japan's government is vowing not to give in to demands from Islamic State militants who are threatening to kill two Japanese citizens being held hostage. VOA's Steve Herman reports. A man clad in black and speaking with a British accent says, in a video posted online, that unless $200 million is paid to his group, two Japanese men will be executed. Just hours after the video's release, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on a visit to the Middle East, was defiant issuing a "strong demand" for the release of the Japanese men. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, Mr. Abe says the demand to pay ransom in exchange for the lives of the hostages is unforgivable. The prime minister adds that Japan will not give in to terrorism. Steve Herman, VOA news, Bangkok. A United Nations employee who was kidnapped in the capital of the Central African Republic was released. U.N. and C.A.R. officials say the woman was released Tuesday after being kidnapped earlier in the day by gunmen believed linked to the anti-Balaka Christian militia in Bangui. Officials say the woman works with the U.N. peacekeeping mission. The World Bank says the economic impact of the Ebola epidemic on African economies will be lower than expected. The World Bank report says that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will lose at least $1.6 billion this year in economic growth due to Ebola, while losses for the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa could be as low as $500 million. The International Monetary Fund trimmed its global economic forecast for this year, with its chief economist saying the world faces strong and complex crosscurrents. The IMF is still predicting a 3.5 percent advance this year and 3.7 percent next year. But both figures are down three-tenths of a point from the group's October projections. Ukraine claimed Tuesday that Russian forces attacked its military units fighting separatists in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region. Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko says that "in violation of all prior agreements," Ukrainian forces were attacked by Russian armed forces in the northern part of the zone of the "anti-terrorist operation." Afghan President Ashraf Ghani introduced his cabinet nominees to the parliament's lower house for a vote of confidence Tuesday. The move came almost four months after Ghani took office because of prolonged negotiations with his election-rival-turned coalition partner, Abdullah Abdullah, on finalizing the list. I'm Ray Kouguell in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |