NHC says Hurricane Joaquin weakening slowly

(Reuters) - Joaquin, now a Category 1 hurricane, is slowly weakening while accelerating northeastward, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory on Tuesday. Joaquin was about 665 miles (1,075 Km) south-southwest of Cape Race Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph(130 kph), the Miami-based weather forecaster added. The hurricane is now moving toward the northeast near 18 mph (30 kph) and a turn toward the east-northeast with some further increase in forward speed is expected later Tuesday through Wednesday, the agency said. "Additional slow weakening is forecast and Joaquin is expected to become extratropical late Wednesday," the NHC said. (Reporting by Nithin Prasad in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)