World briefs

MEXICO CITY - Tropical Storm Norbert is growing toward hurricane force off Mexico's Pacific coast and forecasters say it might bring weekend rains and wind to the Baja California Peninsula.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Norbert is centered about 325 miles (525 kilometers) south of Manzanillo and is moving west at near 8 mph (13 kph). Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 kph).

It's expected to strengthen and turn toward the northwest. Forecasters say it may near southern Baja California on the weekend, but it's likely to slip below hurricane force first.

Meanwhile Monday, former Tropical Storm Marie faded to a tropical depression far out in the Pacific.

Hurricanes and storms continue to batter the area.

MOSCOW - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will visit Moscow beginning Monday, aiming to focus on Russian arms sales to Israel's enemies. By contrast, Russia hopes the meeting will bolster its image as a Middle East peacemaker.

Olmert's trip, which will include a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday, will probably be one of his last diplomatic ventures; he announced his resignation in late September. That leaves him with little apparent influence, and Medvedev's invitation may amount to a respectful farewell. But Olmert said Sunday he would emphasize Israel's security concerns, including "the supply of arms to irresponsible elements whose activities worry us very much." He also said he would press for work to resolve "the Iranian problem, where Russia plays a special role."Iran says it plans to buy from Russia advanced missiles

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - A powerful earthquake struck the mountains of Central Asia, destroying a village in Kyrgyzstan and killing at least 72 people, emergency officials said Monday.

The 6.6-magnitude quake near the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan hit the remote village of Nura hard, bringing down dozens of buildings and injuring more than 100 people in addition to the confirmed deaths, Emergency Situations Minister Kamchybek Tashiyev said.

"What we've seen is terrible, the village of Nura is completely destroyed — 100 percent," Tashiyev said. "There are many injured and we've counted 60 dead so far, all of them local residents."

Later Monday, Health Ministry spokeswoman Yelena Bayalinova said the death toll was 72.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties elsewhere. Tashiyev said a helicopter was ferrying the most seriously injured to hospitals in the nearest sizable city.