Around the world

Dubai is going higher and higher

DUBAI — With its world's tallest building nearing completion, Dubai said Sunday it is embarking on an even more ambitious skyscraper: one that will soar the length of more than 10 American football fields.

That's about two-thirds of a mile or the height of more than three of New York's Chrysler Buildings stacked end-to-end.

The tower, which will take more than a decade to complete, will be the centerpiece of a sprawling development state-owned builder Nakheel plans to create in the rapidly growing "New Dubai" section of the city..

MEXICO

Pacific storm may become hurricane

MEXICO CITY — Tropical Storm Norbert strengthened well off Mexico's southern Pacific coast Sunday and threatened to become a hurricane in 24 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Norbert formed overnight and was centered 250 miles south of Zihuatanejo, a resort town north of Acapulco.

The storm could become a hurricane by today. But its northwestern path was taking it farther from land, said Jamie Rhome, a hurricane specialist with the Miami-based center.

Norbert was projected to pass southwest of the Baja California Peninsula on Friday.

ISRAEL

Premier pushing for peace agreement

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni warned Sunday that time is running out for a peace agreement with the Palestinians, with extremists gaining strength as negotiations stumble.

Livni said Israel must press ahead with peace talks because "doing nothing has its own price."

Israel and the Palestinians resumed talks last November at an international conference hosted by President Bush. They set a target date of January 2009 for completing a peace deal, but little apparent progress has been made.

Livni, who heads the Israeli negotiating team, warned there are dangers in letting the process drag on indefinitely.

"An understanding of what is under way in the region shows that time is not working in the favor" of Israel and regional moderates, she said. She was referring to the growing strength of Islamic Hamas militants.

ITALY

Benedict begins Bible marathon

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI's "In the beginning" started a weeklong Bible-reading marathon on Italian television.

On Sunday, RAI state TV began its program called "The Bible Day and Night," with Benedict reciting the first chapter of the book of Genesis — the holy text's opening verses about the creation of the world.

The marathon will feature more than 1,200 people reading the Old and New Testament over seven days and six nights.

Benedict noted the televised marathon would run parallel to a worldwide meeting of bishops on the relevance of the Bible for contemporary Catholics. The meeting of 253 bishops will run from today through Oct. 26.

CHINA

Quake in remote area

BEIJING — The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 5.7 earthquake has struck a remote northwestern Chinese region.

The center says today's quake struck just after midnight in the Xinjiang region near China's border with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The report did not mention any damage or injuries.

ALGERIA

Baby survives four-day ordeal

ALGIERS — A baby was found alive by rescuers after spending four days in a pool of mud following flash floods that killed at least 41 people in central Algeria this week, a local official said Sunday.

The state-run APS news agency said the 4-month-old baby appeared in good health after being discovered late Saturday and had been handed to a family while authorities looked for its parents.