The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Norbert will likely turn toward the northeast over the next two days en route to the Baja peninsula and Mexican mainland. Officials across the region were setting up shelters and preparing for possible evacuations from low-lying regions.

South Africa: Break with party

JOHANNESBURG — A well-known stalwart of the governing African National Congress took steps on Wednesday to break with the party and start another, arguing that the ANC had turned its back on democracy.

"It seems we are serving today divorce papers," said Mosiuoa Lekota, who resigned as South Africa's defense minister three weeks ago after leaders of the party forced one of its own, President Thabo Mbeki, to leave office.

Ukraine: Parliament dissolved

KIEV — Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved Parliament Wednesday and called an early election, dashing hopes for the revival of a pro-Western coalition and throwing this politically volatile ex-Soviet nation into further turmoil.

The vote will be the third parliamentary election in as many years and deal a severe blow to an economy already battered by the global financial crisis. The date of the election was not announced.