Israel's defence minister said in an interview that he expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the principle of Palestinian statehood — something the Israeli leader has balked at doing since taking office a month ago. Netanyahu is coming under increasing pressure from Washington to resume peacemaking with the Palestinians, a process designed ultimately to create a Palestinian state that would live alongside Israel peacefully within fixed borders.  

Thirteen people were killed at a university in oil-producing Azerbaijan today when a gunman moving floor to floor opened fire on teachers and students after the bell rang for morning classes.  A police source said the gunman, a Georgian citizen of Azeri origin, was among the dead.