Israel's Peres may run for prime minister

JERUSALEM -- The dim prospects for Israel's dovish opposition in upcoming elections are raising speculation that 89-year-old President Shimon Peres may make one last run to be prime minister.

Peres is under pressure from political allies to seek the premiership, according to officials in his office. The overtures to Peres reflect the Nobel laureate's late-career star power and the dearth of viable challengers in Israel's fragmented opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, already riding high in the polls, recently tried to solidify his bid for re-election by joining forces with his foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman. -- AP