A new round of Palestinian-Israeli talks is set to start Tuesday, and there are three main reasons why the US won't be playing the central role it often does in such negotiations.

Minimum wage laws raised the wage floor in eight states as of Jan. 1. Washington now tops all states, at $9.04 an hour. Economic effects of raising the minimum wage are in hot dispute.

Last year was momentous, but the region may just be getting warmed up.

AP - The body of an Iraq war veteran suspected in the slaying of a Mount Rainier National Park ranger was believed to have been found in chest-deep snow on Monday, authorities said.

AP - Challenging Mitt Romney one day before the lead-off presidential caucuses, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Monday implored legions of undecided voters to "not settle for someone as your nominee who might be able to win the election but it might be a pyrrhic victory" that comes at too great a cost.

AP - Syrian security forces are still killing anti-government protesters despite the presence of foreign monitors in the country, the head of the Arab League said Monday. But he insisted the observer mission has yielded important concessions from the Damascus regime, such as the withdrawal of heavy weapons from cities.