Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is continuing to resist efforts to move to direct peace negotiations with Israel, despite a warning from the Obama administration that its assistance in establishing a future state was contingent upon such a development.

Lansing -- Michigan's Secretary of State estimated Wednesday the turnout for next week's party primaries will be less than a quarter of the state's registered voters.

Edison, N.J. -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday cast his latest economic pitch as a matter of patriotism, urging the Senate to ditch its partisan mode at least long enough to pass a package of tax cuts and loan relief for small businesses.