1. High-stakes race for second and third in New Hampshire.
It's round two in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, with voting beginning in New Hampshire. While most polling places in the state didn't open until early Tuesday, the first votes were cast just after midnight in the tiny communities of Dixville Notch and Hart's Location. In Dixville Notch, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor and ambassador to China, tied for the lead with two votes each. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas had one vote apiece.
2. Van der Sloot back in Peruvian court to face murder charge.
Joran van der Sloot returns to a Peruvian courtroom on Wednesday, five days after requesting more time to "reflect" on what plea he will make in his murder trial. The 24-year-old Dutch national indicated on Friday that he was willing to make a "confession" in the 2010 killing of Stephany Flores, but that he did "not agree with the aggravating factors" as defined in the murder charge levied against him. Given this statement, the panel of three judges decided to give van der Sloot until Wednesday to make a final decision. There is no jury.
3. American has 20 days to appeal Iranian death sentence.
Amir Mirzaie Hekmati, an American sentenced to death in Iran for espionage, has 20 days to appeal his case, according to Iranian law. "If the sentence is appealed, then the Court of Appeals will hear the case. If not, then the sentence is final," judiciary spokesman Mohseni Ejeie said, according to the semi-official Iranian Student News Agency. The statement was the first by a judiciary official, regarding the trail and the sentence. Hekmati's family has hired a high-profile lawyer with success in negotiating with Tehran to seek his release. "We're prepared to open up a line of communication with the government," attorney Pierre Prosper said. "Our hope is that they will talk with us."