Speaking at the White House, Mr. Obama said he was open to compromise, but he said any agreement to reduce the deficit must include raising taxes on wealthy Americans along with spending cuts. He said it was a central question of the election. 

 

It was debated over and over again and on Tuesday night we found out that the majority of Americans agree with my approach, and that includes Democrats independents and a lot of Republicans across the country.

 

Moments after the President spoke, White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated the administration's threat to veto any measure that extends the tax cuts for wealthy Americans. Republican leaders in Congress remain adamantly opposed to raising tax rates. Brian Naylor, NPR News, Washington.

 

Speaker of the House John Boehner is telling reporters he rejects any fiscal cliff solution that involves higher taxes for upper income Americans. At the same time, he says he is ready to work with the President.

 

We both understand that trying to find a way to avert the fiscal cliff is important for our country, and I'm hopeful that productive conversations can begin soon so that we can forge an agreement that can pass the Congress. 

 

President Obama plans to visit New York next week to look on post Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts. In New York City and on Long Island, drivers turned out early for gasoline rations. Power outages and supply interruptions have left only 1/4 of New York's gas stations open. As of this morning, there are almost 1/4 of 1 million people without power in New York City, about the same in New Jersey. 

 

Eleven thousand Syrians are reported to have fled the civil war in their country. Senior U.N. officials say most of them crossed into Turkey in just the last 24 hours. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports some Syrian military defectors are among those who've fled. 

 

Turkish officials are quoted describing an influx of several thousand Syrians crossing into Turkey as clashes continued to rage in northern Syria. State-run media also report the arrival of a group of 71 Syrians, all military families, including two generals, 11 colonels and several other defecting officers. Earlier this week, seven other Syrian generals defected. Turkish residents of the border area of Ceylanpinar hunkered down for a second day as heavy fighting continued on the Syrian side of border. Turkish media reported stray bullets crossing into Turkey wounding at least three civilians and Turkish armored vehicles are moving closer to the border. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Istanbul.  

 

On Wall Street at this hour, the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 15 points; the NASDAQ up 16. 

 

This is NPR.

 

The White House says the Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will stay on with the Obama administration through early next year to assist with the resolution of the nation's fiscal stalemate without a resolution in less than two months, more than $0.5 trillion tax hikes and spending cuts will launch automatically.

 

Thousands of ultraconservative Muslims thronged Cairo's Tahrir Square demanding the implementation of Islamic law. Leila Fadel reports Coptic Christians are concerned. 

 

The demonstrators chant with our soul, with our blood, we will sacrifice for you, Islam. The protest comes amidst the debate over what the role of religion in Egypt's new constitution should be. The draft currently calls for principles of Islamic law to be the primary source of legislation. Ultraconservative Muslims say the wording is not strong enough. The new leader of Egypt's minority Coptic Christian Community Pope Tawadros said he has concerned about the demands. Already, Coptic Christians have dealt with the tax on its churches and communities by ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafis. But he said he is optimistic about the future. Leila Fadel, NPR News, Cairo.

 

The Associated Press is reporting that CIA director David Petraeus is resigning from his post because of an extramarital affair. 

 

More than 900,000 older-model Jeep SUVs are being recalled by Chrysler. It issued the possibility airbags could inflate while people are driving. The recall affects Jeep Grand Cherokees from the 2002 to 2004 model.