From NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.

 

　　President Obama has said there will be no deal to avert the fiscal cliff unless Republicans drop their opposition to raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans. The president is meeting with the bipartisan group of governors today about efforts to head off automatic tax increases and spending cuts next months. Republican Utah Governor Gary Herbert says the governors are pressing the president for an agreement.

 

　　They've got to come together to get it down. This impacts the economy the uncertainty this out their lingering as creating havoc with our economy in our states.

 

　　Democrat Delaware Governor Jack Merkel is also worried that time is running out.

 

　　We are not saying it should be this plan and that plan. And we will agree on if something has got this down. And the idea that taxes on so many middle-class Americans could go up at the beginning of the year. It's something isn't done; it's something that could really negatively impact the economies in all our states.

 

　　The six governors say they want assurances that any deal to cut spending won't shift their burden to the states.

 

　　And Missouri Congresswoman is calling a quit to join a lobbying trade group not quite a month after winning an easy reelection to a ninth term. NPR's S.V. Date reports.

 

　　Republican Jo Ann Emerson has been representing southeast Missouri since 1996. On November 6th, she won reelection with 72% of the vote. This week, she announced she has a better offer. In February, she takes over as president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. In a statement on a House website, Emerson wrote: I'm not leaving Congress because I have lost my heart for service. To the contrary, I see a new way to serve. Missouri will have to schedule a special election to replace Emerson. S.V.Date NPR News.

 

　　Residents of Northern California are bracing for another series of wet and windy storms, the fourth in the past week. As NPR's Richard Gonzales reports the region is still recovering from the last series of storms that it's dropped between 15 to 20 inches of rain in some areas.

 

　　Pacific gas and electric is still trying to restore power to more than 6,500 customers after the region was smacked by a fierce storm Sandy that toppled trees and produced flush floods in some key roadways. But that storm came in and out so fast that flood warnings for the Napa and Russian rivers were for none. The good news is a forecast has said the new series of storms is expected to pack a less punch and the region will get to trend to dry out after Wednesday. Richard Gonzales, NPR News, San Francisco.

 

　　Police are firing tear gas to stop protesters from approaching the presidential palace in Cairo. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets in anger over a draft constitution that outlines the Egypt president push through and decrees giving him sweeping powers.

 

　　At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was down 2 points at 12, 964.

 

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　　Plans for two major settlement projects in East Jerusalem are moving forward. There has been growing international anger over the Israeli settlement construction ever since last week UN recognition of a state of Palestine. A senior Palestinian official is warning that his government could pursue war crime charges if Israel doesn’t put an end to the settlement projects.

 

　　A Syrian education ministry official says a mortar that hit a ninth-grade classroom in a Damascus suburbs has left at least 13 students and one teacher dead. Earlier, state media gave the death toll of 29 students and a teacher. The government-run news agency Sana blames the attack on terrorist, the term used by the government to refer to rebels fighting against Bashar Assad regime.

 

　　Spanish unemployment has climbed higher for the fourth straight month. As Lauren Frayer reports from Madrid Spain's recession shows no sign of getting up.

 

　　Nearly 75,000 more Spaniards signed up for jobless benefit last month. November is normally a dismal month of unemployment date well after summer jobs are ended before holiday ones begin. But this was a worse November for jobless in 11 years. Hardship is service sector followed by agriculture and heavy industry. But job losses in construction have eased. The European Statistics Agency says Spain's unemployment rate tops 26%, the continent's highest. This week, Europe dispatched part of up to $130bn bailout for Spanish banks. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Frayer in Madrid.

 

　　Dozens of people are dead in Philippines following a typhoon and massive flooding. Officials say at least 33 villagers and soldiers drowned when water rushed down a mountain engulfing the victims.

 

　　This is NPR News.