10 things you need to know today: November 13, 2012

Gen. John Allen testifies on Capitol Hill in March: Allen, who was scheduled to be promoted to head of U.S. European Command, is under investigation for emails he exchanged with Jill Kelley,

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

1. PETRAEUS SCANDAL SPREADS

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has opened an investigation into a trove of "inappropriate communications" from Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, to Jill Kelley, the target of harassing emails from Paula Broadwell, the mistress of former CIA Director David Petraeus. (FBI agents also searched Broadwell's North Carolina home on Monday, reportedly to see if she had any classified documents). The FBI uncovered the Allen emails in its investigation of the Petraeus affair, and referred them to the Pentagon. That fact, plus Panetta's decision to let Allen continue his duties without a suspension, suggests that the 2010-2012 communications constitute an infraction of military rules, not federal laws. Allen, who reportedly maintains that he did nothing wrong, is up for promotion to head of U.S. European Command and the commander of NATO forces in Europe; President Obama has put his nomination on hold. [Associated Press]

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President Obama is launching a campaign to pressure Republicans and Democrats in Congress to strike a deficit-cutting deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, a collection of economy-busting tax hikes and spending cuts due to hit at the end of the year. On Tuesday, Obama is scheduled to meet with labor and civic leaders, and on Wednesday he'll sit down with business leaders, including the chief executives of Ford, IBM, and Walmart. Obama has said his re-election last week gave him a mandate to close the deficit with a balanced approach that includes spending cuts and tax hikes on families earning more than $250,000 a year. Republican House Speaker John Boehner says he's against raising tax rates, but would consider finding other ways to boost revenue, such as closing tax loopholes. [Reuters]

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A Syrian jet bombed the rebel-held town of Ras al-Ayn along the Turkish border on Tuesday. It was the second day of the airstrikes, which have killed an estimated 30 people. Turkish ambulances rushed to the border to carry wounded Syrians to hospitals on the Turkish side. Thousands of refugees have poured into Ceylanpinar, the Turkish town just over the border from Ras al-Ayn, since fighting began in the area three days ago. [Associated Press]

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Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind Sesame Street's popular Elmo character, took a leave of absence on Monday after being accused of having had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy. Clash, 52, said he had a relationship with the accuser, but said it didn't begin until the young man was an adult. The accuser first brought his allegations to executives at the Sesame Workshop in June, when he was 23. "It was between two consenting adults," Clash said, "and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was." [Associated Press]

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