Obama gives final challenge to Republicans over fiscal cliff

US President Barack Obama Sunday put the burden on Republicans to say "yes" to avoiding the fiscal cliff within the next 24 hours, Trend reported.

In a rare Sunday talk show interview, Obama accused the Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, of having "had trouble saying yes" to a number of concessions he has offered.

At issue is the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts late Monday, which will add an average of 2,000 dollars a year to Americans' income taxes. Obama wants to keep the tax cuts on all but the wealthiest 2 per cent of Americans, while Republicans want the wealthiest to also keep their tax cuts.

Instead, Republicans want more severe cuts in such programmes as benefits for seniors and the poor to reduce the burgeoning deficit - a red line that Obama and the liberal Democrats will not cross.

"I have an obligation to the American people to make sure the entire burden doesn't fall on (seniors and the disabled)," Obama said on NBC broadcaster.

Senate leaders Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader, and Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, have been working over the weekend to find common ground that they can sell to their respective parties in both houses.