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Obama acknowledges Americans' worries

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama gave thanks Thursday for the sacrifices of the U.S. military and acknowledged the concerns of many Americans for the country's future.

"We keep in our thoughts and prayers the many families marking this Thanksgiving with an empty seat -- saved for a son or daughter, or husband or wife, stationed in harm's way," Obama said. "And we say a special thanks for the sacrifices those men and women in uniform are making for our safety and freedom, and for all those Americans who enrich the lives of our communities through acts of kindness, generosity and service."

The president, moving up his weekly radio and Internet address to the nation because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend, also offered thanks "for the kindness of loved ones, the joys of the previous year and for the pride we feel in our communities and country."

But Obama also recognized that millions of Americans are going through tough economic times.

"Too many," he said, "are wondering if the dream of a middle class life -- that American Dream -- is slipping away.

"These are not strangers. They are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. Their struggles must be our concern."

The first-year Democratic president said the U.S. economy "is finally growing again" because of steps Congress and his administration have taken -- including tax cuts for "95 percent of working people and small businesses," jobless benefits extension, and efforts to staunch the flood of foreclosures, halt the decline in home values and bring about healthcare reform.

"But we cannot rest -- and my administration will not rest -- until we have revived this economy and rebuilt it stronger than before; until we are creating jobs and opportunities for middle class families; until we have moved beyond the cycles of boom and bust -- of reckless risk and speculation -- that led us to so much crisis and pain these past few years.

"And it is my fervent hope -- and my heartfelt expectation -- that next Thanksgiving we will be able to celebrate the fact that many of those who have lost their jobs are back at work, and that as a nation we will have come through these difficult storms stronger and wiser and grateful to have reached a brighter day."

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Intruders crashed White House state dinner

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday proper procedure was not followed at a White House checkpoint, allowing two crashers into a state dinner Tuesday.

Tareq and Michaele Salahi, described as aspiring reality TV stars from Virginia, wangled their way into the state dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh even though they were not on the guest list, The Washington Post reported. The couple posted photographs online showing them with Vice President Joe Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

"Honored to be at the White House for the state dinner in honor of India with President Obama and our First Lady!" said a posting on their Facebook page, the Post reported.

The couple are said to be socialites who may be featured in the TV show, "The Real Housewives of Washington."

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan told The New York Times "initial findings identified a Secret Service checkpoint that did not follow proper procedures."

Donovan told the Post no one at the dinner "was under any risk or threat."

"Everyone who enters the White House grounds goes through magnetometers and several other levels of screenings," he said. "That was the case with the state dinner last night."

An administration official told the Post the White House will review the matter.

The uninvited couple were announced as they arrived on the red carpet, where they spoke with other guests ahead of a cocktail reception. Michaele posed for a snapshot with a Marine guard outside the White House and with CBS News anchor Katie Couric inside.

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China announces emission cut targets

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- China, saying it is acting voluntarily, Thursday announced it will reduce its "intensity" of carbon dioxide emissions by 40 to 45 percent by 2020.

The percentage cuts are based on levels in 2005. The "intensity" gauge refers to emissions per unit of its gross domestic product or GDP.

The announcement on the targets to limit greenhouse gas emissions comes only days ahead of the December global summit on climate change in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

This is "a voluntary action" taken by the Chinese government "based on our own national conditions" and "is a major contribution to the global effort in tackling climate change," the Chinese State Council, or Cabinet, announced after its meeting led by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Xinhua quoted a news release as saying China, as a responsible developing nation, advocates global concerted efforts in addressing climate change "through pragmatic and effective international cooperation."

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Palestinians reject settlement freeze

JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Israel's announcement of a ten-month West Bank settlement freeze is insufficient and will not lead to the renewal of peace talks, a Palestinian official said.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the Israeli cabinet voted to impose the freeze, and allow 3,000 housing units currently under construction to be completed, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said there was nothing new in Israel's steps.

"This is not a moratorium. Unfortunately we hoped he (Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu) would commit to a real settlement freeze so we can resume negotiations, and he had a choice between settlements and peace, and he chose settlements," Maan news agency quoted Erekat saying.

Nabil Abu Rudeneh, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Palestinians would not accept a proposal that does not include a freeze on construction in east Jerusalem, Haaretz said Thursday.

In a telephone interview from Argentina, where he is accompanying Abbas, Abu Rudeneh said any deal that does not include Jerusalem will be rejected immediately, the newspaper said.

Netanyahu said he hoped the Palestinians and the Arab world will seize the opportunity to work together to forge a new beginning, a statement issued by his office said.

"I have already said that we will not build new settlements and that we would not expropriate additional land for existing settlements. I said we would also restrain settlement activity, and that's exactly what we decided to do today," his office quoted him saying.

The Israeli prime minister added the freeze will not affect construction currently underway and will not include schools, kindergartens, synagogues and public buildings, the statement said.

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Helicopter missing in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A helicopter belonging to a Dutch military contractor in Afghanistan was reported missing, NATO officials said Thursday.

The helicopter, carrying an unknown number of passengers, went missing Tuesday and a search for it was underway, CNN reported quoting Lt. Col. Todd Vician, spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

He did not say how many passengers were aboard or the location where the chopper disappeared.

The craft, owned by Netherlands-based Supreme Global, is used to transport food supplies for military and multinational forces.

Vician said there had been no distress signal from the chopper.

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Mumbai terror attack anniversary observed

MUMBAI, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Indians Thursday observed the first anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks, more determined to fight terrorism.

As people in Mumbai, the country's financial capital, paid tribute to the 166 people killed in the carnage a year ago, in the capital New Delhi, Meira Kumar, speaker of the lower house of parliament said:

"The house salutes the indomitable courage of the security forces who gave a crushing blow to the terrorists on Nov 26, 2008, and fortitude of the people of Mumbai" and noted the forces of terrorism will "never again" be allowed "to spill the blood of innocent people," the Hindustan Times reported.

The Mumbai attacks lasted nearly three days before it ended with all but one of the attackers killed, the BBC reported.

A day prior to the anniversary, a court in Pakistan charged seven people in the Mumbai attacks.

During the assault, the gunmen, who were believed to have come by sea, attacked several places in Mumbai including a main train terminal, two luxury hotels, and a Jewish community center.

At the Jewish Chabad Lubavitch center, the attackers killed six people died including its Rabbi Gavriel Gavriel Holtzberg, and his pregnant wife.

Speaking on the anniversary, Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz said, "We will turn the horrific memories of a year ago into thousands of points of light and we will continue with faith in God that He will protect us," the BBC report said.

Suvarna Kamble, a domestic maid in Mumbai, captured the city's mood for the Hindustan Times.

"I came to Mumbai only three months before the terror attacks, but I was amazed by the sheer grit of the city. A year later, I feel safer and more confident of living in this big city," she said.