**美国民众以盛宴和假日购物表达感恩**
星期四美国人庆祝每年一度的感恩节，与家人团聚，共享美餐，购买折价商品。
按照传统，美国人在每年十一月的第四个星期四庆祝感恩节。这一天标志着假日季节的开端。季节的高潮是一月初的新年。
感恩节的第二天就是大减价日，所谓的“黑色星期五”。服装、玩具和家用电器等商品都折价出售。人们从这一天开始节日购物。折价出售在感恩节甚至更早几天开始，一直持续到星期一。星期一网络促销开始。
据美国全国零售商联合会统计，大约6800万美国人表示要在感恩节这个周末购物。
星期三，奥巴马总统处理了大小各类公务。在白宫举行的“赦免火鸡”传统仪式上，奥巴马赦免了两只火鸡，一只叫“诚实”，另一只叫“阿贝”，使它们免于成为餐桌上的美味佳肴。
此外，奥巴马让美国民众放心，不必担心恐怖主义威胁，尽可依照传统欢度节日。
Americans Give Thanks with Feasting and Holiday Shopping
Americans are expected to mark the annual Thanksgiving holiday Thursday with family gatherings, meals and bargain shopping.
The celebration is traditionally held on the fourth Thursday in November and marks the beginning of a holiday season that culminates in New Year's celebrations in early January.
The day after Thanksgiving Day is a day for big sales on clothing, toys, and appliances, as people begin their holiday shopping in earnest.
So-called "Black Friday" sales begin Thursday on Thanksgiving Day, or even a few days before, and generally end the following Monday, known as Cyber Monday.
According to the National Retail Federation, about 68 million people in the U.S. say they expect to shop over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama took care of business, both frivolous and serious. He conducted the traditional "turkey pardon," assuring two specially-selected turkeys in a White House ceremony that they would not be made into Thanksgiving dinner.
The president also assured the nation that at a time of heightened security, there is no need to worry about terrorist threats as they go about their holiday travels and traditions.
**美政府: 各州拒绝接纳叙难民属于违法**
美国联邦政府警告各州官员说，他们没有拒绝接纳叙利亚难民的法律权限。
星期三，美国联邦政府难民安置办公室主任凯里在给各州难民安置机构的一封信中发出上述通知。
凯里说，各州不得拒绝接受难民安置办公室根据难民所在国家或宗教信仰提供的福利及服务。
在《休斯敦纪事报》上发表的这个通知里，凯里警告说，任何一州如果拒绝照此行事，则属违法，可能要因此而面临司法处置。
美国几十个州的州长（多数为共和党籍州长）曾誓言拒绝接纳叙利亚难民，认为这将构成不可接受的安全威胁。
参与最近巴黎袭击案的至少一名激进分子是随叙利亚难民潮潜入欧洲的。这一发现加深了人们的担忧。
奥巴马总统计划在一年内接纳一万名叙利亚难民。
Refusing Syrian Refugees Is Illegal, Obama Administration Warns States
The U.S. federal government is warning state officials they do not have the legal authority to refuse to accept refugees from Syria.
The notification came in a letter dated Wednesday from the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (OPR) to state resettlement agencies.
Program chief Robert Carey said that states may not deny OPR-funded benefits and services based on a refugee's country of origin or religious affiliation.
Any state that refuses to comply would be in violation of the law and "could be subject to enforcement action," Carey warned in the letter, originally published in the Houston Chronicle.
More than two dozen mostly Republican governors have vowed to block federal attempts to resettle Syrian refugees in their states, arguing they pose an unacceptable security risk.
Fears were heightened after the discovery that at least one of the militants in the recent deadly Paris attacks had slipped into Europe in the wave of Syrian refugees.