World leaders stayed up late into the night in an effort to meet a Friday deadline for reaching an agreement on reducing emissions and assisting developing countries in dealing with the costly effects of global warming. The United States broke a deadlock in the 193-nation talks by pledging $100 billion to help poorer nations adapt their economies to climate change. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen reported that a group of influential leaders had productive discussions overnight on overcoming obstacles in the negotiations. Despite concerns about potential failure, leaders began a final push after a gala dinner hosted by Denmark's Queen Margrethe at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed urgency in the talks by stating that time is not on our side and it is time to stop pretending. He emphasized that a failure in Copenhagen would have disastrous consequences for all. During the talks, 28 people were detained by the police in connection with a Greenpeace protest near the palace, with three managing to slip inside despite security measures. Activists carrying signs calling for action from leaders interrupted the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to arrive on Friday and is likely to face pressure to commit to deeper emissions cuts as the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso expressed his anticipation for a more significant announcement from them. He stated that President Obama's visit was not just to repeat what is already in their draft legislation, specifically referring to a climate bill awaiting approval from the U.S. Senate. Barroso mentioned that Obama would have a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during the Dec 7-18 climate summit, which is the largest ever held. Although progress was being made on outstanding issues between the United States and China, officials could not confirm if a deal would be reached after Obama's arrival. One U.S. official noted advancements in monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements by China and other major developing countries related to their emissions reductions. China has opposed these demands. The United States has boosted morale by committing to support a $100 billion per year fund for poor nations starting in 2020. This funding would exceed all current aid being provided to poor nations, according to a U.N. official, and align with the requests made by African nations. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the U.S. pledge as very encouraging. A U.S. official stated that President Obama was not expected to provide more detailed information regarding U.S. funding commitments. An agreement on finance is just one piece of a larger puzzle that includes various measures like protecting rainforests, enhancing carbon markets, and strengthening global carbon emission regulations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that if everyone contributes a little more, progress can be made. While the European Union is willing to take further action, they will not do so independently. However, any agreement must be reached unanimously. Some small island nations and African countries, which are most at risk from climate change, have stated they will not accept a weak agreement. "We are discussing the importance of our country's survival," stated Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia of Tuvalu regarding the ongoing talks that started in Bali, Indonesia two years ago. The proposed objectives in the negotiation drafts include ambitious targets like reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2050 or requiring developed countries to decrease their emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020. Kim Carstensen, the leader of the WWF environmental group's global climate initiative, mentioned, "We are making progress towards reaching a compromise, especially with the financial assistance offered by the U.S." The possibility of a robust U.N. climate agreement seemed unlikely earlier in the week, with countries pointing fingers at China and the U.S. for the impasse on carbon reduction efforts. Ministers and leaders stressed the need for increased urgency, emphasizing the crucial significance of the Copenhagen conference. China's climate change ambassador Yu Qingtai stated that the success of the conference is paramount.