Indo-Americans have applauded US President Barack Obama for honoring India in his first state dinner held at White House in Washington DC (USA) on November 24.

Acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was a presidential acknowledgement of appreciation of world’s largest democracy.

It showcased the growing ties between two great nations, Zed, who is president of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, added.

Although about 105 Indians or Americans of India descent and their elatives were on the 338-person guest list, Bollywood was totally rebuffed with not a single name from India’s film industry appearing on this list. On the other hand, many Hollywood names showed up on this list.

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Sasha and Malia Obama got to stay up late on a school night.

Michelle Obama took the first daughters, 8 and 11 respectively, to a Miley Cyrus concert Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., according to ABC News.

It’s not the first time the tweens have watched the “Party in the USA” perform. Cyrus, 16, also took the stage at the Kids Ball on Inauguration Day.

Earlier this summer, the Obama girls went to a Beyoncé concert with their mom. They also met their favorite group, the Jonas Brothers, during a scavenger hunt the night they moved into the White House.

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Barack Obama has won this year’s Nobel Peace Price “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the annual award’s committee announced Friday morning in Oslo. “He has created a new international climate,” said their statement.

The selection of the President, 48, is considered a stunning surprise, as his name had not been heard in speculation surrounding the choice of this year’s honoree. But, said the committee, “We are awarding Obama for what he has done. Many other people and leaders and nations have to respond in a positive way” to President Obama’s diplomacy.
In his nearly nine months in office, President Obama has appealed for reductions in nuclear arsenals and is seeking to restart peace talks.

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For this year’s 10 best-dressed women, People magazine pulled out yearbook-style superlatives, choosing Kim Kardashian for “best bikinis, Nicole Richie for “best maternity” and Michelle Obama for “best accessible glamour.”

“We decided to shake it up,” said style editor Clarissa Cruz. “When you hear best dressed, you typically thinking glamorous red carpet. We wanted to open it up more.”

Leading the pack of 10, in the area of typical glamorous fashion, was Kate Winslet, chosen for Best Red Carpet.

“She had a big year,” said Cruz. “She was all over the award-show circuit. It’s hard to get it right every time, and she did.”

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Barack Obama has reportedly joined the backlash against Kanye West over his VMAs outburst by branding the outspoken rapper a “jackass.”

The president is understood to have made the remark during an off-the-record segment of an interview with CNBC yesterday.

The comment was relayed by Night line host Terry Moran via Twitter.

He wrote: “Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT’S presidential.”

Moran’s bosses at ABC have since issued a statement apologizing to The White House for “prematurely” tweeting comments “that turned out to be from an off-the-record portion of the interview”.

Kanye has faced a barrage of criticism for interrupting Swift as she accepted the award for Best Female Video at the ceremony in New York.

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On Tuesday’s “Extra,” It’s the First Lady’s new interview about the family she rarely talks about. Plus, the President’s fitness secrets, Michelle’s 9-minute arm workout and favorite cheat food!

Read more: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2009/09/michelle_obama_interview_raw.php#ixzz0QXFDtz76

AP Photo/ Ecan Agostin, Tom Wargacki/Getty Images

If anyone can predict whether Michelle Obama has the fashion chops to be the next Jackie O, it’s Valentino.

“It’s quite soon to decide that already she’s found this style or that style. She needs maybe a little more time,” the legendary Italian designer said of our new first lady at last night’s screening of Valentino: The Last Emperor at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, before optimistically pronouncing: “She’s beautiful, and I am sure that very, very soon, she will be like Jackie Kennedy.”

The designer’s advice to the J.Crew-loving Michelle O.?

“You know, she’s a very good-looking lady. She has this sort of beauty that is very, very strong. She must be dressed with things that are elegant, beautiful and young, but not too much…She needs a little more time to perfect her style. But she knows what to do.”

Valentino, 76, and Jackie became almost synonymous in the fashion world after she ordered six of his black and white couture dresses to wear during her year of mourning after the death of JFK. She later chose one of his white dresses for her wedding to Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis.

Last week, comedian Jackie Mason did a stand-up act in which he referred to President Obama as a “schwartza” (also spelled “schvartze”). This word is Yiddish slang, and according to various sources, it could either be an innocuous word for “black man” or the Yiddish version of “n-gger”.

Different sources claim “schwartza” means different things, but Jackie Mason claims the word is not “demeaning.” Mason also explained that he is “an old Jew” and that he “was raised in a Jewish family where ’schwartza’ was used. It’s not a demeaning word and I’m not going to defend myself.” TMZ has the video, and The Jewish Telegraphic Service has more details about the whole incident:

Twenty years ago, comedian Jackie Mason got in trouble when he referred to David Dinkins, then a candidate for New York City mayor, as a “fancy shvartze with a mustache” while campaigning for Rudy Giuliani. Last week, Mason used the Yiddish term again, this time to describe the president, reports TMZ:

Comedian Jackie Mason used what some say is a racial epithet in describing President Barack Obama during his act Thursday night, infuriating at least several people in the crowd.

During a performance at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency in NYC, Mason referred to Obama as a “schwartza” — some say it’s equivalent to the “N” word — others say it’s just part of the Yiddish culture and a literal translation of the word “Black.”

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President Obama, First Lady Michelle and their two girls, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new pooch and everyone wants to know, what kind of dog are they getting and what will they name it?

Michelle Obama spoke with PEOPLE at the White House and here is what she said:

“You’re getting some scoop here.”

The First Family will be getting their dog in April, after they get back from their spring-break vacation.

Here’s what the family’s conversation went like:

Michelle said, “So Sasha says, ‘April 1st.’  I said, ‘April.’  She says, ‘April 1st.’  It’s, like, April!  Got to do it after spring break.  You can’t get a new dog and then go away for a week.”

What kind of dog is the presidential family getting?

Mrs. Obama said they’ll likely get a rescue Portuguese Water dog who is “old enough” and a “match” for their family dynamic.

She added, “Tempermentally they’re supposed to be pretty good.  From the size perspective, they’re sort of middle of the road – it’s not small, but it’s not a huge dog.  And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them.  So that’s where we’re leaning.”

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