Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his “extraordinary efforts” to build diplomacy and promote nuclear disarmament, the Nobel Committee said Friday.

There were a record 205 nominations for this year’s prize. Zimbabwe’s prime minister and a Chinese dissident had been among the favorites.

The committee highlighted Obama’s efforts to strengthen international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament.

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the Norwegian committee said as the prize was announced.

“His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.”

The American President — who has two children with his wife Michelle — will receive a a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).

First Ladies — they’re just like us!

Michelle Obama — President Barack Obama’s wife, obviously — says she “loves” eating French fries.

But the 45-year-old does admit she have to work hard to stay in shape.

“I try to have no absolute no’s,” she tells Prevention magazine in its November issue.

“I love French fries, I like a good burger, and I like pie. And that’s okay. I would be depressed if I felt I could never eat the things that I love.”

“There are some great bakers [in the White House kitchen],” Obama adds. “If you like pie, it will be there always — at every meal. So for me, it’s about setting up new boundaries. I had some challenges with that, but I’m balancing out.”

So how does Michelle maintain those famously buff arms? “I enjoy arm exercises because you can see what it’s hitting,” she explains.

“I’ve had more time [to work out] as my kids have gotten older. There was a period, actually right before the campaign started up, that I was really in tip-top shape. I was really there. And then my husband ran for president.”

“I also don’t want my girls to be obsessed about food,” Michelle adds. “We don’t have a ‘no junk food’ rule — I just want them to think about their choices. When my older daughter asks, ‘Can I have pie?’ I’ll say, ‘Did you have it yesterday? Well, what do you think?’ And she’ll come to the conclusion that, ‘You know, you’re right, I shouldn’t eat pie every night.’”

American President Barack Obama has laughed off Jimmy Carter’s suggestion that criticism of his health plan is rooted in racism.

“I think it’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election,” Obama joked, drawing roars of laughter during an appearance on David Letterman’s The Late Show.

Obama’s interview aired Monday night on CBS.

The President turned serious when Letterman asked questions about race, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the state of the economy. “Unemployment is still going to be a big problem for at least another year,” he said.

It seems Barack has quite the sense of humor — he recently called rapper Kanye West a “jackass” after he crashed teen star Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the recent MTV Video Music Awards.

“I thought that was really inappropriate, she’s getting an award, what are you butting in,” Obama said in an off the record comment to CNBC. “The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person, she’s getting her award, what’s he doing up there … he’s a jackass.”

Jennifer Lopez’s husband Marc Anthony had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to him by President Barack Obama.

Anthony — who turned 41 on Wednesday– and Lopez were in Washington D.C. for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Awards Gala, which the US leader also attended.

Obama reportedly convinced a group of politicians to sing to Marc backstage at the event.

A jovial Obama also teased Marc about his sex-symbol status, claiming at the Hispanic Caucus dinner that chairwoman Nydia Velazquez thought he was good looking.

President Obama is quoted as saying: “I’m telling you J.Lo, watch out!”

Marc and Jennifer then celebrated his big day at the W hotel’s P.O.V. Lounge.

The bash started at 10.30pm, and guests including Marc’s family, agent Benny Medina and Miami Dolphins coach Wayne Huizenga — who Marc has grown close to after buying a stake in the American football team — partied until 2am.

Marc was given a five-tier ‘Congratulations and Happy Birthday!’ chocolate cake with fondant icing to mark his big day, although further details of the party are as yet unknown.

President Barack Obama has finally reacted to the sudden death of pop superstar Michael Jackson.

Obama says the King of Pop will “go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers.”

“I grew up on his music,” said Obama, who, at 47, is three years younger than 50-year-old Jackson. “I still have all his stuff on my iPod.”

Speaking to the Associated Press, the president added that he also felt that Jackson lived a “tragic and in many ways sad personal life.”

Jackson, 50, died Thursday (June 25) after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.

His memorial will take place on Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at the Staples Center. The program will be simulcast at Los Angeles’ nearby Nokia Theatre.

Barack Obama — who is the President of the United States and not a celebrity — graces the cover of this Sunday’s Parade magazine.

Inside the mag, Barack — who has two kids with wife Michelle — has written a special Fathers Day message to the people of America. (continue)