Obama hosts Ramzan dinner at White House

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama saluted Muslim Americans on Thursday for their contributions in helping build the United States as business entrepreneurs, technology innovators and pioneers in medicine.

Obama spoke at a White House dinner he hosted to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. The meal, or iftar, breaks the day of fasting when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset.

US refuses to declare 1984 riots in India as genocide

Washington: The Obama Administration on Tuesday refused to declare the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India a genocide, but noted that grave human rights violations had occurred.

The White House response in this regard came months after a section of the Sikh community in the US launched an online petition campaign urging the Obama Administration to recognize the 1984 riots as genocide.


The petition created on November 15, 2012, had generated more than 30,000 signatures within weeks.

Each petition that crosses the threshold of 25,000 signatures is reviewed and receives a response.

"During and after the 1984 violence, the United States monitored and publicly reported on the grave human rights violations that occurred and the atrocities committed against members of the Sikh community," the White House response said.

Obama arrives in Israel amid low expectations

TEL AVIV: US President Barack Obama arrived in Israel on Wednesday without any new peace initiative to offer disillusioned Palestinians and facing deep Israeli doubts over his pledge to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.

Making his first official visit here as president, Obama hopes to use the trip to reset his often fraught relations with both the Israelis and Palestinians in a choreographed three-day stay that is high on symbolism but low on expectations.