Australian officials withdrew 200 Barack Obama mugs from the parliamentary gift shop because they misspelled his name.
The mugs, featuring a smiling picture of the American President, cheerfully welcomed "Barrack Obama" on his visit due this month. The mugs, as well as the trip, have now been scrapped.
Officials said the specially made commemorative mugs arrived over the weekend and promptly hit the gift shop's shelves, despite Mr Obama cancelling on Friday over the BP oil spill.
"At that moment the reality (dawned) that we'd ordered mugs with the wrong spelling of his first name, so instead of being Barack Obama B-A-R-A-C-K we had B-A-R-R-A-C-K," parliamentary services secretary Alan Thompson said. (AFP)
Spaghetti legs
Bruce Grobbelaar's famous "spaghetti legs" could be the answer to England's World Cup penalty woes, scientists revealed.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper's crazy antics were critical to his team's victory in the 1984 European Cup final against AS Roma, research suggests.
The findings show that Grobbelaar stole a march on scientists when he invented his wobbly-knees distraction tactic. The research by staff at the University of Exeter has proved that if a kicker's eyes are drawn to the goalkeeper, he tends to shoot in that direction. (PA)
Punishment fits the crime
Singapore is trying a new tactic against litterbugs, embarrassing them in front of their neighbours.
The government has warned that two or more littering offences would lead to enforced cleaning duty in some of the island's busiest areas - community centres, shopping malls and bus stations.
The shame campaign is the latest twist in a years-long effort to reinforce an image that helps Singapore regularly rank at the top of expat quality-of-life polls. (PA)
Partners in crime?
A third of Britons have taken money from their partner but the majority do not consider it to be stealing, a survey showed.
Around 34 per cent of people admit they have helped themselves to change from their partner's wallet or purse, but three-quarters of these thought it was acceptable, according to discount voucher website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.
Just over half of the people said what belonged to their partner also belonged to them, while 23 per cent said their partner would not mind and 11 per cent thought their partner would do the same. (PA)
Surfer attacked by shark
A surfer is in hospital after he was attacked by a shark off the Australian west coast, an official said.
Michael Bedford was rescued by a friend and a group of fishermen after he was attacked twice by the shark off Conspicuous Cliff Beach, south of Perth. He suffered deep gashes to his right leg but is in stable condition in hospital, a Health Department spokesman said. (PA)
Happiness statistics
The British Government should regularly release official statistics on the happiness of the nation to help inform policy-making, a cross-party group of MPs demanded.
Promoting happiness and well-being was a "legitimate and important goal" of the Government and needed be taken more seriously, they said.
Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson called for the "introduction of official and regularly conducted statistics on national well-being in the UK to inform policy-making." The motion has so far been backed by five other MPs. (PA)
Duck surprise
A duck has chosen the precarious location of a hanging basket at a garden centre to make its nest.
The new inhabitant at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley, Surrey, laid her eggs about two weeks ago in the basket suspended about eight feet from the ground. (PA)
Taking the plunge
A New York couple got married in a shark tank. April Pignataro and Michael Curry were lowered in a steel cage into the tank to exchange their wedding vows at Atlantis Marine World.
The experienced divers spoke their vows into radio headgear transmitted to a minister outside the tank. About 75 guests watched from behind glass. (PA)