World Briefs

Vladimir Putin, known for his earthy sense of humour, made a rare appearance on a popular Russian comedy show, seeming to relish a vulgar gag about Joseph Stalin and wincing at a Lada joke.

Mr Putin seemed to cry with laughter at some points and at other times looked deeply uncomfor­table, as he sat in the front row at the show, aired as a recording on state television late Sunday. But the premier openly cracked up at a vulgar joke about Soviet dictator Stalin, covering his face with his hands. “I want to get a tattoo of Stalin. The older I get, the wider he’ll smile,” dead-panned a plump comedian.

Mr Putin’s appearance on the top-rated sketch comedy show echoed one by Dmitry Med­vedev just before he was elected in 2008. Yet while his protege guffawed away, Mr Putin appeared less relaxed at jokes at his expense. (AFP)

Advertising space on report cards

Faced with stinging budget cuts, a county school board in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado is selling advertising space on report cards to help make ends meet.

Jefferson County Public Schools expects to make $90,000 over three years from Collegeinvest, a college savings plan, for the five-centimetre ads on report cards issued by its 91 elementary schools.

That seems like a drop in the bucket for the school board, which last year slashed its spending by $40 million in the face of reduced state and federal government support and a slump in revenue from school property taxes. (AFP)

‘Blingiest’ cheese at £60 a slice

Try adding this to your after-dinner cheeseboard this Christmas – a Stilton made of real gold which costs £60 a slice.

A whopping £6 price tag for a single cracker-sized wedge may seem a bit decadent to some but celebrities are already queuing up to get their hands on some of the swanky Stilton.

Long Clawson Dairy in Leicestershire will make a limited edition run of it this Christmas and has already been contacted by a variety of interested parties including a Gulf-based oil sheikh and a famous pop star.

Made from premium white Stilton shot-through with a combination of real edible gold leaf and real gold liqueur, its creators say it is Britain’s “blingiest” cheese, 67 times more pricey than regular Stilton, which comes in at around 90p for 100g. (PA)

Fake fans cheer for rivals

Indonesian students have been drafted in to cheer on visiting nations in the Southeast Asian Games with few supporters including arch-rivals Malaysia.

Hundreds of junior and high school students in Palembang – the South Sumatran city co-hosting the Games with Jakarta – have been deployed at several venues to act as cheerleaders, Antara news agency reported yesterday.

They have been given flags and T-shirts and, in one case, told to chant for Malaysia, despite the long history of enmity. (AFP)

Who’s a clever boy?

A two-year-old labrador is proving to be a salty old sea dog after being taught to surf by her owner.

Mango got her lessons from owner Matt Slater, with his wife and children, in the surfers’ playground off Newquay in Cornwall.

The keen beach-going family taught Mango to ride a boogie board in a beach rockpool before taking her out into the surf and videoing her exploits.

Mr Slater, said they only go out in surf that is head-high – for Mango. (PA)