One of the nice things about being the most powerful person in the world is that people give you presents. It's unlikely that gifts from foreign countries do much to sway American diplomacy, but foreign visitors bestowing cumbersome or weird gifts is almost certainly one of the more entertaining parts of President Obama's job. 

Tony Abbott has revealed a secret and unlikely admiration for the world’s most powerful leader, describing Barack Obama as an “extraordinarily gifted man” and a potential friend to rival past ­presidents. But as the PM headed into his first official talks with the US President in Washington today, he pulled no punches in saying he would aggressively push for a historic strengthening of US-Australian relations.

WHEN Barack Obama went to Africa this month he presented his hosts with cheques worth $7 billion for power-generation equipment. He didn’t expect much in return. Yet he doubtless took a lot of trinkets back on the plane with him. Among the gifts foreign dignitaries have lavished on him since arriving in the White House are a red and white vase with purple and pink flowers (from the president of China), a Bauhaus chess set (from a German protocol chief) and an ornamental sword with the engraved legend “Fight Against Corruption” (from the attorney-general of Qatar).