Reuters Odd News Summary

Off-duty Maryland policeman bites man's testicles: court papers

A Maryland police officer bit a man's testicles during an off-duty fight outside a Baltimore bar and has been charged with assault, according to court documents made public on Wednesday.Anne Arundel County police officer Michael Flaig, 31, was arrested and charged on Tuesday night after attacking the victim, who was not named by Baltimore police.The fight stemmed from an argument that began after Flaig was accused of making unwanted sexual advances toward the victim's roommate, Baltimore police said in the charging documents. The victim told Flaig to stop and the two got in an argument. The man left the bar and Flaig attacked him in an alley, police said. He attempted to punch the victim, missed and fell down.The victim pinned Flaig to the ground, straddling him around the upper body and neck area, police said. Flaig then bit the man's testicles, according to the court documents.

Furry four-legged intruder makes surprise visit to Australian hospital

Security camera footage of a koala wandering unhindered through the emergency ward of an Australian hospital has gone viral, with tens of thousands watching the curious critter on the Internet. The cameras captured the koala, an Australian native marsupial, strolling through the doors of the emergency department of the Hamilton Base Hospital in regional Victoria state. It then wandered back out again when it triggered the electronic doors.

Fit for a true fan: Brazil hairdresser etches stars' faces on heads

Looking for a new way to pay homage to your favorite sportsman or singer? At a salon just outside the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, artistic hairdresser Nariko is offering a stylish option -- etching the profiles of the famous onto the sides and back of his clients' heads.

Australia's Sex Party stripped of official registration

The Australian Sex Party, a tiny party known for its salacious name and election day antics, said on Thursday that it had been deregistered after the country's election watchdog ruled it did not have enough activists. Co-founder Robbie Swan said in a statement that the party would "vigorously" appeal a decision handed down by the Australian Election Commission (AEC) that removed its official status following a review of its membership.

Florida woman's online order asks for pizza, police help

Employees at a Pizza Hut in Florida were praised on Wednesday for helping rescue a customer who wrote a message in her online pizza order that she was being held hostage and needed someone to call 911, authorities said. The note led to the arrest of Ethan Nickerson, 26, who used a large knife to hold his girlfriend and their three children hostage, said Highlands County sheriff's spokeswoman Nell Hays.

Britons vote - for their national bird

British voters will set the tone for the future on Thursday by choosing a national bird. Unlike the United States, which has the bald eagle, France, the rooster, and Brazil, the rufous-bellied thrush, the United Kingdom has no official bird as its symbol.

Soccer player McCarthy loses more than hair in barbershop robbery

Former South Africa striker Benni McCarthy became a target for more than autograph hunters when he was robbed at gunpoint in a Johannesburg barbershop. McCarthy, 37, back in his homeland as a pundit for a local television station's coverage of Europe's Champions League, which he won with Porto in 2004, had jewelry and other personal items stolen but was not harmed.