By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is getting used to leaving events before they end, even when he does not have to.

Monday night, Obama mistakenly left a White House ceremony honouring two activists' work in Zimbabwe. After finishing his remarks in the East Room, he walked with first lady Michelle Obama into the grand hallway across the main floor of the Executive Mansion. He returned a moment later, a bit sheepishly.

He said with a laugh, "I'm allowed to stay." Then he added, "I never know what I'm allowed to do."

Obama left when he had finished presenting the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award to the Zimbabwe resistance movement WOZA. His war council met a short time later to discuss options for Afghanistan and Pakistan.