Octopus Paul II, successor to the tentacled tipster that wowed the world with his uncanny knack of correctly predicting World Cup football games, was unveiled amid great fanfare Wednesday in Germany.
The new cephalopod, also named Paul in honour of his world-famous predecessor who passed away last week, was lowered gently into his tank in a ceremony carried live on national television.
Paul the younger initially appeared more publicity-shy than his media-hungry forerunner, sticking closely to the side walls of the tank as the TV cameras rolled.
The aquarium in Oberhausen, western Germany, limited the number of photographers allowed into the room, amid hefty interest from around the world.
“We got him from near Montpellier” in southern France, an aquarium employee said.
However, the German aquarium was keen to downplay the possibility that Paul II will inflict the same pain to bookmakers as Paul I did, to the joy of punters around the world. (AFP)
Why all the fuss?
The mother of a 10-year-old who gave birth in Spain said yesterday she did not understand why the pregnancy had shocked people.
Her mother said she did not understand the attention the case was generating because she and her daughter are Romanian Gypsies, or Roma, and their custom is to allow girls to marry young even though that is against the law in Romania.
Under Spanish law, having consensual sex with someone under age 13 is classified as child abuse. But the Justice Ministry said this case was complicated, because the alleged father is still in Romania and is also a child. It was not clear whether he could be charged.
Romanian law allows girls to get married at 16 with parental consent, or at 18 without it. But arranged “marriages” between teenagers are relatively common among Roma, who make up about 1.5 million of Romania’s 22 million people. (AP)
Shuttle launch postponed
The final launch of space shuttle Discovery was delayed again, this time because of an electrical problem. Nasa decided to postpone the lift-off until at least tomorrow.
The decision came less than 24 hours before the scheduled launch today.
The space agency has until Sunday or Monday to send Discovery to the International Space Station.
Otherwise, it will have to wait until December because of sun angles.
Gas leaks had already forced a two-day postponement for Discovery’s last trip into orbit.
The weather may keep Discovery grounded even longer. (AP)
Man has chopstick removed
Surgeons in Shanghai have operated on a 50-year-old Chinese man to remove a chopstick that he swallowed 28 years ago, state media reported yesterday.
The man, identified by his surname Zhang, had gone decades without having the chopstick removed because it had not caused him any trouble, the official China Daily reported.
Zhang thought he had completely digested the chopstick until he started having stomach problems and sought medical attention after he passed out, the Oriental Morning Post newspaper reported.
It was then that doctors spotted the remains of the chopstick inside Zhang, the Post said, citing Zhang Dongwei, one of the surgeons at Tongji Hospital. (AFP)
Modigliani work sold for $68.9m
A painting by Amedeo Modi-gliani sold in New York City for more than $68.9 million, an auction record for the artist’s work.
Sotheby’s said five different bidders competed for La Belle Romaine, pushing its price well past the $40 million US dollars that was expected.
The painting, part of a series of nudes created around 1917, was purchased by an anonymous bidder. The price inc-luded the buyer’s premium.
Modigliani, who lived from 1884 to 1920, originally focused on sculpture but switched to painting in part because of health problems. (AP)