A French chateau overlooking the river Seine where Africa’s most ruthless dictator lived after French paratroopers ousted him is up for auction at a starting price of €735,000.
Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the former self-proclaimed emperor of Central Africa who died in 1996, moved to Hardricourt chateau just outside Paris in 1983, after four years in exile in Ivory Coast following his overthrow by French troops in 1979.
The 550-square-metre residence comes with a gardener’s lodge, a tree-lined park and a double garage.
Bokassa’s son Georges has called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to intervene to prevent what he called the plundering of his family’s heritage. Bokassa, who came to power in 1965, was accused of having his political rivals killed and then cooked and served to visiting foreign dignitaries or else fed to lions and crocodiles in his private zoo. (AFP)
Royal skull
A 400-year-old skull believed to be the head of King Henri IV and hidden for decades in the attic of a retired public servant, has been donated to one of his descendants.
The head disappeared during the French Revolution in 1793. TV journalist Stephane Gabet says he tracked down the mummified skull in the attic of an 84-year-old retired tax collector.
The head was officially donated to Louis de Bourbon, Duc d’Anjou. (PA)
Ban’s boxers
UN leader Ban Ki-moon has revealed one of the secrets that did not come out on WikiLeaks: he is a boxers not briefs man.
The UN Secretary General, who was the target of US orders to get personal details, mocked the leaked diplomatic cables in a tongue-in-cheek speech to the annual UN Correspondents’ Association dinner.
He started his speech by flashing details such as “credit card number” “shoe size” and “ring finger 7.5” onto the screen.
“Boxers not briefs” proclaimed one of the nuggets given to the diplomatic audience.
According to the leaked cables US diplomats at the UN were told to find out the credit card numbers, e-mail addresses, phone, fax and pager numbers and even frequent-flyer numbers for UN leaders. (AFP)
Pelicans killed
US officials in a beach town are trying to find out who is killing dozens of pelicans washed ashore shot, bludgeoned and decapitated.
Volunteers, wildlife officers and town workers in North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, have documented more than 60 pelican deaths apparently caused by human beings.
One was wounded by shotgun pellets. Pelicans are protected by federal and state laws. (PA)
Pleads guilty to Mr Whippy hijacking
A drunk New Zealander hijacked a Mr Whippy van at knifepoint then hurled ice creams at passers-by during a vanilla and alcohol-fuelled rampage, reports said yesterday.
Joseph David Banks, 21, admitted running amok in the North Island town of Hastings last week but was so drunk he could not remember the incident.
Court documents showed that on December 7, Mr Banks, armed with a butcher’s knife, threatened the life of a woman holding her young child on the street before crawling into a nearby Mr Whippy truck. (AFP)
Budgies targeted
A budgerigar breeder has launched a fresh appeal for information after his champion bird was killed in a suspected sabotage attack by a rival.
Andrew Pooley, 58, returned home on August 20 to discover that two of his prize birds, including Penmead Pride, had been killed and 21 others, worth £2,000, stolen.
The theft and destruction of the prize-winning budgies took place the night before the Cornwall Budgerigar Show. (PA)
Giant snails take over Miami Beach
Dozens of giant pink snails have invaded Miami Beach in what appears to be a bizarre cartoon migration along Florida’s sun soaked coast, but is in fact an art project to promote a clean environment.
The international regeneration Art Project, which has already made its mark in Paris, Milan and Prague among other cities, will remain in this tourist-favoured beach community until January 3, said organizers Cracking Art Group. (AFP)