Paul the 'psychic' World Cup octopus dies: aquarium

Photo: AFP

Paul the octopus, who shot to fame during this year's football World Cup in South Africa for correctly predicting the outcome of games, has died, his aquarium in Germany said Tuesday.

"Management and staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Center were devastated to discover that oracle octopus Paul, who achieved global renown during the recent World Cup, had passed away overnight," the aquarium said in a somber statement.

“His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself,” www.rte.ie quoted Stefan Porwoll, manager of the center in Germany, as saying.

Paul predicted the winners of all Germany's World Cup clashes, and then of the final by selecting one of two boxes, each loaded with a mussel food treat and marked on the outside with one of the teams.

Staff at the center said his death was not entirely unexpected, since common octopuses generally only live a couple of years.

“We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine,” according to the website.

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Director recognises Ha Long Bay’s potential

The Director of New7Wonders Foundation, Jean-Paul De La Fuente, has
called on Vietnam to launch a national campaign to promote Ha Long Bay’s
image and attempt to gain the title of a New7Wonders attraction.

Jean-Paul made the statement in an interview with The Thao & Van
Hoa (Sports & Culture) newspaper after concluding a working session
with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on October 4.

He said the publicity campaign was necessary in the final rounds of
the competition to increase public awareness of the election, which
should involve the Government.

Brazil’s President took
part in voting for its key natural attraction as it was part of the
national pride and honour, said the chief of the world body evaluating
new world wonders.

He said he understood that at this
point, all Vietnamese considered Ha Long bay as the biggest wonder of
the nation, which he said needs massive promotion and election campaigns
to promote its image.

Jean-Paul advised Vietnam to
avoid routines in campaigning while creating special initiatives to
attract public attention, especially the young generation, to vote.

He said pictures of the site were not convincing enough as his body
had received numerous beautiful pictures from 28 candidates around the
world.

These pictures should be accompanied with strong messages, he emphasised.

Colourful figures should be invited to pose in the scene and take part
in voting and messages on Ha Long Bay should be conveyed to
international tourists, Paul advised.

The voting in the final round will be expanded to telephone calls and messaging, in addition to the internet.

He said he expected the Vietnamese people would bring their national
spirit, which he saw with his own eyes in the Thang Long-Hanoi
millennium anniversary, to the Ha Long Bay campaign.

The competition will not be decided by a group of people but by a majority in the world, Jean-Paul emphasised./.

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Oracle octopus gets behind England's 2018 World Cup bid

Octopus Paul, better known as the so-called ''octopus oracle'' swims in front of a soccer ball in his tank at the Sea Life Aquarium in the western German city of Oberhausen July 9, 2010

Paul the oracle octopus has become an ambassador for England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup, officials said on Friday.

Paul, who spends his days in an aquarium in Germany, became a hit at the World Cup in June and July when he revealed an uncanny knack for predicting the outcome of matches.

The two-year-old creature, who was hatched at a Sea Life Center in Weymouth, England, has joined David Beckham, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and singer Sting among the bid ambassadors.

While Paul has officially retired from football punditry, his signing is a rare piece of good news for a bid which has suffered a stormy ride so far.

"After his success during South Africa 2010, Paul the Octopus is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in football so news of him becoming an official England 2018 Ambassador is tremendous for the Back the Bid campaign," fellow ambassador and former Liverpool and England player John Barnes said.

Paul will not be jumping tanks to support the bid, however, as he is settled in his aquarium in Germany.

During the World Cup in South Africa he became a celebrity when he correctly predicted the outcome of eight consecutive matches, including the final, by selecting food from boxes adorned with the national flags of the competing teams.

Paul's support is timely as FIFA's inspection committee is due in England next week to inspect the bid.

England's is one of five bids to host the 2018 tournament and one of eight bids to host the 2022 tournament. The hosts for both tournaments will be announced in Zurich in December.

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