GERMANY: Paul The Prognosticating Octopus...Passes.

AP/
    Paul the octopus had a good run, perhaps even a spectacular run of luck.
    But it ended yesterday. The famous German octopus died during the night.
     From a tank in Oberhausen, the 2 1/2 year-old had correctly picked the outcome of all seven of Germany's soccer matches by opening the lid of one of two clear plastic boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team flag.
    It retired from the predictions business after the final between Spain and the Netherlands -- also forecast correctly.
"We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed," said Stefan Porwoll. "We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds, and erect a modest permanent shrine," he said.

SPAIN: Octopus Paul Predicts Spanish Win Over Netherlands.

GUARDIAN/    This will hopefully be the final post/link about Paul the psychic octopus, unless as some Argentines have threatened, the 8-armed aquarium dweller is stolen and served-up for dinner. So far successful with 5 out of 5 soccer picks, the Oberhausen Germany octopus has chosen SPAIN as World Cup winner in its match with the Netherlands on Sunday.
Brit bookmaker William Hill is so impressed by Paul's predictive powers that it was offering even odds that he will pick the winner.

GERMANY/SPAIN: Paul, The Octopus, Predicts Spanish Win, Upsets Berlin.

NATIONAL   POST/    The octopus in Oberhausen named Paul that has accurately predicted ALL of Germany’s World Cup victories now indicates that Spain will DEFEAT the German soccer team tomorrow. But Paul the octopus is NOT invincible. He has an 80% lifetime record. He was wrong when these two teams met in the 2008 European Championship. The octopus picked Germany but Spain won 1-0.

ARGENTINA: Octopus "Paul" Predicts German Soccer Win; German Calls Maradona's Team "Disrespectful."

GLOBE AND MAIL/     "Paul" is a German octopus turned into a celebrity by going 4 for 4 after predicting that Germany would beat Australia, would be defeated by Serbia, would beat Ghana, and would defeat England. Now, Paul predicts DEFEAT for powerhouse Argentina. His predictions occur when Paul selects from two containers of his favorite clam meat inserted into the tank where he lives. Each container has a flag on it.
       Elsewhere, AFP reports Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is criticizing Argentine team behavior. "I find that the behavior of the Argentinians on the pitch, how they gesticulate and how they try to influence the referee, is disrespectful." Schweinsteiger's team beat Argentina 4-2 on penalties in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup.