'Soothsayer Hog' to predict soccer matches

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KIEV, Ukraine, May 18 (UPI) -- Ukraine has recruited Soothsayer Hog, a pig with supposed psychic powers, to predict the outcome of soccer matches at the Euro 2012 Games in Kiev.

Svetlana Bovkun, a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian government, told Russian news agency RIA Novosti the Hog will have his own housing in the fan area and will be put to making one prediction a day.

"He's really been looking forward to the tournament," Bovkun said. "He watches all football matches with his owner. He's very kind and very friendly."

Ukraine hopes Soothsayer Hog will be a worthy successor to Paul the Octopus. Paul, who died in October 2010, predicted the results of every German match in that year's World Cup and also correctly called Spain's 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in the final.

Every day, the Hog will be presented with two plates of food, each bearing the flag of a contending country.