Newsdeck

Newsdeck

Floating voter: ‘Psychic’ Indian fish picks Trump

A "psychic" fish in India on Tuesday picked Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, hours before Americans head to the polls.

Chanakya II, a flowerhorn cichlid fish, was given three chances to pick between two floating sticks bearing a photo of Republican Trump or his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton.

The creature, which has a bulbous forehead that resembles the extravagant coiffure of the real estate mogul, swam towards Trump all three times.

Chanakya II’s first official prediction sees him join the swelling menagerie of soothsaying animals.

His predecessor, Chanakya I, was famous for accurately forecasting winners in football and cricket matches, his owners at the Chennai-based NGO Indian Community Welfare Organisation said.

There have been numerous “psychic” animals since Germany’s football oracle, Paul the Octopus, successfully tipped the winner of eight-straight matches during the 2010 World Cup.

All eyes are on the US presidential election as a divisive 511-day campaign comes to an end with either the country’s first female president or a populist property tycoon poised to enter the White House.

More than 40 million Americans have already cast ballots in states that allow early voting, with opinion polls suggesting Clinton has a slim edge.

str-anb/as/hg

© 1994-2016 Agence France-Presse

Gallery

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Daily Maverick Elections Toolbox

Feeling powerless in politics?

Equip yourself with the tools you need for an informed decision this election. Get the Elections Toolbox with shareable party manifesto guide.