Free Republic

A Berlin court has ordered a cat owner to have her hairless Sphynx cat castrated – because it would be animal cruelty to let the naked pet breed. Willi, a Canadian Sphynx, belongs to Berlin cat breeder Jacqueline Linke. True to his breed, Willi is almost completely hairless – a quality that makes Sphynx cats popular choices for those with pet allergies. Despite his questionable appearance, Willi emerged as champion in the 2013 Pedigree Cat Exhibition in Berlin, and has gone on to become a proud father to three naked kittens. However, Willi won't get to pass on his genes...

General view of the Sphinx and pyramids at Giza. The Great Sphinx of Giza, one of the most famous monuments of Pharaonic Egypt, is to get a facelift, the Egyptian ministry of culture said.(AFP/File/Amr Nabil) CAIRO (AFP) - The Great Sphinx of Giza, one of the most famous monuments of Pharaonic Egypt, is to get a facelift, the Egyptian ministry of culture said. Restoration work on the noseless creature undertaken by the High Council for Antiquities is to focus on the beast's neck and chest, rendered fragile by the erosion of desert winds. Egyptian antiquities boss Zahi Hawas said...