Jose's men are Super kings

Real Madrid secured their first Spanish Super Cup since 2008 on away goals after a narrow victory over arch rivals Barcelona in Wednesday's second leg at the Bernabeu.

The hosts had failed to win in their last seven home meetings with Barca but went about ending that record early on with goals in the first 20 minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Trophy hunters: Pepe (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo

Super kings: Real Madrid celebrate

Real deal: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates victory

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men as Adriano was shown a straight red card for denying Ronaldo a clear goalscoring opportunity, but they regained their composure and were brought back into the game by a stunning free-kick from Lionel Messi just before half-time.

Chances continued to come at both ends after the break but Real failed to make their man advantage count and were nearly made to pay as Messi shot just inches wide deep into stoppage time.

Real had failed to win any of their previous three games this season but they did not seem like a side lacking in confidence as they stormed out of the traps early on.

Sharp shooter: Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scores the opening goal

Higuain should have opened the scoring on seven minutes when his low effort across Victor Valdes was well blocked by the keeper, but the Argentinian was gifted his goal only two minutes later by compatriot Javier Mascherano as the Barca defender misjudged a long ball forward from Pepe and allowed Higuain to run through and this time finish low beyond Valdes.

And it was two just nine minutes later as Ronaldo pounced on an error this time by Gerard Pique. The Portuguese brilliantly back-flicked the ball into his path and, despite a poor second touch, his powerful shot rebounded in off Valdes' body.

The chances continued to come for Real as Valdes again denied Higuain from a narrow angle before Pepe had a header controversially ruled out for a push on Mascherano.

Hit man: Cristiano Ronaldo scores Real's second goal

Part of Barca's disorganisation at the back could possibly be put down to a late change in the starting line-up as the injured Dani Alves had to be replaced by Jordi Alba with Adriano moving to right-back, and the Brazilian's torrid evening only lasted 27 minutes as he hauled down Ronaldo when he seemed set to break free on Valdes once more.

After another unsettling five-minute period for the Catalans, new coach Tito Vilanova eventually introduced Martin Montoya for Alexis Sanchez and a return to four at the back seemed to offer the visitors some comfort as they began to make an impression on the game.

Montoya was inches away from converting a vicious low cross from Andres Iniesta before Messi did eventually halve the deficit moments before the interval with an incredible swerving free-kick from 30 yards.

Ronaldo nearly responded with a long-range effort himself that flew just past and Angel Di Maria also shot narrowly wide as Madrid ended the half threatening a third.

Who else? Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores with a freekick

However, at the start of the second period, it was Barca's tiki-taka that began to dictate play as the pace of the game dropped markedly.

Pedro very nearly scored a carbon copy of his goal in the first leg as Mascherano's perfectly weighted pass saw him through on goal but his prodded finish did not have enough power to get through Iker Casillas' legs and the Spain captain collected at the second attempt.

Sami Khedira then nearly restored Real's two-goal cushion but was denied by another fine Valdes save at the end of a brilliant run.

Hand off: Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova

Barca remained dangerous, though, and another brilliant piece of play from Messi released Alba through on goal, but he just over-ran the ball as he rounded Casillas and was eventually crowded out.

Higuain should have given Real breathing space with 11 minutes remaining but he hit the outside of the post with only Valdes to beat and that miss nearly cost his side as Barca came desperately close to equalising in stoppage time.

Firstly, Montoya was denied by a solid save from Casillas before Messi seemed destined to hand Barca the cup as he found space on his favoured left side just outside the area but the ball slipped just wide and Real clung on for their first Super Cup title in four years.

Source : Dailymail

Oprah Winfrey Tops Our List of the Highest-Paid Celebrities

(Blue Wasp/Splash News/Newscom)1. Oprah Winfrey

$165 million

The media mogul's earnings fell by a staggering $125 million from last year. However, even with the drop, she remains the highest earner on the list, just inching out director Michael Bay. It's been a challenging year for Winfrey, who signed off from her 25-year syndicated show and immediately turned her attention to struggling cable network OWN. The bulk of the earnings dive comes from lost income on The Oprah Winfrey Show, but her diversified portfolio includes O: The Oprah Magazine, spin-off shows like The Dr. Oz Show and a radio deal with Sirius. She does not earn a salary at OWN, which has faced ratings disappointments and financial issues since it premiered in Jan. 2011. As chairman and CEO of the joint venture with Discovery Communications, she hopes a recent restructuring, new programming and a distribution deal with Comcast will turn the network around.

(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)2. Michael Bay

$160 million

Bay nabs the title of top-earning director this year thanks to Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The 3-D film brought in $1.1 billion at the box office. Bay has a great deal on the films, taking a solid chunk of the profits. He also earns big from Transformer toys. Adding to Bay's coffers this year: a Transformers ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood. Bay has earned the right to finally do a small film. Pain & Gain has a budget well under $50 million.

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)3. Steven Spielberg

$130 million

Spielberg's DreamWorks moved into television in a big way this year with four new shows, including Terra Nova and Smash. On top of that, the prolific producer stepped back into directing with two movies that hit theaters last Christmas, The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse. Both films were nominated for Oscars.

(WireImage/Getty Images)4. Jerry Bruckheimer

$115 million

Bruckheimer's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was one of the highest-grossing films of 2011, bringing in $1 billion at the global box office. That was a nice change from 2010 for Bruckheimer, when his two big films, Prince of Persia and The Sorcerer's Apprentice stumbled at the box office. In the new Hollywood, though, even Bruckheimer can't get away with an out-of-control budget. Disney made everyone take big cuts for The Lone Ranger.

(Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)5. Dr. Dre

$110 million

The ageless super-producer's latest hit isn't a song, but rather a line of headphones. In August handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in Beats by Dr. Dre, the headphone company he co-founded with Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine in 2006. Each owned about a third of the company, pocketing about $100 million apiece, before taxes, from last summer's deal.

(Jason Merritt/Getty Images)6. Tyler Perry

$105 million

Perry continues to be a busy, well-paid director/producer/writer/actor. His low-budget films, like the recent Good Deeds have built-in audiences and don't need to earn a ton of money to become profitable. Perry's most successful film was 2009's Madea Goes to Jail, which earned $90 million. He also has a successful TV empire that includes House of Payne, Meet the Browns and For Better or Worse.

(WireImage/Getty Images)7. Howard Stern

$95 million

Dwelling in the walled garden of satellite radio has been good for Stern's bank account, and it's probably spared him some FCC fines, but you can tell he misses being part of the broader culture. A new role as a judge on America's Got Talent gives him some extra visibility, along with a reported $15 million a year. It also gives him something to do with the free time he gained after signing a new contract that pays him less money in exchange for fewer days on the radio. Stern's relationship with Sirius appears to be cooling, and his defeat in a lawsuit against his employer over unpaid bonuses won't help.

(Getty Images)8. James Patterson

$94 million

There's a reason Patterson's earnings just keep going up: Every year, he seems to write more books. In 2011, he released 14 titles, a group that includes adult thrillers and fantasy/sci-fi novels aimed at younger readers. A platoon of co-writers help to supplement his output. An adaptation of his "I, Alex Cross" is in the works, with Tyler Perry stepping to the role previously played by Morgan Freeman.

(Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)9. George Lucas

$90 million

Thanks to the massive success of the Star Wars franchise, Lucas earns more money just by waking up in the morning than many people will see in a lifetime. But Lucas plows much of that money back into his company Industrial Light and Magic, which provides effects for movies like Battleship and The Avengers. Lucas' passion project, Red Tails about the Tuskegee airmen, fizzled at the box office, bringing in only $50 million.

(Getty Images)10. Simon Cowell

$90 million

Hits like American Idol don't grow on trees, as Simon Cowell discovered this year. The British music producer and TV impresario made headlines when he promised his new show, The X Factor, would at least match his old talent show in the ratings. It didn't, but the U.K. version of the show minted a breakout act, One Direction, for Cowell's label, Syco Records.

Hazard: We’ll do the treble

LOFTY AMBITIONS ... Eden Hazard

EDEN HAZARD wants to win a treble with Chelsea this season.

The £32million superstar outlined his hopes last night in his first major interview since his sizzling Premier League introduction.

He said: “At Chelsea you have to win every game. The objective is win, win, win. This season I think there are seven trophies to play for.

“We played the first one against Manchester City in the Community Shield. If we get two or three from the remaining six that will be great.

“Big clubs, whether it’s Chelsea or Manchester, are formatted to win.”

Hazard, 21, has burst on the scene with a goal and four assists from three matches to help Roberto Di Matteo and Co to the top of the Premier League table.

The Belgian, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Lille in the summer with his brother Thorgan, added: “I’ve adapted very well to life in London.

“You’re always a bit overrawed when you arrive at a new club because of so many big names.

“But then you tell yourself, ‘they are people like me, with two arms and two legs.”

Hazard has another opportunity to land some silverware on Friday when Chelsea play Atletico Madrid for the Super Cup in Monaco.

Spurs take £10m Luka hit

KEEPING IT REAL ... Luka Modric salutes his Madrid move yesterday

DANIEL LEVY took a whopping £10MILLION hit to keep Luka Modric out of the Prem.

The Spurs supremo finally allowed wantaway Mod to seal his £30million move to Real Madrid last night.

Levy, plotting renewed raids for Brazil playmaker Willian, French midfielder Yann M’Vila and Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris, had told the Bernabeu giants they would have to cough up £40m.

But he decided to accept the Spaniards’ lower offer and get him out of the country — rather

than risk the deal collapsing and the Croatian getting snapped up by Chelsea or Manchester United.

Modric, 26, has signed a five-year deal with the La Liga champions after completing one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the summer.

He said: “It’s taken too long but I’m here and honoured to be at the world’s biggest club.”

Real Madrid will pay Tottenham £25m up front — with a further £5m in instalments.

TARGET ... Hugo Lloris

The deal is the first part of a new partnership between the clubs.

Chairman Levy said: “Luka has been terrific for us and, while we preferred not to part with him, we are pleased that it is to Real Madrid, a club we now look forward to sharing a long and productive partnership.”

Levy will give the Modric fee to Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas to strengthen his squad before Friday’s transfer deadline.

AVB is likely to make an improved offer for Shakhtar Donetsk star Willian after having an £11.8m offer knocked back.

French club Rennes say Tottenham have also submitted a fresh £12.7m bid for M’Vila, who is also wanted by Newcastle.

And Lyon claim the North Londoners are back on the trail of France keeper Lloris, having held talks with them on Sunday about a £16m deal.

Villas-Boas is also believed to be weighing up a swoop for Fulham’s Belgian playmaker Moussa Dembele.

Perry tolak tawaran jadi juri American Idol

AKSI Katy Perry ketika mempromosikan filemnya yang bertajuk Part of me 3D di Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Perry tetap enggan menjadi juri American Idol walaupun ditawarkan wang sebanyak RM60.8 juta.

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LOS ANGELES - Penyanyi terkenal, Katy Perry menolak tawaran sebanyak AS$20 juta (RM60.8 juta) untuk menjadi juri program televisyen American Idol, lapor akhbar New York Daily News kelmarin.

Menurut portal hiburan TMZ.com, penyanyi lagu Wide Awake itu tidak berganjak dengan keputusannya. Dia juga tidak pasti sama ada American Idol adalah langkah betul untuk mengembangkan kerjayanya.

"Katy Perry sedang hangat diburu. Mereka sangat mahukannya," kata satu sumber kepada akhbar Us Weekly.

Sewaktu diwawancara oleh majalah Hollywood Reporter pada Julai lalu, Perry, 27, pernah mendedahkan bahawa dia berasa belum sesuai menjadi juri program televisyen.

Setakat ini, hanya penyanyi pop terkenal, Mariah Carey mengesahkan penyertaan sebagai juri untuk musim American Idol akan datang. Carey dilaporkan bakal menerima bayaran sebanyak AS$$18 juta (RM54.7 juta).

Sebelum ini, bintang terkenal Jennifer Lopez yang juga bekas juri program itu menerima bayaran sebanyak AS$12 juta (RM36.5 juta) bagi setiap musim.

Antara selebriti lain yang disebut-sebut bakal menyertai American Idol sebagai juri termasuklah Nicki Minaj, Pharell Williams, Nick Jonas, Keith Urban dan Kanye West. - Agensi

Kambing panjat pokok di Maghribi

BEBERAPA ekor kambing memanjat pokok argan untuk memakan buahnya di sebuah gurun dekat Essaouira, Maghribi semalam.

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RABAT - Senario beberapa ekor kambing memanjat sebuah pokok argan di sebuah kawasan gurun dekat Essaouira, barat Maghribi mendapat sambutan hebat di laman perkongsian video YouTube.

Haiwan itu memanjat pohon berkenaan untuk memakan buahnya yang manis.

Pokok yang dapat hidup pada musim kemarau itu digunakan oleh penduduk Maghribi untuk menghasilkan sejenis minyak bagi pembuatan kosmetik dan ubat.

Minyak argan merupakan antara minyak termahal di dunia dengan komoditi tersebut dijual pada harga sekitar AS$300 (RM939) seliter. - AFP

Sila layari : www.gepp.my

Di Matteo tidak terkejut

HAZARD (kiri) dan Torres beraksi cemerlang untuk membantu Chelsea menewaskan Newcastle United 2-0 di Stamford Bridge awal pagi semalam.

LONDON - Pengendali Chelsea, Roberto Di Matteo menegaskan bahawa beliau tidak terkejut dengan persembahan cemerlang Eden Hazard pada saingan Liga Perdana England musim ini.

Selain menjaringkan gol pertama, penyerang Belgium itu turut membantu Fernando Torres menghasilkan jaringan kedua ketika menewaskan Newcastle United 2-0 di Stamford Bridge awal pagi semalam.

Hazard, 21, tidak mengambil masa yang lama bagi membuktikan pembeliannya daripada Lille pada harga £32 juta (RM156.85 juta) tidak merugikan.

"Dia tidak mengejutkan saya, kami sudah memantau pergerakannya sejak tahun lepas," kata Di Matteo.

"Dia sememangnya seorang pemain yang sangat hebat. Walaupun beraksi dalam liga yang berbeza, dia dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan begitu pantas."

Tambahnya, Hazard telah mencipta banyak peluang tetapi lebih manis apabila dia sendiri menjaringkan gol pertama.

"Dia cepat menyesuaikan diri dan memahami permainan Juan Mata dan seluruh pemain tengah, sekali gus menyebabkan dia selesa beraksi bersama kami," katanya.

Dalam pada itu, pengurus Newcastle, Alan Pardew turut memuji persembahan Hazard dan dia menyifatkan pemain itu telah merubah keseluruhan persembahan permainan Chelsea berbanding musim lepas.

"Dia menyuntik sedikit kelebihan dalam permainan Chelsea musim ini dan telah menjadi arkitek utama pasukan itu dalam merangka serangan pasukannya," kata Pardew. - AFP

Sila layari : www.gepp.com

Pertandingan makan embrio itik di New York

SEBAHAGIAN peserta pada pertandingan makan embrio itik pertama di New York kelmarin.

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NEW YORK - Satu pertandingan memakan telur mengandungi embrio anak itik yang sempurna kali pertama diadakan di Amerika Syarikat (AS) kelmarin

Dikenali sebagai balut, telur berkenaan merupakan antara makanan menjijikkan di dunia.

Acara ekstrem tersebut dianjurkan oleh restoran Maharlika yang menjual masakan Filipina di sini.

"Telur ini direbus dan dihidangkan bersama secubit garam dan cuka tebu,

"Apabila kulit telur dipecahkan, anda mula dengan meminum cairan di dalamnya sebelum memakan janin anak itik. Jika anda bertuah, anda akan menemui embrio itik yang mempunyai sedikit bulu dan paruh kecil," kata pemilik bersama restoran berkenaan, Miguel Trinidad.

"Telur ini merupakan sumber protein yang hebat dan dapat menguatkan tenaga batin anda," tambahya.

Menampilkan 10 peserta, pertandingan sulung itu dimenangi oleh seorang lelaki, Wayne Algenio.

Dia memakan sebanyak 18 telur embrio dalam tempoh lima minit.

Algenio yang memenangi tali pinggang hitam bersadur emas berjanji akan mempertahankan kejuaraannya pada tahun depan. - Agensi

Sila layari : www.gepp.com

Tangkap ikan layar gergasi di Hawaii

PALMER berdiri di sebelah ikan layar yang ditangkapnya di Kailua-Kona, Hawaii pada 18 Ogos lalu.

HONOLULU - Seorang wanita berusia 28 tahun, Molly Palmer menangkap seekor ikan layar seberat lebih setengah tan di Kailua-Kona di Hawaii pada 18 Ogos lalu, lapor agensi berita AFP semalam.

Ikan seberat 463 kilogram (kg) dan sepanjang 3.65 meter itu ditangkap semasa Pertandingan Jemputan Ikan Layar Pulau Besar.

Penganjur pertandingan, Jody Bright berkata, tangkapan itu mengatasi rekod yang dibuat seorang wanita yang berjaya menangkap ikan sama dengan berat 430.91kg.

Bagaimanapun, Palmer tidak diisytiharkan pemenang dan memenangi hadiah wang tunai kerana dia menaikkan ikan tersebut dengan bantuan rakan-rakannya di atas kapal.

Berdasarkan undang-undang pertandingan menangkap ikan antarabangsa, pemenang perlu menangkap dan menarik ikan tersebut di atas kapal tanpa bantuan rakan-rakan.

Menurut kapten kapal, Neal Isaacs, ikan itu ditangkap selepas 40 minit Palmer mula memancing.

Beliau berkata, ikan tersebut mati di bawah kapal selepas pertarungan untuk menangkapnya berlaku.

Kapten kapal dan suami Palmer kemudian memutuskan untuk membawa naik ikan tersebut di atas kapal kerana berat wanita tersebut hanya 72.57kg kurang enam kali ganda berat ikan itu. - Agensi

Ikan paus muncul di tepi bot

KEPALA seekor ikan paus humpback muncul dekat seorang peluncur laut (kanan) di San Luis Obispo pada 18 Ogos lalu.

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, California - Seorang jurugambar amatur, Bill Bouton merakamkan gambar kepala seekor ikan paus humpback yang muncul di tepi sebuah bot dan kayak dekat pantai di sini pada 18 Ogos lalu.

Beberapa pelancong yang menaiki bot itu turut merakamkan gambar ikan tersebut.

Ikan itu kerap berenang dekat bot dan kayak semasa ia makan ikan sardin.

"Saya berasa amat bertuah," kata Bouton selepas dia berjaya menangkap gambar tersebut. - Agensi

Gates temui tandas untuk negara-negara membangun

PROFESOR Sains Alam Sekitar Institut Teknologi California, Michael Hoffman menunjukkan tandas ciptaan pasukannya yang memenangi hadiah Gates di kampus Yayasan Bill dan Melinda Gates di Seattle kelmarin.

SEATTLE - Lelaki kedua terkaya di dunia, Bill Gates (gambar kecil) sebelum ini mencari tandas yang dicipta dengan menggunakan kuasa solar untuk negara-negara membangun.

Pencarian itu akhirnya berakhir apabila beliau memberikan hadiah kemenangan sebanyak AS$100,000 (RM312,688) kepada Institut Teknologi California kelmarin dalam pertandingan mencipta tandas tersebut.

Tandas itu mengitar semula air dan menjadikan najis manusia menjadi gas hidrogen yang boleh disimpan untuk tujuan membekalkan tenaga.

Pengasas bersama syarikat perisikan komputer Microsoft Corporation itu menganjurkan projek memilih tandas untuk negara-negara membangun di kampus yayasannya di sini.

Yayasan Gates turut mengumumkan dana sebanyak AS$3.4 bilion (RM10.63 bilion) untuk projek tandas tersebut.

Antara ciptaan yang dipamerkan itu ialah mentransformasikan bahan kumbahan manusia menjadi elektrik.

Tandas yang berfungsi dengan menggunakan pedal mekanikal dan sistem rantai hasil ciptaan kumpulan Fundacion In Terris dari Ecuador turut menjadi tumpuan pada pertandingan itu. - Agensi

Pemain remaja negara sertai kelab Itali

PEMAIN bola sepak remaja Malaysia, Sean Gan Giannelli (gambar) akan menyertai kelab Itali, Atletico Arrezo di Tusca- ny mulai 20 Ogos ini.

Sean, 15, akan menyertai skuad bawah 17 tahun (B-17) Atletico Arrezo selepas berjaya menawan hati jurulatih dan kakitangan teknikal kelab itu baru-baru ini.

Sean yang berdarah campuran Itali-Malaysia, merupakan pelajar Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil (SSBJ) dan berlatih serta mewakili skuad B-17 SSBJ.

Bapanya, Massimo berkata, beliau berbangga dengan pencapaian Sean memandangkan anak lelakinya itu menjadi rakyat Malaysia pertama mewakili kelab bola sepak remaja Itali selepas menjalani ujian percubaan pada Jun lalu.

"Dia (Sean) anak muda yang bercita-cita tinggi dan matlamat hidupnya ialah bermain bola sepak secara profesional pada tahap tertinggi di Eropah.

"Daripada apa yang dia capai setakat ini, tidak ada apa yang tidak boleh dilakukannya," kata Massimo.

Katanya, kepantasan dan tek- nik yang dipamer Sean sebagai pemain penyerang, memikat hati ketua jurulatih kelab Serie D itu, Abel Balbo yang juga bekas pemain skuad kebangsaan Argentina.

Balbao yang pernah beraksi bersama legenda bola sepak Argentina, Diego Maradona, menyumbat 150 gol dalam Serie A dan pernah bermain untuk kelab AS Roma, Udinese, Fiorentina, Parma dan Boca Juniors.

'Ladang' di atas bumbung

SEORANG wanita berjalan di 'ladang sayur-sayuran' di Hong Kong pada 31 Julai lalu.

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HONG KONG - Bumbung sebuah bangunan 14 tingkat di sini menjadi 'ladang' untuk menanam pelbagai jenis sayur-sayuran, lapor agensi berita AFP semalam.

Ladang itu dimiliki oleh Osbert Lam yang menyewakan tempat untuk menanam sayur-sayuran di kawasan seluas 930 meter persegi.

Antara sayur-sayuran yang ditanam itu ialah timun dan ubi kentang.

Lam yang merupakan seorang usahawan tempatan menyewa kepada orang ramai untuk menanam sayur-sayuran pada harga antara AS$20 (RM62.33) hingga AS$25 (RM77.92) sebulan.

"Saya berpendapat ladang di bandar raya menjadi semakin popular.

"Orang ramai yang datang ke ladang ini berasa amat gembira. Ia umpama ketenangan dan satu jalan keluar," kata Lam.

Seorang jururawat, Melanie Lam yang menanam sayur-sayuran di atas bumbung itu berkata: "Saya berasa gembira memakan sayur-sayuran yang saya tanam berbanding makanan yang saya beli di pasar raya." - Agensi

I love this monkey and ugly creatures like him

Ugly and he nose it ... the proboscis monkey

WITH their bizarre bodies and odd expressions, these curious creatures wouldn’t win any wildlife beauty contests. But zoologist and film-maker Lucy Cooke says it’s time we cared about them before it’s too late.

In a three-part TV series, Freaks And Creeps, starting tonight on National Geographic Wild at 8pm, she will attempt to convince us of the appeal of uglier endangered animals.

Here she explains her mission against what she calls the “tyranny of cute”.

HUMANS are hard-wired to go all gooey over cute animals.

Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz was the first to discover, in 1949, that we are programmed to react to big heads, big eyes and wobbly vulnerability. It’s part of our nurturing instinct.

Well, not me. I think I’m actually immune to cute. Instead, I’ve always been a massive fan of weird, ugly, unloved animals. Maybe it’s the British habit of always supporting the underdog.

What intrigues me, as a zoologist, is the story behind these animals, not their looks.

On a mission ... Zoologist Lucy Cooke

Unfortunately I’m in a minority, and that means hundreds of the least attractive endangered species are getting ignored in favour of the more loveable, fluffy ones.

There was a paper written that revealed there were 500 times more scientific and research papers written about the charismatic, furry animals than endangered amphibians. I couldn’t believe it.

If we only try to save the cute animals, we will end up with a planet of polar bears and pandas, and a whole host of animals that are essential for making the world tick will be ignored and left to die out.

Brilliantly unattractive ... the uakari monkey

So in my series, I hope to convince people that it’s time to stand up for the ugly. My hope is that once people understand the stories behind some of these creatures, they will find them attractive.

In the first episode I go to Borneo and completely ignore its famous orangutans. Instead, I spend time with the proboscis monkey.

There’s no doubt this is one peculiar-looking monkey. He has a giant, bulbous nose, a big pot belly and Donald Trump hair.

A real looker ... the proboscis monkey

Unfortunately for him, he also sports a permanent erection that resembles the least appealing chilli pepper in the world.

The colouring of his fur makes him look like he’s wearing grey tights with white underpants over the top. It’s a real look.

To add to that, the poor thing farts all the time because he lives off very indigestible fruit, which also gives him the pot belly.

Shell-o sexy! ... the Mata Mata turtle

Proboscis monkeys are really endangered, but because there’s no funding for any research on them, we don’t know how many are left.

A lot of people think vultures are very ugly too, but there are some interesting facts about them. For instance, they are bald so they won’t get blood in their feathers as they feed off carrion, and they can also spot a carcass from four miles. That’s like a superhero power.

Their stomach acid is so strong they can break down botulism and anthrax — and at the South African vulture sanctuary I visited I was told you could use vulture poo to wash dishes, as it’s such a good disinfectant.

If looks could thrill ... vulture

They are absolutely necessary to the ecosystem because they recycle dead bodies. But in some places, their numbers have dropped by up to 95 per cent.

Many are poisoned. But there is also a belief in South Africa that smoking vulture brains will enable you to see into the future. Since the lotto arrived in South Africa there has been a sharp drop in numbers.

I visited a market there where I saw hundreds of dead vultures being sold for their brains.

Another ugly animal is the giant Chinese salamander, which unfortunately looks like a 6ft penis.

Penis envy ... the Chinese giant salamander

It lives in the same mountains of China as that poster-child of conservation, the giant panda, but no one’s interested in the salamander.

The Zoological Society of London have campaigned to protect this amphibian for a long time but have struggled to get funding because of the way the salamander looks. This is a real shame because it’s the world’s largest amphibian. It’s really ancient and it’s got as much right to be on this planet as the panda.

Other brilliantly unattractive examples include the naked mole rat, which eats its own poo, the mata mata turtle and the uakari monkey, which looks like an angry red skull.

The naked mole rat ... eats its own poo

There are some people trying to save these unattractive beasts, including a British bloke who is studying the dung beetle in Borneo. He has to provide his own bait, so yes, he craps for conservation. If that doesn’t deserve a medal, I don’t know what does. But I’ll end on one of my favourite uglies, the aquatic scrotum frog.

He lives in Lake Titicaca, on the border of Peru and Bolivia, which is more than 12,000ft above sea level.

The air is incredibly thin, it’s very cold and the only way the aquatic scrotum frog survives is by living at the bottom of the lake.

One of the favourites ... the scrotum frog

He absorbs oxygen through his skin, which has evolved to be saggy, with more surface area to absorb more oxygen. To help the process he does press-ups to increase the water circulation around his body.

So there he is, named after a testicle bag, living in the world’s highest lake, doing push-ups in the dark.

He might not be good-looking, but you’ve got to love that animal.

This cuddly panda ... leaves Lucy cold

Aircraft that does 4,300pmh set for take-off

Hypersonic ... the WaveRider will travel six times speed of sound

THE US Air Force is set to test a superfast plane designed to fly at SIX TIMES the speed of sound, or about 4,300 mph.

The hypersonic aircraft - even faster than concorde - is intended to allow the Pentagon to deliver strikes around the globe within minutes.

At its top speed the WaveRider could travel from London to New York in about an hour.

It will be tested later today when it’s dropped by a B-52 bomber and takes flight off the California coast.

Engineers hope it sustains its top speed for 300 seconds, twice as long as it’s gone before.

In its most recent test last year, the Boeing-designed X-51 fell for about four seconds before its booster rocket ignited, but the aircraft failed to separate from the rocket and plunged into the ocean.

Fighter ... the plane is being tested by US Air Force

Mutant butterflies caused by Fukushima disaster

Mutant ... butterflies have been found with smaller wings or damaged eyes

MUTANT butterflies have been discovered near the ruined Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

A crisis was unleashed when the devastating earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck.

The disaster, which killed 19,000, sent huge waves 20 metres high and wiped out cooling systems at the power plant.

And experts fear radiation levels could spark a string of genetic mutations after changes were found in butterflies.

Many pale grass blue butterflies born since the disaster have suffered abnormalities, including smaller wings and damaged eyes.

Scientists fear the fallout from the catastrophe could also harm other animals and people.

Radiation expert Kunikazu Noguchi said: "This is just one study, we need more studies to verify the entire picture of the impact on animals.

“The case of Fukushima plant workers is a different story. Some of them have already topped exposure limits. It is necessary to strictly monitor them to see if there is any impact."

Worries ... experts fear other species might be affected

Tukar jantina demi Britney

DEMI meniru imej Britney, Kara setakat ini membelanjakan hampir RM300,000 untuk pembedahan.

SEORANG lelaki yang terlalu meminati Britney Spears sanggup menjalani pembedahan menukar jantina bagi membolehkan impiannya kelihatan seperti penyanyi itu benar-benar menjadi kenyataan.

Kara Hays setakat ini membelanjakan lebih STG60,000 (RM 295,000) untuk mengubah jantina serta menanam implan buah dada.

• 

  KARA ketika berusia 13 tahun.

Kara, 26, sebelum ini dikenali dengan nama Kody.

Hasil pembedahan dijalaninya, Kara kini memiliki rambut panjang perang yang hampir menyerupai penyanyi pop era 1990-an itu.

Kata Kara, apabila dia nekad menukar jantina dia bebas memilih imej yang ingin ditonjolkan pada dirinya.

“Apabila kamu berasa seperti seorang budak perempuan dalam tubuh budak lelaki, kamu cuba menjadi perempuan yang sebenar.

“Saya melihat Britney sebagai wanita yang kuat dan semua orang mahu berpacaran dengannya,” katanya.

Kara berkata, dia memberi perhatian kepada Britney dan Christina Aguilera sebagai inspirasi kerana kedua-duanya adalah bintang yang mencipta nama ketika dia di zaman remaja.

“Pada ketika itu, mereka menjadi perhatian remaja,” katanya.

Keadaan sama dihadapi golongan remaja hari ini yang memandang Lady Gaga dan Katy Perry sebagai idola.

Ketika memutuskan untuk menjadi perempuan dulu, kata Kara, dia berfikir imej yang ingin ditampilkannya.

Namun, kata Kara, bukan faktor populariti saja mendorong dia meniru Britney.
Kara berkata, dia pernah mengalami tekanan emosi ketika Britney berdepan dugaan dalam hidupnya.

“Malah ketika Britney mencukur kepalanya menjadi botak, saya turut melakukan perkara sama,” katanya.

Menceritakan kejadian itu, Kara berkata, perasaannya terganggu pada satu hari dan secara bersahaja pergi ke kedai gunting rambut.

Katanya, dia terus meminta pekerja di situ menjadikan kepalanya botak.

“Saya berfikir jika Britney memiliki kekuatan untuk melakukannya, saja juga mempunyai kemampuan sama,” katanya.

Walaupun orang ramai menganggap tindakan itu keterlaluan, katanya, Kara tetap berasa seperti “dibebaskan” daripada segala masalahnya.

Mengenai penampilan barunya, Kara berkata, ia akhirnya membawa kegembiraan selepas bertahun-tahun berasa tertekan.

Ketika berusia 12 tahun, Kara mengejutkan rakan sekelasnya ketika hadir di majlis tari-menari sempena Halloween dengan pakaian ketat seperti dipakai Britney dalam klip video Oops I Did It Again.

Kelakuannya ketika itu juga mencetuskan rasa marah di kalangan masyarakat konservatif di bandar di Ohio, AS.

Pada usia 15 tahun, ibu bapanya membenarkan dia bertemu doktor dan disahkan mengalami kecelaruan jantina.

Pada 1999, dia mula mengambil hormon wanita.

Selama beberapa tahun, payu dara Kody semakin membesar dan dia mula memakai pakaian wanita dengan lebih bebas.

Dia juga mula menggunakan nama Kara.

Pada 2002, Kara menjalani pembedahan selama 14 jam bagi menukar jantina dan memasukkan implan pada dadanya.

Setakat ini Kara membelanjakan hampir RM300,000 untuk mewarnakan rambutnya menjadi perang serta merapi dirinya sebagai “wanita sempurna.”

Menyimpan angan-angan menjadi pelakon, Kara berkata, dia terpaksa mematuhi peraturan dan kod pakaian seperti wanita lain.

“Saya berasa seperti terlalu diperhatikan dan sama sekali tidak boleh terbabit dalam sebarang skandal kerana diri saya ini sendiri satu skandal,” katanya.

Pada masa sama, kata Kara, dia berasa seperti melalui proses akil baligh sekali lagi.

Tidak lama selepas menamatkan pengajian di sekolah tinggi, Kara mula cuba minum arak dan mengambil dadah, sebelum berpindah ke Los Angeles dalam usahanya mencapai impian sebagai pelakon.

Di situ, dia mula disangka Britney dan menimbulkan kekeliruan di kalangan paparazzi.

Kara akhirnya berpindah ke New York untuk mengikuti kursus seni drama selama setahun dan menamatkan pengajian itu tahun lalu.

Kini, dia sedang mengikuti pengajian peringkat ijazah dalam bidang perhubungan awam.

Bug gurus spot new species

The elusive Semachrysa jade lacewing.

Call it fate, or just pure luck. One insect species recently gained a scientific name due to an eagle-eyed taxonomist browsing images on Flickr.

Shaun Winterton, a senior insect biosystematist for the California Department of Food & Agriculture, along with other researchers, randomly came across the images of the unusual green lacewing on Flickr. They set off to identify the unknown insect.

Winterton reached out to Guek, hoping the photographer could somehow find the bug again and send it off for inspection. In late January of this year, Guek happened to encounter the rare lacewing again, captured it, and sent it to Winterton for further analysis. (Crave suggests Guek may want to start playing the lottery as quickly as possible.)

To classify the insect, Winterton collaborated with Stephen Brooks, a lacewing expert who works as an entomologist with the Natural History Museum in London. Among many other features, Guek's lacewing sports a 1.1-inch wingspan, which appears translucent except for some unusual black and blue markings.

After a round of analysis, Guek's discovery ended up being a completely new previously unnamed species of lacewing known as the Semachrysa jade, a name influenced by Winterton's daughter.

Up close and personal with the newly named lacewing.