Roman to break record for Villas

BO TIED TO BLUES ... Chelsea are poised to name Andre Villas-Boas as boss

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH is splashing a world record £13.25million to make Andre Villas-Boas boss of Chelsea.

That is the astonishing cost of the release clause to take Villas-Boas, 33, from Porto - a record for any football manager transfer.

And Blues owner Rom could fork out another £26.5m for the Portuguese club's striker Falcao.

Porto defender Alvaro Perreira admitted last night: "Andre Villas-Boas went to Chelsea. Abramovich took our manager.

"We have to thank the coach for all the work and trophies won with us."

Villas-Boas, who learned his trade under Sir Bobby Robson and Jose Mourinho, took charge at Porto last summer.

He led them to four trophies in one season - the Europa League plus the Portuguese League, Cup and Super Cup.

Colombian Falcao, who has two years left on his contract, was a key member of that side.

He scored a record 17 goals in Europe, including the winner in the final against Braga.

Claudio Mossi, a Falcao agent, said last night: "If Villas-Boas is the new coach of Chelsea it is normal for players that are closest to follow him."

Falcao is a huge admirer of Villas-Boas and said: "It's thanks to him that every player felt relevant and he kept us all motivated. This was decisive."

Falcao joined Porto in 2009 and has an astonishing 41 goals in just 50 appearances.

Keeping up with the Abramovichs: How the world's most lavish yachts measure up

When you have a fortune of billions, having the latest sports car or the largest house is child's play.

For the likes of Roman Abramovich and the Sheikhs of the UAE, the real way to demonstrate one's financial worth is to have the grandest yacht.

And while size most definitely matters (no self-respecting tycoon would have a vessel less than 200ft), the mod-cons are no less impressive, with helicopter landing pads and even missile detection systems.

Size matters: The Eclipse, owned by Roman Abramovich, is the world's largest yacht at 557ft. Pictured last month off the coast of Cannes, it boasts twin helicopter pads and its own missile detection system

The largest, and most famous, is of course Mr Abramovich's $500million Eclipse, which, at 557ft, is the world's largest boat.

It requires a team of 70 to run and comes complete with the aforementioned radar equipment and twin helicopter pads, as well as bullet-proof windows and armour plating on the bridge.

It even has its own submarine, which can dive to 160ft, and, in keeping with the safety-first theme, also functions as an escape pod.

Competitive: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's 531ft Dubai yacht had been the world's largest prior to the Eclipse's launch. It is believed to have cost over $300million when it launched in 2006

Steeped in history: Egypt's 478ft El Horriya, which is the world's fift's largest boat, is a former presidential yacht. Built in 1865, it was the first vessel to sail through the Suez Canal. It is now owned by the country's navy

The yacht joins a fleet owned by the oligarch, which includes the 377ft Pelorus, 282ft Ecstasea and 160ft Sussurro.

Its launch in 2009 caused outrage among fellow megayacht owners, who regularly compete to own the largest boat. It is believed to have particularly incensed UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, whose 531ft Dubai yacht had been the world's largest prior to the Eclipse's launch.

It was said to have cost over $300million when it launched in 2006 and is thought to have a full-sized cinema, squash court, gym, a helicopter pad, and a storage area for a submarine.

Megayacht wars: Roman Abramovich (left), UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (centre) and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (right)

Sheikh Mohammed is now said to be building an even larger vessel to rival Mr Abramovich's.

They are by no means the only megayacht owners. The Sultan of Oman launched the Al Said in 2008, a vast 508ft vessel that can reportedly host a crew of 154, 70 guests and a 50-piece orchestra.

And according to Newsweek, Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz requires a crew of 96 on his 457ft Al Salamah boat - a mere little sister to the family's other boat, the 482ft Prince Abdulaziz - while Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, spends his free time aboard the 436ft Al-Mirqab.

Retreat: Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, spends his free time aboard the 436ft Al-Mirqab

Luxurious: The British-owned Enigma, is relatively small at just 224ft. It is easily identifiable for its convex windows and has its own basketball court. It usually docks in Sardinia, but is also regularly spotted in Mallorca

Egypt's 478ft El Horriya, which ranks fifth in a list of the world's largest boats, is steeped in history. The former presidential yacht, it was built in 1865 and was the first vessel to sail through the Suez Canal. It is now owned by the country's navy.

The Republic of Turkey's Savarona is equally impressive. At 442ft, it was ahead of its time when it was built in 1931 and boasts a spectacular staircase. Much of it was destroyed by a fire in 1979, but it was carefully restored over the following 13 years and continues to sail.

Billionaire boat-owners: Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (left), David Geffen (centre) and Aidan Barclay (right)

A-listers, of course, will be more familiar with Paul Allen's Octopus, which, like the Eclipse, docks at Cannes for the annual film festival. Among the guests the Microsoft co-founder hosted this year were Bar Refaeli, Jane Fonda, Jodie Foster and Ryan Gosling.

THE WORLD'S TOP TEN BIGGEST SUPERYACHTS

1. Eclipse (557ft) - owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich
   
2. Dubai (531ft) - owned by UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum
3. Al Said (508ft) - owned by the Sultan of Oman
   
4. Prince Abdulaziz (482ft) - owned by the Saudi Royal Family
   
5. El Horriya (478ft) - owned by the Egyptian Navy
   
6. Al Salamah (457ft) - owned by Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz
   
7. Rising Sun (452ft) - owned by American media tycoon David Geffen
   
8. Savarona (442ft) - owned by the Republic of Turkey
   
9. Serene (439ft) - owner unknown
   
10. Al Mirqab (436ft) - owned by Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani
    

The 414ft cruiser, which requires a crew of 60 to run, may be smaller than the Eclipse, but is by no means less well-equipped, with two helicopters, seven boats, a submarine, and a remote controlled vehicle that crawls the ocean floor.

But its reign as the most lavish U.S.-owned yacht was short-lived. Media tycoon David Geffen's 452ft Rising Sun yacht is rumoured to have been commissioned in 2004 specifically to be larger than the Octopus.

Prior to the launch of Octopus, Limitless, owned by Limited Brands' CEO Lex Wexner, was the largest boat that sailed with a U.S. flag. The Victoria's Secret owner regularly takes his 315ft yacht across the Atlantic to the island of Mallorca in Spain.

Little is known about the Limitless, which was built in 1997, as Mr Wexner has never permitted allowed interior photography of the vessel.

The Atlantis II, which was built by the late Stavros Niarchos, is another celebrity magnet. The Greek shipping tycoon's grandson, Stavros Niarchos III, has dated some of the world's most famous women including Paris Hilton and Mary-Kate Olsen.

The 397ft yacht was built in 1981 and is now used by the Niarchos family.

The British-owned Enigma, is relatively small fry in contrast. But the 224ft yacht, owned by Ritz chairman and publishing heir Aidan Barclay is still considered one of the world's most luxurious superyachts.

It is easily identifiable for its convex windows and has its own basketball court. It is usually docked in Sardinia, but is also regularly spotted in Mallorca.

Gaya duduk rakyat Thai jadi kegilaan di Facebook

RATUSAN orang menghantar gambar yang menunjukkan mereka duduk bersimpuh di pelbagai lokasi di laman Facebook.

---

BANGKOK - Gaya duduk tradisional rakyat Thailand kini menjadi kegilaan terbaharu dalam kalangan penduduk negara itu di laman Facebook, lapor akhbar Bangkok Post semalam.

Lebih 65,000 orang sudah mendaftarkan diri di laman Facebook yang mempromosikan kempen gaya duduk itu yang dikenali sebagai pubpeab sejak ia dilancarkan pada Jumaat lalu.

Gaya duduk itu menunjukkan seseorang individu itu duduk bersimpuh di pelbagai lokasi dengan gambar mereka disiarkan di laman berkenaan.

Antara gambar itu menunjukkan anggota-anggota pasukan bola keranjang Pattani di selatan Thai duduk bersimpuh di tengah gelanggang sukan tersebut.

Terdapat juga gambar yang menunjukkan dua lelaki duduk bersimpuh di sebuah stesen tren.

Pengarah Jabatan Pemantauan Kebudayaan Thailand, Ladda Tangsupachai memuji kempen tersebut dengan menyatakan generasi muda perlu banyak mempelajari gaya duduk tradisional itu. - Agensi

Jet hipersonik paling laju

GAMBAR yang tidak bertarikh menunjukkan lakaran artis pesawat hipersonik yang dirancang pembinaan oleh syarikat aeroangkasa, EADS.

---

LE BOURGET - Syarikat aeroangkasa, EADS yang membina pesawat Airbus semalam mendedahkan rancangan untuk membina pesawat penumpang hipersonik yang mengambil masa cuma dua setengah jam penerbangan dari Paris ke Tokyo.

Ketua Pegawai Teknikal EADS, Jean Botti berkata, pesawat tersebut mirip jet supersonik Concorde yang pernah digunakan oleh syarikat Air France.

Pesawat itu kini sedang dimajukan dengan kerjasama Jepun.

Ia dianggarkan boleh membawa di antara 50 hingga 100 penumpang.

Pembinaan pesawat itu dikenali sebagai projek pengangkutan kelajuan tinggi sifar pencemaran.

Bagaimanapun, Ketua EADS, Louis Gallois berkata, ia mengambil masa di antara 30 hingga 40 tahun untuk membina pesawat tersebut. - Reuters

Pengurus Chelsea diumum masa terdekat

Ron Gourlay

KUALA LUMPUR - Nama baru pengurus pasukan gergasi Liga Perdana England (EPL), Chelsea bakal diumumkan dalam tempoh seminggu hingga dua minggu lagi.

Jaminan itu diberikan oleh Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Chelsea, Ron Gourlay yang berkata, proses rundingan sedang dijalankan dengan calon berkenaan di Stamford Bridge.

Enggan memberikan sebarang nama bagi mengelakkan sebarang spekulasi, Gourlay mengakui peringkat perbincangan sedang berjalan lancar dan buat masa ini tidak berdepan sebarang masalah.

''Pengurus baru itu sudah pasti akan tiba ke Kuala Lumpur bagi menghadapi perlawanan persahabatan dengan Malaysia, 21 Julai nanti yang akan menjadi tugasan rasmi pertamanya.

''Kami mengambil sedikit masa kerana jangkaan dan cita-cita kelab ini (Chelsea) sungguh tinggi, oleh itu kami mahu mendapatkan seorang pengurus yang terbaik dan mampu merealisasikan impian tersebut.

''Selain itu, kami dalam merangka membeli pemain bagi menghadapi musim depan, dalam sasaran kami mungkin mahu mendapatkan dalam dua atau tiga muka baru, " katanya yang ditemui pada pelancaran 'Chelsea-Blue Pitch' di NPEG Sports Centre, Damansara Damai, semalam.

Turut hadir dalam majlis itu ialah Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad, Pengerusi Kumpulan EMKAY, Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan ProEvents, Julian Kam.

Program itu sebahagian daripada kempen Jelajah Chelsea 2011 yang bertujuan memberikan bantuan dalam aspek kejurulatihan bola sepak di peringkat remaja.

Chelsea bakal menghantar jurulatih daripada akademi belianya sebanyak empat tahun sekali dan program itu akan beroperasi mulai bulan depan.

Malaysia menjadi destinasi kelima di Asia selepas Hong Kong, Thailand, China dan Jepun.

Hugh Hefner batal kahwin tunang 25 tahun

Crystal Harris

LOS ANGELES 15 Jun - Pengasas majalah Playboy, Hugh Hefner semalam mengumumkan perkahwinan dengan tunangnya berumur 25 tahun pada hujung minggu ini dibatalkan.

Hefner, 85, berkata, perkahwinan tersebut dibatalkan selepas tunangnya itu, Crystal Harris menukar fikirannya.

Mereka berdua dijangka berkahwin di Rumah Agam Playboy di sini Sabtu ini di hadapan lebih 300 tetamu.

Ia sepatutnya menjadi perkahwinan ketiga buat Hefner.

''Perkahwinan ini dibatalkan. Crystal bertukar fikiran. Saya kecewa tetapi lebih baik sekarang daripada selepas berkahwin,'' katanya dalam laman web Twitter.

Hefner bagaimanapun menafikan laporan laman web TMZ.com bahawa mereka berdua bertengkar melalui telefon.

Dia berkata, Harris turut mengambil haiwan peliharaan mereka bernama Charlie apabila dia keluar dari rumah agam itu.

Bagaimanapun, Hefner yang ditenangkan oleh rakan-rakan dan bekas isterinya, Kimberley Conrad, mengumumkan dia akan menayangkan filem bertajuk Runaway Bride.

Hariss bertemu Hefner pada parti Halloween pada 2008 dan berpindah ke rumah agam itu selepas beberapa minggu dan kemudian menjadi Playboy Playmate of the Month pada Disember 2009. - Reuters

Anak Ecclestone beli rumah paling mahal di AS

Petra Ecclestone membeli rumah agam milik Aaron Spelling berharga AS$150 juta di Los Angeles. - REUTERS

LOS ANGELES 15 Jun - Rumah paling mahal di Amerika Syarikat (AS) telah dijual kepada waris perempuan Formula 1, lapor The Wall Street Journal hari ini.

Rumah yang terletak di Holmby Hills, Los Angeles itu telah dijual oleh balu penerbit Hollywood legenda, Aaron Spelling lebih dua tahun lalu.

Candy Spelling membelanjakan sebanyak AS$150 juta (RM454 juta) untuk memiliki rumah yang berkeluasan 5,700 meter persegi ini.

Rumah itu turut memiliki lorong boling, sebuah salun kecantikan dan tempat meletak kereta untuk 100 buah kereta.

Petra Ecclestone, 22, anak perempuan kepada ketua Formula 1, Bernard Ecclestone yang membeli rumah itu merancang untuk membahagikan masa antara rumah agam tersebut dengan rumahnya di London yang bernilai AS$90 juta (RM272 juta).

Aaron Spelling dikenali sebagai orang yang menerbitkan rancangan televisyen yang terkenal seperti Charlie's Angels, Dynasty dan Beverly Hills 90210. - dpa

Blues leap in for £25m Modric

TOP BLUES' TARGET ... Luka Modric

CHELSEA last night stunned Tottenham with a £22million bid for Luka Modric - and are ready to go to £25m.

Spurs quickly rejected the Blues' opening salvo.

But Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will be sorely tested today when Roman Abramovich increases his offer.

Blues owner Abramovich wants to blow Manchester United, who are also chasing the 25-year-old, out of the water in the battle for Spurs' prize asset - as we told you in Tuesday's SunSport.

It looks almost certain that Modric, who cost £16.5m from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008, will now leave White Hart Lane and that Chelsea are favourites to sign him.

Insiders say he wants to stay in London after playing 120 games and scoring 12 goals in three seasons at Spurs.

Abramovich sees Modric as the key to next season's bid to lift the Champions League.

And so determined is he to grab his man that he will outbid United if the Premier League champions decide to go head-to-head with him.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has always insisted Modric will stay at Spurs and that his worth is way in excess of £25m.

But Abramovich is determined to press ahead with his first signing of the close season despite the fact he is yet to appoint a replacement for manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Chelsea's formal bid was rejected by Spurs within two hours but Abramovich is desperate to add more creativity to Chelsea's midfield.

He also wants to reduce the average age of the club's squad and Modric's extra flair and pace have established him as the Blues' No 1 target.

Anak anjing disidai seperti pakaian

SEEKOR anjing disepit pada penyidai pakaian
di sebuah rumah di Calamba, Filipina baru-baru ini.

---

CALAMBA, Filipina - Seorang pemuda, Jerzon Senador dari sini bakal berdepan dakwaan melakukan kekejaman pada haiwan selepas dia menyidai seekor anak anjing pada penyidai pakaian, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Senador menggunakan beberapa penyepit pakaian untuk menyidai haiwan itu sebelum dia merakamkan beberapa gambar anak anjing tersebut.

Dia kemudian menyiarkan beberapa gambar haiwan itu yang disepit pada penyidai pakaian di laman Facebook baru-baru ini.

Namun, pemuda tersebut meminta maaf selepas pengguna-pengguna Facebook menyuarakan kemarahan mereka.

Senador menyatakan dia melakukan perbuatan itu setelah diselubungi kebosanan.

Lebih 3,000 pengguna laman itu menyertai kempen bagi meminta Senador dihukum ekoran perbuatan tersebut.

Persatuan Kebajikan Haiwan Filipina telah melancarkan siasatan berhubung kejadian itu. - Agensi

Matahari masuki fasa seperti abad ke-17

GAMBAR fail yang dirakamkan kapal angkasa kecil milik Pentabiran Aeronautik dan Angkasa Lepas Kebangsaan (NASA) menunjukkan letusan berlaku di matahari pada 7 Jun lalu.

---

WASHINGTON - Saintis-saintis Amerika Syarikat (AS) menyatakan kitaran biasa bintik matahari kini memasuki fasa hibernasi yang tidak pernah dilihat sejak kurun ke-17 dengan suhu global dijangka turun akibat perubahan itu.

Selama bertahun-tahun, para saintis meramalkan bahawa menjelang 2012, matahari akan mengalami fasa dikenali sebagai solar maksimum dengan aktiviti ledakan api dan bintik matahari berada pada tahap paling aktif.

Keadaan tersebut dijangka menyebabkan suhu Bumi meningkat.

Namun, permukaan matahari yang agak tenang sejak kebelakangan ini menunjukkan keadaan yang sebaliknya.

Tanda-tanda perubahan tersebut termasuk ketiadaan pancutan api, sejumlah bintik yang pudar dan kelembapan aktiviti di kedua-dua kutub matahari.

Pendedahan itu dibuat menerusi tiga hasil kajian yang dibentangkan pada pertemuan tahunan Bahagian Solar Fizik Persatuan Astronomi Amerika Syarikat di Las Cruces, negeri New Mexico kelmarin.

"Keadaan ini ganjil dan di luar jangkaan," kata seorang pengarah bersama Agensi Percerapan Solar Nasional, Frank Hill.

Aktiviti matahari cenderung meningkat dan berkurangan setiap kitaran 11 tahun.

Fasa solar maksimum dan solar minimum pula berlaku setiap 22 tahun. - AFP