Mesmerising shots of Mother Nature at her most angry

When 52-year-old photographer Franz Schumacher sees a storm brewing he does not run for cover with everyone else. 

Instead, he grabs his camera and photographs the thunder and lightning from the middle of the action for all to see.

His atmospheric pictures capture the ferocity of storms around Strohgaeu in Germany at harvest time. 

Eerie: The extreme stormy weather captured by 52-year-old Franz Schumacher near Stuttgart, Germany 

Electric: Graphic designer Franz says: 'I want the viewer to share my fascination for the forces of nature'

Lonely: A single farm stands out against the backdrop of the dark clouds covering the fields around it

The graphic designer has a passion for landscape and whether photography and took to the great outdoors to take these stunning pictures. 

Franz, 52, from Ditzingen near Stuttgart, Germany said: 'I want the viewer to share my fascination for the forces of nature and the situations that I experience outdoors in this type of weather.'

He needs precise timings and exactly the right location to achieve impressive images of lightening bolts mid-strike.

The harvest time background provides the perfect background as the ground is a warm brown colour contrasting to the dark clouds above. 

Franz manages to capture forks of lightning zigzagging down to earth, as well as eerie pictures of a single tree and a single farm surrounded by the dramatic storms. 

The rows of golden corn look almost surreal with the swirling clouds and heavy rainfall hovers surrounding them. 

Eye of the storm: The small clear gap in the middle of the swirling clouds looks oddly calm

Surreal: An unnatural-looking light shines through breaks in the cloud as the storm lifts

Lightening: A double bolt cracking across the fields as the rain pours down

Light and dark: Some sunlight manages to creep through the clouds illuminating the long glass

Dangerous: Franz gets right into the path of the storms near his home in Germany to get shots like these

Ethereal: Swirling black clouds gather on the the hilltop as a pink light shines through in the background

Dramatic: The forked lightening is visible in the heart of the cloud and cracking down to earth at the bottom

Engulfed: A lone tree is surrounded by the gathering storm across the countryside

Strike: As the storm builds to a climax an amazing lightening bolt illuminates the whole sky, while a smaller forked bolt stays deep in the cloud

A palace on wheels!

The world's most expensive motorhome has gone on sale in Dubai - covered in gold and worth a cool £2 million.

The space-age eleMMent Palazzo comes complete with a colossal master bedroom, 40-inch TV, on-board bar, fireplace and even its own rooftop terrace.

But the most impressive piece of luxury is the 'Sky Lounge' - at the press of a button the 40ft home transforms into a personal retreat with pop up cocktail bar, underfloor heating and extravagant marble lighting.

Not your average caravan: The world's most expensive motorhome has gone on sale in Dubai - covered with gold gold and worth a cool £2 million

Luxury travel: The space-age eleMMent Palazzo is comes complete with a colossal master bedroom, 40-inch TV, on-board bar, fireplace and even its own rooftop terrace

Customers: The success of the vehicle has been a hit among oil-rich Arab Sheikhs - the state-of-the-art homes even wash themselves after a day's driving through the Middle Eastern desert.

Luxury: The most impressive piece of luxury is the Sky Lounge - at the press of a button the 40ft home transforms into a personal retreat with pop up cocktail bar, underfloor heating and extravagant marble lighting 

The success of the vehicle has been a hit among oil-rich Arab Sheikhs - the state-of-the-art homes even wash themselves after a day's driving through the Middle Eastern desert.

Although the 40ft vehicle comes in a stunning gold, it is also available in white.

 

A spokesman for Marchi Mobile said: 'People never fail to notice innovation, but rarely does the excitement for it last.

'That is how it began for us. But now - after many years of development - we sparked a fire in luxury mobility.

Millionaire lifestyle: The master bedroom has a 40 inch TV, with warm water floor heating system and full air conditioning 

Superstar status: The private jet on wheels is designed to cater for businessmen on the road, wealthy families on their travels or global superstars on tour

Draw: As millions of Brits load up the roof rack to enjoy a weekend break in Skegness or Blackpool, international business moguls are turning to Austrian luxury experts Marchi Mobile

Eye-watering price tag: Despite living space banishing stereotypical pokey caravans, the cost per sq ft comes at a pocket-busting premium - costing double the equivalent amount of some of London's finest homes

'The eleMMent series from Marchi Mobile is a new class within the premium segment of vehicles, targeted to enthuse lovers of the extraordinary.

'Our goal has not only been to introduce a new line of luxury vehicles - but usher in a new era. This is done by a perfect masterpiece that sets itself apart at first sight.'

The private jet on wheels is designed to cater for businessmen on the road, wealthy families on their travels or global superstars on tour.

Despite living space banishing stereotypical pokey caravans, the cost per sq ft comes at a pocket-busting premium - costing double the equivalent amount of some of London's finest homes.

Craze: Never known for doing things in moderation, Dubai millionaires are snapping up the latest craze in motorhomes 

Security The impressive vehicle has real stream video surveillance so the users have a view to activity outside the motorhome

Modern: The bathroom is a billed as a 'Wellness bathroom' and comes with a rainfall shower

Equipped: The extended living area has an integrated kitchen area including a freezer, refrigerator, dishwasher, lift oven, sink, cook top, a built-in coffee machine and ice-maker

Glamour: Retractable steps emerge from the impressive vehicle to allow passengers on to the mobile home - the steps are eve lined with a red carpet 

Mod cons: The caravan also has a barbecue grill station, an 80 litre stainless steel fridge, and a 40-inch all-weather proofed full HD TV and speaker system

3,000 sheep and a woman riding three horses

These pictures capture the incredible scenes as a woman mounted on three horses led thousands of sheep through the French city of Marseille.

They were taken yesterday during festivities held to celebrate Marseille-Provence being named the 2013 European Capital of Culture.

The visually-stunning parade was called 'TransHumance', after the seasonal migration of people with their livestock when herds are moved to new grazing grounds.

A horsewoman of the Theatre du Centaure stands on her horses and leads sheep during 'TransHumance', an art experiment held in Marseille

Odyssey: Transhumance is the seasonal migration when herds are moved to grazing grounds. Camille (right) of the Theatre du Centaure stands on her horses

It was organised by the equestrian troupe of the Theatre du Centaure, with 7000 animals passing through the city centre with tens of thousands of people watching.
 

More than 150 Provençal and Italian herdsmen, using teams of horses and dogs, will cross Marseille, before finally stopping on the beaches of Marseille's iconic Prado in ‘a poetic journey celebrating nature’.

The 600 kilometre journey starts out a two different points and merges in l’Etang des Aulnes, before making the final journey towards Marseille. The riders were joined by walkers from all backgrounds and nationalities.

Flock: Thousands of onlookers lined the route of the unusual procession

The festivities marked Marseille-Provence being named the 2013 European Capital of Culture

This image gives a sense of the scale of the herd as it moves throught the city

It added: 'Modern ways of communication and transport force the world to live in the same rhythm. Temporality is not respected anymore.

'By travelling together one can slow down one’s pace of life and experience the seasonal movement of people and cattle in the same way people did in ancient times, though in TransHumance's case with a modern twist.'

At each stage of the journey the choreographed movements of animals will be photographed from the air. These images will be used to create a mosaic of the different landscapes of Provence.

Horde: Shepherds from France and Italy helped keep the animals in tight formation

Spectacular: A shepherd (left) helps lead thousands of sheep at the Old Port of Marseille

Resting: The sheep pictured before the start of TransHumance

Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes

Tiger Woods is back on top of the world - in more ways than one.
The iconic golfer returned this year to the world No 1 spot he had held for so long until his self-imposed exile from the game December 2009.
And now the 37-year-old is back at the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes.

Show me the money: Woods is back at the top of the Forbes list

Power year: Woods, seen at left in his trademark red shirt at a tournament in Ohio last weekend, has attended a number of events (including the Met Ball at right) with his new girlfriend Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn

The American has earned $71.8million in the last year. The vast majority of which came from endorsement deals worth $65million and the remaining $13.1million came from winnings. 

Woods was top of the list for 11 consecutive years until 2012, when he was usurped by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer.

This has been a year of rehabilitation for Woods, who has come out from seemingly self-imposed hiding after the fallout from his multiple extramarital affairs surfaced.

Silver and bronze: Tennis star Roger Federer came in second with $71.5million and basketball legend Kobe Bryant made $61.9million

Meeting of the money makers: LeBron James went over to greet David Beckham after the soccer star watched the Miami Heat's game on June 3. James made $59.8million and Beckham made $47.2million, making him the highest-earning Brit on the Forbes list in 8th place

Now he is very publicly dating Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, and the two have attended a number of red carpet events together including the annual ball at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Though Vonn is wealthy in her own right from her endorsement deals following Olympic medals, she did not make the cut of Forbes' top 100 athletes.

 

There were only three women who did actually make the list. Though Maria Sharapova is currently ranked number two to Serena Williams in the tennis world, Sharapova beat her by a wide margin in the Forbes list as the Russian blonde came in 22nd with $29million while the younger Williams sister ranked 68th with $20.5million. 
 
While Federer may have had his money crown taken back by Tiger, he still came in second place over all on the Forbes list, earning $71.5million.

On and off the court: Maria Sharapova is ranked second in tennis to Serena Williams, but Sharapova made $8.5million more than the number 1 champ last year

The next four spots are held by Americans who are at the top of their fields: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James came in third and fourth with $61.9million and $59.8million respectively. 

The basketball stars are following closely by two football stars: Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers with $51million and $49million respectively.
 

Baseball is the most represented sport on the list with 27 stars present. There are athletes from 11 different sports represented, hailing from 23 different countries.

The highest represent Brit on the list is David Beckham in eighth, having taken home $47.2million last year. 

The former England captain is also the highest placed footballer, just ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in ninth and Lionel Messi in 10th.

The World’s Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes:

Rank	Athlete	Sport	Total ($m)	Salary/winnings ($m)	Endorsements ($m)
1	Tiger Woods	Golf	78.1	13.1	65.0
2	Roger Federer	Tennis	71.5	6.5	65.0
3	Kobe Bryant	Basketball	61.9	27.9	34.0
4	LeBron James	Basketball	59.8	17.8	42.0
5	Drew Brees	American Football	51.0	40.0	11.0
6	Aaron Rodgers	American Football	49.0	43.0	6.0
7	Phil Mickelson	Golf	48.7	4.7	44.0
8	David Beckham	Football	47.2	5.2	42.0
9	Cristiano Ronaldo	Football	44.0	23.0	21.0
10	Lionel Messi	Football	41.3	20.3	21.0

Megabucks Premier League stars earned £1.8billion

Megabucks ... Yaya Toure is one of league's highest earners

 

PREMIER League footballers earned a total of £1.8billion last season - an increase of NINE PER CENT - according to accountancy firm Deloitte. 

 

Clubs splashed a record amount of money on players' wages - an increase on the £1.66billion paid out a year before,

Yet the bills are set to rise even further as clubs make an extra £600million in TV money next year, a report said.

The top tier of English football retains its status as the world's wealthiest league with clubs expected to earn more than £3 billion of revenues in 2013/14.

Striking rich ... Rooney pockets around £250,000 a week

 

Manchester City was the best paying club during 2011/12, with wages of £202 million, while Swansea City was the lowest, handing its players £35million

And despite pressure on clubs to contain megabucks handouts to players, they are expected to plough around £480 million of the extra TV cash into wages.

Half of the clubs in the top tier made a profit in the 2011/12 season, with clubs earning a combined £98million of operating profits - four per cent of total revenues.

Alan Switzer, director in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “The Premier League clubs have agreed to a system of enhanced financial regulations, designed to improve the sustainability of its clubs.

Minted ... Torres estimated to earn £170,000 a week

 

“The successful implementation of these rules, coupled with the imminent boost to broadcast revenues, could provide huge benefits to the long-term development, growth and stability of the game and its clubs.”

Manchester United earned the most in 2011/12, with revenues of £320 million, while Wigan Athletic earned the lowest at £53 million.

Aston Villa spent the biggest slice of its revenues on wages, at 94 per cent, while Norwich City spent just 49 per cent the lowest in the top tier.

Clubs spent an average of 70 per cent or £1.7 billion of their revenues on wages in 2011/12, the report revealed.

Bargain ... Swansea paid least out in wages in 2011/12

 

And they are set to receive an average of £73million from TV rights this coming season, up £25
million.

The report said: “If historic trends are repeated, increasing revenues will absorb about 80 per cent (£480 million) of the extra revenue.”

Clubs in the Championship, the second tier of English football, spent 89 per cent of revenues - or £422 million - on wages, up 11 per cent on the season before.
The next wealthiest league was Germany’s Bundesliga.

Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “Despite operating in a challenging economic environment, English club football’s profile, exposure and increasingly global interest have continued to drive revenue growth for the top clubs.”

Neymar tiba di Barcelona

 

PEMAIN Brazil, Neymar (kanan) bersama Presiden Barcelona, Sandro Rosell keluar untuk bertemu penyokong Barcelona selepas menandatangani kontrak 5 tahun bersama kelab itu di Stadium Nou Camp, Barcelona, awal pagi tadi. - Foto REUTERS

 

Barcelona: Sensasi Brazil, Neymar tiba di Barcelona, semalam untuk melengkapkan perpindahan bersama kelab Catalan itu yang dilihat bakal menambah sengat jentera serangan gergasi Sepanyol itu apabila digandingkan dengan Lionel Messi.

Neymar menaiki penerbangan terus dari Brazil ke Sepanyol selepas perlawanan persahabatan menentang England di Rio de Janeiro untuk melengkapkan kontrak perpindahan lima tahun bersama kelab itu.

Sekalipun dengan jadual penerbangan lewat daripada jangkaan, Neymar tiba di Barcelona dengan topi dan kaca mata hitam dan terus ke Camp Nou untuk sesi fotografi pertamanya bersama kelab itu dengan ratusan peminat menantinya.

Dia kemudian akan melalu ujian kesihatan, berjumpa dengan Presiden Barcelona, Sandro Rosell untuk menandatangani perjanjian sebelum turun ke padang Nou Camp bersama bola di kakinya.

Tempat terbaik

Awal pagi semalam, pemain tengah Barcelona, Andres Iniesta berkata, Neymar datang ke tempat paling baik untuk matang dan menjangkakan pemain berusia 21 tahun itu mampu menjadi gandingan yang baik bersama pemenang empat kali anugerah pemain terbaik dunia, Messi.

Dia akan banyak membantu kami kerana dia pemain yang amat berbakat, kata Iniesta. Dia membawa kemampuannya untuk menundukkan pertahanan lawan, menjaringkan gol dan menghiburkan. Dia masih muda. Dia mempunyai laluan yang panjang di depannya dan dia menuju ke tempat terbaik untuk matang.
Iniesta juga cuba untuk mengurangkan tekanan kepada rakan sepasukan barunya dan menafikan kemampuan kedua-dua bintang ini untuk beraksi bersama.

Dia datang ke tempat terbaik untuknya, kata Iniesta. Biarkan dia melakukan apa yang dia rasakan bagus untuk lakukan, ia sudah mencukupi. Ia adalah berita hebat yang kita boleh bergantung kepadanya. Dikelilingi dengan orang di sini, dia akan menjadi baik dan lebih baik.

Pemain hebat sentiasa memahami suatu sama lain. Leo akan menjadikan Neymar lebih baik dan Neymar akan jadikan Leo lebih baik.
AP

Mourinho sah sertai Blues ikat kontrak 4 tahun

Jose Mourinho

 

LONDON - Jose Mourinho dilantik sebagai pengurus Chelsea buat kali kedua, demikian pengesahan kelab itu semalam.

Selepas berminggu-minggu spekulasi, akhirnya Mourinho, 50, menandatangani kontrak empat tahun dengan kelab yang pernah dibimbingnya pada 2004 hingga 2007.

“Saya gembira mengalu-alukan Jose kembali ke Chelsea. Kejayaannya yang berterusan serta cita-citanya menjadikan dia calon paling cemerlang," kata Ketua Eksekutif kelab, Ron Gourlay dalam kenyataan di dalam laman web Chelsea.

Tambahnya: “Adalah menjadi matlamat kami untuk kelab itu terus mencipta kejayaan pada masa akan datang dan Jose adalah pilihan No. 1 kami kerana kami yakin dia adalah pengurus yang berupaya melakukannya."

Sebelum pengesahan tersebut, Mourinho berkata, dia bakal menjadi bos baru Chelsea.

Pendedahan itu dibuat oleh akhbar The Sun di London semalam setelah Special One meninggalkan Real Madrid dan akan kembali ke Stamford Bridge.

Dalam temu bual bersama saluran bola sepak terkemuka Sepanyol, Mourinho berkata: “Saya akan London pada Isnin (semalam) dan pada hujung minggu ini saya akan menjadi pengurus Chelsea.

“Saya rasa penyokong di sana sukakan saya. Dalam hidup anda, anda harus melihat perkara sedemikian.

“Hidup ini menarik dan singkat, anda harus lihat berdasarkan apa yang anda fikirkan terbaik untuk diri anda." - AGENSI

Jose: I’ll be back with Blues this week

WELCOME HO-ME ... outgoing Real chief
Jose Mourinho is ready for Bridge return

JOSE MOURINHO last night broke his silence to confirm for the first time he is the new Chelsea boss. 

 

As we exclusively revealed on May 3, the Special One has quit Real Madrid and sealed his return to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho told leading Spanish TV football show Punto Pelota: “I’m going to London on Monday and at the end of the week I will be the manager of Chelsea.

“I feel the people there love me and in life you have to look for that.

“Life is beautiful and short and you must look for what you think is best for you.”