mrralphworld.blogspot.com is a blogspot own by a young vibrant business specialist (Mr Raphael abbey babalola C.E.O.OF VIRGOWORLD VENTURE ) having passion for business growth with his social media activities in helping companies to generate traffic,sales leads,product awareness,and campaign.
for more info contact my bbm pin:5bf98473
British
actor Idris Elba poses during a photocall prior to a screening of the
film "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" at the UNESCO headquarters in
Paris. Elba was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British
Empire) in the Queen's 2016 New Year's Honours List.Veteran actress Barbara Windsor — familiar for
decades since her work on the Carry On films — Wednesday was given a
damehood for her services, and celebrated "Swan Lake" choreographer
Matthew Bourne was made a knight in recognition of his string of
innovative successes.
Other honors were given to revered actress Imelda
Staunton, made a Commander of the British Empire for her stellar stage
work, and Luther star Idris Elba — touted as a possible future James
Bond — who was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire, or OBE.
Britain's honors are bestowed twice a year by the
monarch at New Year's and on her official birthday in June. Recipients
are selected by committees of civil servants from nominations made by
the government and the public.
The honors last a lifetime and convey serious
prestige: knights are addressed as "sir" and dames are called "dame."
Recipients of the lesser honors have no title but can put the letters
after their names.
Veteran Welsh stage actress Sian Philips was also
made a dame, and actors David Oyelowo — who recently played Martin
Luther King Jr. in the film "Selma" — and James Nesbitt got OBEs. The
honor's list goes far beyond entertainment. This year the queen's list
has recognized the work of injured Falklands war veteran Simon Weston,
who has founded a charity to help others suffering grave disfigurement
cope with the massive changes to their lives.
Weston has refused to let his severe injuries and
resulting disfigurement keep him in the shadows, and his charity has
done the same for others. He was made a Commander of the British Empire
in recognition.
"When I was injured, I feared that I would never be
relevant again — not just in a military sense but also as a human
being. Maybe it was my bullishness or my military background, but I was
not going to let that happen," he said. "The charity Changing Faces
recently published figures saying that 70% of people with a
disfigurement don't go outside. I hope that with me being in the public
eye it can inspire others — that you can live your life and can enjoy it
despite what has happened."
Honors also go to Dr. Michael Jacobs, who received a
knighthood for helping three British health care workers who contracted
the Ebola virus while trying to prevent its spread in west Africa. Dr.
Timothy Brooks received a CBE for leading the British laboratory
response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, and many other awards
were made to Britons involved with the crisis response.
On the political front, there was some controversy
over the knighthood awarded to Lynton Crosby, a prominent architect of
Prime Minister David Cameron's general election strategy. On a lighter
note, the queen recognized the man who designs many of her own
one-of-a-kind outfits. Designer Stewart Parvin was made a member of the
Royal Victorian Order.
German
Chancellor Angela Merkel poses after recording her New Year's speech at
the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. (Hannibal
Hanschke/Pool Photo via AP)Merkel says in her speech which will be aired on
public Television at 1700GMT Thursday: "Thank you for the overwhelming
and really moving wave of spontaneous helpfulness that we experienced
this year, when so many people came via often life-threatening ways to
us looking for refuge."
The chancellor said that if tackled the right way,
the integration of the many new arrivals would be opportunity for the
country in the future. She warned that society should not become divided
over the issue and made clear there's no room for those expressing
hatred toward the newcomers.
Manchester
United's manager Louis van Gaal arrives for the English Premier League
soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford
Stadium, Manchester, England, Monday, Dec. 28, 2015.
That's how far a mighty club has fallen, with the
stalemate with Chelsea on Monday appearing to give some breathing space
for under-pressure manager Louis van Gaal. Lose to manager-less and
relegation-threatened Swansea at Old Trafford on Saturday, though, and
United will put Van Gaal even closer to the brink.
The record 20-time English champions are winless in
their last eight games in all competitions, marking their worst run of
form since 1990, and have collected only three points from their last
six league games. Almost as worrying for United is that the team has
scored only one goal in its last four home games.
Van Gaal may say he enjoys the backing of the
United board, and has backtracked on previous comments that he could
quit as manager, but there might be no way back if Swansea leaves Old
Trafford with three points.
Put simply, 2016 has to start better than 2015
ended for the Dutchman. "If anything, we are all playing for our own
futures as well," United defender Chris Smalling said, with the team
having fallen five places adrift of the Champions League places.
On paper, Swansea looks the ideal opponent for
United to get back to winning ways: No manager following Garry Monk's
firing on Dec. 9, one place above the bottom three, only one away win —
against last-place Aston Villa — this campaign. Yet the Welsh club has
won its last three games against United, all 2-1, including a
home-and-away league double last season.
What Van Gaal must ensure is that United plays the
same way as against Chelsea, when his players were more positive, took
more risks with their passing and looked to play more forward. United's
fans could see the team was trying and seemed to warm to Van Gaal and
his players. But how long will the goodwill last?
"Inside of the club, the players are willing to
fight for every meter, the manager is willing to fight, the members of
staff are willing to fight and the board is very confident in the staff
and the manager," Van Gaal said.
Above sixth-place United, the top four is separated
by just four points heading into the second half of the season. It is
the most unpredictable of title races, with surely few predicting that
Leicester and Tottenham would be in the Champions League positions at
the turn of the year.
Here's what else to look out for this weekend, as the grueling run of matches in the festive period comes to an end:
ASSIST KING
Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has 16 assists so far
this season, and is only four off the Premier League record held by
Thierry Henry. Ozil must like his chances of getting even closer on
Saturday when his table-topping side hosts Newcastle at Emirates
Stadium.
Henry, one of Arsenal's greatest players, set the record in the 2002-03 season and believes it will get broken by Ozil.
"The guy is just amazing," Henry said. "Finally
we're starting to see what type of player he can be . It's his vision,
he always puts the ball where you need it. He sees everything, and when
you play with a player like that, anything can happen at any time."
Arsenal is ahead of Leicester on goal difference, with Man City three points back in third place.
DOUBLE ACT
It seems Leicester hot-shots Jamie Vardy and Riyad
Mahrez have some competition as the most lethal double act in the
Premier League — Watford pair Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney.
Ighalo has scored in each of his last six games
heading into Saturday's match against Man City at Vicarage Road, and
finished 2015 with 30 league goals for the year — the best in English
football.
Deeney, meanwhile, has six goals and four assists in his last 10 games.
They are the reason why promoted Watford is only
two points off the European positions, and must be relishing the
prospect of facing a City defense missing captain Vincent Kompany
(calf).
LEICESTER REPRIEVE
Leicester's surprising title challenge was supposed
to falter in a six-game run that included matches against Chelsea, Man
City, Man United, Liverpool and Everton. Yet the team lost only once in
that period and looks to be the real deal.
Things get slightly easier for Leicester in January, starting against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Also Saturday, it's: West Ham vs. Liverpool;
Norwich vs. Southampton; Sunderland vs. Aston Villa; and West Bromwich
Albion vs. Stoke. On Sunday, it's: Crystal Palace vs. Chelsea; and
Everton vs. Tottenham.
Manchester
United's manager Louis van Gaal leaves at the end of the English
Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old
Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Monday, Dec. 28, 2015.Lagging behind in the race for Champions League
qualification, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool could be the
most active of the country's major powers as they look for a strong
finish to arguably the most unpredictable season in the Premier League's
24-year history.
Then there's the scramble to avoid the
costliest-ever relegation from England's top division. Next season
ushers in the start of the Premier League's new three-year TV deal worth
a record $8 billion, and no club will want to miss out on a share of
that bounty.
So, count on England being the place where most
deals are done over the next month, as usual. Last January, English
clubs were easily the biggest spenders, splashing out about 130 million
pounds (then $213 million) to shatter the record for the season as a
whole at 760 million pounds (then $1.25 billion).
Top teams operating strategic transfer plans rarely
do major deals in this period. Likely targets can be ruled out of the
Champions League and managers can be scared off by inflated prices. This
season could be different.
Chelsea is in 14th place, three points above the
relegation zone, in the most woeful title defense that the Premier
League has seen. A top new signing by caretaker coach Guus Hiddink could
inspire a revival, and the striker department needs refreshing.
"The window is wide open," Hiddink said Wednesday.
Just as it will be at Man United, where Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney
are the only two strikers at a club struggling to score goals. A
world-class striker could make all the difference for under-pressure
United manager Louis van Gaal, who is likely to add to the $375 million
he's already spent in his 18 months in charge.
It is Juergen Klopp's first transfer window since
becoming Liverpool manager. Will he return to his old hunting ground of
Germany to bolster Liverpool's squad? It will also be interesting to see
whether Leicester, remarkably in second place after half of the Premier
League campaign, splashes out to stay in the title contention. And if
the team manages to keep hold of striker Jamie Vardy.
On Wednesday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said it
would be a "busy" month for his club, with a midfielder needed to solve
an injury crisis. Here is a look around the continent:
SPAIN
Barcelona has been unable to register new players
until January because of a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, so 2015 signings
Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal have spent the last six months training away
from the squad.
Turan joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in July
and is expected to reinforce the club's left flank. Vidal arrived from
Sevilla and likely will be the back-up for Dani Alves at right back.
Real Madrid made a mess of trying to sign
goalkeeper David de Gea from Manchester United at the end of the last
transfer window and embattled club president Florentino Perez may try to
make amends.
However, Spanish clubs don't usually spend big on
January acquisitions and there has been no major speculation about any
major signings.
GERMANY
In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich and Borussia
Dortmund are likely to give up some rarely used players rather than
bring in major new signings.
Bayern's situation is made more complicated by the
upcoming departure of coach Pep Guardiola, so any new players would
probably have to be cleared by incoming coach Carlo Ancelotti, who will
try hard to stay out of the limelight and not to seem to be interfering
in Guardiola's job.
Dortmund has already given up attacking midfielder Jonas Hofmann to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Many top German coaches don't like signing new players in mid-season, considering them expensive and risky.
FRANCE
Defending French champion Paris Saint-Germain has
fielded questions about the possible departures of Argentina forward
Ezequiel Lavezzi and Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, who has played
only two matches this season following the arrival of Kevin Trapp from
Frankfurt.
PSG coach Laurent Blanc dismissed talk of transfers
during PSG's winter training camp this week in Qatar, noting that none
of his players are out of contract in January.
AP Sports
Writers John Leicester in Paris and Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt, and
Associated Press writer Harold Heckle in Madrid contributed to this
report.
Tourists
make pictures as an armed policeman guards the Grand Place in Brussels
on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. Two people have been arrested in Belgium on
suspicion of planning attacks in Brussels during the holidays, the
federal prosecutor's office said Tuesday. A source close to the
investigation said the Belgian capital's main square, thronged this time
of year with holiday shoppers and strollers, was one of the suspected
targets.The Federal Prosecutor's Office said Thursday the
police searches were executed in the morning in various Brussels-area
locations. It said a magistrate will decide whether arrest warrants
should be issued against six people brought in for questioning.
Two men have already been arrested in connection
with the suspected plot, both members of a motorcycle club. On Thursday,
a judge ordered them held for another month.
A
election official writes as people cast their ballots during elections
in Bangui, Central African Republic, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. Thousands
in Central African Republic's capital voted Wednesday in national
elections with hope that a new president will lead to greater stability
after years of violence.The National Electoral Authority said lines were
moving until polling stations closed in Wednesday's vote. No violence
was reported. The African Union observation mission head said that no
major issues were seen. However, voters and candidates remarked that
names were missing from ballots and some materials were not available.
Voters are choosing a government to replace the
transitional leaders put in place in 2014. More than 1.8 million people
were registered to vote at more than 500 polling stations nationwide.
United Nations peacekeepers and national security forces provided
security at polling stations.
The nation has been rocked by unrest since March 2013.
Liverpool's
Christian Benteke, right, celebrates his goal during the English
Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Liverpool at the
Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015.
The striker pounced on a flicked pass from Adam
Lallana to place a low finish into the bottom corner, just 22 seconds
into the second half. Benteke earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory over
Leicester on Saturday, too.
Liverpool climbed to seventh in the standings, tied
for points with Manchester United but behind its great rival on goal
difference, and five points off the top four with exactly half the
season gone.
Sunderland stayed next to last with its fifth
straight loss in December, and fell seven points from safety as recently
hired manager Sam Allardyce struggles to turn around the fortunes of
the perennial relegation contender. Sunderland's home game against
last-place Aston Villa on Saturday assumes even greater significance.
It was Benteke's sixth goal in seven career games
against Sunderland — more than he has scored against any other club —
and another step in the right direction for a player who hasn't been a
regular since joining from Aston Villa for 32.5 million pounds (then
$50.7 million) in July.
"I came to Liverpool to try to score a lot of
goals, I'm in good shape," said Benteke, who has six league goals this
season. "I hope I can keep it up." Some have questioned whether the
tall, imposing Benteke fits into the high-tempo, high-energy style of
play favored by Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, and he said this week
that he has been told by the German coach to "run more."
Benteke prodded in a scrappy winner against
Leicester on Saturday, but this one was more clinical, pouncing on
Lallana's flick of Nathaniel Clyne's forward pass to find space behind
Sunderland's defense and locate the far corner with a low finish.
Lallana later acknowledged he didn't intend for the ball to reach
Benteke.
Referrer World
