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Christmas: Buhari urges brotherliness among Nigerians
guardian.ng
Dec 24, 2017 7:23 AM

Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari in his Christmas message wants Nigerians to “provide refuge to those who cannot enjoy Christmas at home with their families or have been driven from their homes by insurgency or violence, particularly Internally Displaced Persons.”
He stressed the need for brotherliness among citizens, saying: “This is an important opportunity for us to show love to one another and encourage unity by spending quality time with our friends, families and the less-privileged.”
He said: “The personal fortitude of these individuals will continue to inspire us to victory as we turn the tide against the enemy and annihilate those who work against the unity of our nation.”
Buhari, who personally signed the message, lamented the recent upsurge in the activities of trans-border syndicates, who lure the country’s youths to slavery.
Why won’t they be lured into slavery when cost of living is high than the life they lve? Is the message from sincere heart? Have your say.
What is planet X also known as Planet 7X or Nibiru and what does it mean for us on earth? Is there a biblical connection and does it play a roll in the end-times?
NASA, the Pentagon, and the CIA are aware of the approaching rogue planet
There is evidence of an ongoing resurgence of the Planet X (also known as Planet Nibiru) cataclysm conspiracy theory following the publication of new scientific studies in 2014 claiming evidence of a mysterious unnamed planet lurking beyond Pluto. The scientific claims were based on observations of gravitational influences on a group of space bodies termed the “extreme trans-Neptunian objects” (ETNOs) orbiting our Sun beyond the planet Neptune.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Who has the better Clasico record?
goal.com
Dec 19, 2017 1:18 PM
After what feels like a long wait, the latest chapter in the world’s most famous rivalry will be written in La Liga on Saturday
It feels as if it has been a while, but the biggest game in world football returns this weekend.
Real Madrid and Barcelona will clash in La Liga for the first time since April on Saturday, and it may be a must-win Clasico for Zinedine Zidane’s side if they wish to keep the title race alive.
Since losing to Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana at the start of the campaign, Barca have roared ahead of their rivals and sit 11 points clear of them in the Spanish top flight — albeit having played a game extra.
The visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, though, has always been the most challenging test of their season.
In fact — despite their undoubted greatness — Barca are still chasing Madrid in a number of categories when the history of the two clubs is compared head-to-head, though they have the edge in some areas too.
Goal takes a look at how the biggest institutions in club football have compared over the years.
REAL MADRID VS. BARCELONA: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Saturday’s match will be the 236th competitive Clasico, though Madrid and Barca have met another 34 times in friendlies and other exhibition matches.
As things stand, Los Blancos have the edge when it comes to the head-to-head record, but it is very tight. They are four wins ahead of Barca overall and just three better off in league matches.
Competition
Games Played
Madrid wins
Barca wins
Draws
La Liga
174
72
69
33
Copa del Rey
33
12
14
7
Champions League
8
3
2
3
Other competitions*
20
8
6
6
Total
235
95
91
49
‘Other competitions’ includes the Copa de la Liga and Supercopa de Espana. Pre-season friendly and exhibition matches are not included.
In other competitions, the sample size is smaller. Barca have the advantage in the 33 games played in the Copa del Rey, while Madrid are ahead by a hair on the rare occasions these rivals have been drawn together in the Champions League or European Cup.
Since Barca made Pep Guardiola their coach in the summer of 2008, though, the tide has been turning.
In La Liga, Barca have won 11 of the Clasicos played since Guardiola’s appointment, drawing three and losing four. They also won the 2010-11 Champions League semi-final, which was the first time the clubs have met in that competition since 2002.
THE TROPHY CABINETS
Despite Barca’s period of dominance under Guardiola, Madrid still have the bragging rights when it comes to the trophy cabinet, too.
Los Blancos have won 33 league championships — a Spanish record — and remain nine ahead of the Blaugrana. They are also well clear when it comes to the Champions League, with 12 to Barca’s five.
Competition
Real Madrid
Barcelona
La Liga
33
24
Copa del Rey
19
29
Supercopa de Espana
10
12
Champions League
12
5
UEFA Super Cup
4
5
Club World Cup
3
3
Total
81
78
‘Champions League’ includes European Cup wins.
Barca have won the Copa del Rey 10 times more than Madrid, though, and you can see their recent strength in the fact that they have matched their rivals’ three Club World Cups — a competition that only started in 2000.
Again, a closer look at more recent history presents a more flattering picture for Barcelona.
Since the 1990-91 season, they have won La Liga 14 times to Madrid’s eight. Barca have claimed the European crown five times in the same period, with Madrid just ahead on six.
Both clubs endured a barren spell continentally in the 1970s and 1980s as English, Italian and German clubs dominated, but the difference in the Clasico competitors’ European records can be attributed to the two decades before that.
Madrid cleaned up through the early years of the European Cup, winning it five times in a row between 1956 and 1960 and again in 1966. They also dominated La Liga, winning it 18 times between 1950 and 1980 to Barca’s five.
COMPARING INDIVIDUAL HONOURS
The current era of football has been defined by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as much as it has by Real Madrid and Barcelona as clubs.
The pair of superstars have battled it out year in, year out for the Ballon d’Or ever since Ronaldo decided to leave Manchester United for La Liga. After Ronaldo’s most recent win, they are tied on five apiece.
Trophy
Real Madrid
Barcelona
Ballons d’Or
10
11
It is similarly tight between the two clubs over the course of history when it comes to this award for the best player in the world.
Barca are just in front, on 11 to Madrid’s 10. Johan Cruyff — who, with three wins, is closest to Ronaldo and Messi, along with Michel Platini — won it twice in a Blaugrana shirt, and Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Hristo Stoichkov and Luis Suarez (the elder) also received it.
After Alfredo di Stefano won two and Raymond Kopa another in consecutive years in the 1950s, Madrid endured something of a barren run — something it is amusing to reflect upon now given their modern-day fame for signing ‘Galacticos’.
Their next Ballon d’Or did not come until 2000 and it may be contentious to categorise it solely as a Madrid win given it went to Luis Figo, who had spent half of the year on the other side of the rivalry before his shock move to the capital.
Ronaldo Nazario and Fabio Cannavaro were then honoured before Cristiano and Messi’s takeover
David Luiz could be set for a shock move to Newcastle United in the January transfer window.
The Brazilian is now out-of-favour at Chelsea, and is set to leave the club in January, with Newcastle eyeing up what will be a surprise loan switch for the defender.
Reports suggest Rafael Benitez is keen to bring Luiz to St. James’ Park on loan, with the Magpies’ boss keen to reunite with the Brazilian whom he worked with during his time as manager at Chelsea.
Although, it remains to be seen if Chelsea will sanction a January move and if the player himself would want to join Newcastle, who are presently struggling in the Premier League.
Luiz and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte fell out weeks ago, and the former PSG defender has since been frozen out of the Blues’ starting XI.
The world’s biggest plane is a step closer to its first flight, after passing another major milestone.
During the aircraft’s first low-speed taxi test, Stratolaunch successfully travelled down the runway at 25 knots (28 miles per hour). Once testing has been completed, the aircraft will be used to launch satellites and other craft into space.
The main purpose of the test was to put the aircraft’s ability to steer and stop through its paces.
A ground team from Stratolaunch Systems Corp monitored a number of systems, including steering, braking, anti-skid and telemetry.
All objectives of this test were achieved.
In a written statement George Bugg, aircraft program manager at Stratolaunch, said: ‘This was another exciting milestone for our team and the program.
‘Our crew was able to demonstrate ground directional control with nose gear steering, and our brake systems were exercised successfully on the runway.
‘Our first low speed taxi test is a very important step toward first flight. We are all proud and excited.’
Since the first engine runs in September, the Stratolaunch team has performed a series of engine tests from a newly established Stratolaunch Mission Control Center (MCC) located at its facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.
The MCC serves as the Seattle-based firm’s hub for testing communications and will eventually be the centre of its aircraft and launch operations.
Once low-speed taxi tests have been safely completed, the company will begin the next phase of taxi testing, which will include increased speeds.
The plane is the vision of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen who wants it to act as a giant air pad in the sky, allowing payloads to reach space faster and at a lower cost than existing technologies.
It’s nice to know that players of British decent have had a fair share of ballon d’or trophies. Replicating the feat has been as difficult as trying to wake a dead man in recent times. I looked forward to Garet Bale doing it for me, but injury remains the bane for reaching that goal. The wait continues after Michael Owen last won it in 2001.
Real Madrid won their 88th major trophy last weekend, overtaking their bitter rivals FC Barcelona in the all-time trophy ranking. Here are the 10 most successful clubs in Europe.
Click through the gallery to see which European clubs have won the most trophies.
Los Blancos beat Gremio in the FIFA Club World Cup final and finished 2017 with five titles after already lifting the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa de Espana.
Overall, they have now won 88 major titles in the club’s trophy cabinet, namely: 33 La Liga, 19 Copa del Rey, 10 Supercopa de Espana, 12 Champions Leagues, two UEFA Cups, four UEFA Super Cups, three FIFA Club World Cups, three Intercontinental Cups, one Copa Eva Duarte and one Copa de la Liga.
In so doing, they overtook the longstanding record of their bitter rivals FC Barcelona, who have lifted 87 major trophies in the club’s illustrious history.
Barca’s trophy cabinet includes: 24 La Liga, 29 Copa del Rey, 12 Supercopa de Espana, 5 Champions Leagues, 5 UEFA Super Cups, four UEFA Cup Winner’s Cups, 3 FIFA Club World Cups, 3 Copa Eva Duarte and two Copa de la Liga.
Bayern Munich follow in third place with 68 trophies in their collection, while Manchester United sit just two behind the German giants.
Juventus have collected 63 titles, while Liverpool follow with 59 trophies.
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