Author: Opalim Lifted

Oropouche, a mysterious virus once confined to the Amazon is now spreading more widely around the Americas, after undergoing genetic changes that may make it more potent. Until recently, Oropouche virus was a relatively-unknown disease largely confined to within the Amazon basin in South America. But since late-2023, the virus has been spreading beyond its usual range. It has already caused more than 8,000 cases of the disease – often known by its nickname “sloth fever” – in five countries during the first seven months of 2024. The virus also recently caused the deaths of two women in Brazil and…

Napoli have signed Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay for a fee of £25.7m. The Scotland international, 27, departs having spent his entire career at United, first attending a football school at the club when aged five. McTominay made his United debut in 2017 and made 255 club appearances under four permanent managers. He scored 10 goals in 43 appearances last season but was likely to have his game time limited by the imminent arrival of midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris St-Germain.. In a farewell message to United fans, McTominay said he would have “snapped your hand off” for the Old…

South Korea facing the world’s lowest birth rate, is now turning to financial incentives in a bid to reverse its demographic decline. The Saha District in Busan, South Korea has rolled out a new program that offers residents up to $38,000 for dating and marriage. This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat the nation’s shrinking population, with the fertility rate now at a historic low of 0.72 children per woman. The initiative aims to make family life more attainable and financially sustainable, while also fostering connections through a variety of social events designed to bring like-minded individuals…

Two-time European champion Chelsea got home games against teams from Armenia, Ireland and Belgium in the draw Friday for the new Conference League format. Chelsea’s slate of six opponents included home games against Noah, Shamrock Rovers and Gent, plus trips to face German debutant Heidenheim, Panathinaikos and Astana, four time zones away in Kazakhstan. Chelsea’s Champions League title in 2021 is among four European finals it won in the past 12 years, and victory in the third-tier Conference League would complete the club’s set. Qualifying for the Conference League by finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, also obliges…

Manchester United will host Scottish side Rangers and travel to Turkey to face Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the new 36-team Europa League after the draw was made on Friday. Two Premier Leagues teams have made it to the competition this year, Tottenham Hotspur after finishing fifth and United through their FA Cup victory. The tournament’s league phase has four pots with nine clubs each, divided according to club coefficient. Clubs will face eight different teams with four games at home and four away, picked with the help of a computer. The fixtures are determined by seeding and every result will…

Southampton have completed the signing of Arsenal and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for £25m. The Saints will pay an initial £18m for the former Sheffield United goalkeeper, with an extra £7m in add-ons. The 26-year-old has signed a four-year deal at St Mary’s and the club have the option of extending his deal by a further 12 months. “I’m absolutely delighted,” said Ramsdale. “The way the manager wants to play, the way he was when I spoke to him, he was just full of so much enthusiasm. I’d never met him before but he made me feel about eight feet…

Well-wishers gathered to wish the Taipei zoo’s oldest giant panda a happy 20th birthday. Visitors crowded around Yuanyuan’s enclosure to take photos of her with a birthday cake in the shape of the number 20. Yuanyuan was born in China and arrived in 2008 with her partner Tuantuan. He died in 2022 at age 18 but not before fathering two female cubs, Yuanzai and Yuanbao, now 11 and 4 respectively and still living at the zoo. Danielle Shu, a 20-year-old Brazilian student in Taiwan, said she found online clips of the pandas an enjoyable distraction. “And I just find it…

French club Marseille have signed Everton forward Neal Maupay on a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy the forward in 2025. The 28-year-old joined Everton in 2022 from Brighton and scored once in 32 appearances for the Toffees. The Frenchman spent last season on loan at former club Brentford, where he scored eight times in 31 games. Maupay was entering the final year of his deal at Goodison Park and had not featured in either of Everton’s first two Premier League matches this season. The move sees Maupay join former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi in France. The…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced that it is seeking to engage reputable and credible operations and maintenance companies to operate and maintain the Warri and Kaduna refining and petrochemical companies. NNPCL disclosed this in a statement on Friday on its official X handle. The Warri refinery, located at Warri in Delta State, was commissioned in 1978.Warri is a complex conversion refinery with a nameplate distillation capacity of 6,250,000 MTA (125,000 bpd). The refinery complex includes a petrochemical plant commissioned in 1988 with production capacities of 13,000 MTA of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black. The Warri…

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary African Art London (MoMCAAL) has appointed former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, Chairman Board of Advisors. The museum exhibits artworks and conducts workshops, artist residencies, and educational programs to engage and inspire visitors of all ages. MoMCAAL is a dynamic institution that celebrates the rich tapestry of African creativity. It passionately believes in the power of art to transcend borders, foster understanding, and inspire dialogue.” The idea was conceptualised and championed by Mr Olusegun Paul Andrew, who has dimensioned the vision plan for the museum. The organization is dedicated to showcasing…