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In addition to a historic total solar eclipse, August also features one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year. On the night of August 12 and into the early morning of August 13, astronomy enthusiasts in the northern hemisphere and parts of the southern hemisphere will be able to admire the Perseids during a particularly favorable viewing window.Occasionally, Earth passes through the trails of particles left behind by some comets as they travel through the solar system. When these tiny fragments enter Earth’s atmosphere, friction with the air heats them until they burn up. From below, it looks…

Elena Rybakina stages a huge comeback to beat Naomi Osaka and will now play Coco Gauff for a place in the final.Published On 12 Aug 202612 Aug 2026Second-seeded Elena Rybakina fought back from a set and a break down to prevail 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in her Canadian Open quarterfinal against Naomi Osaka in Toronto on Tuesday.Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 ⁠Australian Open champion, will meet fourth-seeded Coco Gauff for a place in the final after the American’s opponent, Belinda Bencic, withdrew due to a hip injury.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listIn ⁠the first tour-level meeting between Osaka…

A total solar eclipse is set to cross Europe, and people around the world will be able to watch the event live. The European Space Agency (ESA) will begin its broadcast at 1:30 p.m. EDT (19:30 CEST) on August 12, giving viewers a chance to experience the eclipse from home.. Quick linksWhat Happens During a Total Solar Eclipse A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun, covering the Sun and casting a narrow region of Earth into darkness. When the Sun’s brilliant surface is hidden, its faint and wispy atmosphere becomes visible. Stars and…

Born in Figueres, a city in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, Chavarria played for his hometown club before moving to Olot, where he built his reputation in Spain’s lower tiers.A move to Real Zaragoza in 2020 gave him his first taste of professional football at a bigger club, and – after two seasons in Spain’s second division – he earned the opportunity to step into La Liga with Rayo Vallecano in 2022.That timing was significant. Rayo were not expected to compete with Spain’s established giants, but under a strong collective structure they became one of the division’s most difficult opponents.Rayo’s ability…

Jim Deddes, Tenzing Woing and Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi, known for his Oscar-nominated role in “Captain Phillips,” lead the cast of “Maalstroom,” which has just wrapped. Variety has been given the first-look image. The Dutch-Belgian co-production was written and directed by Teddy Cherim, and produced by Marten van Warmerdam. In “Maalstroom,” a struggling barge skipper Jan takes on an urgent shipment of sand from Dunkirk to Rotterdam in a last attempt to save himself from financial ruin. Shortly after setting off, he discovers 11 refugees hidden in his cargo. As Jan races north along the canals, his unwanted passengers force…

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame Less than a year after assuming office as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke has strategically leveraged international partnerships and defence diplomacy to significantly enhance the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), resulting in improved mission readiness, stronger regional cooperation and increased pressure on terrorists, bandits, economic saboteurs and other criminal elements threatening national security.  Guided by his command philosophy of enhancing and sustaining a highly motivated, professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive air power effects in synergy with surface forces, the CAS has pursued…

By Folarin Kehinde ABUJA — The National Population Commission, NPC, has raised the alarm that only about 40 per cent of births in Nigeria are currently registered, despite more than five million children being born in the country annually. The Commission disclosed this in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, CRVS, Day. Speaking at the event, Chairman of the NPC, Dr Aminu Yusuf, said the low registration coverage, particularly of births and deaths, remained a major challenge to Nigeria’s efforts to build a comprehensive and reliable national population database. Yusuf, however, said the…

*NMDPRA: Infrastructure, capital, data critical to price benchmark *Lokpobiri: Deregulation has unlocked investment in Nigeria’s downstream *Eyesan says rising refining capacity, oil output good for market integration *Verheijen: Why refining capacity alone can’t guarantee energy security *S&P advocates more liquidity to make regional benchmarks work Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja West African petroleum regulators Tuesday intensified efforts to establish an integrated regional refined petroleum products market capable of supporting credible pricing benchmarks and positioning the sub-region as a major fuel trading hub. The push formed the central focus of the 2026 West African Refined Fuel Market (WAFRFM) Conference, organised by the…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The head of one of HSBC’s most important businesses has resigned, as the bank continues to overhaul its global operations and the industry grapples with uncertainties around an insurance tax crackdown by Beijing.Edward Moncreiffe, global chief executive of HSBC’s insurance arm, has left after more than two years in his current role and 20 years at the bank, according to a person familiar with the matter.The move comes as Europe’s largest bank presses on with an overhaul of its global portfolio, including…

AI-driven productivity gains enable more planet-heating pollution from fossil fuels than they avoid from renewables, a study has found.Researchers modelled the technical potential for AI to boost clean power generation along with projections for how it can help produce coal, oil and gas. Across 64 scenarios, they found net yearly carbon pollution rose by 0.47-1.8 gigatonnes, or about 1-5% of the energy sector’s annual emissions.The study is the first to quantify the climate impact of AI across the full power sector. Previous research has explored its indirect climate benefits – such as reducing renewable downtime and optimising electricity grids –…