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A total solar eclipse is set to darken skies across parts of Europe on August 12, drawing millions of travellers to witness the rare event. Spain and Iceland have emerged as the top destinations for eclipse chasers this week. This marks the first time the path of totality has crossed mainland Europe since August 1999. The rarity of a total eclipse passing over such densely populated regions has sparked massive international interest. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have been flocking to Spain to experience the celestial event alongside local residents. What makes Spain’s viewing especially unique is that totality will occur just before sunset, with the Sun hanging low on the western horizon. As a result, millions across northern Spain, Zaragoza and the Balearic Islands will witness a dramatic “sunset eclipse”. This will mark the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain in more than a century. Spain’s Secretary of State for Science, Juan Cruz, expressed excitement over the milestone. He said he hopes the event inspires a new generation of astrophysicists, calling it a genuinely special moment for the country. Spanish authorities are preparing for roughly six million visitors travelling across the eclipse’s path. The scale of anticipated tourism reflects just how rare and significant this celestial event is considered. Iceland has also been swept up in the excitement, expecting around 80,000 visitors for the occasion. The path of totality will stretch across western Iceland and eastern Greenland, offering viewers a dramatic backdrop of rugged fjords under late-afternoon Arctic light. Visitors along Iceland’s westernmost coast will experience totality at 5:44 pm local time, as the Moon’s shadow moves steadily eastward. Those in the far western regions will see totality last up to two minutes and 13 seconds, while other areas will experience a shorter period of darkness. NASA is also playing a role in the event, deploying a high-altitude WB-57 aircraft from Iceland to track the Moon’s shadow. Additional NASA-funded teams will launch specialised weather balloons to study how the sudden darkness and cooling affects the lower atmosphere. With millions gathered across two very different landscapes, this eclipse is shaping up to be one of the most significant astronomical events of the decade.

At least 15 people were killed and 27 others injured after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, officials said. The attack triggered more than 30 explosions across the city, with air raid sirens sounding throughout Kyiv and surrounding areas as residents sought shelter. The strikes caused widespread damage, and a major fire broke out in one part of the capital following the bombardment. According to Ukrainian authorities, search and rescue teams are continuing operations at the site of a destroyed warehouse, where several people are feared trapped beneath the rubble. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 28 high-speed missiles, including ballistic missiles, along with 115 drones during the overnight assault. Officials stated that none of the missiles were intercepted by Ukraine’s air defence systems, making it one of the most significant attacks on the capital in recent months. The missile and drone barrage targeted multiple locations in Kyiv, causing extensive destruction to buildings and infrastructure. Emergency responders remained at affected sites to extinguish fires, search for survivors and assist the injured. The latest strike comes as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues to intensify after more than four years of war. Both sides have increased the frequency and scale of long-range attacks in recent months. Just days earlier, a separate exchange of strikes between the two countries left at least 14 people dead, including nine in Russia and five in Ukraine, highlighting the continued escalation of the conflict despite ongoing international efforts to reduce hostilities.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has described the death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday as “a tragedy on so many levels” and urged people to reflect before reaching conclusions about the circumstances surrounding his death. Arday, 41, was found dead at a property in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon. His family said they were devastated by the loss of the academic, describing him as a loving father, partner, brother, uncle and son. In a statement released through his publisher, Simon & Schuster UK, the family said Arday had been struggling amid what they described as a campaign of misinformation. Burnham, speaking during a visit to Cornwall, said the situation required reflection rather than immediate judgement. Arday resigned from his position as Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge last week following allegations concerning plagiarism and questions about some claims surrounding his career. He rejected the allegations, although he acknowledged errors in some of his earlier academic work. Friends and colleagues have spoken about the pressure Arday faced in the weeks before his death. Eamonn McCrystal, a friend from St Mary’s University College London, said Arday had described feeling “destroyed” and expressed concern after his US travel visa was revoked. McCrystal remembered him as a kind and gentle person who had been involved with student radio during their university years. Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said the university community was deeply saddened by Arday’s death and extended sympathy to his family and friends. Education Secretary Lucy Powell also expressed shock and urged the public to remember the human impact of intense public scrutiny. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Arday had faced sustained media attention and described the treatment he received as an unacceptable campaign of public abuse. He called the death a wake-up call. The University and College Union also called for scrutiny of the harassment Arday experienced, including allegations of racism. Other prominent figures in British public life similarly raised concerns about the treatment of Black academics and the pressures faced by people from underrepresented backgrounds. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, director of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre, said he had spoken to Arday on the morning of his death. He described him as a caring and gentle person and said Arday had felt unable to leave his home. Professor Kehinde Andrews, a friend of Arday, said the academic had been deeply distressed after leaving Cambridge and had withdrawn from public life. The controversy surrounding Arday began after questions were raised about sections of his academic work. He denied plagiarism and said some errors were linked to the way he processed information as an autistic academic. Further questions were also raised about claims related to aspects of his personal history, including a long-distance charity run and fundraising achievements. Arday later clarified details surrounding both claims. His appointment at Cambridge in 2023 had been celebrated as a significant milestone, making him the university’s youngest Black professor at the time. When announcing his resignation, Arday said the personal cost of the controversy had become too great. He maintained that his decision to leave Cambridge should not be interpreted as an acceptance of the allegations made against him. Cambridge has announced an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his appointment. Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday his PhD in 2015, previously concluded that he had not committed plagiarism.