The four-hour eclipse got underway late Friday or early Saturday, depending on the location, as the moon slipped into the fringes of Earth’s shadow.

In what’s known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, the full moon passed within the outer part of Earth’s shadow, causing the moon to dim only slightly.

Such an eclipse isn’t as dramatic as a partial lunar eclipse or a total lunar eclipse when the moon, Earth and sun are perfectly aligned.

The eclipse was visible from beginning to end, weather permitting, as far west as Saudi Arabia and Africa’s western coast, as far east as Japan and New Zealand’s South Island, and from the South Pole to Siberia. Almost all of Europe also got in on some of the action.

The Virtual Telescope Project planned to livestream the moon rising over the countryside in Tuscany, Italy.

The next lunar eclipse in October will put on a better display.

The eastern portions of both Americas will get to see at least part of a partial lunar eclipse, when some but not all of the moon passes through the Earth’s dark, central shadow. Asia, Africa and Europe will be treated to the whole show.

Hon. Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has expressed the importance of the expansion of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina as a monument long to be cherished by the people of the state.

He made this statement during the ground breaking ceremony of the expansion of the Katsina Airport.

He said that the expansion was to among other things aid the security forces to perform their duties in the Northern region.

Speaking of what constitute the expansion project, Sirika said servicing and maintenance of Fire trucks abroad will be a thing of the past as the expansion will include construction of fire truck maintenance, overhaul and repairs centre.

Also, construction of Cargo terminal, construction of new terminal building and runway.

Speaking of the economic value of the facilities, sirika said  lot of jobs will be created and the economy of Katsina will surely improve.

On reason for possible  delay  of the project, the Minister assured all that 70% of total sum for execution of the  project has already been paid to contractors and also the  equipment for the maintenance overhaul and repair Centre of fire trucks are  already on ground. “there should be no reason for delay”.

Speaking earlier, the  Executive Governor of Katsina, Aminu Bello Masari, ably represented by commissioner for land and survey, Dr. Bishir Gambo Saulawa welcomed the Honorable Minister and thanked the President for his developmental strides. He assured the Minister of full cooperation of the people of the state towards the realization of the project.

Garden swimming pools are to be banned from sale in a part of southern France over worsening water shortages.

France’s Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Béchu said that Pyrénées-Orientales, which borders Spanish Catalonia, will be officially declared at drought “crisis” level from 10 May.

Bans on car-washing, garden-watering and pool-filling will also kick in from the same date.

“We need to get out of our culture of abundance,” said Mr Bechu.

Explaining why authorities had decided to take the step to ban sales of garden pools, he said: “It is to prevent people from being tempted to do what they are in fact not allowed to do anyway – which is to fill them.

“The Pyrénées-Orientales is a department that has not known a full day of rain in over a year. When you are in a crisis like this, it is really quite simple: it’s drinking water and nothing else.

Warning lights have been flashing in France after a dry winter aggravated the already depleted water tables inherited from 2022.

A wet March has provided a welcome partial relief to farmers by moistening soil ahead of planting but underground water levels remain dangerously low, especially around the Mediterranean. Only Brittany and Aquitaine in the south-west are in a relatively safe position.

The Pyrénées-Orientales will become the fourth district where the drought is officially at “crisis” level. More than 40 others – amounting to nearly half the country – are already at “alert” or “vigilance” levels, presaging even worse shortages than last year.

In parts of the district, aquifer levels are so low that experts fear saline seepage from the sea, which would make tap water undrinkable. Low aquifer levels also mean a higher concentration of pollutants, which could likewise severely damage water quality.

President Emmanuel Macron last month announced a nationwide water programme, with promises of investment to curb leaks and increase recycling. He also outlined a “progressive water tariff” under which consumption above a certain quantity – for example, for swimming pools – would be charged at higher rates.

Some 2,000 villages and towns are at risk of losing their water supply this year, according to Mr Béchu. Last year, 1,000 municipalities had serious problems, of which some 400 had to be provided with bottles or mobile cisterns.

“The war over water triggered by the fall in stocks is a genuine threat to our national cohesion,” the minister said.

A shire horse raised on a farm in rural Wales will be centre stage during the coronation procession of King Charles III.

Ed – now known as Major Apollo – is a ceremonial drum horse raised in Eglwyswrw, Pembrokeshire.

He also took part in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession.

The role involves leading 200 other horses on the procession route on the streets of London, carrying the ceremonial kettle drum.

He was the second horse to be sold by Dyfed Shire Horse Farm to the Household Cavalry in December 2019, following in the hoofprints of Celt, who became a drum horse in 2008.

A third shire horse from the farm, Willa Rose, has also been bought by the Household Cavalry and is being trained as a drum horse.

Major Apollo stands at more than 17 hands (1.73m or 5ft 6in), weighs nearly 800kg (125 stone) and has been trained to carry a musician and drums during ceremonial events.

Major Apollo’s royal links stretch back to July 2018, when Camilla, the Queen Consort, visited the farm along with the King, who was then Prince of Wales.

She took the reins as Ed pulled her around the farm on a carriage ride.

Huw Murphy helps run the farm with his family, and he has been to London to watch Major Apollo’s preparations for the big day.

He said: “They are the highest ranking animals in the British Army. I was down there last week and it is a joy to see how they look after these horses.

“They care for them with exceptional love. The drum horse leads the procession and leads the Household Cavalry mounted regiment band.”

A fort on a hill overlooking Stirling may have been a powerbase for a group of people who battled the Romans about 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists are making the first significant examination of the site on Dumyat, the most westerly of the Ochil hills.

The hilltop was the location of an impressive complex with a central citadel featuring a roundhouse protected by ramparts and other defences.

Archaeologists said Dumyat hillfort was shrouded in darkness in terms of what they know about it

The Maiatai fought the Romans following their invasion of Britain, and at one stage joined forces with another group – the Caledonii – to take on the invaders.

Roman historian Cassius Dio referenced the Maiatai in his writings in the 3rd Century.

University of Aberdeen’s Northern Picts Project worked with Stirling Council archaeologist Dr Murray Cook and volunteers on last month’s dig.

Prof Gordon Noble, of the Northern Picts Project, said potentially important finds were made including pottery, a brooch and evidence of metal working.

The finds will be radiocarbon dated to determine how old they are.

Dr Noble said: “The hillfort was in a really prominent location, but it is a site shrouded in darkness in terms of what we know about it.”

The investigation forms part of the wider Northern Picts Project, which has also carried out major excavations at Burghead in Moray and Bennachie in Aberdeenshire.

Work has begun to remove a 30-tonne whale carcass from Bridlington’s South Beach.

The 55ft (17m) long animal died on Tuesday evening after becoming stranded.

It is believed to be a male fin whale, the world’s second-largest creature after the blue whale.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said some roads and slipways in the resort would be closed while the operation was ongoing.

Shell is selling its stake in the controversial Cambo oil field, it has been announced.

The project – which is west of Shetland – is the second-largest undeveloped oil and gas discovery in the UK’s North Sea.

The oil major is looking for a buyer for its 30% holding.

Cambo has been the focal point of many protests, and Shell has been rumoured for months to be looking for someone to take over its part.

The remaining 70% of the field is owned by Ithaca Energy.

Ithaca said the two companies had agreed on several possible outcomes.

Shell might sell all of its stake, but if it only manages to find a buyer for a portion of the stake it could offload its remaining share to Ithaca.

If a buyer wants to purchase more than Shell’s 30% stake then Ithaca will sell up to 19.99% of its holding in the project, it said.