Two meteor showers will flash across the sky around the same time in late July
There will be back-to-back meteor showers in late July. The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks early Tuesday. And this year, it will coincide with a second smaller meteor shower, the Alpha Capricornids. The Delta Aquariids occur every year in North America’s late summer. At the peak, 15 to 20 meteors are expected to be visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. Viewing should be even better in the Southern Hemisphere. A weaker meteor shower, Alpha Capricornids, should produce around five meteors per hour. Multiple meteor showers occur annually and you don’t need special equipment to see them.
One Extraordinary Photo: Charlie Riedel captures Simone Biles in flight at the Paris Games
PARIS (AP) — Charlie Riedel has been an AP staff photographer in Kansas City, Missouri, for 24 years. This is his eighth Olympic Games. Riedel discusses how he made his extraordinary photo of Simone Biles.
Princess Leia bikini costume from set of ‘Star Wars’ movie sells at auction for $175K
HOUSTON (AP) — An auction house says the gold bikini-style costume that Carrie Fisher wore as Princess Leia while making the “Star Wars” franchise has sold for $175,000. The costume was made famous when Fisher wore it at the start of 1983’s “Return of the Jedi” when Leia was captured by Jabba the Hutt at his palace on Tatooine and forced to be the space gangster’s slave. The costume was sold on Friday by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions. Heritage’s executive vice president says the costume was worn by Fisher on the movie’s set but did not make it onto the final version of the film.
Fans swarm hill in Munich, claiming a high perch for watching Taylor Swift concert for free
MUNICH (AP) — Thousands of Taylor Swift fans have gotten free seats to her concerts in Munich on a grassy hill near the concert venue. The Swifties packed the Olympic Hill, one of the highest elevations in the southern German city, for the second day in a row Sunday. They were claiming a high perch for watching the singer’s sold-out concert in the nearby Olympic Stadium. On Saturday, they braved the heat reaching 31 Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) and claimed their spots hours before the concert began. On Sunday thousands of fans again gathered on the hill. This time the temperatures were cooler.
Paris Olympics organizers say they meant no disrespect with ‘Last Supper’ tableau
PARIS (AP) — Paris Olympics organizers have apologized to any people who were offended by a tableau during Friday’s opening ceremony evoking Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, but defended the concept behind it. The ceremony’s tableau featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch flanked by drag artists and dancers. The French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deplored “scenes of derision” that they said mocked Christianity. But Paris 2024 executive director of communications Anne Descamps said Sunday “there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group” and that “if people have taken any offence we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
Robert Downey Jr. is returning to ‘Avengers’ films as a villain in 1 of Marvel’s Comic-Con twists
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marvel Studios kicked off its return to San Diego Comic-Con with dancing Deadpool variants and a choir for a panel that included news about the next two “Avengers” films and surprise guests, including Harrison Ford. Among the surprises announced Saturday: Robert Downey Jr. would return to Marvel’s films, but not as Iron Man. He’ll play the villain Victor Von Doom, or Doctor Doom, in one of the upcoming “Avengers” movies. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige says that due to this weekend’s success of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe had now topped $30 billion in box-office earnings.
Hamilton declared winner of F1 Belgian GP after Mercedes teammate Russell DQ for underweight car
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Lewis Hamilton has been promoted to first place at the Belgian Grand Prix after race officials disqualified his Mercedes teammate George Russell for driving an underweight car. Russell crossed the line first Sunday after making only one pit stop, finishing just ahead of Hamilton. Russell celebrated the win in Spa but race officials found that his car weighed in below the established limits and ruled to disqualify his result. Russell said it was “heartbreaking.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said “We have clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it.” Hamilton took his record haul to 105 F1 career victories. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moved up into second place. Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari completed the podium.
Surf’s up! Paris Olympics surfing competition commences in Tahiti, with wave rides and wipe outs
TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti (AP) — Surfers rode through and wiped out on barrel-shaped waves in their quest for gold during the first day of the Paris Olympics surfing competition in Tahiti on Saturday, with some of the biggest names in the sport paddling side-by-side in the ocean. Despite no competitors facing elimination in the first round, surfers gave their all during the 30-minute heats, providing a tantalizing preview of what could be in store for the next rounds in the competition days to come. The Paris Olympic surfing competition features six rounds: Rounds one through three, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
All he does is win gold medals: Caeleb Dressel captures 8th gold as anchor of US relay team
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Veteran U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel only knows the top of an Olympic podium in a decorated career. The American veteran on a youthful men’s swim team added another relay victory to his long list by anchoring the winning 4×100-meter freestyle as the Americans beat out the rival Australians and scrutinized Chinese.
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