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Events on Wednesday 12 August 2026 3
1928 – 2026Zhu RongjiPremier of China (1998-2003)Chinese politician and economic reformer who served as Premier of China from 1998 to 2003. Sharp-tongued and impatient, he earned the nickname 'Madman Zhu' for his demanding style and willingness to confront corruption and inefficiency. He overhauled China's state-owned enterprises at the cost of tens of millions of jobs, tamed double-digit inflation, steered the economy through the Asian financial crisis, and masterminded China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 — a decision that helped transform China into the world's second-largest economy.
2026DeathDied at the age of 93. Toyota confirmed his passing during the company's summer break. He was remembered as the leader who had laid the foundation for Toyota's rise to become the world's largest automaker.
2026Total Solar Eclipse — August 12, 2026A total solar eclipse sweeps across the North Atlantic, Iceland, Spain and northern Africa on 12 August 2026. The path of totality is approximately 290 km wide and crosses Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, northern Spain (including Madrid) and coastal Algeria. Maximum totality lasts up to 2 minutes 18 seconds over the Atlantic. The first total solar eclipse visible from Spain since 1900.