Life Returns to Normal in Yemen’s Mokhahttps://english.aawsat.com/home/article/992791/life-returns-normal-yemen%E2%80%99s-mokha
Life Returns to Normal in Yemen’s Mokha
A UAE soldier escorts Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr during a visit to the liberated Red Sea port city of Mokha on August 6, 2017. (Reuters)
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Life Returns to Normal in Yemen’s Mokha
A UAE soldier escorts Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr during a visit to the liberated Red Sea port city of Mokha on August 6, 2017. (Reuters)
The people of Mokha described the reopening of fish restaurants and the end of electricity outages as predictors of happiness and the return to a normal life in the recently liberated historic port city on the Red Sea cost of Yemen.
In a visit to the city, where legitimacy forces regained control a few months ago, Asharq Al-Awsat documented some scenes in the areas visited on Sunday by Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr for the first time since its liberation from Houthi militias.
During his trip to the port city, Daghr promised to return Mokha to a normal life and improve its services.
He also toured the headquarters of the Arab Coalition's administrative base in the southwest Yemeni city from where he called for more coordination between the leaders of the National Army, the Popular Resistance and the Coalition forces to advance on all areas still under Houthi’s control.
While Daghr toured the city on Sunday, the very high temperature did not prevent the young Yemeni Hamdi Ibrahim from arriving early to his work at a popular restaurant in downtown.
Ibrahim said the fish restaurant is once again packed with customers, a sign that life has returned to normal in the city, which was world famous for the production of a mocha variety of coffee beans.
“Since the liberation of Mokha, the port city witnessed the reestablishment of electricity supplies 24 hours a day, with the presence of a surplus,” said Haidara Mahyoub, another man in his thirties.
The popular markets of Mokha also saw renewed trade, despite a slight rise in the prices of fish, bread and vegetables. However, those high prices were still better than those of goods in Yemen’s temporary capital of Aden.
Rafael Grossi speaking on May 7 at Vienna Airport after his return from Tehran. (EPA)
Iran’s nuclear file has returned to the forefront, with the approaching regular meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's governors, next month, in Vienna.
Neither Iran nor the agency deviated from the pre-written scenario, which is being implemented and consists of several stages. The first is for the agency’s director, Rafael Grossi, to take the initiative, several weeks before the meeting, to attract attention to the aforementioned file through heated statements, saying that Iran is not cooperating satisfactorily with his inspectors.
This stage paves the way for Grossi’s visit to Tehran and lengthy meetings with senior officials, usually followed by two press conferences: the first in Iran, alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, or Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and the second upon his landing at Vienna Airport.
What is often striking is that Grossi’s tone varies depending on the place. His rhetoric is diplomatic in Tehran, and direct, even sharp, in Vienna.
However, the last scenario takes place amidst very important transformations, the first of which is the entry of Israel directly into the line after the bombing of the Iranian consulate headquarters in Damascus and the killing of senior leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and the subsequent Iranian response inside Israel and the Israeli response inside Iran.
If a group of countries, led by the United States, intervened, directly or through mediation, to prevent sliding into open war in the Middle East region, this factor has a direct impact on the future of the Iranian nuclear program. Tehran has in fact always kept its nuclear program out of its general policy and within its “technical” limits.
But today, the situation has changed. After a senior Revolutionary Guard threatened that Iran can abandon its nuclear doctrine, which was determined by the Supreme Leader in a famous fatwa, here is his advisor, Kamal Kharazi, coming out to wave the nuclear card.
The Iranian Students News Agency quoted Kharazi as saying: “We have not yet taken a decision to make a nuclear bomb, but if Iran’s existence becomes threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine.”
It is clear today that Tehran has begun to view its nuclear program, and even present it as a “weapon of deterrence.”
Western capitals, led by Washington, were keen, in recent meetings, to avoid taking any measures against Tehran, in order to encourage it to calm tensions in the Middle East, as it has the ability to influence and stop supplying Russia with drones.
Chinese Companies Win More Bids to Explore for Iraq Oil and Gashttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5013151-chinese-companies-win-more-bids-explore-iraq-oil-and-gas
A representative of a foreign oil and gas company walks to drop his contract documents in the box during a ceremony of sixth licensing round for oil and gas projects at the Iraqi ministry of oil in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 May 2024. (EPA)
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Chinese Companies Win More Bids to Explore for Iraq Oil and Gas
A representative of a foreign oil and gas company walks to drop his contract documents in the box during a ceremony of sixth licensing round for oil and gas projects at the Iraqi ministry of oil in Baghdad, Iraq, 11 May 2024. (EPA)
Chinese companies won four bids to explore Iraqi oil and gas fields, Iraq's oil minister said on Sunday as the Middle Eastern country's hydrocarbon exploration licensing round continued into its second day.
The oil and gas licenses for 29 projects are mainly aimed at ramping up output for domestic use, with more than 20 companies pre-qualifying, including European, Chinese, Arab and Iraqi groups.
Chinese companies have been the only foreign players to win bids, taking nine oil and gas fields since Saturday, while Iraqi Kurdish company KAR Group took two.
There were notably no US oil majors involved, even after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met representatives of US companies on an official visit to the United States last month.
China's CNOOC Iraq won a bid to develop Iraq's Block 7 for oil exploration that extends across the country's central and southern provinces of Diwaniya, Babil, Najaf, Wasit and Muthanna, said oil minister Hayan Abdul Ghani.
ZhenHua, Anton Oilfield Services and Sinopec won bids to develop the Abu Khaymah oilfield in Muthanna, the Dhufriya field in Wasit and the Summer field in Muthanna respectively, the minister said.
Iraq's main goal with its sixth licensing round was to increase gas output that it wants to use to fire power plants that rely heavily on gas imported from Iran.
However, no bids were made on at least two fields with large gas potential, potentially undermining those efforts.
Iraq, OPEC's second-largest oil producer behind Saudi Arabia, has been hampered in its oil sector development by contract terms viewed as unfavorable by many major oil companies as well as recurring military conflict and growing investor focus on environmental, social and governance criteria.
Lebanon’s Security Authorities Adopt Strict Measures to Curb Violations Committed by Syrianshttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5013146-lebanon%E2%80%99s-security-authorities-adopt-strict-measures-curb-violations-committed
Lebanon’s Security Authorities Adopt Strict Measures to Curb Violations Committed by Syrians
Notices to close stores in Nabatieh after a raid by the General Security (National News Agency)
Members of the Lebanese General Security started implementing strict measures and procedures in various regions and villages, in implementation of instructions issued by the Acting Director General of the General Security, Major General Elias Al-Bisari, to address violations related to the Syrian presence in Lebanon.
Security personnel carried out massive campaigns in Beirut, and in various Lebanese regions, during which Syrians were arrested for violating the residency and work system and entering the country illegally, while a large number of illegal shops run by Syrian workers were closed.
The head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, praised the General Security measures, saying in a post on X social media platform that more efforts should be done in this regard.
Al-Nashra website reported that patrols conducted by the General Security Information Division in the South and the Investigation Division of the Qana General Security Center in the Tyre District carried out a campaign in the region’s villages and towns to “address violations and monitor Syrian workers.”
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army announced on Friday that during an attempt by its unit, supported by a patrol from the Intelligence Directorate, to arrest a number of smugglers in the Deir Al-Ashayer area in the Bekaa (east of the country), a Syrian national tried to stab one of the unit’s members. The army opened fire at the man, who later succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
The National News Agency (NNA) reported that night guards in the municipality of Jbeil arrested a Syrian gang at dawn on Saturday for smuggling Syrians into Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, stressed the role of municipalities in addressing the displacement crisis.
Speaking during a conference of municipalities in the Batroun region (northern Lebanon), Bassil pointed to a lack of political decision to deal with the presence of Syrians, due to an “external desire to keep the displaced on our land.”
Campus Gaza Rallies May Subside, but Experts See Possible ‘Hot Summer of Protest’https://english.aawsat.com/features/5013136-campus-gaza-rallies-may-subside-experts-see-possible-%E2%80%98hot-summer-protest%E2%80%99
Protesters stand and link arms during a demonstration in support of Palestinians, at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado, US May 7, 2024. (Reuters)
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Campus Gaza Rallies May Subside, but Experts See Possible ‘Hot Summer of Protest’
Protesters stand and link arms during a demonstration in support of Palestinians, at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado, US May 7, 2024. (Reuters)
About a dozen students arrested by police clearing a sit-in at a Denver college campus emerged from detainment to cheers from fellow pro-Palestinian protesters, several waving yellow court summons like tiny victory flags and imploring fellow demonstrators not to let their energy fade.
Just how much staying power the student demonstrations over the war in Gaza that have sprung up in Denver and at dozens of universities across the United States will have is a key question for protesters, school administrators and police, with graduation ceremonies being held, summer break coming and high-profile encampments dismantled.
The student protesters passionately say they will continue until administrators meet demands that include permanent ceasefire in Gaza, university divestment from arms suppliers and other companies profiting from the war, and amnesty for students and faculty members who have been disciplined or fired for protesting.
Academics who study protest movements and the history of civil disobedience say it's difficult to maintain the people-power energy on campus if most of the people are gone. But they also point out that university demonstrations are just one tactic in the wider pro-Palestinian movement that has existed for decades, and that this summer will provide many opportunities for the energy that started on campuses to migrate to the streets.
Signs spelling the word "Divest" hang among white flags symbolizing each child killed in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, at a protest encampment at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado, US, May 10, 2024. (Reuters)
EVOLVE OR FADE AWAY
Dana Fisher is a professor at American University in Washington, DC, and author of several books on activism and grassroots movements who has seen some of her own students among protesters on her campus.
She noted the college movement spread organically across the country as a response to police called onto campus at Columbia University on April 18, when more than 100 people were arrested. Since those arrests, at least 2,600 demonstrators have been detained at more than 100 protests in 39 states and Washington, DC, according to The Appeal, a nonprofit news organization.
"I don't see enough organizational infrastructure to sustain a bunch of young people who are involved in a movement when they are not on campus," Fisher said. "Either the movement has to evolve substantially or it can't continue."
Following the initial arrests at Columbia, students there occupied a classroom building, an escalation of the protest that led to even more arrests. Similarly in Denver, police on April 26 arrested 45 people at an encampment protest at the Auraria campus – which serves the University of Colorado-Denver, Metropolitan State University and the Community College of Denver.
Then on May 8, Auraria protesters staged a short-lived sit-in inside the Aerospace and Engineering Sciences building, developed in part with a $1 million gift from arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Students in Denver say the movement's spread from the coasts to the heartland and to smaller universities shows it has staying power. Student protests also have flared outside the US.
"We're keeping our protests up and our encampment going until our demands are met, however long that takes," said Steph, a 21-year-old student on the Auraria campus who declined to give their full name for fear of reprisals. "We'll be here through summer break and into next fall if needed."
Fisher, the academic, said the police response to protests has helped ignite a sense of activism in a new generation of students. She thinks the current campus demonstrations foreshadow a "long, hot summer of protest" about many issues, and that the Republican national convention in July and the Democratic national convention in August will be ripe targets for massive protest.
"The stakes have gotten much higher, and that's very much due to the way that police have responded in a much more aggressive and repressive way than they did even back in the 1960s," Fisher said, referring to student-led protests against the Vietnam War.
"And then you just plop right down in the middle of all that the presidential election?" she said. "It's a crazy recipe for one hell of a fall."
Tents are set up at an encampment in support of Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, at the Auraria Campus in Denver, Colorado, US, May 10, 2024. (Reuters)
AFTER GRADUATION, A GHOST TOWN
Michael Heaney, an American lecturer in politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland whose research and books have focused on US protest movements said the campus demonstrations are just one tactic in the wider movement to support Palestinians, an ongoing effort that goes back decades.
Heaney said that the geographical diffusion of the university encampments to places like Denver is an opportunity to bring the message of the wider movement to places where it may not have been before.
Heaney added that "protests for any movement are episodic" and pointed to the various manifestations of the African-American Civil Rights movement in the US, going back 200 years. Just because one moment of protest ends does not foretell its overall demise.
He said pro-Palestinian protests in American cities this summer could grow if Israel's offensive in Gaza continues, and that such demonstrations would have been stoked by the widespread university activism.
On Denver's Auraria campus, while students were cleared from the classroom building, about 75 tents remain on a grassy quad, where protesters say they serve 200 meals each day in a mess hall tent. One of the student protest organizers, Jacob, 22, said he's convinced the facts on the ground in Gaza are what will sustain the encampment.
"After graduation it may be a ghost town on this campus - but we'll still be here," he said. "We're not going anywhere."
New York Gears Up for Major Spring Auctions after Soft 2023https://english.aawsat.com/culture/5013086-new-york-gears-major-spring-auctions-after-soft-2023
New York Gears Up for Major Spring Auctions after Soft 2023
At Sotheby's, the jewel in the sale crown is a Francis Bacon portrait estimated at $30-50 million. TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP
New York's major auction houses were preparing for the start of their all-important Spring sales on Monday even as Christie's came under a cyberattack that affected its website.
After a drop in sales in 2023, there is hope among the hammer-wielders that good results in Europe so far this year will be repeated stateside, said AFP.
David Hockney, Francis Bacon, Leonora Carrington, Joan Mitchell, Brice Marden, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Alberto Giacometti, Georgia O'Keeffe are among the prominent artists on offer when Sotheby's gets the season underway on Monday.
Christie's and Phillips follow Tuesday.
There will be no shortage of works by Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso in the increasingly globalized market which is still dominated by US collectors.
Christie's, which confirmed it was the victim of a cyberattack on its systems, including the website, expects to bring in between $578 million and $846 million for the sale of some 900 works.
"A technology security issue has impacted some of our systems, including our website. We are taking all necessary steps to manage this matter," a Christie's spokeswoman told AFP.
Sotheby's is setting the bar slightly higher than last year, hoping to fetch between $549 million and $784 million.
"The market is honestly more defined by supply than it is by demand, we're having no difficulty selling things, we're having more difficulty getting people to consign them," said Sotheby's head of contemporary art sales Lucius Elliott.
14 percent drop
With sales of $14.9 billion last year, the art market saw a 14 percent drop compared to 2022, although online transactions saw a 285 percent jump.
Unlike Sotheby's, which has put together the more than 700 works it offers for sale, piece by piece, Christie's most prominent works come from two private collections.
One of those collections belonged to late television pioneer Norman Lear and his wife Lyn, with David Hockney's "A Lawn Being Sprinkled" worth an estimated between $25 million and $35 million, among the stand-out pieces.
"There are probably fewer collections this season than there have been historically for idiosyncratic reasons, but we have great collections (which) will be on the market this season again," said Christie's vice president Max Carter, adding that the March sales in London were among the highest ever.
At Sotheby's, the jewel in the sale crown is a Francis Bacon portrait with an estimate of $30 million to $50 million.
It is the first large-scale painting Bacon did of his then-partner George Dyer in 1966 and the first of ten works he did of the latter before he died on the eve of his death.
Saudi Arabia Embarks on Transformative Journey Toward Environmental Sustainabilityhttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5013046-saudi-arabia-embarks-transformative-journey-toward-environmental-sustainability
Saudi Arabia Embarks on Transformative Journey Toward Environmental Sustainability
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is on a transformative journey toward environmental sustainability. (SPA)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is on a transformative journey toward environmental sustainability, a multi-stage process that aligns with the goals of Vision 2030 and entails regional and global initiatives focused on preserving natural resources, combating climate change, and improving the quality of life for current and future generations.
This transformation was enabled by supportive regulations and legislation.
In 2016, a significant shift occurred: the Ministry of Agriculture was transformed into the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, said the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.
Several key achievements have laid the groundwork for the country’s environmental progress. The National Environment Strategy served as a roadmap for environmental development, guiding the Kingdom's efforts.
The Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research supported scientific research in environmental fields.
The Research Fund for Energy and Environment further strengthened this commitment by promoting innovation in sustainable energy and environmental protection.
The Kingdom also undertook a $1.1 billion post-Gulf War environmental reconstruction project to repair war-related damage to the environment.
To ensure effective and sustainable implementation of environmental initiatives, the Kingdom established the Environment Fund and the Special Forces for Environmental Security, as well as five specialized centers: the National Center for Meteorology, the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, the National Center for Environmental Compliance, the National Center for Wildlife, and the National Center for Waste Management.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud issued a Royal Decree establishing a council for royal reserves, led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister. These reserves play a vital role in preserving ecosystems and biodiversity, providing resources for local communities, and supporting the development of ecotourism.
Saudi Arabia is a leader in the global green movement through two key initiatives. The Saudi Green Initiative aims to plant 10 billion trees, rehabilitate degraded lands, and increase protected areas. The Middle East Green Initiative is a collaborative effort that addresses regional environmental challenges. These initiatives promote the green economy, combat climate change, and create a more sustainable future for the region.
Vision 2030 calls for transforming Saudi cities into green and smart spaces, promoting a healthy lifestyle for residents. By taking these comprehensive steps, the country is asserting its leadership in environmental sustainability, to the benefit of its citizens and the wider region.
The National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification is making significant strides toward achieving the Saudi Green Initiative goals. It set seven key targets focused on revitalizing vegetation on lands under its purview.
The center plans to revitalize 300,000 hectares of degraded forests by replanting valleys and heavily logged areas with 60 million local trees.
Another key target is the rehabilitation of eight million hectares of pastureland in 26 locations in the Kingdom.
Planting 10 million trees in national parks is another crucial aspect of the plan. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions by four million tons, combat desertification, restore biodiversity, and provide nature-based solutions for carbon capture and climate-change mitigation.
The center also plans to collaborate with the royal reserves to plant seven million native trees. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions by over two million tons.
Encouraging private sector participation is another key target. The goal is to plant and protect 40 million trees in private sector areas over 10 years, contributing to reducing carbon emissions by 16 million tons.
In the public sector, the center aims to plant and protect 18 million local trees in public areas over a 10-year period. This will contribute to reducing carbon emissions by over seven million tons.
The center is exploring the ambitious long-term vision of planting 10 billion trees across the Kingdom in the coming decades, equivalent to rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded land, in order to increase vegetation cover, improve the quality of life, create habitats for endangered species, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Hira Cultural District: A History, Culture, and Tourism Hub in Makkahhttps://english.aawsat.com/culture/5013031-hira-cultural-district-history-culture-and-tourism-hub-makkah
Hira Cultural District: A History, Culture, and Tourism Hub in Makkah
Visitors from all over the world are flocking to the Hira Cultural District in Makkah. (SPA)
Visitors from all over the world are flocking to the Hira Cultural District in Makkah, a unique destination that blends cultural exploration, historical immersion, and modern entertainment.
Spanning 67,000 square meters beside Mount Hira, the district is a landmark sought by residents and tourists alike, said the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.
A dedicated center introduces visitors to the site's historical and geographical significance, along with an overview of the services available.
The centerpiece of the district is the Revelation Exhibition, which tells how prophets received revelations from Allah. One section focuses on the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and explores facets of his life.
Complementing this exhibition is the Holy Quran Museum. Utilizing innovative technology and displaying unique collections, the museum emphasizes the universal significance and enduring legacy of the Quran, highlighting its remarkable preservation through history.
The Hira Cultural District is testament to a successful collaboration. The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, along with the Emirate of Makkah, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, the Holy Makkah Municipality, the Pilgrim Experience Program, and the General Authority of Endowments jointly oversee and manage the district.
Terzic Fuming after Dortmund Suffer Defeat at Mainzhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5013021-terzic-fuming-after-dortmund-suffer-defeat-mainz
Dortmund's German head coach Edin Terzic (C) reacts with players after the German first division Bundesliga football match between Mainz 05 and BVB Borussia Dortmund in Mainz, western Germany on May 11, 2024. (AFP)
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Terzic Fuming after Dortmund Suffer Defeat at Mainz
Dortmund's German head coach Edin Terzic (C) reacts with players after the German first division Bundesliga football match between Mainz 05 and BVB Borussia Dortmund in Mainz, western Germany on May 11, 2024. (AFP)
Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund deserved their 3-0 defeat at Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga as they lack the drive to achieve consistency in their performance, manager Edin Terzic said.
Lee Jae-Sung scored a brace after Leandro Barreiro had opened the scoring to hammer Dortmund 3-0 on Saturday.
Terzic's side had the opportunity to sink Mainz into the relegation zone but Mainz climbed up to 15th place, two points clear of the relegation play-off spot they previously occupied.
Terzic had said he wanted his team, in fifth place, to maintain their intensity levels after Tuesday's 2-0 aggregate win over Paris St Germain set them up for the June 1 final of Europe's top club competition against Real Madrid.
"Let's let Paris be Paris and talk about last week and this week," Terzic told reporters. "We were the team that were always late to the ball and always losing out in the tackles.
"That's why it was a deserved defeat. Mainz fought for every inch, didn't give us any peace in possession, whereas we did.
"We demonstrated that we could play really good and mature football, but we didn't prove it regardless of the opponent, competition, weekday and stadium and this is what makes me angry...
"There's so much inside of us and we can't get it onto the pitch every time."
Dortmund's fifth position has secured their Champions League participation next season. They host bottom side Darmstadt 98 in their last league game next Saturday.
Second Night of Auroras Seen ‘Extreme’ Solar Stormhttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5013006-second-night-auroras-seen-%E2%80%98extreme%E2%80%99-solar-storm
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, glow on the horizon over Punta Arenas, Chile, on May 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Second Night of Auroras Seen ‘Extreme’ Solar Storm
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, glow on the horizon over Punta Arenas, Chile, on May 10, 2024. (AFP)
Auroras lit up skies across swaths of the planet for the second night in a row on Saturday, after already dazzling Earthlings from the United States to Tasmania to the Bahamas the day before.
A powerful solar storm -- which could continue into Sunday -- has triggered spectacular celestial shows usually confined to the far northern reaches of the planet, hence their nickname of the "northern lights."
"I have the sensation of living through a historic night in France... It was really charged, with solar particles and emotions," Eric Lagadec, an astrophysicist at the Observatoire de Cote d'Azur, wrote on social media after the first night.
"Find good spots, away from the lights, with a clear view to the north!"
Late Saturday evening, pictures again started trickling onto social media as people in the United States reported sightings, though not as strong as Friday night's.
The first of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) -- expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun -- came just after 1600 GMT Friday, according to the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
It was later upgraded to an "extreme" geomagnetic storm -- the first since the "Halloween Storms" of October 2003 that caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged power infrastructure in South Africa.
Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights are seen in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, May. 11, 2024. (The Canadian Press via AP)
Friday's storm was listed as hitting level five geomagnetic conditions -- the highest on the scale. Saturday saw G3 to G5 conditions, with G4 or higher conditions predicted Sunday and G3 conditions possible into Monday.
But no major disruptions to power or communications networks appear to have been reported this time around, despite initial worries from authorities.
There have only been "preliminary reports of power grid irregularities, degradation to high-frequency communications, GPS and possibly satellite navigation," the SWPC said.
Elon Musk, whose Starlink satellite internet operator has some 5,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, said his satellites were "under a lot of pressure, but holding up so far."
However, China's National Center for Space Weather issued a "red alert" Saturday morning, warning the storm will impact communications and navigation in most areas of the country, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Auroras were visible in the northern half of the country, according to media reports.
Worldwide excitement
Excitement over the phenomenon -- and otherworldly photos pink, green and purple night skies -- popped up across the world, from Mont Saint-Michel on the French coast to Payette, Idaho -- in the western United States -- to Australia's island state of Tasmania.
Aurora Australis lights in Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia, 11 May 2024 (issued 12 May 2024). (EPA)
Unlike solar flares, which travel at the speed of light and reach Earth in around eight minutes, CMEs travel at a more sedate pace, with officials putting the current average at 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second.
The CMEs emanated from a massive sunspot cluster that is 17 times wider than our planet.
People with eclipse glasses can also look for the sunspot cluster during the day.
The Sun is approaching the peak of an 11-year cycle that brings heightened activity.
NOAA's Brent Gordon encouraged the public to try to capture the night sky with phone cameras even if they couldn't see auroras with their naked eyes.
"You'd be amazed at what you see in that picture versus what you see with your eyes."
Spacecraft and pigeons
Fluctuating magnetic fields associated with geomagnetic storms induce currents in long wires, including power lines, which can potentially lead to blackouts. Long pipelines can also become electrified, leading to engineering problems.
Spacecraft are also at risk from high doses of radiation, although the atmosphere prevents this from reaching Earth.
NASA has a dedicated team looking into astronaut safety and can ask astronauts on the International Space Station to move to places within the outpost that are better shielded.
Even pigeons and other species that have internal biological compasses could be affected. Pigeon handlers have noted a reduction in birds coming home during geomagnetic storms, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The most powerful geomagnetic storm in recorded history, known as the Carrington Event after British astronomer Richard Carrington, occurred in September 1859.
Small Pro-Palestinian Protests Held Saturday During College Commencementshttps://english.aawsat.com/world/5012961-small-pro-palestinian-protests-held-saturday-during-college-commencements
Graduate students walk out of commencement in protest against the war in Gaza at the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Small Pro-Palestinian Protests Held Saturday During College Commencements
Graduate students walk out of commencement in protest against the war in Gaza at the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
Small pro-Palestinian protests popped up sporadically Saturday as colleges and universities from North Carolina to California held commencement ceremonies, including dozens of graduating students at Virginia Commonwealth University who walked out on an address by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
While some of the estimated 100 students and family members who left during the Republican governor's speech showed support for Palestinians, others held signs signaling opposition to Youngkin's policies on education, according to WRIC-TV.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a small group of demonstrators staged what appeared to be a silent protest during commencement at Camp Randall Stadium. A photo posted by the Wisconsin State Journal showed about six people walking through the rear of the stadium, with two carrying a Palestinian flag.
Marc Lovicott, a spokesperson for campus police, said the group, which he believed were students because they were wearing caps and gowns, “was kind of guided out but they left on their own.” No arrests were made.
The demonstration came after pro-Palestinian protesters at the campus agreed Friday to permanently dismantle their two-week-old encampment and not disrupt graduation ceremonies in return for the opportunity to connect with “decision-makers” who control university investments by July 1. The university agreed to increase support for scholars and students affected by wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
At the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, pro-Palestinian demonstrators splattered red paint on the steps of a building hours ahead of the school’s commencement ceremony and chanted on campus while students wearing light blue graduation gowns posed for photos, the News & Observer reported.
At the University of Texas, Austin, a student held up a Palestinian flag during a commencement ceremony and refused to leave the stage briefly before being escorted away by security.
And at the University of California, Berkeley, a small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators began waving flags and chanting during commencement and were escorted to the back of the stadium, where they were joined by others, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. There were no major counterprotests, but some attendees voiced frustration.
“I feel like they’re ruining it for those of us who paid for tickets and came to show our pride for our graduates,” said Annie Ramos, whose daughter is a student. “There’s a time and a place, and this is not it.”
Saturday's events were less dramatic than what happened on other campuses Friday, when police made dozens of arrests as pro-Palestinian protest encampments were dismantled at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Those actions came hours after police tear-gassed demonstrators and took down a similar camp at the University of Arizona.
The Associated Press has recorded at least 75 instances since April 18 in which arrests were made at US campus protests. Nearly 2,900 people have been arrested at 57 colleges and universities. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from schools and law enforcement agencies.
At Virginia Commonwealth University, Youngkin, who also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters at Saturday's commencement, did not appear to address the students who left the event.
“The world needs your music,” Youngkin said during his speech. “You, all of you, will be the symphony. Make it a masterpiece.”
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