Over the weekend of Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12, several significant events occurred in the world. In the eastern region of Ukraine, Russia claimed to be gaining ground in the Kharkiv oblast, with more than 4,000 civilians being evacuated amid the Russian offensive. The situation in the area remains tense, with Ukrainian forces engaged in fierce combat against advancing Russian troops. Kiev had warned of possible attacks on the northeastern border regions due to delays in Western assistance and a shortage of soldiers.
Internationally, there were warnings for Israel regarding a large-scale offensive in Rafah, a city considered by Israel to be the last stronghold of Hamas. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated that such an offensive would violate international humanitarian law. The evacuation orders affected nearly a million people in Rafah, with no safe places for them to go in Gaza. The international community expressed concern over the evacuation of the population in Rafah to unsafe areas, with the UN reporting over 1.4 million displaced Palestinians in the region.
In the realm of entertainment, the artist Nemo won the Eurovision contest for Switzerland on Sunday, becoming the first non-binary artist to win the competition. The event was marked by controversy due to Israel’s participation while in conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Nemo’s victory was celebrated as a symbol of peace and dignity by the artist, who received 591 points, surpassing other contestants. The Eurovision final also saw strong performances from artists representing Ukraine and France. The event was held in Sweden, with the winning artist receiving a warm reception.
In sports news, Kylian Mbappé confirmed his departure from Paris Saint-Germain after seven years with the club. The announcement had been rumored in February but was officially made by the player on social media. Mbappé’s last match at the Parc des Princes stadium was scheduled for Sunday night against Toulouse. While he did not reveal his next club, it was widely speculated to be Real Madrid. The French international’s departure from PSG was met with a frosty atmosphere between the club’s management and the player.
Lastly, an extreme solar storm caused spectacular auroras visible in Europe over the weekend, even as far south as regions where they are rarely seen. The phenomenon was triggered by a geomagnetic storm of level 5, the highest on the scale, due to a series of coronal mass ejections from the Sun. This event, not seen in over two decades, led to stunning auroras being observed in regions across Europe, including France. Experts explained that the coronal mass ejections were eruptions of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the Sun that create the auroras.
