Latest news with #Brendon
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Severe G4 geomagnetic storm sparks northern lights across US and beyond (photos)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Wow, what a show! Our planet is currently reverberating from the impact of a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) that struck Earth head-on in the early hours of June 1 — and the resulting auroras were absolutely stunning. The CME erupted during an M8.2 class solar flare eruption on May 30 at 8:05 p.m. EDT (00:05 GMT on May 31) and has been racing toward Earth at nearly 1,938 km/s or 4.3 million mph. When it slammed into Earth's magnetic field, the impact triggered a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm, which in turn led to striking auroras deep into mid-latitudes. CMEs carry electrically charged atoms, known as ions. When these ions collide with Earth's magnetosphere, they can trigger geomagnetic storms — major disturbances in Earth's magnetosphere. During such storms, the ions interact with gases in Earth's atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light. This light is observed as the northern lights, or aurora borealis, in the Northern Hemisphere, and the southern lights, or aurora australis, in the Southern Hemisphere. Geomagnetic storms are classified using a G-scale that measures their intensity, ranging from G1 for minor storms to G5, the most extreme. The severe geomagnetic storm conditions reached last night were relished by aurora chasers in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres (those who were still awake anyway). It's likely that the active geomagnetic storm conditions will continue for some time, which is good news for those in Europe, where the sun was already up when this G4 storm began. "G4 storm conditions reached! We are still in the early part of the CME and the ongoing geomagnetic storm, more to come. 12 hours to go for Europe," aurora chaser Jure Atanackov wrote in a post on X. While we wait to see what's in store for tonight, let's first sit back, relax and enjoy the stunning show from last night captured by avid aurora chasers around the world. Terry Griffin captured some beautiful aurora pillars during the geomagnetic storm with his Samsung S24 Ultra. "The white pillars stood out to the naked eye more so than the colors," Griffin told in an email. Griffin captured this impressive photograph at 2:39 a.m. local time from St. George, Kansas, U.S. "Sat the phone on the ground and tilted it up. Easy peasy," Griffin continued. Aurora chaser Brendon captured some fabulous shots of the aurora from the North side of Cheyenne, Wyoming. "Ok, so that was a show," Brendon wrote in a post on X. Aurora photographer Derick Wilson captured a stunning hyper-lapse of the northern lights dancing over Farmington, New Mexico, at 2:15 a.m. local time. "Visible aurora this far south is such a rare occurrence I knew to keep an eye on the solarwind data," Wilson told in an email. "When the expected solarstorm arrived early I knew I had to get far from city lights. And it's amazing what cell phone cameras can capture these days." "Discreet rays occasionally drifted eastward but went diffuse and faded.... For now," Wilson wrote in a post on X. The thick smoke from wildfires was no match for the northern lights above Minnesota, U.S. "Smokey auroras tonight in Northern Minnesota. It was strong enough for the aurora to completely visible to naked eye. As well tint of red color to the naked eye," Gabe Zogo wrote in a post on X. Auroras were also spotted over San Diego, California, during the early phase of the solar storm. "Nice catch! Confirmed #aurora visible on webcams as far south as San Diego, California, USA during the early phase of this ongoing #solarstorm," Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov wrote in a post on X. Southern Hemisphere skywatchers also got quite the treat last night, with vibrant red and pink auroras documented above Queenstown, Tasmania. Sai Shankar captured these stunning photographs from Kaikoura, New Zealand, around 9:35 p.m. local time (5:35 a.m. EDT or 0945 GMT). Image 1 of 2 Image 2 of 2 "I saw similar Auroras in May and October of last year, from Banks Peninsula, near Christchurch. This is the first time I've imaged from further north - I happened to be in Kaikoura photographing whales in the morning," Shankar told in an email. Amateur astronomer and photographer Paul Stewart captured a striking red aurora show above New Zealand. "Bit of an #Aurora going on in New Zealand tonight," Stewart wrote in a post on X. Photographer Mitch Young took these beautiful photographs of the southern lights above Metung, Victoria, Australia around 7:50 p.m. local time. Young used 10s exposure on an iPhone 16 Pro Max to capture these shots. Editor's note: If you snap a great picture of the northern or southern lights and would like to share it with readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
Daily Express
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Fixing Sabah's financial sinkholes
Published on: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Published on: Tue, May 20, 2025 By: David Thien Text Size: Brendon said any document of a Sabah GLC or statutory bodies that want to enter into a business agreement with any party have to get the approval of the State Cabinet, after being vetted by his Chamber, besides other relevant authorities. Kota Kinabalu: State Attorney-General Datuk Brenndon Keith Soh said the Sabah Government is very concerned about the loss-making Government-linked companies (GLCs) which have been likened to being 'sinkholes'. He said State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun is overseeing the matter. Advertisement These GLCs are among 250 that have a primary commercial business development or socio-economic objective and in which the State Government has a direct controlling stake or in a joint-venture stake with a private sector partner(s). Brendon said any document of a Sabah GLC or statutory bodies that want to enter into a business agreement with any party have to get the approval of the State Cabinet, after being vetted by his Chamber, besides other relevant authorities. 'This was a recent guideline,' Soh said at the Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (Sabar) Town Hall session on Good Governance on Saturday moderated by former Sabah Law Society President Datuk Roger Chin and Sabar organiser Lim Hock Song. 'Any agreement that needs to be approved between the GLC and third party has to go through my State AG's Chambers. Advertisement 'I assure you that I will not let any lopsided agreement through. It is a privilege to serve the State, which is not an entitlement. And I have to look out for what is in the best interests of the State. And the State's interests come first,' Soh stressed. Soh said the State Cabinet has formed an Oversight Committee for GLCs co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Sabah Ministry of Finance and the independent financial advisor to the Chief Minister, Siaw Kok Chee, who was a banker. Among members of the committee are a senior lawyer and a partner of one of the global big four audit firms. 'They are giving their views and inputs. This is a progressive initiative to address the issue,' Soh said. He stressed that the Oversight Committee has Cabinet authority to analyse, investigate any GLC and obtain all financial information required for the probe. Full discourse. 'We recognise that this is part of good governance. We need check-and-balance, oversight, accountability and transparency. 'At the end of the day, if there is bad news, we cannot hide it. We have to be frank and open, otherwise we are culpable ourselves. He said SMJ Energy S/B is a GLC that should be emulated by others where good governance is concerned. Earlier, former banker and Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) advisor, Datuk John Lo, posed the question, 'Can Sabah afford for the GLCs to continue with the endless poor performance, financial losses, abuses and misgovernance?' 'Of course, GLCs can be turned around,' Lo said, and he was glad that the Oversight Committee was formed with the right people appointed in place in some GLCs. 'Every Sabahan man, woman and every voter, after listening to Sabar's podcasts, should demand from politicians, reformation, transformation and rationalisation of Sabah's GLCs. 'The economic and financial cost of non-performing GLC is excessively high on all Sabahans. Sabar's highlighting of Sabah's GLCs will benefit all Sabahans,' Lo said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Book bank holiday trip at this exact time for best deals, says expert
A travel expert has shared the exact date and time Brits should book their last-minute bank holiday getaways If you're thinking about a bank holiday getaway but haven't secured your plans, there's still hope. Contrary to popular belief, an expert says it's not too late to snag a bargain for the upcoming long weekend. Oliver Brendon, CEO of told the Mirror: "It's a common misconception that booking earlier always guarantees the best prices. The reality is that airlines regularly adjust their fares based on demand, and savvy travellers can benefit from these fluctuations even just a week ahead of departure. "This means there's still time to save on last-minute travel this May bank holiday, especially if you know when to book." Brendon's team delved into pricing data and travel industry trends to pinpoint the precise date and time Brits should book their last-minute getaways for the best possible price - and it's right around the corner. The experts recommend booking on Sundays, meaning holidaymakers should check deals on May 18 or May 25, for last-minute trips. On the other hand, they advise avoiding Fridays, when prices tend to spike due to increased demand and business travel. As for when to book, early risers seem to have the advantage. The experts said the best time to book is around 6am. Brendon said: "Our analysis of historical pricing patterns, alongside industry travel reports, shows that Sunday remains the most cost-effective day of the week to book trips. "Airlines typically release discounted fares and adjust inventory over the weekend, and we know from travel data that booking on a Sunday can save travellers up to 23% compared to booking on a Friday. "We've also seen consistent trends that early morning is the best time to snap up low fares. Flights booked around 6:00 a.m. tend to be significantly cheaper than those booked later in the day. This is often when airlines drop fresh fares and adjust pricing algorithms before the day's search traffic begins." Elsewhere, website shares advice for people looking for cheap flights. The team's travel experts said: "With flight prices changing all the time, pinning down the best day and time to book flights isn't always straightforward. There's no single day of the week that will always be lower cost than the others, because demand for tickets rises and falls throughout the year." However, they do recommend setting up price alerts, flying at unsociable hours and booking flights and accommodation on one website for the best savings. They also pointed out you could save by scheduling trips during your destination's low season. They explained: "If you're flying to a beachy destination with a changeable climate, such as a coastal town in Spain, Italy, or Greece, you'll find that airfares normally rocket during the summer months when scorching beach-friendly weather is (almost) guaranteed. "On the other hand, if you're travelling to Orlando, a destination most famous for its theme parks, you can expect the cost of plane tickets to increase massively around school summer holidays. "And how about those historic European cities like Berlin, Prague, and Vienna, known for hosting picture-perfect festive markets? It can actually be cheaper to fly there in the summer than December."
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Expert says book bank holiday trip at this time for best deals
Holidaymakers keen to make the most of the bank holiday weekend have been advised they could save money with a strategic booking If you're dreaming of a bank holiday vacation but have yet to book a trip, you could be in luck. While people keen to make the most of the long weekend might think they've left it too late to find any deals, an expert says otherwise. Oliver Brendon, CEO of explained: "It's a common misconception that booking earlier always guarantees the best prices. The reality is that airlines regularly adjust their fares based on demand, and savvy travellers can benefit from these fluctuations even just a week ahead of departure. "This means there's still time to save on last-minute travel this May bank holiday, especially if you know when to book." Brendon's team analysed pricing data and industry travel trends to find the exact date and time Brits should book their last-minute getaways for the best possible price - and it's just a few days away. The experts suggested the best days to book are Sundays, meaning holidaymakers should check deals on May 18 or May 25, for last-minute trips. On the other hand, they recommended avoiding Fridays, when prices tend to spike due to increased demand and business travel. As for the time, it sounds like the early bird catches the worm. The experts said the best time to book is around 6am. Brendon said: "Our analysis of historical pricing patterns, alongside industry travel reports, shows that Sunday remains the most cost-effective day of the week to book trips. "Airlines typically release discounted fares and adjust inventory over the weekend, and we know from travel data that booking on a Sunday can save travellers up to 23% compared to booking on a Friday. "We've also seen consistent trends that early morning is the best time to snap up low fares. Flights booked around 6:00 a.m. tend to be significantly cheaper than those booked later in the day. This is often when airlines drop fresh fares and adjust pricing algorithms before the day's search traffic begins." website also offers advice for people looking for affordable flights. The team's travel experts recommend setting up price alerts, flying at unsociable hours, booking flights and accommodation on one website, and scheduling trips during your destination's low season to help save money. The experts said: "If you're flying to a beachy destination with a changeable climate, such as a coastal town in Spain, Italy, or Greece, you'll find that airfares normally rocket during the summer months when scorching beach-friendly weather is (almost) guaranteed. "On the other hand, if you're travelling to Orlando, a destination most famous for its theme parks, you can expect the cost of plane tickets to increase massively around school summer holidays. "And how about those historic European cities like Berlin, Prague, and Vienna, known for hosting picture-perfect festive markets? It can actually be cheaper to fly there in the summer than December."
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sydney Sweeney and Brandon Sklenar spark dating rumours after netizens spot them at Stagecoach festival
Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney was recently spotted enjoying some off-screen time with Housemaid co-star Brandon Sklenar during the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. The 27-year-old Euphoria star, and the 34-year-old It Ends With Us actor, were seen in the crowd during American rock band Creed's and singer Lana Del Ray's sets respectively, over the weekend, swaying along to the music. Videos and photos capturing the moments went viral quickly. The sighting comes just weeks after news broke that Sweeney had ended her engagement to Jonathan Davino in March, according to reports and the couple had officially called off their wedding. Another insider close to the situation noted that their relationship had been 'rocky for a long time.' In the wake of the breakup, Sweeney has turned her attention fully toward her professional commitments. 'She's exactly where she wants to be. Most people would feel overwhelmed by her working schedule this year, but not Syd,' a source was quoted as saying by People magazine. 'She's all about working right now and very excited about all her projects,' the source added. Despite the split, the Sydney and Davino have not completely cut ties. 'This wasn't just a relationship. This was two people living together and planning a future. They still have things to figure out,' another source shared. Meanwhile, Brendon, who rose to prominence with his role in 1923, the prequel to Yellowstone, was last publicly linked to nutritionist Courtney Salviolo. The couple reportedly met on Hinge during the COVID-19 pandemic and were seen attending several red carpet events together, including the It Ends With Us premiere last summer and another event earlier this year to mark the new season of 1923. In a recent conversation, Brendon spoke briefly about his personal life. 'I like to sit with my dog and my girl and play the guitar,' he said when asked how he spends his downtime.
