The lights are on in Aden – at least for most of the day.The apparently mundane detail is a huge difference for people in the southern Yemeni port city, which for years has suffered from extensive electricity blackouts, and a sign that something has changed.It was noticeable enough for Saleh Taher, who lives in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, to comment on after making a recent visit to Aden.Taher was unsure of what he would find on his trip to Aden, arriving on January 25, just weeks after Yemen’s government re-established its presence in the city.The 32-year-old wondered if the streets would be tense so soon after the fall of the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC).The STC controlled the city and much of southern Yemen until a Saudi Arabian-backed government offensive forced them back in early January.But as time passed, Taher’s anxiety faded. The streets of Aden appeared normal, and people were going about their jobs as usual.And then there was the electricity. In a country that has now officially been at war for longer than a decade with multiple groups vying for territory, a utility that is taken for granted in much of the world is a sign of hope.The sudden availability of electricity is partly the result of a multimillion-dollar fuel grant provided by Saudi Arabia to supply power stations. …
