The sun is always active, hence why there is life on Earth. The star goes through cycles every 11 years where sunspot activity peaks and falls. The sun is just coming into solar max, which happens every 11 years, which is when the star is at it's most active, and produces the most sunspots. This has little impact, if any on the Earth, as Earth has a magnetic shield called the Magnetosphere, which protects the planet from the solar wind, which is radioactive particles which the sun gives off all the time. The worse effect felt by the sun recently was cancellation, as a sheer precaution, of flights which were routed directly over the Earth's poles. This is because at these high points of the planet, a tiny bit more solar radiation sometimes gets through the shield, and can effect aircraft's navigation systems. It was not done due to a direct and undoubted risk, but rather as a precaution, because in aviation, you can't take any risks. All in a day's work for a pilot though, nothing out of the ordinary.
