Cyprus To host conference On cultural rights in Framework Of MED9 In September

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

August 14, 2024

A conference on ‘Cultural Rights in Times of Crisis – Contemporary challenges and perspectives’ will be held in Cyprus on 16 September, within the framework of the 9 Mediterranean Member States of the EU (MED9) Summit.

The conference is being organised by the Deputy Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Organisation for European Programmes and Cultural Relations and the University of Cyprus.

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According to a press release by the Deputy Ministry of Culture, the Conference will be followed by a closed online meeting of the Ministers of Culture of the MED9.

The aim of the conference, which will start with a keynote lecture by UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights Dr Alexandra Xanthaki and will bring together experts from both Cyprus and abroad, is to discuss the importance of safeguarding cultural rights and the Mediterranean cultural heritage, as well as to promote regional cultural cooperation in supporting artistic freedom in the spirit of cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, equality, and inclusiveness.

The conference will be inaugurated by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Vasiliki Kassianidou, the Rector of the University of Cyprus, Professor Tasos Christofides and the Head of the Cultural Policy Unit of the European Commission Catherine Magnant.

The proceedings will take place on Monday, 16 September, at the University of Cyprus. The conference will be open to the public and includes a panel discussion with the participant experts.

As it is noted, acknowledging the political urgency of safeguarding cultural rights in times of crisis, particularly in the context of the accelerating pace of political, economic, climate, and technological challenges, the aim is that at the end of the meeting, the Ministers will adopt a Declaration on Cultural Rights.

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Amazon Says It Has Enough Satellites To Begin Initial Leo Internet Service This Year

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 3, 2026

Amazon says its low Earth orbit internet business, Leo, has reached an important milestone, with enough satellites now in orbit to begin initial commercial service later this year.

Reaching A Critical Threshold

The company launched 29 additional satellites shortly after 12:30 a.m. ET on Thursday aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, bringing its constellation to more than 390 satellites.

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According to Chris Weber, Amazon Leo’s vice president of business and product, that is enough to provide continuous service across the first coverage areas. Amazon began offering an enterprise preview to selected businesses in November but has yet to launch the service for consumers or government customers.

The milestone moves Amazon closer to becoming a meaningful competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink in the rapidly growing satellite broadband market.

Building Coverage, One Launch At A Time

The initial rollout will cover only selected regions, with future launches expanding both capacity and geographic reach as the constellation grows.

Unlike traditional broadband networks, satellite internet depends on several elements progressing together, including satellite production, launch availability, orbital deployment and ground infrastructure.

Catching Up With Starlink

Amazon still has considerable ground to make up. While the company announced the project in 2019, SpaceX began building Starlink in 2015 and has since deployed around 10,000 satellites, serving more than 10 million customers worldwide.

Amazon ultimately plans to deploy roughly 7,700 satellites, but progress has been slowed by limited launch capacity. Earlier this year, the company asked regulators to extend deployment deadlines, citing industry-wide shortages of available rockets.

Although Amazon secured launch agreements with ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin and later SpaceX, several providers have experienced delays. One setback came in May, when Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a hot-fire test just days before it was scheduled to launch Amazon satellites.

Next Phase Of Deployment

Amazon’s next Leo mission will use ULA’s Vulcan rocket, which can carry larger payloads and help accelerate deployment. Melissa Wuerl, Leo’s director of launch systems, said the company already has hundreds of flight-ready satellites at Cape Canaveral, along with dedicated production facilities to support a faster launch cadence.

“We have a clear path to increase launch and deployment cadence,” Wuerl said, adding that Amazon intends to expand network coverage rapidly once commercial service begins later this year.

For Amazon, reaching the 390-satellite mark represents more than another successful launch. It marks the transition from building the network to bringing it into commercial operation as the company attempts to challenge Starlink’s early lead in the satellite internet market.

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