Arianespace Deploys 36 OneWeb Satellites with Successful Soyuz Flight

Soyuz Launch Vehicle

Arianespace has successfully performed Soyuz Flight ST36. This latest launch for OneWeb placed 36 more satellites into orbit. ST36 represents an important step in OneWeb and Arianespace’s partnership: the operator now has more than half, 358 satellites, of its constellation in orbit. ST36 is the 10th launch of Arianespace in 2021. Performed on Thursday, October…

Failure to Trigger Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism Criticised

Rule of Law

S&D members in the legal affairs committee in the European parliament voted in favour of legal action against the Commission for its failure to trigger the EU’s rule of law conditionality mechanism. In force since 1 January 2021, the mechanism makes access to EU funds conditional on respecting the rule of law and EU fundamental…

EP Calls for EU Rules Against Vexatious Legal Actions

SLAPPs

The EU needs rules against SLAPPs (vexatious legal actions) intended to silence critical voices, according to the Parliament’s Civil Liberties and Legal Affairs committees. In a draft report endorsed on Thursday with 63 votes for, 9 against, and 10 abstentions, MEPs propose measures to counteract the threat that Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) pose…

Who Attempted to Assassinate the Prime Minister of Sudan?

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Abdullah Hamdok

In 2020 the Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdullah Hamdok, survived an assassination attempt that had targeted his convoy as he headed to work in Khartoum.  Film footage posted online showed two damaged white vehicles used by Sudan’s top officials parked on a street. Another vehicle was badly damaged in the blast of the explosion, but…