Rubio says Ukraine without access to Starshield, future ‘under discussion’ - Al Jazeera

Open this photo in gallery:Ukrainian servicemen set up a Starlink satellite internet system near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Ukraine in April, 2025. Inna Varenytsia/ReutersThe order to limit a satellite system used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations came from inside the White House, according to two U. S. officials and a Western official briefed on the matter. The officials said leaders at the Defence Department received a message that the SpaceX Starshield service for the Ukrainian military needed to be slowed. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not specify who in the White House made the decision or who was responsible for implementing the order. The Pentagon is the biggest customer of Starshield, which is the military-grade version of the Starlink service. Ukrainian officials said this week that military-grade Starlink receptors stopped working in Ukraine when mounted on fast-moving objects, interfering with the performance of Ukrainian drones that rely on them for onboard guidance systems over Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine’s military Starshield satellite connection has been restored, a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence source says, just days after the United States reportedly restricted the service. The Reuters news agency, quoting a source, reported that Kyiv is still seeking clarifications from Starshield’s parent company, SpaceX, as to why its service was disrupted between Tuesday and Wednesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Trump slams Zelenskyy as Ukraine resumes strikes on Russian oil refinerieslist 2 of 4How six Ukrainian divers could have blown up Russia’s $20bn pipelineslist 3 of 4Russia attack hits Kyiv after reported intelligence lapselist 4 of 4US inflation rises before midterm elections, fuelling rate hike fearsend of listUkraine relies on Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s internet service, Starlink, to provide intelligence amid its war with Russia. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has denied the company’s involvement and suggested only the US government could have disrupted it, despite President Donald Trump’s insistence that Washington is still sharing intelligence with Kyiv.

Some of 16 survivors treated for suspected shark bites, US coastguard says. The search continues for 11 people still missing after a boat capsized off Mexico’s Baja California coast on Friday, as multiple survivors have been treated for suspected shark bites, according to the US coastguard. “Several of the individuals rescued were suffering from severe injuries consistent with shark bites, and the Coast Guard provided life-saving first aid while en route [to] San Diego,” the coastguard said in a statement on Saturday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3At least 41 die as boat capsizes in DRC’s Lake Tanganyikalist 2 of 3Bulgaria searches for missing crew after drones hit two ships in Black Sealist 3 of 3Bulgaria ends search for missing crew after drone strike sinks cargo shipend of listSixteen Mexican nationals were rescued on Friday. Survivors told officials there were 27 people on board. The coastguard and US Navy used multiple aircraft and boats, along with assistance from the Mexican Navy, to search the area for the remaining passengers. An additional helicopter will be deployed later on Saturday, according to the coastguard.

The vessels, each carrying about two million barrels of crude oil, used an unauthorised route, the IRGC says. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said two oil tankers, each carrying about two million barrels of crude oil, caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The first tanker hit a mine, triggering an explosion and a “fierce fire”, the IRGC said on Saturday, while the second tanker hit a mine that engulfed it “in a massive blaze”, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran steps up Hormuz surveillance: Attacks soar, oil flows crash againlist 2 of 3US-Iran stalemate: What are Trump’s next military options?list 3 of 3Trump rules out using a nuclear bomb on Iran: Why that mattersend of listInformation about the ships’ names or the origin of their cargo was not immediately available. IRNA said the vessels had switched off their positioning and radar systems and tried to use a route not authorised by Iran. The IRGC also claimed that while one tanker tried to cross the waterway “with US support”, the second vessel was left immobilised.

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