Elon Musk ‘stopped Ukraine military using Starlink for military operation’
Billionaire Elon Musk reportedly restricted his Starlink internet access multiple times in Ukraine, which has affected Kyiv’s battlefield strategy. The world’s richest man denied the Ukrainian military’s request to turn on Starlink near Crimea, the Russian-controlled territory, during the ongoing war with Russia, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the situation. The Tesla CEO has been providing Starlink service to Ukraine since late February 2022, just days after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion and a cyberattack took down the country’s internet. SpaceX’s Starlink makes up the majority of satellites orbiting Earth with more than 4,000 of them in the low-Earth orbit. Mr Musk’s unilateral hold over his satellite internet technology, which has been an essential part of Ukraine's communications since the war, has raised concerns among officials, according to the report. In February this year, SpaceX announced it had taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region. Following the announcement, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said SpaceX needed to pick a side in the war against Russia. Ukrainian authorities worried about over-dependence on a single source technology held talks with other satellite internet providers. But they acknowledged none rival Starlink’s reach. “Starlink is indeed the blood of our entire communication infrastructure now,” Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s digital minister, told NYT. The technology, he said, enabled artillery teams, commanders and pilots to watch drone footage simultaneously while chatting online. According to soldiers, the response times from finding a target to hitting it have been cut to about a minute from nearly 20 minutes. “The huge number of lives that Starlink has helped save can be measured in the thousands,” Mr Fedorov added. “This is one of the fundamental components of our success." Mr Musk also asked the US last year to fund for their internet services to Ukraine because they could not continue the arrangement. The company estimated the cost at nearly $400m over 12 months, according to a SpaceX letter reported by CNN. About 1,300 Starlink terminals purchased through a British supplier stopped working last year after the Ukrainian government could not pay the $2,500 monthly fee for each, according to the report. Meanwhile, defence secretary Lloyd Austin in June approved a Pentagon deal to buy 400 to 500 new Starlink terminals and services, that would provide the Pentagon control of the setting where the internet signal worked inside Ukraine for new devices to carry out “key capabilities and certain missions”. The Independent has reached out to Space X for a comment. Read More Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites are leaking radiation that harms deep space astronomy, study warns 'X' logo installed atop Twitter building, spurring San Francisco to investigate permit violation Ukraine war – live: Putin’s aide says Russia ‘would be forced’ to go nuclear if Kyiv’s pushback is successful
2023-08-01 16:51
State Banks Are Untold Story of Ukraine’s Survival (Correct)
When Sergii Naumov took over as chief executive at one of Ukraine’s biggest state banks before Russia’s invasion,
2023-08-01 16:51
Beijing floods: Deadly rains batter China capital as new storm looms
The remnants of super typhoon Doksuri inundate China's capital for the fourth straight day.
2023-08-01 16:50
Chatbots sometimes make things up. Not everyone thinks AI's hallucination problem is fixable
Spend enough time with ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots and it doesn’t take long for them to spout falsehoods
2023-08-01 16:49
Singer CoCo Lee mourned by family and fans at emotional funeral
Family and fans bade farewell to singer and actress CoCo Lee at her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday, celebrating a decades-long career that included dozens of successful albums, movies and television shows across the globe.
2023-08-01 16:49
The best goalkeepers in FPL this season - 2023/24
The best goalkeepers to sign in the early weeks of the 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season.
2023-08-01 16:48
England vs China LIVE: Team news and build-up to Group D clash at Women’s World Cup 2023
England target a place in the Women’s World Cup knock-out stages in their Group D decider against China. The Lionesses have won both games so far against Haiti and Denmark, but Sarina Wiegman’s side have not had it their own way so far, grinding out a pair of 1-0 victories. The loss of Keira Walsh to injury is a blow, with Kelly Smith, England’s second top scorer of all time, exploring the options to replace the Barcelona star. Top spot for England would also set up a last 16 tie against Nigeria, while Denmark battle a spirited Haiti side also competing for qualification. You can see the best tips, predictions and bets for England vs China, here. Follow all the build-up to the Lionesses against China below and updates and reaction from USA vs Portugal here: Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today How to watch England vs China: TV channel and start time for Women’s World Cup fixture Women’s World Cup group tables and standings: How can each team qualify?
2023-08-01 16:46
UK factory output falls at fastest pace in seven months, cost pressures ease -PMI
By Suban Abdulla LONDON British factory output contracted in July at the fastest pace in seven months, hit
2023-08-01 16:45
Nuh: Mosque set on fire, cleric killed in religious clashes in India's Haryana
Violence broke out in parts of Haryana during a procession by hardline Hindu nationalist groups.
2023-08-01 16:45
Aung San Suu Kyi has some of her prison sentences reduced by Myanmar's military-led government
Myanmar’s military-led government has reduced the prison sentences of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a clemency connected to a religious holiday in the Buddhist-majority country
2023-08-01 16:26
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi jail term reduced after some pardons
The pardon, part of a seasonal amnesty by the military junta, will reduce her 33-year jail sentence by six years.
2023-08-01 16:23
German unemployment falls unexpectedly in July
BERLIN German unemployment fell unexpectedly in July, showing resilience in the labour market despite difficult economic conditions. The
2023-08-01 16:21
