Musk says US government controls military Starlink restrictions in Ukraine
Elon Musk has said restrictions on the speed and use of SpaceX’s military satellite communications service are controlled by the United States government, after Ukrainian officials reported disruptions affecting battlefield operations. Ukraine relies on Starlink connectivity to guide drones against Russian targets and support its air defences.
The restrictions introduced on Tuesday limited connectivity for weapons travelling faster than 100mph (160km/h), disrupting some Ukrainian missions. Ukraine’s former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said connectivity had been partially restored by Wednesday evening but called for the complete removal of Starshield’s speed limit.
Musk said Starshield, SpaceX’s military grade service, was owned and controlled by the US government, adding that decisions on speed and usage ultimately rested with the US military and president. He also said Starlink was intended for civilian and defensive purposes, not offensive military operations.
The disruption came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries. President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that the restrictions were the result of a technical problem, while the US government had not publicly commented on Musk’s explanation.
More than 300,000 Irish public sector workers strike over pay dispute
More than 300,000 workers across the Republic of Ireland, including nurses, doctors, teachers and civil servants, have begun a 24 hour strike amid an ongoing pay dispute with the government. The action is expected to disrupt schools, hospital appointments and other public services.
The strike follows weeks of escalating industrial action, including work to rule measures by more than 100,000 public sector employees in late September. Primary and secondary school teachers also began work to rule action earlier this month.
Fórsa, the country’s largest public service union, reported that nearly 97% of members who voted in an industrial ballot supported taking action. SIPTU divisional organiser Brendan O’Brien said workers’ goodwill had helped sustain public services but argued that the government’s failure to establish formal talks left members with little choice.
Jack Chambers, Ireland’s minister for expenditure, described the strike as deeply disappointing, warning of significant economic disruption and thousands of cancelled hospital appointments. Another strike is planned for October 21 if the dispute remains unresolved.
Ukrainian drones strike Russia’s largest data centre amid AI race
Ukrainian drones have struck Russia’s largest data centre, owned by Sberbank, in an apparent escalation of attacks on infrastructure supporting Moscow’s artificial intelligence ambitions. The strike on the Balakovo facility on Wednesday followed three attacks in the previous week on data centres belonging to Russian technology company Yandex.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank and a major technology company, confirmed the attack but said its systems and services continued operating normally. It did not disclose whether equipment used to train artificial intelligence models had been damaged.
The facility was expected to host Russia’s largest supercomputer, scheduled to become operational in 2027, according to Russian state media. Yandex’s affected facilities also hosted operating supercomputers, although neither company has confirmed whether its computing capacity was damaged.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held an unannounced meeting with senior officials on information security on Wednesday, attended by Sberbank chief executive German Gref. The Kremlin said the meeting was not linked to the data centre attacks, as Russia and Ukraine continue to target infrastructure supporting each other’s war effort.
Netflix cuts about 1,000 jobs amid intensifying streaming competition
Netflix is cutting about 6 percent of its workforce, equivalent to roughly 1,000 employees, in its largest round of layoffs since 2022. The cuts come as the streaming company faces intensifying competition from established media rivals and YouTube.
An internal memo from co chief executives Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos, seen by Reuters, said most affected employees would be in product, technology, legal and human resources teams. The executives said the company remained strong and growing but needed to be disciplined in allocating staff and resources.
Netflix had about 16,000 employees at the end of last year. Its shares have fallen roughly 25 percent so far this year, reflecting investor concerns about whether the company can sustain the growth that disrupted the traditional cable television industry.
The latest reductions underline the pressure on streaming companies to manage costs while competing for viewers and advertising revenue. Netflix said it remained on track to meet its full year forecast despite the job cuts.
US inflation accelerates in September as Fed rate decision becomes less certain
US consumer prices rose more quickly in September, driven partly by higher petrol costs, raising fresh concerns about inflation ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. The latest Consumer Price Index report also showed price pressures spreading beyond energy, prompting markets to reconsider the likelihood of an interest rate increase later this month.
The data added to evidence of growing pressure on American households as living costs outpace wage growth. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that about 78% of Americans blamed Trump administration policies, including tariffs and the conflict in the Middle East, for rising prices.
Economists warned that persistent inflation could complicate the Federal Reserve’s efforts to stabilise prices. Financial markets viewed the Fed’s 27 to 28 October meeting as a closer decision following the latest figures.
The report poses a political challenge for Donald Trump and Republicans as they approach the midterm elections. Consumer frustration over the cost of living has also weighed on sentiment and the president’s approval ratings, according to recent surveys.
AFRICA
Kenya confirms second Ebola case linked to first patient
Kenya has reported a second Ebola infection, involving a close family member of the country’s first recorded case, raising concerns about the spread of the virus. The 39 year old man was already in quarantine when he developed symptoms on Tuesday, the health ministry said.
The patient was immediately isolated after experiencing fever, fatigue and joint pain. Health officials said the two infections were linked and there was no evidence of wider community transmission.
The first patient, a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, died at a Nairobi hospital on 5 October. He had reportedly travelled by road through Uganda before flying to Nairobi.
Kenya is the fourth country to record an infection linked to Congo’s Ebola epidemic, which has surpassed 9,000 cases and 4,000 deaths. The latest case adds to the pressure on health authorities to maintain surveillance, quarantine contacts and prevent further transmission.
Mauritius imposes overnight curfew after deadly unrest over living costs
Mauritius has imposed an overnight curfew following its worst riots in decades, triggered by protests over water shortages and the rising cost of living. The unrest escalated on Friday after a woman was shot and wounded by police at a roadblock, although the circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
The police officer involved was arrested and remanded in custody. Protesters subsequently burned tyres, blocked roads and vandalised police stations and other public infrastructure, prompting school closures and disruptions to public transport.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam ordered the curfew on Tuesday and warned that those responsible for violence would face serious consequences. Police reported further incidents and arrests overnight but said traffic was moving normally across the island by Wednesday morning.
Analyst Zoë McCathie of South Africa based Signal Risk said the government had initially responded to water shortages by increasing supplies to households. The escalation into widespread unrest, she said, represented an unusual challenge for the island’s security situation and prompted authorities to impose exceptional restrictions.
Guyana arrests opposition leader after gunfire outside police official’s home
Guyanese opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed and two other men have been arrested following an exchange of gunfire outside the home of a senior police officer involved in an extradition case against him. The incident has heightened political tensions as Mohamed contests US efforts to extradite him over alleged financial crimes.
US prosecutors accuse Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, of conspiring to commit fraud and launder money through their gold exporting business, Mohamed’s Enterprise. Both men have denied wrongdoing and are challenging the extradition proceedings in court.
Police said Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, who is testifying in the case, noticed a vehicle passing his residence before it returned and he heard what he believed was a gunshot. The three men were arrested overnight on Tuesday.
Mohamed’s office denied that he possessed the firearm allegedly involved, accused police of planting it and said the men had been assaulted and threatened. Mohamed has previously accused the government of targeting him because of his political activities.
South Africa revises rules for compounded weight loss medicines
South Africa is updating regulations governing customised medicines, including compounded versions of popular treatments for diabetes and weight loss, as authorities tighten oversight of pharmaceutical safety. Regulators warned pharmacies against operating as small scale manufacturers.
Vincent Tlala, registrar and chief executive of the South African Pharmacy Council, said the council was working with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to revise minimum standards and guidelines for medicine compounding. The updated standards are expected to be considered in February, with publication targeted for March.
The move follows growing demand for compounded versions of GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy, produced by Novo Nordisk, and Mounjaro and Zepbound, made by Eli Lilly. These medicines have gained popularity for treating diabetes and supporting weight loss.
The growth of compounded products has attracted scrutiny from regulators internationally. South African authorities are seeking to clarify the conditions under which pharmacies can prepare customised medicines while preventing practices that amount to unauthorised manufacturing.
Flooding in Libya’s Tripoli kills two as heavy rain submerges roads
Two people have died after torrential rain flooded Libya’s capital, Tripoli, overwhelming roads and submerging vehicles. The downpour lasted about two and a half hours on Tuesday, according to Central Tripoli mayor Fadel Abu Arqoub, who described the situation as catastrophic.
Jumhouria Bank said one of the victims was an employee who died from an electric shock. The Tripoli Red Crescent said it recovered his body during the flooding, while a local television station reported that rescue teams found another man dead inside his submerged car.
The state owned electricity company said it had cut power in some areas as a precaution after floodwaters reached homes. Eyewitnesses reported extensive flooding on roads and vehicles left partly or completely underwater.
The deaths highlight the risks posed by intense rainfall in an urban area where flooding can quickly disrupt transport and electricity supplies. Authorities have not provided a full assessment of the damage.
Liberia offers 29 offshore blocks in new oil and gas licensing round
Liberia has launched its 2026 oil and gas licensing round, offering 29 offshore blocks through direct negotiations as the West African country seeks to attract international investors and develop its petroleum sector. The announcement was made by the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority on Wednesday.
Liberia currently produces no oil and is seeking to expand exploration in the Liberia and Harper basins. The country promoted the opportunities at an energy conference in Cape Town as it looks to draw companies with the financial and technical capacity to develop offshore reserves.
During the previous licensing round in 2024, eight production sharing contracts were signed. French energy company TotalEnergies received four blocks, while Nigeria’s Oranto Petroleum was awarded another four.
The regulator has highlighted geological similarities between Liberia’s Harper Basin and neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire, where Italian energy company Eni has discovered the Baleine and Calao fields. Liberia hopes these prospects will encourage further exploration and help establish a future oil and gas industry.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
