World 02
Trump’s top border official defends Big Bend border wall plan despite mounting opposition <p>CBP commissioner Rodney Scott says $46bn Texas project is justified amid court-ordered pause on wall’s construction</p><p>The Trump administration’s top border official defended plans to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/18/trump-administration-big-bend-border-wall-texas-construction">build a wall</a> and other infrastructure in the Big Bend of Texas despite mounting opposition against the project and a court-ordered <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/02/big-bend-national-park-border-wall-halt">pause</a> on construction, saying his goal of fortifying the country’s borders was “non-negotiable”.</p><p>Rodney Scott, the commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), said the $46bn wall project was justified despite a bipartisan coalition of landowners, local businesses and environmentalists who view it as a waste of taxpayer money that could be <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/14/bulldozers-big-bend-national-park-trump">destructive to a region</a> with historically low migrant crossings, in an exclusive interview with the Associated Press.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/23/trump-border-official-big-bend-border-wall">Continue reading...</a>
The Guardian World World 03
Ukraine troops report ongoing problems with Starlink satellite network <p>Communications system still faces speed restrictions despite Trump claim that Musk had resumed full service</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/23/trump-musk-zelenskyy-who-is-blaming-who-in-ukraine-starlink-row">Trump, Musk, Zelenskyy: who is blaming who in the Ukraine-Starlink row?</a></p></li></ul><p>Ukrainian forces continue to report widespread disruptions to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/15/starshield-starlink-ukraine-restriction-explained">the Starlink satellite network</a>, despite Donald Trump’s claim that Elon Musk had lifted restrictions on the service.</p><p>The slowdown, which has affected the key communications system used by Ukrainian troops, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/14/ukraine-soldiers-combat-access-starlink-satellite-internet-restricted">began last week</a> after Trump and Starlink founder Musk publicly criticised Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, over continued strikes on Russian oil refineries.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/23/ukraine-troops-report-ongoing-problems-with-starlink-satellite-network">Continue reading...</a>
The Guardian World World 04
Ukraine plans independent satellite system as Starlink issues persist Ukraine to team up with Finnish firms as Starshield problems, started amid Trump-Zelenskyy jibes, continue.
Al Jazeera English