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US satellite imagery company Planet Labs said yesterday it will stop publishing high-resolution aerial pictures of the area involved in the Middle East war, following a request from President Donald Trump’s government. The US and Israel have conducted joint strikes against Iran since late February, prompting the Islamic Republic to retaliate with daily missile barrages targeting Israel and several neighbouring countries across the region. Planet said the US government had asked satellite imagery providers to implement an “indefinite withhold of imagery”. “Effective retroactively from March 9, 2026, Planet is moving to a managed access model, extending the publication delay for all new imagery within the designated AOI (area of interest), and releasing imagery on a case-by-case basis and for urgent, mission-critical requirements or in the public interest,” the company said in a message to clients received by AFP. This area was defined in a previous announcement as all of Iran and allied bases in the area, as well as in regional states and existing conflict zones. Planet, founded in 2010 by former Nasa scientists and whose images are widely used by media and researchers, said it expected the new policy to last until the end of the conflict. On March 10 the company said it would impose a two-week delay on access to its images of the Middle East because of the war, extending an initial 96-hour delay.Vantor, formerly Maxar, the other major provider of satellite imagery, had also announced major restrictions. Under normal circumstances, Planet’s images are available to its clients — including AFP — within hours of their satellites passing overhead, providing a valuable resource for businesses, researchers, and journalists, but also potentially for militaries seeking to target enemy military bases or radar sites. US law provides that any company headquartered in the US that commercially operates high-resolution satellite imagery may be subjected to restrictions for reasons of national security or foreign policy. In practice, satellite data providers, which operate under licence, put in place restriction protocols in order to avoid sanctions. Source link
NASA published the first images of Earth taken by astronauts aboard Artemis II as the crew travels toward the Moon.The mission carries Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen, marking the first crewed journey toward lunar orbit since the Apollo program.The spacecraft Orion reached the halfway point, about 219,000 km from Earth, and continues toward a planned lunar orbit in the coming days.Launched from Florida earlier this week, the mission follows a free-return trajectory, looping around the Moon before heading back to Earth.Artemis II is a key step toward returning humans to the lunar surface and preparing for future missions to Mars. Related Story Source link
The Trump administration has fired army chief of staff General Randy George and two other senior figures, officials said Friday, in a surprise shake-up just as US forces are locked in a major war against Iran.Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s ouster of George, the top US Army general, meant the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the military since President Donald Trump returned to power a year ago.There was little in the way of a public explanation for sacking George, a highly decorated veteran who oversaw the army at a time when the United States is more than a month into a punishing bombing campaign against Iran that Trump says will continue several weeks more.Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted a statement on X late Thursday that George “will be retiring from his position… effective immediately.”During a nearly four-decade military career, George deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and also served in positions including vice chief of staff of the army and senior military assistant to then-defense secretary Lloyd Austin during Joe Biden’s term as president.The army’s vice chief of staff General Christopher LaNeve will take over as acting chief of staff, CBS reported.Hegseth previously said LaNeve is “a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience.”- Military purge -An official also confirmed that General David Hodne and Major General William Green Jr. were removed alongside George.Hodne led the Army’s Transformation and Training Command while Green was in charge of the Army’s Chaplain Corps.Trump has overseen a purge of top military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Charles “CQ” Brown, whom he fired without explanation in February 2025, shortly after taking office.Other senior officers dismissed include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, the general who headed the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers.The chief of staff of the Air Force also announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term, while the head of US Southern Command retired a year into his tenure.Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military.Last year, the Pentagon chief additionally ordered at least a 20 percent cut in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the US military, as well as a 10 percent cut in the overall number of general and flag officers.wd/mjf/hol/sms* Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rapidly reshaping Pentagon leadership, firing top officials* No official reason given for George’s removal amid US military buildup in Middle East* General Christopher LaNeve to serve as acting Army chief (Updates April 2 story with comment from joint staff in paragraphs 9-10)By Idrees Ali and Phil StewartWASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George was fired on Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, three U.S. defense officials told Reuters, a major staffing change that comes as the U.S. military fights a major war in the Middle East.Even as Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved quickly to reshape the department, firing the head of a military branch during wartime is extremely rare.The Pentagon confirmed that George, who had more than a year left in his term, “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately.”Two of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Hegseth has also fired General David Hodne, who leads the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, head of the Army’s Chaplain Corps.George’s removal adds to recent upheaval at all levels of leadership at the Pentagon, including the firing last year of the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, as well as the chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff.The department did not give a reason for George’s departure, which comes as the U.S. military builds up its forces in the Middle East while carrying out operations against Iran.The U.S. strikes in the region are largely being carried out by the Navy and Air Force, although U.S. Army soldiers have been dispatched to the Middle East for air defense systems. The Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military, with about 450,000 active-duty soldiers.Thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division have also started arriving in the Middle East, potentially for ground operations in Iran.In a statement, the Pentagon’s Joint Staff thanked George for his service.”Since 1988, General George and his family have consistently answered the nation’s call with honor and dedication,” the Joint Staff said.LATEST UPHEAVAL AT PENTAGONThere had been no public signs of friction between Hegseth and George, even as Hegseth pursued controversial moves such as firing the Army’s top lawyer and arranging a massive military parade to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday, which coincided with Trump’s birthday.Earlier this week, Hegseth also reversed an Army decision to investigate Army pilots who were flying attack helicopters near singer Kid Rock’s house, in an apparent show of support for the vocal Trump backer.CBS News, which first reported the dismissal, said it was not related to the Kid Rock incident.One of the officials said Hegseth’s former military aide and Army vice chief of staff, General Christopher LaNeve, will take over George’s role in an acting capacity.Another of the officials added that senior Army leadership learned about George’s firing at the same time as it was made public.George, an infantry officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was confirmed to the top Army post in 2023. Terms in that role usually run for four years.Prior to holding the top job, George was the vice chief of the Army and, before that, the senior military adviser to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.He was considered close to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. The two worked together to take on large defense companies, in the Army’s drive to speed up weapons development and drive down costs.The office for George did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Jasper Ward and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Edmund Klamann, Don Durfee and Andrea Ricci) Source link
An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37, takes off from the flight deck of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney for…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on donors to urgently support health systems in countries affected by the ongoing escalation in the Middle East, warning that services are under severe strain after weeks of intensified hostilities.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on the X platform that health systems in Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Jordan are facing mounting pressure amid rising casualties and displacement.The WHO has launched a $30.3 million flash appeal to sustain its health response across the five countries, covering the period from March to August 2026. The agency said the funding is critical to maintaining life-saving health services as hospitals grapple with surging trauma cases while struggling to continue routine care.According to WHO, the conflict has displaced more than 4.3 million people, with thousands killed and tens of thousands injured, placing unprecedented strain on already fragile health systems.The appeal will prioritize trauma and emergency care, ensure continuity of essential health services, and strengthen disease surveillance and early warning systems to prevent outbreaks. It will also support mass casualty management and enhance preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks. Source link
The French government announced the launch of an emergency loan program to support small and medium-sized enterprises affected by rising fuel prices due to the escalation in the Middle East.In a statement, the Ministry of Economy revealed that companies operating in the transport, agriculture, and fisheries sectors will be eligible for fast-track fuel loans of up to 50,000 Euros.The ministry also said that the interest rate on the loans will be 3.8%, with repayment periods of up to three years. It noted that the program fulfills a commitment made last week by French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, whose government is seeking to contain the economic repercussions of rising oil prices caused by the war. Source link
At least five people were killed and 13 injured in a suicide car bombing targeting a police station in northwestern Pakistan. Authorities said the attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the rear of the compound in Domel, causing extensive damage to the facility and nearby homes. The blast was followed by sporadic gunfire, and several injured victims remain in critical condition. No group has claimed responsibility Source link
Global food prices rose in March to their highest level since December 2025, marking the second consecutive monthly increase. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on Friday that its Food Price Index, which tracks changes in a basket of internationally traded food commodities, reached 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 percent compared to adjusted February level. In a separate report, the FAO slightly raised its forecast for global cereal production in 2025 to 3.036 billion tons, representing an annual increase of about 5.8 percent. Source link
US President Donald Trump has dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi, appointing her deputy Todd Blanche as acting head of the Justice Department. Trump praised Bondi as a great patriot, crediting her with leading a broad anti-crime campaign, and said she will move to a private sector role. During her tenure, Bondi strongly backed the president’s agenda and drew criticism over the Justice Department’s independence. Source link
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. (Reuters/File Photo) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said there will have to be a transition phase in Venezuela and the country will need free and fair elections, though he added that there needs to be patience until that point is reached.”Ultimately, there will have to be a transition phase,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” show. “There will have to be free and fair elections in Venezuela. And that point has to come.””We have to be patient, but we also can’t be complacent.”The US military seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a deadly raid in January that was ordered by President Donald Trump. The United Nations’ human rights office has said the raid was a violation of international law.At the time, Trump said Washington would “run” Venezuela. Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, subsequently took over and has been governing the country under US oversight.Following US moves in Venezuela, Trump has talked of acting against Cuba and pressuring its leadership.Rubio said in Tuesday’s interview that Cuba needed economic and political reforms and Washington would soon have more news on that country.”So I think Cuba is in need of two things, economic reforms and political reforms, you cannot fix their economy if you don’t change their system of government,” Rubio said.The US cut off Venezuela’s oil exports to Cuba after toppling Maduro in early January and Trump threatened to apply punishing tariffs on any other country that sent crude to Cuba.Cuba’s energy crisis has caused blackouts across the country of 10mn. Health officials say the crisis has increased the mortality risk for cancer patients, especially children.Human rights experts say Trump’s focus on exploiting Venezuelan oil and his threats against Cuba echoed an imperialist approach. Related Story Source link