Tel-Aviv-bound Norwegian Boeing 737 MAX diverted midair as more European states shut airspace to jet

Published time: 12 Mar, 2019 15:53 Edited time: 12 Mar, 2019 17:26

As the troubled Boeing 737 MAX jets are being diverted in European skies, with nations shutting airspace over the deadly crash in Ethiopia one by one, an Israeli-bound Norwegian Airlines plane was forced to return to Stockholm.

Data from tracker website Flightradar24 shows that Norwegian flight DY4545 got as far as Romania before the plane was diverted back to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The U-turn coincided with an announcement by Norwegian Airlines that it was suspending all Boeing 737 MAX 8 flights following the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday – the second disaster involving the new Boeing jet in the last six months.

https://www.rt.com/news/453636-boeing-737-max-diverted-europe/

Final countdown: US diplomats given 72 hours to pull out of Venezuela

Published time: 12 Mar, 2019 14:11

US diplomats are undermining Venezuelan peace and stability, the nation’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said, setting a deadline for them to vacate the embassy in Caracas. Washington vowed to hurry the evacuation of its mission.

American diplomats must “abandon Venezuelan territory in the next 72 hours,” with the countdown starting at the “zero hour” on Tuesday, Arreaza wrote on Twitter.

Official Communiqué on the decision by the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela terminating the conversations with the US for the establishment of interest sections. The US diplomatic personnel must abandon Venezuelan territory in the next 72 hours: pic.twitter.com/FTPnXiFqU1

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 12, 2019

Venezuela had earlier demanded that Washington clear the embassy in Caracas of any remaining personnel. The presence of American diplomats “entails risks to the country’s peace, integrity and stability,” the minister explained.

https://www.rt.com/news/453626-us-embassy-caracas-deadline/

Merkel says Germany will set own security standards after US warning on Huawei

Published time: 12 Mar, 2019 13:42 Edited time: 12 Mar, 2019 16:48

13:42 GMT

Merkel says Germany will set own security standards after US warning on Huawei

Germany will define its own security standards for a new 5G mobile network, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday. Washington earlier warned that it would scale back data-sharing with Berlin if China’s Huawei was allowed to participate. “We are defining our standards for ourselves,” Merkel said. “We will also discuss these questions with our partners in Europe, as well as the appropriate offices in the US.” US Ambassador Richard Grenell last week sent a letter to Germany’s Economy Minister Peter Altmaier warning of security concerns linked to Huawei’s role in building critical infrastructure, Reuters said.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/453644-merkel-germany-security-huawei/