Mar 12, 2019

Boeing upgrading safety software in 737 Max 8 jets

Photo: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

Boeing said Monday night it was upgrading the software of its 737 Max 8s — the aircraft involved in two recent fatal crashes that prompted a raft of airlines to ground the jets.

What they're saying: "Boeing has been working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on development, planning and certification of the software enhancement, and it will be deployed across the 737 MAX fleet in the coming weeks," the American multinational company said in a statement. "The FAA says it anticipates mandating this software enhancement with an Airworthiness Directive (AD) no later than April."

Details: Boeing said it had been working in the months following October’s Lion Air Flight crash on developing a flight control software enhancement for the jets. It did not directly link the upgrade to Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, but it did express condolences to the families of the 157 people who died in the tragedy. The causes of the two crashes have yet to be determined. Boeing's statement came hours after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Max 8s were safe and as more airlines announced they were grounding the planes.

Go deeper: Boeing's back-to-back 737 MAX 8 crashes are a nightmare scenario

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Axios
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Trump whisked out of press briefing after shooting outside White House

President Trump was escorted out of a coronavirus press briefing by a Secret Service agent on Monday evening after law enforcement reportedly shot an armed suspect outside of the White House.

What's new: The 51-year-old suspect approached a uniformed Secret Service officer on the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, near the White House, and said he had a weapon, the agency alleged in a statement late Monday. He "ran aggressively towards the officer, and in a drawing motion, withdrew the object from his clothing."

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Dave Lawler
Updated 37 mins ago - World

Protests in Belarus turn deadly following sham election

Belarus law enforcement officers guard a street during a protest on Monday night. Police in Minsk have fired rubber bullets for a second night against protesters. Photo: Natalia Fedosenko/TASS via Getty Image

Protesters and security forces have been clashing across Belarus overnight in a second night of protests that has left at least one person dead, hundreds injured and thousands arrested.

Why it matters: Sunday’s rigged presidential elections have yielded political uncertainty unlike any seen in Aleksander Lukashenko’s 26-year tenure. After claiming an implausible 80% of the vote, Lukashenko is using every tool in the authoritarian arsenal to maintain his grip on power.

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Axios
Updated 53 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 20,014,574 — Total deaths: 734,755 — Total recoveries — 12,222,744 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 5,089,416 — Total deaths: 163,425 — Total recoveries: 1,670,755 — Total tests: 62,513,174 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump claims he would have not called for Obama to resign over 160,000 virus deaths — House will not hold votes until Sept. 14 unless stimulus deal is reached.
  4. Business: Richer Americans are more comfortable eating out.
  5. Public health: 5 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week — A dual coronavirus and flu threat is set to deliver a winter from hell.
  6. Sports: The cost of kids losing gym class — College football is on the brink.
  7. World: Europe's CDC recommends new restrictions amid "true resurgence in cases."
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