US grounds departing flights nationwide

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights across the United States, citing unspecified safety concerns.

The emergency directive took effect at 3:54pm Eastern Time on Friday, with all departing aircraft instructed to remain on the ground until further notice.

According to the advisory, international flights arriving in the US are being handled on a case-by-case basis. The FAA has not publicly explained what prompted the extraordinary measure or how long it will remain in effect.

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