EIGHT AMERICANS AMONG 157 DEAD AFTER ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT CRASHES AFTER TAKEOFF: “The 4-month-old Boeing 737-8 MAX plane crashed six minutes after departing on its way to Nairobi, Kenya, plowing into the ground at 8:44 a.m. local time, 31 miles south of Addis Ababa. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The pilot sent out a distress call and was given clearance to return, the airline’s CEO told reporters. The plane had routine maintenance on Feb. 4 and had flown just 1,200 hours, the airline’s CEO said. The pilot had nine years of seniority with the airline. Overall, the airline’s safety record had been on par with other major world airlines.”