Just hours after the sweeping measure was announced, the FAA said the temporary closure had been lifted.

By World Israel News Staff

The Federal Aviation Administration reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport on Wednesday morning, abruptly lifting a temporary flight restriction that had grounded all incoming and outgoing flights and classified the area as “NTL DEFENSE AIRSPACE.”

The restriction, originally set to run from February 10 through February 20, cited “temporary flight restrictions for special security reasons” in the official Notice to Air Missions.

It barred all aircraft operations within a 10-nautical-mile radius of El Paso, from the surface up to 17,999 feet above mean sea level, excluding Mexican airspace.

The notice warned that noncompliant aircraft could be intercepted and that pilots could face administrative or criminal penalties.

It also included language stating the U.S. government could use deadly force if an aircraft were deemed to pose an imminent security threat.

Just hours after the sweeping measure was announced, the FAA said in a social media post that the temporary closure had been lifted.

The agency stated there was no threat to commercial aviation and that normal flight operations would resume.

A source familiar with the matter had said earlier that a security-driven airspace shutdown over a major U.S. city for such a duration had not been seen since the days following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

No detailed explanation has been provided for either the initial imposition of the restriction or its rapid reversal, leaving unanswered questions about what prompted the brief but extraordinary security designation.

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Felony charges were filed against two men: battery and assault on a public official.

By The Associated Press

A hearing in a New Mexico courtroom devolved into chaos when three people rushed the defendant in a homicide case, setting off a brawl with flying fists and kicks.

Courtroom video cameras recorded the Jan. 31 melee, which subsided as a law enforcement officer drew a stun gun and protected the defendant from further attack.

Felony charges were filed against two men: battery and assault on a public official. They apparently rushed the defendant in a fit of rage over the killing of a relative.

Murder trial turns into a brawl inside New Mexico courtroom https://t.co/52vRNaF4RJ pic.twitter.com/bF4IL7sGFl

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) February 5, 2025

A woman was also arrested on the same charges, Albuquerque TV station KRQE reported Thursday. The courtroom video showed her hitting the defendant and an officer with a chair.

The presence of corrections officers and other security details in courtrooms does not always keep the peace. Last year a defendant in a felony battery case in Nevada flung himself over a judge’s bench and grabbed her hair, sparking a bloody brawl with court officials.

Katina Watson, court executive officer at New Mexico’s Second Judicial District, told KRQE that “these are the types of things that we see regularly.”

She praised an officer for reacting to ensure safety, without mention of potential security enhancements. The Associated Press sent a request to the court Thursday for comment on the fight and security precautions.

The post New Mexico courtroom devolves into brawl as 3 people rush defendant in homicide case appeared first on World Israel News.