U.S. orders American aircraft to avoid eastern Ukraine airspace

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an order on Thursday night prohibiting American aircraft from flying over eastern Ukraine following the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight in that region. Citing "recent events and the potential for continued hazardous activities," the FAA said the restricted area included the entire Simferopol and Dnepropetrovsk flight information regions.

"This action expands a prohibition of U.S. flight operations issued by the FAA in April, over the Crimean region of Ukraine and adjacent areas of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov," the agency said.