Jets of the Boeing 737 Max 9 will remain grounded while examinations are still ongoing.

The aviation authority in the United States has announced that 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft would continue to be grounded until it is satisfied that the aircraft are safe to fly.

In the aftermath of a portion of the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines plane falling off on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration has begun conducting inspections of the aircraft.

That "keeping the flying public safe" was the FAA's top concern, according to the agency.

The cancellation of flights for thousands of passengers occurred as a result of major airlines in the United States grounding dozens of the jets.

"We have grounded the affected airplanes, and they will remain grounded until the FAA is satisfied that they are safe," the agency said in a statement on Sunday. "We have grounded the affected airplanes."

Flights in the United States have been most impacted by disruptions.

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are the airlines that operate the great majority of Boeing 737 Max 9s in the United States. Additionally, Turkish Airlines, Copa Airlines of Panama, and Aeromexico have grounded jets of the same kind in order to conduct inspections.

Additionally, on Sunday, Alaska announced that it had cancelled 163 flights, which is equivalent to a 21% cancellation rate. Roughly 25,000 individuals were impacted by this. Travel problems caused by the grounding of several of the airline's planes are expected to continue until at least the middle of the week, according to the company.United Airlines has grounded 79 aircraft and announced on Sunday that it had decided to cancel about 180 flights.

In the meantime, authorities are continuing their hunt for the plug door, which they believe fell to the ground in the western suburbs of Portland. They have made a request to the general public for assistance in locating the panel.

There was an incident that occurred on Friday, and according to flight monitoring data, Alaska Airlines flight 1282, which was traveling from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California, reached an altitude of 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before beginning an emergency descent.

It was reported by passengers on board that a significant portion of the outer shell of the aircraft fell to the ground immediately after the plane took off.

Imagery that was distributed to various news organizations reveals that the night sky and the lights of Portland are visible through the break in the fuselage. Additionally, insulation material and other debris can be seen.

The gap was described as "as wide as a refrigerator" by one passenger, while another passenger stated that a child's blouse was ripped off by the wind when the plane made its emergency landing for the emergency landing.

Returning to Portland, the aircraft, which was carrying 177 passengers and crew members, made a safe landing. Several passengers were injured, however Alaska reported that none of them were seriously hurt.

As a result of a number of safety concerns, the Boeing 737 Max has been said to as "the most scrutinized transport aircraft in history."

After two aircraft of the same kind crashed in circumstances that were comparable to each other, resulting in the deaths of all on board, the Max was grounded for a period of one and a half years in March of 2019.

Following the resolution of a supply problem that necessitated the company to do extensive checks of both its inventory and its newly manufactured aircraft, Boeing announced more recently that it would accelerate the rate at which it delivered the 737 Max.

According to the data provided by Boeing, around 1,300 737 Max aircraft have been delivered to customers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a request to airlines last month, urging them to assess Max models for the possibility of a loose bolt in the rudder control systems.

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Li Shangfu: The top US envoy raises doubts about the absence of China's defense minister

A senior US ambassador has raised concerns on the whereabouts of China's Minister of Defense, Li Shangfu, which has reignited rumors of a possible anti-corruption campaign in the country.

Since around two weeks ago, General Li has been absent from public view, and there have been reports that he skipped several meetings.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel tweeted that the "unemployment rate" in the Chinese government was quite high, which he interpreted as a possible explanation for Mr. Li's absence.

The dismissal of several high-ranking military officials occurred not long before Mr. Li went missing.

On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources in the United States and China, that Mr. Li is being demoted or somehow removed from his position.

In addition, it comes after several months have passed since Foreign Minister Qin Gang was last seen in public. There is still a lack of clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr. Qin's unexpected departure and subsequent replacement in July.

In the case of Gen Li as well, the Chinese government has not made a lot of statements. According to reports, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, "not aware of the situation" when she was questioned about it earlier this week.

The last time Gen Li was seen in public was in Beijing on August 29 for a security forum with African nations. This event took place three weeks ago. It is not out of the ordinary for defense ministers to disappear from public view for a period of several weeks at a time.

General Li is a rocket scientist and aerospace engineer who started his career working at a launch center for satellites and rockets. He rose quickly through the ranks of both the military and the political elite in China.

It is reported that President Xi Jinping holds a special place in his heart for him, just as he does for Mr. Qin. In addition, he is the second cabinet minister and state councillor to vanish without a trace in recent months, following in Mr. Qin's footsteps.

How the demise of a diplomat leaves China with egg on its face
The meteoric rise and unexplained fall of China's mysteriously vanished minister
When two generals in China's rocket forces, which manage land-based missiles, were replaced at the beginning of August, rumors began to circulate online about a possible military corruption purge. These rumors have continued to grow since then. The president of the military court of the army was likewise ousted from his position some months after he was appointed.

Mr. Emanuel brought up the absence of General Li in tweets that he sent out late last week and on Friday. He also made reference to the disappearance of Mr. Qin and the other military officers.

In addition to this, he brought up the fact that General Li had recently "missed" a trip to Vietnam as well as a meeting in Beijing with the head of Singapore's navy, and he suggested that General Li may have been subject to house arrest because of this.

The outspoken ambassador, who is known for his colorful tweets, linked the absence to the mystery novel "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie and to Hamlet by William Shakespeare. On Friday, Mr. Emanuel posted a tweet that stated, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

According to a report by Reuters that cited Vietnamese authorities, Mr. Li had abruptly dropped out of a meeting with Vietnamese defense commanders the previous week. The Vietnamese officials were told that the Chinese general had a "health condition"

Last week, Singapore's naval chief Sean Wat traveled to China and met with leaders from that country's military. The Singaporean navy has been contacted by the BBC to investigate the claim made by Mr. Emanuel.

In addition to being attributed to "health conditions," Mr. Qin's absence, which is approaching three months, has been the subject of widespread speculation that it is connected to an anti-corruption campaign as well. Since then, he has been demoted from his previous position.

Because they are subjected to stringent medical examinations on a consistent basis, it is stated that Chinese officials almost never miss important meetings due to health concerns.

There have been questions raised about Gen Li. He was sanctioned by the United States government in 2018, when he was serving as the head of the equipment development arm of the military, because of China's procurement of Russian combat aircraft and armaments.

It was speculated that Gen Li's refusal to meet his US counterpart Lloyd Austin at a defense summit in Singapore earlier this year was in response to the sanctions, which were supposed to be a sticking point for Gen Li.

According to observers, the disappearance of Gen Li demonstrates once again the opaque nature of the Chinese political leadership, while also highlighting the precarious nature of some of Mr. Xi's judgments.

"High-level disappearances and possible corruption investigations are not a good look for Xi because he approved the selection of the current leadership," says Neil Thomas, an expert on Chinese elite politics who works with the Asia Society Policy Institute.

However, he continued by saying that in the end, "Xi's leadership and overall political stability do not appear to be under threat, as none of the cadres affected are part of his inner circle."

Analyst Bill Bishop pointed out that the Chinese military has a "long history of corruption," and that President Xi, who, according to the political structure of China, also serves as the supreme head of China's military, has attempted to combat this issue, just like his predecessors did.

In spite of this, he pointed out in his most recent analysis that "it would be remarkable" that after more than a decade of Mr. Xi being in power, "there is still such high-level corruption [in the military]," and that "Xi cannot blame his predecessors for the Rocket Force officers and Li Shangfu."

He made the observation that Mr. Xi had promoted General Li, Mr. Qin, and the heads of the rocket force, and he predicted that "more purges will likely be seen as the solution."

Ian Chong, a non-resident scholar with Carnegie China, pointed out that the disappearances are taking place during a time of increased military action near Taiwan and tensions in the South China Sea. This was another point that he brought up.

near recent days, a large number of Chinese warships, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, have been observed gathering near the Taiwan Strait. This has raised concerns that another round of military exercises is about to take place.

Dr. Chong stated that some individuals "would be concerned about issues of communication, escalation, and crisis management" at this point in time due to the fact that the military and the foreign ministry are significant outward-facing aspects of the Chinese system.

These tweets by Mr. Emanuel would be considered odd for a high-level US diplomat, particularly one who is the ambassador to a significant US ally, Japan, which has a tense relationship with China.

Brad Glosserman, a senior adviser with the Pacific Forum research institute, said that the events are "perplexing," but that he is "pretty sure he has a greenlight from the White House" to be bringing out Gen Li's absence in this manner. The events themselves are "perplexing."

"It is possible that Mr. Emanuel is trying to elicit some response from China regarding the disappearance," Dr. Chong added. "It is possible that Mr. Emanuel is trying to elicit some response from China."

In the dispute over the South China Sea, the Philippines takes on Beijing head-on

On the island of Palawan in the Philippines, a fisherman named Benjo Atay says, "We're scared of China" as the wind and rain smash his small bamboo boat. "We're scared of China."

He yells orders at his youthful crew, the majority of whom are members of his own family, while they pull on ropes in order to leave the harbor. They are already covered in sea water and sweat, but it is not the climate that causes them concern. They are afraid of something else.

He claims that Chinese ships are following closely behind us and circling us. "When we are anchored, they will force us to leave," the captain said. They intended to eliminate us as a threat.

A territorial dispute between the Philippines and China's capital city of Beijing is becoming increasingly contentious in the South China Sea.

It is one of several nations that has lodged a complaint against a map that was released by China this week. On the map, China reaffirmed its sovereignty over more than 90 percent of the ocean.

Manila's voice, which in the past might have been described as a gentle whimpering, has suddenly soared to a scream, empowered by support from Washington and its friends. In the past, Manila may have gently whined at China's moves to obstruct its ships.

"We are worried, but that does not daunt us," said Jonathan E. Malaya, the assistant director general of the Philippines National Security Council. "We are worried about rising tensions, but that does not daunt us."

In recent months, the Philippines has provided the US access to important military sites, hosted the largest-ever joint military drills between the two countries, and consistently called out Beijing's aggression in the South China Sea. In addition, the Philippines has hosted the largest-ever joint military drills between the two nations. In spite of the fact that Philippine and Chinese coastguards are playing a cat-and-mouse game on the contested waters, the Philippine government has revealed plans to educate fishermen to protect their area out at sea.

The meaning is unmistakable. "If you are a Filipino, whether in government or [the] private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China's aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people," Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the coastguard in the West Philippine Sea, wrote on social media. Tarriela is responsible for communicating with the public regarding the situation in the West Philippine Sea.

Not only do China's claims compete with those of the Philippines, but also those of Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. China's claims cover the entirety of the South China Sea. These are not brand new, but their volume and complexity are both increasing.

The most recent episode focuses on the inaccessible Ayungin shoal, which is located more than 620 miles (998 kilometers) away from the southernmost shore of mainland China and approximately 190 kilometers away from Palawan island.

Over the course of the past half year, Chinese vessels have employed water cannons and lasers to prevent the Philippine coastguard from reaching too close to the shoal. The boats were transporting water and food supplies that were absolutely necessary to the soldiers who were stationed on a decaying warship called the Sierra Madre, which Manila had purposefully wrecked on a shoal within their territorial waters. To try to maintain a presence on the shoal required a maneuver that was both resolute and premeditated.

In 2016, the Philippines prevailed against China in an international court and were awarded this land as a result of the ruling that Beijing's expansive claim to sovereignty over the majority of the South China Sea lacked a legal basis.

Access to the shoal also implies access to the nearby Reed Bank, which has considerable quantities of oil and natural gas. These are rich fishing grounds, and access to the shoal also means access to the Reed Bank.

The Philippines, seemingly unfazed by the power that China possesses, made another attempt to convey supplies to its troops stationed in the Sierra Madre; this time, they claimed that their mission was successful.

Mr. Malaya characterized the situation as "a true David versus Goliath issue." "But just like David, we will continue to pound and double down on the need to protect the resources which are important for the future of the Philippines," the speaker said.

The idyllic islands caught in the crosshairs of the United States and China The cat-and-mouse game with China in the highly contested sea
However, Beijing does not perceive it in such a light. It asserts that the Sierra Madre is acting in a manner inconsistent with its sovereignty. The use of a water cannon by the Chinese coastguard on the vessel belonging to the Filipinos was described as "professional and restrained" in a statement released by the Chinese coastguard.

Manila claimed that it attempted to use a hotline it had established with China to alleviate the situation, but China did not answer the phone.

Mr. Malaya stated, "We would like to resolve this issue," but he confessed that "progress is slow and there is, at the present time, no meeting of the minds."

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos has moved closer to Washington in comparison to his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who aimed to cultivate relations with China rather than criticize the country's policies.

Additionally, he has made public each dispute with Beijing on the South China Sea. If the Philippine coastguard has difficulty resupplying the ship that is grounded on Ayungin shoal, the situation will be broadcast on television. Importantly, the United States are not overly distant.

A statement made earlier this week by the commander of the United States Navy's Seventh Fleet stated that China's "aggressive behavior" in the South China Sea has to be addressed and checked.

In light of "shared challenges" in the region, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas gave the assurance that the United States will support Manila. "My forces are out here for a reason," he told the news agency Reuters. You have to confront those individuals who are, in my opinion, functioning in a gray area. You have to push back, you have to sail and operate when they keep taking a little bit more and more from you and pushing you.

In response, Beijing stated that the United States was "projecting power" by spreading strife through lies and distortions of the truth.

Some nations in this region are still unsure of whether or not they can trust the United States' message of support because Washington's previous statements regarding Beijing's activities in the South China Sea were vague. A change in management may not be the only thing that brings about an attitude shift.

However, for the time being, the United States is showing that it will be there for its partners in Asia. In addition, the United States is not the only country that has been observed in the South China Sea.

The United States of America, Japan, and Australia participated in joint drills with the Philippines last week. The exercises were termed as a "significant moment of defense" by Tokyo's ambassador to Manila. The largest-ever military exercises ever performed between the Philippines and Australia included a simulated beach landing as well as air assault manoeuvres near the South China Sea. These exercises were also participated in by the armed forces of Australia and the Philippines.

There is no other place on Earth where so many nations come so close to a competing force, which gives rise to concerns that a miscalculation will occur during these conflicts at sea.

The city of Manila runs the risk of the conflict becoming even more serious if it accepts assistance from its allies. On the other hand, that is a risk that the fisherman of Palawan might not be ready to take.

Romeo Brawner, the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army, recently stated that they intend to enlist fishermen as reservists and provide them with training. Larry Hugo, the regional officer for the Kalayaan Palawan Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, laughed when the BBC asked him if he knew many fisherman who were prepared to join such a militia. Larry Hugo was responding to the question.

"No, no, we don't want to join," he responded. "No, no." "It is very unlikely that China will discover us. Fishermen from this area will be the target of this operation. The Chinese government is taking a more belligerent stance. They've also seen an increase in population."

According to Mr. Malaya, who works for the National Security Council of the Philippines, the Chinese are also operating hundreds of fishing vessels near the Ayungin shoal, which are, in essence, militia vessels.

"They are Chinese power instruments, and they are a component of the Chinese military's overall infrastructure. They have the purpose of intimidating and harassing our fishermen who work in the area, he went on to say.

Beijing, on the other hand, refutes the existence of such a force.

Benjo Atay claims that he is not prepared to even take the danger of sailing in those waters, let alone engage in combat there, regardless of whether it occurs or not.

Since he was 14 years old, he has been fishing close to Ayungin shoal. It was given its name after a species of fish native to the Philippines that is on the verge of extinction and is well-known among low-income families.

There was a time when he and other fishermen from the dispersed islands adjacent to Palawan were forced to sail in close proximity to Chinese boats in the same waters for an extended period of time.

Mr. Atay is now in his 30s, and at this point in his life, his worry for the safety of the crew exceeds the allure of a huge catch.

"I don't believe that we will revisit that location. We are in a state of extreme dread. It's possible that they'll fire their water cannon. Naturally, all we have is a boat made out of wood. Going back to that place gives us a great deal of anxiety.

The turquoise waters and white sands of Palawan's beaches are a picture-perfect combination. However, if you do not fish in this area, you will not be able to get something to eat.

The inhabitants of this island have been carving out villages from the rocky bays and sandy coasts for many centuries. These communities consist of single-room cottages with corrugated iron roofs and hammocks strung across the kitchen for infants to sleep in.

As a result of the storm, most of the boats are unable to move, therefore some people are forced to wade into the shallows while carrying nets and buckets in order to harvest shellfish. Others are making use of the time by fixing up their boats and their nets.

The children enjoy a day off from school to compete against one another on a makeshift basketball court that is surrounded by boats that have been turned over and are resting. When asked if they want to be fishers, the response is a loud yes, despite the fact that several of them have stated that they want to be professional basketball players instead.

Mr. Atay claims that it becomes more challenging with each passing year. "How could we possibly perform our jobs well while we're afraid? We are unable to concentrate on fishing, so we simply remain on the island, which is the only place where Filipinos are permitted.

During the time that these territorial conflicts are ongoing, these groups remain resolute in keeping a low profile. But their future could be determined by any of these outcomes.

Once upon a time, that future was determined by the wind and the tide. At this point, everything will depend on the determination of the leaders of the world.

Terry Gou is a Taiwanese iPhone billionaire with aspirations of becoming the country's president

Terry Gou, a 72-year-old millionaire and the creator of Foxconn, which is responsible for manufacturing iPhones, is the newest candidate to enter the contest for the presidency of Taiwan.

Mr. Gou is a magnetic entrepreneur who rose from humble beginnings to amass a fortune, a large amount of cash, and significant name recognition. According to observers in Taipei, Mr. Gou would have a decent chance of winning the election if he was the only candidate running against the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is currently in power. However, he is not.

Instead, the opposition vote in the presidential election that will take place in January 2024 will be split three ways due to his candidacy.

When there are already two opposition candidates fighting to overthrow the incumbent party in a presidential system that awards all of the seats to the winner, adding a third candidate to the mix is probably not going to make the process any simpler.

The situation is a textbook illustration of the "law of holes," which states that if you find yourself in a hole from which it is difficult to escape, the first step you should take is to cease digging. It would appear like Taiwan's opposition is digging its own electoral grave at this point.

On Monday, Mr. Guo made his candidacy for an election that will have significant repercussions well beyond the borders of Taiwan public, and this is exactly what happened. An election for a new president will take place on the self-governing island in the midst of escalating threats from Beijing and an increasingly militarized region.

Mr. Gou, much like another charismatic billionaire on the other side of the Pacific, initially tried to have himself nominated as a candidate for Taiwan's most prominent center-right party, the old nationalist KMT (Kuomintang). In contrast to his success in the United States, he was unsuccessful.

As a result of the KMT's selection of another candidate, Mr. Gou resigned from the party. However, Mr. Gou's predicament is not only dependent on the KMT.

The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) is another opposition party in Taiwan, and Ko Wen-je, another popular populist, serves as the party's leader. Mr. Ko served as the mayor of Taipei city in the past, and he is now in second place in the polls. The younger generation of Taiwanese voters is very favorable to him.

It's not just his money and successful business career that make Mr. Gou such an attractive prospect. It is based on his job experience both in China and with the country.

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai industries, is the largest electronics manufacturer in the world since it was the first company to pioneer the idea of merging the engineering know-how of Taiwan with the trained labor of China. Mr. Gou established massive industrial campuses in the south of China in the 1980s and 1990s, and he hired tens of thousands of young Chinese people to work there.

Because the strategy was so effective, he was finally able to convince Apple to contract out a significant portion of the production of MacBooks and iPhones to Foxconn. Because of this, Foxconn became the most successful company in Taiwan, and Mr. Gou became one of the wealthiest businesspeople in the country.

Now, Mr. Gou thinks that he can use the experience he gained investing and working in China to safeguard Taiwan's safety. Terry Gou has stated that one of his goals is to keep Taiwan from "becoming another Ukraine." In his announcement that he was running for office, he stated that he would lead Taiwan "back from the abyss of war with China."

He is not the only one who views the danger posed by China as becoming more severe as time goes on. Over the course of the past year, Beijing has significantly ramped up its military actions in the region surrounding the island.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) published a professionally produced propaganda video the previous week, in which it showed Chinese troops engaging in what appeared to be training for an invasion of the beaches of Taiwan.

The Wagner mercenaries are required to take an oath of loyalty to Russia and Putin

Employees of Wagner and those working for other Russian private military contractors have been asked by President Vladimir Putin to swear allegiance to the Russian state and sign an oath in this regard.

The edict is binding on everyone who takes part in military operations in Ukraine, provides assistance to the armed forces, or serves in formations responsible for territorial defense.

On Friday, he put his signature to the decree, which went into force right away.

It comes just two days after it was widely believed that the leaders of Wagner were killed in an aircraft accident.

In a dramatic turn of events on Saturday, a section of Wagner known as Rusich, which is associated with the far right, announced that it will cease its military actions in Ukraine.

Rusich accused Russia's foreign ministry of failing to protect a founding member of the group, Yan Petrovsky. Petrovsky was arrested in Finland for visa breaches and is facing extradition to Ukraine. The accusation was made in a post that Rusich made on Telegram.

Analysts are of the opinion that Mr. Putin's decision is part of an effort to regain his control in the wake of the rebellion led by Wagner in June.

According to Natia Seskuria, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute in London, who spoke with the BBC, Vladimir Putin "wants to have tighter control on Wagner in order to ensure that he won't be facing another crisis in the future."

The directive was issued during a time when the Wagner mercenaries do not have a clear leader. This is because a plane that was believed to be transporting Yevgeny Prigozhin and other leaders crashed on Wednesday, taking the lives of all 10 persons on board.

The pledge includes a promise to strictly follow the instructions of commanders, and it is described as a step toward building the spiritual and moral foundations of Russia's defense in the regulation.

"It is a concealed message to military intelligence to find and prosecute Wagner fighters," Petro Burkovskyi, the chairman of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a think tank based in Ukraine, told the BBC. Burkovskyi was speaking to the BBC on behalf of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation.

In addition, he makes it plain that this is also a message to the combatants, saying that they must either take the pledge and keep their weapons or disarm themselves. You must obey me or you will be sent to jail.

In the weeks leading up to the failed revolt in Prigozhin in June, the Russian defense ministry offered mercenary groups the deadline of July 1 to sign contracts with the Russian army.

Prigozhin did not sign the document because he did not want Wagner to be subject to the authority of the ministry. It was the first public blow that Mr. Putin dealt to his long-term ally Prigozhin when he gave his support to the ministry's contract arrangement.

The argument became more heated, which ultimately resulted in Prigozhin's rebellion.

However, given that there is no clear leader among the Wagner fighters, what impact would the decree have on them?

Mr. Burkovskyi is of the opinion that due to their extensive military experience, they are valuable assets for the Russian army.

"They selected Wagner because Wagner provided them with preferential treatment, free from the bureaucracy of the massive Russian army." If Putin gives them orders to receive preferential treatment, I don't think they will care where, to whom, or for whom they fight as long as they get what they want.

Ms. Seskuria is of the opinion that there are devoted Prigozhin followers who will not take the oath, despite the fact that the edict might have an effect in the short term.

"This can potentially create problems for Putin in a longer term perspective," he argues. "This is something that we should keep in mind."

In the meantime, officials have stated that Russian air defenses were successful in preventing drone assaults on the Moscow and Belgorod districts on Saturday morning.

According to the governor of the region, four persons were injured when shelling occurred in the Belgorod region that borders Ukraine.

The government of Ukraine practically never confirms in public that it was responsible for assaults within Russian territory.

According to the regional governor of Kharkiv, Russia shelled a Ukrainian village close to the town of Kupiansk in the country's north-eastern region, causing the deaths of two persons and the injury of another.

Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner defied Putin and now its leader may be dead

When Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner troops launched their insurrection two months ago, Vladimir Putin made his feelings more than clear. He called it "treachery" and a "stab in the back" of Russia. He promised that the perpetrators would be punished.

So there was incredulity in Russia when they were not. When a deal was cut between Mr Prigozhin and the Kremlin to end the mutiny; when all the charges against the Wagner founder and his fighters were dropped, despite the fact that Russian servicemen had been killed during the murky but brief insurrection.

It made President Putin look weak.

Commenting on the agreed compromise (ending the mutiny in exchange for immunity from prosecution) one Russian newspaper commented: "This kind of compromise is normally made with political opponents. Never with criminals and terrorists. Does that mean we should view Mr Prigozhin now as a political figure?"

Suddenly things look rather different.

Exactly two months on, Mr Prigozhin is presumed dead after his private jet crashed and exploded in a field. Wagner commander Dmitry Utkin was on the same jet.

The Russian elite will shed few tears over Mr Prigozhin's reported demise. That goes for Russia's military leadership, whom Mr Prigozhin had publicly and vocally condemned and whom he demanded be sacked. The Wagner boss claimed that the so-called "March of Justice" (his euphemism for the insurrection) had not targeted the Kremlin but had instead been directed at Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov.

In reality, the Wagner mutiny had been a direct challenge to President Putin's authority and a humiliating 24 hours for the Kremlin. Mr Putin himself pointed out that the Russian state had been financing Wagner. Money had clearly not bought loyalty.

If this was an act of revenge by those in power, that sends two clear messages to Mr Prigozhin's loyalists and to anyone else in Russia who may have been contemplating armed resistance:

Don't try

Look what happens to those who do.

That means that President Putin could emerge from these dramatic events stronger domestically.

But what if Mr Prigozhin becomes a martyr? What if those who had pledged loyalty to him - and who are well-trained fighters - call for their own acts of revenge?

Grey Zone, a Telegram channel linked to Wagner, blamed Mr Prigozhin's reported death on "Russian traitors".

It did not clarify who it believed those traitors were and what Wagner's response would be.

If this crash was foul play, that will come as little surprise to many in Russia. Ever since the mutiny there has been feverish speculation about Mr Prigozhin's fate, about whether his actions really would be forgiven.

He must have known that. Yet, in recent weeks, as he jetted around on his private plane he clearly did not view air travel as a danger. Perhaps he believed that he was too powerful, too crucial a figure in today's Russia to be taken out?

First foreign flight for North Korean airline after the collapse of the Soviet Union

The state airline of North Korea has successfully completed its first overseas flight since the epidemic began.

Flight JS151, operated by Air Koryo, took off from Pyongyang early on Tuesday morning and arrived at Beijing Capital Airport at 9:16 local time, which corresponds to 01:16 GMT, according to data provided by the real-time flight tracking service Flightradar24.

It is unknown who was on board the JS151 or how many people it was transporting at this time.

According to Koryo Tours, a travel firm, the route between Pyongyang and Beijing has been reopened so that North Koreans can travel back home.

Flightradar24 reports that flight JS151 was operated by a Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft, which has the capacity to accommodate a maximum of 210 passengers.

It is unknown how many people were on board the return flight, JS152, which was scheduled to depart from Beijing for Pyongyang at 13:05 local time.

According to Kyodo News, the check-in booth for Air Koryo at the Beijing airport was completely crowded with passengers who were wearing North Korean flag pins on their chests and dragging luggage carts full of belongings.

More than three and a half years after they were halted because to Covid border controls, Air Koryo flights to Beijing were authorized to resume on Monday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry, which claimed it has cleared the restart of the flights.

It was only lately that Pyongyang restarted some limited international passenger transit.

This past week, a group of North Korean athletes made their way across the border into China on their route to compete in the global championships for Taekwondo in Kazakhstan, which is located nearby.

The capital of North Korea was also visited by delegations from Russia and China in July to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. These delegations were the first known foreign organizations to be invited to the country since the year 2020.