N Korea axes first post-Covid intl commercial flight
North Korea's national airline was set to make its first commercial flight in over three years on Monday, only for it to be abruptly cancelled at the last minute. North Korea has been largely closed off from the outside world since early 2020, when it shut its borders in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Journalists gathered on Monday at Beijing's Capital International Airport to await Air Koryo flight JS151 from Pyongyang, due to arrive at 9.50am. But almost two hours after its scheduled arrival, a signboard in the terminal unexpectedly signalled it had been cancelled, prompting groans of disappointment from media waiting to see some of the isolated North's first international travellers in years. Beijing airport customer service said that Air Koryo had not given a reason for the cancellation. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the nation has approved the resumption of flights by Air Koryo. (AFP/Reuters)