North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's absence from key national events over the last few days could be linked to his concerns over the coronavirus.
That's according to South Korea's minister for North Korean affairs, who clarified that it does not imply he is unwell.
Minister Kim Yeon-chul confirmed they have not detected any unusual movements in North Korea.
"It is true that he had never missed the anniversary for Kim Il Sung’s birthday since he took power, but many anniversary events including celebrations and a banquet had been cancelled because of coronavirus concerns," he said at a parliamentary hearing.
"I don’t think that’s particularly unusual given the current (coronavirus) situation."
Even though North Korea has said it has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, officials in Seoul believe Kim must be trying to avoid exposure to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he has a good idea how Kim is doing, without elaborating.
Speculation around Kim's health surfaced after he skipped several key events since mid-April.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting and killing the CEO of UnitedHealth Group's insurance division Brian Thompson in New York last year.
Aid groups in Myanmar on Tuesday described scenes of devastation and desperation after an earthquake that killed more than 2,700 people, stressing an urgent need for food, water and shelter and warning the window to find survivors was fast closing.
The Trump administration has fired staff at U.S. health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, as it embarked on its plan to cut 10,000 health jobs, according to sources familiar with the situation and a health official.
The Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah operative in an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs early on Tuesday, while three other people were reported killed and seven injured, further testing a shaky four-month ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today offered his condolences to His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, on the death of his mother, Sheikha Hessa bint Humaid bin Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi.
The UAE’s National Ambulance Service handled 22,903 cases across the country in the first quarter of this year, according to the National Guard Command.
H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, received condolences on the passing of his mother, the late Sheikha Hessa bint Hamid bin Abdulrahman Al Shamsi, at the condolence majlis held at the Emiri Court.