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.
Russia and Ukraine each released 390 prisoners on Friday and said they would free more in the coming days, in what is expected to be the biggest prisoner swap of the war so far.
Harvard University sued the Trump administration on Friday over its decision to revoke the Ivy League school's ability to enrol foreign students, ratcheting up White House efforts to conform practices in academia to President Donald Trump's policies.
Pakistan and India have extended airspace restrictions for each other's aircraft in tit-for-tat moves, both countries said on Friday, amid continuing diplomatic tensions between the neighbours after a brief military conflict this month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada of wanting to help Hamas after they threatened to take "concrete action" if Israel did not stop its latest offensive in Gaza.
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His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Crown Prince and the UAE's Deputy Prime Minster and Defence Minister, has emphasised that empowering young Emiratis with future-ready skills is key to building a sustainable, knowledge-driven economy.