REPORT: CHINA HID CORONAVIRUS' SEVERITY TO HOARD SUPPLIES

U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus

outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical

supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show.

Chinese leaders “intentionally concealed the severity” of the pandemic from

the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland

Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated

Press. The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified its

criticism of China, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying Sunday that

country was responsible for the spread of disease and must be held

accountable.

The sharper rhetoric coincides with administration critics saying the

governmentÂ’s response to the virus was slow and inadequate. President Donald

TrumpÂ’s political opponents have accused him of lashing out at China, a

geopolitical foe but critical U.S. trade partner, in an attempt to deflect

criticism at home.

Not classified but marked “for official use only,” the DHS analysis states

that, while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus, China increased

imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. It attempted to cover up

doing so by “denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and

delaying provision of its trade data,” the analysis states.

The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organization

that the coronavirus “was a contagion” for much of January so it could order

medical supplies from abroad — and that its imports of face masks and

surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply.

Those conclusions are based on the 95% probability that ChinaÂ’s changes in

imports and export behavior were not within normal range, according to the

report.

TRUMP SAYS HE BELIEVES THERE WILL BE A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE 'BY THE END OF

THE YEAR'

US President Donald Trump has said he believes the United States will have a

vaccine for the coronavirus before 2021.

"We are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the

year, by the end of the year," he said during a Fox News town hall on the

steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Scientists around the world are currently racing to develop such a vaccine

but most experts expect it will only be ready for mass distribution sometime

in 2021.

Trump seemed to accept he was getting ahead of his own medical advisors on

the prediction of such a fast timeline.

"The doctors would say 'well, you shouldn't say that.' I'll say what I

think," he said.

NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA EXCHANGE GUNFIRE AT BORDER: SEOUL

SEOUL: North Korea fired multiple gunshots towards the South in the

Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula on Sunday, prompting South Korean

troops to fire back, Seoul's military said.

The rare exchange of gunfire comes following the reappearance a day earlier

of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after a near three-week absence from the

public eye that triggered intense speculation about his health.

A South Korean guard post was hit by several shots from the North, the joint

chiefs of staff (JCS) said in a statement, adding no casualties were

reported on the South's side.

"Our military responded with two rounds of gunfire and a warning

announcement according to our manual," Seoul said.

The JCS added it was communicating with the North via their military hotline

to determine the cause of the incident.

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not undergo surgery during

almost three weeks of absence from public life, a South Korean official said

on Sunday, as the two Koreas exchanged gunfire at the Demilitarized Zone

(DMZ) separating the two sides.

The government official declined to provide reasons, but said speculative

reports that Mr. Kim had had an operation, citing some differences in his

leg movements, were untrue.

“Our assessment is that (Kim) did not undergo surgery,” the official, who

declined to be identified, told reporters. Asked if media reports of Mr. Kim

having undergone a simple medical treatment were also untrue, the official

simply said: “Yes.”

TOP ISRAEL COURT HEARS BIDS TO BAR NETANYAHU FROM FORMING NEW GOVT

JERUSALEM: Israel's top court on Sunday started hearing arguments to bar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a new government as he faces

a criminal trial on corruption charges.

The Supreme Court will also hear petitions challenging a coalition deal with

his rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz, who is currently speaker of the

Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Either case carries with it the danger of forcing another election, after

three polls in less than a year failed to produce a government and left the

country in a grinding political deadlock.

"Today we shall hear arguments on the question of bestowing the duty of

forming a government on a Knesset member against whom an indictment has been

filed," Chief justice Esther Hayut said as she opened proceedings.

"Tomorrow there will be a hearing on the second issue, regarding the

coalition agreement," she said, sitting at the head of a panel of 11 judges,

all wearing face masks in line with Covid-19 precautions.

The hearing was broadcast live on the court website.

Under the three-year coalition deal, the government's first six months will

be dedicated primarily to combatting the novel coronavirus that has infected

more than 16,000 Israelis and ravaged the economy.

But eight separate petitions to the Supreme Court seek to declare the deal

illegal, including one from former Gantz ally Yair Lapid, head of the

opposition Yesh Atid.

OIL PRICES OPEN DOWN ON PERSISTENT OVERSUPPLY WORRIES

US crude futures fell more than 5% in early trade on Monday, paring last

weekÂ’s gains, on worries about oil oversupply and tempered hopes for an

economic recovery as some US states and cities around the world ease

coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell as low as $18.50 a

barrel and last traded down 95 cents, or 4.8%, at $18.83. The benchmark

contract rose 17% last week.

‘TOO EARLY FOR FIRM CONCLUSIONS’: CANADA PM TRUDEAU ON ALLEGATIONS AGAINST

CHINA ON SPREAD OF COVID-19

Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau has said that it is “too early to

draw firm conclusions” on allegations if China did a cover-up on coronavirus

leading to an explosion of Covid-19 pandemic . Canada is part of the

intelligence alliance Five Eyes, which has blamed China for the coronavirus

outbreak.

TrudeauÂ’s comment came during a daily media briefing in Ottawa hours after

multiple global media organisations put out reports based on a leaked

intelligence dossier that blamed China for hiding and even destroying

evidence of the coronavirus pandemic, thus contributing to its worldwide

spread. The 15-page dossier came from the Five Eyes intelligence bloc,

comprising the United States, Canada, England, New Zealand and Australia.

However, Trudeau was circumspect when addressing the matter as he said “it

is still early to draw firm conclusions and indeed our focus remains on how

we are working to protect Canadians.”

He did indicate that intelligence gathering and investigation in this

respect was ongoing, as he said, “We will continue to work with intelligence

agencies around the world, not just the Five Eyes but friends and partners

as well and look to find answers to the many questions people are asking.”

TrudeauÂ’s remarks preceded a comment from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

that there is “enormous evidence” the virus leaked from a virology

laboratory in Wuhan.

The?Canadian PM?has been similarly guarded on this matter even earlier when

US President Donald Trump had charged China with allowing the virus to

proliferate.

However, one of TrudeauÂ’s Cabinet colleagues, Health Minister Patty Hadju,

had earlier dismissed questions about China potentially fudging Covid-19

figures, as part of “conspiracy theories” on the Internet.

VENEZUELA ACCUSES COLOMBIA OF ATTEMPTING 'TERRORIST' SEA INVASION

The Venezuelan government has said it foiled an attempted sea incursion by

"terrorist mercenaries" from Colombia.

In a televised address, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the group

arrived on speedboats at the coastal state of La Guaira early on Sunday.

President Nicolás Maduro often accuses adversaries of attempting to

overthrow him with the backing of the US.

Venezuela's opposition dismissed the allegations, saying the apparent

incursion was staged.

Colombia described the government's assertion as unfounded. Venezuela broke

off diplomatic relations with Colombia last year.

In the Venezuelan government's statement, Mr Reverol said the group had

landed in the town of Macuto, about 21 miles (34km) north of the capital

Caracas.

"They tried to carry out an invasion by sea, a group of terrorist

mercenaries from Colombia, in order to commit terrorist acts in the country,

murdering leaders of the revolutionary government," he said.

Diosdado Cabello, leader of the ruling Socialist Party, said eight people

were killed and two were detained, while Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino

said a speedboat had sunk and military vessels were searching the coast for

survivors.

FIRST DAY OF ZERO CASES IN NEW ZEALAND

There have been zero new virus infections in New Zealand for the past day -

the first time since 16 March.

There was also no new fatality, leaving the number of people whose deaths

have been linked to Covid-19 at 20.

Overall, there have been only 1,137 confirmed infections and already last

week, New Zealand had only single-digit daily cases.

The country has already begun easing lockdown measures, gradually restarting

businesses and allowing people to socialise beyond their bubbles.

TRUMP HITS OUT AT BUSH FOR FAILING TO SUPPORT HIM DURING IMPEACHMENT

US President Donald Trump on Sunday struck out at former president George W.

Bush in a video called for compassion and solidarity over the coronavirus

pandemic.

Bush -- like Trump, a member of the Republican Party -- drew a parallel

between the Covid-19 crisis and the September 11, 2001 attack in a clip

posted Saturday by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

The Al-Qaeda led terror attacks took place just months after Bush arrived in

the White House.

“Following 9/11 I saw a great nation rise as one to honor the brave, to

grieve with the grieving, and to embrace unavoidable new duties,” Bush said,

with archive images playing in the background.

Bush, 73, said he was convinced that the “spirit of sacrifice” has not

disappeared, and called for compassion as the United States struggles to

quell the novel coronavirus.

Bush added that Americans should “remember that empathy and simple kindness

are essential, powerful tools of national recovery.”

As someone who is regularly criticized for his lack of empathy, Trump may

have felt targeted.

Early Sunday, Trump responded, by apparently quoting a co-anchor from the

“Fox and Friends” show on Fox News.

“Oh bye the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but

where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside,”

Trump wrote, quoting the co-anchor.

Trump then added in his own voice: “He was nowhere to be found in speaking

up against the greatest Hoax in American history!”