World News Roundup: Russian gas cut to Europe hits economic hopes, Ukraine reports attacks on coastal regions; Taiwan president oversees drills on warship, lauds determination for defence and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russian gas cut to Europe hits economic hopes, Ukraine reports attacks on coastal regions

Russia said it will cut gas supplies to Europe from Wednesday in a blow to countries that have backed Ukraine, while missile attacks in Black Sea coastal regions raised doubts about whether Russia will stick to a deal to let Ukraine export grain. The first ships from Ukraine may set sail in days under a deal agreed on Friday, the United Nations said, despite a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian port of Odesa over the weekend, and a spokesman for the military administration in the saying another missile had hit the Odesa region on Tuesday morning.

Taiwan president oversees drills on warship, lauds determination for defence

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen boarded a naval warship on Tuesday for only the second time in her six years in office, where she lauded the military's determination to defend the island while overseeing its largest annual naval and air exercises. The military drills, which simulate the repulsion of an invading force, coincide with air-raid exercises across the island as it boosts combat preparedness in the face of rising military pressure from China.

At least 5 killed, dozens wounded in east Congo anti-U.N. protest

At least five people were killed and about 50 wounded in anti-United Nations protests in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern city of Goma on Tuesday, a government spokesman said. A Reuters reporter saw U.N. peacekeepers shoot two demonstrators dead.

Macron, on trip to Cameroon, says food is Russian weapon of war

French President Emmanuel Macron described the global food crisis as one of Russia's "weapons of war" during a visit to Cameroon on Tuesday, dismissing suggestions Western sanctions were to blame. Cameroon, like many developing countries, is grappling with sharp increases in prices for oil, fertiliser and foodstuffs. Severe fuel shortages hit the capital Yaounde last week leading to long queues at petrol stations.

U.S. basketball star Griner treated injuries with medical cannabis, defence argues

The defence team of U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, detained in Russia on drug charges, argued in court on Tuesday that she had used medical cannabis to assuage pain from injuries, like many other elite international athletes. Griner, a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star who has played in Russia during the league's offseason, was detained at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17 with vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. Medical marijuana is illegal in Russia.

WHO official: we believe monkeypox outbreak can be stopped

The rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak can be stopped, an official from the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. "We do at this moment still believe that this outbreak of monkeypox can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups but time is going by and we all need to pull together to make that happen," Rosamund Lewis, WHO Technical Lead on Monkeypox, told reporters.

Myanmar defends executions as 'justice for the people' as condemnation grows

Myanmar's ruling military on Tuesday defended its execution of four democracy activists as "justice for the people", brushing off a deluge of international condemnation including from its closest neighbours. The military, which seized power in a coup last year, announced on Monday it had executed the activists for aiding "terror acts" by a civilian resistance movement, Myanmar's first executions in decades.

Israeli forces demolish houses of accused Palestinian gunmen

Israeli troops on Tuesday demolished the houses of two Palestinians accused of killing an Israeli security guard in an attack outside the West Bank settlement of Ariel in April, authorities said. Hundreds of protesters threw rocks, burning tyres and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers as they carried out the operation in the West Bank town of Qarawet Bani Hassan, the army said in a statement.

Pope apology tour of Canada continues with stadium Mass

Pope Francis will say Mass for an expected crowd of 60,000 people on Tuesday, his first big open-air event on a trip to Canada centred around apologizing for the Catholic Church's role in residential schools that tried to erase native cultures.

The Mass takes place on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks the feast of the grandparents of Jesus.

Exclusive: U.S. and Taliban make progress on Afghan reserves, but big gaps remain

U.S. and Taliban officials have exchanged proposals for the release of billions of dollars from Afghan central bank reserves held abroad into a trust fund, three sources familiar with the talks said, offering a hint of progress in efforts to ease Afghanistan's economic crisis. Significant differences between the sides remain, however, according to two of the sources, including the Taliban's refusal to replace the bank's top political appointees, one of whom is under U.S. sanctions as are several of the movement's leaders.