World News Roundup: Orban urges new EU strategy on Ukraine, says sanctions have failed; Ukraine preparing to export grain from ports despite Russian strike - minister and more

The committee, which met on Thursday, provides advice to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is responsible for making the final decision over whether to declare a global health emergency. U.N. secretary-general condemns reported strikes on Ukraine's Odesa port U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "unequivocally condemns" reported strikes on Saturday on Ukraine's Odesa port, a U.N. spokesperson said, adding that all parties in the Russia-Ukraine war had committed to a deal on Friday for the export of grains from Ukrainian ports.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

N.Korea denounces U.S. over Washington's remarks on cryptocurrency stealing

North Korea on Saturday condemned remarks by a senior White House official about Pyongyang's cyberattack capabilities and said it would continue to stand against what it called U.S. aggression toward it. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that branding North Korea as a "group of criminals" revealed the true nature of Washington's hostile policy towards North Korea.

Hundreds protest Tunisian referendum

Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Tunis on Saturday to demonstrate against a referendum to be held on Monday on a new constitution that they reject as illegal. President Kais Saied published the draft constitution, giving himself far more powers, reducing the role of the parliament and judiciary, and removing most checks on his power, less than a month ago.

Orban urges new EU strategy on Ukraine, says sanctions have failed

The European Union needs a new strategy on the war in Ukraine as sanctions against Moscow have not worked, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday. "A new strategy is needed which should focus peace talks and drafting a good peace proposal...instead of winning the war," Orban said in a speech in Romania.

Russian oligarchs' citizenship bids face scrutiny in Portugal

Portugal is analysing the citizenship applications of two Russian oligarchs - one of whom is under U.S. sanctions, the government said late on Friday, as a law granting passports to descendants of Sephardic Jews faces growing scrutiny. Russian-Israeli diamond oligarch Lev Leviev and Russian property developer God Nisanov are the latest high-profile Russians known to have applied for citizenship under the legislation.

Ukraine preparing to export grain from ports despite Russian strike - minister

Ukraine continues to prepare to restart grain exports from its Black Sea ports despite a Russian missile strike that hit the port of Odesa on Saturday, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. Russian missiles hit the southern port of Odesa, the Ukrainian military said, threatening a landmark deal signed just the day before to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.

Pakistan reports polio case to take year's count to 13

Pakistan's polio count for the year has risen to 13 with one case reported on Friday as the South Asian nation looks to contain a disease mostly eradicated elsewhere, officials said

The latest case was found in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and involved an 18-month-old boy reported to be undernourished, the health ministry said in a statement.

Russian missiles hit Ukraine port, putting landmark grain deal at risk

Russian missiles hit Ukraine's southern port of Odesa on Saturday, the Ukrainian military said, threatening a landmark deal signed just the day before to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war. The deal signed on Friday by Moscow and Kyiv and mediated by the United Nations and Turkey was hailed as a breakthough after nearly five months of punishing fighting since Russia invaded its neighbour. It is seen as crucial to curbing soaring global food prices by allowing grain exports to be shipped from Black Sea ports including Odesa.

WHO experts split on monkeypox emergency ahead of decision - sources

Members of a World Health Organization (WHO) expert group are split over whether the monkeypox outbreak represents a global health emergency, but the agency's director-general may still issue the maximum alert on Saturday, two sources close to the decision told Reuters. The committee, which met on Thursday, provides advice to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is responsible for making the final decision over whether to declare a global health emergency.

U.N. secretary-general condemns reported strikes on Ukraine's Odesa port

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "unequivocally condemns" reported strikes on Saturday on Ukraine's Odesa port, a U.N. spokesperson said, adding that all parties in the Russia-Ukraine war had committed to a deal on Friday for the export of grains from Ukrainian ports. "These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the globe," U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement. "Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative."

'I am the underdog', says UK PM candidate Sunak

Former British finance minister Rishi Sunak, one of two remaining candidates to become Britain's next prime minister, on Saturday described himself as the underdog in the contest. Sunak's resignation helped trigger a revolt that saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson agree to step down after a series of scandals. Members of the ruling Conservative Party will vote for a successor over the summer, with an announcement due on Sept. 5.