Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

N.Korea marks end of first COVID wave, but risks persist

North Korea on Friday said all of its fever patients have recovered, marking the end of its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but challenges linger with economic hardships deepening and an unvaccinated population exposed to future resurgences, analysts said. While state media said the “anti-epidemic situation … has entered a definite phase of stability”, rather than boasting of victory, North Korea said it would “redouble efforts to maintain perfection in the execution of state anti-epidemic policies”.

Explainer-How worried should we be about the monkeypox health emergency?

The United States declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency, a move that may increase health agency access to funds and allow the government new avenues for increasing production and use of existing vaccines. The move follows the declaration by the World Health Organization in July. A Reuters tally has counted more than 25,800 cases globally and three countries outside of Africa have reported deaths.

Pelosi visits Japan after Taiwan trip sparked outsized military drills by Beijing

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will meet Japanese officials in Tokyo on Friday, following a visit to Taiwan that Beijing answered with unprecedented military drills and missile launches including five that landed within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Pelosi’s brief trip to Taiwan, where she arrived unannounced with a congressional delegation late on Tuesday and left on Wednesday, marked the highest-level U.S. visit to the self-ruled island, which China claims as its own, in 25 years.

Furious China fires missiles near Taiwan in drills after Pelosi visit

China deployed scores of planes and fired live missiles near Taiwan on Thursday in its biggest drills in the Taiwan Strait, a day after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a solidarity trip to the self-ruled island. China’s military confirmed multiple firings of conventional missiles in waters off Taiwan as part of planned exercises in six zones set to run until noon on Sunday. It activated more than 100 planes, including fighter jets and bombers, and over 10 warships, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Analysis-Beyond yachts and planes: U.S. turns to foreign agent laws to curb Russian influence

In the five months since the U.S. Department of Justice launched a task force to seize Russian oligarchs’ assets to pressure Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, prosecutors also have targeted something less tangible: Russia’s influence. Prosecutors in that period have charged five Russians with acting on the Kremlin’s behalf without registering as foreign agents, as the Justice Department broadly ramps up enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and a related law known by its code number, 951.

UK PM hopefuls Sunak and Truss clash over recession warning in debate

British foreign minister Liz Truss clashed over the future of the economy with former finance minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday as the two contenders to be Britain’s next prime minister debated the Bank of England’s warnings of a long recession. Truss is up against Sunak to win the votes of 200,000 members of the Conservative Party who will by Sept. 5 choose a replacement for Boris Johnson, who was forced to resign after a series of scandals.

Ukraine under pressure in east as NATO chief says Russia must not win

Ukraine said on Thursday it had been forced to cede some territory in the east of the country in the face of a Russian offensive, and the head of the NATO military alliance said Moscow must not be allowed to win the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy this week described the pressure his armed forces were under in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine as “hell”. He spoke of fierce fighting around the town of Avdiivka and the fortified village of Pisky, where Kyiv has acknowledged its Russian foe’s “partial success” in recent days.

North Korea ‘paves the way’ for more nuclear tests – U.N. report

North Korea made preparations for a nuclear test during the first six months of this year, according to an excerpt of a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters on Thursday. “Work at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site paves the way for additional nuclear tests for the development of nuclear weapons,” independent sanctions monitors reported to the U.N. Security Council North Korea sanctions committee.

U.S. senior diplomat kicks off Pacific tour in Samoa

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Samoa’s leader on Friday, discussing climate change, ocean security and opportunities to work together as Washington seeks to re-engage the region amid growing Chinese influence. The senior U.S. diplomat’s visit is part of a multi-leg trip to Pacific nations. Sherman is now headed to Tonga.

Russia sentences Griner to 9 years in prison, White House calls for her release

A Russian court sentenced U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison on Thursday after finding her guilty of deliberately bringing cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia, a ruling that U.S. President Joe Biden called “unacceptable.” Griner was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs by police after the ruling, turning to reporters and saying: “I love my family”.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)