Reuters World News Summary

The committee said on its website that "armed Ukrainian formations targeted and deliberately fired at a group of Russian journalists" working near Pyatikhatka, in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region. Former Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official killed in car explosion -source A former senior member of an intelligence agency linked to a powerful Iraqi Kurdish party was killed Sunday night when a car he was in exploded in the city of Dohuk in the semi-autnomous Kurdistan region, a security source told Reuters and Kurdish news channel Rudaw reported.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

New Zealand justice minister quits after being charged following car crash

New Zealand's justice minister resigned on Monday after being arrested in relation to a car crash the previous day, the fourth minister to quit the cabinet in as many months in an election year. Kiri Allan has resigned from all her portfolios immediately, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said, after she was taken into police custody over the accident in the national capital of Wellington on Sunday.

Before election, UK's Sunak commits to 1 million new homes promise

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will commit to a promise to build 1 million homes by the next national election, tackling a lack of housing stock that has alienated some younger voters who are often forced to pay high rents and are unable to buy. Before an election expected next year, Sunak's governing Conservatives have witnessed a collapse of support among younger voters, who are frustrated at being priced out of owning their own homes and are struggling with high childcare costs.

Nova Scotia wrestles with aftermath of devastating floods

Canada's East Coast province of Nova Scotia began cleaning up on Sunday after torrential rainfall caused devastating floods, while the search continued for four people including two children who went missing during the deluge. The storm, which started on Friday, in some places dumped more than 25 cm (10 inches) in just 24 hours - as much as normally falls in three months. CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said it was the most rain to hit the provincial capital Halifax since Hurricane Beth in 1971.

UK sends rapid deployment team to Rhodes to help Britons leave

Britain's foreign office has deployed a rapid deployment team of five ministry staff and four British Red Cross responders to Rhodes to support British nationals on the island, a government spokesperson said on Sunday. "We are actively monitoring the fires in Rhodes and are in close contact with local authorities," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Mayor of Ecuadorian city of Manta assassinated in brazen attack

The mayor of the Ecuadorian Pacific port city of Manta, Agustin Intriago, was assassinated on Sunday, authorities said, in a brazen attack that stunned the political establishment. Police said the 38-year-old Intriago, who was re-elected as mayor of Manta in February, had been inspecting public works in the city at the time of the attack.

Spanish election's nail-biting finish makes hung parliament likely

Spain was heading for a hung parliament, with neither left nor right likely to secure a majority in the Sunday election, paving the way for drawn-out and potentially fruitless negotiations to form a government. With 99% of votes counted by 11:45 p.m. (2145 GMT), the opposition People's Party (PP) had 136 seats while Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's ruling Socialists (PSOE) had 122 seats. Parties with the greatest potential to be kingmakers were nearly even with far-right Vox on 33 and far-left Sumar on 31 seats.

Russian attack on Odesa kills one, damages cathedral, Zelenskiy says

A Russian missile attack on Ukraine's southern port of Odesa early on Sunday killed one, injured 20 and severely damaged an Orthodox cathedral in the city centre, a UNESCO world heritage site, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Odesa: another night attack of the monsters," Oleh Kiper, governor of the Odesa region, said on the Telegram messaging app. He said the missile attacks also destroyed six houses and apartment buildings and hospitalised 14 people.

Russia's Putin: Black Sea grain deal became meaningless

Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains because the agreement lost its meaning, President Vladimir Putin wrote in an article published early on Monday. "The continuation of the 'grain deal' - which did not justify its humanitarian purpose - has lost its meaning," Putin said, according to the article on the Kremlin's website.

Russia launches criminal probe into death of journalist in Ukraine

Russia's Investigative Committee said on Sunday it had launched a criminal probe into the killing of a Russian war reporter, an incident the country's defence ministry previously blamed on Ukraine's use of cluster munitions. The committee said on its website that "armed Ukrainian formations targeted and deliberately fired at a group of Russian journalists" working near Pyatikhatka, in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

Former Iraqi Kurdish intelligence official killed in car explosion -source

A former senior member of an intelligence agency linked to a powerful Iraqi Kurdish party was killed Sunday night when a car he was in exploded in the city of Dohuk in the semi-autnomous Kurdistan region, a security source told Reuters and Kurdish news channel Rudaw reported. Mohammed Mirza Sindi was previously a senior officer in the Parastin intelligence agency, an organization founded by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of two major parties that rules the northern Kurdistan region.

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