Reuters World News Summary

(1630 GMT). Venezuela hits back at 'crazy' former U.S. adviser Bolton's coup-plotting admission A Venezuelan government official on Thursday called former White House national security adviser John Bolton "crazy" after his admission this week that he had tried to plot foreign coups, including backing an unsuccessful bid to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ukraine denounces deadly strike as talks show progress on grain exports

Russian missiles struck a Ukrainian city far behind the frontlines in an attack Kyiv officials said was a war crime that killed at least 23 people while there were more signs of progress in efforts to unblock Ukrainian grain exports. The strike on Vinnytsia on Thursday, which Ukraine said had been carried out with Kalibr cruise missiles launched from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea, followed a breakthrough in talks between Moscow and Kyiv on resuming Ukrainian grain shipments and underscored how far the two sides remain from a peace settlement.

China pushes for U.N. arms embargo on Haiti criminal gangs

China said on Thursday it wants the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo on criminal gangs in Haiti as the 15-member body negotiates a resolution to extend a U.N. political mission in the strife-torn Caribbean country. The council is due to vote on Friday when the mandate for the U.N. mission expires. But China, backed by Russia, has raised issues with the text drafted by the United States and Mexico.

Former finance minister Sunak cements lead in race to be Britain's PM

Former finance minister Rishi Sunak cemented his lead over rivals to become Britain's next prime minister on Thursday in an increasingly bitter race to replace Boris Johnson. Sunak, whose exit from the Treasury last week was one of the first in a cascade of resignations that forced Johnson to quit, has been the frontrunner among Conservative lawmakers despite being blamed by some for his role in Johnson's downfall.

Sri Lankan president hands in resignation after fleeing to Singapore

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday, a spokesperson for the parliament speaker said, hours after fleeing to Singapore following mass protests over an economic meltdown. The announcement triggered jubilation in the commercial capital Colombo where protesters massed outside the presidential secretariat, defying a city-wide curfew.

U.S., Israel sign joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear weaponry

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint pledge on Thursday to deny Iran nuclear arms, a show of unity by allies long divided over diplomacy with Tehran. The undertaking, part of a "Jerusalem Declaration" crowning Biden's first visit to Israel as president, came a day after he told a local TV station that he was open to "last resort" use of force against Iran - an apparent move toward accommodating Israel's calls for a "credible military threat" by world powers.

Mexican families hold funerals for migrants who died in Texas trailer tragedy

In small towns in eastern and western Mexico, hundreds of mourners gathered in the predawn hours on Thursday to hold the first funerals for migrants who died last month while being smuggled in a suffocating trailer in San Antonio, Texas. More than 50 people perished in the incident, which was the deadliest human smuggling tragedy in the United States on record.

Malik, acquitted in deadly 1985 Air India bombing, killed in Canada -media

A man was shot dead in British Columbia on Thursday who local media reports said was Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Canadian Sikh businessman acquitted in connection with the 1985 Air India bombing that killed 329 people. Police, in a statement responding to a Reuters request for information on Malik's death, said they had found a man suffering from gunshot wounds when officers responded to a reported shooting just before 9:30 a.m. (1630 GMT).

Venezuela hits back at 'crazy' former U.S. adviser Bolton's coup-plotting admission

A Venezuelan government official on Thursday called former White House national security adviser John Bolton "crazy" after his admission this week that he had tried to plot foreign coups, including backing an unsuccessful bid to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Earlier this week, Bolton said in the interview with CNN that he had helped plan coups d'etat. He did not go into detail but mentioned Venezuela, where the United States supported opposition leader Juan Guaido's failed bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro in 2019.

G20 finance leaders meet in Bali under cloud of Ukraine war

G20 finance leaders meet on Friday on the resort island of Bali, as host Indonesia tries to find common ground in a group frayed by the Ukraine war amid rising economic pressures from soaring inflation. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a "special military operation", has overshadowed previous meetings by the Group of 20 major economies, including last week's gathering of foreign ministers.

Italy's president rejects Draghi resignation, tells him to address parliament

The Italian head of state on Thursday rejected the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi and asked him to address parliament to get a clear picture of the political situation, a statement from President Sergio Mattarella's office said. Draghi tendered his resignation after the 5-Star Movement, a party in his ruling coalition, did not take part in a confidence vote in the government.