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UK rail strike

Tens of thousands of railway workers in Britain are walking off their jobs, bringing rail transport nationwide to a standstill. More than 50,000 people are refusing to work in the biggest strike in more than three decades. They are protesting their below-inflation pay. Last-ditch talks over the workers’ demands have failed to break the impasse. London Underground also remains shut. The opposition Labor party is criticizing Boris Johnson’s government for failing to resolve the dispute. The government is under a lot of pressure for its economic policies. In recent months, Britain has been facing high inflation. Train services will also be canceled on Thursday and Saturday. Strike leaders say the campaign will run for as long as necessary. There are fears of similar industrial action among teachers, medics and waste disposal workers.

US fighters in Ukraine

The Kremlin says two Americans who were caught fighting Russian forces in Ukraine have committed crimes and will have to be punished for that. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the two were endangering Russian lives by firing at and shelling military personnel. According to Peskov, Russia cannot guarantee that they will not face the death penalty. He says the nature of their crimes will be investigated. These are the first official comments coming out of Moscow about the two Americans after the US State Department said it had seen reports of their seizure. Both captives are reportedly US military veterans. Earlier, a Russian-backed court sentenced two Britons to death for fighting as mercenaries alongside the Ukrainian army. 

Ecuador protest

In Ecuador, indigenous people continue to pressure their government over its economic policies. Thousands have arrived in the capital from across the nation to join the chorus of protests. They marched through the streets of Quito on the eighth day of the campaign. The protesters are demanding fuel price cuts and controls on food prices. President Guillermo Lasso has announced a small increase in monthly subsidies paid to vulnerable people, but the protesters believe the measure is not enough. The demonstrations have disrupted the economy, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency in six provinces. Scores of people have been injured and arrested in clashes with security forces. Over the past two years, diesel prices have almost doubled in Ecuador, which is facing rising inflation, unemployment and poverty. The coronavirus pandemic has even worsened the situation. 

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