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Sudan truce extension

Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have agreed to extend the ongoing ceasefire for 72 more hours, as violence continues across the country. The Sudanese army had earlier given its initial approval to the extension, which was proposed by a regional African bloc. However, sporadic gunfire and airstrikes continued on the outskirts of the capital Khartoum and western Darfur region despite the truce, which was due to expire Thursday midnight. The US has urged its citizens to leave the African country within 24 to 48 hours. The White House expressed concern on Wednesday over ceasefire violations, saying the situation could worsen at any moment. Several nations have already evacuated their citizens and diplomats from Sudan. More than 500 people have been killed and thousands injured since the fighting erupted in mid-April.

Russia drone industry

Russia’s drone industry could soon be worth one trillion roubles or over 12-billion dollars once a plan to boost production is put into place. This is according to the Russian president. Putin made the remarks after touring an industrial park in Moscow, which has been specially designed to manufacture drones. He added that drones could be used in virtually every part of the Russian economy. Last year, Putin ordered a strategy for drone development through 2030. The plan aims to increase Russia's drone output and create infrastructure for their widespread use in military and civilian sectors. According to Russian officials, the country should be able to make 18,000 drones a year by the end of 2026.

UK rail strike

There is apparently no let-up in the spate of industrial actions that have plagued the UK. This time, thousands of railroad workers have announced their plan to go on strike on May 13. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers announced the decision after rail workers rejected the latest pay offer by train companies. The union said workers are left with no option but to continue their campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, work conditions and job security. The train companies had offered a first-year pay rise of five-percent if the RMT guaranteed that no further strikes could take place. The UK has seen a wave of industrial actions across various public and private sectors since last summer, with workers demanding inflation-matching pay rises. The country's inflation has hit a 40-year high of about 10 percent.

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