Jun 1, 2023

*) Sudan’s army bombs RSF bases in Khartoum Sudanese army forces have blasted the bases of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group with artillery in Khartoum. The flare-up comes after the army pulled out of Saudi-brokered ceasefire talks, accusing their foes of failing to honour their commitments. On Wednesday, in both the north and south of the capital, key bases of commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s RSF paramilitary came under attack by troops loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al Burhan, residents said. *) US House votes to avert default, advancing Biden-McCarthy deal to Senate The US House has approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, advancing President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s deal to the Senate. The hard-fought deal pleased few, but lawmakers assessed it was better than the alternative — a devastating economic upheaval if Congress failed to act. Tensions ran high as hard-right Republicans refused the deal to raise the nation’s debt limit, while Democrats said “extremist” GOP views were risking a debt default as soon as next week. *) UN proposes ‘mutually beneficial’ system to improve grain deal The United Nations has proposed that Kiev, Moscow and Ankara start preparatory work for the transit of Russian ammonia through Ukraine, a source close to the talks said. The UN wants parallel talks to be held on widening the Black Sea deal that was agreed last July to include more Ukrainian ports and other cargoes, said the source. Russia agreed this month to a two-month extension of the deal but has said the initiative will cease unless an agreement aimed at overcoming obstacles to Russian grain and fertiliser exports is fulfilled. *) Firefighters battle ‘unprecedented’ wildfires in Canada Firefighters have faced a gruelling uphill battle against wildfires in Canada’s Nova Scotia province, including one threatening the suburbs of Halifax. Federal help was coming to the Atlantic province, officials said, along with firefighters from the United States. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Hou