• The foreign ministry of South Sudan said the rival generals fighting for control of neighboring Sudan agreed to a seven-day truce starting Thursday and to send representatives to peace talks, although neither faction has publicly confirmed the cease-fire. In less than a month, more than 100,000 Sudanese have fled the country and three times that number are believed to be displaced within Sudan by the fighting. (The New York Times)
• The United States and Mexico have agreed to new immigration policies ahead of an expected rise in migration once COVID-19-related restrictions expire next week, with Mexico agreeing to accept certain migrants rejected from the United States. The United States will also deploy 1,500 troops along the border to assist with the expected surge of crossings. (The Associated Press)
• Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation “to double the production of high-precision weapons in the shortest time possible,” offering hints to analysts about the state of Russia’s precision munitions stockpiles. The United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry assessed that Russia currently does not have “enough munitions to achieve success on the offensive.” (Al Jazeera)
• France’s top constitutional body is set to rule on a last-ditch effort by opposition legislators to halt French President Emmanuel Macron’s move to raise the retirement age to 64 through a possible referendum or new legislation. If the Constitutional Council finds that the opposition’s referendum proposal meets legal standards, they would have nine months to collect the signatures of 10% of French voters. (The Associated Press)

Charting Ukraine’s soaring exports to the EU

The Economist

India gears up for Kashmir G-20 talks opposed by Pakistan, China

Quratulain Rehbar, Nikkei Asia 

Security forces on high alert after terrorist attack that killed five Indian soldiers.

Exclusive: India, China propose ‘multiple pathways’ on cutting use of fossil fuels

Sarita Chaganti Singh, Reuters 

India, backed by China, is trying to build a consensus within the G20 group to let countries choose a roadmap to cut carbon emissions instead of setting a deadline to end the use of fossil fuels, three Indian government officials said.

Copper loses shine for investors on China’s mixed recovery

Jack Stone Truitt, Nikkei Asia 

Fund outflows increase after an early bump from lifting of COVID restrictions.

NATO to open Japan office, deepening Indo-Pacific engagement

Ken Moriyasu et al., Nikkei Asia 

Two sides to upgrade cooperation on cyber, disruptive tech and disinformation.

G-7 will act on financial instability if needed: Japan vice minister

Masaya Kato, Nikkei Asia 

Top currency diplomat Kanda says regulators should plan for bank runs in digital age.

UN: 258 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2022

The Associated Press

More than a quarter-billion people in 58 countries faced acute food insecurity last year due to conflicts, climate change, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, according to a report published Wednesday.

1. Korean, Japanese officials meet ahead of leaders’ summit

Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press

Senior South Korean and Japanese officials on Wednesday discussed strengthening relations and coordinating responses to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats in a meeting in Seoul ahead of a summit between the countries’ leaders.

US signals more support for South Korean chipmakers in tech battle with China

Christian Davies and Demetri Sevastopulo, Financial Times 

Samsung and SK Hynix can expect extension to permission for sending US chipmaking tools to their Chinese plants.

Unclear who would aid Taiwan in a war, foreign minister says

The Associated Press

Taiwan intends to fight for itself in any armed conflict with China and is unclear as to what countries might stand beside it, the self-governing island’s foreign minister said.

Myanmar’s Military Is No Longer in Effective Control of the Country

Kim Jolliffe, The Diplomat 

The country’s neighbors continue to treat the military administration like a viable sovereign entity. They risk being left behind by events.

Report: Taliban interfering with NGO work in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

A Taliban fighter fired his rifle into the air at a food distribution event in Afghanistan, an example of their harassment of nongovernmental groups operating in the country, a report said Wednesday.

On board a Philippine patrol in contested South China Sea

Jim Gomez et al., The Associated Press

When two Philippine coast guard vessels set out to patrol the volatile South China Sea recently, they had to face more than China’s growing territorial ambitions.

Zelensky says White House told him nothing about Discord leaks

Isabelle Khurshudyan, The Washington Post 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not had any conversations with the White House about a massive leak of top-secret U.S. intelligence documents, he said in a wide-ranging interview with The Washington Post on Monday, calling the disclosures damaging to both Washington and Kyiv.

Zelensky Is Expected to Meet With Nordic Leaders in Helsinki

Johanna Lemola and Enjoli Liston, The New York Times 

The Ukrainian president has made few overseas trips since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian spy network smuggles sensitive EU tech despite sanctions

Miles Johnson et al., Financial Times 

Covert FSB procurement chain acquires goods for war in Ukraine even after operatives were apprehended last year.

Fuel depot ablaze near key Crimea bridge in Russia

Lidia Kelly, Reuters 

A fuel depot was on fire early on Wednesday near a crucial bridge linking Russia’s mainland with Crimea, a Russian official said, days after Moscow blamed Ukraine for an attack that set fire to an oil depot in Sevastopol.

French unions keep up pressure on Emmanuel Macron over pensions

Leila Aboud, Financial Times 

President stands firm on unpopular reform, betting resistance from opposition parties and unions will fade.

Showtime! UK readies pomp for King Charles III’s coronation

Danica Kirka, The Associated Press

The crown has been resized. The troops are prepared for the biggest military procession in 70 years. The Gold State Coach is ready to roll.

5 killed in Haiti as vigilante crowds target suspected gangs

Evens Sanon, The Associated Press

Vigilante killings are surging in Haiti’s capital and surrounding areas, where an additional five men were slain and set on fire Tuesday by a crowd that left one of the bodies near a police station in an upscale community.

Colombia’s Petro in Spain to boost peace plan, investment

Raquel Redondo and Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press

Colombian President Gustavo Petro began a state visit to Spain on Wednesday to seek support for his peace plan for the South American country, and to discuss economic investment and migration policy.

Chile’s move to control lithium alarms industry

Harry Dempsey and Edward White, Financial Times 

Australia, Argentina and African countries set to benefit as Santiago moves ‘urgently’ to take stake in key projects.

Iran’s president holds rare meeting with Assad in Syria

Albert Aji, The Associated Press

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Wednesday met Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus in a bid to boost cooperation between the two allies, state media reported.

Media: Ugandan minister shot and killed by bodyguard

Rodney Muhumuza, The Associated Press

A bodyguard shot and killed a government minister in Uganda early Tuesday in an apparent private dispute, according to the army and local media.

Israeli and Palestinian forces trade fire after Islamic Jihad member dies in custody

James Shotter, Financial Times 

Israel responds to attack prompted by death of Khader Adnan.

Syrian refugees fearful as Lebanon steps up deportations

Abby Sewell and Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press

Lebanese officials are cracking down on Syrian refugees against the backdrop of a worsening economic crisis and political stalemate, an escalation that has caused a panic among Syrians in the country.

Iran Seizes Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Navy Says

Dion Nissenbaum, The Wall Street Journal

Event is the second time in less than a week that Iran has seized a commercial ship in the region.

Democrats unveil plan to bypass McCarthy on debt ceiling increase

Andrew Solender and Juliegrace Brufke, Axios 

House and Senate Democrats are taking procedural steps to force votes on a clean debt ceiling increase without the spending cuts Republicans have demanded.

Explainer: Could Biden avert a debt default by using the 14th Amendment?

Andy Sullivan and Jacqueline Thomsen, Reuters 

If Congress fails to act, some legal experts say Democratic President Joe Biden has another option to avert a crisis: Invoke the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ensure the United States can continue to pay its bills.

Bank failures put pressure on Federal Reserve’s inflation fighters

Colby Smith, Financial Times 

Latest monetary committee meeting could deliver last in series of interest rate rises.