• The warring parties in Sudan have agreed to negotiations, according to the United Nations’ top official in the country, though fighters again clashed in Khartoum despite another extension of a notional truce. The official said that talks, potentially in Saudi Arabia, would focus on establishing a “stable and reliable” cease-fire with international observation. (The Associated Press)
• President Joe Biden is set to host Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House today for a meeting that comes a week after the two sides held their largest-ever joint military exercises amid concerns about China’s military presence in the South China Sea. Marcos is the first Philippine president to visit Washington in over a decade, and senior Biden administration officials previewed new bilateral agreements on trade, education and military equipment ahead of the visit. (The Associated Press)
• Ukrainian strikes on the Crimean port of Sevastopol ignited a massive reserve of fuel at a depot used to supply Russian forces in Ukraine, which Ukrainian officials described as the overture of its long-awaited spring offensive. The region between Kherson and Crimea is widely believed to be a primary objective of the coming assault. (The New York Times)
• The European Union announced a deal to provide over $100 million in aid to farmers in eastern E.U. countries who have been hurt by a glut of cheap Ukrainian food imports, while simultaneously extending the tariff exemptions on Ukrainian grains for another year. E.U. Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said it was “a solution which is addressing the concerns both of farmers in neighboring member states and Ukraine.” (The New York Times)

Happening today (all times Eastern):

• 2 p.m. The Brookings Institution hosts a discussion of U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Voters’ Views of the U.S. Economy: Not Bad, but Not Great

Morning Consult

U.S. Asks Brazil to Hand Over Russian Accused of Spying

Luciana Magalhaes and Samantha Pearson, The Wall Street Journal 

Extradition request comes amid talk of potential prisoner swaps.

On May Day, workers rally for better labor conditions

Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated Press

Workers and activists around the world marked May Day on Monday with rallies calling for higher salaries, reduced working hours and other better working conditions.

Currencies in limbo awaiting packed week of central banks

Stella Qiu, Reuters 

Currencies were in limbo on Monday as holidays in most of Asia made for thin trading, while traders braced for a packed week of central bank meetings that would offer the latest guidance on future rate hikes across continents.

ASEAN, Japan and others eye broader currency safety net 

Hana Slevin Ohama and Masaya Kato, Nikkei Asia 

Changes to Chiang Mai Initiative would cover natural disasters, pandemics.

G-7 ministers agree to ‘five principles’ for assessing AI risks

Ryohei Yasoshima and Shiko Ueda, Nikkei Asia 

Group seeks to avoid incompatible standards that would impede development.

Material prices drop sharply on concerns about Chinese slowdown

Nikkei Asia 

Despite end of lockdowns, steel purchases fail to meet expectations.

Japan’s Kishida to visit South Korea, likely in 1st half of May

Nikkei Asia 

Trip would come ahead of G-7 summit in Hiroshima later in month

Japan PM Kishida’s approval rating recovers past 50%

Nikkei Asia 

Osaka-born Japan Innovation Party emerges as leading opposition force.

U.S. ‘ready’ to aid Philippine resupplies in South China Sea: admiral 

Ryo Nakamura, Nikkei Asia 

Paparo eyes cooperation with Japan and Australia amid unsafe Chinese maneuvers.

China Locks Information on the Country Inside a Black Box

Lingling Wei et al., The Wall Street Journal

Restrictions on Wind database and other information channels add to campaign to curb foreign influence.

China’s local governments stuck with bill for neighbourhood surveillance

Sun Yu, Financial Times 

Cash-strapped authorities struggle to reduce headcount and meet Beijing’s demands for greater security.

Chinese factory activity declines in April on weak global consumption

Joe Leahy and Edward White, Financial Times 

Services and construction still show expansion, indicating uneven recovery across post-Covid economy.

Uzbekistan votes ‘yes’ to new constitution in victory for president 

Paul Bartlett, Nikkei Asia 

Mirziyoyev wins more time as critics question promises of more power to the people.

Myanmar, neighbors including Thailand hold Track 1.5 dialogue without ASEAN members

Zachary Abuza, Radio Free Asia 

Beyond refusing to invite the junta to its meetings, ASEAN has done little except let down the people of Myanmar.

Prayuth’s new party courts Thai voters with pledge of stability

Francesca Regalado, Nikkei Asia 

Prime minister’s economic czar takes stock of nine-year legacy.

Thailand’s rural political leaders move center stage in election

Marwaan Macan-Markar, Nikkei Asia 

Revised constituency rules add weight to provincial vote influencers.

Singapore deepens US defence ties despite Chinese financial inflows

Mercedes Ruehl, Financial Times 

The city-state draws both people and capital from Beijing, but looks to Washington for regional security.

Pope Reveals He’s Working on Secret ‘Mission’ of Peace in Ukraine

Jason Horowitz, The New York Times 

Francis said he was doing “all that is humanly possible” to help return Ukrainian children taken to Russia and urged Hungary not to slam doors on migrants.

Russian navy ship photographed near Nord Stream pipelines before blasts

AFP via The Guardian 

Submarine rescue vessel SS-750 was photographed in Baltic four days before still-unexplained explosions, says Danish newspaper.

Labour has 18-point lead on Tories as local election day looms

Michael Savage, The Guardian 

Opinium poll shows slump in personal ratings of Rishi Sunak, with 26% approving of his performance and 44% disapproving.

Do People in the U.K. Care About King Charles’s Coronation?

Mark Landler, The New York Times 

Images of the new king may be blanketing Britain, but many in the country are more focused on navigating a cost-of-living crisis than celebrating a dysfunctional royal family.

‘It’s hell’: vigilantes take to Haiti’s streets in bloody reprisals against gangs

Tom Phillips, The Guardian 

Members of terrorised Port-au-Prince communities armed with rocks and machetes carry out wave of lynchings.

Santiago Pena scores big victory in Paraguay’s presidential election

AFP via France24 

Quick to smile and described as affable, Paraguay’s new President Santiago Pena, 44, is the fresh face of an old institution — the conservative Colorado Party that has ruled the South American country for nearly eight decades.

Venezuela Crisis: Colombia’s Petro Hosts Summit on Restarting Maduro-Opposition Talks

Catherine Osborn, Foreign Policy 

At Colombia’s urging, the United States gets explicit about sanctions relief to woo Maduro back to the negotiating table.

Brazil’s lawmakers to vote on ‘fake news’ bill opposed by tech groups

Bryan Harris and Hannah Murphy, Financial Times 

Critics decry measures as draconian and open to abuse by special interests.

Gas Shortages Force Cuba to Cancel May Day Parade

Emiliano Rodriguez Mega and Ed Augustin, The New York Times 

Severe fuel shortages have forced the Cuban authorities to cancel the widely celebrated International Workers’ Day parade, which had been set for Monday. The event typically draws hundreds of thousands of people dressed in red, waving flags and banners in support of socialism and the Cuban Revolution.

World Food Programme lifts suspension of operations in Sudan

Nafisa Eltahir, Reuters 

The United Nations’ World Food Programme said on Monday it will immediately lift the suspension of its operations in Sudan that was put in place after the tragic deaths of its team member.

Israel’s Netanyahu Says He is Committed to Compromise on Judicial Overhaul as Knesset Reconvenes
Dov Lieber, The Wall Street Journal

Israeli premier faces pressure from within his own government to move forward even if a compromise cannot be reached.

Israelis rally for 17th week against judicial overhaul plans

The Associated Press

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested judicial overhaul proposals Saturday in the 17th weekly rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

Turkish forces kill Islamic State chief in Syria raid, says Erdoğan

Ruth Michaelson, The Guardian 

Turkish president says Abu Hussein al-Qurashi was killed after long pursuit while northern Syria residents report clashes and large explosion.

China looks to West Africa for iron ore supplies

Jevans Nyabiage, South China Morning Post 

Chinese firms have made major investments in mining projects in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have extensive high-quality reserves

Iran keeps inflation data under wraps as economic crisis deepens

Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Financial Times 

Government accused of concealing evidence that prices are spiraling to record levels.

U.S. Struggles to Replenish Munitions Stockpiles as Ukraine War Drags On 

Doug Cameron, The Wall Street Journal 

Supplies are drained at the same time Pentagon, defense industry look to deter China.

U.S. to set up migrant centers ahead of Title 42 change

Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times 

The United States will establish regional processing centers for migrants in Colombia and Guatemala in an effort to reduce arrivals at the southern border after a pandemic-era policy ends next month, Biden administration officials announced Thursday.