Monday morning news: May 1, 2023

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Sudan ceasefire/evacuation » Two rival military groups waging a bloody war in Sudan have agreed to extend a temporary truce, even as they accuse each other of violating it.

U.S. State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel:

VEDANT PATEL: The parties agreed to extend the current ceasefire for an additional 72 hours.3.

The U.S. government is seizing the opportunity to get more Americans safely out of the country.

U.S. soldiers in Port Sudan yesterday checked the travel documents for American evacuees before putting them on a boat for Saudi Arabia.

U.S. unmanned aircraft watched over a bus convoy carrying hundreds of U.S. citizens to Port Sudan.

Biden-Marcos » President Biden is welcoming the leader of a major U.S. ally at the White House today amid growing tensions with China. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines is the first leader of his country to visit the White House in more than decade.

The Chinese navy has harassed Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

The Philippines this year agreed to give the U-S access to four more bases on the islands as Washington looks to deter Beijing’s aggression.

And this week, the two countries’ air forces will hold their first joint fighter jet training in the Philippines in more than 30 years.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Texas mass shooting suspect still at large » Friends and family in Cleveland, Texas, are mourning five people killed in a mass shooting in which an angry neighbor is the suspect.

Police say Francisco Oropeza attacked his neighbors with a semiautomatic rifle after they asked him to stop firing rounds in his yard. An 8-year-old boy was one of the victims.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers says it wasn’t the first time law enforcement had to visit Oropeza’s residence.

SHERIFF CAPERS: We have been to that residence in the past. I cannot sit here and tell you how many times, but yes, there have been a couple of calls there for that type of behavior.

Authorities offered an $80,000 reward for information leading to Oropeza’s capture.

4. Russia/Ukraine » A Ukrainian soloist singing at a Sunday funeral service in the town of Uman in central Ukraine.

Relatives and friends cried next to caskets as they buried children and others killed in a Russian missile attack.

Almost all of the 23 victims died on Friday when two missiles slammed into an apartment building.

Also over the weekend, a massive fire erupted at an oil depot in Russian-occupied Crimea after it two of Ukrainian drones reportedly hit it.

Debt Ceiling » Republicans - and even some Democrats on Capitol Hill are pressing President Biden to come to the negotiating table on the nation’s debt ceiling.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise:

STEVE SCALISE: We just passed a bill though the House, and we’ve been very vocal. It’s been over two months since President Biden has sat down with Speaker McCarthy to have negotiations.

House Republicans passed a bill last week that would raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion dollars alongside sweeping spending cuts.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says by insisting on spending cuts in a debt ceiling package, Republicans are playing a dangerous game.

CHUCK SCHUMER: Now we have this extreme wing in the House that is risking default, which will set us back for years.

President Biden has repeatedly said he will not agree to tie spending cuts to raising the debt limit.

Box Office » At the weekend box office, The Mario Bros. just joined an exclusive club.

SOUND: [Super Mario Bros. trailer]

Only 51 movies have ever grossed a billion dollars globally, but you can make that 52 as The Super Mario Bros. crossed that threshold over the weekend.

The animated feature finished in first place at the domestic box office once again with another $40 million in ticket sales.

I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead: news from the Supreme Court. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat. This is The World and Everything in It.

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