Ukraine-Russia war top developments: Evacuations on in Mariupol, Wimbledon to ban Russian players, and more

Ukrainian officials said they hoped to get thousands of women and children out of the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol as Russia pressed ahead with a new offensive along front lines in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine hopes to evacuate 6,000 women, children and elderly from Mariupol
Ukraine hopes to evacuate 6,000 women, children and elderly people from the besieged city of Mariupol on Wednesday if a preliminary agreement with Russia holds, the city’s mayor said. Mayor Vadym Boichenko, who has left Mariupol, said 90 buses were waiting to head to the devastated southern port city.

Japan formally revokes Russia’s ”most favoured nation” status
Japan formally revoked Russia’s “most favoured nation” trade status Wednesday over its invasion of Ukraine, as Tokyo steps up sanctions amid revelations of the Russian military’s widespread atrocities against civilians. The stripping of Russia’s trade status is Japan’s latest move against Moscow and was part of a l of sanctions measures Prime Miner Fumio Kishida announced last month that also included a decision to expel eight Russian diplomats and trade officials.
Russian players to be barred from competing at Wimbledon
Russian players will not be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a report in sports industry news site Sportico on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which organises the grasscourt Grand Slam, said it was in talks with the British government on the participation of players from Russia and Belarus. The organisers said it planned to announce a decision in mid-May ahead of the entry deadline for the June 27-July 10 tournament.
Here are a few other key updates:
➡️ Russia’s military presence on Ukraine’s eastern border continues to build, a British military update said, adding that fighting in the southeastern Donbas region is intensifying as Russian forces seek to break through Ukrainian defences.
➡️ Russia called on Ukrainian troops at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol to surrender, saying its troops will observe a ceasefire while the proposal is in effect. No Ukrainian fighters responded to a similar call on Tuesday, Russia said.
➡️ About 120 civilians living next to the plant left via humanitarian corridors on Tuesday, the Interfax news agency reported, quoting Russian state TV.
➡️ European Council President Charles Michel made an unexpected visit to Kyiv, following a trip to the Ukrainian capital the head of the EU’s executive earlier this month.
➡️ Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who started transitioning to the IMF’s economic counsellor role in January, said the war in Ukraine may damage expectations for decades-high inflation to start to subside this year.

➡️ US President Joe Biden, British Prime Miner Boris Johnson and Canadian Prime Miner Justin Trudeau pledged to send more artillery weaponry to Ukraine.
➡️ Norway has donated about 100 Mral air defence missiles to Ukraine, the Norwegian defence minry said.
➡️ Western nations are preparing to stage coordinated walk-outs to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at Wednesday’s meeting of G20 finance miners in Washington.

➡️ Russia’s war in Ukraine is to blame for exacerbating “already dire” world food insecurity, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
➡️ World Bank President David Malpass will host a meeting on Thursday with Ukraine’s prime miner and finance miner to discuss further aid.
➡️ The Ukraine war’s impact on economic growth and associated costs such as reducing dependence on Russian natural gas have forced Austria to hike its budget deficit and debt forecasts for this year.
(Compiled from Reuters and Associated Press reports)