LIVE: Russian shelling hinders efforts to help trapped Mariupol residents

Residents have been cowering under fire, and without power or water, in the Black Sea port city of over 400,000 people for more than a week

12:40 PM

More than 10,000 evacuated from places around Kyiv

More than 10,000 people were evacuated from villages and cities around Kyiv on Wednesday, Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said on local television on Thursday. Reuters reported this.

11:20 AM

Citigroup says it’s assessing its operations in Russia

Citigroup Inc. said it’s assessing its operations in Russia after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine resulted in his country’s economy becoming disconnected from the global financial system. The New York-based bank is operating its consumer business in Russia “on a more limited basis given current circumstances and obligations,” Bloomberg reported citing a statement by a senior bank executive.

10:53 AM

Oil prices rise on hope of increased output

Oil prices rose on Thursday following a sharp drop in the previous session as the market contemplated whether major producers would boost supply to help plug the gap in output from Russia due to sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. Brent crude futures were up $3.10, or 2.8%, at $114.24 a barrel at 0419 GMT after trading in a more than $5 range, Reuters reported. 

9:33 AM

Rio Tinto says it will cut all ties with Russian businesses

Rio Tinto on Thursday became the first major mining company to announce it was cutting all ties with Russian businesses, joining a raft of leading Western companies in a pullout following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Rio has previously said it has no operational assets or employees to pull out of Russia, or Ukraine, but the move comes as Western firms come under increasing pressure to exit Russia since the invasion began on February 24, Reuters reported.

8:51 AM

US House votes for bill giving $13.6 bn in aid for Ukraine

A majority of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to approve a $1.5 trillion bill that would provide $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine, fund the federal government through Sept. 30 and spend $15.6 billion to address the Covid-19 pandemic. The vote was still under way. If approved by the House, the sweeping legislation would move on to the Senate, Reuters reported. 

7:56 AM

Ukraine's president accuses Russia of genocide

Ukraine's president accused Russia of carrying out genocide after officials said Russian aircraft bombed a children's hospital on Wednesday, burying patients in rubble despite a ceasefire deal for people to flee the besieged city of Mariupol, Reuters reported. The attack, which authorities said injured women in labour and left children in the wreckage, is the latest grim incident of the 14-day invasion, the biggest assault on a European state since 1945.

7:54 AM

Nestle, Philip Morris, Sony step away from Russia

Nestle, Philip Morris and video gamemaker Sony joined the list of multinationals stepping back from Russia on Wednesday as pressure mounts from consumers in the West to take a stand against the invasion of Ukraine. Nestle, the world's biggest packaged foods group, and Mondeleze International, followed actions by rivals Procter & Gamble and Unilever in halting investment in Russia, Reuters reported.

7:29 AM

35,000 evacuated through humanitarian corridors

Around 35,000 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors from three cities on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Local officials said civilians had left Sumy in the east and Enerhodar in the south. Another six escape routes are planned for Thursday, Reuters quoted Zelenskiy as saying.

7:28 AM

IMF approves $1.4 bn emergency funding for Ukraine

The International Monetary Fund’s board has approved $1.4 billion in emergency financing for Ukraine as Russia’s invasion savages the nation’s economy. The funds come from the institution’s Rapid Financing Instrument, the IMF said in a statement on Wednesday.