The battle for Bakhmut, the Ukrainian city which Russia has spent months trying to capture, is "stabilising", says Ukraine's commander-in-chief.

alerii Zaluzhnyi said Ukrainian troops' "tremendous efforts" were holding back Russia.

Earlier this month, Western officials estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops had been killed or injured in Bakhmut since last summer.

Moscow is eager for a victory after failing to make major recent gains.

Despite this, military analysts believe Bakhmut has little strategic value, with the city's importance now symbolic.

The high number of Russian casualties may be the main reason Ukraine has not withdrawn from the city, analysts say.

On Facebook, Lt Gen Zaluzhnyi said that while the situation on Ukraine's frontlines "is the toughest in the Bakhmut direction... due to the tremendous efforts of the defence forces, we are managing to stabilise the situation".

Lt Gen Zaluzhnyi posted after speaking to the UK's Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, about the situation in Ukraine.

His comments are the latest positive signal from Ukrainian officials about the long battle for Bakhmut.

The UK's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Russia's assault on Bakhmut has "largely stalled", citing "extreme attrition" of the Russian force as a cause, and added that Russia has likely shifted its operational focus to the south and north of Bakhmut.

Such moves might suggest an "overall return to a more defensive operational design" after Russia failed to achieve significant results from its attempts to conduct a general offensive since January, the UK said.

Earlier this week, Oleksandr Syrsky, commander of the country's ground forces, said that Russian troops were "exhausted" near Bakhmut.

Mr Syrsky added that while Russia had "not given up hope of taking Bakhmut at all costs despite losses in manpower and equipment... they are losing significant strength".

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited the frontline near Bakhmut, where he last visited in December.

Footage showed him in an old warehouse giving medals to soldiers, whom he called "heroes".

The Institute for War, a think tank, said on Thursday that although Ukraine is still outnumbered by the Wagner group, Ukrainian forces "continue to exhaust the mercenaries, which will enable Ukrainian forces to pursue unspecified future offensive operations".

Wagner, a private, mercenary organisation, is at the heart of the Russian assault on Bakhmut. Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has staked his reputation on seizing the city.

The MoD said the Russian situation in Bakhmut was likely worsened by tensions between Wagner and the Russian Ministry of Defence.

About 70,000 people lived in Bakhmut before the invasion, but only a few thousand remain.

Freeze leftover coffee for iced coffee:
Pour leftover coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then, use the coffee cubes to make iced coffee without watering it down.
Use a post-it note to clean your keyboard:
Slide a post-it note between the keys of your keyboard to remove dust and crumbs.
Use a binder clip to organize your wallet:
Clip your credit cards and IDs together with a binder clip to keep them organized in your wallet.
Use a rubber band to open a jar:
Wrap a rubber band around the lid of a jar and twist it open with ease.
Use a muffin tin to serve condiments:
Use a muffin tin to serve condiments at a party or barbecue. This will keep them organized and prevent them from spilling

1. Use a binder clip to organize cords: Wrap up cords neatly and clip them together with a binder clip. This will prevent cords from tangling and make them easy to find.
2. Freeze grapes for a refreshing snack: Freeze grapes and enjoy them as a refreshing and healthy snack. They are like bite-sized popsicles!
3. Use a shower cap to cover shoes in your suitcase: Put a shower cap over the soles of your shoes when packing them in a suitcase to keep the dirt and germs from spreading to your clothes.
4. Use a rubber band to hold your phone up while watching videos: Wrap a rubber band around your phone and prop it up on a flat surface to make a quick and easy phone stand.
5. Use a clothespin to hold a nail: Hold a nail in place with a clothespin while hammering it in. This will help prevent you from accidentally hitting your fingers.

Australia's leader has unveiled crucial details of a planned referendum which could see it change its constitution for the first time in almost 50 years.

If passed, a referendum later this year would create an official organisation called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, which would allow Indigenous people to offer their opinions on laws.

It would be a "quite basic" yet "momentous" adjustment, according to PM Anthony Albanese.


Only eight of 44 constitutional referendums have been successful, making them fairly uncommon.

The Voice is the subject of heated discussion across the political spectrum, with both supporters and opponents.

WHAT IS THE VOICE OF PARLIMENT ?
The Uluru Declaration from the Heart, a significant do****ent from 2017, recommended The Voice.

Though not unanimously agreed upon, the declaration, which was drafted by more than 250 Indigenous leaders, is regarded as the best call to action for First Nations Australians.

Mr. Albanese revealed the suggested phrasing for the question that Australians will be required to vote on on Thursday.

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would be established as part of a proposed proposal to amend the constitution to recognise Australia's Indigenous Peoples. 

Australians "share this vast island continent with the world's longest continuous culture," Mr. Albanese said in an emotional speech, adding the Voice will "enshrine acknowledgement" of that fact.

"This should be noted on our birth certificate as a nation and we should be proud of it".

The US central bank has raised interest rates again, despite fears that the move could add to financial turmoil after a string of bank failures.

The financial system is "strong and robust," according to the Federal Reserve, which raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points.

But, it also issued a warning that the effects of the bank failures could hinder future economic growth.
The Fed has increased borrowing costs in an effort to keep prices stable.

But, the banking system is under stress as a result of the substantial increase in interest rates since last year.

Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, two American banks, also failed this month, suc****bing in part as a result of issues brought on by increasing interest rates.

Concerns exist regarding the value of the bonds that banks own since higher interest rates could devalue the bonds.

Banks frequently maintain substantial bond portfolios, which results in their sitting.