Ukraine says Russia eases attacks on Bakhmut
Russian troops have temporarily eased attacks in and around the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to regroup and strengthen their capabilities, a senior Kyiv official said on Saturday.
Separately, senior Ukrainian officials indicated their forces were ready to launch a long-promised counteroffensive to recapture territory taken by Russia since the start of the war.
Russia’s Wagner private army began handing over positions to regular troops this week after declaring full control of Bakhmut following the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.
Kyiv though has insisted that its forces still control a small part of the city.
Over 1,500 climate activists arrested in Netherlands
More than 1,500 people were arrested during a protest by the Extinction Rebellion climate group in The Hague on Saturday, Dutch police said.
Activists blocked a section of a motorway during the afternoon in protest against Dutch fossil fuel subsidies.
Police said they had used water cannon to disperse activists blocking a major road in the city, and arrested “a total of 1,579 people... 40 of whom will be prosecuted” on charges including vandalism.
Mercedes fear ‘circus’ crane operator exposed car secrets
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff joked that a Monaco Grand Prix crane operator must have been trained by the “Cirque du Soleil” after Lewis Hamilton’s car was lifted sky high following a crash in final practice.
More seriously, there was some concern the incident may have revealed to rivals secrets of the car’s floor and upgraded aerodynamics.
Mercedes have gone back to the drawing board with their under-performing car and Monaco was the debut of the revised version.
Bayern Munich win Bundesliga with last-gasp goal
Bayern Munich snatched their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion with a final day 2-1 win at Cologne on Saturday courtesy of Jamal Musiala’s 89th minute goal, grabbing the trophy from the hands of rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund had gone into the last game of the season in top spot but stumbled to a 2-2 draw against visitors Mainz 05, allowing Bayern to squeeze past them in the tightest league race in years.
In a climactic season finale, Bayern were celebrating what ended up being an unexpected title win while Dortmund’s dreams of their first league trophy since 2012 were left in tatters when they were trailing 2-0 to Mainz early on before battling to a 2-2 draw - but they needed victory to become champions.
France’s Justine Triet takes top prize at Cannes Film Festival
French director Justine Triet became the third woman to win the top prize Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday with her gripping and icy Anatomy Of A Fall.
Victory for the tense courtroom drama about a writer accused of her husband’s murder capped a strong year for women directors at the French Riviera festival.
The 44-year-old follows two previous women winners of the prestigious Palme d’Or - Jane Campion for The Piano (1993) and Julia Ducournau for Titane (2021).
