Depois do Frente Democrática de Esquerda (LDF) sofreu uma derrota esmagadora no Eleição para a assembleiaO ministro-chefe de Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, na segunda-feira (4 de maio de 2026) apresentou a renúncia de seu governo ao governador Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
A LDF foi totalmente derrotada pela Frente Democrática Unida (UDF)que conquistou 102 dos 140 assentos na Assembleia. O LDF garantiu 35 assentos, enquanto o BJP conquistou três assentos.
Uma vista do Freshworks, no GlobalInfocity Park, Perungudi, em Chennai [File] | Crédito da foto: RAVINDRAN R
A Freshworks disse na terça-feira que cortaria 11% de sua força de trabalho, ou cerca de 500 empregos, enquanto a empresa de software program empresarial enfrenta uma indústria que está sendo remodelada pela inteligência synthetic.
As ações da empresa caíram cerca de 5% nas negociações estendidas. Os cortes são os mais recentes vinculados à IA no setor de software program, à medida que as empresas correm para automatizar o trabalho e remodelar produtos em torno da tecnologia, ao mesmo tempo que tentam compensar seus elevados custos. Peer Atlassian, no mês passado, disse que “cortaria cerca de 10% dos empregos”.
O Congresso na quarta-feira (6 de maio de 2026) anunciou formalmente uma aliança com Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) do ator C. Joseph Vijay “baseada no respeito mútuo, na partilha apropriada e na responsabilidade partilhada entre as duas partes”.
Assim, o partido rompeu unilateralmente os seus laços de mais de duas décadas com o DMK em Tamil Nadu. Os dois partidos deram-se as mãos antes das eleições do Lok Sabha de 2004 e a sua relação permaneceu praticamente intacta, excepto por uma breve separação durante as eleições do Lok Sabha de 2014.
Quando a maioria das pessoas ouve a palavra “vestível”, provavelmente pensa em um Apple Watch. Por muito tempo, os wearables foram definidos pelo smartwatch e por toda a capacidade de monitoramento de saúde e entrega discreta de notificações que eles oferecem. Mas já se passou muito tempo desde que o primeiro Apple Watch entrou em cena – mais de 10 anos, na verdade – e muita coisa aconteceu no mundo dos wearables desde então. Potencialmente, demais, na verdade.
Quando digo que existe um wearable para basicamente tudo, estou apenas sendo um pouco hiperbólico. Veja este participante recente de uma empresa chamada Sabique amontoa tecnologia vestível em… um gorro. O que exatamente um gorro/vestível faz, você pergunta? Bem, leia seu cérebro, é claro. Sabi diz que usando eletroencefalografia (EEG) e vários pequenos sensores dentro do gorro, seu wearable pode funcionar como uma interface cérebro-computador e traduzir seus pensamentos em texto em um dispositivo separado. Aparentemente, o dispositivo pode preencher palavras em uma tela a uma taxa de cerca de 30 palavras por minuto.
Um dispositivo como este tem aplicações mais diretas para aqueles com necessidades de acessibilidade, mas, teoricamente, qualquer pessoa poderia usá-lo e, por mais inovador que possa parecer o perfect, os wearables com detecção cerebral com EEG são uma categoria cada vez mais competitiva. Eu deveria saber, já que experimentei alguns. Produtos de áudio, por exemplo, como os fabricados por uma empresa chamada NextSense, prometem colocar os benefícios de um wearable de saúde dentro de um pequeno conjunto de fones de ouvido sem fio.
Usando EEG, os Smartbuds do NextSense podem monitorar seu sono em tempo actual, o que é uma diferença em comparação com outros wearables de rastreamento do sono. Contrapartes como os anéis inteligentes de Oura inferem o sono através de outros sinais biométricos, como frequência cardíaca e temperatura corporal, o que é um pouco menos direto. NextSense também leva seus botões de EEG um passo adiante. A empresa afirma que seus fones de ouvido sem fio podem não apenas monitorar seu sono, mas também avaliar o nível de sono e depois melhorá-lo tocando ruído rosa estrategicamente cronometrado. É uma abordagem nova para monitorar o sono e não funcionou tão bem quanto eu gostaria quando revisei os botões, mas ainda é um exemplo interessante de como os wearables se tornaram expansivos. NextSense também não está sozinho em sua linha de pensamento.
Somnee, que oferece uma faixa para dormir, está se aventurando por um caminho semelhante. Como os Smartbuds NextSense, Faixa de dormir de Somnee tem EEGs que podem ler suas ondas cerebrais e têm como objetivo melhorar o sono, embora adote uma abordagem um pouco diferente. Em vez de aprofundar o sono com ruído rosa, ele na verdade dá um pequeno choque no cérebro (15 minutos de estimulação elétrica leve, chamada estimulação transcraniana por corrente alternada) para imitar os sinais do sono e fazer você dormir mais rápido. Eu tentei e é no mínimo estranho, mas para algumas pessoas pode realmente melhorar o sono.
Se EEGs em um gorro e choques em seu cérebro para dormir não parecem excitantes o suficiente, vou criar um EEG para você dentro de um fone de ouvido para jogos. Este da HyperX e de uma empresa chamada Neurable pode ler suas ondas cerebrais e avaliar seus níveis de foco. Se detectar que você está distraído, você pode fazer um breve teste meditativo que envolve focar em pontos em uma tela até que eles formem um orbe singular. Isso, teoricamente, deveria aumentar seu foco e ajudá-lo a ter um melhor desempenho em jogos como jogos de tiro, que exigem tempo de reação e acuidade psychological excelentes. O repórter do Gizmodo, Kyle Barr, testou o fone de ouvido na CES no ano passado e, embora os resultados tenham sido mistos, ele melhorou sua precisão em um teste de tiro.
Os wearables de leitura cerebral ainda estão relativamente em sua infância e, embora não haja evidências concretas de sua eficácia em tarefas como aumentar o foco, melhorar o sono ou tornar você um jogador profissional de esportes eletrônicos, isso não impediu as empresas de tentar. Caramba, até a Apple quer um pedaço da torta de crossover vestível; seus AirPods Professional 3 inserem sensores de saúde nos icônicos fones de ouvido sem fio da empresa para torná-los parte vestíveis para saúde e parte produto de áudio. Claro, eles ainda não estão afetando seu cérebro, mas ler sua frequência cardíaca pode ser apenas o começo do que está por vir.
E mesmo que os fones de ouvido e as bandanas sem fio não consigam aliviar todas as nossas doenças coletivas, é divertido vê-los tentar. Eu, por exemplo, serei o primeiro da fila, pronto para dar um choque em meu cérebro para dormir melhor – Deus sabe que preciso disso.
O Píer de Redondo Seaside reabriu na tarde de domingo, horas depois que a polícia e as autoridades municipais ordenaram sua evacuação por motivos que as autoridades se recusaram a divulgar.
Delegacia de Polícia de Redondo emitiu sua ordem de evacuação inicial por volta das 11h, por meio do sistema de alerta da cidade.
“Atividade policial no cais. Solicita-se a qualquer pessoa que esteja na área do cais que evacue com segurança”, dizia o comunicado. “Catalina [Avenue] entre Torrance [Boulevard] e Berilo [Street] estão fechados. Por favor, fique longe da área do cais até novo aviso.”
O departamento divulgou uma atualização no X às 11h57 informando que o cais permaneceria fechado até novo aviso.
Às 14h21, o departamento enviou outra mensagem através do sistema de alerta da cidade informando que a atividade policial foi concluída e que o cais e seu entorno foram novamente abertos ao público.
O vereador da cidade de Redondo Seaside, Brad Waller, opinou sobre a evacuação na seção de comentários do anúncio inicial de adiamento da BeachLife no Facebook.
“Houve uma ameaça ao cais e a área foi evacuada para permitir que a polícia e os cães limpassem a área”, escreveu Waller. “A polícia ainda está percorrendo a área do cais e expandiu para o BeachLife. Não houve nenhuma ameaça ao BeachLife, mas por muita cautela, eles querem garantir que a área esteja segura antes que milhares de pessoas entrem. A área do cais e o espaço do BeachLife foram revistados e nada foi encontrado. O BeachLife deve estar pronto para abrir e prosseguir.”
O Instances entrou em contato com o Departamento de Polícia de Redondo Seaside para obter mais informações.
A evacuação ocorreu no último dia do BeachLife Competition, ambientado em Redondo Seaside, que estava programado para abrir ao meio-dia e apresentar apresentações de My Morning Jacket, Peach Pit, Sheryl Crow e James Taylor.
Em um anúncio de mídia socialos organizadores do pageant disseram que o início do evento de domingo seria atrasado em pelo menos uma hora.
“A segurança vem em primeiro lugar. Em cooperação com nossos profissionais de segurança pública na cidade, por muita cautela, coordenamos o atraso temporário das portas até as 13h devido à atividade policial em andamento no Píer Redondo, perto de Torrance Boulevard”, escreveu BeachLife no comunicado.
Em um postagem subsequente que foi ao ar às 13h43, a organização disse ter recebido autorização para abrir suas portas ao público.
“De acordo com a orientação das autoridades de segurança locais, recebemos autorização para abrir as portas com segurança momentaneamente”, disse o comunicado. “Agradecemos a paciência de nossa comunidade e esperamos um dia maravilhoso de sol, diversão e boa música.”
O “Estávamos de folga!” A discussão entre Ross (David Schwimmer) e Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) deve ser um dos momentos mais famosos de Amigos – mas, agora, mais de duas décadas depois, Lisa Kudrow vê isso sob uma luz diferente.
“Ele period um péssimo namorado”, ela disse a Jimmy Fallon no Programa desta noite clipe acima. “Ela não deveria ter voltado com ele porque ele period horrível. Para mim é tipo, eu não me importo se ele dormiu com outras três mulheres ou nenhuma outra mulher. Você teve uma crise no trabalho, então não esteve disponível por algumas noites e ele surtou, e você disse, ‘Uau’.”
Tome isso, Ross.
Tópicos The Tonight Present, estrelado por Jimmy Fallon
Every morning Vlad* wakes up certain that this day will be the day he dies.
A combat helicopter pilot in the Ukrainian air force, he has been working near the front lines since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
“My life has changed completely,” he told The i Paper. “Your thoughts are like, ‘Okay, so today I’m gonna die.’ It changes your life. But we keep fighting, and fortunately I’m still alive.”
Shorts – Quick stories
Fridge or cupboard?
This is your definitive guide on where and how to store your foods at home to maximise the quality and shelf life, from ketchup and butter to nuts and jam.
Where to store the basics
Keeping butter in the fridge maximises food safety and freshness.
Ketchup and mayonnaise can be stored in the cupboard but once opened, are best in the fridge.
Bread shouldn’t be refridgerated due to the starch molecules. A bread bin at room temparture, or an airtight container is best.
LIFESTYLE
6 min read
How and where to store food items
There is a fine line between ripe or matured and spoilt.
Jam
Keeping it in the fridge will help it last longer.
Eggs
Storing them at a constant cool temperature, preferably in the fridge, will keep them safe to eat.
Berries
Keeping them in the fridge slows down mould growth and keeps them fresh.
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
Where to store your food
Caption: Fresh organic tomato closeup . Photographer: Maria Korneeva Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Tomatoes
Ripe ones should be kept on the counter uncovered if you’re going to enjoy them in the first few days after purchase.
Potatoes
They need to be in a dry, dark place like a cupboard. Exposure to light or moisture can rot the skin.
When you cook potatoes the right way they go from being a health burden to a health hero (Photo: Getty)
Caption: A Hand holding a bit brown banana Photographer: bauwimauwi Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
Bananas
12°C is best, as they will ripen quicker if they are too warm, so a darker space with no direct sunlight is ideal.
Fridge or cupboard?
1Apples are best in cool to cold temperatures so the salad compartment of the fridge is ideal to keep them crunchy.
2At room temperature lemons stay good for a week but in the fridge it stretches to two.
3Ripe avocados should go in the fridge to slow down the ripening process but if they’re firm, a warm sunny spot is best.
4Soy sauce, due to the high levels of salt, is best in the cupboard – even once opened.
Where to store your food
Nuts
Nuts are fine in the cupboard but keeping them in the fridge in an airtight container helps prevent spoilage.
Caption: Cookie jar, tea, wine, nuts, books, lit candles and Christmas decorations on the table. Cozy Christmas hygge at home. Selective focus. Photographer: Jelena990 Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
Garlic bulbs (Photo: Emma Dahl/RHS)
Garlic
This suits dry, dark places so a cupboard is ideal.
Onions
Low temperatures can transform the starches of the onion into sugars, making it soft, and potentially mouldy.
Close up shot of man chopping onions during cooking class – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Four key takeaways from Starmer’s antisemitism summit
Iran’s attempts to incite antisemitism in the UK “will not be tolerated”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Here are the main points from the Downing Street summit.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 5: Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a meeting with civic leaders to discuss tackling antisemitism at Downing Street on May 5, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay – WPA Pool/Getty Images) Photographer: WPA Pool Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe
Key takeaways
1Starmer said one of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state is behind the attacks.
2He announced £1.5m funding to strengthen community cohesion and protect Jews in at-risk areas.
3Ministers are “fast-tracking legislation” allowing them to ban state threats such as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
4Universities must publish the scale of antisemitism on campus and show how they are tackling it.
Go deeper on this topic
The measures to protect the Jewish community come after the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green and a series of attacks at synagogues and other sites in recent months.
Starmer has faced criticism that he has not done enough to keep the community safe, and was heckled during a visit to the north London suburb on Thursday.
Caption: TOPSHOT – Local residents look on from outside a cordoned off area in the Golders Green neighbourhood of north London on April 29, 2026, following the stabbing to two people nearby. Two people were stabbed on April 29 in north London, Jewish groups said, following a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in the area. A man was arrested after he was seen running with a knife “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”, the Shomrim Jewish neighbourhood watch said on social media. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: JUSTIN TALLIS Provider: AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP Copyright: AFP or licensors
NEWS
7 min read
Starmer’s message to Iran
One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents…Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.
SiR KEIR STARMER, PRIME MINISTER
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 30: Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (CR) meet members of Shomrim, the Jewish community security organisation, in Golders Green following yesterday’s attack on April 30, 2026 in Golders Green, England. A 45-year-old British-Somali man was arrested yesterday, after stabbing two Jewish men, Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, in a terrorist attack in Golders Green. Both victims are in a stable condition, and the suspect was caught by police after being tasered. The government has since pledged ??25 million to improve security for the Jewish community following the incident. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) Photographer: Leon Neal Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Co-op is confident it’s stores will be ‘back to normal’ within days (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters)
NEWS
The supermarket using invisible spray to combat shoplifting
Co-op has been secretly marking frequently shoplifted groceries with a special forensic spray to tackle the resale of stolen goods.
Here’s how the invisible spray works, and how the company hopes it will make shoplifting less profitable.
What’s the story?
Co-op has been marking items with an invisible spray that contains a unique forensic code linked to the shop where it was originally sold, according to Retail Gazette.
Retail theft on the increase – woman stealing in UK supermarket. (Photo: Andrey Popov/Getty Images Copyright: Copyright (C) Andrey Popov Caption: A shopper walks along an aisle inside a Tesco supermarket in Manchester, Britain, February 5, 2026 REUTERS/Phil Noble Photographer: Phil Noble Provider: REUTERS Source: REUTERS
Co-op has invested £250m in store security, including body-worn cameras for staff, reinforced kiosks for items such as spirits and tobacco, and shelf fixtures designed to stop thieves sweeping products into bags.
How does the scheme work?
Where?
The scheme has been trialled in Manchester and London and will be rolled out across the UK.
Which items?
High-risk items such as alcohol, laundry detergent and confectionary have been sprayed.
Why?
The aim is to help Co-op and the police identify where stolen products are being resold, making theft less profitable.
More than 300 babies have been born with inflatable forceps, the first breakthrough in childbirth assistance in decades.
It is hoped that the device, called the OdonAssist, could reduce birth trauma. It will be rolled out to 40 hospitals across Britain and Europe.
How new forceps could revolutionise childbirth
Around one in eight people will have an assisted vaginal birth using forceps or vacuum extraction.
Women may have bleeding or tears and marks can be left on the baby.
Inflatable forceps work by surrounding the baby’s head with a soft air cuff, allowing doctors to help remove it more gently.
In trials, patients reported no or low pain in more than 95 per cent of births where OdonAssist was used.
Analysis
5 min read
How ‘gentle’ forceps were invented
From a prototype using a jar and a doll to development by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The OdonAssist was thought up by a mechanic in Argentina in 2006 called Jorge Odón.
He created the first prototype using a jar, a cloth and his daughter’s doll.
It was then taken up by Mario Merialdi, of the WHO, who refined the idea for clinical use.
It was created by Maternal Newborn Health Innovations, a public benefit corporation to help reduce avoidable pain.
Are you ready for a change?
One career expert shares the surefire signs you’re ready for the next step in your career, and how to turn fear into excitement for new opportunities.
The research
Our research shows almost half of all workers (45 per cent) are ready for a complete career transition, but 49 per cent feel stuck on what to pursue next. The rapid shifts brought about by AI can be intimidating, but it will also create opportunities…
CHARLOTTE DAVIES, LINKEDIN UK CAREER EXPERT
Young woman at her first job interview with the owner of a coffee shop – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Signs you’ve outgrown your role
(Photo: Getty).
It’s an energy drain
If you’re clocking in and out with zero energy, that could be a sign of burnout by boredom.
You’re not learning
If you can handle all tasks on autopilot, you are not challenging yourself. Instead you’re operating purely on muscle memory.
Education, laptop and typing with student friends in library of university together for learning or study. Computer, development or growth with serious men and women on college campus for scholarship – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
(Photo: DMP/Getty Images).
You don’t feel valued
It can be extremely demotivating, and if it occurs consistently, it’s a strong signal that it might be time to consider moving on.
Your brain has started a side project
Caption: Side hustles Photographer: swissmediavision Provider: Getty Images Source: E+
When you are seeking out professional development and learning opportunities elsewhere that should be happening at work, it’s a huge signal that you need a job that keeps up with your ambition.
LIFESTYLE
7 min read
You don’t see a path to promotion
Medium shot of businessman leading meeting in office conference room – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
If you go into a meeting asking for a growth plan or a promotion roadmap and all you get are vague promises and non-committal language, that’s actually your answer: they aren’t planning for your potential.
A manager who truly values you should be able to list specific training, projects or goals to get you to the next level.
What to do next
You don’t need to make drastic moves.
The very first step is to diagnose the root cause if things feel unsettled, and don’t just assume it’s the job itself.
Find someone trustworthy to talk to. This isn’t a complaint session, it’s about getting perspective.
Refresh your LinkedIn profile and start reviving your in-person network.
Thinking of a new field? Check out a short course or certification to ‘test the waters’ before jumping.
Can you learn to love pigeons? A much-unloved animal in the UK
Features writer Kasia Delgado went on a safari to see if she could look past their rat-like nature
The tour guide
People think pigeons are stupid but lots of studies have shown them to have amazing memories, that they can identify people by their facial features, and they have an extraordinary sense of direction.
Florence Wilkinson, author of Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, took Kasia on a tour.
Positives of pigeons
War heroes
During the Second World War, carrier pigeons were routinely used to send messages, and they saved thousands of lives.
Homing ability
Scientists have put them in blacked-out vans and put miniature goggles on them to blur their vision and still the pigeons manage to return home.
The Dove family
We think of them as all grey, but they vary in shades, and some of them are quite amazingly coloured, says Florence.
Kasia’s feeding test
As I gingerly chuck some seed, wincing slightly, 15 or so flap their wings at me. I wouldn’t say I feel content or relaxed but I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. I can see they’re not going to do me harm and after all, they’re just enjoying some free food.
A common myth?
Disease carriers
Research has found that between 1941 and 2004, there were only 207 reports worldwide of pathogens transmitted from pigeons to humans.
Not all walks are created equal
Read on to find out how to supercharge yours into an unbeatable health-builder
How to supercharge your walk
Get a bit breathless
All walking paces are linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease but there are additional gains made by those who walk at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
Walk uphill
Try to find varying inclines to increase energy and muscle burn.
Add weights
The extra resistance challenges your heart to work harder, increasing cardiovascular fitness.
How to supercharge your walk
Uneven ground
Mountainous and uneven terrain work your stabilising muscles harder, increasing the difficulty and output from your walk.
Go Nordic
Using poles engages the arms as well as the legs and core, turning walking into a full-body workout.
A walk is beneficial at any time of day, but after eating could be best. Research has found that 10- to 30-minute walks taken 10 to 30 minutes after a meal can reduce the peak blood-sugar measurements reached.
Slower and lower blood sugar throughout the day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
How to supercharge your walk
Go green
Walking in nature has more psychological benefits than concrete. It’s shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression.
Improve your posture
Staying tall through the spine, open your chest and keep your eyes forward (not leaning over on your phone..).
Meet outside
Walking is a good time to have conversations, whether with your boss or a friend.
Mistakes to avoid
1Focusing on step count – most research suggests that benefits plateau at 7,000 steps a day.
2Using ankle weights – they can tug at the hip flexors and the knees.
3 Doing one-and-done – just hiking for three hours on the weekend, and nothing throughout the week, means you’re missing out on benefits.
4Thinking it’s not a workout – walking packs in cardio and brain-boosting effects without the recovery time of intense exercise.
Eight million people in the UK are living with heart or circulatory disease
And while chest pain is a well-known symptom, there are more subtle signs you should be aware of too.
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Dizziness and fainting
An abnormal heart rhythm can cause a dizzy feeling. While much dizziness is not serious, it can be associated with life-threatening complications.
Increased breathlessness
This breathlessness could be due to blockages and reduced blood flow in the arteries.
Swollen ankles
Unusual swelling can indicate a problem with the body’s circulatory system and kidneys.
Worsening fatigue
Ongoing and worsening fatigue can indicate an underlying health issue, and it could be a sign that your heart isn’t working as effectively as it should be. If persistent fatigue is impacting you day-to-day, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor.
Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Indigestion-type symptoms Discomfort in the stomach, chest and ribs, or a burning sensation in the chest area, could all be symptoms of heart disease.
Erectile dysfunction If it’s an ongoing issue, there could be an underlying health problem, including atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), diabetes or high blood pressure.
While hundreds of thousands of Ukraine’s military personnel are conscripts or volunteers who joined after the invasion, most of its pilots were already enlisted. Vlad was already serving when the war began and was plunged straight into the centre of the conflict, playing a crucial role in destroying incoming drones and ground targets.
Now, Vlad is one of hundreds of Ukrainian aviators who have travelled to the UK to advance their training in aviation language, flying and teaching, as part of a programme with the UK, US and other allies to support Ukraine’s war efforts. The i Paper is not allowed to name the base for security reasons.
The RAF is training not only pilots but also instructors, in the hope they can return to Ukraine and develop a new generation of pilots themselves. Ukrainian land forces are already training with the British Army on sites across the UK.
Vlad was enrolled on an instructor course, learning how to better train the “baby pilots” newly joining the Ukrainian military, from the psychology of recruits to delivering effective lessons. He said the course has been “really important” and there “is much information to gain for us to implement in Ukrainian flying programs”.
At the same time, the biggest fuel for his ongoing work is his young son, living in the west of Ukraine, who has become accustomed to hearing warning sirens during the school day and hiding underground as missiles fly overhead.
“It’s not normal for children to live life like this, but it’s reality,” he said. “We understand that our families are behind us, so if we let the enemy go further, they will just kill our families, our wives and children. So we just have no choice.”
Ukrainian aviators have travelled to the UK to train as part of a programme with the UK and other Nato allies (Photo: Sherina Bhundia)
The first stage in the course is learning English, which is used across Nato flight missions to ensure clear communication between pilots and ground teams, and in handbooks for some of the world’s top fighter jets.
From those who complete the English course, a smaller group are selected to continue on to flight training, including aviation medicine and high G-force exercises. As of January, 340 Ukrainians have completed the English training course and 42 have finished the pilot training.
They will then travel to partner countries including Denmark and the US for further training on F-16s, before returning to the front lines in Ukraine.
A typical day for the pilots starts at 7am with breakfast and a morning brief, before a meeting with a British instructor about their flight plans for the day. They then take to the skies, followed by a debrief on any mistakes and advice on how they can improve for the next sortie.
After that, they have time to go to the gym or chill out with friends, playing pool or watching football.
“We have a big friendship between Ukrainian pilots and English pilots,” pilot Artem* said.
Maksym*, a fellow pilot, said the group had a lot of experience flying in Ukraine but now understand flying in Nato airspace under Nato procedures, which they hope will allow them to work more closely with the military alliance in the future.
The RAF is also training instructors in the hope they can return to Ukraine and develop a new generation of pilots (Photo: Libkos/Getty)
“When it comes to Ukrainian airspace, we have such a different system of flying, and this practice can allow us to open a new type of flying,” he said.
Some graduates of the pilot course, who have excelled on their return to Ukraine, have come back to the UK to train as instructors.
The most valuable skill, according to Maksym, is how to fly at low levels without any GPS system, avoiding detection and navigating from the landmarks around you.
“That’s really important because on the Ukrainian front line Russian troops are jamming all navigation systems, and our pilots just use maps or some features on the ground, like rivers or mountains,” he told The i Paper. “So that’s really important for us.”
Before the war, both Maksym and Artem were enrolled at Ukraine’s National Air Force University, and Artem had just signed a contract with the armed forces of Ukraine. But they were not expecting to see combat imminently.
“The full-scale invasion changed everything,” Artem said. “It changed our attitude to life, to our lifestyle… We started thinking more about families, about our point, why we’re here, and what we can do to finish this bloody war.”
The pilots are all scrambling to qualify from the UK-based programs as quickly as possible, Artem added, in order to get back to the front lines.
“It was our childhood dream to be pilots. Now, it’s not only our childhood dream; we know that it’s our duty to protect our country, to protect our airspace and finish this war.”
O último present apresentou um discurso especial na terça-feira, com o apresentador Stephen Colbert fazendo um discurso presidencial à nação no Centro Presidencial Obama na réplica do escritório oval de Chicago, maravilhando-se com todos os pequenos detalhes divertidos que eles têm pelo native – até que ele é interrompido pela chegada repentina do próprio Obama.
“Uau, eles até têm uma réplica exata de Barack Obama!” diz Colbert. “Embora eu deva dizer, este é muito mais velho que o verdadeiro.”
Depois que Obama confirma que ele é de fato o verdadeiro, Colbert o desafia a “dizer algo que só Barack diria”.
A Coreia do Norte revisou a sua constituição para definir formalmente o seu território e remover todas as referências à reunificação com a Coreia do Sul, informou a Reuters citando um documento. A medida reflete a pressão do líder Kim Jong Un para tratar as duas Coreias como Estados separados.De acordo com a agência, um novo Artigo 2 afirma que o território da Coreia do Norte inclui terras “que fazem fronteira com a República In style da China e a Federação Russa ao norte e a República da Coreia ao sul”, juntamente com as suas águas territoriais e espaço aéreo.O texto acrescentava que a Coreia do Norte “absolutamente não permite qualquer infração no seu território”. No entanto, não especifica a fronteira exata com a Coreia do Sul nem se refere a zonas marítimas disputadas, como a Linha Limite Norte.A constituição revista designa ainda Kim, como presidente da Comissão de Assuntos de Estado, como chefe de estado do país, substituindo a linguagem anterior que descrevia o papel de líder supremo que representa o estado.Também coloca explicitamente o comando das forças nucleares da Coreia do Norte sob o presidente da Comissão de Assuntos de Estado, consolidando formalmente o controlo do arsenal nuclear nas mãos de Kim.Uma cláusula de defesa separada também descreve a Coreia do Norte como um “estado responsável com armas nucleares” e diz que continuará a desenvolver as suas capacidades nucleares para salvaguardar a sua sobrevivência, impedir a guerra e proteger a estabilidade regional e international.A revisão, que se acredita ter sido adotada durante uma sessão de março da Assembleia In style Suprema, marca a primeira vez que Pyongyang adiciona uma cláusula territorial à sua constituição.Especialistas disseram à Reuters que as mudanças se alinham com o apelo anterior de Kim para definir a Coreia do Sul como o “inimigo principal e principal inimigo invariável” do Norte e para separar formalmente os dois estados.No início de fevereiro, Kim disse que a Coreia do Norte “não tem absolutamente nenhum negócio em lidar com a Coreia do Sul… e excluirá permanentemente a Coreia do Sul da categoria de compatriotas”.“Enquanto a Coreia do Sul não puder escapar às condições geopolíticas de ter uma fronteira connosco, a única maneira de viver em segurança é desistir de tudo o que nos diz respeito e deixar-nos em paz”, acrescentou na altura.Embora o presidente sul-coreano, Lee Jae Myung, tenha oferecido negociações sem pré-condições, Pyongyang não respondeu e continua a descrever Seul como o seu adversário “mais hostil”.O desenvolvimento surge num contexto de tensões acrescidas, com a Coreia do Norte a intensificar os testes de mísseis e a aprofundar os laços militares com a Rússia.