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John Travolta shared a video on Instagram of himself training to fly a Bombardier Global Express private jet

NEED TO KNOW

• The Saturday Night Fever actor obtained his license to fly the long-range jet back in February

• Travolta, a licensed pilot since age 22, is qualified to fly various planes, including Boeing 747s and Gulfstreams

John Travoltais reaching new heights!

On Tuesday, May 5, the Oscar winner, 72, shared avideo on Instagramtaken during his training to fly an ultra-long-range private jet — the Bombardier Global Express.

In the footage, he showed himself in a classroom surrounded by screens that replicated all of the instruments in the aircraft’s flight deck.

“That’s the Global Express,” Travolta explained, while showing a photo of the aircraft's exterior on a screen. “These are the screens that we refer to all around the classroom,” he shared.

In the clip, theGreasestar also showed a representation of what pilots approaching New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport see when flying the jet.

He appeared to be sitting inside a makeshift aircraft where he could practice using the instruments with the view of the ground below changing in real-time.

“Alright, this is the Global Express simulator on final approach for JFK,” he explained.

Travolta gushed in the caption of the post about the aircraft being a “great plane” as he revealed he’d just completed the necessary simulator training.

Travolta's progress comes after his72nd birthdaycoincided with him achieving his license to fly Global Express jets in February.

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According toFly Blade, the long-range business jet, designed and manufactured by Bombardier Aviation for luxury travel, can fly up to 7,900 nautical miles non-stop.

Travolta has become qualified to pilot a variety of different planes, including theBoeing 747, 707 and 737, since obtaining a pilot license at age 22. ThePulp Fictionstar has also been an ambassador for Qantas Airways since 2002.

The flying enthusiast's late wife,Kelly Preston, toldThe Telegraphin 2018 that they “travel all the time” using Travolta’s planes.

"He's had his license for almost 30 years," she said at the time. "At our house in Ocala, northern Florida, we have the planes parked out front because we have a runway attached. I never get nervous when John's piloting because he's calm in any situation and can handle the pressure. He's flown us all over the world – Russia, South Africa, Australia, Tahiti, the UK, the U.S. and the Far East."

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While attending the 10X Growth Conference in 2020, Travolta was asked about his collection of three private jets.

“It’s a practical reason,” he said in aYouTube Shortfrom the event. “I’m a pilot myself, I have 12 jet ratings including the 747, 707, the Gulfstream, the Bombardier, the Learjet, the Citation."

“I love flying, so there’s that,” he continued, adding, “But, I do not like chartering. So if I have one jet that’s inoperable, I have one to back it up.”

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Kylie Jenner couldn't stop laughing as she documented her beauty team attempting to dye her eyebrows back to their usual color after bleaching them for the 2026 Met Gala

NEED TO KNOW

• "My brows are ruined. What is this? What the f--- is this?" the Kylie Cosmetics founder said in between fits of giggles in a clip on her Instagram Stories

• Jenner donned custom Schiaparelli for fashion's biggest night out on Monday, May 4

Kylie Jenner’s bold beauty moment at the2026 Met Galaappears to have come at a price.

On Monday, May 4, the Kylie Cosmetics founder, 28, opted for bleached eyebrows as she attended fashion’s biggest night out,wearing custom Schiaparelli.

However, when it came to dying her brows back later on in the evening, things didn’t exactly go to plan.

Jenner couldn’t stop laughing as she filmed herself with one bleached brow and one that had been dyed back to her usual color.

“My brows are ruined. What is this? What the f--- is this?” Jenner said while giggling as she filmed her reaction in a clip shared on herInstagram Stories.

“This looks horrible,” the beauty mogul added, as celebrity hairstylist Iggy Rosales was accused in the video of leaving her “with no hair.”

“This looks horrible,” Jenner insisted, while in between fits of giggles, showing fans her brows, which didn't appear to be quite as full as they usually are.

“Trying to dye my brows back,” Jenner wrote over the clip, adding a shocked face emoji.

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Monday marked Jenner’s ninth appearance at the much-talked-about annual event, and this time, she stepped out in a nude corset with faux nipples underneath a voluminous skirt that looked like a dress being taken off.

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The butter duchess satin skirt was embroidered with over 2,000 sating stitch balls, 10,000 natural baroque pearls and more that 7,000 painted pearlescent fish scales. The look required roughly 11,000 hours of embroidery work.

Jenner teamed the glamorous look with an antique silver necklace decorated with rhinestones, pearls and small hand-sculpted bird heads, as well as matching chandelier earrings in warm silver adorned with pearls and crystal stones.

Jenner — who wore her dark hair in soft, glamorous curls — showed off her lack of brows prior to the event, writing over a photo on her Instagram Stories, “I don't have any brows with me luck.”

Hairstylist Rosales spoke about the look toVogue, sharing, “The dress feels like it’s slipping away. It becomes this living sculpture.”

Rosales stated that the beauty look had to be an extension of the dress, per the outlet, with him and celebrity makeup artist, Ariel Tejada, coming up with the daring get-up.

“We even tested no brows just to see how far we could push it,” Rosales continued to tellVogue.

Jenner's ensemble was her own interpretation of this year's theme, "Costume Art," with the formal dress code, "Fashion Is Art." Curated byAndrew Bolton, the costume exhibit explored the relationship between clothing and the human body, with sections for the pregnant body, aging body, and naked body, among several others. Costumes were paired with pieces of art dating back 5,000 years.

While the exhibition could only be seen by celebrities like Jenner on May 4 — the iconic first Monday in May — the public will be able to view it from May 10, 2026, through January 10, 2027.

Co-chairs of this year's gala wereBeyoncé— whomade her first Met Gala appearance since 2016— as well asNicole Kidman,Venus WilliamsandAnna Wintour.

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A criminalinvestigationhas been launched by the UK’s healthcare watchdog following thedeathof ateenageradmitted to an NHS mental health unit.

Lucy Curtis, aged 17, died on New Year’s Day in 2024 following an incident at Riverside Adolescent Unit at Blackberry Hill Hospital in Bristol.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) temporarily closed the site weeks later afterit saidinternal reviews “did not provide assurance that the unit could consistently deliver a safe level of care moving forward”.

A full inquest into Lucy’s death is set to take place in June.

This week, AWP confirmed that theCare Quality Commission(CQC) had started an investigation into the care and treatment of the teenager, which could potentially lead to prosecution for failures to provide safe care resulting in avoidable harm.

Any prosecution would be brought under the Health and Social Care Act.

Sarah Jones, chief nursing officer for AWP, said: “The trust extends its deepest condolences to Lucy’sfamily, and we continue to meet with them to provide updates and support.

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“We are aware of the CQC’s investigation and will cooperate fully. This sits alongside our support for the previous reviews already undertaken and the forthcoming inquest into Lucy’s death. We are committed to addressing every concern raised and to delivering improvements swiftly, safely, and transparently.”

Lucy’s family have decided to hold back commenting until the full inquest.

Since her death, they have been raising money for charity through a series of walking challenges. In a tribute, they said that Lucy, who worked at a cafe near Thornbury, was “very bright” and “absolutely happy 99 per cent of the time”.

The CQC would not comment ahead of the inquest.The Independentunderstands that the health watchdog would notify the public if any action were to be taken in due course.

The Riverside Adolescent Unit provided highly specialist care for young people with the most serious mental health difficulties. Since its closure, patients have been admitted to other units across the West Country.

AWP has said it is committed to opening a new specialist child and adolescent mental health service unit in the Bristol area, but is also developing community-based support and exploring local privately-run services, including for young people requiring specialist eating disorders care.

Ms Jones said: “As we work with partners to design a modern, high‑quality service for the future, we are equally focused on having reliable interim plans in place which include access to care as close to home as possible.”

Have you been impacted by the closure of Riverside Adolescent Unit, or an incident at another site? Email alexander.ross@independent.co.uk

There's nothing quite as exhilarating as the feeling of completing the daily New York TimesWordle,Strands,Mini CrosswordandConnections Sports Editionword games in one fell swoop. But sometimes that can be easier said than done. If you need help with today'sConnectionspuzzle, keep reading.

Spoilers ahead! We've warned you. We mean it. Read no further until youreallywant some clues or you've completely given up and want the answers ASAP. Get ready for all of today'sNYT 'Connections’ hints and answers for#1057 onSunday, May 3, 2026.

If you've been having trouble with any of theconnections or wordsin Sunday's puzzle, you're not alone, and these hints should definitely help you out. Plus, I'll reveal the answers further down.

Related:The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You'll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle

Hints About Today's NYT Connections Categories on Sunday, May 3

1. Domicile additions.

2. Commonly associated with Woodstock.

3. Events that changed history.

4. Talk with your hands.

Related:300 Trivia Questions and Answers to Jumpstart Your Fun Game Night

Ready for the answers? Scroll below this image (the image that represents your very appreciatedpatience!).

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Today's Connections Game Answers for Sunday, May 3:

1.HOME STRUCTURES:GARAGE, HOUSE, PORCH, SHED2.ASSOCIATED WITH 1960s COUNTERCULTURE:ACID, COMMUNE, FREE LOVE, HIPPIE3. FAMOUS REVOLUTIONS IN HISTORY:FRENCH, GREEN, INDUSTRIAL, SEXUAL4.GESTURES MADE WITH THE INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS:AIR QUOTES, BUNNY EARS, FINGERS CROSSED, PEACE

How'd you do?

Up Next:-15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day-Hints, Clues and Answers to the NYT's 'Mini Crossword' Puzzle

Did You Miss a Few Days?Let's Catch You Up With Recent Connections Answers

Related: I Tried Shake Shack's Bold New BBQ Menu and It's the Perfect Ode to Summer

This story was originally published byParadeon May 3, 2026, where it first appeared in theLifesection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

By Felix Light

ASHGABAT, May 2 (Reuters) - From a brightly lit, open-plan office Azat Seyitmuhammedov runs an e-commerce startup, Wabrum, that he founded almost a decade ago.

In Berlin or San Francisco, this would be an everyday scene, but here in the capital of Turkmenistan, which is widely seen as one of the world's most ‌isolated and secretive countries, his business appears pretty ground-breaking.

"This may sound normal in Europe or the United States, but for Turkmenistan this is new," said the 38-year-old ‌father of six. "E-commerce here is still in its very early stages, and we consider ourselves pioneers."

His company is part of a flowering of savvy, well-connected private businesses in Turkmenistan, a largely desert country in Central Asia bordering Iran and ​Afghanistan.

From an on-site warehouse, Seyitmuhammedov's couriers fan out to customers across the former Soviet republic, delivering mostly Turkish-made clothes and shoes.

Granted rare access to Turkmenistan, Reuters was recently able to travel unescorted and to report freely on a country where technological innovations such as e-commerce are increasingly being embraced. In politics, meanwhile, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov and his circle keep tight control.

INDEPENDENCE AND ISOLATION

After independence from Moscow in 1991, President Saparmurat Niyazov - "Turkmenbashi" or head of the Turkmen - declared Turkmenistan "permanently neutral" and shut its doors to most visitors, adopting one of the world's strictest visa regimes. It remains largely in place two decades ‌after Niyazov's death.

Turkmen officials frame their country's isolation as a response ⁠to its challenging geography, citing the need to protect it from Islamist militants and drug smuggling from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Under Niyazov, an elaborate cult of personality grew around the president, while the capital city, Ashgabat, was rebuilt as a marble showcase, funded by Turkmenistan's natural gas reserves, the world's fourth-largest. ⁠Under subsequent presidents, the system has largely remained unchanged.

But since 2022, when President Serdar Berdymukhamedov took over from his father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, there have been signs of a modest thaw.

Turkmenistan, which state statistics say has about 7.7 million people, has said it wants to simplify its visa regime, join the World Trade Organization, and diversify the largely state-run economy.

The new president has strengthened Turkmenistan’s diplomatic ties, travelling abroad more often ​than ​his predecessors did.

Some foreign diplomats in Ashgabat told Reuters there is a sense of change, albeit slow, driven ​by generational change inside the ruling elite.

One Western diplomat based in Turkmenistan ‌said parts of the elite were interested in reforming the country, and that personal freedoms had modestly increased in recent years.

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Even so, Turkmenistan remains difficult for foreign investors. It maintains both official and unofficial exchange rates for the dollar, while its politics remains opaque.

The international firms that do operate here are mostly Turkish. Linguistic affinity and a large diaspora in Turkey also mean that Turkish is widely spoken by younger Turkmens.

A CHANGING SOCIETY

But away from politics, Turkmen society is changing, nowhere faster than online, though the country has a relatively low rate of internet usage.

The internet in Turkmenistan is slow and heavily censored, which officials say is necessary to counteract militant Islamist ideas that have spread online in other Central Asian countries.

However, social media sites such as Instagram ‌and TikTok, still blocked but accessible viaVPNs, have gained popularity in recent years.

In Ashgabat's high-end shopping malls, ​teenagers record dance routines on their smartphones for TikTok, cheered on by friends in the red folk-inspired uniforms that ​female university students are required to wear.

Social media influencer Enejan Velmuradova took up Instagram ​in 2020 to promote her travel agency, arranging holidays for wealthier Turkmens in Europe and Southeast Asia.

In her spacious city-centre office, decorated with social media ‌certificates and fridge magnets from across the world, Velmuradova said she was ​glad that her country was opening up.

"As a ​resident of Turkmenistan, I am also very happy that stereotypes are finally being broken, (the idea) that Turkmenistan is closed," she said.

At an Ashgabat sports school, Muhammet Bayramgulyyev teaches breakdancing to teenagers in his spare time.

Bayramgulyyev told Reuters that the street dance style, which emerged in New York, was a largely underground phenomenon in Turkmenistan in his youth.

"It was around ​the year 2000. Back then, we didn't have breakdancers. We only ‌watched it on cassette tapes, on television — we saw how it was done and wanted to do it ourselves."

Now, he said, the classes he gives in a ​brand-new studio are oversubscribed and breakdancing has gone mainstream.

"We want our guys, our Turkmen athletes, to compete — for example, at Asian championships, world championships. And in ​the future, God willing, at the Olympics too," he said.

(Reporting by Felix LightEditing by Gareth Jones)