missing

April 27 (UPI) — A 5-year-old girl who went missing from a central Australian Indigenous community over the weekend was abducted, authorities said Monday, as they search for a 47-year-old man who they believe may be connected.

Sharon Granites was reported missing from her residence in Old Timers, an Aboriginal town camp in Alice Springs, located in Australia’s Northern Territory, at about 1:35 a.m. local time Sunday, according to a statement from the Northern Territory Police Force.

She was last seen at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday wearing a dark blue short-sleeve T-shirt with white stripes around the neck and sleeve hemlines and a pair of black boxer-style underwear.

Northern Territory Police Acting Commander Mark Grieve told reporters at a press conference that they believe Sharon was abducted and that officers are seeking to speak with Jefferson Lewis, “who may be able to provide us with some information in regards to that.”

Grieve said Lewis had been in and around Sharon’s residence on Saturday, is one of the few people who were in Old Timers who have not made themselves known to police and is believed to have gone missing at around the same time as the little girl.

Grieve stopped short of accusing Lewis of being involved in Sharon’s disappearance, saying police wanted to speak with him because he and Sharon appeared to have disappeared around the same time.

“Considering himself and Sharon went missing at around about the same time, it certainly brings about those suspicious circumstances and we’d like to speak to him about that,” he said.

Lewis was recently released from prison and has a criminal history that includes physical assault and domestic violence, Grieve said, adding that no offenses were related to child endangerment.

Drones, dogs, horses, ATVs, motorcycles and ground patrols were among the assets police deployed in the search for Sharon, he said, stating they are calling on members of the public with information on either Sharon or Lewis’ location to contact authorities immediately.

“Obviously, it’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing,” he said. “We’re just over 24 hours now, so it would certainly be my worst nightmare as a parent.”

Talk about a crime of fashion.

Madonna revealed Monday on social media that the purple jacket, corset and dress she wore Friday during a surprise performance with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella are missing.

“Bringing Confessions II back to where it began was such a thrill,” she wrote. “This full circle moment hit different until I discovered that the vintage pieces that I wore went missing. … These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history.”

The clothes are archival items that she wore in the early aughts during her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” era. Her upcoming “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” set to be released July 3, is a sequel to the 2005 album. Madonna played Coachella’s Sahara Tent 20 years ago in a similar purple getup.

Madonna appeared midway through Carpenter’s headlining performance at Weekend 2 of Coachella. The 67-year-old singer rose from beneath the stage as Carpenter sang “Juno.” The pair then transitioned into a rendition of her 1990 hit “Vogue.” Madonna also performed an unreleased song — “Bring Your Love” — followed by 2005’s “Get Together” and 1989’s “Like a Prayer.”

“I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul, will find these items and reach out to my team,” she continued, offering a reward to anyone who could recover the items and providing an email for her representatives.

A spokesperson for the Indio Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that “at this time, there is no evidence to suggest the bags were intentionally stolen.”

A representative for the singer filed a missing property report for items including clothing and jewelry Saturday shortly after 7 p.m., according to the statement. The items were last seen on a golf cart at the Empire Polo Grounds Saturday around 1:30 a.m.

“Preliminary investigation indicates the two bags containing the items may have fallen off a golf cart operated by staff who were on their way to load the bags onto a bus,” the statement read. “Upon arriving at the hotel shortly thereafter, the staff realized the bags were missing.”

If you have seen the bags, contact Indio Police at (760) 391-4057 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP to share information anonymously.

WASHINGTON — Amid growing national security concerns, the FBI said Tuesday that it has launched a broad investigation in the deaths or disappearances of at least 10 scientists and staff connected to highly sensitive research, including four from the Los Angeles area.

“The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists. We are working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our state and state and local law enforcement partners to find answers,” the agency said in a statement.

The FBI’s announcement comes after the House Oversight Committee announced that it would investigate reports of the disappearance and deaths of the scientists, sending letters seeking information from the agencies involved in the federal inquiry as well as NASA, which owns the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, where three of the missing or dead scientists worked.

“If the reports are accurate, these deaths and disappearances may represent a grave threat to U.S. national security and to U.S. personnel with access to scientific secrets,” Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the committee, and Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) wrote in the letters.

President Trump told reporters last week that he had been briefed on the missing and dead scientists, which he described as “pretty serious stuff.” He said at the time that he expected answers on whether the deaths were connected “in the next week and a half.”

Michael David Hicks, who studied comets and asteroids at JPL, was the first of the scientists who disappeared or died. He died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 59. No cause of death was disclosed.

A year later, JPL physicist Frank Maiwald died at 61, with no cause of death disclosed.

Two other Los Angeles scientists are part of the string of deaths and disappearances.

On June 22, 2025, Monica Jacinto Reza, a materials scientist at JPL, disappeared while on a hike near Mt. Waterman in the San Gabriel Mountains.

On Feb. 16, Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair was fatally shot on the porch of his Llano home. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department arrested Freddy Snyder, 29, in connection with the shooting. Snyder had been arrested in December on suspicion of trespassing on Grillmair’s property.

Snyder has been charged with murder.

There is no evidence at this point that the deaths and disappearances, which occurred over a span of four years, are connected.

A spokesperson for NASA, which owns JPL, said in a statement on X that the agency is “coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies in relation to the missing scientists.

“At this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a national security threat,” agency spokesperson Bethany Stevens wrote. “The agency is committed to transparency and will provide more information as able.”

Representatives from Caltech did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

April 14 (UPI) — Authorities in the Bahamas have released the 58-year-old American man detained last week in the investigation into missing American Lynette Hooker.

The man, Lynette Hooker’s husband, Brian Hooker, was released Monday, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that only identified the individual by his age and nationality.

“The decision to release the individual was made following consultation with the Department of Public Prosecutions, which recommended that no charges be filed at this time pending the outcome of further investigation,” the police force said, without identifying the suspect.

Brian Hooker’s lawyer, Terrel Butler, had said the authorities had until 7:20 p.m. EDT Monday to decide whether to charge his client, who has been in police custody since he was detained shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday.

According to police, Brian Hooker reported his wife missing early on April 5. He told investigators that he and his wife had departed Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. the evening before for Elbow Cay aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy.

During the journey, his wife fell overboard with the boat keys in her possession, causing the vessel’s engine to cut off. Strong currents carried the woman away, he allegedly said, according to police.

Brian Hooker reported her missing after paddling the dinghy back to shore.

When he was taken into police custody last week, police incorrectly stated the suspect’s age as 59.

FORMER child star Brandon “Bug” Hall has reportedly been arrested after allegedly skipping a court date tied to a traffic dispute.

The 41-year-old actor – best known for playing Alfalfa in the 1994 hit The Little Rascals – was picked up in Ohio.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, he was charged with failure to appear after he allegedly missed a court hearing on December 31, 2024.

The case stems from a prior incident on October 29, 2024, when he was reportedly hit with a traffic citation for not having liability insurance.

The former Hollywood child favourite shot to fame as the lovable cowlick-haired Alfalfa in The Little Rascals, a role that made him a household name in the 90s.

He later appeared in films including Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, The Stupids, and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.

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In more recent years, Hall has popped up in TV shows such as Castle, Masters of Sex, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

It comes after Bug Hall was arrested after allegedly inhaling air duster back in 2020.

A police report seen by The Sun states the then-35-year-old was taken into custody in Weatherford, Texas, after he was allegedly spotted near a hotel dumpster “huffing”.

He was later booked at Parker County Jail on suspicion of “possession use inhale/ingest volatile chemical”.

According to People magazine, the substance involved was reportedly “air duster”.

Huffing is a form of substance abuse where household chemicals are inhaled to produce a high.

Hall posted a $1,500 bond the next day and was later released.

The actor was charged but never sentenced for the 2020 air duster incident.

While he was initially arrested and booked on a misdemeanor charge, he later stated that he faced no formal charges in the end.

THE new EES travel system came into full effect just days ago – and it is causing travel chaos at airports in Europe.

Over the weekend, huge queues at border control meant some passengers were forced to miss their flights while others waited hours to leave the airport.

EES, which is the EU’s Entry/Exit System, became fully operational on April 10, 2026.

The new rules require all non-EU nationals to register their details like fingerprints and facial images before going abroad.

It will replace the need for stamps and is designed to make border crossings quicker.

But so far, lots of passengers have faced huge queues at border controls, some over four hours long.

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This weekend, the use of EES biometrics at three Portuguese airports; Lisbon, Porto and Faro, were actually stopped because of excessive passenger wait times.

To ease the queues, EES registration was halted on the morning of April 11 – it later restarted in the afternoon.

Public Security Police spokesperson Sérgio Soares, told press “the collection of biometrics at departures from Humberto Delgado (Lisbon), Francisco Sá Carneiro (Porto) and Gago Coutinho (Faro) Airports was interrupted from the beginning of the operation this morning.

“The interruption continues and is currently being reevaluated. This is to ensure that the waiting time is not longer than what we intend, namely so that people do not miss flights.”

However this was the case at Milan Airport in Italy.

Some passengers were left behind over the weekend as a result of the huge EES registration queues.

The BBC reported that over 100 people were left stranded when an easyJet flight to Manchester left without them.

The delays due to the new EES checks means travellers were waiting in lines over three hours long.

Some passengers left in the heat of the airport were throwing up and passing out.

One passenger told the BBC that her having to rebook her flights cost her an extra £520 as a result.

Another stranded passenger who spoke to The Independent said they had booked another flight at the cost of £1,600 – and with a connection through Luxembourg.

easyJet told The Sun: “Due to delays in EES processing by border authorities, some passengers departing from Milan Linate yesterday experienced very long waiting times at passport control.

“We held flight EJU5420 from Milan to Manchester for nearly an hour to give passengers extra time but it had to then depart due to crew reaching their safety regulated operating hours. Customers who missed the flight have been offered a free flight transfer. 

“We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers.   

“While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”

Meanwhile, at Brussels Airport on the very first day of the EES rollout, the Airports Council International reported that in one instance there weren’t any passengers on a plane when the gate closed.

It said one flight from Brussels to the UK was missing 51 passengers at departure.

And then, “another flight had zero passengers on board at gate closing time, and 90 minutes later, 12 passengers were yet to reach the gate”.

There were concerns raised about the new travel rules prior to the full rollout, with officials asking for EES to be delayed until later in the year.

If you’re heading abroad soon, here are our seven tips for the new EES rules.

And this travel app could help you avoid massive airport queues caused by EES.

I’m A Celebrity fans are wondering what has happened to Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard and why they’re not on the show, after it had been announced they would be on the line-up

Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard’s I’m A Celebrity debut, or lack of, has sparked questions on social media.

So where are the former campmates, and why have they not entered the South Africa camp? Stars including Gemma Collins, Beverley Callard and Craig Charles are already on the show.

That said, we already had late arrivals with Gemma and Craig joining the likes of Ashley Roberts, David Haye and Sinitta. But fans are now asking what’s happened to Jimmy and Harry after the news they too would be on the series.

Taking to social media, one fan said: “Where is Harry and Jimmy Bullard?” Another asked: “So no Harry?” as a third said: “Now we just need Harry!”

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Some viewers were quick to comment that they’d heard the pair would be late arrivals. It seems the arrival of both stars could be very soon if a TV guide is anything to go by.

While hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have yet to address it, Radio Times’ TV guide states that there are two new arrivals entering during Monday’s show. While it doesn’t name the newcomers, it seems only Harry and Jimmy are missing from the current line-up.

Viewers had been confused, as both Harry and Jimmy were named by the show as stars on the line-up on their social media accounts. So when they did not appear with the others, they questioned what had happened.

But rest assured, Harry and Jimmy are on the show and will join very soon, likely Monday if that TV guide is anything to go by. It’s been hinted by Ant and Dec that the arrivals of both stars will be teased at the end of Friday’s show.

Unlike the normal series, I’m A Celebrity South Africa will not air across the weekend. So it seems the arrival of Harry and Jimmy will be teased on Friday, and air on Monday.

Ant had said: “We’ve got two more late entries coming at the end of this week. Then, from week two, it just goes off again to another gear. It’s just got everything.”

The series was filmed last September in South Africa, so most of the series is pre-recorded. There will be a live episode for the final though later this month, taking place in London.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! South Africa airs every night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Loose Women’s Penny Lancaster shared insights into her marriage to Sir Rod Stewart and revealed how they keep their spark alive after 26 years together

Penny Lancaster has opened up about the secret behind her successful marriage to Rod Stewart. The couple have been together for 26 years, tying the knot in 2007 and going on to welcome two sons, Alastair Stewart and Aiden Stewart.

Penny, 55, Rod’s third wife and his longest marriage to date, shared what has helped keep their relationship strong – and the main reason might come as a surprise.

According to the former model, spending weeks apart has played a huge role in keeping things exciting. She told Best Magazine: “We don’t [live in each other’s pockets] and time apart helps keep the spark alive.”

At the time of the interview, the pair had been apart for three weeks and were planning on reuniting.

She told the publication: “We’re desperately missing each other and have been counting down the days. Rod generally has a driver pick him up from the airport, but I’m meeting him because we can’t wait to see each other. Right from the start of our 26 years together, we’ve spent time apart.”

Reflecting on the first year of their relationship, Penny said she had been studying photography in the UK while Rod was based in the US, meaning much of their time together was spent communicating through a screen.

“We’d spend hours and hours on the phone talking about everything, including photography and paintings,” she revealed.

Sharing more about her husband away from the spotlight, she added: “Rod has a deeply, spiritual, sensitive and artistic side. That’s what he’s like underneath it all.

“That’s the real man. He can be quite demanding and he does require a lot of attention, but that’s fine because I’m good at giving it,” she added.

In the same interview, the Loose Women star said effort was key to their relationship, revealing the pair make sure to have regular date nights – whether that’s going to the theatre or enjoying “long romantic walks” together.

She also said the couple still “flirt with each other and make each other laugh” to keep the intimacy alive. “We don’t take each other for granted,” she added.

Penny is Rod’s third wife, following his marriages to Rachel Hunter and Alana Stewart.

Alongside the two sons he shares with Penny, Rod is also father to six other children – Sarah, Kimberly, Ruby, Renee, Sean and Liam.

Previously opening up about fatherhood, the Maggie May hitmaker admitted he has had to be “several different fathers” due to the large age gaps between his children.

His eldest daughter, Sarah Streeter, whom he shares with a former partner, is 62, while his youngest child with Penny is 14.

According to MailOnline, he added: “You really have to treat all of them as individuals with individual problems. As a dad, I’ve learned to listen and not blow my top.”

April 3 (UPI) — The U.S. forces rescued at least one crew member after Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E fighter jet Friday, unnamed U.S. military sources told multiple media outlets.

Officials confirmed the rescue to CBS News but said search-and-rescue operations were still taking place. CNN reported they were looking for one other pilot before Iranian forces could reach them. The F-15E has a standard crew of two pilots, The New York Times reported.

Iran’s state-run Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian officials’ efforts to locate the two U.S. pilot had “so far been unsuccessful.” Another Iranian news outlet, Fars News, said the government was offering a reward to anyone who captured an “enemy pilot or pilots.”

The New York Times reported that amid the search-and-rescue efforts, Iranian ground fire also hit a U.S. Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Officials told the news outlet that the crew was able to fly the aircraft back to safety in Iraq.

The Times also reported that another aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt, or Warthog, crashed near the Strait of Hormuz around the same time as the F-15E fighter jet. Two U.S. officials told the outlet that the only pilot on board the aircraft was rescued.

Iranian media outlets published photos of what appears to be a shot-down F-15 fighter jet.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident.

This is the first U.S. aircraft to be shot down by Iran since the start of U.S. and Israeli bombing on Feb. 28. Three other F-15 jets were shot down by mistake in Kuwait.

SCOTT Mills’ “work wife” Tina Daheley has revealed the “real reason” she was missing from Radio 2 this week.

It was revealed this week that fan-favourite host Scott had been fired from his Radio 2 Breakfast Show over allegations surrounding his “personal conduct.”

The Sun understands that his contract was terminated within five days of the complaint being made.

It then came to light how Scott’s sacking was linked to a complaint about a 2016 police probe into historic “serious sexual offences” against a teenage boy, with the timeline of proceedings showing the BBC took seven years to act.

Scott’s co-presenter Tina took to social media on Wednesday to admit that it’s been an “awful week” after she went “missing”.

She shared a photo of herself in bed with a cup of tea and wrote: “Good morning! Just about recovered from this awful cold/flu.

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“I’ve had for the past week (being parent to a primary school aged child is like having a subscription service to viruses!).”

Tina then revealed when she would be returning to her hosting duties.

“Good news is I’m over the worst of it and looking forward to spending two weeks with my family over the Easter hols from tomorrow after what’s been an incredibly difficult past week,” she said.

“I’ll be back on the radio Tuesday 21st April.”

It comes after Scott’s podcast was pulled by the BBC.

His Mercedes-Benz Vans Under the Bonnet: On the Road podcast has also been taken off Spotify.

The four part series created in 2025 with the Under the Bonnet report, shone the spotlight on varying issues for van drivers including everything from road conditions to mental health.

Scott has previously opened up on his own mental health battles and the podcast saw him reveal how 65 per cent of drivers had also struggled.

Yet when users search for it on Spotify, from a Google link that previously worked, a caption now states: “Couldn’t find that podcast.

“Search for something else?”

The BBC have also removed him from a Race Across The World podcast and pulled scenes he filmed for EastEnders.

Yesterday, we exclusively reported how charity Neuroblastoma UK dropped him as a patron.

Recently, we reported how Scott had been wiped from the BBC’s social media.

It comes after it was confirmed the Scott Mills Bridge at the M3 service station was now set to be re-named.

Additionally, The Sun was first to report how his Eurovision replacement is his fellow BBC Radio 2 DJ, Sara Cox.

Since 2011, he has commentated on the semi-finals, which air on BBC One on Tuesday and Thursday in the week leading up to the grand final.

• Scott Mills has been sensationally sacked by the BBC in a “tense” meeting with bosses
• The sudden axing is understood to be linked to a 2016 police probe into historical sex offences involving a teen boy
• Mills was questioned by police under caution in 2018 but the case was dropped in full due to a lack of evidence it is understood
• The race is now on to find a replacement for Mills, with fellow BBC DJ Gary Davies standing in
• And uncertainty now surrounds his future projects

In recent years, he has been joined by Rylan Clark to commentate on the shows, as well as the final live on Radio 2.

It comes after it transpired the broadcaster was questioned by police under caution in 2018 – when he was in his 40s, the Mirror reports.

The interview was related to alleged offences which took place between 1997 and 2000.

The case was dropped in full due to a lack of evidence.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told The Mirror: “In December 2016, the Met began an investigation following a referral from another police force.

“The investigation related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy.”

The spokesperson said a man, who was in his 40s at the time of the interview, was questioned by police under caution in July 2018.

“A full file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges,” the Met said.

“Following this advice, the investigation was closed in May 2019.”

The allegations, which did not result in any charges, were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.

Scott began at Radio 1 in 1998 presenting the early morning slot before earning his own breakfast show The Scott Mills Show.

Scott’s pals have also claimed they “can’t reach him” amid the “teen boy sex probe”.

A BBC spokesperson told The Sun: “While we do not comment on matters relating to individuals, we can confirm Scott Mills is no longer contracted to work with the BBC.”

March 28 (UPI) — Two missing aid boats en route to Cuba that were reported missing have been found, the Mexican navy announced Saturday.

The navy said aerial search crews spotted the two sailboats — the Friendship and Tiger Moth, operating as part of Our America Convoy — about 80 nautical miles northwest of Cuba on Friday.

The two boats with a total of nine crew members departed Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, on March 20 to transport 2 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba. They failed to confirm their arrival in Cuba on the scheduled dates — between Friday night and Saturday morning — sparking a search operation.

Once found, the captain of one of the vessels told the Mexican navy that the delay was due to unfavorable weather conditions. All crew members were found to be in good health.

A Mexican navy ship was expected to escort the two sailboats the rest of the way to Cuba to ensure a safe arrival.

A representative for Our American Convoy confirmed to CNN that the crew members were safe.

“The convoy continues its course to complete its mission: to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the Cuban people,” the representative said.

March 27 (UPI) — The Mexican Navy was searching the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico on Friday for two missing aid boats bringing at least two tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba.

The air-sea search and rescue operation involving naval vessels and military aircraft was launched after the catamaran sailboats, Friendship and Tiger Moth, with a multinational crew of at least nine, failed to arrive in Havana on Wednesday, the navy said.

The flotilla, part of Nuestra America Convoy to Cuba, set off on the 250-mile crossing from Isla Mujeres just off Cancun on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on March 20, but there had been communication from the convoy since.

A third vessel in the flotilla, an 80-foot fishing boat, arrived safely in Havana on Tuesday where the crew was personally received by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

The navy said it was in contact with the maritime rescue coordination centers of the home nations of the crew, who are from Cuba, Mexico, the United States, France and Poland, while the Mexican government said consular authorities of the respective nations had been notified.

Before departing from Mexico, the coordinator of the mission, Adnaan Stumo, said the boats were bringing food and medical supplies.

The rescue mission comes after hundreds of activists from 33 countries converged on Havana in support of the Nuestra America effort with organizers saying they had delivered more than 20 tons of essential supplies.

The initiative brought together more than 650 participants from 33 countries, including doctors, activists, political figures, artists and digital content creators. Most participants arrived by air.

Organizers claim Cuba is on the verge of an “imminent humanitarian collapse” for which they blame the recent tightening of the United States’ decades-long economic embargo, including sanctions and restrictions on oil imports.

Mexico has already sent two vessels carrying more than 1,200 tons of food, China 60,000 tons of rice and other neighboring countries in the Caribbean are preparing to ship powdered milk, infant formula, nonperishable food, medical supplies and energy equipment, such as solar panels and batteries.

However, ordinary Cubans and dissidents criticized those efforts, particularly the Nuestra America initiative, saying they provided moral and material backing to the communist regime in Havana, which they accused of not passing on the aid to those in need.

“They believe in dictators, that’s why it works like this. None of those donations go to the people, everything goes to the stores — in MLC [a digital currency created by the Cuban government] or dollars,” said activist Yanaisy Curvelo, mother of a political prisoner.

Havana resident Manuel Soria called the Nuestra America Convoy a sham.

“What they came here for is to support the dictatorship of the Castro regime. If it comes under these conditions, then they should not come anymore because we have not seen any help. We have not benefited, what we are is hungrier every day,” he said.

NEW rules being rolled out across Europe are causing so much chaos at airports, that Brits are even missing their flights.

The new The Entry/Exit System (EES) has already been causing long wait times across Europe.

EES is replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.

Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – are required to register their details like fingerprints, facial images and scan passports on their first visit to a Schengen area country.

But at Tenerife South, passengers say that only a handful of these EES machines are working with some rejecting fingerprints.

Passengers are even saying they’ve missed flights due to delays in getting through controls.

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Some Brits are warning to give as much as three hours before a flight just in case.

One Brit wrote on social media: “The key is to arrive three hours early so at least you are in the front of the queue when problems start.”

Another added: “Love Tenerife but HATE the airport.”

Police have reportedly been called in to the South Airport on several occasions to calm the crowds of angry passengers.

With bad weather and storms hitting the Canary Islands, those who miss flights are having to sleep inside the airport overnight before catching another plane home.

On one particular day, around 100 passengers were stranded there and many were unable to find overnight accommodation, so stayed in the terminal.

Passengers are blaming lack of staff and proper organisation for the chaos, with computers not working.

“Passport control is a disaster,” posted another Brit. “One person for thousands of travellers.”

Only 20 per cent of the biometric machines are working and officials admitted to the Spanish media that there were “computer failures.”

The chaos has been going on for months and tourism chiefs and hoteliers say the island’s reputation is being hit, compounded by the bad weather.

Since last week, the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, have also been struck with flash flooding and snow as a result of Storm Therese.

Even without bad weather, many airports have experienced delays caused by the new travel requirement of EES registration.

Due to their small size, airports on the Canary Islands have seen reports of long queues.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill said she waited in line at Lanzarote Airport for three hours after landing – just to get through to EES and passport control.

And matters could only get worse with Spanish airport staff preparing to strike during March and April.

Ground staff are planning to strike at 12 airports across the country – including Tenerife South.

Other airports that could be affected include Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Valencia and Bilbao.

And on the islands; Palma de Mallorca,  Gran Canaria, Tenerife Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.

For anyone heading to Tenerife – here are the top tips from someone who has been travelling there for a decade.

And here’s more on the Spanish island that feels more like Mars and flights are just £35.

Former NATO official William Alberque says 440 kg of missing Iranian uranium is blocking a US victory claim. He warns that despite strikes on Natanz Nuclear Facility, the risk of proliferation remains.

Five days after a strike destroyed a building in Tehran, Mahdi Mirzahosseini’s brothers are still searching through rubble for signs of their youngest sibling. They are holding onto hope of finding their brother who had gone to work insisting on serving customers for the Persian New Year.

March 19 (UPI) — A 20-year-old student from University of Alabama reported missing in Barcelona, Spain, after an evening at a nightclub was found dead Thursday, authorities announced.

Barcelona police said the body of James “Jimmy” Gracey of Elmhurst, Ill., was found on Somorrostro beach near the Shoko Barcelona nightclub where he was last seen, a representative from the Barcelona police said in a statement to CNN.

“Everything points to it being an accident, not a criminal act,” the statement said.

CBS News reported slightly different details about where Gracey’s body was found, saying authorities recovered his body after sending out boats, divers and drones to search the sea.

The El Periódico newspaper in Spain reported that sources told them Gracey’s wallet was found floating in the sea, but officials have not confirmed it.

Gracey traveled to Spain for spring break to visit friends studying abroad. His family said he visited Shoko Barcelona, a nightclub near the Villa Olimpica area, Monday and disappeared early Tuesday morning after being separated from his friends at the club.

The family said he was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants that were likely joggers and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He is 6 feet 1 inches tall and about 175 pounds.

Gracey’s family released a statement after news of his discovery was released.

“We are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement read. “We have made the decision to pause media interviews at this time to focus on being together and caring for one another. Thank you for respecting our privacy and holding our family in your thoughts.

Before his body was found, Gracey’s aunt, Beth Marren O’Reilly, told NBC News that his “parents got a phone call that his phone was picked up, and that’s what drove them to be worried.”

Shoko Nightclub told CBS News Chicago that it has given the security video of that night to local police.

Cavin McLay, junior and president of the university’s Theta Chi fraternity, said he learned from a friend that Gracey was missing, NBC reported. He said he was told that a group at the club got separated, “and that was the last time they saw him.”

“My heart sank to my stomach. It’s definitely not a good text to wake up to,” he said.

The group that Gracey was out with said they didn’t have any encounters that made them worried for their safety before Gracey disappeared, McLay told NBC.

McLay said he was not staying with the same group of friends as Gracey and that there are about 10 friends visiting for spring break.

“Jimmy is a kind, responsible and devoted son and brother,” his parents, Taras and Therese Gracey, said in a statement. “It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends.”

“He’s a great big brother, he’s a great son, he’s a great nephew, he’s just very beloved,” O’Reilly said. “He’s a very responsible kid, which is why we’re very worried. This is pretty out of character for him not to be in touch with friends and family.”

The U.S. Department of State is helping the family, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he has been in touch with the family.

“UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible,” a spokesperson from the university said.

BRIDESMAIDS star Wendi McClendon-Covey has revealed why she was missing from the cast reunion at the Oscars saying “I look like a melted candle.”

Fifteen years after its debut, the film‘s main stars gathered onstage at the 2026 awards ceremony for a hilarious reunion.

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, and Ellie Kemper reunited at the Oscars much to fans delight.

However, some of them wondered why Wendy, who played Rita in Bridesmaids, hadn’t joined them.

After the show, Wendy posted on Instagram to clear up the confusion.

She said: “I had a neck lift last week because I’m tired of looking like a melting candle.

JUST LIKE MUM

Kate Moss’ lookalike daughter looks just like her at Oscars after party

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“So I had to skip the Academy Awards. No drama. Everything is fine.”

A snap showed her lying down with a bandage wrapped around her head.

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “Sending some healing energy your way!”

Another added: “Gorgeous before and after.”

A third said: “Love your transparency. F-yeah! Some people can embrace that candle look but others…h*** no. Either way is right as long as it makes you happy. Big healing love!”

While a fourth wrote: “You’re such a sweet, kind, hilarious legend, shine on my friend.”

During the Oscars reunion Kirsten joked: “I cannot believe that it’s been 15 years. Now we are not good with numbers, but we figured out backstage that means we shot this movie in 1883.”

Each of them was then handed a note and claimed it was signed by A-list audience members like Leonardo DiCaprio or Stellan Skarsgard, who spoke about their good looks.

Maya opened hers and said: “Oh, this is strange. Well, mine says, ‘First of all, you ladies look extremely beautiful tonight.’ Thank you. ‘You’re aging well.’ Signed, Stellan Skarsgård.”

Kirsten read a fake note from Benicio Del Toro which said “You guys have been talking for a long time. This bit could have been a lot shorter.

Who won on Hollywood’s biggest night?

One Battle After Another ran away with the night with six Oscars, while Sinners, which was nominated for a record-breaking 16 awards, came away with four. See the full winners list below:

Best Picture: One Battle After Another

Best Actress: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet

Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, Weapons

Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Directing: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson

Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson

Original Screenplay: Sinners, Ryan Coogler

Documentary Feature: Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms

Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters

Animated Short: The Girl Who Cried Pearls

Cinematography: Sinners, Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Costume Design: Frankenstein, Kate Hawley

Film Editing: One Battle After Another, Andy Jurgensen

International Feature: Sentimental Value – Norway

Life Action Short: 

The Singers (TIED)

Two People Exchanging Saliva (TIED)

Makeup and Hairstyling: Frankenstein, Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey

Original Score: Sinners, Ludwig Goransson

Original Song: Golden, KPop Demon Hunters

Production Design: Frankenstein, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau

Sound: F1, Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta

Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

Casting: One Battle After Another, Cassandra Kulukundis

“This is really going on and on. You aren’t even talking about score. That’s all. Love ya lots, Benicio Del Toro. Or for those of you who refuse to learn Spanish, it’s Benedict of the Bull.”

Directed by Paul Feig, Bridesmaids was written by Kirsten Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who were nominated for Best Original Screenplay when the film was released in 2011.

Melissa also earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The film gained cult status and went on to gross over $300 million worldwide.

March 12 (UPI) — Law enforcement officials in New Mexico said they’ve been searching for a 68-year-old retired U.S. Air Force major general who was reported missing last month.

William “Neil” McCasland was last seen at his Albuquerque home Feb. 27, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook. The department issued a silver alert searching for the man, saying it wasn’t clear what kind of clothing he was wearing nor what direction he might have traveled.

“Due to his medical issues law enforcement is concerned for his safety,” the sheriff’s office said.

The FBI’s Albuquerque field office said it was unusual for McCasland to be out of touch from his family for this length of time. The FBI said it believes he left his home on foot and doesn’t expect foul play.

“We are, however, utilizing all possible resources including advanced technologies, and still considering all possible scenarios as we follow up on leads towards locating Neil,” the FBI said in a Facebook post on March 6.

The sheriff’s office said it had searched McCasland’s neighborhood, speaking to more than 600 homeowners in the area.

March 12 (UPI) — Police divers in Australia’s Greater Sunshine Coast region on Thursday recovered the bodies of two missing Chinese backpackers after they were found dead inside their SUV vehicle beneath floodwaters.

The 26-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were found near Kilkivan, 100 miles northwest of Brisbane, after a major search operation by police and the State Emergency Service using helicopters and drones when the pair failed to arrive at their destination.

“Dive squad officers from the state dive unit arrived and retrieved two deceased persons from a car that had been washed off the road at Kilkivan. The formal identification process is still underway but it is believed that the two, as reported, are a 26-year-old male and a 23-year-old female who are international tourists,” said Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie.

Purdie said their families had been notified and authorities were working with the Chinese Consulate in Brisbane.

Bundaberg Police Chief Inspector Grantley Marcus said the pair were driving from Brisbane to Mundubbera, where they were due to begin jobs picking fruit.

“They didn’t arrive and a friend of theirs from Australia contacted police on Tuesday and reported them as missing.”

Marcus said the families of the deceased were en route to Australia and pledged police would do everything they could to assist them when they arrived.

The couple was named by 7News as Yuchen Guo, 23, from Shandong Province in eastern China, and Qingwei Qiu, 26, from Fujian Province in the southeast of the country.

Extreme rainfall has seen large areas of Queensland hit with severe flooding in recent days, with some river levels still rising. Parts of the state recorded their highest three-day rainfall totals Sunday through Tuesday.

Glen Hartwig, mayor of nearby Gympie, said the deaths of the pair were “an absolute tragedy” and called for more to be done to make tourists aware of the danger from flooding.

“These people have come to Australia to see our beautiful country and tragically they’ve ended up losing their lives. We warn people about biosecurity when they come into the country, but I also think we need to warn them about the dangers of floodwaters,” he said.

“We’re very grateful that they chose to come and see our country and we’re so sorry for their loss and the pain that [family members] are now feeling,” added Hartwig.

Authorities have said most of those who died were found buried in mud.

The death toll from landslides and flooding in the Gamo Zone of southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 64, with dozens more people missing, police have said.

“The number of people missing due to the recent flood in Gamo zone has reached 128, and according to the latest information, 64 bodies have been found,” said the South Ethiopia Regional State Police Commission in a statement on Facebook on Thursday.

The Gacho Baba district communication chief, Abebe Agena, said most of those who died were found buried in mud. It is not yet clear how many households were affected.

Gamo Zone director of disaster response Mesfin Manuqa said that one person was pulled out of mud alive during rescue operations.

Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, expressed his sorrow over the disaster and urged residents to move to higher ground as rains continue.

“Given that it is the rainy season and these types of disasters could happen again, I am calling on communities living in the highlands and flood-prone areas to take the necessary precautions,” he said.

Flooding caused by heavy rains has led to the deaths, with most of East Africa seeing heavy flooding in recent days.

Dozens were killed in neighbouring Kenya after torrential rain hit the capital, Nairobi, and other areas on Friday.

Mudslides and floods caused by heavy rainfall are common in Ethiopia, especially during the rainy season.

In July 2024, a deadly mudslide caused by heavy rain killed more than 250 people in southern Ethiopia.

Multiple studies have tracked the increasing frequency of extreme wet and dry periods in East Africa in the last 20 years.

Scientists have long warned that human-driven climate change is increasing the likelihood, length and severity of severe weather events such as torrential downpours.