In a startling revelation, up to 70 British nationals have been imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates for capturing photos and videos of drone and missile attacks, as reported by The Mail on Sunday.

These individuals, encompassing tourists, expatriates, and airline crew members, have found themselves in overcrowded detention facilities, often deprived of basic necessities like sleep, food, and medical care. The detentions are a result of strict laws designed to maintain ‘national security and stability.’

Critics, however, argue that affluent city-states like Dubai are employing heavy-handed measures to uphold their meticulously crafted image as secure and luxurious travel destinations.

Under the UAE’s stringent regulations, even receiving an image can constitute an offense, potentially leading to a decade-long prison sentence or fines reaching £200,000.

The alarming figure of British citizens detained has been disclosed by two campaign groups based in the UK, who are collaborating with lawyers in the UAE.

So many people are being held that the legal system is swamped, meaning those arrested face months in detention before being charged, according to human rights group Dubai Watch.

Some of those arrested have been released on bail – but have had their passports confiscated so they cannot leave the Emirates. If they are expats whose work visas expire in the meantime, they will not be able to work and face homelessness, campaigners say.

Dubai Watch is representing eight arrested Britons, but its founder David Haigh says local lawyers tell him that at least 35 Britons have been detained in Dubai, and a similar number in neighbouring Abu Dhabi.

As many as 70 Britons have been locked up in the United Arab Emirates for taking photos and videos of drone and missile attacks, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Pictured: The Palm Jumeirah Fairmont hotel after it was hit by a Shahed suicide drone on February 28, 2026

Oil-rich city-states have been accused of a heavy-handed clampdown that aims to protect their ‘carefully constructed brand’. Pictured: An Emirates aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport on 16 March

In some cases, they were made to sign statements in Arabic they did not understand, it is claimed. 

Access by British consular staff is understood to be ‘restricted or outright denied’.

The Foreign Office is not automatically alerted to all cases, and some of those arrested have been advised not to contact the British Embassy for fear it could prolong their cases. 

Officials believe just five British detainees are receiving consular help for taking pictures.

Last night, Radha Stirling of the Detained In Dubai group said: ‘British citizens are being held in overcrowded conditions, denied medication, and pressured to sign confessions without legal representation. 

‘This is a serious failure of protection. Immediate and robust diplomatic intervention is required to safeguard their welfare and secure their release. 

‘These are not criminals, but ordinary tourists, workers and residents who acted without malicious intent.’

Among the detained Britons is a London-based air steward for the budget airline FlyDubai. 

Some of those arrested have been told not to contact the British Embassy for fear it could prolong their cases. Pictured: Smoke at Dubai International Airport after a strike on March 7

It is understood he took a photo of the damage caused when an Iranian drone crashed close to Dubai airport on March 7 and sent it to colleagues, asking if the area was safe. He was arrested soon afterwards after police checked his phone.

A British lawyer living in Dubai as an expat is also among those arrested, while Detained In Dubai is helping the family of a 60-year-old British tourist who was charged with 20 others after footage of Iranian missiles over Dubai was found on their phones. 

Despite deleting the footage, he was arrested and now faces two years in jail and up to £40,000 in fines.

He was charged under cyber-crime laws, but some cases are being treated as more serious national security issues.

Emirati laws prohibit anyone from taking or publishing photos that could ‘disturb public security’.

When there is an Iranian strike, those nearby are sent a text message in both Arabic and English saying: ‘Photographing or sharing security or critical sites, or reposting unreliable information, may result in legal action and compromise national security and stability.’

Police also reportedly approach those in the area and demand to see their phones. Anyone caught with photos of attack sites is arrested, while those who receive such photos through apps like WhatsApp are also tracked down and arrested.

Mr Haigh, who was tortured in a Dubai jail, said ‘Dubai is a corporation, a gleaming global brand desperate to keep the facade intact. 

‘So, once tourists and expats take photos of a missile intercept, or a drone strike, they become the enemy. 

‘They are arrested, vanished, threatened, charged, forced to report friends, and face years in jail.’

Before the war, more than 240,000 Britons lived in Dubai. About half are thought to have returned home since Iran started firing missiles and drones across the Strait of Hormuz.

The Emirati embassy in London said people had been warned about taking or sharing photos from ‘incident sites’, adding: ‘Disseminating such materials or inaccurate information can incite public panic and create a false impression of the UAE’s actual situation.’

The Foreign Office said: ‘We are supporting a number of British nationals in the UAE who have been detained or arrested.

‘We expect full consular access to British nationals. The British Ambassador regularly speaks to the authorities about access.’

‘No one knows you’re here’: Shadowy truth of arrests

Thrown into solitary confinement in a Dubai jail at gunpoint, handcuffed and blindfolded, Tiina Jauhiainen was told chillingly: ‘No one knows you are here. We can do whatever we want to you.’

That, says Tiina, is the reality facing the scores of Britons locked up in Emirate jails.

Held under draconian ‘domestic security’ laws, they are entitled to no consular assistance or even a phone call.

There is no duty for Dubai officials to inform anyone that they have been detained, let alone British embassy staff.

It is why the Foreign Office has no grip on the true total of British citizens being held in Dubai jails – because the numbers are essentially hidden.

Even those bailed, who are released but forbidden from leaving the state, may not seek embassy assistance because – says Dubai Watch and Detained in Dubai – their lawyers advise this can draw out the process.

Tiina, 49, who lives in London but had spent 17 years in the Gulf, spent two weeks in jail in 2018. In her case, the story went around the world.

A friend of Princess Latifa, the daughter of billionaire Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, Tiina had helped her escape from her despotic father and had sent a video to the Press in which the princess claimed she had been beaten, tortured and imprisoned by officials linked to her family.

They were captured on a yacht in international waters off India’s coast.

Tiina Jauhiainen was kept in solitary confinement after she sent a video to the press in which Princess Latifa, daughter of billionaire Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, claimed she had been beaten, tortured and imprisoned by officials linked to her family

Tiina was returned to Dubai, kept in solitary confinement, threatened with the death penalty and interrogated for hours about the video, the escape plan and whether she was part of a larger plot to overthrow Sheikh Mohammed.

She said it was ‘the most terrifying thing that has ever happened to me in my life’.

In a windowless cell with permanent fluorescent light, she had no idea if it was day or night and only a thin blanket for covering, which left her shivering violently.

When she was eventually released without charge, she was forced to sign paperwork agreeing not to criticise the regime or talk about her incarceration.

And she was left with a veiled threat: ‘They said they had been able to find us on a yacht in the middle of the ocean.’

She added: ‘I was then blindfolded and released outside Dubai airport.’

She was later told by security services that spyware had been installed on her phone.

‘My message to anyone is to be careful,’ says Tiina. ‘It would be so easy for the regime to make you disappear.’

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has vowed to reinforce his country’s nuclear capabilities while maintaining a firm stance against South Korea, which he labeled as “the most hostile” nation. This declaration was reported by state media on Tuesday, as covered by The Associated Press.

In a Monday address to North Korea’s ceremonial parliament, Kim criticized the United States, accusing it of “state terrorism and aggression” on a global scale, seemingly alluding to current conflicts in the Middle East. He asserted that North Korea would adopt a more assertive role in an international coalition opposing Washington, amid growing anti-American sentiment.

According to the AP, a North Korean official mentioned that the decision between confrontation and peaceful coexistence lies with their adversaries, stating, “We are prepared to respond to any choice.”

The image, taken on February 15, 2026, and released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency on February 16, captures Kim Jong Un delivering a speech during the inauguration of Saeppyol Street in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS/AFP via Getty Images)

“The honor of our nation, its interests, and its ultimate victory are assured only through the strongest power,” declared Kim, according to the AP. “Our government’s commitment is to fortify our unassailable status as a nuclear power and to actively challenge antagonistic forces to thwart their (anti-North Korean) provocations and schemes.”

This picture taken on Feb. 21, 2026 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Feb. 22, shows Kim Jong Un speaking during the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS/AFP via Getty Images)

The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community states, “North Korea remains committed to expanding its strategic weapons programs, including missiles and nuclear warheads, and to solidifying its deterrent capability.” 

This picture taken on Feb. 2, 2026 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Feb. 3, shows Kim Jong Un delivering a speech at the inauguration of the Samgwang Stockbreeding Farm in North Pyongan Province. (KCNA via KNS/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran more than three weeks ago in a bid to prevent the Islamic Republic from potentially joining the ranks of other nations that possess nuclear weapons.

SAN FRANCISCO — In the opening trio of games this season, Aaron Judge has notched more strikeouts than anyone except last year’s home run leader, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh.

As of now, Judge has managed just two hits in the 2026 season.

Remarkably, both of those hits have been crucial home runs, contributing to Yankees’ victories, most recently in their 3-1 triumph over the Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.

“It’s still early days,” commented Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “Aaron is finding his rhythm. He’s in a league of his own. His hits have been monumental home runs. As I’ve mentioned before, he’s playing a different game.”

With his latest home run, Judge has now amassed 370 career home runs, placing him tied for 83rd on the all-time list alongside Gil Hodges.

He also passed another New York home run legend on Saturday, Ralph Kiner, who hit 369 homers in his career.

The next on the list is — oddly enough — Judge’s current teammate, Paul Goldschmidt, with 372 and counting.

But regardless of how many home runs Judge hits or awards he earns, the right fielder is interested in only one number: one.

He’s still waiting for his first World Series title and that remains at the forefront of his mind, as he explained before Saturday’s victory.

“My job is not to win MVPs,” Judge said. “It’s to win games. The MVPs and other things are cool and when I’m done playing, I’ll think about that. But now, doing that takes away from the ultimate goal of putting the Yankees back on top. Counting those other things and worrying about that doesn’t help.”

Instead, Judge focuses on what’s left for him to accomplish.

“I only think about the stuff I’ve missed out on,’’ Judge said. “That’s all that matters every year. It’s not All-Star games or MVPs. It’s ‘Did you win it all or not?’ And not getting that always eats at you.”

And that won’t change during the regular season, regardless of the numbers Judge puts up.

A few wins in March won’t change it, either, though it’s better than the alternative, especially with the Yankees now 6-0 in Judge’s career at his hometown ballpark.

“The good stuff is fine, but the disappointments are what drive you,’’ Judge said.

He insisted that remains the case in his 11th major league season.

“I’ve been the same when it comes to that since my rookie year and we lost the ALCS,’’ Judge said. “A loss is a loss, regardless of where you are in your career. It doesn’t matter what happened during the regular season. I’m here to finally punch the ticket and finish it off.”

So the fact that Judge’s fifth-inning homer against lefty Ryan Borucki was followed by the Yankees fans in attendance chanting “MVP’’ isn’t especially relevant.

Instead, he’s already focused on October and what he can do there.

“The regular season is spring training at this point,’’ Judge said. “It’s practice for the real test so we can get the kinks out before the games that matter when we need to take care of business.”

Amidst the bustling spring break season, travelers found themselves enduring prolonged waits at major U.S. airports. This came even after President Donald Trump enacted an executive order intended to expedite pay for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, a move aimed at reducing lengthy security queues.

On Friday, Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to immediately compensate TSA employees. However, the timeline for when this directive will tangibly ease the pressure at airport security lines remains uncertain.

This decision coincided with a peak in travel due to school and college spring breaks, alongside the forthcoming Passover and Easter celebrations.

At Philadelphia International Airport, Betty Mitchell’s travel experience was marked by extended waits. She arrived at 12:30 a.m. on Saturday for a 5 a.m. flight to see her family, only to find the airline counter opening at 3 a.m. This led to a rush of passengers trying to navigate the TSA screening process.

“Suddenly, it turned into chaos,” Mitchell remarked.

She waited nearly three hours to get through TSA but missed her flight. She was able to board the next available one.

“It was crazy long lines,” she said. “Never have I seen it that long. If the airlines work with TSA in these trouble(d) times, maybe it would help the public.”

What’s the current situation on the ground?

Some passengers with very early flights on Saturday reported having little problem getting through airport security lines. But that may have been an anomaly. Others at some of the busiest airports wrote on social media that security lines were growing exponentially longer by the hour.

“We have not previously experienced checkpoint wait times similar to what we are seeing this morning,” Baltimore-Washington International Airport said in a post Saturday on the social platform X. BWI officials recommended travelers arrive four hours before their scheduled departure time.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also said in a post on X that more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were being deployed to BWI. According to the post, the Maryland Aviation Administration was alerted to the move on Saturday.

“We have been told by ICE their personnel will provide operational support and assist at TSA security checkpoints to speed up the clearance process for passengers – not immigration enforcement.”

When will TSA employees be paid?

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA personnel could get paid as soon as Monday, a relief for workers who have gone without pay since Feb. 14.

While that is welcome news to many, it remains to be seen whether that promise materializes on schedule and if it brings an immediate end to snaking lines at airports.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, said the staffing crisis won’t improve significantly until officers are confident that they won’t be subjected to more skipped paychecks.

“If it’s only for a pay period, that’s not enough to bring them back,” Harmon-Marshall said. “It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there.”

He estimates longer lines could linger for another week or two.

How soon will this help with airport delays?

It’s hard to tell. Airports that had passengers standing in screening lines that clogged check-in areas or showing up far too early for their flights will need to decide whether to reopen checkpoints or expedite service lanes they closed or consolidated due to inadequate staffing.

A handful of airports experienced daily TSA officer call-out rates of 40%. Nationwide on Thursday, more than 11.8% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, the most so far, DHS said Friday.

Nearly 500 of the agency’s nearly 50,000 officers have quit since the shutdown started, according to DHS.

Holly Reynolds Lee was supposed to be someplace tropical on Saturday night for her family’s spring break. By late afternoon, they were still trying to figure out how to get there.

Lee got to Baltimore-Washington International Airport three hours early for her morning flight but spent five hours alone sifting through a single TSA checkpoint. Her family missed their flight and were still sorting through their next options.

“The airport employees are doing the best they can and I know the airlines are doing the best they can,” Lee said. “We certainly have great sympathy for the TSA agents. They deserve to be paid. This is a failure of government, quite frankly. It’s just an absolute failure to get things solved for the American people.”

Lee said she was given the option to return to the airport Sunday for another flight.

“We’re concerned about another five-hour wait with TSA,” she said. “We would much prefer to go home, sleep in our own beds, come back tomorrow and try again. But I don’t think we can endure another five-hour wait. We asked the airline ‘get us out tonight, we don’t want to come back.’”

She said she felt sympathy for older adults and families who were waiting with small children. For them, “this is just an absolute nightmare,” she said.

How do I monitor wait times before my flight?

Check airport conditions early and often, including official websites and social media accounts where airports share timely updates and guidance, according to experts.

Many airports on Saturday urged passengers to allow at least four hours for both domestic and international screenings.

“Wait times can change quickly based on passenger volume and TSA staffing,” according to an advisory posted Saturday morning on the website of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate because TSA isn’t actively managing its sites during the shutdown. On third-party websites that track TSA lines, estimated wait times could be outdated during the shutdown if they rely on publicly available data, experts say.

GENEVA (AP) — Nestlé, the renowned Swiss food conglomerate, has announced the theft of approximately 12 tons of KitKat chocolate bars, totaling 413,793 individual bars. The incident occurred after the shipment departed from the company’s Italian production site en route to Poland earlier this week.

In a statement released on Friday, Nestlé, headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, confirmed that both the transport vehicle and its cargo have yet to be located.

The batch of chocolate-covered waffle bars vanished last week as it was being transported between production and distribution centers. The plan was for these KitKats to be distributed across European markets.

Nestlé has expressed concern that the stolen candy bars might infiltrate unauthorized sales channels within Europe. However, the company reassures consumers that every product can be tracked using a specific batch code unique to each bar.

A KitKat spokesperson explained that this traceability allows consumers, retailers, and wholesalers to determine if a product belongs to the stolen batch by scanning its on-pack batch numbers. Should a match occur, clear instructions are provided for notifying the company, which will then take the necessary steps to handle the situation.

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” KitKat said in a statement.

“With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend,” the statement added.