Missing College Student's Wallet Reportedly Found in Sea, as Police Continue Search

Police in Spain reportedly located Jimmy Gracey's wallet floating at sea

NEED TO KNOW

• Authorities activated underwater search teams to search for the missing college student off the coast of Barcelona

• Gracey was reported missing after going out with friends in Barcelona on Monday, March 16

Spanish authorities made a discovery in the investigation of the missing University of Alabama student,James "Jimmy" Gracey.

Police located Gracey's wallet floating at sea and cordoned off an area on Somorrostro Beach in Barcelona — near where he was last seen — to search for him, according to local news outletLa Vanguardia.

After scouring the area on Wednesday, March 18, the search was called off for the night and resumed the next morning. Police activated the Underwater and Maritime units at Port Olímpic,El Mundoreported.

A police spokesperson tells PEOPLE they are not able to confirm or deny the report about Gracey's wallet.

Gracey, 20,went missing after a night out with friendsin Barcelona while visiting during spring break, according to a since-deleted Tuesday, March 17 Facebook post shared by his mother, Therese Marren Gracey.

She shared that her son and his friends had visited the beachfront club Shôko in Barcelona Monday, March 16. However, her son did not return to the Airbnb that he had been staying at the following day.

"He was last seen by his friend at Shoko around 3 a.m. The friend was leaving but Jimmy stayed," she wrote.

She said he was "wearing a white T shirt and dark pants (probably joggers)" before his disappearance. She added a photo of her son wearing the same white T-shirt.

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Jimmy was last seen leaving Shôko with someone on video surveillance, according toEl Periódico, which cited police.

A police spokesperson told PEOPLE at the time that the investigation into the University of Alabama student's disappearance remains open and ongoing.

"In this particular case, we received a phone call at 1 am this morning and then an in-person report sometime this morning about the disappearance of this individual," the spokesperson said. "We cannot say anything else at this point."

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The U.S. State Department has also been alerted to Jimmy's disappearance. The government agency toldWLS-TVin a statement that "the Trump Administration has no greater priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department stands ready to provide all consular assistance to Americans in need abroad."

In a statement obtained by a local stationWVUA, his family said that the 20-year-old student was a "kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother" and that "it is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends."

"We are working closely with local authorities and are incredibly grateful for the support we have received," their statement continued. "We ask that you keep Jimmy in your thoughts."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlpha World

in

March 19, 2026

Missing College Student's Wallet Reportedly Found in Sea, as Police Continue Search

Police in Spain reportedly located Jimmy Gracey's wallet floating at sea NEED TO KNOW Authorities activate...

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Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus' authoritarian President AlexanderLukashenkoon Thursday ordered the release of 250 political prisoners as part of a deal with Washington that lifted some U.S. sanctions, the latest step in the isolated leader's effort to improve ties with the West.

Belarus US

Lukashenko pardoned the prisoners after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, in the Belarus capital of Minsk. Coale hailed the release as a "significant humanitarian milestone" and a testament to Trump's "commitment to direct, hard-nosed diplomacy." It marked the largest one-time release of political prisoners in the country.

Coale told reporters that the U.S. will lift sanctions from two Belarusian state banks and the country's Finance Ministry, and that the top Belarusian potash producers have been removed from a sanctions list.

Belarus' opposition leader-in-exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, hailed the prisoners' release as "a moment of great relief and hope."

"After years of isolation, people are now free and can finally embrace their loved ones," Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. "There is nothing more powerful than seeing someone who endured unjust imprisonment reunited with their family."

She thanked Trump and his officials for their "tireless efforts to secure the release of political prisoners," adding that "these humanitarian efforts are saving lives."

The last time U.S. officials met with Lukashenko, in December, Washington announced the easing of sanctions on Belarus' potash sector, a key source of export revenue, and 123 prisoners were released and sent to Ukraine and Lithuania.

A close ally of Russia, Minsk has faced isolation for years. Lukashenkohas ruled the nationof 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, and the country has been sanctionedrepeatedly by Western countries— both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Lukashenko's rule was challenged after a 2020 presidential election, when tens of thousandspoured into the streetsto protest a vote they viewed as rigged. They were the largest demonstrations since Belarus became independent following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

In an ensuing crackdown, tens of thousands were detained, with many beaten by police. Prominent opposition figures either fled the country or were imprisoned.

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Five years after the mass demonstrations,Lukashenko won a seventh termlast year in an election that the opposition called a farce.

More recently, Belarus has freed some political prisoners to try to win favor with the West. Since Trump returned to the White House last year, Lukashenko has released dozens of prisoners, includingNobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatskiand key dissident figuresSiarhei Tsikhanouski,Viktar Babaryka and Maria Kolesnikova.

Trump spoke to Lukashenko by phone in August 2025 after one suchreleaseand even suggested a face-to-face meeting in what would be a big victory for the Belarusian leader, who has been dubbed "Europe's Last Dictator."

Dzianis Kuchynski, an adviser to Tsikhanouskaya, said that 15 of the 250 prisoners arrived in Lithuania following their release.

They included Valiantsin Stefanovich and Marfa Rabkova of the prominent Belarus human rights group Viasna. Stefanovich was serving a nine-year sentence on charges of smuggling money to finance activities violating the public order after his arrest in 2023. Rabkova was sentenced to 14 years and nine months following her 2020 arrest and conviction on charges of organizing riots and inciting hatred, accusations widely seen as a punishment for documenting human rights abuses.

Nasta Loika, 37, an activist with the international rights group Human Constanta, was also released. She was sentenced to seven years in prison after her arrest in 2022 on charges of organizing mass unrest and inciting hatred - charges widely seen as retaliation for her activism.

Also freed was Katsiaryna Bakhvalava, 32, who also goes by the last name of Andreyeva, a journalist of the Polish-funded Belsat TV channel who was arrested in 2020 while covering mass anti-government protests in Minsk. She was sentenced to more than eight years in prison on convictions for violating public order and treason.

Eduard Palchys, a 35-year-old opposition blogger, was also among those pardoned by Lukashenko. He was convicted of causing harm to Belarus' national security and organizing mass unrest over his role in coordinating the demonstrations in 2020. and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Like previously released prisoners, they were all sent to Lithuania without passports or other identity papers. Kuchynski denounced it as a "mockery" by Belarusian authorities seeking to make the lives of the released prisoners more abroad more difficult.

Just before the latest announcement of releases, the Viasna group had estimated that there were more than 1,100 political prisoners in the country.

Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that "many people are still behind bars" and "our goal remains unchanged — to free them all and to put a final end to repression, so that every Belarusian can live freely in their own country."

byAlpha World

in

March 19, 2026

Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus' authoritarian President AlexanderLukashenkoon Thursday ordered the release of 250 po...

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Watch: Players enter stands during massive US Open Cup brawl

A contentious U.S. Open Cup match boiled over Wednesday night, as players fought on the pitch and some entered the stands to confront fans.

The first-round match between amateur side El Farolito and USL Championship team Sacramento Republic was scoreless at the end of regulation. Republic striker Forster Ajago scored twice in extra time, giving the home side a 2-0 victory.

Tempers flared after Ajago scored his second goal.

"They came to mock us after the goal," El Farolito coach Santiago López said,according to San Francisco news site Mission Local.

After a Sacramento player taunted the El Farolito bench, a brawl ensued on the field involving almost every player and coach from both teams.

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Referees gave two players red cards, El Farolito's Jhohann Yabur and Sacramento's Mark-Anthony Kaye, before it appeared things calmed down.

But in an instant (which can be seen at around the 5:45 mark of the video below), multiple El Farolito players went charging into the stands at Heart Health Park.

Players confronted fans and one player threw a water bottle, while others went to friends and family to protect them.

U.S. Soccer did not immediately respond to request for comment. Based on similar past incidents, U.S. Soccer will likely review footage of the incident to determine if further suspensions are warranted.

Sacramento will learn its opponent for the Open Cup second round during the draw on Friday. Second round matches are scheduled for March 31 and April 1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Sacramento Republic FC vs El Farolito: Players fight after US Open Cup

byAlpha World

in

March 19, 2026

Watch: Players enter stands during massive US Open Cup brawl

A contentious U.S. Open Cup match boiled over Wednesday night, as players fought on the pitch and some entered the stands...

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March Madness is officially underway. Here are 4 things you need to know for Thursday’s slate of games

The first round of March Madness begins on Thursday and there's a lot to take in.

The first 16 games of the tournament will tip off just after noon and run through the late-night hours. Expect buzzer beaters, close games and maybe even an upset or two.

Here are four things you need to know going into Thursday's slate of games and see the full schedule below.

McNeese's Amir "Aura" Khan is back

Whether you watched last year's tournament or just saw social media highlights, chances are you noticed McNeese student manager, Amir "Aura" Khan.

He's back, thanks to McNeese's upset of Stephen F. Austin in the Southland conference championship game, which earned the Cowboys a March Madness bid.

Khan went viral last March after posting a video of himself ushering the McNeese men's basketball squad through the pregame tunnel with a boombox around his neck.

Backed by Khan, the 12th-seeded Cowboys made a quintessential Cinderella run last year, defeating No. 5 seed Clemson 69-67 for McNeese's first-ever NCAA tournament win. They were eliminated by Purdue in the second round, but Khan's spotlight didn't fade.

Over the course of the tournament, Khan signed more than 20 brand endorsement deals with companies including Buffalo Wild Wings, TurboTax, Insomnia Cookies and Topps. He is believed to be the only student manager to benefit from NIL deals.

After McNeese's former head coach Will Wade moved to NC State, Khan followed, but credit transfer snafus delayed his enrollment and he later returned to McNeese.

The No. 12 seed Cowboys will face No. 5 Vanderbilt at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Bench players and underdogs are everything

Everybody loves an unsung hero – and March Madness is full of them.

Players who usually sit on the bench or come from smaller programs can quickly become pivotal.

Michigan rookie Trey McKenney has been an asset for the Wolverines in their efforts to replace L.J. Cason, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in February.

McKenney averages 9.6 points per game, but was a consistent contributor to Michigan's offense during the Big Ten tournament. If the one-seeded Wolverines need scoring depth against No. 16 seed Howard, McKenney could be their guy.

As for the smaller programs, Siena's Gavin Doty has been a force to be reckoned with.

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Doty averaged 21.7 points and 6.7 rebounds during the Saints' Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship run. He's referred to as "a psycho" by head coach Gerry McNamara.

At 6-foot-4, Doty has six double-doubles and has scored at least 20 points in 14 games this season. He's a defender, too, averaging 5.5 defensive rebounds per game.

No. 16 seed Siena will face off against one-seed Duke at 2:50 p.m. ET.

Nebraska has never won a March Madness game

With an 0-8 all-time NCAA Tournament record, Nebraska is the only power conference team to never win a March Madness matchup. Now, after a 15-0 season start, the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers are looking to break their drought.

Head coach Fred Hoiberg, who was named the 2026 Big Ten Coach of the Year, led Nebraska to a school-record 24-game win streak and 15 conference victories.

Prior to his job at the Huskers' helm, the former NBA star was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Iowa State.

"We know what's out there," Hoiberg said ahead of the tournament. "We know what's at stake. Our guys have done a lot of really good things this year, some things that have never been done in the history of the program."

The Cornhuskers will face off against No. 13 seed Troy at 12:40 p.m. ET.

Texas survived the First Four to earn Cougars tilt

Texas gave March Madness fans a taste of tournament chaos Tuesday night.

The Longhorns snatched a narrow 68-66 win over NC State during the tournament's First Four bout, salvaging their postseason run thanks to sixth-year senior Tramon Mark's last-second shot.

Now, No. 11 seed Texas plays No. 6 seed BYU at 7:25 p.m. ET.

BYU, which lost to No. 6 Houston in the Big 12 tournament, is backed by one of the best scorers in the country – AJ Dybantsa. The freshman forward averages 25.3 points per game.

On the flip side, Texas plays a gritty defensive scheme. The Longhorns dominated the glass in its First Four game, nabbing 45 total rebounds. BYU has been weary defensively, averaging 32.5 rebounds per game over their last 10 matchups.

At least one No. 11 seed has won a first-round game every postseason since 2005, with 11 seeds winning approximately 40% of their matchups against No. 6 seeded teams.

So, can the Longhorns pull it off? Let the Madness begin.

Here are all the games for Thursday

• No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (CBS)

• No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy at 12:40 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo, New York (TNT)

• No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point at 1:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland, Oregon (TBS)

• No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena at 2:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina. (CBS)

• No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State at 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo (TNT)

• No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii at 4:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU 6:50 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (TNT)

• No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard on Thursday in Buffalo (CBS)

• No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas 7:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Texas A&M 7:35 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

• No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 University of Pennsylvania 9:25 p.m. ET on Thursday in Greenville (TNT)

• No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis at 9:45 p.m. ET on Thursday in Buffalo (CBS)

• No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State 10 p.m. ET on Thursday in Portland (TBS)

• No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho at 10:10 p.m. ET on Thursday in Oklahoma City (truTV)

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAlpha World

in

March 19, 2026

March Madness is officially underway. Here are 4 things you need to know for Thursday’s slate of games

The first round of March Madness begins on Thursday and there's a lot to take in. The first 16 games of th...

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Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for theIran war, a sizable amount that is certain to be met with questions from Congress, which would need to approve any new money.

APTOPIX Pentagon US Iran

The department sent the request to the White House, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private information. Asked about the figure at a press conference Thursday,Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethdid not directly confirm the amount, saying it could change.

"It takes money to kill bad guys," Hegseth said.

But he said "we're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we're properly funded."

Big price tag faces scrutiny over war

It's an extraordinarily high number and comes on top of extra funding the Defense Department already received last year inPresident Donald Trump'sbig tax cuts bill. Such a request would need to be approved by Congress, and it is not at all clear such spending would have political support. Thenation's debt has surgedpast a record $39 trillion.

Congress has been bracing for a new spending request but it is not clear the White House has transmitted the request for consideration. Lawmakers have notauthorized the war, and Congress is showing growing unease with themilitary operation's scope and strategy.

The new funding request was first reported by The Washington Post.

Trump said the administration is asking for the money for other reasons beyond Iran.

"This is a very volatile world," the president said from the Oval Office. He said the emergency spending would be a "very small price to pay" to ensure the nation's military stays in top shape.

While the House and Senate are controlled by the president's Republican Party many of the more conservative lawmakers are also fiscal hawks, with little political appetite for big spending, on military operations or other matters. Most Democrats are likely to reject such a request and demand more detailed plans from the Trump administration about the U.S. military goals and objectives.

Rep. Ken Calvert, the Republican chair of the House subcommittee with oversight over defense spending, said he was already advocating for a supplemental spending bill to allow the Pentagon to replenish munitions.

"That was going to happen, and now we have this conflict with some additional costs. So, that's where we're at," Calvert of California said Thursday.

"I know there are peripheral issues out there that people are concerned about, but right now, this is about our national security and it's important that we get this done," he said.

But Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota, the ranking Democrat on the House subcommittee with oversight over defense spending, said the president has taken the U.S. into a war without coming to Congress and she's demanding more details.

"This is not going to be a rubber stamp for the president of the United States," McCollum said.

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She said Congress is still waiting for the administration to explain where it would be spending the additional $150 billion funding that went to the Pentagon through Trump's tax and spending cut bill. It's also waiting on the president's budget request for this year.

"I'm not writing blank checks to the Department of Defense," McCollum said.

Negotiations ahead on a final package

It all points to a monumental battle ahead in Congress over any new Pentagon spending that would almost certainly need support from Republicans and Democrats in a bipartisan package to push past objections toward approval.

The requested amount would be a hefty boost to the Pentagon's annual budget, which Congress approved at more than $800 billion for the current fiscal year.

That's on top of some $150 billion that Congress gave the Defense Department in last year's tax cuts bill, much of it for specific projects and overall upgrades to the Pentagon's operations.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that the federal government will run a $1.9 trillion annual deficit this year, and that's before adding any spending done through a supplemental bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said it's a "dangerous time" and "we have to adequately fund defense."

Asked whether he supported the amount, Johnson said he has not seen the details, but "I support what's needed to ensure that the American people remain safe."

While some of the military's biggest champions on Capitol Hill have welcomed new spending as a way to replenish munitions stockpiles and upgrade the U.S. defense capabilities in the face of emerging threats, others will certainly point to health care and other domestic needs that they view as more important priorities.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said of the $200 billion price tag: "It's outrageous."

To muscle a package to passage, Republican leaders could either try to go it alone through an arduous budget process, or cut deals with Democrats on other priorities that would likely balloon the overall price tag.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., signaled the negotiations ahead.

"Ultimately we're going to have negotiations with the White House on an exact amount," Scalise said. "We're not at that point yet."

Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

byAlpha World

in

March 19, 2026

Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for theIran war, a sizable amount that is cert...

Read More