25 h. ago Customs and Border Protection to spend $7.5 million on night vision goggles as 750,000 federal employees go unpaid

Exclusive: The no-bid contract was awarded to L3 Harris Technologies, which is also overhauling the 747-400 plane ‘gifted’ to Donald Trump by the royal family of Qatar, according to federal procurement documents reviewed by The Independent

Economics

5 d. ago US set for largest mass resignation in history as Trump continues deep cuts

Federal workers say they have little choice but to depart, with 100,000 leaving under deferred resignation programThe Trump administration is set to oversee the largest mass resignation in US history on Tuesday, with more than 100,000 federal workers set to formally quit as part of the latest wave of its deferred resignation program.With Congress facing a deadline of Tuesday to authorize more funding or spark a government shutdown, the White House has also ordered federal agencies to draw up plans for large-scale firings of workers if the partisan fight fails to yield a deal. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Wife and eight kids horrified after cruise holiday when 'sick truth is found on dad's phone'

Jason Alan Miller was with is wife and eight children when he was selected for an additional inspection by Customs and Border Protection officials as they disembarked a cruise ship at PortMiami earlier this month

Politics

9 d. ago Fury as civilian boss of skint UK cop union earns £600k in salary and bonuses – 20 times a junior PC’s wage

THE BOSS of the cash-strapped Police Federation earned £600,000 in salary and bonuses last year. It means the head of the rank and file officers’ “union” Mukund Krishna earned twice as much as Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. Mr Krishna’s vast pay award was revealed to Parliament by Labour MP and former Met Police...

Economics

9 d. ago US border patrol collected DNA from thousands of US citizens for years, data shows

CBP officers took DNA samples from about 2,000 citizens, some as young as 14 and many who never faced criminal charges, new analysis showsIn March 2021, a 25-year-old US citizen was traveling through Chicago’s Midway airport when they were stopped by US border patrol agents. Though charged with no crime, the 25-year-old was subjected to a cheek swab to collect their DNA, which was sent to the FBI, according to a new report. The unnamed citizen was later admitted into the country. Their DNA was added to the FBI’s database of genetic material despite the lack of criminal charges.The 25-year-old is one of about 2,000 US citizens whose DNA was collected between 2020 and 2024 by the Department of Homeland Security and shared with the FBI, researchers from Georgetown’s Center on Privacy and Technology found in an analysis of recently released data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP officers took genetic material from some citizens as young as 14, according to the report. Con...

Politics

1 week ago Afghan football chief accused of seeking $10,000 bribe for national team place

AFF president recorded talking to Australia-based player’s brotherMohammad Yousef Kargar denies accuracy of leaked recordingsThe president of the Afghanistan football federation (AFF) has been accused of demanding a $10,000 (£7,400) bribe to secure a spot for a player on the national team. In leaked recordings, Mohammad Yousef Kargar is heard discussing how to transfer the payment with the brother of Nesar Ahmad Mehman, who was being considered for a spot in the team’s training camp in Thailand. Kargar has denied the allegations and claimed the recordings were “nothing but conspiracies and fabrications”.Mehman, who plays in the second tier of Australian football, was spotted at the end of last year during an annual tournament in Melbourne organised by the Afghan diaspora. Kargar invited him to join up with the national team for the training camp in March and sent an invitation letter to his club, Stockton Sharks. But in recordings aired this month by Afghanistan International TV –wh...

Politics

2 w. ago Revealed: US law enforcement claimed emojis could signal Tren de Aragua affiliation

Claims are ‘an unsophisticated, uneducated approach that demonstrates a lack of knowledge’, says one professorUS law enforcement officials have claimed that the use of certain emojis could signal affiliation with Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Venezuelan gang, according to internal records reviewed by the Guardian.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the US army and other agencies have alleged in briefings, threat warnings and training materials for law enforcement that specific symbols used on social media are associated with Tren de Aragua, a group Donald Trump has regularly cited to support his immigration crackdown. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Solo review – joyful yet heartbreaking story of drag artist consumed by toxic relationships

Théodore Pellerin is outstanding as Simon, a performer navigating a bullying boyfriend and a distant mother in Sophie Dupuis’s sad and celebratory filmThéodore Pellerin is a star, and director Sophie Dupuis knows it. In their third film together, the rising Canadian actor is at once magnetic and utterly heartbreaking as Simon, a young gay artist honing a budding career as a drag queen. At night, he transforms into Glory Gore, a glittery vision dressed in exquisite costumes that have been lovingly designed by his sister Maude (Alice Moreault). Off stage, Simon is much less self-assured, despite his swagger. An unexpected visit from his absent mother Claire (Anne-Marie Cadieux), along with a toxic romance with fellow drag performer Olivier (Félix Maritaud), soon throw this sensitive soul into an emotional whirlpool.Dupuis’s astute writing keenly conveys the paradox of falling for a narcissistic manipulator. At first glance Olivier is a perfect creative and life partner, but soon whitt...

Events

2 w. ago Millennials forfeit £34bn in unpaid overtime, sacrificing family time and health

A study of 2,000 employed adults found they clock up nearly three hours of unpaid work each week beyond their contracted hours, with those aged 18-44 clocking up the most

Society

3 w. ago Man who hurled sandwich at federal agent pleads not guilty to assault charge

A former Justice Department attorney accused of hurling a sandwich at a federal agent in the nation’s capital has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge

Events