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International
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – Copa del Rey: score en direct, nouvelles de l’équipe et mises à jour
International
Off the deep end: France’s love of swimming pools
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With more than 3 million private swimming pools, France has more “piscines” than any other nation in Europe. We find out why the sector has been booming for years and how the government is using AI to crack down on illegal pools. We also look into the challenges, benefits and heritage of France’s public swimming pools.
International
Remains of George Washington’s long-lost grandnephews are identified using DNA from 200-year-old bones found in unmarked graves
Unmarked graves belonging to the grandnephews of the first US president have been identified after 200 years using DNA.
The bones belonged to Samuel Walter Washington and George Steptoe Washington Jr., along with their mother, Lucy Payne Washington.
The graves were discovered during a 1999 excavation at the Harewood Family Cemetery in Charles Town, West Virginia that aimed to find the remains of Washington’s younger brother, Samuel Washington.
Researchers at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used DNA from the fragmented bones and a living descendent, Samuel Walter Washington.
This marks a significant discovery for the researchers who said their findings could lead them to identify service members extending back to World War II.
Researchers identified the remains of three of George Washington’s ancestors using new DNA sequencing methods
George Steptoe Washington Jr. lived from 1806 to 1831 and was buried in the Harewood Family Cemetery in West Virginia
Samuel Walter Washington lived from November 16, 1734 to September 26, 1781 and was a planter, politician and military officer buried at the Harewood Family Cemetery in West Virginia
In the study, the researchers had set out to identify all the unmarked graves at Harewood Cemetery and believed the recovered remains belonged to George Washington’s descendants, but conducted DNA tests to be sure.
The researchers believed the recovered remains belonged to Washington’s descendants because the burial ground sat on the land of the Harewood Estate, which was built by Samuel Walter Washington in 1977.
The most common form of DNA profiling is short tandem repeat analysis – which repeats DNA sequences to verify family connections – but it is often difficult, if not impossible, to use this method on degraded remains.
People who were embalmed using post-war techniques – such as Samuel, Lucy, and George Steptoe – involved formaldehyde which can damage the DNA.
Instead, the researchers performed a series of DNA tests that compared the remains to a living descendant: S.W. Washington.
The researchers analyzed the Y chromosomes to determine the paternal relationship and mitochondrial DNA sequencing to determine the maternal relationships to build a family tree.
The grandnephews were more closely related than previously thought because of a cross-cousin marriage
The Herewood estate in Charles Town, West Virginia
The family of three was buried at the Harewood Family Cemetery in West Virginia
Mitochondrial DNA sequencing detects the smallest forms of biological material that is passed down from a mother to her child.
They also used a new method that analyzed DNA data from 95,000 sets of genomes which houses all the genetic information of a person.
‘This particular case gave us an opportunity to test methods for extended kinship prediction that we developed using a set of known, degraded DNA samples needing identity confirmation,’ said senior author Charla Marshall, Deputy Director of DoD DNA Operations.
‘Our laboratory is currently validating these novel methods to be used in routine casework.’
Through these methods, the researchers not only confirmed that Lucy, Samuel and George Steptoe Jr. were Washington’s descendants, but they were surprised to find that their family tree was closer than they expected.
The familial relationships were one degree closer, but the researchers were able to confirm that it was due to cross-cousin marriages in the Washington family tree.
‘Our data confirmed the identities of the three sets of remains, and we furthermore resolved which male was the direct ancestor of S.W. Washington, the living descendant,’ Marshall added.
Samuel was Washington’s brother and a planter, politician and military officer who lived from 1734 to 1781.
He was the county lieutenant of Berkeley County, Virginia during the early revolution and resigned in 1777 at 43 years old.
Little is known about George Steptoe II who lived from 1806 to 1831.
He was the youngest son of a Virginia planter and militia officer who died of Tuberculosis at 36.
This is not the first time researchers have had to use new DNA methods after scientists analyzed the hair of a man who claimed to be the great-grandson of Sitting Bull – a legendary Native American Chief.
In 2021, the scientists used autosomal DNA from a lock of Sitting bull’s hair to match it to Ernie Lapointe and found it was a positive match.
Now, uncovering Washington’s grandnephews through new DNA sequencing could mean that formerly unknown and unidentified remains can be identified.
It will allow the researchers to expand the reference points to third and fourth-degree living relatives ‘in an effort to increase the number of DNA-assisted identifications, particularly those of past conflicts such as World War II, Korea, Cold War, and Southeast Asia/Vietnam,’ Marshall said.
Dailymail.com has reached out to the authors for comment.
International
France takes down fake website inviting volunteers to ‘enlist in Ukraine’
French authorities have uncovered a website containing a fake recruitment drive for French volunteers to join the war in Ukraine, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
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The site has now been taken down by French services, a government source, who asked not to be named, told AFP without giving further details on the nature of the operation.
The site, which is now inaccessible, said 200,000 French people were invited to “enlist in Ukraine“, with immigrants given priority.
A link to the site – that resembled the French army’s genuine recruitment portal – had been posted on X, formerly Twitter, the French defence ministry said.
“The site is a fake government site,” the ministry said, also on X, “and has been reposted by malevolent accounts as part of a disinformation campaign”.
🚨 #Désinformation. L’URL d’un site « s’engager en Ukraine » qui reprend la charte graphique des sites gouvernementaux circule actuellement sur X. Ce site est un faux site gouvernemental, relayé sur les réseaux sociaux par des comptes malveillants, pour une campagne de… pic.twitter.com/SuVUrocVPk
— Ministère des Armées 🇫🇷 (@Armees_Gouv) March 28, 2024
The ministry did not name any suspects in the website spoof, but a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the site bore “the hallmarks of a Russian or pro-Russian effort as part of a disinformation campaign claiming that the French army is preparing to send troops to Ukraine”.
French President Emmanuel Macron angered the Russian leadership last month by hardening his tone on the conflict sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, refusing to rule out sending ground troops and insisting Europe had to do all that was needed for a Russian defeat.
Similar recent examples of disinformation posts included pictures of French army convoys wrongly presented as moving towards the Ukrainian border, the official said.
The fake website invited potential recruits to contact “unit commander Paul” for information about joining.
The defence ministry and government cyber units are investigating, ministry staff told AFP.
The French government has recently stepped up efforts to denounce and fight what it says are Russian disinformation and destabilisation campaigns aimed at undermining French public support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
(AFP)
International
France’s parliament condemns 1961 police massacre of Algerians in Paris
The French parliament’s lower house on Thursday approved a resolution condemning as “bloody and murderous repression” the killing by Paris police of dozens of Algerians in a crackdown on a 1961 protest to support Algerian independence.
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2 min
In recent years France has made a series of efforts to come to terms with its colonial past in Algeria.
Dozens of peaceful demonstrators died during a crackdown by Paris police on a protest by Algerians in 1961. The scale of the massacre was covered up for decades by French authorities before President Emmanuel Macron condemned it as “inexcusable” in 2021.
The text of the resolution stressed the crackdown took place “under the authority of police prefect Maurice Papon” and also called for the official commemoration of the massacre.
The bill, put forward by Greens lawmaker Sabrina Sebaihi and ruling Renaissance party MP Julie Delpech, was approved by 67 lawmakers, with 11 against.
Sebaihi said the vote represented the “first step” towards the “recognition of this colonial crime, the recognition of this state crime.”
The term “state crime” however does not appear in the text of the resolution, which was jointly drafted by Macron’s party and the Elysee Palace.
Read more October 17, 1961: A massacre of Algerians in the heart of Paris
On the 60th anniversary of the bloodshed in 2021, Macron acknowledged that several dozen protesters had been killed, “their bodies thrown into the River Seine.”
The precise number of victims has never been made clear and some activists fear several hundred could have been killed.
“Let us spare a thought here today for these victims and their families, who have been hit hard by the spiral of violence”, Dominique Faure, the minister for local and regional authorities, said on Thursday.
She noted that efforts had been made in the past to recognise the massacre.
In 2012, then president Francois Hollande paid “tribute to the victims” of a “bloody crackdown” on the men and women demonstrating for “the right to independence”.
The rally was called in the final year of France’s increasingly violent attempt to retain Algeria as a north African colony, and in the middle of a bombing campaign targeting mainland France by pro-independence militants.
However, Faure expressed reservations about establishing a special day to commemorate the massacre, pointing out that three dates already existed to “commemorate what happened during the Algerian war”.
“I think it is important to let history do the work before considering a new day of commemoration specifically for the victims of October 17, 1961.”
France has made several attempts over the years to heal the wounds with Algeria, but it refuses to “apologise or repent” for the 132 years of often brutal rule that ended in 1962.
Read moreMacron’s condemnation of 1961 massacre in Paris ‘not enough’, historians say
(AFP)
International
BUSINESS LIVE: Recession confirmed; Thames Water survival fears; Lloyd’s of London swings to profit
Britain’s economy entered a recession in the second half of last year, fresh data from the Office for National Statistics confirms, with GDP shrinking by 0.1 and 0.3 per cent in the third and fourth quarters of 2023, respectively.
The FTSE 100 is up 0.3 per cent in afternoon trading. Among the companies with reports and trading updates today are Thames Water, Lloyd’s of London, Spirent Communications, AO World and JD Sports. Read the Thursday 28 March Business Live blog below.
> If you are using our app or a third-party site click here to read Business Live
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Market update: FTSE 100 up 0.3%; FTSE 250 down 0.1%
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Insurance market Lloyd’s of London toasts best result ‘in recent history’ with £10.7bn profit
Morrisons boss says turnaround is in ‘full swing’ as sales pick up
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‘UK economy shows signs of steadying, yet caution remains paramount’
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UK recession confirmed
International
Athens residents choking in clouds of Sahara dust amid unseasonably warm weather
Athenians are choking in clouds of thick dust blown in from the Sahara along with unseasonably warm weather, weather forecasters and doctors warned on Thursday.
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1 min
The haze covering the Greek capital comes from southerly winds that blow dust from North Africa across the eastern Mediterranean from March to April, the head of the Greek meteorological service Theodoros Kolydas said on X, formerly Twitter.
“A typical sandstorm with a range of 200 kilometres (about 120 miles) carries 20 to 30 million tonnes of dust and sometimes as much as 100 million,” he wrote.
The city regularly experiences such sandstorms but the current one is accompanied by unusually high spring temperatures, heightening the choking effect.
Wednesday saw the highest March temperature in central Athens since 2009 — 25.3 degrees Celsius (77.5 Fahrenheit).
Further south on the island of Crete, the temperature reached 32 Celsius.
The Greek Pulmonologists’ Union advised asthma sufferers and other vulnerable people to avoid “unnecessary movements and outdoor sports during the times of highest dust concentration”.
It warned that the dust can be mixed with pollen, bacteria and fungi, “a highly toxic mixture that is dangerous for the human body, particularly the respiratory system”.
Scientists say climate change caused by human burning of fossil fuels is raising the risk of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and droughts.
The weather service said the dust clouds were expected to dissipate from Friday.
(AFP)
International
I’m a travel writer – and here’s why during your Easter getaway flight it’s OK to recline your seat and ask to swap seats (and why no, you’re NOT going to get upgraded because you ironed your shirt)
When did air travel become such a brain-melting minefield?
These days, even the simple act of flying from A to B leaves many travellers almost paralysed with paranoia, their heads filled with a fog of etiquette anxieties, from whether they can ask someone to swap seats to whether they should or shouldn’t recline their seats and whether they should say something to the parent of the screaming baby.
I’m the MailOnline Travel Editor, and I’m here to remind you that to begin with, holidays are supposed to be fun – and to offer some simple guidance on the do’s and don’ts on your flight.
And why no, I’m afraid you’re not going to get upgraded because you’ve ironed your shirt.
What’s your pet hate on planes? Vote in the poll at the bottom…
SEAT SWAPPING
These days, even the simple act of flying from A to B leaves many travellers almost paralysed with paranoia, their heads filled with a fog of etiquette anxieties
As with most social interactions in life, being polite and firm is the key.
It’s perfectly fine to ask someone to swap seats if you’ve been split up from your nearest and dearest – just don’t expect your request to be fulfilled.
You’ve paid for your seat and, in all likelihood, picked out this particular berth in which to enjoy some airborne wine and pretzels. No passenger has the right to remove you from it
Nuts and bolts – smile, and be calm and unconfrontational. Gently explain your reasons for wanting to swap, give the other person room to say no – and make sure that you’re not brazenly expecting your fellow flyer to downgrade.
The move being negotiated should be to an equivalent seat, or better. Not, for instance, from a window to an aisle seat or, heaven forbid, from business class to economy or even premium economy.
It’s also acceptable to decline a seat-swapping request.
You’ve paid for your seat and, in all likelihood, picked out this particular berth in which to enjoy some airborne wine and pretzels. No passenger has the right to remove you from it.
How to say no? The best ploy is to explain politely and with a smile that you’ve paid for your seat and don’t want to move.
If the requester looks particularly desperate you could offer to talk to the cabin crew on their behalf to see if they can offer a solution.
RECLINING
Economy-class seats can cause frustrating issues for the person behind when in recline mode – it can make it hard for them to exit, eat their meals and watch the entertainment screen.
But that doesn’t mean reclining is a no-no.
The recline function is there to be used. The solution? Simply turn around and ask the person behind if they mind you reclining.
And assume that it won’t go down well during meal service.
NOISY BABIES AND CHILDREN – OFFER TO HELP
‘Here’s a thought,’ says Ted, ‘instead of allowing yourself to become filled with rage that other humans have had the audacity to breed, try offering some help to the parent struggling to keep the decibel levels down’
Guess what? You won’t be the only one on the plane. So don’t expect the atmosphere to be like a Buddhist temple. Families will be joining you and that means mini-humans will be expressing themselves in a way that may rankle.
They tend not to favour whispering.
Having said that, yes, screaming babies and children can be irritating.
But here’s a thought – instead of allowing yourself to become filled with rage that other humans have had the audacity to breed, try offering some help to the parent struggling to keep the decibel levels down. Distract their children. Offer some sympathy.
You’ll feel better, they’ll feel less embarrassed – and believe me, they are embarrassed – and you might end up making a friend or two.
UPGRADES
‘You watched a TikTok video about booking the back row and how that means you’re at the front of the queue to leap forward into first class if there’s a space? You’ve been duped,’ says Ted
Those hopes for an upgrade? Let them float away on the jetstream.
Even if you wear a suit, even if you give the flight attendant a big smile, you’re flying economy.
Suck it up and enjoy the pretzels.
Wait, you watched a TikTok video about booking the back row and how that means you’re at the front of the queue to leap forward into first class if there’s a space?
You’ve been duped.
Upgrades are not sweets in a jar for cabin crew to dish out with abandon. Giving one away without authority can result in disciplinary action.
The best way to snare an upgrade is to earn it, to rack up tier status points with an airline. That’s because business and first-class seats are given away as treats in return for loyalty.
Does all this mean dressing smartly and being nice is a waste of time for those hoping to be given a ride at the pointy end?
Not quite.
As flight attendant Jay Robert said: ‘When I worked as ground staff for a major US airline, and I was given the authority to provide a free upgrade, and I had no employees or elite passengers waiting, my pick would be elderly passengers, someone dressed nicely, or if I saw someone being a kind human in the gate area.’
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