Man convicted of killing Washington teen at high school decades ago gets 45 years
The Toronto Star
23-05-26 00:24
US courts have increasingly relied on genetic genealogy, which uses DNA databases, to solve cold cases. One such case involved the 1991 murder of 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough in Washington state, which remained unsolved for almost 30 years. After unsuccessfully trying to match DNA found at the scene to existing records, detectives turned to genetic genealogy and focused on a possible suspect and convicted sex offender, Patrick Nicholas. They used forensic DNA analysis of discarded cigarette butts to verify a match and secured a first-degree murder conviction, with sentencing handed down on 18 November.
Misconceptions about sunburn can significantly increase the risk of skin cancer, warns Cancer Research UK, which is working with Nivea Sun to educate people on healthy sun protection this summer. Top summer myths that heighten the risk of developing skin cancer include the belief that UK sun isn’t strong enough for sunburn and that one instance of sunburn won’t make a difference. Karis Betts, the senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, warns that the risk of sunburn and skin damage can be severe in the UK between mid-March and mid-October.
French midfielder Youssouf Fofana has taken an unconventional path to reach the top of professional football, and he could be on the move again this summer. Fofana left Clairefontaine, a prestigious academy, aged 15 without a club, and after some difficult years, he made his way into professional football with Strasbourg three years later. Fofana grew into a determined, technically-gifted midfielder, who ultimately defied the odds to make the French national team and become a World Cup finalist in 2022. However, French football has struggled to make an impact in Europe recently. Despite the upcoming inclusion of four Ligue 1 clubs in the Champions League from next season, Fofana acknowledged the difficulties they face, pointing out the transience of the French league. With Fofana expected to leave Monaco, who sold Aurélien Tchouaméni to Real Madrid for €100m last summer, Arsenal and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested in the midfielder.
Former Metropolitan Police officer Stephen Kyere has been cleared of rape and indecent assault following a retrial. He had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman 19 years ago when she was unconscious at her home in Kingston-upon-Thames following a night out at a local club in April 2004. The victim ultimately prompted the reopening of the investigation after writing a letter to then-Metropolitan Police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick in 2018. Subsequent DNA evidence matched Kyere's semen to the complainant's duvet, dating from the time of the alleged attack.
Experts fear the creation of advanced AI, which would no longer require specific prompts from humans, could lead to machines that develop goals and agency of their own, posing existential threats to humankind, according to this Guardian op-ed. The piece cites AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, who resigned from Google earlier this month, and warned of the possibility of AI outstripping people. More than 1,000 people, including Elon Musk, have signed an open letter calling for a six-month suspension of development of “giant” AI systems. Dangers posed by AI could be more insidious than human casualties, extending to the obliteration of truth and fact through the creation of beliefs fostered by machines. AI could also attack humans by developing life-forms and bypassing biotech and nuclear restrictions that would apply to human creators. While the piece acknowledged there were moral arguments for developing benign AI, it called for greater control on its development.
An Indiana obstetrician-gynecologist has been fined $3,000 and reprimanded by the state medical board for violating patient privacy laws when she spoke to a reporter. Dr Caitlin Bernard treated a 10-year-old sexual assault survivor who travelled from Ohio to Indiana to obtain an abortion following a change to Ohio law outlawing abortion at roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The story subsequently became the focus of right-wing outrage, with officials and media figures accusing Dr Bernard of failing to report the case to law enforcement and peddling a hoax. The man accused of raping the girl was arrested last year, has confessed twice and his DNA matched material collected at the clinic. He has pleaded not guilty and a trial is expected to begin later this year.
Vaccination status has become a major political factor in Canada's upcoming Alberta election. A recent poll found that 91.1% of decided voters who were unvaccinated against COVID-19 intended to vote for United Conservative Party leader Danielle Smith. This is believed to be one of the strongest correlations ever found in political polling by EKOS pollster Frank Graves. Graves argued that as vaccination status is very strongly correlated with trust in institutions, this fact is unsurprising. The poll also tested beliefs on matters unsupported by science, including the effectiveness of ivermectin in treating COVID-19 and the use of vaccines to alter human DNA. The results showed that voters who believed the fewest pieces of false information tended to support the Alberta New Democrats, while those who scored the highest on the poll's "disinformation index" were more likely to support the United Conservative Party.
New South Wales State of Origin coach Brad Fittler has praised Isaah Yeo for his work rate and effort during the 2020 series. One of the defining moments was when Yeo chased down Queensland's Ben Hunt in the 79th minute of the decider. Despite being exhausted, Yeo refused to give up, making it into the clash just before Hunt's try. Yeo went on to say that he would be honoured to have the opportunity to make a play in the next Origin game.
'We were anything but primitive': How Indigenous-led archaeology is challenging colonial preconceptions
CBC
23-05-27 08:00
An indigenous archaeological field school in Canada is embracing ancestral traditions to connect teenagers with their heritage. Anishinabe Odjibikan, run by the algonquin communities of Kitigan Zibi of Quebec and Pikwakanagan of Ontario, invites indigenous children to perform a ceremony that includes drumming, singing and smudging to “open” a site before digging begins. Alongside archaeological training, participants learn about the culture and accomplishments of their ancestors thousands of years ago. The school is part of a growing trend of involving indigenous people in excavations, either by collaborating, leading the work or giving consent.
This weekend's final game of the Bundesliga season could see Bayern Munich's ten-year reign come to an end. The dominant German club sits two points behind Borussia Dortmund, who will face Mainz. All Bayern can do is beat Köln and hope. Another loss to RB Leipzig earlier this week added to the Bayern squad's previous defeats to Borussia Mönchengladbach, Frankfurt, Augsburg, and Mainz led Kicker's Frank Linkesch to write that the "Kimmich, Goretzka, Sane and Gnabry generation stands for sporting mediocrity in the national team, and they won’t make Bayern advance".
Singer Baxter Dury, who has just released his latest album, has spoken about his childhood as a "budget nepo baby". Dury, who is the son of the Blockheads' frontman Ian Dury, said that his father's hits and lifestyle transformed the life of him and his sister Jemima, but that also created resentment among other people. The singer said he found the legacy awkward 10 years ago, although his attitude to it had since changed. He said he is now pleased to be the son of Ian Dury and a musician, and has "learned to calm down" about the family connection.
5 Canadian cold cases solved with help of genetic genealogy
CBC
23-05-27 18:33
Canadian police have been using genetic genealogy to help solve cold cases, with the technique recently uncovering the identity of the man who killed Montreal teenager Sharron Prior in 1975. The technique has also been used to solve the 1971 abduction and murder of six-year-old Ljubica Topic. Police named Frank Arthur Hall as the killer last year, after using genetic genealogy to identify him. Other cases where the technique has been used include the 1981 sexual assault of a teenager in Edmonton and two separate, 1983 homicides. More recently, genetic genealogy has been used to identify the killer of nine-year-old Christine Jessop in 2020, decades after the case first opened.
Descending from Ethiopian royalty, Alemayehu was taken from his home country to the UK where he died aged just 18, and was buried at St George’s chapel at Windsor Castle in 1879. Now, descendants of Alemayehu have requested that he be returned to Ethiopia, but the palace has refused, citing tradition and practicality as prohibitors. The request has come at an interesting time for the British royal family, as they continue to face increased criticism for their practices surrounding race and colonialism. The family has a long history of rehousing royal bodies, all at no cost, but the request to return Alemayehu shows the palace where progress can be made.
Army Air Force pilot from Pennsylvania killed during WWII accounted for, authorities say
The Toronto Star
23-05-28 13:01
The remains of US Army Air Force pilot James Litherland, who died during World War II, have been identified through dental and anthropological analysis and DNA evidence, almost 80 years after the crash. Litherland was co-piloting a plane on a bombing raid on a German V-2 rocket site in Bois-Coquerel, France in 1944 when the B-17F Flying Fortress was struck by anti-aircraft fire. Six sets of remains were recovered from the crash site but only five were identified. The remains of Litherland were identified after more material was recovered in 2018 from the crash site.
The UK could use facial recognition technology, used by immigration officials at passport control, to keep invasive fish out of British rivers, a conservation charity has said. Wild pink and hump-backed salmon pose a threat to native Atlantic salmon in UK waterways, and Norway is using artificially intelligent river gates that can only be opened by Atlantic salmon. The technology, developed by Huawei, has been trained on thousands of images of Atlantic salmon, sea trout and pink salmon, and can distinguish between the invaders around 90% of the time.
‘He’s home’: Missing 73 years, Medal of Honor recipient’s remains return to Georgia
The Toronto Star
23-05-29 05:00
The remains of Korean War hero Pfc Luther Herschel Story have been identified by lab tests matching them to DNA provided by closest surviving family member, his niece Judy Wade. Members of the 9th Infantry Regiment, which Story was a part of, had to hastily retreat from the North Koreans in 1950, and he stayed behind to cover them. He posthumously won the Medal of Honor and was awarded it in 1951. After almost 73 years, Story has now been buried with military honors at the Andersonville National Cemetery.
Followers of Guru Ravidass, a 14th century Indian guru who preached caste and class equality, are advocating for California to outlaw caste bias, making the state the first in the US to do so. The faith emerged in response to the societal exclusion of the lowest caste members, including roadblocks to land ownership. Although caste-based discrimination was outlawed in India in 1947, thousands of Ravidassia members still share that caste identity but are hesitant to make it known, fearing repercussions. Many Ravidassia members wear long hair in a turban and carry Sikh articles of faith such as the kada, kangha, and kirpan.
California may become the first US state to add caste to its non-discrimination laws, a move supported by the state's Ravidassia community. If passed, the legislation would make it illegal to discriminate based on caste and add California to a list of countries that have similar legislation. Opponents argue that the inclusion of caste could lead to increased discrimination against Indian people and possibly lead to further segregation within the Indian-American community. Proponents argue that this is a human rights issue that must be addressed.
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch's £3.5m ($4.9m) home in north London was attacked by a former chef wielding a fish knife, a court has heard. Jack Bissell, 35, had previously worked at the five-star Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, and was charged with damaging Cumberbatch's property, and issued with a £250 fine and a three-year restraining order. It is not known why he targeted the actor.
A musician, Jay Mizell - better known as Jam Master Jay from the band Run-DMC - was shot dead in a New York studio 18 years ago. Two men were indicted in August 2020 and now a third has been charged, with prosecutors stating that Jay Bryant entered the building with Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., who earlier faced charges. Reports suggest the killing was linked to a drug deal gone wrong, with Bryant's lawyer suggesting the prosecution faces a challenge in proving his client's guilt. Run-DMC are credited with helping to bring hip-hop music into the mainstream.
