Latest news with #Josephine
Irish Times
12 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Man (81) calls for family DNA samples for Tuam remains to extend to cousins
An 81-year-old man has called for the range of DNA samples being collected from family members, in order to to identify remains at Tuam Mother and Baby Home , to be extended to cousins. The rules governing the search for relatives of those buried at the site exclude cousins, with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality citing 'scientific challenges' in relation to their inclusion. However, other relatives at a similar level of distance from the deceased, such as grandnieces and grandnephews, are included. Ted Steede says that his cousin, Josephine, was born in the Central Hospital in Galway in 1933, before being moved to Tuam Mother and Baby Home. She died of whooping cough shortly after. Mr Steede's aunt, Agnes, died almost a week after giving birth. Josephine's name was listed among the 796 children who died at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home between 1925 and 1960, compiled by historian Catherine Corless . READ MORE Mr Steede became a member of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home Alliance, which was involved in putting pressure on the Government to investigate and excavate the site of the home. Part of the process, under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, which was drawn up by the Department of Children, involves a collection of DNA samples from 'eligible family members', who believe they are related to someone buried at the site. This aims to assist in the identification of human remains that may be recovered. The Act defines eligible family members as people who have reasonable grounds to believe that they are a child, parent, sibling, half-sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-niece, half-nephew, grandniece or grandnephew of the person who is buried at a site. 'They listed so many people', but 'first cousins were excluded,' said Mr Steede. He said it had 'annoyed' him that he cannot supply a DNA sample. The excavation of the Tuam site began on July 14th and access to it is now closed off to the public. [ How Tuam, synonymous with a dark side of Irish history, can finally 'do the right thing' Opens in new window ] Dr. Niamh McCullagh, Senior Forensic Consultant to the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) shows where excavations will commence at the excavation of the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution, Tuam Mr Steede said he visited the site during the official opening of the excavation, when survivors of the Mother and Baby Home and their families were invited. He said he wasin touch with local TDs regarding his situation, however he was 'still getting no satisfaction' on the issue of providing his DNA for identification. Speaking of their forensic work, he said 'it looks like their hands are tied unless the Government revisits the legislation'. When asked if there was a reason for cousins to be excluded as eligible family members, Forensic Science Ireland (FSI), who will perform DNA testing and matching for The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT), who are in charge of the excavation, said: 'The level of participation by FSI regarding DNA sample testing at Tuam Mother and Baby Home is set out in The Institutional Burials Act 2022″. A spokesperson for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality said that scientific advice outlined during the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny process 'highlighted scientific challenges in relation to the inclusion of cousins'. 'In the case of cousins, the variation in shared DNA can be much greater as the common ancestor is the grandparent rather than the parent. 'This makes it notably more difficult to draw conclusions about a familial link as, at the lower levels, first cousins will be indistinguishable from more distant relatives.' Around 800 babies and young children are believed to be buried in former sewer at site of home run by Bon Secours religious order They added that issues arise due to the 'likely low levels of DNA that will be available from the remains, due to degradation and the size of the bones involved, as well as the general level of relatedness in a country like Ireland. 'These factors increase uncertainty in estimating relationships, particularly relationships, such as cousins, where the variability in shared DNA is greater.' Dr David MacHugh, professor of functional genomics at University College Dublin, told The Irish Times that a 'half niece, half nephew, grand niece and grand nephew have the same expected familial genomic relationship as would a first cousin'. A familial genomic relationship is the degree to which individuals are genetically related. It considers how much genetic material (DNA) two people who come from the same family share. He said it was 'a mystery' why cousins were not eligible to provide DNA. He noted that the average familial genomic relationship from cousin to cousin was, on average, 12.5%. The same figure was true in the relationship of a grandaunt/ granduncle to grandniece/ grandnephew and vice versa. [ Tuam families can see 'light at the end of a very long tunnel' Opens in new window ] Daniel MacSweeney, director of ODAIT, said the process of identifying remains will be 'challenging for many reasons'. Similarly, the familial genomic relationship from a half aunt/ half uncle to half niece/ half nephew was also on average, 12.5%. Daniel Loftus, an independent genealogist and founder of Project Infant, which aims to compile the names of those who died in Mother and Baby Homes and other institutions, said the exclusion of cousins as eligible family members for DNA samples is a 'missed opportunity'. 'Leaving it down to half siblings, and I think nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, there's only a limited amount of relationships that would be feasible to try to identify a Tuam baby.' He added that 'we should try to pull out all the stops', given that the excavation is 'monumental in that it's the first of its kind of operation'. Daniel Loftus, founder of Project Infant. Photo: Gráinne Sophia Photography He called for a wider net to be cast in the collection of DNA during the historic excavation and identification process. He suggested there be a 'means of allowing people to submit their DNA voluntarily, even if they suspect that they're related to a Tuam baby'. Breeda Murphy, of Tuam Mother and Baby Home Alliance, said if it was not possible to match remains to the DNA of cousins now, 'with technologies being developed it should be available' in the future. She commended Daniel McSweeney, the director of authorised intervention at Tuam, and his team for their work with Tuam Mother and Baby Home Alliance, including 'for their openness and willingness to include us at every opportunity – it's a completely stark difference to how the Government has behaved". She said families should be able to find remains. 'They have not been fully supported, matter of fact they've been ignored for decades.' She said many people had died 'without ever seeking closure' for what happened to them or a relative in one of these institutions. 'We're losing them regularly. We have people in hospital at the moment who might not make it – they are the voice of the survivor." Mr Steede has had a sample of his DNA taken on his own accord, so that 'even if I passed away in the morning, my DNA could be kept and stored, just in case they found my cousin'. The ODAIT's website states that those who fall outside the definition of an 'eligible family member' can get in touch to 'clarify your relationship and your family's relationship to the Tuam institution' and 'to consider the possibility that there is another living family member who may be eligible to give a DNA sample'. It also states they will hear the 'concerns and wishes' of the family member, allow them to 'contribute to the consultation for the memorialisation process', and allow them to be 'kept up to date on work of ODAIT'. It says that 'if appropriate, the individual falling outside the definition of an 'eligible family member' will be directed to the Tuam Identification Programme, or an Administrative Scheme set up to take DNA samples from eligible family members who are elderly or vulnerable, and who therefore require a sample to be taken on a more urgent basis.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Counterfeit crisis: J&K government bans machine-made products from handicrafts showrooms
Counterfeit crisis: J&K government bans machine-made products from handicrafts showrooms SRINAGAR: Famed for its centuries-old handicraft tradition from intricate hand-knotted carpets to the world-renowned Pashmina shawls, first introduced to Europe by Queen Josephine of France, Kashmir's artisan legacy now faces a credibility crisis. Following complaints about Kashmiri handicrafts dealers misguiding tourists and selling them machine-made products by passing off the items as handmade, the J&K government Friday issued notices to all handicrafts dealers in Kashmir Valley, directing them to remove machine-made items from their showrooms within seven days or face blacklisting and deregistration for unfair trade practices. In the notice, the handicrafts department banned the sale and display of machine-made products in Kashmiri handicrafts stores, reminding dealers that as part of the registration process, they submit a sworn affidavit to the government, stating that they exclusively display and sell genuine Kashmiri handicrafts products at their business establishments. The notice said that during recent inspections, it was found that 'several dealers have violated the extant rules by displaying and selling machine-made products misrepresented as genuine' Kashmiri handicrafts, adding that such 'malpractices undermine the authenticity and reputation of Kashmiri handicrafts'. It further directed dealers to ensure that all relevant documents — including GI labelling certifications — are prominently displayed at their showroom for inspection and sale. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo On Thursday, J&K CM Omar Abdullah had taken serious cognisance of counterfeit, machine-made carpets being passed off as authentic Kashmiri hand-knotted products and directed action against showrooms and retail outlets engaged in the malpractice. Omar noted that such fake 'handicrafts' would damage the globally acclaimed brand of Kashmiri handmade carpets and adversely affect the artisan families depending on this craft for their livelihood. Earlier on Tuesday, the handicrafts department deregistered a retailer — The Kashmir Art Bazaar on Gulmarg Road — after finding it guilty of selling a machine-made carpet for Rs 2.5 lakh to an unsuspecting tourist, by passing it off as a hand-knotted, GI-certified Kashmiri handicraft. Officials found that the seller had used a fake QR label which closely resembled the official tag used by the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology, misleading the buyer into believing that the product was an original GI-certified item.
The Spinoff
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
The Friday Poem: ‘Little King' by Heather Holdaway
A new poem by Heather Holdaway. Little King Austerlitz Looking across the frozen lake I demanded mama's soup from Corsica To be heated Slightly higher heels For my riding boots A fresh quill to sign the inevitable Treaty Tomorrow And my men Oh my men Oh my glorious tomorrow men None of whom need higher heels For their riding boots Tonight to wait Under pine fronds To remember despite our fake limping Our many loud shouts of man, How sad and unfulfilled and poorly we sure were feeling Imminent victory Is imminent Also to remember please To avoid the touching of their winkies To the ice. *** Borodino Have you ever won Technically Followed the Yellow Brick Road that Leads to the Emerald City Only some total rip Has set it on fire And you slowly rub your hands together In its glow Avoiding eye contact With your men next to you Oh your men Oh your men for whom there is no more tomorrow Who you would like to bathe in a bath of warm bubbles Soft flannels for their scarred backs Hot soup for their hollow selves Slowly blackening from their digits inward Despite the heat of Moscow Have you? Nah. Me neither. *** Elba It is an hour after midnight Men have brought me a letter Their faces turn from mine Men, I would like to insist in my socks Men, about Moscow, look About this whole Elba misunderstanding But the letter is about you It is small, damp from the crossing Betrayed with the fingerprints of many men I had once dreamed to be your stockings, your little boots, your gloves To hold you Tall in my love Now, men close the door behind them and ignore my raw weeping Then they open the door again Shuffle in Confiscate my letter opener that Slit open the great white belly of this news For it to pour out Welcome as the guts of fish Then they close the door again softly Still glorious, my men A locked room On an island Has never felt lonely Until now I cannot even click my heeled boots together and ask to go home Because it is late And I am socked And you are gone We die in the midst of marvels And so I live on without you, Josephine. Notes Little King – Elba section references Napoleon I, Emperor of the French 1769-1821, (2022) Letters to Josephine. Musaicum Books. Translated by Hall, Henry Foljambe. 'It is an hour after midnight', and 'We die in the midst of marvels' are direct quotes from Letter No.4, Series A from Letters to Josephine.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Death in Paradise fans issue demand as Josephine Jobert's exit explained
Josephine Jobert has portrayed DS Florence Cassell on the BBC One detective drama Death in Paradise since 2015, and has been sorely missed by fans since her exit BBC One's tropical detective series Death in Paradise has waved goodbye to a host of beloved characters over the years, with Josephine Jobert being among them. She first graced the show in 2015 and exited in 2019, only to reappear in seasons 10 and 11, and then surprisingly in 2024 when her character stepped out of witness protection. In an intimate video message to her followers, Josephine shared the reasons behind her initial exit, citing personal and professional grounds while reassuring fans that there was "nothing dramatic" about her decision. She expressed: "Everything is fine it's just that I've been working on Death in Paradise for five years. I loved every minute of it." She continued: "I'm going to miss the show, I'm going to miss Toby and Ardal and Shyko and everyone so it's been a tough decision, but that's life." Josephine, who thought she had left the sandy shores of Saint Marie for good, found herself irresistibly pulled back into the fold, as she confessed to Hello! regarding her season 10 comeback, reports Wales Online. "I already left in series eight, I thought it would be for good, honestly, I thought, 'I'm done,'" she disclosed. "Then they asked me back for series ten as I was like, 'Hmmm I don't know, okay I'm going to do it.' But I knew it wouldn't be forever, I knew it. How long, I didn't know. I had an idea, but I wasn't sure." However, the third episode of the tenth series, titled Lucky in Love, originally aired in 2021 and will be rebroadcast at 9pm tonight on BBC One. The synopsis of the episode reads: "It seems money doesn't buy happiness when lottery winner Cherry is found dead at her luxurious villa, much to the horror of her husband and their visiting friends." The plot thickens as Neville and his team are faced with a puzzling case: no one was present in the house at the time of the murder, and the victim's body mysteriously disappears. It continues: "Meanwhile, JP is training unruly new officer Marlon, aware that his wife Rosey is due to give birth at any time." Furthermore, she teased the prospect of joining the spin-off series, Beyond Paradise, revealing that it was a topic she had broached with the producer. "We'll see if that will happen. But I would love to anyway. It would be a very nice wink," she hinted. Fans have been flocking to social media to praise the French actress's performance in Death in Paradise. A Reddit user said, "She's the heart and soul of the show; it's never quite the same without her." Another penned: "I always Hoped she would have a turn being detective after being promoted." While a third weighed in with their thoughts: "I really miss her, honestly. While I do like Naomi, I really would have loved if Florence had become the first non-English DI in the show; especially with her experience and smarts." Death in Paradise airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC Death in Paradise detective reunites with Ralf Little as they return to beloved role
Death in Paradise will return tonight with a repeat episode of the BBC drama Death in Paradise favourite Josephine Jobert will grace television screens once more this evening in a repeat broadcast of the beloved BBC series. Josephine portrayed Detective Florence Cassell in the Caribbean-set police drama. Lucky in Love, the third episode of series 10, initially transmitted in 2021, will be screened at 9pm tonight on BBC One. The episode summary states: "It seems money doesn't buy happiness when lottery winner Cherry is found dead at her luxurious villa, much to the horror of her husband and their visiting friends," reports the Express. "As usual, Neville and the team are presented with a real head-scratcher when it turns out no one was in the house at the time - and the mystery deepens when the victim's body apparently vanishes into thin air." It concludes: "Meanwhile, JP is training unruly new officer Marlon, aware that his wife Rosey is due to give birth at any time." This marks another recent repeat showing, following last week's broadcast of episode two from series 10 on BBC One. Florence Cassell won't be the only familiar face returning to screens, as the programme's longest-serving detective, Neville Parker (Ralf Little), also features in the episode. Tobi Bakari returns as police officer JP Hooper, whilst Tahj Miles reprises trainee police officer Marlon Pryce. Following the episode's original transmission, Tobi, Tahj, Ralf, and Josephine have all departed the programme to pursue different ventures. Tobi became the first to exit in 2021 following the conclusion of series 10. Ralf and Josephine's departures came in series 13 after their characters sailed off into the sunset together following Neville's declaration of love to Florence. Tahj Miles also departed the programme at the conclusion of series 13. Ralf's role was swiftly filled by the island's fresh lead detective, Mervin Wilson, portrayed by Don Gilet. In an earlier chat with Hello! Josephine discussed her comeback to the programme in series 10 and confessed she was aware it wouldn't be permanent. "I already left in series eight, I thought it would be for good, honestly, I thought, 'I'm done,'" she revealed. "Then they asked me back for series ten as I was like, 'Hmmm, I don't know, okay, I'm going to do it.'". "But I knew it wouldn't be forever, I knew it. How long, I didn't know. I had an idea, but I wasn't sure." Death in Paradise airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
