Remains

The Sweden Democrats slipped to third after decades of growth, but their hardline positions have already reshaped the political mainstreamSwedish centre-left opposition widens lead to three seats with 95% of votes counted – liveSince the party was founded in 1988, the story of the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) has been one of such continuous growth that a triumph in Sunday’s general election seemed inevitable.In 2022, they capitalised on electoral gains – and the desperation of right-leaning parties to form a minority administration – and almost made their way into government. A supporting role in prime minister Ulf Kristersson’s Tidö coalition earned the party, which has neo-Nazi roots, huge influence and mainstream acceptance by the political establishment. Continue reading...

Advanced DNA testing reveals skeletal remains belong to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, who had run away from homeSkeletal remains discovered nearly 50 years ago in North Carolina have been identified as those of a 15-year-old girl who had run away from home.On 29 December 1977, skeletal remains and clothing were discovered in a wooded area near a tire manufacturing plant in Wilson, a city approximately 40 miles east of Raleigh. After decades of DNA testing, including advances in technology, investigators identified the remains as belonging to Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who had run away from her home in Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of 1977, the North Carolina state bureau of investigation said. Continue reading...

Part of Dmitry Donskoy’s right hand sent to ‘spiritually strengthen’ soldiersEurope live – latest updatesThe Russian Orthodox church has sent a fragment of a medieval warrior prince’s remains to troops fighting in Ukraine, saying the relic would “spiritually strengthen” soldiers and help them achieve victory.A reliquary containing part of the right hand of Dmitry Donskoy, the 14th-century prince revered in Russia for his victory over the Mongolian Golden Horde in 1380, has been taken to Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and is now being transported along the frontline. Continue reading...

Following six years of talks, Pitt Rivers Museum will return body parts collected by British colonial administrators to north-east IndiaAnthropologists and community leaders from Nagaland, a remote state in north-eastern India bordering Myanmar, have expressed joy and relief that human remains belonging to their ancestors that had been on display in a British museum for nearly a century are finally being returned.On Monday, the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford announced that 39 pieces of human remains – including parts of skulls, a finger and a piece of skin with hair – belonging to the Naga tribes, will be returned to Nagaland after six years of negotiation between the community and the museum. Continue reading...

• The eurozone economy has demonstrated unexpected resilience, weathering a significant energy shock more effectively than analysts had previously anticipated. • Current data suggests that the region is avoiding a severe downturn, with moderate economic growth expected to persist in the near term. • This stability is critical as it indicates the region's ability to adapt to volatile energy markets and maintain industrial output.

Fragmented infrastructure and reliance on US continue to hinder ‘defence readiness’, says European court of auditorsEurope live – latest updatesThe EU’s ability to respond to a foreign invasion by 2030 remains in doubt due to a continuing reliance on the US and fragmented national defence systems, according to a report from its official auditor.The European court of auditors (ECA) said the EU was much better prepared than before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine of 2022, but achieving its goal of defence readiness by the end of the decade would be difficult. Continue reading...

• The FDA approved updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines targeting the XFG variant on August 27, with doses shipping immediately to pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics. • While the vaccines are now physically available across the country, federal eligibility guidance remains unsettled, leaving uncertainty regarding who qualifies for the shots. • This rollout is critical for maintaining immunity against evolving strains, though clarity on insurance coverage and specific recipient criteria is still missing.