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Science paints a new picture of the ancient past, when we mixed and mated with other kinds of humans

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

What does it mean to be human?For a long time, the answer seemed clear. Our species, Homo sapiens — with our complex thoughts and deep emotions — were the only true humans to ever walk the Earth. Earlier forms, like the Neanderthals, were thought to be just steps along the path of evolution, who died out because we were better versions.That picture is now changing. In recent years, researchers have gained the power to pull DNA from ancient hominins, including our early ancestors and other relatives who walked on two legs. Ancient DNA technology has revolutionized the way we study human history and has quickly taken off, with a constant stream of studies exploring the genes of long-ago people.Along with more fossils and artifacts, the DNA findings are pointing us to a challenging idea: We’re not so special. For most of human history we shared the planet with other kinds of early humans, and those now-extinct groups were a lot like us. “We can see them as being fully human. But,...

Mid-Atlantic coast under flood warnings as Ophelia weakens to post-tropical low and moves north

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Tropical Storm Ophelia was downgraded to a post-tropical low on Saturday night but continued to pose a threat of coastal flooding and flash floods in the mid-Atlantic region, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.Residents in parts of coastal North Carolina and Virginia experienced flooding Saturday after the storm made landfall near a North Carolina barrier island, bringing rain, damaging winds and dangerous surges.At 11 p.m. Saturday, the center said Ophelia, reduced to a weak form of a tropical storm, was located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south-southwest of Richmond, Virginia, and about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Charlottesville, Virginia. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts.Coastal flood warnings and flood watches remained in effect for portions of the region, the center said. “The center of Ophelia is expected to turn toward the north-northeast and northeast, moving across eastern Virginia and the D...

Video shows SoCal deputy slamming girl on ground in violent brawl

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

A teen girl is hospitalized after being thrown to the ground by a sheriff’s deputy during a violent brawl in San Bernardino County Friday night.Authorities responded to a large fight that erupted during a football game at Victor Valley High School around 6:28 p.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.Cell phone video captured the violent confrontation as a deputy appears to body slam the teen girl before another teen boy gets into a scuffle with deputies.It all started when the first deputy to arrive discovered multiple fights were taking place at the time. Pepper balls were shot into the crowd in an effort to disperse the group. The move, however, was not effective and the crowds began heading toward the deputy, officials said.As additional deputies arrived, another pepper ball round was launched at the group. That’s when 16-year-old Faith Jeffers grabbed the pepper ball launcher from the deputy. A teen girl is hospitalized after being thrown to the gro...

Negotiations between Hollywood writers, studios in 'home stretch'

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

The Writers Guild of America is in the final phase of negotiations with Hollywood’s major studios after meeting on Saturday, according to reports.  An industry insider told Variety that the talks are “mainly down to language now” and that negotiations are in the "home stretch." According to Deadline, after a full day of negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the guild’s lawyers are reviewing what the studios call their “best and final offer.” In a joint statement on Saturday, negotiators said, "The WGA and AMPTP met for bargaining Saturday and will meet again on Sunday." ‘Are you going to miss your mom?’ boy from viral video reunites with reporter Members of the Writer’s Guild have been on the picket lines for 145 days.“We’re doing this for the future generations of writers and actors,” said Kelly Younger, a WGA member.Negotiation meetings between the sides have made considerable progress in recent weeks, which may be attributed t...

Wet weather expected to linger through Sunday as Ophelia storm loses steam

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

Meteorologists expect that the worst of tropical depression Ophelia has already washed over the D.C. area, but some weather-related risks will linger through Sunday. Here’s what you need to know.The National Weather Service has issued the following alerts, in effect through Sunday:A flood watch is in effect into Sunday at 8 a.m. for urban areas including D.C. and areas in Maryland and Virginia — Anne Arundel, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Charles, Prince George’s, Southern Baltimore, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Central and Southeast Prince. William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Fairfax, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford.A coastal flood warning is in effect in Anne Arundel County, Maryland for areas close to shore until 8 a.m. Sunday.A coastal flood warning for the shoreline in D.C. is in effect until Sunday at 7 a.m., especially around the time of high tide. A coastal flood advisory then goes into effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.A...

Padres drop to 0-12 in extra innings, matching 1969 Expos, with 5-2 loss to Cardinals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Padres matched the expansion 1969 Montreal Expos as the only teams to go 0-12 in extra innings as the St. Louis Cardinals ended San Diego’s season-high, eight-game winning streak with a 5-2, 11-inning victory on Saturday night.“It’s been a problem in extra innings, obviously, as far as execution goes, but it was a different feeling today,” Padres manager Bib Melvin said. “We really felt like we were going to finish it off.”Richie Palacios and Andrew Knizner hit sacrifice flies in the 11th inning around Luken Baker’s run-scoring single off Scott Barlow (3-5). “They got some big hits later on with some guys in position,” Melvin said of the Cardinals. St. Louis (68-87) had dealt the Padres their previous extra-inning loss, at Busch Stadium on Aug. 29.“Everybody kind of stepped in today,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Team win for sure.” San Diego (76-79), which opened the season with baseball’s third-highest payroll at $258 million, dropped fiv...

Daniels’ 4 TD passes, Ramos’ late kick lift No. 12 LSU over Arkansas, 34-31

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was struggling to move the ball against Arkansas before he spotted receiver Brian Thomas in single coverage deep down the right sideline in the final minute of the first half.Daniels let it fly, Thomas made the grab for a 49-yard touchdown, and the 12th-ranked Tigers were back in business.“Everyone before that was just kind of out of whack,” Daniels said. “I’m the leader of this offense and once I find my rhythm, everybody is in a good rhythm and we put up points.” Daniels finished with 320 yards and four touchdowns passing, and Damian Ramos kicked a 20-yard field goal with 5 seconds left to lift LSU to a 34-31 victory over Arkansas on Saturday night.It was the fourth straight year that the annual fixture for the 200-pound “Golden Boot” trophy — designed in the shape of the states of Arkansas and Louisiana — was decided by just three points.“It’s just the nature of two teams in proximity, playing for a rivalry trophy and a team ...

Criss passes for TD, runs for 2 more, Louisiana-Lafayette

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Zeon Chriss passed for 249 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more TDs, Patrick Mensah returned an interception for a score, and Louisiana held off Buffalo for a 45-38 win Saturday night. Buffalo, which lost its first three games of last season, is 0-4 for the first time since the 2005 team lost its first nine games. Chriss threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Neal Johnson late in the first quarter and Kenneth Almendares kicked a 22-yard field goal in the second before Chriss ripped off a 54-yard TD run to make it 17-0 about 3 minutes into the second half. Buffalo responded with a six-play, 70-yard drive that culminated when CJ Ogbonna scored on a 4-yard run with 9:25 left in the third but Jacob Kibodi added a 69-yard touchdown run for Louisiana (3-1) before Mensah’s pick-6 made it 31-7 less than 3 minutes later. Cole Snyder threw a 12-yard touchdown pass Marlyn Johnson and the Bulls recovered their own onside kick to set up a short TD run by Jacqez Barks...

Indiana outlasts Akron 29-27 in four overtimes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana quarterback Tayven Jackson turned a trick play on a mandatory two-point conversion in the fourth overtime into a scoring pass to DeQuece Carter, and Akron’s conversion pass on the ensuing possession fell incomplete as the Hoosiers held on for a 29-27 victory Saturday night.Cam Camper caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Christian Turner ran 13 times for 67 yards and a TD as the Hoosiers (2-2) recovered from blowing a 17-10 lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.“It shouldn’t have been in overtime,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said. “Really, really frustrating in a lot of ways but proud of our defense. Offense was really, really out of sync and performed poorly but found a way to get that final two-point conversion there with a great call.”Jackson lined up left as a wide receiver, then took a pitch from Donaven McCulley, rolled right and hit a wide-open Carter for the winning points. After being named the starter prior to last we...

Kershaw tosses 2-hit ball over 5 innings and Dodgers beat Giants 7-0

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:21 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pitching on six days’ rest with a velocity no longer matching his prime years, Clayton Kershaw still is finding ways to win for the Los Angeles Dodgers.The 35-year-old left-hander tossed two-hit ball over five innings, Mookie Betts hit a two-run double that set a record of 105 RBIs for a leadoff hitters and the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Saturday night.The NL West champion Dodgers clinched a first-round bye in the postseason. They earned their 95th win and 15th shutout, tied for second in the major leagues behind Seattle’s 16.Kershaw (13-4) struck out five and walked two in winning his 210th game, breaking a tie with Don Drysdale for second on the Dodgers’ career list behind Don Sutton’s 233. “I have a lot of respect for Don Drysdale and what he meant to this organization, so it’s a huge honor to get to do that,” Kershaw said. “Wins are just being on good teams and being in the right spot.”Kershaw will pitch on six days’ r...