By Ashley Strickland, CNN

(CNN) — Burned bone fragments found in northern Malawi have revealed the oldest cremation pyre ever found in Africa — and unearthed new mysteries that may be hard to solve.

By analyzing the bones and pyre sediments, researchers believe that hunter-gatherers cremated the body of a woman about 9,500 years ago, according to their study published Thursday in the journal Science Advances.

The pyre and human remains were found near the base of Mount Hora, a granite mountain that rises abruptly from and towers hundreds of feet above an otherwise flat plain. The fragments, largely from arm and leg bones, belonged to a woman between the ages of 18 and 60 who stood just under 5 feet tall, according to forensic analysis.

The site, called Hora 1, is underneath a natural boulder overhang large enough to shelter 30 people. It captured the interest of scientists in the 1950s when it was first excavated and discovered to be a hunter-gatherer burial ground. More recent research begun in 2016 has shown that humans started living at the site about 21,000 years ago and buried their dead there 8,000 to 16,000 years ago.

However, the bone fragments mark the only cremation to have occurred at the site, which makes the discovery even more unusual given that they were uncommon during that time period, the researchers said.

“Cremation is very rare among ancient and modern hunter-gatherers, at least partially because pyres require a huge amount of labor, time, and fuel to transform a body into fragmented and calcined bone and ash,” said lead author Jessica Cerezo-Román, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Oklahoma.

The unusual discovery is shedding light on the complex nature of largely unknown funerary practices of African hunter-gatherers — and raises the question of why such effort was made to cremate only one person.

A spectacular effort

Excavations at the site between 2016 and 2019 revealed a large ash mound about the size of a queen bed containing two clusters of human bone fragments that exhibited burn patterns.

Previous discoveries of cremations in Africa date to pastoral neolithic herders from 3,500 years ago or later food-producing societies with higher population densities, which made the discovery even more unexpected, the researchers said.

“While we were excavating the pyre feature, there was an ongoing argument about how this could not possibly be a hunter-gatherer mortuary practice, and how there was no way it could be more than a couple thousand years old,” said study coauthor Dr. Jessica Thompson, assistant professor in the department of anthropology at Yale University. “When the radiocarbon dates came back, they blew us away.”

The researchers’ analysis also revealed that tremendous care had been taken to carry out the cremation.

Based on evidence of fungus and termites in the wood, about 70 pounds (30 kilograms) of dry deadwood was collected for the pyre, which would have taken considerable time to collect, said study coauthor Dr. Elizabeth Sawchuk, curator of human evolution at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

A detailed analysis of the pyre sediments shows the fire reached temperatures greater than 932 degrees Fahrenheit (500 degrees Celsius).

The size of the ash mound also suggests that the fire burned anywhere from several hours to several days, which wouldn’t have been possible unless the blaze was actively refueled and stoked, Sawchuk added.

Flaked points of stone tools were also found on the pyre, suggesting the pointed stones were added during the cremation as funerary objects.

It’s fascinating to see how far back cremation practices originate, said Lorraine Hu, manager of human histories and cultures at the National Geographic So

Por Arit John, CNN

Los demócratas lidian con cómo responder mejor a la intervención militar del Gobierno de Trump en Venezuela, mientras la operación para capturar a Nicolás Maduro puso de relieve diferencias de política exterior dentro del partido y desvió la atención de su énfasis en el costo de vida.

La captura de Maduro ha obligado a los demócratas a considerar hasta qué punto criticar la forma en que el Gobierno de Trump depuso al presidente venezolano, incluso si muchos celebran su salida del poder.

Varios demócratas en el Congreso han criticado duramente al presidente Donald Trump por llevar a cabo la operación sin notificar a los legisladores, al tiempo que cuestionan a Maduro, quien desde hace tiempo ha sido condenado de manera bipartidista.

“La Constitución no es una cuestión de conveniencia. Es una obligación”, dijo el lunes el líder de la minoría demócrata en la Cámara de Representantes, Hakeem Jeffries. “No existe una excepción Trump a la Constitución de Estados Unidos”.

Se espera que el Senado vote esta semana una resolución para limitar los poderes de guerra de Trump respecto a Venezuela, en medio de los ataques mortales de su Gobierno contra embarcaciones presuntamente vinculadas al narcotráfico.

Varios demócratas han buscado vincular la operación en Venezuela con los costos de la atención médica y otras preocupaciones por el costo de vida, al argumentar que Trump está más concentrado en la política exterior que en la agenda interna, pese a haber hecho campaña en contra de las guerras en el extranjero.

“¿Queremos iniciar más guerras de cambio de régimen centradas en el petróleo, o queremos atención médica para el pueblo estadounidense?”, dijo el representante demócrata por Nueva York, Patrick Ryan, veterano de combate del Ejército, a Dana Bash, de CNN, el lunes. “Esa es la decisión que se tomó sin consulta al pueblo ni al Congreso el 3 de enero, con la que muchos de nosotros despertamos esa mañana”.

Posibles aspirantes presidenciales para 2028 han puesto el foco en la expiración, el 1 de enero, de los créditos fiscales ampliados para las primas de los planes de la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio, lo que ha llevado a millones de estadounidenses a enfrentar mayores costos de atención médica. Al mismo tiempo, han subrayado su oposición a Maduro.

El gobernador de Pensilvania, Josh Shapiro, dijo en una entrevista con una emisora local que Maduro es un “tipo malo” que robó elecciones, oprimió a su pueblo y se alió con adversarios de Estados Unidos. Pero también expresó preocupación por la magnitud del trabajo pendiente en el frente interno.

“Estamos viendo a miles de personas perder su cobertura de salud aquí en Pensilvania”, dijo Shapiro. “La idea de que vayamos a enredarnos en guerras en el extranjero en lugar de arreglar los problemas en casa es lo que más me molesta de esto”.

El gobernador de Illinois, J. B. Pritzker, escribió en X que los estadounidenses “merecen un presidente enfocado en hacer sus vidas más asequibles”.

La representante por Nueva York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a quien se ha mencionado como posible candidata presidencial en el futuro, escribió en X que el juicio de Maduro buscaba “distraer del caso Epstein y del aumento vertiginoso de los costos de la atención médica”, en referencia a la divulgación de archivos del Departamento de Justicia sobre el fallecido y desacreditado delincuente sexual Jeffrey Epstein.

Los demócratas, en particular los veteranos, han señalado las reiteradas referencias de Trump a las reservas petroleras de Venezuela para trazar paralelos con la invasión de Estados Unidos a Iraq y advertir sobre el riesgo de otra “guerra eterna”, costosa y mortal.

Las reacciones iniciales de los estadounidenses a la operación militar que capturó a Maduro estuvieron divididas, según una encuesta de The Washington Post realizada durante el fin de semana.

By Holly Yan, CNN

(CNN) — Whoever gunned down a young dentist and his wife is still on the loose a week after the grisly killings. But police hope newly released video of a “person of interest” and help from the public will help solve the crime shrouded in mystery.

Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead December 30 in their house in Columbus, Ohio. Their children, ages 4 and 1, were also inside and not physically harmed, police said.

Investigators did not find any obvious signs of forced entry or any firearm at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported.

“Detectives believe the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Tepe occurred sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. on the morning of December 30th in the upstairs of their residence,” Columbus police said in a written statement. “Recovered video footage shows a person of interest walking in the alley near the (family’s) residence during that timeframe.”

The footage shows a person wearing light-colored pants and a dark hoodie pulled over their head. The person keeps their head down as they trudge along a snow-lined alley in the dark.

The couple lived in Columbus’ fast-growing Weinland Park neighborhood, which had a troubled past but is now thriving, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Aside from the neighborhood surveillance footage released Monday evening, police have given scant details about the double-homicide investigation.

Columbus police have not answered CNN’s questions about whether detectives have zeroed in on a suspect or a possible motive; how the assailant got into the house; whether the couple was targeted; or whether there is any ongoing threat to the public.

“We want to thank the community for the tips we have received,” Columbus police said Monday evening. “We know there are questions and concerns surrounding this tragic incident. Detectives are working diligently to solve this case. We will continue to update you as the investigation progresses.”

Colleagues in Spencer Tepe’s dental practice called 911 after he uncharacteristically didn’t show up to work December 30. One of Tepe’s friends soon went to the couple’s house and found a gruesome scene next to a bed, according to emergency dispatch audio.

“There’s … there’s a body,” the friend told 911. “Our friend wasn’t answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here. And he appears dead.”

Asked if Tepe had been ill, the friend responded, “No, no. I was just with him yesterday.”

The couple’s two children and dog are now in the care of relatives, the Tepes’ brother-in-law said.

CNN’s Caroll Alvarado and Yan Kaner contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post A killer is still on the run a week after shooting a dentist and his wife with their kids nearby. This video could give clues appeared first on New

By Sarah Ferris, Kate Bolduan, Alejandra Jaramillo, CNN

(CNN) — Doug LaMalfa, a longtime Republican congressman from Northern California, has died, House GOP leadership announced Tuesday. He was 65.

As a fourth-generation rice farmer and business owner, LaMalfa was a respected voice in Washington on agriculture and rural communities, including as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. He was influential in Congress’ response to the deadly wildfires that struck his home state — including his sprawling district, which includes Chico, California — in recent years.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a close friend of the congressman, confirmed LaMalfa’s death in a statement Tuesday.

“Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America,” Emmer wrote in a post on X. “Our prayers are with Doug’s wife, Jill, and their children.”

Rep. Richard Hudson, the House GOP campaign chief and another close friend of LaMalfa, remembered the congressman Tuesday as “a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California.”

“Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California. He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families. Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service,” Hudson wrote in a statement, noting that the two served on the Agriculture Committee together and enjoyed discussing all things cars, including their shared love of NASCAR. “I will deeply miss my ‘amigo.’”

LaMalfa’s absence will reverberate immediately in the narrowly divided House. Speaker Mike Johnson is overseeing one of the thinnest House majorities in history and can now only afford to lose two Republicans in any party-line vote on the floor. The current House makeup stands at 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats.

California will need to hold a special election to replace LaMalfa in the coming weeks. The seat is likely to remain in GOP hands: LaMalfa represented a district that President Donald Trump won by roughly 25 points in the last election. While California Democrats have redrawn the district for the 2026 midterms, the special election is expected to be held under the current lines — which means a safe Republican seat.

President Donald Trump opened his remarks at a House GOP member retreat Tuesday by paying tribute to the late congressman.

“I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member, great, great, great member, Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who passed away yesterday, as you probably have heard,” the president said, speaking from the stage of the Kennedy Center, which the board recently renamed to include Trump.

The president praised LaMalfa’s leadership and policy focus, highlighting his role in Western issues.

“He was the leader of the Western caucus, a fierce champion on California water issues. He was great on water,” Trump said. “A true defender of American children. He was a defender of everybody.”

Trump also offered condolences to LaMalfa’s family and reflected on their political alignment, saying the congressman “voted with me 100% of the time.”

While the president said he considered postponing his Tuesday morning remarks to the full conference,

The post French Hospital Medical Center Welcomes San Luis Obispo County’s First Baby of 2026 appeared first on edhat.