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Southern California student’s documentary leads to discovery of 10 half-siblings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 GMT

A Cal State Northridge student’s documentary film led to the discovery of 10 half-siblings after she found out she was conceived using a sperm donor.The film, “#2276,” directed by student Sara Sims, 22, is now a finalist in the prestigious nationwide Student Academy Awards.“My film “#2276” is a story about me and my twin sister, Haley, finding out at age 17 that we, through an ancestry test, we were donor-conceived,” Sims explained.Sims set out to make a documentary about her roots and along the way, she learned much more than she could’ve ever imagined about her story.It all started with a project pitch for her senior thesis last fall. “My senior thesis students come in on the first day of class, and each of them has to pitch a story, an idea for a documentary film that can be produced within that semester,” said CSUN Film & TV Arts Professor Judy Korin.Sara Sims speaking to KTLA about her documentary film, "#2276." (KTLA)Sara Sims and her twin sister, Haley Sims, seen in ...

Berkeley: Armed robbery near UC Berkeley is fifth this month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 GMT

Someone armed with a gun made off with a female victim’s tote bag as she was walking near UC Berkeley on Saturday afternoon — the fifth armed robbery or attempted robbery to occur near the campus in September.The robbery was reported at about 4:20 p.m. in the 2500 block of Warring Street, near Dwight Way, the UC Berkeley Police Department reported, citing a Berkeley Police Department report. The robber fled in a dark gray vehicle.The night before, at about 11:15 p.m. Friday, an attempted robbery occurred in the 2400 block of Channing Way, police said.Early Thursday morning at around 6 a.m. and about a block away from Friday night’s incident, three suspects, at least one of whom was armed with “an AR-15-type weapon,” approached a victim in the 2400 block of Telegraph Avenue and stole her wallet and phone, police said. The suspects fled in a Lexus SUV, driving northbound on Telegraph Avenue.Two armed robberies occurred earlier in the month on Sept. 7. Two...

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

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:06 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...