International

Researchers say fossil shows humans, dogs lived in C. America in 10,000 BC

AFP

The fossil of a jaw bone could prove that domesticated dogs lived in Central America as far back as 12,000 years ago, according to a study by Latin American scientists.

The dogs, and their masters, potentially lived alongside giant animals, researchers say.

A 1978 dig in Nacaome, northeast Costa Rica, found bone remains from the Late Pleistocene.

Excavations began in the 1990s and produced the remains of a giant horse, Equus sp, a glyptodon (a large armadillo), a mastodon (an ancestor of the modern elephant) and a piece of jaw from what was originally thought to be a coyote skull.

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“We thought it was very strange to have a coyote in the Pleistocene, that is to say 12,000 years ago,” Costa Rican researcher Guillermo Vargas told AFP.

“When we started looking at the bone fragments, we started to see characteristics that could have been from a dog.

“So we kept looking, we scanned it… and it showed that it was a dog living with humans 12,000 years ago in Costa Rica.”

The presence of dogs is a sign that humans were also living in a place.

“We thought it was strange that a sample was classified as a coyote because they only arrived in Costa Rica in the 20th century.”

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– First of its kind –

The coyote is a relative of the domestic dog, although with a different jaw and more pointed teeth.

“The dog eats the leftovers from human food. Its teeth are not so determinant in its survival,” said Vargas.

“It hunts large prey with its human companions. This sample reflects that difference.”

Humans are believed to have emigrated to the Americas across the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska during the last great ice age.

“The first domesticated dogs entered the continent about 15,000 years ago, a product of Asians migrating across the Bering Strait,” said Raul Valadez, a biologist and zooarcheologist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

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“There have never been dogs without people,” Valadez told AFP by telephone.

The presence of humans during the Pleistocene has been attested in Mexico, Chile and Patagonia, but never in Central America, until now.

“This could be the oldest dog in the Americas,” said Vargas.

So far, the oldest attested dog remains were found in Alaska and are 10,150 years old.

Oxford University has offered to perform DNA and carbon dating tests on the sample to discover more genetic information about the animal and its age.

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The fossil is currently held at Costa Rica’s national museum but the sample cannot be re-identified as a dog without validation by a specialist magazine.

“This dog discovery would be the first evidence of humans in Costa Rica during a period much earlier” than currently thought, said Vargas.

“It would show us that there were societies that could keep dogs, that had food surpluses, that had dogs out of desire and that these weren’t war dogs that could cause damage.”

International

Iran rejects negotiations as tensions escalate with United States

Iran has no intention of entering negotiations and will continue to resist, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday night, dismissing recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about possible talks.

Speaking to state television, Araghchi argued that Washington’s call for negotiations reflects a position of weakness. He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to end the war on its own terms, ensuring that such a conflict does not recur in the future.

Meanwhile, the White House issued a stark warning, stating that Trump would “unleash hell” on Iran if it refuses to accept a deal to end the conflict. Despite Tehran’s rejection, U.S. officials maintained that discussions remain ongoing.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s position, warning that failure to acknowledge what she described as Iran’s military defeat would result in even stronger action from Washington.

The increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both sides has diminished hopes for a near-term de-escalation in the conflict, which began following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

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As tensions continue to rise, the prospect of a diplomatic resolution remains uncertain amid conflicting narratives and escalating threats from both governments.

International

Maduro appears again in New York court amid drug trafficking charges

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on Thursday for the second time since his capture on January 3 during a U.S. military operation in Caracas.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held in a detention facility in Brooklyn for nearly three months. Their only previous court appearance took place on January 5, when Maduro declared himself a “prisoner of war” and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges.

A large police convoy departed the detention center early in the morning, heading toward the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where the hearing was scheduled. Security around the building was reinforced as both supporters and opponents gathered outside.

Among those present was Venezuelan educator Carlos Egana, who expressed frustration and called for justice, reflecting the polarized reactions surrounding the case. At the same time, left-wing activists displayed banners demanding Maduro’s release and criticizing U.S. foreign policy.

Maduro governed Venezuela from 2013 until his removal from power earlier this year. Following his ouster, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency, initiating a shift in relations with the United States.

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The former leader faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and illegal possession of weapons.

During Thursday’s hearing, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time, Maduro’s legal team was expected to push for the dismissal of the case, while also addressing disputes over how his legal defense will be financed amid ongoing U.S. sanctions.

His lawyer, Barry Pollack, has argued that restrictions on accessing Venezuelan state funds could affect Maduro’s right to legal representation, adding another layer of complexity to a case with significant political and international implications.

International

German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.

“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.

Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.

“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.

He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”

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“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.

Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.