"The fact that Neanderthals could adapt to new conditions and innovate shows they are culturally similar to us," [anthropologist Julien Riel-Salvatore] said. "Biologically they are also similar. I believe they were a subspecies of human but not a different species."
From the third article:
"He added that they were also similar biologically, and should be considered a subspecies of human rather than a different species."
From the fifth article:
"The big question, according to Cabanes, is how such a resourceful species went extinct."
I'm not seeing anything there to back up your contention.
The one about humans having Neanderthal DNA.