
Because church doctrine held that Earth was the center of the universe, the Inquisition compelled the astronomer Galileo to recant his belief that our planet orbits the sun. Only his own life was in peril in that infamous early instance of science denial. Now, everyone is endangered by some current manifestations. Four centuries after Galileo, the United States has become an epicenter of unreality. Political ambition and corporate greed, not religious dogma, are responsible this time. A president-elect with an Ivy League degree who denies that fossil fuels cause catastrophic climate change is poised to pull the plug again on the Paris Accord, humankind’s best but fading hope for preserving a livable planet. Donald Trump also means to put all U.S. health policies under the thumb of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is hostile to life-saving vaccinations and teeth-preserving fluoridation. A Florida governor with two Ivy League degrees made a vaccine denier his chief health officer. And Ron DeSantis banned climate change from the public school curriculum, much like the Vatican censored astronomy. DeSantis talks as if hurricanes have become more intense only because Florida’s geography is so exposed. “You are always going to have tropical weather,” he said after Helene and Milton caused tremendous damage. “These are natural occurrences. We will deal with tropical weather for as long as we’re Floridians.” That half-truth avoids the fact that warmer oceans generate stronger storms with heavier downfalls. There are always variable weather factors such as El Niño to consider, but long-term climate change surely contributed to the “biblical” rainfalls that caused 102 deaths from Helene in North Carolina and 214, with many more still missing, in Spain. “They say there is no climate change. Then what is this atrocity?” a 64-year-old woman in Valencia told the New York Times. Helene was still short of a Florida landfall when climate scientists took alarm that it had grown from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane within 24 hours. It was “some of the most explosive intensification this forecaster has ever witnessed,” a National Weather Service meteorologist posted on social media. DeSantis hasn’t ignored the rising seas that overflow South Florida shorelines even on sunny days. His strategy, though, is limited to resiliency. His 2021 legislation concentrated on flood control and on protecting waterways, coastlines and shores “which serve as invaluable natural defenses against sea level rise,” according to the Department of Environmental Protection. But that addresses only one consequence of climate change and does not acknowledge the unfeasibility of walling off entire island nations, states or cities in the manner that dikes have protected the Netherlands. Venice, which is sinking, spent some $6.5 billion to build tidal floodgates. For one city. The other lethal potentials of climate change have become apparent in prolonged heat waves that in some places, such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, the Middle East and even Europe have killed thousands and pushed the limits of human survival. Climate change has led to droughts as well as deluges. It is implicated in more frequent, larger and deadlier wildfires, which threaten new plagues and endanger sustainable farming throughout the world. The World Meteorological Association says 2023 was the hottest year on record. A UN report warns that the world is close to if not already across the warming point where the damage will be irreversible. “Sirens are blaring across all major indicators,” said UN Secretary General António Guterres. Although the United States was once the world’s largest source of greenhouse gases, the basic cause of climate change, China leads now. It will obviously require a far more concerted international effort to protect the earth’s living things, but the U.S. ought to lead the effort rather than retreat from it. President Biden tried. Perhaps Elon Musk can talk sense to Trump before he wears out his welcome. It’s remarkable that so many people ignore the obvious. The political motives are obvious too. Oil, gas and coal have constituencies among their employees as well as among the super-wealthy proprietors who support Republican candidates with their money. Environmentalists are minuscule contributors by comparison. As for health policy, both Trump and DeSantis have exploited voters who don’t care to be told to take the jab or wear masks, whether for their own sake or to protect others. The irony is that the swift development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was the greatest accomplishment of Trump’s first term in the White House. That saved millions of lives, but how many will now be sacrificed to reward RFK Jr.? The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com .None
Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox!Rams Taking Slow Approach In Reinforcing Weak SecondaryNew Jersey fines firms $40K for sports betting violations
El Salvador lawmakers overturn mining ban in win for presidentBy KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Major stock indexes we mixed on Wall Street in afternoon trading Monday, marking a choppy start to a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 21 points, or 0.1% as of 2:22 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks helped outweigh losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.6%. Broadcom jumped 5.7% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2.2% and PepsiCo slid 1.3%. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.1% , while Nissan fell 0.9%. Eli Lilly rose 3.3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.
Whale investors and retail traders focus on a few cryptocurrencies that are expected to rise as the cryptocurrency market approaches a key season. Altcoins are becoming the next big potential as Bitcoin's supremacy stabilizes, attracting investors. Despite the competition, certain coins have attracted whales and regular investors looking to profit from the next market rise. This post highlights the top 10 altcoins with rising interest and trading volume due to excellent fundamentals, new technologies, and a growing network of supporters. Rexas Finance (RXS) Rexas Finance is gaining popularity with whale investors and ordinary traders as the altcoin season continues. Whale attention cannot be denied on Rexas Finance , as the token has currently recorded over 420,000 entries due to the ongoing giveaway, which is set to reward 20 lucky participants with $50,000 worth of RXS tokens as a participatory incentive. Blockchain's security and transparency ease asset tokenization and maintenance, creating an innovative approach for turning real-world assets into digital tokens. Rexas Finance makes transactions secure, seamless, and intermediary-free with advanced tools and smart contract technology. To ensure security, dependability, and compliance with industry standards, CertiK audited the platform's RXS token. RXS, priced at $0.150 in its stage 10 presale, is predicted to generate up to 6x profits for early investors at $0.20 and a capped supply of 1 billion tokens. As tokenized assets add value, RXS's supply will tighten, increasing its value and preparing the platform for long-term success. Rexas Finance's staking incentives feature encourages asset accumulation and boosts the token's value over time. This encourages many investors, reducing the possibility of huge institutions concentrating on ownership. RXS has appeared on CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko as the concept grows. Rexas Finance's accessibility and trust attract retail investors who perceive it as a unique way to invest in tokenized assets. The novel methodology and rising market presence of Rexas Finance are primed to make a large impact, attracting whales and retail investors looking for the next altcoin market success. Bitcoin (BTC) Bitcoin (BTC) draws whale and retail attention as altcoin season accelerates, but market signals suggest a turning moment. Bitcoin's Market Value to Realised Value (MVRV) ratio is approaching historically high levels, which have often been followed by market losses, especially in 2018, 2021, 2022, and early 2024, according to TheBlock. BTC may fall soon. Bitcoin's dominance dropped from 53% to 51% last week, signaling that altcoins are gaining and that BTC is losing market share. Market mood reflected miners selling 85,503 BTC in two days, bringing their balances to their lowest monthly levels. This massive sell-off verifies Pessimism since MACD is bearish. With this trend, Bitcoin may fall to $95K or $91K instead of $100K. The Money Flow Index (MFI) shows increased buying activity, suggesting Bitcoin could soon breach $100K if momentum builds. This conflicting outlook keeps whales and average investors on edge as they anticipate a drop followed by a recovery in Bitcoin. Litecoin (LTE) As the altcoin season starts to gain traction, Litecoin popularly identified as the silver that goes righteously with Bitcoin, makes a shock comeback as the whales and the retail sector show interest into to it. Even though it is categorized as one of the old coins in the world of cryptocurrency, Litecoin has always been overshadowed by Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, one of its upgrades in 2022, the MimbleWimble, which enhances privacy and scalability, makes the coin appealing to investors. Privacy-focused currencies like Monero, Secret, and Decred are growing in popularity, especially with the impending regulatory shift by the Republican government. This enhancement improves Litecoin's ability to offer more private transactions. Institutional investors now trust Litecoin more due to its prospective inclusion in a Spot Bitcoin ETF. On December 2, 2023, Litecoin rose 19% overnight to $122.79, rewarding almost 60% of holders. Litecoin has since risen 100% to $142, a year-to-date gain. With its all-time high of $410 still far off, Litecoin might triple in value and reach $427, making it one of the most intriguing altcoins to follow this season. Ripple (XRP) As altcoin season begins, Ripple's XRP has gained 86% in seven days to $2.65, attracting whale and retail attention. The minting of approximately 10 million RLUSD stablecoins on the XRP Ledger shows Ripple's commitment to extending its ecosystem and improving liquidity solutions, driving this bullish momentum. These improvements have bolstered investor confidence, increasing institutional and retail interest. Due to the token's improving market position, many XRP users are confident about reaching $5 by Christmas. XRP's trading volume has climbed to over $39 billion in the past 24 hours, and its price has risen 430% in the last month, indicating both whales and retail investors are betting on its continued growth as a prominent altcoin. Avalanche (AVAX) Avalanche (AVAX) has drawn whale investors and retail traders during cryptocurrency season with its strong performance and promising future. Just behind Tron with a $21.5 billion market cap, Avalanche has witnessed tremendous upward momentum, rising 4.7% today to $52.76. This follows a 23% increase last week and a 120% spike in November, a historic era for the coin. The 20-day exponential moving average of $44 provides support against abrupt price declines, but breaking over $56 resistance might push Avalanche to $65 due to significant buying demand. The recent deployment of the Avalanche 9000 upgrade on the testnet has unlocked $40 million in developer awards, boosting the ecosystem. Strong technical indicators and a growing ecosystem position Avalanche as a leading cryptocurrency competitor, attracting major and retail investors. Stellar (XLM) As cryptocurrency season speeds up, whale investors and ordinary traders are paying attention to Stellar (XLM). The Stellar price has been consolidating between $0.60 and $0.45, down 2% over the past week, although sentiment remains strong. Due to a 460% spike last month, it performed well among top altcoins this quarter. Technical indicators like MACD and Moving Averages indicate buy opportunities, boosting Stellar's potential. XLM is over 45% below its 2018 all-time high of $0.93, but analysts believe it could break $1 this cycle. Stellar's price chart shows it will overcome immediate resistance and continue rising. By recruiting investors interested in its revolutionary blockchain solutions, Stellar can capitalize on the growing need for rapid, low-cost cross-border payments. Today, whales and regular investors recognize its potential, making Stellar one of the most talked-about altcoins. Tron (TRX) Tron is one of the most exciting altcoins to follow as altcoin season gets speed, attracting big whale investments and retail attention. The coin has doubled in value this month to $0.32, cementing its spot in the CoinMarketCap crypto top 10. Tron's $30 million investment in WLFI to strengthen its position in the U.S. blockchain industry and the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem is a major cause of this spike. Tron's stablecoin dominance is also clear, with the blockchain accounting for 92% of USDT transactions across all chains. Tron is popular with crypto whales that transfer enormous sums of USDT between wallets due to its low fees. Tron's successful introduction of the Tron Sun.pump meme platform this summer piqued investor interest. Tron is a strong contender for cryptocurrency season investors due to these events. Aptos (APT) As cryptocurrency season heats up, whale investors and ordinary traders flock to Aptos (APT), a Layer-1 blockchain and 2024 contender. The network's sophisticated development environment and expanding Total Value Locked (TVL) indicate growing confidence and engagement in its ecosystem, making it a prominent player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape. Investors were excited when Aptos broke $13, establishing new records. According to analysts, APT might reach a new ATH soon due to the blockchain's excellent scalability, low transaction fees, and increased acceptance of its development tools. Aptos is poised to lead decentralized finance, offering it a tempting investment option for institutional whales and ordinary investors. Sui (SUI) Whales and regular investors are paying attention to SUI as the altcoin season intensifies. The coin recently broke its all-time high and is approaching $5, indicating market confidence. The network's Total Value Locked (TVL) exceeds $2.9 billion, indicating increased acceptance and use across decentralized apps. Analysts are comparing SUI's price behavior to Solana's early years, suggesting a parabolic boom that might increase its value. SUI is also drawing individual and institutional investors who perceive it as a strong contender for exponential growth due to ETF rumors. SUI is quickly becoming one of the most promising altcoins of the season due to its good fundamentals and growing attention from significant players. Toncoin (TON) As the cryptocurrency season intensifies, Toncoin is attracting the attention of both whale investors and ordinary traders. Trading between $6 and $7, Toncoin has risen 44% in the past month, boosting anticipation for more increases. If it breaks $8, the nearest resistance level, it could reach $9. Prices are neutral, with oscillators including the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 66.20 and Stochastic %K at 79.25, but the trend is positive. MACD indicates a purchase at 0.3963, while Momentum indicates a minor sell at 0.6230, signaling market balance. The 10-day EMA at $6.6159, 50-day EMA at $5.8345, and 200-day EMA at $5.6076 all provide buy signals, indicating a bullish trend across many periods. Toncoin's persistent upward momentum and simplicity of access on platforms like ChangeNOW without registration or hidden fees make it a viable alternative for short-term and long-term investors. Toncoin may rise more as investor confidence rises during the altcoin season. Conclusion As the altcoin season gets momentum, a few coins are drawing whale and retail attention. Ripple's XRP, Rexas Finance (RXS), and Litecoin, among others, are growing rapidly due to good fundamentals, new technologies, and investor trust. In the next several years, altcoins will likely gain a lot, especially if companies put forward regulatory dynamics, contextual frameworks, or marketing. Bitcoin, the lead cryptocurrency, is likely not the only one that exists, as while Bitcoin is the leader, others are gaining the ability to play the metagame of marketing. For more information about Rexas Finance (RXS) visit the links below: Website: https://rexas.com Win $1 Million Giveaway: https://bit.ly/Rexas1M Whitepaper: https://rexas.com/rexas-whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/rexasfinance Telegram: https://t.me/rexasfinance Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. 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The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada — known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Standard Time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.Mikel Arteta provides telling response to Viktor Gyokeres question ahead of Arsenal clash - The Mirror
Because church doctrine held that Earth was the center of the universe, the Inquisition compelled the astronomer Galileo to recant his belief that our planet orbits the sun. Only his own life was in peril in that infamous early instance of science denial. Now, everyone is endangered by some current manifestations. Four centuries after Galileo, the United States has become an epicenter of unreality. Political ambition and corporate greed, not religious dogma, are responsible this time. A president-elect with an Ivy League degree who denies that fossil fuels cause catastrophic climate change is poised to pull the plug again on the Paris Accord, humankind’s best but fading hope for preserving a livable planet. Donald Trump also means to put all U.S. health policies under the thumb of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is hostile to life-saving vaccinations and teeth-preserving fluoridation. A Florida governor with two Ivy League degrees made a vaccine denier his chief health officer. And Ron DeSantis banned climate change from the public school curriculum, much like the Vatican censored astronomy. DeSantis talks as if hurricanes have become more intense only because Florida’s geography is so exposed. “You are always going to have tropical weather,” he said after Helene and Milton caused tremendous damage. “These are natural occurrences. We will deal with tropical weather for as long as we’re Floridians.” That half-truth avoids the fact that warmer oceans generate stronger storms with heavier downfalls. There are always variable weather factors such as El Niño to consider, but long-term climate change surely contributed to the “biblical” rainfalls that caused 102 deaths from Helene in North Carolina and 214, with many more still missing, in Spain. “They say there is no climate change. Then what is this atrocity?” a 64-year-old woman in Valencia told the New York Times. Helene was still short of a Florida landfall when climate scientists took alarm that it had grown from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane within 24 hours. It was “some of the most explosive intensification this forecaster has ever witnessed,” a National Weather Service meteorologist posted on social media. DeSantis hasn’t ignored the rising seas that overflow South Florida shorelines even on sunny days. His strategy, though, is limited to resiliency. His 2021 legislation concentrated on flood control and on protecting waterways, coastlines and shores “which serve as invaluable natural defenses against sea level rise,” according to the Department of Environmental Protection. But that addresses only one consequence of climate change and does not acknowledge the unfeasibility of walling off entire island nations, states or cities in the manner that dikes have protected the Netherlands. Venice, which is sinking, spent some $6.5 billion to build tidal floodgates. For one city. The other lethal potentials of climate change have become apparent in prolonged heat waves that in some places, such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, the Middle East and even Europe have killed thousands and pushed the limits of human survival. Climate change has led to droughts as well as deluges. It is implicated in more frequent, larger and deadlier wildfires, which threaten new plagues and endanger sustainable farming throughout the world. The World Meteorological Association says 2023 was the hottest year on record. A UN report warns that the world is close to if not already across the warming point where the damage will be irreversible. “Sirens are blaring across all major indicators,” said UN Secretary General António Guterres. Although the United States was once the world’s largest source of greenhouse gases, the basic cause of climate change, China leads now. It will obviously require a far more concerted international effort to protect the earth’s living things, but the U.S. ought to lead the effort rather than retreat from it. President Biden tried. Perhaps Elon Musk can talk sense to Trump before he wears out his welcome. It’s remarkable that so many people ignore the obvious. The political motives are obvious too. Oil, gas and coal have constituencies among their employees as well as among the super-wealthy proprietors who support Republican candidates with their money. Environmentalists are minuscule contributors by comparison. As for health policy, both Trump and DeSantis have exploited voters who don’t care to be told to take the jab or wear masks, whether for their own sake or to protect others. The irony is that the swift development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was the greatest accomplishment of Trump’s first term in the White House. That saved millions of lives, but how many will now be sacrificed to reward RFK Jr.? The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com .Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death