Trump nominates new CFPB director, but White House says agency is still closing

Posted on 19/11/2025 by admin

By KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) President Trump nominated Stuart Levenbach as the next director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, using a legal maneuver to keep his budget director Russell Vought as acting director of the bureau while the Trump administration continues on its plan to shut down the consumer financial protection agency. Levenbach is currently an associate director inside the Office of Management and Budget, handling issues related to natural resources, energy, science and water issues. Levenbach’s resume shows significant experience dealing with science and natural resources issues, acting as chief of staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during Trump’s first term. Levenbach’s nomination is not meant to go through to confirmation, an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Under the Vacancies Act, Vought can only act as acting director for 210 days, but now that Trump has nominated someone to the position, that clock has been suspended until the Senate approves or denies Levenbach’s confirmation as director. Vought is Levenbach’s boss. The CFPB has been nonfunctional much of the year. Many of its employees have been ordered not to work, and the only major work the bureau is doing is unwinding the regulations and rules it put into place during Trump’s first term and during the Biden administration. While in the acting director role, Vought has signaled that he wishes to dismantle, or vastly diminish, the bureau. The latest blow to the bureau came earlier this month, when the White House said it does not plan to withdraw any funds from the Federal Reserve, which is where the bureau gets its funding, to fund the bureau past Dec. 31. The White House and the Justice Department used a legal interpretation of the law that created the bureau, the Dodd-Frank Act, that the Fed must be profitable in order to fund the CFPB’s operations. Several judges have rejected this argument when it was brought up by companies, but it’s never been the position of the government until this year that the CFPB requires the Fed to be profitable to have operating funds. “Donald Trump’s sending the Senate a new nominee to lead the CFPB looks like nothing more than a front for Russ Vought to stay on as Acting Director indefinitely as he tries to illegally close down the agency,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, in a statement. The bureau was created after the 2008 financial crisis as part of the Dodd-Frank Act, a law passed to overhaul the financial system and require banks to hold more capital to avoid another financial crisis. The CFPB was created to be a independent advocate for consumers to help them avoid bad actors in the financial system.
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2025/11/19/trump-cfpb-nomination/

XRP Price Turns Red as Bulls Step Back and Bears Test Market Strength

Posted on 13/11/2025 by admin

From a young age, Aayush exhibited a natural aptitude for deciphering complex systems and unraveling patterns. Fueled by an insatiable curiosity for understanding market dynamics, he embarked on a journey that would lead him to become one of the foremost authorities in the fields of Forex and crypto trading.

With a meticulous eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Aayush honed his craft over the years, mastering the art of technical analysis and chart interpretation. As a software engineer, he harnesses the power of technology to optimize trading strategies and develop innovative solutions for navigating the volatile waters of financial markets. His background in software engineering has equipped him with a unique skill set, enabling him to leverage cutting-edge tools and algorithms to gain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving landscape.

In addition to his roles in finance and technology, Aayush serves as the director of a prestigious IT company, where he spearheads initiatives aimed at driving digital innovation and transformation. Under his visionary leadership, the company has flourished, cementing its position as a leader in the tech industry and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in software development and IT solutions.

Despite his demanding professional commitments, Aayush is a firm believer in the importance of work-life balance. An avid traveler and adventurer, he finds solace in exploring new destinations, immersing himself in different cultures, and forging lasting memories along the way. Whether trekking through the Himalayas, diving in the azure waters of the Maldives, or experiencing the vibrant energy of bustling metropolises, Aayush embraces every opportunity to broaden his horizons and create unforgettable experiences.

Aayush’s journey to success is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a steadfast commitment to continuous learning and growth. His academic achievements are a testament to his dedication and passion for excellence, having completed his software engineering with honors and excelling in every department.

At his core, Aayush is driven by a profound passion for analyzing markets and uncovering profitable opportunities amidst volatility. Whether poring over price charts, identifying key support and resistance levels, or providing insightful analysis to his clients and followers, Aayush’s unwavering dedication to his craft sets him apart as a true industry leader and a beacon of inspiration to aspiring traders around the globe.

Bitcoin Breaks Down Again — Bearish Momentum Intensifies Across Crypto Market

Posted on 02/11/2025 by admin

At his core, Aayush is driven by a profound passion for analyzing markets and uncovering profitable opportunities amidst volatility. Whether poring over price charts, identifying key support and resistance levels, or providing insightful analysis to his clients and followers, his unwavering dedication to his craft sets him apart as a true industry leader and a beacon of inspiration for aspiring traders around the globe.

In a world where uncertainty reigns supreme, Aayush Jindal stands as a guiding light, illuminating the path to financial success with his unparalleled expertise, unwavering integrity, and boundless enthusiasm for the markets.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/bitcoin/bitcoin-breaks-down-again-bearish-momentum-intensifies-across-crypto-market/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bitcoin-breaks-down-again-bearish-momentum-intensifies-across-crypto-market

The Real ‘Brain Virus’ Isn’t Christian Zionism — It’s Antisemitism

Posted on 02/11/2025 by admin

Their obsession is no coincidence. Their dialogue was fixated on Israel and the Jewish people because antisemitism often disguises itself as “honest questioning” about Jewish influence or Israel’s legitimacy. When a conversation continually circles around Jews and Israel with suspicion and accusation, to the exclusion of all other peoples and nations, it’s no longer about ideas—it’s about blame.

This kind of rhetoric has deep historical roots. It feeds the old, poisonous lie that the Jewish people and Israel are the source of the world’s problems.

Carlson didn’t stop there. He took aim at Christian Zionists—believers like myself—mocking our literal interpretation of Scripture as a “brain virus”:

“How do you explain Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz… who I have seen be seized by this brain virus, and they’re not Jewish. Most of them are self-described Christians. And they’re Christian Zionists.”

He went as far as to say, “I dislike them more than anybody… because it’s Christian heresy and I’m offended by that as a Christian.” Well, I suppose Carlson would loathe my existence.

I’m a Christian Zionist—and I refuse to be shamed or miscast by the notion that supporting the Jewish people and the State of Israel is some kind of virus. Carlson’s phrase, “brain virus,” was meant to ridicule Christians who believe the Jewish people have a biblical right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland.

But their rhetoric exposes something older and far darker—the belief that the Jewish people themselves are the problem. Their words recycle ancient tropes: Jews as nefarious power brokers, Jews as global puppet masters, Israel as the “occupier.”

What they spread isn’t a thoughtful critique—it’s the virus of suspicion, hate, and scapegoating that has harmed the Jewish people for centuries. If you don’t believe me, just read the myriad of antisemitic YouTube comments on their discussion; they mimic the hatred the Jewish people endured in the late 19th and early 20th century.

At one point, Carlson asked Fuentes what conservatives stand in the way of winning back the country. Fuentes replied,

“…the Zionist Jews, like Dave Rubin, like Ben Shapiro, like Dennis Prager. It was the guys that were really controlling the media apparatus that seemed to me to be the biggest impediment.”

That’s not analysis—it’s accusation dressed as enlightenment. He’s throwing conservative Jewish commentators under the bus for their belief that Israel remains a vital ally to American interests.

In contrast, Christian Zionism says something radically different: The Jewish people are not the problem. God is not finished with Israel—not with the land, not with the people, not with the promise.

To stand with Israel is not heresy; it is biblical fidelity.

When God called Abram (later Abraham), He promised a land (Israel), a people (the Jewish people), and a multifaceted blessing to make Abraham a great nation and to protect that nation throughout history so they might fulfill their divine calling to bless all the families of the earth.

That covenant doesn’t remain trapped in the verses of Genesis—it binds the entire story of Scripture together. The prophets proclaim it; the apostles affirm it.

In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul—Carlson’s self-professed hero—uses the image of an olive tree: the natural branches (Israel) and the grafted-in wild branches (Gentile believers):

“If some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them… do not boast over the branches.” (Romans 11:17-18)

Paul’s warning could not be clearer: Do not be arrogant toward Israel.

And yet Carlson, Fuentes, and those who echo their views do exactly that.

Ironically, in calling Christian Zionism “heresy,” they embrace the unbiblical doctrine known as supersessionism—the false idea that the Church has replaced Israel, that God’s promises to the Jewish people have expired.

Fuentes, promoting supersessionism, cited Thomas Aquinas, the 13th-century Catholic philosopher, to claim that Jewish people are a “witnessed people” who have special legal protections but no ongoing spiritual role.

Then he doubled down:

“The neoconservatives and Israel have everything to do with Jewish identity… the blood and soil nationalism of Israel stems from this ethno-religion, which is Judaism.”

If only they would open their Bibles. They would see that Jesus and all His apostles believed in a coming restoration of Israel’s kingdom, just as God had promised “through His holy prophets” (Acts 3:17-21).

Their brand of supersessionism runs headlong into Paul’s reminder that even in unbelief, Israel remains beloved “for the sake of the patriarchs,” because “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

God’s covenant with Abraham—land, people, blessing—cannot be undone.

Carlson and Fuentes paint Christian Zionists as naïve or deceived—blindly serving the Israeli agenda. But Paul defines the heart of the Christian Zionist who calls Gentile believers to humility, not hubris:

“Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear.” (Romans 11:20)

That’s my posture as a Christian Zionist: humble gratitude, not arrogance. Reverence for God and His Word, not bondage to any political agenda.

Their line—“Christian Zionism is Christian heresy”—reveals that politics has become their religion. They promote not the transforming work of Christ in individual hearts but a cultural crusade—a collective Christian identity defined by power, blame, and control. In that movement, Israel becomes a target, and Christian Zionists are the pawns.

As for me, I will continue to speak up for the Jewish people, to pray for Israel, and to affirm the land God has promised.

I will oppose the targeting of Jewish people. I will reject the lie that a Jewish conspiracy is what’s wrong with the world. I will encourage believers to see that the Jewish people are not the obstacle to redemption—they are a key part of God’s redemptive plan.

I will live as a wild branch grafted in by grace—grateful, humbled, and standing in solidarity with the root, not boasting against it and blaming it for the woes of party affiliation.

So to Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes, I would simply say: read your Bible. It’s a Jewish book—yes, even the New Testament. There you’ll find that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, who came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel to establish the New Covenant, promised to Israel in Jeremiah 31:31—a blessing for the world.

You’ll see that Paul, a faithful Jewish man himself, affirmed that God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still stands. God’s love for the Jewish people is not a political issue—it’s a biblical truth.

“Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, remember you do not support the root; the root supports you.” (Romans 11:18)
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4350190/posts

Did Neanderthals eat anything other than meat?

Posted on 26/10/2025 by admin

Neanderthals, our extinct cousins, are often portrayed as eating nothing but meat—no fruit, no grains, no greens. But did Neanderthals really live on meat alone?

While there’s plenty of evidence that Neanderthals regularly chowed down on meat, a growing body of research shows our close evolutionary relatives, who went extinct more than 30,000 years ago, also ate other parts of animals besides their meat, such as fat extracted from bone marrow, as well as other foods, including pistachios, lentils, and wild peas.

### How Scientists Uncover Neanderthal Diets

Scientists can estimate the proportions of different foods eaten by ancient humans by analyzing the number of atoms with varying numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, known as isotopes, such as carbon-13 and nitrogen-15. The isotopes humans consume end up preserved in their teeth and bones. These isotopes act as chemical fingerprints, revealing what people and animals ate thousands of years ago.

“Multiple independent isotope studies now converge on the same conclusion,” Ludovic Slimak, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Toulouse in France and author of *The Naked Neanderthal* (Penguin Books, 2023) and *The Last Neanderthal: Understanding How Humans Die* (Polity, 2025), told Live Science in an email. “Neanderthals consistently present the isotopic signatures of top-level carnivores.”

At the site of Gabasa in Spain, for example, analyses of calcium, strontium, and zinc isotopes showed that Neanderthals were hypercarnivores who survived mainly on meat and bone marrow. From what we know, Neanderthals were apex predators, Slimak said, much like wolves and hyenas, which sit at the top of the food chain with no natural predators.

### Neanderthals: “More Carnivore Than the Carnivores”

This idea is supported by earlier nitrogen isotope studies, said Hervé Bocherens, head of the biogeology research group at the University of Tübingen in Germany. Nitrogen comes in two stable forms, or isotopes: nitrogen-14 and the less common nitrogen-15. When animals eat other animals, the heavier nitrogen-15 slowly builds up in their bodies. That means animals that eat meat have more nitrogen-15 than plant eaters.

“In most Neanderthal specimens that have been analyzed, the nitrogen-15 content was higher than those measured in large carnivores, such as cave lions, cave hyenas, or wolves,” Bocherens told Live Science via email. “The conclusion was that Neanderthals were ‘more carnivore than the carnivores’ (hypercarnivores).”

However, he added, this interpretation is too simple. Nitrogen levels can vary depending on which animals Neanderthals ate, not just how much meat they consumed.

“Woolly mammoths consistently exhibit the highest nitrogen-15 levels among herbivores, probably due to the consumption of plants with high nitrogen-15 levels,” Bocherens explained. The data suggest that Neanderthals were predators that consumed a higher proportion of mammoths than they did of other carnivores in the ecosystem.

### An Unusual Twist: Maggots and Nitrogen Isotopes

A 2025 study offered a different explanation for Neanderthals’ unusually high nitrogen-15 levels: they may have eaten maggots, either by accident, in the process of eating rotting meat, or on purpose.

“Both rotting meat and especially maggots feasting on the rotting meat have high nitrogen levels and any Neanderthal eating those foods regularly would have an isotopic signature that is off the charts,” said April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

### Could Neanderthals Survive on Meat Alone?

But could Neanderthals survive on a solely meat-based diet?

“They could not if they had a similar physiology as modern humans, which is likely,” Bocherens said. “There is a need for dietary sources of energy.” Eating too much protein without enough fat and carbohydrates, which supply most of our energy, can lead to a fatal condition known as protein poisoning or “rabbit starvation.”

Scientists think their solution was fat. At one 125,000-year-old site in Germany, researchers found evidence that Neanderthals systematically broke animal bones to extract fat from bone marrow. Animal brains were another probable source of fat, Bocherens added.

### More Than Just Meat and Fat: The Plant-Based Side of Neanderthal Diets

Neanderthals may have found creative ways to balance their nutrition. They might even have eaten the stomach contents of their plant-eating prey, Chris Stringer, a research leader in human origins at the Natural History Museum in London, suggested.

Scientists agree that Neanderthals also ate plants when they were available.

“There is extensive evidence for plant eating by Neanderthals,” Nowell said. That evidence includes actual plant remains discovered in caves, microscopic traces left on stone tools, and even plant residues preserved in dental plaque and fossilized feces.

Food remains found in modern-day Israel suggest Neanderthals ate legumes, acorns, and pistachios. In Greece and Iraq, plant remains suggest they soaked, pounded, and ground lentils, nuts, and grasses—a form of food preparation that may have helped remove bitter flavors.

In Gibraltar, researchers found the charred remains of edible plants like wild olives and stone pine nuts. In Italy, starch grains found on stone tools hint that Neanderthals were even making a kind of flour.

At El Sidrón Cave in Spain, chemical analyses of dental plaque revealed that Neanderthals ate plants like yarrow and chamomile, likely for medicinal purposes. And, at an open-air archaeological site called El Salt in Alicante, Spain, researchers found significant levels of plant sterols (fats in plants that are similar to cholesterol) in fossilized Neanderthal feces.

### Adapting to the Environment

In warmer regions, Neanderthals likely gathered a wider range of plant foods, including seeds, starchy root vegetables like tubers, and even dates in the warmest regions, said Robert Power, a research fellow in the School of Archaeology at University College Dublin.

Although Neanderthals were skilled hunters who relied heavily on animal foods, “they varied their diets depending on where and when they lived, adapting to local foods and changing with the seasons,” Nowell said.

—

Through a combination of meat, fat, and diverse plant foods, Neanderthals crafted diets that allowed them to thrive in a variety of environments—not the meat-only diet often depicted in popular imagination.
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/human-evolution/did-neanderthals-eat-anything-other-than-meat

$20 million NASA mission to visit ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid saved from budget cuts in last-minute decision

Posted on 18/10/2025 by admin

NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX Mission Secures Funding to Continue Study of Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Apophis

NASA’s plans to fly a spacecraft alongside the potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis in 2029 will continue for at least another year. After threats of mission cancellation, the OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft received a last-minute $20 million allocation in the House budget bill, securing basic operations for the next fiscal year.

The news was first announced on October 7 at a meeting of the National Academies’ Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences, according to Ars Technica. Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, principal investigator of OSIRIS-APEX at the University of Arizona, expressed relief: “We were incredibly relieved and grateful,” she told Live Science in an email.

### What is OSIRIS-APEX?

OSIRIS-APEX stands for “Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security Apophis Explorer.” The mission aims to observe Apophis, a quarter-mile-wide (400-meter) asteroid once thought to pose a minor threat to Earth during its close encounter in 2029.

Named after an ancient Egyptian god associated with chaos, Apophis is now known to safely pass by Earth thanks to more precise observations. However, it will come very close—passing inside the orbit of geostationary satellites, roughly 22,000 miles (36,000 km) away—potentially visible to the naked eye.

Despite the safe 2029 flyby, Apophis’s periodic crossings of Earth’s pathway mean there remains a risk of impact in the distant future.

### Utilizing Existing Spacecraft for a Cost-Effective Mission

OSIRIS-APEX uses the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which famously collected a small sample from asteroid Bennu in 2020 and recently returned the sample to Earth. The core spacecraft remains healthy, making it economical to repurpose the mission rather than launch a new spacecraft.

“Apophis is one of the most compelling near-Earth asteroids we’ve ever discovered,” said DellaGiustina. “By studying Apophis during and after its Earth encounter, we have a unique opportunity to understand how close planetary flybys reshape small bodies: from seismic shaking and surface landslides to changes in rotation and orbit.”

### Threat of Cancellation and Budget Challenges

Despite the mission’s scientific value, the Trump administration proposed canceling OSIRIS-APEX in May as part of sweeping NASA budget cuts. The proposed cuts would have slashed NASA’s budget by nearly 25%, from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, putting 19 missions including OSIRIS-APEX at risk.

The fate of the other 18 missions remains uncertain due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which began October 1 after congressional disagreements over the fiscal budget.

While OSIRIS-APEX’s operations are secure through fiscal years 2026-27, NASA funding is reviewed yearly, meaning the mission will face funding reconsideration next year. DellaGiustina remains hopeful, noting that the mission was explicitly named in both the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2026 NASA budget, thanks in large part to support from Arizona’s congressional delegation—Senator Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut, and Representative Juan Ciscomani, an alumnus of the University of Arizona.

“Congress recognized the value of keeping our healthy spacecraft and instruments operational as we cruise toward Apophis,” DellaGiustina said. “It doesn’t guarantee funding in future years, but it keeps us moving forward and gives us a fighting chance to carry out this once-in-a-lifetime encounter.”

### Future Science at Risk Despite Funding Relief

Though the funding news was a relief, it does not come without drawbacks. The OSIRIS-APEX science team did not receive any funding for active research this year. This means mission managers and early-career researchers, including students, cannot conduct analysis, planning, or mission science during this period.

DellaGiustina described this situation as “disheartening,” highlighting the impact on mentorship and professional development opportunities. The 2022 NASA senior review—a community effort conducted every three years to evaluate the value of missions—had explicitly praised OSIRIS-APEX’s efforts to mentor junior scientists and transition them into senior roles.

The review also commended the scientific productivity of OSIRIS-APEX and OSIRIS-REx, noting at least 137 scientific papers produced that provide significant insights into small asteroid structure and evolution.

### Looking Ahead

As OSIRIS-APEX prepares for the dramatic 2029 Earth flyby of Apophis, the mission remains a vital opportunity to expand our understanding of near-Earth objects and planetary defense. Continued funding and support will be essential to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime encounter with an asteroid that passes surprisingly close to our planet.

—

*Stay tuned for updates on OSIRIS-APEX and NASA’s other planetary science missions as funding and government decisions continue to evolve.*
https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/usd20-million-nasa-mission-to-visit-god-of-chaos-asteroid-saved-from-budget-cuts-in-last-minute-decision

XRP Price Slips Again, Bears Tighten Grip As Momentum Turns Negative

Posted on 17/10/2025 by admin

His background in software engineering has equipped him with a unique skill set, enabling him to leverage cutting-edge tools and algorithms to gain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving landscape. In addition to his roles in finance and technology, Aayush serves as the director of a prestigious IT company, where he spearheads initiatives aimed at driving digital innovation and transformation.

Under his visionary leadership, the company has flourished, cementing its position as a leader in the tech industry and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in software development and IT solutions.

Whether trekking through the Himalayas, diving in the azure waters of the Maldives, or experiencing the vibrant energy of bustling metropolises, Aayush embraces every opportunity to broaden his horizons and create unforgettable experiences.

At his core, Aayush is driven by a profound passion for analyzing markets and uncovering profitable opportunities amidst volatility. Whether he’s poring over price charts, identifying key support and resistance levels, or providing insightful analysis to his clients and followers, Aayush’s unwavering dedication to his craft sets him apart as a true industry leader and a beacon of inspiration to aspiring traders around the globe.

In a world where uncertainty reigns supreme, Aayush Jindal stands as a guiding light, illuminating the path to financial success with his unparalleled expertise, unwavering integrity, and boundless enthusiasm for the markets.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/xrp-price-slips-again-bears-tighten-grip-as-momentum-turns-negative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=xrp-price-slips-again-bears-tighten-grip-as-momentum-turns-negative

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