Zerohedge

US, China Work To Preserve Fragile Trade Truce Ahead Of Trump's April Visit: Report The United States and China are seeking to preserve their fragile trade truce before President Donald Trump visits Chinese President Xi Jinping for a high-stakes summit in Beijing this spring, according to the South China Morning Post. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in 2017. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg On the sidelines of the 2025 APEC summit in Busan, South Korea, Trump and Xi held a pivotal meeting that produced a significant—though temporary—trade agreement. Following months of escalating tariffs, curbs on rare-earth exports, and agricultural boycotts, the two leaders agreed to a one-year truce that provided a measure of relief to the world's two largest economies. "There seems to be a really strong appetite to maintain that fragile trade truce that we saw struck in late 2025," Nick Marro, global trade lead at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told SCMP. "I think, at best, we could see this continuation of a detente in tariff policy."  South China Morning Post reports: Extending the informal months-long understanding, a step seen by officials as realistic and achievable, would anchor the summit around short-term economic wins, including fresh Chinese purchase commitments, the sources said.Trump is expected to travel to China in early April, according to four people familiar with the plans. An initial arrival date under consideration was March 31, leading to a bilateral meeting with Xi in the first week of April as part of a visit lasting about three days, two of the people said. Trump described the 2025 deal as a "massive victory," announcing reductions in certain U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods (from around 57% to 47% in key areas like fentanyl-related levies), while China committed to resuming large-scale purchases of American soybeans, sorghum, and other farm products, suspending new rare-earth restrictions, and cooperating on fentanyl flows. The Busan agreement gave American farmers and manufacturers some breathing room, halted further escalation, and opened the door to potential longer-term negotiations, even as deeper structural issues around technology and supply chains remain unresolved. "Both sides will look for deliverables that can be packaged as wins they can present at home," Wang Dan, China director at Eurasia Group, told SCMP, adding "This could include numerical commitments for soybeans, energy and manufactured goods from the US." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng, in the coming weeks to discuss deliverables ahead of the meeting, sources told the South China Morning Post. Last week, senior @USTreasury staff visited China to strengthen channels of communication and advance the dialogue between our nations. During their visit, our teams discussed preparation for the next high-level meeting on U.S.-China trade between myself and Vice Premier He… — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) February 9, 2026 Last week, Trump and Xi held their first phone call in months, which the president characterically called "excellent." "I have just completed an excellent telephone conversation with President Xi, of China. It was a long and thorough call, where many important subjects were discussed, including Trade, Military, the April trip that I will be making to China (which I very much look forward to!), Taiwan, the War between Russia/Ukraine, the current situation with Iran, the purchase of Oil and Gas by China from the United States, the consideration by China of the purchase of additional Agricultural products including lifting the Soybean count to 20 Million Tons for the current season (They have committed to 25 Million Tons for next season!), Airplane engine deliveries, and numerous other subjects, all very positive!" Trump posted on Truth Social. "The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realize how important it is to keep it that way," the president continued. "I believe that there will be many positive results achieved over the next three years of my Presidency having to do with President Xi, and the People’s Republic of China." China’s official readout presented a more pointed tone, emphasizing Xi's focus on Taiwan and urging Washington to reduce tensions over the self-ruled island. On Monday, US ambassador to China, David Perdue, said at an event organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in Beijing said that the US was "not closing the door to doing business with China." "As President Trump has said, we want to trade with China, we need to trade, but that trade should be balanced and with full reciprocity," Perdue said. "I’m very optimistic about the year ahead and also clear-eyed. The challenges are real." Xi called the U.S. approach to Taiwan "the most important issue in China-U.S. relations," declaring that China "will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China." Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 20:30

Local Police Are Finally Arresting Anti-ICE Agitators In Minnesota Something changed in Minneapolis, and fast. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told lawmakers during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday that local police arrested 54 anti-ICE protesters overnight, a development that would have been almost unthinkable just a few weeks ago. During his testimony, Lyons described a noticeable shift on the ground as immigration enforcement operations continue in the city. Minneapolis Police officer William Martin stands outside burning buildings near Lake Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following protests and property damage surrounding the police killing of George Floyd. Photo by Tony Webster/Minnesota Reformer.  For weeks, Minneapolis had been a flashpoint. Demonstrators swarmed federal agents. Officers were filmed, heckled, and in some cases assaulted while trying to carry out what Lyons described as “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation[s].” Instead of focusing on apprehending criminal illegal aliens, agents were stuck navigating angry crowds, something they weren’t trained to do. That appears to be changing. Under questioning from Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Lyons confirmed that protests have cooled and ICE agents are once again able to concentrate on their core mission. “We’ve seen a de-escalation in the fact that the protests, while they still go on, have subsided, and ICE has been allowed to do their targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation,” Lyons said. The key detail was who made the arrests. According to Lyons, the 54 protesters were taken into custody by local authorities. “ICE officers did not have to be engaged in that,” he told the committee. That line spoke volumes. For much of the recent unrest, ICE agents were left in a precarious position. McCaul pointed to what he described as a surge in hostility fueled by overheated rhetoric from Democrats about ICE. He noted “rhetoric on the left led to over a thousand percent increase in assaults on ICE officers” and “an increase of over eight thousand death threats to them.” Those numbers help explain why federal agents found themselves pulled into crowd-control situations they were never meant to handle. “Your officers are not trained to effectuate crowd control,” McCaul pointed out. “They are trained to move in surgically, go in and remove these dangerous, violent criminals from the United States of America.” McCaul argued that former Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino’s leadership was the problem. He noted that under his watch, the situation deteriorated to the point where two shooting deaths occurred amid the chaos, and coordination between federal and local authorities broke down, which McCaul described as “a perfect storm.” McCaul described Homan as “a consummate professional, law enforcement professional,” and made it very clear he supports President Trump’s move to replace Bovino with Homan. And based on Lyons’ testimony, the impact of the change has been immediate. McCaul outlined what he sees as a return to basics: targeted enforcement actions, better coordination with state and local law enforcement on crowd control, renewed emphasis on ICE detainers, body cameras for agents, and an end to roving interior patrols in major cities. McCaul argued that patrol-style tactics belong at the border, and that Homan is “returning to the original mission of ICE.” .@RepMcCaul says he believes Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino's presence in Minneapolis "escalated the situation" in Minneapolis. With Homan's arrival, McCaul says order has been restored. Acting ICE Director responds, saying that since Homan's arrival, protests have… pic.twitter.com/dajDyOQBBn — Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) February 10, 2026 The 54 arrests in Minneapolis mark a turning point. Local authorities are finally stepping in to handle protesters who try to obstruct federal operations. That shift lets ICE agents focus on apprehending violent offenders instead of fending off crowds.  Last week, Homan revealed that, thanks to cooperation with local law enforcement, he was pulling 700 federal agents out of Minnesota. "We currently have an unprecedented number of [Minnesota] counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets," Homan said. The change in leadership and tactics is clearly paying off. There are fewer clashes, fewer distractions, and a clearer chain of responsibility between federal officers and local police. If this trajectory holds, Minneapolis may offer a preview of how the administration intends to carry out immigration enforcement nationwide: tightly focused operations, visible coordination, and a firm line against interference. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 19:40

Trump Pushes To End Senate 'Blue Slips' As GOP Confirms Judges At Record Pace In just the past week, the Senate confirmed half a dozen of Trump’s judicial nominees, continuing a streak that’s left Democrats visibly frustrated. Since the start of Trump’s second term, 33 judges have sailed through confirmation — already eclipsing his entire first-term total. By comparison, during Trump’s first year in office, the Senate confirmed 19 Article III judges, including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.  While Senate Republicans are moving fast and confirming judges at a blistering pace, there are mounting calls to scrap one of the Senate’s oldest customs — the “blue slip.”  The century-old practice has long allowed home-state senators to weigh in on judicial nominations before they advance, but Democrats have been abusing it, turning it into a de facto veto on nominees they don’t like. Trump has wanted the tradition gone because of the way Democrats have abused it. Last year, he reportedly told Senate Republicans to “get rid of blue slips, because, as a Republican President, I am unable to put anybody in office having to do with U.S. attorneys or having to do with judges." Some Republicans sympathize with Trump’s view, seeing the blue slip as an outdated relic that slows confirmations. But others see danger in dismantling another institutional guardrail. “Nuking the blue slip would be a huge mistake,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told Fox News Digital, joining several colleagues warning that a short-term rules victory could backfire the next time Democrats control the Senate. For them, the issue isn’t about speed — it’s about reciprocity. They argue the GOP will one day need the same courtesy they’re now being pressured to destroy. While that is certainly true, like the filibuster, it is likely to be nuked by Democrats the next time they’re in power if they feel this guardrail hampers their ability to get what they want. In fact, that’s exactly why the blue slip started to get abused in the first place. In 2017, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley was forced to reshape the practice after Democrats used it as a veto on Trump’s judicial nominees during his first term.  Grassley noted at the time that the blue slip began as a “courtesy to get insights on federal court nominees from home-state senators in an era when such information was hard to come by.” It was never, he argued, meant to give senators “veto power over the president’s judicial nominations.” Grassley also reminded Democrats that their predicament was self-inflicted. “Democratic senators’ recent calls for an ahistorical interpretation of the blue slip courtesy stem from a decision they made in 2013 to end the 60-vote filibuster for lower court nominees. This move, often referred to as the ‘nuclear option,’ effectively silenced half of the Senate during confirmation votes. At the time, many Democratic senators argued it was unfair for a minority of senators to block nominees with majority support.” he wrote. “Now that they are in the minority, Democrats are scrambling to cope with the fallout from their decision.” That history lesson seems lost on much of Washington. For now, the tension within the GOP shows no signs of easing, and despite his earlier move, Grassley remains a proponent of blue slips in theory. "Because it's a question of 110 years, and everybody in the Senate wants to maintain the blue slip," Grassley said. That is likely wishful thinking. During the Biden years, Senate Democrats ignored the spirit of the tradition whenever it suited them, confirming 42 judges in the first year of Biden’s presidency — a pace even faster than Trump’s current term.  Trump’s allies argue that the President’s judicial agenda is too critical to be slowed by Senate traditions that Democrats themselves long abandoned. Others, however, believe that retaliating by erasing every trace of procedural courtesy risks making future confirmations impossible when Democrats are back in power.   Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 18:50

Russian Airlines Suspend Flights To Cuba, Begin Evacuation Of Citizens, Over Fuel Crisis Another major blow has hit Cuba as its economy gets decimated by US-led sanctions, and as Trump's embargo of vital Venezuelan oil for the island continues rolling downhill (Mexico had quickly followed suit by halting its oil to Cuba as well). Amid the fuel shortage which has caused mass disruptions and flight stoppages at the main hub José Martí international Airport, two of Russia's largest airlines have announced the suspension of flights to Cuba. Russian aviation file image Moscow has already declared operations to evacuate all Russian tourists and citizens who wish to leave, and so outbound-only flights to bring them home have been authorized. Rossiya, part of the Aeroflot group, and Severny Veter (Nordwind), are impacted - and the outbound-only evacuation flights have been authorized to begin Thursday. The airlines said they are being forced to redirect flight routes in the region "due to challenges with refueling in Cuba." This follows on the heels of flagship carrier Air Canada being one of the first major international airlines to suspend flights. Canada currently has no economic sanctions against Cuba, and trades with the island-nation, having maintained diplomatic relations going all the way back to 1959. While Americans have by and large been absent from the Caribbean nation, also given no direct flights from the US, Cuba has long been a favored tropical vacation destination for Canadians.  Earlier this month international reports said Cuba was merely days from running out of fuel, and widescale power outages across various districts of the country have only worsened.  "The last known delivery came via a tanker from Mexico in early January, but Mexico halted exports amid US pressure," The Guardian notes. "At the same time, crude flows from Venezuela have dried up after a US operation in January that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, cutting off support from Cuba’s most trusted energy supplier." Havana's lone primary international airport has seen drastic developments such as the following: In recent hours, a video has gone viral on social media showing dozens of tourists disembarking from a plane on the tarmac in Moscow after their flight to Cuba was aborted just before takeoff. The testimonies collected by the Russian outlet Mash on Telegram indicate that passengers on flight SU6849 had almost taken off when, "at the last moment, when the engines were already running, the pilot announced that there was no fuel in Havana," forcing the flight to be canceled at the last minute. The below scene was captured days ago... A herd of Russian savages had to disembark their flight to Cuba at the last minute, after the beleagured Russian-allied nation stated that there is no longer any jet fuel in the country. pic.twitter.com/LknL3kSA1s — Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) February 9, 2026 The Kremlin meanwhile says it is exploring ways to get urgent humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people, as the economic situation and national infrastructure spirals. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that "the stranglehold imposed by the United States is already causing a lot of difficulties for Cuba" and this has resulted in the two allies discussing "possible ways to resolve these problems or at least provide all possible assistance." Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 18:00

Watch: Bondi Explodes Over Epstein During Shouting Match With Massie And Top Dems The Trump admin couldn't hand Democrats a fatter pitch than how they've handled the Epstein release...  On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed repeatedly with Democrats during a tense House Judiciary Committee hearing, deflecting pointed questions about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files before the session devolved into a shouting match with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) over redactions, co-conspirators and DOJ accountability. The fireworks began when Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) pressed Bondi on whether DOJ has indicted or is investigating any of Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators, citing what he called “concrete evidence of disgusting criminality” in recently released files. Bondi attempted to sidestep the question; when Nadler repeated it, she raised her voice and insisted she would “answer the question the way I want to answer the question,” talking over Nadler as colleagues tried to intercede. As the exchange escalated, Bondi pivoted away from Epstein entirely - invoking the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq and touting retirement accounts.  Bondi: The DOW is over 50,000. That’s what we should be talking about. They just asked what does the DOW have to do with anything. ARE YOU KIDDING? pic.twitter.com/nl5ueU867x — Acyn (@Acyn) February 11, 2026 Democrats kept the pressure on. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) accused Bondi of lying under oath after she cited a July 2025 DOJ memo asserting there was no evidence warranting investigations of “uncharged third parties.” Lieu pointed to images of former Prince Andrew and then played a clip of Donald Trump with Epstein, asking whether there were underage girls present. Bondi responded by attacking Democrats and praising Trump, saying there was “no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime.” When Lieu cited an FBI tip and witness statement and urged DOJ to interview the witness, Bondi snapped, “Don’t you ever accuse me of a crime,” then turned to a large white binder as she accused Lieu of deflecting from crime in his district. Lieu plays Bondi the infamous clip of Trump and Epstein partying together and asks her if there were underaged girls at any party the two attended together "This is so ridiculous," Bondi says. "There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime" "I believe you just… pic.twitter.com/Uv8BQTgMef — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 11, 2026 Similar exchanges followed with Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), with Bondi repeatedly veering into personal attacks and unrelated topics rather than answering the questions posed. Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) ultimately moved the hearing along. REP JAMIE RASKIN: "You can let her filibuster all day long, but not on our watch, not on our time. No way. And I told you about that, attorney general, before you started." AG BONDI: "You don't tell me anything you washed-up loser lawyer — not even a lawyer." pic.twitter.com/ouaDRGhz2I — Fox News (@FoxNews) February 11, 2026 Rep. Jayapal (D-WA) brought Epstein accusers... Rep. Jayapal: Will you turn to the survivors, who are standing right behind you, and apologize for what your Department of Justice has done? Pam Bondi: *refuses to answer* #sheshed pic.twitter.com/rbUHcNmQVQ — Donna Stern🚫👑 (@dvsmemphis) February 11, 2026 And when asked again to face them... Johnson: Rep. Jayapal asked if you would be so kind and honorable as to turn around and face them and apologize to them for outing them. Bondi: Your time is up. pic.twitter.com/D9moGLCMVt — Acyn (@Acyn) February 11, 2026 The hearing’s most explosive moment came when Massie, a co-sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, confronted Bondi with DOJ and FBI documents he said showed victims’ names disclosed while alleged abusers’ names were blacked out - and a 2019 FBI file that listed Epstein confidant Les Wexner as a “co-conspirator,” a designation Massie said was redacted in DOJ’s release. As Massie asked who authorized the redactions and why, Bondi interrupted repeatedly, insisting the issue had been “corrected within 40 minutes” and accusing Massie of acting as if there were a cover-up. When Massie noted the change came only after he flagged it, the exchange turned heated, with Bondi laughing off the criticism and attacking Massie personally. "Who’s responsible?" asked Massie. "Are you able to track who in the organization made this massive failure and released the victims’ names?" Bondi shot back that Massie was a "failed politician" and a "hypocrite."  Massie: "Here is an email that was sent by the victims' lawyers to the DOJ. It was a list of names not to release. What did the DOJ do with this email? They released it! Literally the worst thing you could do the survivors you did." pic.twitter.com/oSzA1dV2jj — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 11, 2026 🚨Massie: "This goes over four administrations. You don't have to go back to Biden. Let's go back to Obama. Let's go back to George Bush. This coverup spans decades, and you are responsible for this portion."pic.twitter.com/mZoCGOoEtD — Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 11, 2026 Massie then played testimony from FBI Director Kash Patel, who told Congress there was “no credible information” that anyone besides Ghislaine Maxwell assisted Epstein in trafficking women and girls, and asked Bondi whether that was her position. Bondi did not answer directly, instead urging victims to call the FBI and attempting to redirect blame to prior administrations, including former Attorney General Merrick Garland. When Massie reclaimed his time and framed the matter as a decades-long failure spanning multiple administrations, Bondi shouted that he did not “get to reclaim time” and again declined to address the substance. By the end of the exchange, Bondi had not answered whether DOJ agrees there is “no credible information” about co-conspirators, why a document listing Wexner as a co-conspirator was redacted, or who approved releasing victims’ names while obscuring alleged abusers. The hearing closed with unanswered questions—and a stark contrast between Democrats’ early sparring over evasions and a later, bipartisan rupture that put the department’s handling of the Epstein files squarely at the center of the controversy. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 17:20

Epstein's Island And The Gateway To The Psychology Of Evil Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us, Conspiracy theorists are almost always right. We have been proved right time and time again and we will continue to be right about many things that the corporate media used to call “fringe.” For those out there who are like me; people who have been trying to warn the public about these threats for 20 years or more, I just want to say: We have won a resounding victory. We brought the dark secrets of the elites into the mainstream and there’s nothing that can stop this train now. However, the fight is far from over and don’t expect anyone to give you any awards or even recognition. It’s the nature of our work, and frankly, the best thing that can happen in the long run is that researchers and analysts like us eventually become obsolete. In the meantime, the infowar to save civilization continues. One issue I have spearheaded in my career (along with a handful of other liberty writers) is delving into the psychology and ideology of the globalists. I find their existence to be fascinating. Revolting to be sure, but also fascinating. The theory which I have held for two decades is that the globalists are first and foremost an occult network of organized psychopaths. Meaning, they seek out people with psychopathic traits (latent or otherwise) in order to recruit and grow their numbers. The common assumption in the general public is that psychopaths are supposed to operate in isolation; that they do not work together because they are too self absorbed to organize. History shows us that this is simply not so. From the Mafia, to violent drug cartels, to religious cults, to authoritarian governments, we have seen psychopaths congregate together and cooperate in the worst moments of our timeline. They do it for mutual gain, but I believe there is an agenda that goes well beyond that. It’s a far reaching conspiracy which the recent release of the Epstein Files seems to support. To be clear, I think the information presented so far in the files barely scratches the surface of the evil we are dealing with. I also think it’s important to point out that people being “named” in the Epstein Files is meaningless without context. Some public figures like Donald Trump or Elon Musk are “named” as interacting with Epstein but there is zero evidence that they participated in anything nefarious (Epstein approached ANYONE with power or influence and tried to recruit them). Furthermore, anonymous FBI tips from random weirdos do not make a criminal case. Others are named in the files and the context suggests that they have done some pretty disgusting things. The files represent enough evidence to justify a massive international investigation, they do not represent proof of crimes that would hold up in a court of law (at least, not so far). We may actually never see indictments of any Epstein Island regulars. As I noted in my article “Governmental Self-Preservation: Why We’ll Never See The Real Epstein List”, published last year, I do think there are many people in the Trump Administration that want to see the Epstein case lead to arrests. However, I also predicted that the revelations within the files could trigger even darker discoveries that might cause total collapse. The people handling this info are faced with a conundrum: Pursue the light of truth, dump it all on the internet and risk full blown societal chaos, or, drip feed info to the public and try to keep the system from imploding. Forget about aliens from outer space – The disclosure of concrete proof that a luciferian cult of baby eating bankers, CEOs, politicians and bureaucrats controls the planet is the real Black Swan event. One cannot have a meaningful discussion about the nature of power in modern civilization (post-industrial revolution) without accepting the cold hard reality that most of the key events in our recent history have been manipulated by a hidden consortium of elites. We also can’t have any legitimate debate about how to solve the problem without accepting the fact that “evil” is an undeniable constant. It’s the common denominator, the key to the equation. Evil is a tangible and autonomous entity that the wields influence over human society, often using people with inherent weaknesses of the soul as vessels for achieving its machinations. Yes, that sounds rather biblical, but I would argue that our religious ancestors might have had a much better grasp on the nature of evil than we do today given our futurist propensity to deny anything we can’t immediately explain with science. The Epstein Files suggests an evil that’s beyond reckoning for many people who have never been exposed to research on globalism, and even those who have been exposed might find themselves shocked by the discoveries. To summarize, Jeffery Epstein was not the top of the pyramid. He was also not some self serving flim-flam man selling sex and depravity just to gain access to the halls of power. Rather, Epstein was a middle-man, a drug dealer selling dopamine experiences as a reward for members of the cabal (while collecting blackmail materials). But the cabal is far bigger than what we see in the Epstein files and it supersedes any one nation or government. There are strange mentions of “cloning”, baby farming for black market sales, and the creation of a “superior race” in the files. In other words, the interests of Epstein and his associates went well beyond sexual fetishes. Some of the Epstein emails openly discuss sexual abuse and torture of victims brought to the island. The victimization of teens is less protected and easier to prove. Then, there’s the creepier elements of the files. Coded language is rampant within the Epstein emails, using food as symbols for clearly illicit contraband. From the Pizzagate information (the John Podesta emails) released by Wikileaks in 2016, we can see that food code words are common for the globalists and seem to be tied to the abuse of young children. Pizza symbolism has been common within pedophilia networks for many years leading up to the exposure of Pizzagate, and it’s also common within the pages of the Epstein Files (the word “pizza” is used as code at least 900 times in the emails). The use of “beef jerky” in the Epstein emails (also mentioned hundreds of times) is specifically disconcerting, including talk of keeping the “jerky on ice”, a strange obsession with jerky portion weights, lab testing of “jerky” to prevent sickness, etc. Whatever they are talking about, it’s not beef jerky. You have to ask yourself, what kind of edible product would be so criminal that it has to be hidden behind elaborate code-speak? The obvious conclusion would be that “jerky” is code for human meat. Some might argue that there’s no benefits to eating human meat so why would the elites do it? These critics are operating from a logical perspective and not an occultist perspective. One cannot separate Epstein Island from occultism and still understand what happened there. For the elites who link themselves back to the pagan practices of ancient Babylonian times, from the era of Molech worshipers (Bohemian Grove) and beyond, the ritual of cannibalism is integral to their religion. They believe that human sacrifice gives them power and this is a common thread within most pagan systems including satanism. Luciferianism/satanism is an integral element of globalism. The evidence of its practice within globalist circles is immense and cannot be ignored. Some skeptics would denote a separation between “satanism” and “luciferianism”, but for all intents and purposes they are intertwined belief systems. Satanists are occupied with the pursuit of pleasure at the expense of morality, while luciferians are occupied with the pursuit of power and godhood at the expense of morality. For adherents of both practices, their motto is “Do What Thou Wilt.” As I outlined in my article “Luciferianism: A Secular Look At A Destructive Globalist Belief System”, published in 2019, global elitists derive their spiritual ecstasy from the worship of the material and the corruption of the pure. They seek to deconstruct creation and human nature, to prove that all people are as depraved as they are and that morality is an artificial limitation on power and pleasure. Their system is rife with psychopathic indicators and I assert that luciferienism is a religion designed specifically to affirm the destructive tendencies of psychopaths and narcopaths. But what are these tendencies? Psychopaths lack any sense of empathy and function only as parasites who feed on the rest of humanity. This is actually one of the reasons I’m fascinated by them. Not because they are particularly interesting as individuals, but because their existence seems to be a dangerous anomaly. They are less than 1% of the total human population but they cause the vast majority of human tragedies. The average person has the capacity for evil, there’s no doubt. People can be driven to all kinds of horrors depending on their circumstances. But, the majority of us have a mechanism called “conscience” which stops us from committing evil most of the time. It also causes us to feel guilt when we know we have acted in a destructive manner. If the majority of the population did not have a universal experience of conscience and morality, we would have gone extinct as a species thousands of years ago. Globalists (psychopaths) do not have this mechanism. In fact, they view conscience as a hindrance, a trait of the weak and the easily victimized. They are a predatory class of human. I would even suggest that they are not human at all, but a mutation or a cancerous intrusion. When psychopaths achieve overt material wealth they then have easy access to the resources they need to satisfy their impulses at will. At this stage in the evolution of a psychopath they have a tendency to become bored. They begin to chase increasing depravity and darkness in search of a greater dopamine fix. The more degenerate and taboo the activity, the more exciting it is. But these are nothing but individual motivations and personal addictions. What are the ambitions and drives of the organized cabal? Part of the allure of occultism is the glee some people feel when they believe they are “superior” to their common man. Occult groups sell their members on the notion that they will be set apart as “elite” when they join with the keepers of secrets. When we read the numerous emails tied to Epstein as well as his island and his ranch in New Mexico, the people who correspond with him seem childish and giddy. They snicker like adolescent brats when they engage in codes and riddles. They’re committing atrocities beyond the comprehension of the average man, and they feel joy because they’re basking in the “cloak and dagger” of it all. I think this might be a hard thing to reconcile for many people in the conspiracy field, but the cabal is not made up of darkly brilliant minds imposing cold and calculating will. Rather, it is mostly made up of egomaniacal narcissists giggling like retards as they revel in their delusions of grandeur. If you saw how these people behave behind the scenes, you would probably feel embarrassed for them and feel like an idiot for imagining them to be cunning or untouchable masterminds. Without their money and the collective protection of their coven, they are tiny people without merit living a meaningless existence. That said, make no mistake – It’s the putrid sociopathy of their childishness that makes them exceedingly dangerous. To be infantile while rejoicing in the blood of innocence requires a diabolical and demonic mind. From my research Epstein’s Island might have been tame in comparison to some of the other meeting places of the elites. His island was not the end destination but a gateway for initiates. I believe the island was a test, a venue where evil is concentrated and people with apprehensions are filtered away. The worst of the worst likely moved on to even more vile nesting grounds hidden in plain site around the world. The reason the Epstein Files matter is because they open the door to a wider investigation of the globalist networks and their horrific playgrounds. I suggest that we need to bring back the concept of “witch hunters”; people who are able to think like occultists while using modern investigative methods in order to track down these networks and erase them from the Earth. If government officials refuse to do this, then vigilantism is inevitable. Unfortunately, it’s no mistake that globalist NGOs have flooded the west with third world migrants and mobilized armies of far left insurgents in the past few years. After the pandemic they know that the public is reaching information saturation and that their agenda is coming to light. They will seek to overthrow conservative movements, exploit useful idiots to destroy their enemies and cause general mayhem in order to sabotage any organized resistance. If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch.  Learn more about it HERE. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 16:20

FDA Refuses To Review Moderna's Application For Experimental Flu Shot Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is refusing to review Moderna’s experimental flu shot, the company announced Tuesday. Already submitted and accepted for review in the European Union, Canada, and Australia, the experimental shot’s application being denied by the FDA is another sign of President Donald Trump’s administration’s impact on U.S. pharmaceutical companies. FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) Director Vinayak Prasad signed the refusal to review letter, objecting to Moderna’s study design and its lack of an “adequate and well-controlled” study. Moderna’s CEO refuted to Prasad’s assessment. “It should not be controversial to conduct a comprehensive review of a flu vaccine submission that uses an FDA-approved vaccine as a comparator in a study that was discussed and agreed on with CBER prior to starting,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in the news release. According to the pharmaceutical company, the FDA did not identify any specific safety or efficacy concerns with the experimental flu shot, called mRNA-1010. Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced its plan in August 2025 to begin winding down mRNA vaccine development, including the cancellation and de-scoping of contracts and solicitations. The decision came after a review of mRNA-related investments started during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate,” Kennedy said in the news release. The HHS secretary added that his agency will be investing in better solutions. In the latest setback with Moderna’s experimental mRNA shot, the company called the move by the FDA “inconsistent” with prior feedback it has received from the agency. In April 2024, Moderna submitted its phase three study to the FDA’s CBER for review. The agency sent written guidance back, which did not raise any objections about the phase three trial, Moderna said. Following the completion of the experimental shot’s phase three efficacy trial in August 2025, Moderna held another meeting with the FDA agency for feedback. The Moderna news release said that at no time during the meeting or in written feedback did CBER hint that it would refuse to review the shot’s application. “This decision by CBER, which did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns with our product, does not further our shared goal of enhancing America’s leadership in developing innovative medicines,” Bancel said. With mRNA-1010’s acceptance for review in the European Union, Canada, and Australia, Moderna said it plans to file more submissions in additional countries this year. Meanwhile, the drug company has requested a meeting with the FDA agency to understand the path forward. “We look forward to engaging with CBER to understand the path forward as quickly as possible so that America’s seniors, and those with underlying conditions, continue to have access to American-made innovations,” the CEO said. The refusal to review Moderna’s experimental flu vaccine comes as the Trump administration is making sweeping changes to the U.S. health complex, like inverting the food pyramid, narrowing the childhood vaccine schedule, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention admitting vaccines may cause autism, and more. RFK Jr. helped launch the Make America Healthy Again movement, which is advocating for healthier diets, safer farming practices, more awareness of store-bought foods laden with chemicals, and trying to identify the root causes of chronic disease. The FDA refusing to review Moderna’s experimental flu shot becomes the latest setback for big pharmaceutical companies under the Trump administration. The pharmaceutical company said it does not expect impacts to its 2026 financial guidance and forecasts the earliest approvals for its experimental flu shot to begin late 2026 or early 2027. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 15:45

Apple Slides On Report Latest Attempt To Re-Launch Siri Runs Into "Snags" Apple is sliding on a Bloomberg report that its long-planned upgrade to the Siri virtual assistant has run into new snags during testing in recent weeks, potentially pushing back the release of several highly anticipated functions. After planning to include the new capabilities in iOS 26.4, an OS update slated for March, Apple is now working to spread them out over future versions. That would mean postponing at least some features until at least iOS 26.5, due in May, and iOS 27, which comes out in September. It wasn't immediately clear what the snags in question are.  The latest hitches are part of a long saga for Apple, which first announced plans for the revamped Siri in June 2024. That year, the iPhone maker showed off capabilities that would let the assistant tap into personal data and on-screen content to better fulfill requests. The upgraded Siri also would let users precisely control apps from Apple and third parties via their voice. All the new features were due by early 2025. In the spring of last year, Apple delayed the rollout, saying the new Siri would instead arrive in 2026. It never announced more specific timing. Internally, though, Apple settled on the March 2026 target - tying it to iOS 26.4 - a goal that remained in place as recently as last month.  But testing has uncovered fresh problems with the software, prompting the latest postponements, Bloomberg reported citing sources. Siri doesn’t always properly process queries or can take too long to handle requests, they said. In recent days, Apple instructed engineers to use the upcoming iOS 26.5 in order to test new Siri features, implying that the functionality may have been moved back by at least one release. Internal versions of that update now include a notice describing the addition of some Siri enhancements.  One feature is especially likely to slip: the expanded ability for Siri to tap into personal data. That technology would let users ask the assistant to, say, search old text messages to locate a podcast shared by a friend and immediately play it. Other features running behind include the most advanced commands for voice-based control of in-app actions, a system known as app intents. It would let people ask Siri to find an image, edit it and send it to a contact, all in a single command. Apple employees testing iOS 26.5 say early support for these features exists, but they don’t function reliably in all cases. Another challenge: The new Siri sometimes falls back on its existing integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT instead of using Apple’s own technology. That can happen even when Siri should be capable of handling the request.  Apple shares pared their gains on the news Wednesday. The stock was up 1.1% to $276.71 as of 2:52 p.m. in New York after earlier climbing as high as 2.4%. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 15:20

Hours-Long Netanyahu Meeting Concludes Away From Cameras, Trump Committed To Iran Talks Update(1443ET): President Trump met with Netanyahu for a reported 3-hours at the White on Wednesday, away from the cameras and with no press briefings either before or after. Trump later indicated that nothing definitive was reached on the Iran matter other than "I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue." "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," he stated in a Truth Social post. "Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible." It was expected that Netanyahu would seek a muscular US approach to Tehran, and Israel has essentially been against even holding negotiations, charging that Tehran is using the process to stall and development nuclear weapons, and to expand its missile arsenal. Israeli leadership has time and again complained it's a waste of time. But it seems Trump is ready to give the negotiations route a serious try. There are also indicators that the Commander-in-Chief is not ready to order another US aircraft carrier group to Middle East waters. All of this will come as good news to those wishing to see climb-down and de-escalation on threats of military strike. However, everything could change on a dime: The Pentagon has told a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare to deploy to the Middle East as the U.S. military readies for a potential attack on Iran, according to three U.S. officials.  President Trump said Tuesday that he was weighing sending a second carrier to the Middle East to prepare for military action if negotiations with Iran failed. The order to deploy could be issued in a matter of hours, one of the officials said. The officials cautioned that Trump hadn’t yet given an official order to deploy the second carrier, and that plans could change. The carrier would join aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln that is already in the region. * * * "I am now leaving for the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since he was elected for a second term," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said prior to his departure to Washington. "This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset." (Seven since Trump took office again!) He and President Trump are expected to begin their meeting at the White House, focused on Iran negotiations and the possibility of military action, by late-morning (11 eastern). Netanyahu's 'welcome' in D.C. last night raised some eyebrows, given an entire major freeway into the beltway area was shut down for security reasons... They are literally shutting down highways for Netanyahu’s arrival in DCpic.twitter.com/94YbO5Cy2t — Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) February 11, 2026 Before leaving Israel, Netanyahu told reporters that Iran is the "first and foremost" issue he will raise with Trump. He was originally scheduled to travel to the US for a February 18 meeting, but Israel asked to move it up after the US-Iran talks in Oman. "I will present the president with our views regarding the essential principles of the negotiations – principles that, in our eyes, are vital not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who desires peace and security in the Middle East," the Israeli leader previewed. Israel is pressing the US to require that any agreement with Iran include zero nuclear enrichment and limits on its ballistic missile program. Iranian officials have rejected those terms, signaling they would block any deal. On Tuesday, Trump indicated that Iran's missiles should be part of the agreement.  But if Tehran were to agree with this it would essentially be self-destructing, as it would have no deterrent and be defenseless against any future Israeli attack - or any other enemy aggression for that matter. One Israeli source told CNN that Tel Aviv is "worried about Iran’s progress in restoring its ballistic missile stockpiles and capabilities to its status before the 12-Day War." Iranian leaders are meanwhile fully aware of what Netanyahu's D.C. trip represents, and the timing: Tehran, which resumed talks with Washington last week in Oman, warned Monday of "destructive influences" on diplomacy ahead of the Israeli premier’s visit. On Wednesday, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program, though he said the country is not seeking an atomic weapon. Just after Netanyahu's arrival Tuesday evening, he met with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner to discuss "regional issues". He was also briefed on how Oman-mediated talks are going, ahead of the proposed second round expected next week. Tuesday evening meeting at Blair House, via GPO/JNS President Trump is still threatening to send a second carrier group to the Central Command (CENTCOM) area, which would be a clear signal he intends major military action. He could still order some kind of limited action, also as Congress is once again missing in action on reigning in war powers. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/11/2026 - 14:43

State Department Hones In On Left-Wing NGOs As Vectors Of Chinese Influence Operations It appears the Trump administration is finally getting serious about dark money-funded NGOs that are sowing chaos on America's city streets, with apparent links to foreign influence operations. More alarmingly, these same nonprofits appear to sit at the center of the protest industrial complex and are actively amplified and promoted by prominent members of the Democratic Party. This highly organized and well-funded protest machine has waged an endless decade-long color revolution-style operation of chaos against President Trump. The New York Post reports the State Department has sent a report to Congress connecting the left-wing nonprofits Code Pink and the People's Forum to Chinese propaganda influence operations, mostly because of their direct association with China-based Marxist Neville Roy Singham, who operates the so-called "Singham network" of nonprofits. The Post wrote: "Partisan hacks spent years peddling the phony Russia collusion hoax while turning a blind eye to the sprawling web of far-left activist organizations who push the agendas of the Chinese Communist Party," Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers said in a statement provided to The Post. "Organizations like Code Pink and the People's Forum denigrate the United States, whitewash the violence of Marxist regimes, and run cover for China while enjoying an influx of cash from a donor network with connections to the Chinese Communist Party," Rogers added. "The State Department will pursue complete transparency for the donor and NGO networks that lobby for our adversaries and seek to weaken the resolve of the United States." And continued: The report on "Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference" alleges that China "spreads propaganda through influence campaigns run by nonprofit organizations like Code Pink, the People's Forum and groups linked with the notorious Singham network." The so-called "Singham network" are nonprofits funded by tech mogul Neville Roy Singham, whose wife is a co-founder of Code Pink. Singham, an American expat living in China, "works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide," the New York Times reported in 2023. "Chinese diplomats, state media, and pro-China influencers use social media, content-sharing agreements, and local partnerships to publish pro-CCP propaganda," the report continues. "China invests in [public diplomacy], exchanges, reporting tours, and educational and cultural initiatives to boost its image." "The Department assesses that China, Iran, and Russia aggressively use state media, proxies, and digital platforms to spread propaganda and falsehoods, undermine U.S. credibility and policies, and expand their influence." Readers should not be surprised that State has taken an interest in the Singham NGO network. As we've noted, there appears to be a foreign nexus connected to Democratic Party-aligned nonprofits that are pushing endless revolution: Cuba, Venezuela, China, And America's Left-Wing Revolution Is There A "Cuba Connection" Behind The Radicalization Of America's Nonprofit Left If you want to understand why the radical left appears to hate America and seeks to implode the nation from within, it is not difficult to see that these ideas are rarely developed organically. 🚨 Neville Roy Singham: “The two most deeply racist countries in the world are Israel and the United States.” This is from a speech where Singham , a billionaire many argue is the financier of far-left radical groups worldwide, walks through the moments that formed his… pic.twitter.com/sVUZupZ1vc — Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) January 10, 2026 More often, they are shaped and reinforced by outside influences. This chart helps explain why the radical left has become so radical. On Tuesday, at the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing, Seamus Bruner of the Government Accountability Institute, delivered what he called the interconnected "ecosystem" of NGOs ... Here's a breakdown of what Bruner told lawmakers at the hearing: Nonprofits & NGOs now control over $14 TRILLION in assets - larger than China's entire economy The system links "Migrant Inc" (facilitating mass migration + access to benefits) → "Election Inc" (voter registration, turnout, political mobilization) → "Disruption Inc" (coordinated protests, legal challenges, media campaigns when enforcement threatens the network) These operations create dependency among migrant populations, build durable political infrastructure, and pivot to organized disruption (including anti-ICE chaos) when challenged Many large NGO networks rely on anonymous dark money - with documented patterns of foreign-linked funding, including ties to the Chinese Communist Party In Minnesota alone: thousands of NGOs, billions in federal funds flowing through state programs, weak oversight enabling the cycle Calls for reforms: enhanced transparency, Foreign Agents Registration Act expansion, independent audits, better federal-state coordination Watch The Singham network was also discussed at the House Committee on Ways and Means' hearing on NGOs on Tuesday.  🚨This was just said moments ago at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, and Chairman @RepJasonSmith is absolutely on fire — calling out the People’s Forum and Neville Roy Singham by name. Smith laid out how tax-exempt organizations are allegedly being used as conduits for… pic.twitter.com/KaPNL8ncZm — Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) February 10, 2026 After IQ