Zerohedge

Germany Faces Gas Shortage Crisis: Industry Demands Strategic Reserve Submitted by Thomas Kolbe Following the Federal Network Agency, the umbrella organization of the energy industry is now also calling for the establishment of a national strategic natural gas reserve. The coordinated push by the sector makes it clear that the decline in gas storage levels is far more severe than politics has so far admitted. Kerstin Andreae, chairwoman of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), called on Monday in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland for the creation of a national strategic gas reserve.  Andreae emphasized the need for a robust buffer to absorb external shocks in Germany’s energy supply. With this demand, the BDEW explicitly aligned itself with the position of the Federal Network Agency, whose president Klaus Müller had already advocated for such a strategic reserve in a dpa interview last week. Similar signals are now coming from the business world. The Oldenburg-based energy supplier EWE also considers the time ripe to discuss additional crisis instruments and to follow the examples of other European countries. Austria, France, and Poland already maintain strategic gas reserves to safeguard against supply crises. Reality Ignored It is remarkable that Germany has largely ignored fundamental questions of energy market design and the security of grids with baseload energy for years—a consequence of ideologically driven decisions, for which then-Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck also bears political responsibility. Current figures underline the urgency of the situation. Gas storage levels in Germany are currently dropping by around one percent per day due to the cold weather, with overall fill levels now at roughly 30 percent. In extreme cases—such as conditions similar to the winter of 2010—a gas shortage is entirely conceivable. In such a scenario, daily consumption could no longer be covered by additional LNG imports and remaining gas stocks. The result would be planned shutdowns, initially in energy-intensive industries, with cascading and dramatic economic effects across large parts of the economy.  Germany in 2026 stands amid the ruins of its irrational energy policy. It reads like a bad joke that the country which dismantled its nuclear power, removed cheap Russian gas at Brussels’ behest, and now aims to exit coal-fired power, is discussing national gas reserves—all in the name of a politically and media-amplified climate hysteria. Assurances and Stubbornness Publicly, politics and the Federal Network Agency are working to downplay the problem of declining gas storage levels. Shortly before his dpa interview, Federal Network Agency President Klaus Müller told the Rheinische Post that the risk of supply problems was generally low. Germany had created greater flexibility through multiple import channels—both pipelines and newly built LNG terminals. Moreover, wholesale market prices showed no sign of scarcity, even if they had recently risen, Müller said.  It is a rare skill to contradict oneself multiple times in just a few sentences, as Müller managed in this interview. In contrast, the lobby group INES spoke of historically low levels of German gas storage. Last year at this time, the fill level was around 58 percent, and the year before, even 76 percent. The difference is not marginal, but structural—highlighting the growing vulnerability of the country’s energy security. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs struck a similar tone. In January, it referred to the new import flexibility and recently saw no need for state intervention in the market—though one can hardly call the German energy network a “market” anymore, a fact perhaps still unnoticed in the ministry. Energy economist Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) also stated in January that there was no supply crisis and that imports remained stable. That now bad weather and cold snaps in North America threaten LNG deliveries from the main supplier, the USA—which is responsible for over 90 percent of Germany’s LNG supply—may be the irony of the weather gods. It changes nothing, however, about the fact that German energy policy is trapped between ideological blindness, general negligence, and an intellectual oversimplification of the core problem. Germany now provides a textbook example of the consequences of centrally planned interventionist policy. Once set in motion, every further review of the increasingly distorted market design forces additional interventions and regulatory measures. The system is gradually transforming into a command economy. It is a downward spiral of supply that can only be broken if long-term measures enable the German energy sector to produce baseload-capable energy again. This would include returning to Russian gas deliveries, reversing coal phase-out decisions, and adopting modern small modular nuclear reactors. These, by the way, do not produce traditional nuclear waste—an argument that immediately defuses reflexive objections from anti-nuclear opponents. Worldwide, nuclear power is experiencing an impressive resurgence, particularly in the USA, China, and Russia. Only in Germany does ideological stubbornness prevent recognition of this reality. Pressure must be applied to European policy to exploit substantial gas reserves, gaining geostrategic breathing space and at least partially freeing itself from the self-imposed stranglehold. Irony of History The emerging necessity of a national gas reserve carries two ironies. First, it is a belated admission of the complete failure of the energy transition. Renewable energies, due to their volatility and to maintain grid stability and supply security, require storage and reserve capacities that cannot be economically provided without massively burdening or partially collapsing the economy. Second, it is precisely the declared arch-enemy of German policy, US President Donald Trump, who these days is calling not only for an existing strategic oil reserve but also for the creation of further national reserves. Washington intends to invest around twelve billion dollars to stockpile metals such as lithium, rare earths, nickel, and cobalt, thereby strategically reducing dependence on China and other raw material suppliers. The terms “national” and “reserve” in the energy policy context are particularly offensive to the left-green milieu. There, people are unaccustomed to yielding to reality and recognizing that conservative thinking in matters of supply security, preparedness, and societal resilience is superior in every respect—including as a socio-political concept. In the USA, supply security and strategic resilience sit prominently on the political agenda alongside energy market deregulation. In Germany, however, remarkable consistency is applied to stabilizing a green crony economy, whose economic viability is increasingly eroding. German households will experience the consequences of this fatal error very concretely in their accounts over the coming weeks and months. * * *  About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a Germany a graduate economist, has worked for over 25 years as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination. Tyler Durden Thu, 02/05/2026 - 02:00

"I Deeply Regret": Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman Deny Epstein Malarkey, And Here's Some Weird Sh*t As the latest Epstein Files release continues to provide premium toilet reading and no arrests, tech billionaires Bill Gates and Linkedin founder Reid Hoffman are in full damage control mode, while President Donald Trump - whose name is all over the files as well, is back to asking if we can just move on. Other notables mentioned in the release are Steve Tisch, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Harvey Weinstein, Leon Black, Peter Mandelson (who just imploded), Sergey Brin, Jason Calacanis, Howard Lutnick and the Nobel Prize committee (more on that later, it's a fun one), and of course Ehud Barak.  To review - Gates, whose ex-wife Melinda says he 'needs to answer to those things' in the Epstein files - was featured in a 2013 email Epstein sent to himself - three months after the disgraced financier appears to have brought top Gates 'assistant' Boris Nikolic and 'two Russian girls' to Richard Branson's island for a crypto summit. According to Epstein, Gates - who apparently severed ties with Epstein after some incident involving Boris, 'implored' Epstein to 'delete the emails regarding your std, your request that I provide you with antibiotics that you can surreptitiously give to Melinda and the description of your penis.' Gates Denies Gates responded to the latest email, claiming it was 'never sent' (incorrect) and that it's 'false,' (though he did offer $100k to anyone that can make a 'next generation' condom earlier that year). Bill Gates responds after Epstein files suggest he got an STD from “Russian girls” and planned to secretly medicate his then-wife, Melinda. REPORTER: “You’ve no doubt seen the allegations… Are they true?” GATES: “No. Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email… pic.twitter.com/TpwRmuISCK — Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) February 4, 2026 Hoffman vs. Musk Meanwhile, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman - who went to Epstein's island, was invited to his weird fertility ranch, and apparently left his passport in a 'gift bag' for Epstein - has been trading Epstein 'gotchas' with Elon Musk, who asked Epstein if he could bring his ex-wife to the island for a 'wild' party. Hoffman claims he was only on Epstein's island to fundraise with former MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito, while Musk claims Epstein used the fact that Hoffman was on the island to try to get him to go.  Feb 1: Musk drops 'reid was on the island last weekend,' email Epstein sent him, and notes that Hoffman brought 'gifts' to Epstein.  Hoffman, who says he deeply regrets associating with Epstein post-conviction, defended his visit, replying to ZeroHedge after we asked to clarify that he went to Epstein island to raise money for MIT.  Yes, with Joi Ito, the Director of the MIT Media Lab, who had asked me to help MIT fundraise from Epstein. I regret ever interacting with Epstein. Trump's own FBI looked into me and found "no hits." We should focus on prosecuting those who committed crimes and finally getting… pic.twitter.com/kc7yy4gGJp — Reid Hoffman (@reidhoffman) February 4, 2026 He also posted an email from Musk to Epstein asking what day "will be the wildest party on your island?" for Musk and ex-wife Talulah to visit. Musk replied; "The big difference between you and me, Reid, is that you went and I did not." And, as the email shows, I obviously didn’t anticipate anything actually shady, as I was bringing my wife at the time (Talulah). Nonetheless, UNLIKE YOU, I came to my senses and declined to go. Epstein tried to get me to go to his island so many times that eventually I just… — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2026 When asked if President Trump deserves the same 'assumption of innocence' that you are claiming, Hoffman pivots, saying he's "been calling for an investigation," adding "No one will need to assume anything if Trump releases all of the files, and we conduct a transparent investigation into those implicated in crimes." Shockingly, not everyone is buying Hoffman's story... 🎯 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2026 TL;DR - Hoffman went to the island, he says, to raise money for MIT, brought gifts, and left his passport in a gift bag, and now regrets it. Musk was invited, and/or asked, to visit Epstein's island with his ex-wife, which never happened.  Weird Shit and Other Novelties Aside from all that BS, there are some very odd things that also appear in the files... Epstein was living with the Pope, in the Vatican? An extremely disturbing diary entry or entries from a victim allegedly held at Epstein's New Mexico ranch, where she was an 'incubator' for bearing children.  Jeffrey Epstein's 10,000 acre ranch in New Mexico, known as Zorro, was miles from civilization and featured a massive underground lair that an IT contractor compared to a dungeon outfitted with cameras. It also had an airstrip, a helicopter pad, and much more—including,… pic.twitter.com/Q1KsrY53Oh — Frankie Stockes (@realStockes) February 3, 2026  Is the DOJ protecting someone here here, when we were reliably told that only victims would be redacted? Or is this a woman referring to herself as 'your littlest girl?' Sultan Bin Sulayim, CEO of DP World, to Epstein: "I am off to sample a fresh 100% female Russian on my yacht."  Epstein said he wants 'nothing to do with India, hot ,smells like shit, filthy...' (eh, I mean...) British biotech investor, Nicole Junkermann, asked Epstein if he wanted to have a baby almost exactly 2 years after his 2008 conviction for child sex trafficking.  NEW: 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 British biotech investor, Nicole Junkermann asked Epstein if he wanted to have a baby with her: "Will you have a baby with me? Where is the best place to do so?" pic.twitter.com/2gfb3uoYO7 — Megatron (@Megatron_ron) February 4, 2026 The Rothschilds are being deleted from the files... (among other reported 'prunings' since the latest release). Epstein notably told Peter Thiel "I represent the Rothschilds."  So we started at 12073 results for the term "Rothschild" Later yesterday it was 11912 And a couple of hours ago we're down 11860 Has anyone saved the entire batch immediately after release lol? https://t.co/nMwjJ9PuAn pic.twitter.com/2shU99VMp5 — dart (@poordart) February 3, 2026 Was Epstein a "multinational covert operation" belonging "to both U.S. and allied intelligence services"? Epstein and Ghislaine were involved in Bitcoin and Ripple from the earliest days, directly corresponding with Satoshi (who told him to fuck off). Check back for more!    Tyler Durden Thu, 02/05/2026 - 00:54

Hong Kong Graduates Face Toughest Job Market In Five Years Hong Kong’s graduate job market reached its weakest level in five years in 2025, as hiring dropped sharply and wages showed almost no growth, according to SCMP. University data revealed that job openings fell by 55 per cent from the previous year, declining to just over 30,000 positions, even lower than during the pandemic period. This marked a major shift from earlier years, when more than 80,000 graduate jobs were available annually. The steady decline since 2023 suggests that opportunities for young people have been shrinking for some time, rather than collapsing suddenly. At the same time, salary growth has slowed to a near standstill. The average monthly pay for new graduates rose by only 0.5 per cent to HK$20,961, the smallest increase in recent years. This was a sharp contrast to the stronger wage growth seen between 2022 and 2024. Management trainee positions, which are often viewed as a gateway to leadership roles, were also badly affected. Their numbers fell to the lowest level in five years, and average pay in this category even declined slightly. These trends have had a direct impact on youth unemployment. The jobless rate among people aged 20 to 24 climbed to 12.3 per cent, one of the highest levels recorded in decades. More than 17,000 young people were without work during the final months of 2025. For many graduates, this means longer job searches, repeated rejections, and growing uncertainty about their future. SCMP writes that frustration and anxiety have become common among jobseekers, especially on social media platforms. One graduate wrote, “I am also a graduate from a professional discipline and have been looking for a job since May, but I still have no offer.” Another shared her emotional struggle, saying, “Being unable to secure a job makes me feel very nervous, and my emotions have become difficult to control. When will I get a suitable job?” Some users also complained that available positions often came with low pay and limited prospects, making it difficult to build a stable career. Experts point to rapid technological change as one of the main causes of the decline in entry-level jobs. Human resources consultant Alexa Chow explained, “The speed and penetration of AI have been so fast that it has created many challenges for jobseekers,” adding that “Jobs like general customer service and translation are quite easily replaced by AI.” As companies adopt automated systems, fewer junior staff are needed to handle routine tasks that once served as training grounds for graduates. Economic uncertainty has also played a major role. Weak consumer spending, especially in retail, catering, and entertainment, has forced many businesses to cut costs. As a result, employers are more reluctant to invest in fresh graduates who require training and supervision. Management trainee programmes, which demand long-term commitment and resources, have been among the first to be reduced. Recruiters say companies are now far more selective in their hiring. Jobsdb’s Bill Lee observed, “In the current environment, we observe that employers are more selective in their hiring criteria.” Many firms prefer candidates who can contribute immediately, rather than those who need time to develop. This puts fresh graduates at a disadvantage, particularly those without internship or part-time work experience. Despite the gloomy outlook, experts stress that graduates are not without options. Developing practical skills, gaining real-world experience, and learning to use digital and AI tools can help improve employability. Some professions that rely heavily on human interaction, such as counselling and psychology, remain less affected by automation. In a tougher job market, adaptability, continuous learning, and resilience may be key to helping young people navigate an increasingly competitive employment landscape. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 23:00

Silver Crashes 20% As China Opens, Gold & Bitcoin Also Plunging On the heels of today's momentum collapse in the US, Silver prices have puked almost 20% in a matter of hours after Asian markets opened... ...erasing the rebound gains of the last three days... The overall decline from when Trump's announcement of Warsh's nomination as the next Fed Chair is now back up to 40%. “Sentiment seems to have turned soggy across most asset classes, including regional equities and metals,” said Christopher Wong, a strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd. “This underscores fragile sentiment” and has created “a feedback loop amid thin market liquidity,” he said. Spot Gold prices are also down (around 4-5%), with $5000 seemingly acting as serious resistance... There's no obvious specific catalysts for the decline in precious metals for now but Goldman Sachs does note that data suggested that Chinese speculators may have played a minor role in the recent volatility (until now). The timing suggests that Western flows rather than Chinese speculative activity drove late January's volatility. Most of the buildup and unwind in gold prices occurred while SHFE--the venue for Chinese speculative futures trading--was closed. Additionally, China's strong tradition of physical precious metals ownership and easy access to physical keep it as the dominant form of demand, with the speculative paper market in China -- including SHFE futures market and ETF market -- being relatively small.  But, given the magnitude and timing of tonight's collapse, it would appear the speculative Chinese investor has pulled the rug (although gold-backed ETFs are gaining traction in China, their market size remains tiny compared to Western counterparts). Silver's relative underperformance has smashed the Gold/Silver ratio back above 65x (6 week highs)... Bitcoin is also accelerating its losses during the US day session, back below $72,000... The collapse of these 'alt' currencies is coming as the US dollar's recent gains accelerate... “Price action is likely to remain volatile until there is greater certainty on the monetary policy outlook,” Standard Chartered Plc analysts including Sudakshina Unnikrishnan said in a note. Some of this near-term volatility is resulting from investors redeeming their holdings in exchange-traded products, they said, but “structural drivers remain intact and we continue to expect a rebuild to the upside.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 22:25

Vance To Lead Sweeping Anti-Fraud Task Force Investigating California Vice President JD Vance is poised to chair a new White House task force aimed at rooting out potential fraud and abuse in government programs in California, according to CBS News. Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, is expected to serve as the task force's vice chairman and handle day-to-day operations, CBS News reports. President Donald Trump is anticipated to issue an executive order in the coming days to formally establish the group, the news outlet said. The White House task force would operate separately from a related Justice Department effort led by Colin McDonald, a Trump nominee for a new fraud-investigation role at the department. McDonald is expected to also probe fraud in Minnesota uncovered by YouTuber Nick Shirley and other independent journalists. President Trump is taking decisive action on widespread fraud and abuse of government programs. Think he should look at New Jersey, too? 👉🏼Full story: https://t.co/5wBfQZM70O pic.twitter.com/9VaynRZQi6 — New Jersey GOP (@NJGOP) January 31, 2026 California has long grappled with documented issues of waste, fraud, and weak oversight in state and federally funded programs. State auditors have for more than a decade flagged problems including persistent cost overruns, inadequate internal controls, and unimplemented reform recommendations across various initiatives, CBS News reported last month. California's Employment Development Department faced acute criticism during the pandemic, when unemployment-insurance fraud resulted in an estimated $20 billion or more in improper payments, while many eligible claimants endured lengthy delays in receiving benefits, according to NPR News. Separately, federal officials have recently scrutinized fraud risks in hospice and home-health services, particularly in Los Angeles County. Last week, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz visited the area to draw attention to the issue, citing the rapid proliferation of hospice providers and potential billions in improper billings. One physician in California reportedly billed the government $120 million in a single year while claiming oversight of 1,900 patients -an volume that has raised questions about feasibility and potential abuse. President Trump is taking decisive action on widespread fraud and abuse of government programs. Think he should look at New Jersey, too? 👉🏼Full story: https://t.co/5wBfQZM70O pic.twitter.com/9VaynRZQi6 — New Jersey GOP (@NJGOP) January 31, 2026 The county is home to nearly 2,000 licensed hospice agencies, a number exceeding the combined total in more than 36 states and roughly 30 times the count in states such as Florida or New York. "Hospice is crazy here," Dr. Oz said. "You’ve got hospice that’s grown seven-fold in the last five years. They represent about three and a half billion dollars of fraud, we believe, just in LA County." Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 21:20

Security Expert: Illegal Minneapolis Checkpoints Trace Back To Marxist, Anarchist Movements The eruption of "Signal-Gate" revealed the organizational structure and command-and-control nodes of left-wing activists operating within encrypted messaging apps to unleash pressure campaigns against federal agents in Minneapolis. This structure is very revealing and, according to some security experts, is deeply rooted in revolutionary tradition. Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement checkpoints have sprung up across the sanctuary city of Minneapolis in recent weeks. These makeshift checkpoints on city streets are operated by left-wing activists who track traffic in and out of specific areas, searching for ICE vehicles, and there are reports from Fox News that some agitators even have the ability to check license plates. INSURRECTION: ICE Watch, with the support of MPD, is expanding their checkpoints in Minneapolis. Masked men without warrants detain American drivers with out-of-state plates or rental cars to determine if they work for the federal government. pic.twitter.com/TUUa5PZA5G — @amuse (@amuse) February 3, 2026 Far-left extremists in Minneapolis are again setting up street blockades and check points, with the city’s blessing, to slow down and check vehicles they suspect are driven by DHS agents and officers. Photos published by revolutionary group, Minneapolis Spring: pic.twitter.com/4vzRVhOvvD — Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 1, 2026 Antifa in Minneapolis is literally building checkpoints and stopping vehicles on the road to run their license plates to see if they are affiliated with ICE before they let them through. See the caption of this video in the reply. pic.twitter.com/Otkn44NQe4 — Karlyn Borysenko, anti-communist cult leader (@DrKarlynB) February 1, 2026 Crazy! Anti-ICE blockade check points in Minneapolis. Stopping cars to check if anyone in the car is a federal agent. Remind me again who the Nazi’s are? pic.twitter.com/oiF05bztFA — Andie (@AndieTruthRules) February 3, 2026 J. Michael Waller, senior analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy, provided important color on the emergence of "illegal checkpoints" in Minneapolis. Waller explained: Illegal checkpoints on public streets have a long history in Marxist and anarchist tradition. They symbolize organized self-defense against "oppressors," an empowerment of "the people" to seize urban space to confront the class enemy. When organized as barricades to block passage, they become instruments of insurrection, dating back to the 1848 revolutions of Europe and the 1871 Paris Commune. Marxists treat barricades as symbols of transition from civil protest to armed struggle. Barricades mark the point when Marxists stop appealing to constitutional authority, and build structures for alternative power. For anarchists, the barricade represents "direct action" and "horizontal self-organization" - the building of defenses without formal hierarchies or central leaders. Anarchists view barricades as a reclaimed public space. Checkpoints and barricades turn the streets from channels of commerce and state control into zones of collective autonomy and mutual aid during insurrections or insurgencies. Illegal checkpoints on public streets have a long history in Marxist and anarchist tradition. They symbolize organized self-defense against "oppressors," an empowerment of "the people" to seize urban space to confront the class enemy. When organized as barricades to block… pic.twitter.com/BD1JvzBBe9 — J Michael Waller (@JMichaelWaller) February 3, 2026 We have profiled the rise of left-wing chaos, warning last year that billionaire-funded NGOs were funneling money into the protest industrial complex seeking revolution. In other words, a color revolution ... Last week, Joe Rogan and guest Andrew Wilson, a conservative podcaster, framed the chaos emanating from Minneapolis as a "color revolution." There is good news on multiple fronts. Tom Homan announced early Wednesday that an unprecedented number of counties in Minnesota are now cooperating with the federal government on the deportation of illegal aliens. That coordination has allowed Homan to authorize an immediate reduction in the federal agents across the metro area, a move viewed by us as a deliberate effort by the administration to de-escalate tensions and defuse the chaotic situation. The second piece of good news came last month when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sat down with journalist Christopher Rufo and discussed plans to investigate dark-money-funded NGOs sowing chaos nationwide. What the Trump administration has shown, and effectively forced into the open by surging federal agents into Minneapolis, is that the Democratic Party's left-wing militant arm, such as Antifa, operates within an organizational structure pushing a revolutionary agenda. Returning to Waller's comments above about barricades and Marxist movements, the revolutionary picture should now be clearer than ever for the American public and for the White House about what's really going on. It may also be time for the White House to take seriously the remarks made by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn in late November: General Flynn Calls For National Address From Trump On Color Revolution Threat From our view, elements within the Democratic Party are encouraging a rolling cycle of mass mobilization through the nonprofit world aimed at revolution against Trump and all-things 'America First'. The focus of agitation appears to rotate by topic, moving from the George Floyd riots earlier this decade to more recent pro-Palestinian protests, and now to anti-ICE actions, while relying on the same activist network of nonprofits, propaganda channels, and street-level tactics. The deeper understanding here is that there's a left-wing revolution brewing. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 20:30

Putin Notifies Xi Of New START Status As Trump Ready To Let Go Of Nuclear Arms Control With Russia President Putin in his Wednesday video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored that the last major nuclear treaty with the United States is on the eve of collapse. New START is set to expire on Thursday. Putin notified Xi that Washington has not yet responded. "As you know, on September 22, 2025, we proposed to the Americans to extend the key quantitative limits for one year as voluntary self-restrictions. However, we have not yet received an official response from the Americans," Putin said, as quoted in state media. Despite the situation with the New START Treaty, Russia remains open "to seeking negotiated ways to ensure strategic stability" - the Russian leader explained. via Chinese state media/BBC Putin further stated his country will act "in a measured and responsible manner, based on a thorough analysis of the overall security situation." Over several years going back to his first term, Trump has signaled a desire to forge a broader deal which would bring China into the agreement, which hearkens back to the Obama administration.  Politico is meanwhile reporting that the Trump administration is preparing to "let go of arms control with Russia": The likely dissolution of the agreement comes at an especially fraught time. Russia and China are expanding their strategic arsenals and the Kremlin has threatened to use nuclear weapons on Ukraine. The Defense Department has held a series of internal meetings in preparation for a post-New START world, according to the two people and another person familiar — all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal talks — although it’s not clear what was discussed in the meetings. “We’re looking at a very uncertain path ahead,” said Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association. “Unless Trump and Putin reach some sort of understanding soon, it’s not unlikely that Russia and the U.S. will start to upload more warheads on their missiles.” The Kremlin has made clear Russia is willing to extend it for another year, to allow more robust negotiations and for a longer deal to be finalized. But again, unless it is renewed or extended at the last minute, the landmark treaty will expire on Thursday, February 5. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the country's Security Council, on Monday made clear that Russia's offer to quickly extend "remains on the table, and the treaty has not even expired yet, and if the American side wants to extend it, then this can be done." He also confirmed that Moscow has received no response on this offer from Washington: Medvedev told the newspaper Kommersant that Moscow might have to wait until the expiry of the treaty on February 5 for a U.S. response to the Russian initiative. When contacted for comment, a White House official told Newsweek Monday: "The president will decide the path forward on nuclear arms control, which he will clarify on his own timeline."   Indeed, the Trump White House has yet to issue anything official. Of course, President Trump is also known for making key decisions at the last moment, building suspense and leverage, based on also on his notorious unpredictable decision-making style. The New START treaty, which has contained the risk of a nuclear standoff between America and Russia, expires soon. To make matters more dangerous, there is a new player in the game—China: https://t.co/w2LZ59AbYu pic.twitter.com/xNySz54I0V — The Economist (@TheEconomist) February 4, 2026 According to Monica Duffy Toft, professor of international politics and director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School, "By providing transparency into the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, New START has lowered the risk that either side will misinterpret normal military activity as preparation for a nuclear strike." It was signed in 2010 by Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, and limits the number of deployed strategic warheads to 1,550 per side, and caps deployed delivery systems - including of missiles, bombers, and submarines - at 700. There's also a mutual inspection regimen, allowing each side to monitor the other's sites. Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 19:40

Ken Griffin Torches Trump Over 'Distasteful Favoritism' And Conflicts Of Interest, Opens Door To Political Run Citadel CEO Ken Griffin raised eyebrows this week when he left the door open to future public service or even running for office, while issuing some of his sharpest criticism yet of President Donald Trump. “I’d like to believe that at a future point in my life, I will be involved in public service,” Griffin said during an interview at the WSJ Invest Live event Tuesday. “I’ve been able to have my voice heard on important issues, and I’d like to think that I’ve nudged the country and in small ways in good directions.” Ken Griffin, speaking at WSJ Invest Live, didn’t say no when @emmatuckerWSJ asked if he would run for office. (Read president) pic.twitter.com/vntp9BTL4B — Jack Otter (@JackOtter) February 3, 2026 Griffin, a prominent Republican donor who contributed more than $100 million to conservative candidates and causes in the 2024 election cycle but did not back Trump’s re-election bid directly also took aim at the administration's approach to business, saying the business leaders are tiring of what he sees as appeasing the president. “When the U.S. government starts to engage in corporate America in a way that tastes of favoritism, I know for most CEOs that I’m friends with, they find it incredibly distasteful,” the billionaire hedge fund manager said. “Most CEOs just don’t want to find themselves in the business of having to, in some sense, suck up to one administration after another to succeed in running their business.” Griffin also ripped Trump and members of his inner circle for business dealings riddled with conflicts of interest, including the Trump family’s crypto company World Liberty Financial. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE national security adviser, brother of the president, and often called the "Spy Sheikh," secretly acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million. The deal was signed by Eric Trump just days before his family’s second inauguration in January 2025. The president has denied any knowledge of the agreement. “This administration has definitely made missteps in choosing decisions or courses that have been very, very enriching to the families of those in the administration,” Griffin said. “That calls into question, is the public interest being served?” Griffin, who moved his hedge fund from Chicago to Palm Beach citing rising crime and high taxes in Democrat-run Illinois, teamed up with Stephen Ross this week to contribute $10 million to the "Ambition Accelerated" campaign through the Florida Council of 100, aiming to lure CEOs, founders, and investors to state’s Gold Coast. “Where you choose to build a business determines how much time is spent driving growth versus navigating bureaucracy,” Griffin said in a statement. “Miami and the broader South Florida Gold Coast offer deep talent, regulatory clarity, and an extraordinary quality of life." Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 18:50

3 US Warships Dispatched To Haiti As Part Of Campaign Against Drug Traffickers Authored by Chris Summers via The Epoch Times, Three U.S. warships have been sent to Haiti as part of Operation Southern Spear, a military operation in the Caribbean to counter narcotics trafficking. “At the direction of the Secretary of War [Pete Hegseth], the ships USS Stockdale, USCGC Stone, and USCGC Diligence have arrived in the Bay of Port-au-Prince as part of Operation Southern Spear,” the U.S. Embassy in Haiti posted on X on Feb. 3. The embassy said the presence of the warships reflects the United States’ “unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability, and brighter future.” The USS Stockdale is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer based in San Diego, while USCGC Stone and USCGC Diligence are Coast Guard cutters based in North Charleston, South Carolina, and Pensacola, Florida, respectively. “The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard reaffirm their partnership and support to ensure a safer and more prosperous Haiti,” the U.S. Embassy posted on X. Operation Southern Spear is targeting narco-trafficking and has led to strikes on several drug smuggling boats since September 2025. On Jan. 3, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was captured and indicted on drug trafficking and other charges. Another boat strike was carried out on Jan. 23, at an undisclosed location, according to U.S. Southern Command. Unrest in Haiti Haiti has been mired in political and economic turmoil since July 2021, when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his home in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, by a group of mercenaries, most of whom were Colombian nationals. Gangs have proliferated and begun to dominate large parts of Haiti, and in May 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated two of the largest gangs, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, as foreign terrorist organizations. In November 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump published a new National Security Strategy, which calls for expanded naval and Coast Guard operations and aggressive targeting of drug cartels. “We want to ensure that the Western Hemisphere remains reasonably stable and well-governed enough to prevent and discourage mass migration to the United States,” the strategy document states. “We want a Hemisphere whose governments cooperate with us against narco-terrorists, cartels, and other transnational criminal organizations.” Haiti has not had elections since 2016. A nine-member Transitional Presidential Council was appointed in April 2024, but has been marked by allegations of corruption and a declining security situation in Haiti. On Jan. 23, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who was appointed by the Transitional Presidential Council, spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the call “reaffirmed U.S. support for Haiti’s stability and security.” “The current violence caused by gangs can only be stopped with consistent, strong leadership, with the full support of the Haitian people,” the State Department said. Rubio said the Transitional Presidential Council ”must be dissolved by February 7 without corrupt actors seeking to interfere in Haiti’s path to elected governance for their own gains.” Last month the State Department took steps to revoke the visas of two unidentified members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential ‍Council (TPC) and their immediate families because of their alleged involvement in gangs. “These actions are being taken due to the TPC members’ involvement in the operation of gangs and other criminal organizations in Haiti, including through interference with the Government of Haiti’s efforts to counter gangs designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by the United States,” the State Department said in a Jan. 25 statement. In September 2025 the United Nations Security Council authorized the conversion of a Multinational Security Support mission—which had been deployed in Haiti in June 2024—into a 5,500-strong Gang Suppression Force. China, Russia, and Pakistan abstained in the vote. In December 2025, the United States and Canada said 18 entities had offered personnel, resources, and technical support for the Gang Suppression Force. “We were looking for 5,500 forces,” Rubio said on Dec. 19, 2025. “We already have pledges of up to 7,500 forces from a variety of countries. We’ve seen donors step up to fund that effort.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 17:40

Why The 'Hype Phase' Of Wind And Solar Is Over Authored by Kevin Stocklin via The Epoch Times, The Trump administration has taken a sharp turn from its predecessor regarding wind and solar energy, curtailing many of the loans, grants, and permitting that the Biden administration had put in place. Without government subsidies and regulatory support, energy analysts are questioning whether these industries can stand on their own merits. “We’ve reached the end of the hype phase, and the beginning of the reality phase,” Sam Romain, chairman of Americans for Energy Dominance, told The Epoch Times. “Technologies that lower costs, improve reliability, and strengthen the grid will grow. “Those that don’t will fade.” On his first day in office, President Donald Trump suspended new leases and permits for wind and solar on public lands and waters and raised fees for existing projects. Subsequently, his One Big Beautiful Bill Act set tighter deadlines to cut off subsidies to wind and solar energy projects, putting more than $300 billion in planned wind and solar investments at risk of cancellation. In August 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy canceled $679 million in federal funding for 12 offshore wind projects across the United States, stating that the administration is “prioritizing real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.” And in December 2025, the Interior Department halted leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction in the United States, citing security risks. Calling the wind installations “expensive, unreliable [and] heavily subsidized,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted on X that “ONE natural gas pipeline supplies as much energy as these 5 projects COMBINED.” Without these subsidies, many analysts say wind and solar power will struggle to survive, at least on the scale that was envisioned under the Biden administration. “Wind and solar won’t be able to credibly compete with affordable, reliable baseload sources like gas, coal, and nuclear at the utility scale,” Sarah Montalbano, energy policy analyst at Always On Energy Research, told The Epoch Times. “Intermittent wind and solar depend on tax credits and state mandates that require their construction.” Today, some analysts say, developers are putting many renewable projects on hold, waiting until another Democratic administration takes the White House. “For the remainder of Trump’s term, wind and solar will be in decline,” H. Sterling Burnett, director of climate and environmental policy at The Heartland Institute, told The Epoch Times. “Whether that sticks depends upon who is the next president. Climate change activists hold signs during a news conference with members of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition on Capitol Hill in Washington on Nov. 13, 2025. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has slashed subsidies and canceled permits on federal lands for wind and solar energy—an industry that has long thrived on government subsidies. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times “Some wind and solar will be built due to state support and mandates, especially those already contracted for and under construction, but the money spigot is ending and that will doom new developments,” Burnett said. As of January, there are 4,202 planned solar projects and 802 planned wind projects in development in the United States, according to Cleanview, an energy analytics firm. State Support for Wind, Solar While renewable energy has lost some of its strongest advocates in Washington, experts say that the industry will survive, even if scaled back, because regulation of power generation was reserved to the states in the 1920 Federal Power Act, within their borders. And many states, particularly those run by Democrats, have regulations in place that require or incentivize utilities to buy wind and solar power over gas, coal, and nuclear. However, even in those states that favor them, wind and solar energy are running up against two major hurdles: reliability and cost. When comparing wind or solar to alternatives such as nuclear, “you’re comparing two very unlike things,” said Bill Glahn, policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment and former deputy commerce commissioner for the state of Minnesota. One is “an intermittent resource that may last 10 to 20 years before the equipment breaks down and has to be replaced, versus a 24/7 dispatchable plant that could be around 50 to 70 years,” Glahn told The Epoch Times. He said the nuclear plants currently operating in Minnesota were built in the 1970s and will likely operate until 2040 or beyond. “Wind and solar can’t compete on that basis,” he said. Oilfield pump jacks in Williston, N.D., on Dec. 21, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times Hidden Costs Renewable energy was supposed to be a cheaper energy source, advocates claimed, because wind and sunshine are free. However, the true aggregate cost of these technologies has been obscured in several ways. First, weather-dependent energy requires backup systems, typically gas-fired plants, to generate electricity when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. However, the cost of building and running these backup systems is generally not attributed to the wind and solar plants that required them. There are also additional costs to build new distribution lines to transmit electricity from the often remote locations where wind and solar power are generated to end users in cities and towns. “With so many of these projects, be they wind or solar, you have to either upgrade a transmission line or upgrade the local distribution system to put those assets on the grid, and those costs are never assigned to wind and solar,” Glahn said. “The wind and solar projects cause the transmission projects to be needed—and these are multi-billion dollar projects—but that cost all gets assigned, in this extremely bizarre twist, to resources that are running and that are useful.” In Minnesota, the source that is running is usually nuclear power and natural gas, so the additional transmission costs are attributed to them, Glahn said. “We put the thumb on the scale to make sure wind and solar pass some rudimentary cost-benefit analysis by just out and out cheating, and it’s super frustrating,” he said. Another hidden cost is that wind and solar plants typically have shorter lifespans than gas, coal, and nuclear plants, and the expense of decommissioning them is often also not taken into account in the way that it is with traditional power plants. An October 2025 study by Curtis Schube and Mark Mills for the National Center for Energy Analytics found that, while 30 U.S. states made little or no provisions for decommissioning wind and solar plants, the vast majority of states did so for coal, gas, and nuclear plants. In many cases, this could leave local residents with the bill for cleanup, once wind and solar facilities reach the end of their relatively short lives. Discarded wind turbine blades are seen in a field next to the Sweetwater Cemetery in Sweetwater, Texas, on Oct. 4, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images There are currently more than 75,000 wind turbines operating across 45 U.S. states, and more than 5,700 large-scale solar installations across 49 states, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In both cases, the first installations were built prior to 1990, putting many of them close to their decommissioning date. Consumers often bear all of these additional costs through higher utility bills and higher taxes. Environmental organizations that advocate net-zero policies and wind and solar construction often have strong lobbying support in state legislatures, as do public utilities that simply pass on their costs to consumers, Glahn said. “Utilities make sure that they’re going to come out of this neutral, but the consumers are the ones who get screwed, and there’s really nobody to speak for them at the capitol,” he said. Struggle to Pay Electric Bills This more sober assessment of the costs and benefits of wind and solar is happening at a time when Americans increasingly are struggling to pay their electric bills. A 2025 report by the Century Foundation states that average electricity prices have climbed by 32 percent since 2022 and as a result, 14 million Americans—or about one in 20 households—are on track to have unpaid utility bills sent to collection agencies. “If a policy drives up bills and increases blackout risk, it’s not sustainable,” Romain said. “These ‘net zero’ mandates are often written by elites who never worry about paying their power bill.” A December 2025 study by the Institute for Energy Research found that 86 percent of the states with electricity prices above the national average were Democrat-led, or “reliably blue.” All of the five states with the highest electric bills had mandates requiring that 100 percent of their power must come from carbon-free sources. By contrast, 20 of the 25 states with the lowest electricity prices were red states, and seven of the 10 states with the cheapest electricity did not have 100 percent carbon-free mandates. Energy analyst Robert Bryce cited the case of New York in a recent op-ed published in the New York Post. The state just approved a $615 per year rate hike in gas and electricity bills for the average New York City resident by 2028. The state’s political leaders have not only incentivized utilities to build wind and solar capacity, but also shuttered the Indian Point nuclear plant, which produced one-quarter of New York City’s electricity. Closing Indian Point will cost between $1.5 billion and $2.2 billion by 2030, Bryce said, and as a result of such policies, New York’s electricity prices are now 58 percent above the national average. The Indian Point nuclear power plant on the Hudson River in Buchanan, N.Y., on March 22, 2011. Bill Glahn, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, said nuclear plants have longer life spans than wind and solar and are “24/7 dispatchable,” making them more reliable. Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images Renewable Rejection And while Americans may not have control over their electric bills, they are increasingly fighting back against the installations of large wind and solar projects in their neighborhoods. “It was clear before the end of subsidies that Big Wind was facing more and more friction from local communities fighting back against their projects,” Bryce told The Epoch Times, citing the most recent example of the California Energy Commission rejecting the Fountain Wind project in Shasta County. According to Bryce’s database, Renewable Rejection, there have been 1,148 cases to date of local communities working to halt the installation of wind, solar, or battery projects. Wind turbines obstruct views and injure wildlife, and both wind and solar facilities consume significantly more acreage than traditional energy plants, according to a 2024 report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “When it comes to land use, nuclear plants take up as little as 10 hectares per terawatt-hour of electricity produced per year, while wind uses about 100 hectares, measuring just the area taken up by turbines,” the report found. “This rises to an astounding 10,000 hectares if you include all the land covered by a wind farm, but most of this space is open land and can be used for ranching or farming.” In January, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke permits for five offshore wind projects, allowing several of them to resume construction. According to Burnett, however, even if these wind projects move through to completion, there will likely be delays and cost overruns. “Dozens of offshore wind projects approved and permitted by the Biden administration have already ceased construction and withdrawn from the projects simply due to economics,” Burnett said. “Materials costs keep rising and supply chain problems have hampered construction.” Wind turbines operate in a field in Beulah, N.D., on Dec. 22, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times Because much of the material for wind turbines and solar panels originates in China, construction costs are being driven even higher by tariffs imposed on Chinese imports. As their costs rise, many wind developers have repeatedly gone back to states to renegotiate terms, “and still they’ve pulled out,” Burnett said. “The remaining five projects still under construction will cost ratepayers billions of dollars, pollute the oceans, kill protected species, compromise national security, and provide relatively little reliable power.” An aerial view shows the Kayenta Solar Plant in Kayenta, Ariz., on June 23, 2024. Observers said that the true aggregate cost of renewable energy is often understated because existing utilities must build the new lines to carry power from remote wind and solar sites to cities and towns. Brandon Bell/Getty Images However, the prospects for solar energy are likely brighter than for wind. “It is important to distinguish between massive wind and solar farms that stretch for miles and the solar panels that homeowners install on their rooftops,” Romain said. “The economics of home batteries and rooftop solar work for a lot of Americans, which is why they privately installed 4.7 gigawatts of rooftop solar in 2024 alone—roughly the output of five nuclear plants.” Bryce concurs. “Solar will continue to grow for several reasons: It is politically popular, in many cases the economics work without subsidies, and solar land-use requirements are about one-tenth those of wind,” he said. “The only thing dumber than onshore wind energy is offshore wind energy.” Tyler Durden Wed, 02/04/2026 - 17:00