Studying The System,
Who in the west could have more political backing than financial oligarchs? Alex Krainer, West under oligarchs - part 2
Russia's experience in the 1990s was perhaps the most stark illustration of how nations fare with an unrestrained oligarchy, and how the pathology can be redressed simply and elegantly...There is, however, one approach worth considering: the one taken by Vladimir Putin since he took the helm in Russia. Without instituting populist redistribution of wealth or draconian purges, Putin simply took a firm stance with respect to Russia’s oligarchs, allowing them to run their business empires, but barring them from exercising political power.
On 28 July 2000, Putin summoned 18 of Russia’s most powerful tycoons, including the seven bankers, to a meeting at the Kremlin at which he laid out the rules of the game under his government. The privatizations of 1990s would not be overturned and there would be no redistribution of wealth. Therefore, the oligarchs were free to continue running their enterprises and profiting from them. They were however expected to pay their taxes, treat their employees correctly and keep out of politics.
This might have seemed reasonable, but it was a shock for the oligarch who came to regard Russia as their own private fiefdom. A few of them felt they could challenge Putin’s new order. A legal battle erupted between the government and Berezovsky, Gusinsky and Potanin. The oligarchs lost and it became clear the new President meant business and had stronger political backing than the oligarchs. https://alexkrainer.substack.
On 28 July 2000, Putin summoned 18 of Russia’s most powerful tycoons, including the seven bankers, to a meeting at the Kremlin at which he laid out the rules of the game under his government. The privatizations of 1990s would not be overturned and there would be no redistribution of wealth. Therefore, the oligarchs were free to continue running their enterprises and profiting from them. They were however expected to pay their taxes, treat their employees correctly and keep out of politics.
This might have seemed reasonable, but it was a shock for the oligarch who came to regard Russia as their own private fiefdom. A few of them felt they could challenge Putin’s new order. A legal battle erupted between the government and Berezovsky, Gusinsky and Potanin. The oligarchs lost and it became clear the new President meant business and had stronger political backing than the oligarchs. https://alexkrainer.substack.
Escape Key presents Jeffrey Epstein as a global connection hub for power elites, and "representative of the Rothschilds": Epstein The Switchboard Operator
The people who see the full assembly operate through informal channels that produce no working papers, publish no documentation, and answer to no parliament. And at its centre, for over a decade, sat a Rockefeller-credentialed clearinghouse who served everyone by belonging to no one — until the architecture was built and the clearinghouse became a liability. https://escapekey.substack.com/p/epstein
Jeffrey Sachs, Epstein files seem to shed light on how Zionist lobby has such a hold on U.S. politics
The Epstein clan are a conglomerate of the richest and the most political and corporate powerful people in the world https://trendsinthenews.substack.com/p/sachs-epstein-files-seem-to-shed Martin Armstrong knows from experience. Collapse in the Rule of Law is a Precursor to the fall of Gov’t
The point of no return unfolds with the collapse of the rule of law. Earlier symptoms might include economic crisis, corruption, and political deadlock. But the collapse of the rule of law is the phase transition change. It signals that the ruler cannot protect their property or enforce contracts. People begin to defect. (This was crucial in the fall of the Shah of Iran and the Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos). It means the state is now a source of danger, not security. Passive obedience turns to active resistance or flight. When orders are clearly illegal or the chain of command fractures, soldiers and police may refuse to fire on civilians or even switch sides. https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/rule-of-law/collapse-in-the-rule-of-law-is-a-precursor-to-the-fall-of-govt/Just days after Friday’s historic silver crash, the same playbook ran in Shanghai this morning. Except this time we got names. We got numbers. And we got an exchange that will actually do something about it.
1.3 billion ounces of silver traded at the Shanghai Futures Exchange in two hours. Read that again! That is nearly double the entire world’s annual silver production. Traded in a single morning session. On one contract month alone - April 2026 - they moved 674 million ounces.
This was not some retail players. This DEFINITELY was not some organic market event. This was a coordinated assault on the silver market, and it left fingerprints everywhere. https://no01.substack.com/p/
1.3 billion ounces of silver traded at the Shanghai Futures Exchange in two hours. Read that again! That is nearly double the entire world’s annual silver production. Traded in a single morning session. On one contract month alone - April 2026 - they moved 674 million ounces.
This was not some retail players. This DEFINITELY was not some organic market event. This was a coordinated assault on the silver market, and it left fingerprints everywhere. https://no01.substack.com/p/
An email from the Epstein files cites a report allegedly prepared for Vladimir Putin by Russia’s Federal Security Service claims former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn uncovered evidence that U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox were “missing or unaccounted for.”
According to the report, Strauss-Kahn grew concerned after the U.S. allegedly stalled delivery of 191.3 tons of gold owed to the IMF under a 1978 agreement to fund SDRs.
It further alleges that after raising concerns with officials tied to Barack Obama, Strauss-Kahn was shown evidence by “rogue elements” within the Central Intelligence Agency that the gold was gone.
Strauss-Kahn was later charged and jailed in the US for sex crimes on May 14th after his discovery about Ft. Knox. https://xcancel.com/
"I think Europe is so desperate for war. My concern with the Trump Administration is I would not step a foot in there.
Europe needs war. You already had the finance ministers of France and Germany say that they may need IMF bailouts. This is why they want war.
It’s a distraction. Without war, people are going to figure out what the hell is going on.
'My pension fund is gone. Everything is defaulting. What’s going to happen?' They are basically going to be storming the parliament with pitch forks.” ...
Europe needs war. You already had the finance ministers of France and Germany say that they may need IMF bailouts. This is why they want war.
It’s a distraction. Without war, people are going to figure out what the hell is going on.
'My pension fund is gone. Everything is defaulting. What’s going to happen?' They are basically going to be storming the parliament with pitch forks.” ...
..If there is war in Europe, it will be maybe in the summer. It does not look good.” https://www.
NAPOLITANO: Does the U.S. still have a Constitution?
The government cannot be trusted to evaluate or restrain itself when it comes to compliance with the Constitution.
A new Praetorian Guard? ICE and Border Patrol in Minnesota − accused of violating 1st, 2nd, 4th and 10th amendment rights − are testing whether the Constitution can survive
Forcibly entering homes without a judicial warrant. Arresting journalists who reported on protests. Defying dozens of federal orders. Killing U.S. citizens for noncompliance. Asking constitutionally protected observers this chilling question: “Have you not learned?” https://
The government cannot be trusted to evaluate or restrain itself when it comes to compliance with the Constitution.
Thanks in large measure to the public fear and mania in the war on drugs in the 1980s and 1990s, the war on terror in the 2000s and 2010s, and now the war on immigrants, functionally, Congress found it easy to cut constitutional corners and to look the other way as one crisis after another has led to the expansion of executive powers and the erosion of personal freedoms.
The principal victim in all these wars has been the quintessentially American right to be left alone, which is expressly protected in the Fourth Amendment, which reads: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or Affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched or the persons or things to be seized.” ...
The principal victim in all these wars has been the quintessentially American right to be left alone, which is expressly protected in the Fourth Amendment, which reads: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or Affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched or the persons or things to be seized.” ...
..Now, we have seen on the streets and in the homes of the hapless residents of Minneapolis the reason we have a Fourth Amendment. The government cannot be trusted to evaluate or restrain itself when it comes to compliance with the Constitution. Hence the solemn requirement of the interference by the judiciary between the government and its targets. Hence the absolute requirement of probable cause of crime. Hence the mandatory requirement of specificity.
Now, the Trump administration — beating the bushes against all immigrants, even longtime law-abiding residents with American children and grandchildren — has used administrative warrants, which have never been authorized by the Supreme Court, to break down the doors of the homes of immigrants and American citizens and drag them in their underwear in subzero weather to awaiting government vehicles.
Now, the same feds who trample freedoms kill innocent Americans in the streets. https://trendsinthenews.substack.com/p/napolitano-does-the-us-still-have
Tom Homan Announces 700-Agent Drawdown As Minnesota Counties Begin Cooperating With ICE https://www.zerohedge.com/
Palestinians arrested by ICE are being flown, bound and shackled, on private jet belonging to Israeli-American tycoon close to Trump, investigation reveals. https://www.972mag.com/us-secretly-deporting-palestinians-ice-dezer/
The Trump administration has claimed the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua had taken over the building. But new documents make no mention of the gang and reveal federal agents had information about “illegal aliens unlawfully occupying apartments.”
“It was a brutal lie against the American public,” said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center and co-counsel in a lawsuit against the government that led to the consent decree. “This was really about immigrants purportedly occupying apartments unlawfully, which is radically different than the story they told.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes no mention in the records of Tren de Aragua, even though officials repeatedly cited the gang’s presence in the building as the motivation for the raid. Agents paraded immigrants in front of cameras and called their arrests a victory against terrorism. The government also claimed two of those arrested were gang members but never provided any proof. https://www.propublica.org/
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes no mention in the records of Tren de Aragua, even though officials repeatedly cited the gang’s presence in the building as the motivation for the raid. Agents paraded immigrants in front of cameras and called their arrests a victory against terrorism. The government also claimed two of those arrested were gang members but never provided any proof. https://www.propublica.org/
In October, a retiree emailed a DHS attorney to urge mercy for an asylum seeker. Then DHS subpoenaed his Google account and sent investigators to his home. https://archive.is/FhDwF#
Santa Anna, California: Bringing The Genocide Home: SAPD Asks Council For Drone Used In Gaza
SAPD wants AI drones that were trained during genocide on Palestinians in Gaza. ICE uses the same drone system. https://inadvertent.substack.On January 23rd, Minneapolis went out on a general strike with support from major labor federations across the state. Over 100,000 marched in -30 temperatures as major school districts and at least 700 businesses closed across Minnesota. More than 300 solidarity actions were held nationwide, according to Payday Report’s strike tracker. At least 23% of Minnesotans participated in the strike in some way, according to a survey of 1,900 registered Minnesotan voters...
..Greg Nammacher, President of SEIU Local 26 in Minneapolis, whose union issued a call for a General Strike, said he expects the pressure from the social movements to push unions to take more drastic action. https://paydayreport.com/ Gail Tverberg, Understanding Deglobalization: The Role of Diesel and Jet Fuel - Deglobalization looks like countries at odds with each other
..While international trade grew as a percentage of GDP between the 1960s and 2008, it has been basically flat since then. Now the shortages of diesel and jet fuel are forcing the international trade percentage to start falling to a lower level.
In this post, I will try to explain the situation further. One conclusion: Conflict results from the need to reorganize the world economy in a way that uses less long-distance international trade. https://gailtverberg.
Oil Tanker Rates Soar Amid Shipping Shortages and Middle East Tensions https://oilprice.com/Latest-
The emergewncy is Cuba's government hasn't collapsed after 68 years. White House Declares National Emergency Over Cuba, Unveils Punitive Oil Tariffs https://www.globalresearch.
Russia will continue oil shipments to Cuba despite US pressure https://english.
US Refiners Struggle to Absorb Venezuelan Oil Surge After Trump-Maduro Deal
The trading houses, which joined energy major Chevron in holding approval to export Venezuelan oil, struck several early deals to sell some cargoes to refiners in the U.S. and Europe. However, with Chevron also raising exports quickly, the trading companies are now finding it harder to secure enough buyers among Gulf Coast refiners, traders said... Reaching the U.S. refiners’ maximum capacity again will require time, one of the traders said, in part because some facilities would require adjustments to process heavier oil...
..China was previously the top destination for Venezuelan oil, but none has been sent there since Maduro’s capture in early January, according to the data. The U.S. said after seizing Maduro that it would control Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely...
..A potential relief valve for the Venezuelan oil could come from India.
On Monday, Trump announced a trade deal with India that slashes U.S. tariffs on Indian goods in exchange for India lowering trade barriers, stopping its purchases of Russian oil and buying oil instead from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela. https://gcaptain.com/
..China was previously the top destination for Venezuelan oil, but none has been sent there since Maduro’s capture in early January, according to the data. The U.S. said after seizing Maduro that it would control Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely...
..A potential relief valve for the Venezuelan oil could come from India.
On Monday, Trump announced a trade deal with India that slashes U.S. tariffs on Indian goods in exchange for India lowering trade barriers, stopping its purchases of Russian oil and buying oil instead from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela. https://gcaptain.com/
Rubio told lawmakers that allowing Venezuela to access revenue from its own oil was necessary to pay public sector salaries, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers, and to keep core government services operating. He said failing to do so risked systemic collapse, which could have led to economic disintegration, mass migration, and regional instability. https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Why-US-Returns-500-Million-From-Venezuelan-Oil-Sales/
Putin envoy dismisses Polish PM’s claim Epstein scandal was Russian operation https://www.polskieradio.pl/
Andrew Korybko sees Russia sticking with it's policy of keeping NATO away from Russian borders. What Are The Odds Of Russia Agreeing To A Three-Tiered Ceasefire Enforcement Plan In Ukraine? https://korybko.substack.com/
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday that the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure campaign” against Iran was responsible for collapsing the country’s economy and sparking the protests and unrest that began at the end of December.
"At the Treasury, what we have done is created a dollar shortage in the country … It came to a swift and, I would say, grand culmination in December, when one of the largest banks in Iran went under. There was a run on the bank,” Bessent said.
“The central bank had to print money, the Iranian currency went into free fall, inflation exploded, and hence we have seen the Iranian people out on the street,” he added. https://news.antiwar.com/2026/02/05/us-treasury-secretary-says-us-sanctions-crushed-irans-economy-and-sparked-protests/
US Heavy Airlift to Middle East - The most recent update of heavy transport deliveries to the Middle East is now up to 108 — a substantial acceleration over the past several days. I figure there is now enough air defense and strike ordnance in the region to sustain a high-intensity war with Iran for about two weeks. https://x.com/imetatronink/
Saudi Arabia Says It Will Not Retaliate if Iran Targets Only U.S. Bases, Not Saudi Cities https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Saudi-Arabia-Says-It-Will-Not-Retaliate-if-Iran-Targets-Only-US-Bases-Not-Saudi-Cities/#google_vignette
"At the Treasury, what we have done is created a dollar shortage in the country … It came to a swift and, I would say, grand culmination in December, when one of the largest banks in Iran went under. There was a run on the bank,” Bessent said.
“The central bank had to print money, the Iranian currency went into free fall, inflation exploded, and hence we have seen the Iranian people out on the street,” he added. https://news.antiwar.com/2026/02/05/us-treasury-secretary-says-us-sanctions-crushed-irans-economy-and-sparked-protests/
Larry Johnson, Iran Adamantly Rejects US Attempt to Control Upcoming Negotiations Over Iran’s Nuclear Program
What a day!! Lots of negotiation and non-negotiation action on the Iranian front. In the span of two hours, starting at 1 pm and ending around 3 pm eastern time, the world was whipped sawed with news that the bilateral negotiations between Iran and the US was cancelled — that was the 1 pm news — and then, at 3 pm, the talks were back on. The initial reports that the meeting in Oman would not take place cited Iran’s reaction to a US demand that Iranian ballistic missiles and Iran’s support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah must be on the agenda or there would be no negotiations. Without a moments hesitation, Iran barked back and said, “Ok, no meeting.” .....Within two hours, the US retreated and accepte Iran’s position that the Friday meeting in Oman would only address nuclear bombs and uranium enrichment. Iran won this first round.
While all of this was taking place, Pentagon officials announced that the US carrier strike force had shot down an Iranian drone that was flying towards the USS Abraham Lincoln again… No word about the make and model. Three days ago, Iran successfully overflew the USS Abraham Lincoln and showed the video footage on Iran’s Press TV. I think Pete Hegseth and his team of sycophants were embarrassed by that episode and decided to retaliate with force.
And if that was not enough, Iran dispatched a bevy of small boats to harass what the press described as a US tanker navigating the Strait of Hormuz. I think Iran was simply trying to remind the US that it is serious about taking action against the US military and economic presence in the Persian Gulf if the US acts on its threat to attack Iran. https://larrycjohnson.
While all of this was taking place, Pentagon officials announced that the US carrier strike force had shot down an Iranian drone that was flying towards the USS Abraham Lincoln again… No word about the make and model. Three days ago, Iran successfully overflew the USS Abraham Lincoln and showed the video footage on Iran’s Press TV. I think Pete Hegseth and his team of sycophants were embarrassed by that episode and decided to retaliate with force.
And if that was not enough, Iran dispatched a bevy of small boats to harass what the press described as a US tanker navigating the Strait of Hormuz. I think Iran was simply trying to remind the US that it is serious about taking action against the US military and economic presence in the Persian Gulf if the US acts on its threat to attack Iran. https://larrycjohnson.
Using up stocks for Israel: U.S. Army’s Multi-Billion Dollar Surge in THAAD Anti-Missile Procurements to Seriously Strain Funding https://
JERUSALEM : Israel has formally requested “operational freedom” from the United States to conduct independent military strikes against Iranian targets, according to senior Israeli defense officials. The request is aimed at securing a U.S. green light, including assurances of non-interference and potential defensive support, should Israel proceed with unilateral action against Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear-related infrastructure. https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Israel-Seeks-US-Approval-for-Independent-Strikes-on-Iranian-Missile-and-Nuclear-Sites/#google_vignette
The Sistani Hedge: Trump’s Irrational Pact in Baghdad
Israel cancels coordination for patient evacuations from Gaza, says Palestinian Red Crescent
Israeli officials canceled coordination for evacuating 3rd batch of patients, injured from Gaza through Rafah crossing, postponing their departure, says spokesman https://www.aa.com.tr/en/
While Trump and its diplomatic cables obsess over the personality of the Prime Minister, those who understand the actual mechanics of resistance monitor the Marja’iya. Washington looks for leverage in the Green Zone; the real sovereign weight resides in Najaf.
The “Airspace Red Line” in Iraq has shifted from diplomatic rhetoric to a functional sovereignty tripwire. If Washington utilizes Iraqi skies to strike Iran, it acts in direct contravention of the SFA’s non-aggression clauses. This effectively strips the Iraqi state of its legal defense for hosting US troops. By turning Iraq into a launchpad, Washington forces Baghdad to choose between being a complicit vassal or a sovereign enemy. This is no longer foreign policy - it is a question of regime survival.....The Najaf Firewall: Grand Ayatollah Sistani remains the singular entity capable of holding the Iraqi street back from a total rupture. He acts as the sole “circuit breaker” balancing the population against both Iranian integration and Western neocolonial overreach. However, an open breach of the SFA forces Sistani’s hand; he cannot implicitly sanction a foreign presence that actively violates the nation’s constitution...
..A violation of Iraqi airspace nullifies the SFA, and with it, the legal immunity of US forces. It will trigger a total security rupture where resistance factions are no longer “rogue actors” but defenders of a violated treaty. https://bkrkaraki.substack.Israeli officials canceled coordination for evacuating 3rd batch of patients, injured from Gaza through Rafah crossing, postponing their departure, says spokesman https://www.aa.com.tr/en/
Israel has used bulldozers to demolish parts of a cemetery in Gaza containing the graves of some of those who died in World War One and World War Two. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/idf-bulldoze-cemetery-containing-allied-soldiers-graves
How Human Rights Watch Killed a Report Calling Israel’s Denial of Palestinians’ Right of Return a Crime Against Humanity
The Israel-Palestine director at Human Rights Watch resigned over the decision to spike the report, which had been approved by HRW’s legal team. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/human-rights-watch-israel-palestine-director-resigned-killed-report-right-of-return
China’s YJ-18 missile reimagined to strike US naval logistics
Weapon shows China’s plan to hit US sea logistics with cheap, stealthy cruise missiles rather than trading blows with carriers https://asiatimes.com/2026/02/chinas-yj-18-missile-reimagined-to-strike-us-naval-logistics/
The Israel-Palestine director at Human Rights Watch resigned over the decision to spike the report, which had been approved by HRW’s legal team. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/human-rights-watch-israel-palestine-director-resigned-killed-report-right-of-return
1872 Attacks in One Month – Sharp Rise in Israeli Violence, Land Seizures, and Family Expulsions https://www.palestinechronicle.com/1872-attacks-in-one-month-sharp-rise-in-israeli-violence-land-seizures-and-family-expulsions/
Jewish settlers pillage Palestinian school in Jordan Valley https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/02/04/357229/
Israeli settlers eye homes of East Jerusalem Palestinians https://www.dw.com/en/israeli-settlers-eye-homes-of-east-jerusalem-palestinians/video-75802461
'Unlawful' Israeli E1 settlement plan would sever northern, southern West Bank, warns UN chief
'In occupied West Bank, relentless illegal settlement expansion, demolitions, displacement, evictions accelerating,' says Guterres https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/unlawful-israeli-e1-settlement-plan-would-sever-northern-southern-west-bank-warns-un-chief/3819154
'In occupied West Bank, relentless illegal settlement expansion, demolitions, displacement, evictions accelerating,' says Guterres https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/unlawful-israeli-e1-settlement-plan-would-sever-northern-southern-west-bank-warns-un-chief/3819154
UNRWA: Israel has blocked our humanitarian aid to Gaza since March 2025 https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/02/05/357300/
Red Cross ‘Outraged’ as On-Duty Paramedic Killed in Gaza https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5237263-red-cross-%E2%80%98outraged%E2%80%99-duty-paramedic-killed-gaza
A deadly meningitis outbreak is threatening Gaza’s children
Bacterial meningitis is spreading among children in Gaza, including those who are vaccinated. Officials say conditions in Gaza's displacement camps, widespread malnutrition, and Israeli bans on the entry of medicines are increasing the deadly risk. https://mondoweiss.net/2026/02/a-deadly-meningitis-outbreak-is-threatening-gazas-children/
Women, Children, and Medical Workers Among Over 20 Palestinians Killed in Surge of Israeli Attacks Across Gaza
As U.S. media coverage of Gaza has plummeted since the “ceasefire,” Israel has continued to kill civilians on a routine basis. https://www.
Bacterial meningitis is spreading among children in Gaza, including those who are vaccinated. Officials say conditions in Gaza's displacement camps, widespread malnutrition, and Israeli bans on the entry of medicines are increasing the deadly risk. https://mondoweiss.net/2026/02/a-deadly-meningitis-outbreak-is-threatening-gazas-children/
As U.S. media coverage of Gaza has plummeted since the “ceasefire,” Israel has continued to kill civilians on a routine basis. https://www.
Lebanon Preparing Lawsuit Over Israel Spraying Chemicals on Southern Farmland - President Aoun says toxic chemical sprays amount to ‘environmental and health’ crime https://news.antiwar.com/2026/02/04/lebanon-preparing-lawsuit-over-israel-spraying-chemicals-on-southern-farmland/
Corruption in China’s Military Peaks as Nuclear Missiles Found Filled With Water and Silos Show Defects https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Corruption-in-Chinas-Military-Peaks-as-Nuclear-Missiles-Found-Filled-With-Water-and-Silos-Show-Defects/
Samples Show Israel Mass Spraying Herbicide in Syria, Lebanon - Rights group warns spraying may amount to a war crime https://news.antiwar.com/2026/02/05/samples-show-israel-mass-spraying-herbicide-in-syria-lebanon/
Israeli Troops Raid Southern Syria, Establish Checkpoints - Mortar shells fired at agricultural land in Quneitra Governorate https://news.antiwar.com/2026/02/04/israeli-troops-raid-southern-syria-establish-checkpoints/
Newly released Epstein files reveal further ties to Israel
The release of more Jeffrey Epstein files reveals further connections between the late, convicted sex criminal and the state of Israel. https://mondoweiss.net/2026/
NATO sets Arctic mission plans in motion
Norway orders 2 more Type 212CD submarines from TKMS to increase its presence in the Arctic https://www.armyrecognition.
Is Trump Deluded About India No Longer Buying Russian Oil?
Ukraine Says Russian Military Pace Already Slowing After Starlink Cutoff https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-says-russian-military-pace-already-slowing-after-starlink-cutoff
China’s spy ship is now tailing the USS Abraham Lincoln near Iran! Beijing is using naval assets and satellites to keep a close eye on US military movements in the Middle East. https://x.com/War_Pulse24/status/2018593141029536165
The release of more Jeffrey Epstein files reveals further connections between the late, convicted sex criminal and the state of Israel. https://mondoweiss.net/2026/
The UK wants to eliminate Jury trials: Victory for Palestine Action as “Filton 6” acquitted https://electronicintifada.
The move comes after Donald Trump stepped back on his insistence that the US must control Greenland to ensure national security. Greenland has warned the US still wants to control the strategic Arctic island. https://www.dw.com/en/nato-
Trump made a similar claim last October, saying Modi had assured him that India would stop buying Russian oil, a statement the Indian government rejected.
This time, India has chosen to remain silent on Trump’s claim — so far.
The way Trump treats India and Modi – blunt, unpredictable, and at times bewildering – has left Modi uncharacteristically quiet. Recent events show New Delhi is relinquishing some of the strategic autonomy it always says it maintains.
The Modi government did scale back oil imports from Russia; is withdrawing from Chabahar, the Iranian port that India developed to access Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan; and is adopting a cautious stance as this year’s leader of BRICS. https://consortiumnews.com/
The way Trump treats India and Modi – blunt, unpredictable, and at times bewildering – has left Modi uncharacteristically quiet. Recent events show New Delhi is relinquishing some of the strategic autonomy it always says it maintains.
The Modi government did scale back oil imports from Russia; is withdrawing from Chabahar, the Iranian port that India developed to access Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan; and is adopting a cautious stance as this year’s leader of BRICS. https://consortiumnews.com/
Weapon shows China’s plan to hit US sea logistics with cheap, stealthy cruise missiles rather than trading blows with carriers https://asiatimes.com/2026/02/chinas-yj-18-missile-reimagined-to-strike-us-naval-logistics/
There is speculation that Trump, Putin and Xi will meet together in April for arms control talks. Readouts of Xi-Trump, Xi-Putin calls
The Chinese President spoke to the Russian President in the afternoon, and the U.S. President in the evening on Wednesday, Feb 4. https://www.pekingnology.com/p/readouts-of-xi-trump-xi-putin-callsChina calls court ruling against Hong Kong firm CK Hutchison on Panama Canal ports ‘absurd’ and ‘shameful’. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/4/china-warns-panama-as-hong-kong-firm-contests-ruling-on-canal-ports
Local politician says armed men rounded up residents, bound their hands behind their backs and shot them https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/04/gunmen-west-nigeria-attack-red-cross?
Following December airstrikes and ongoing terrorism, AFRICOM confirms that a ‘unique capabilities unit’ has landed in Nigeria to augment local forces against ISWAP and Boko Haram. https://www.theafricareport.com/407646/us-deploys-specialist-military-team-to-nigeria-as-jihadist-conflict-escalates/
From superficial reformer to, in death, a symbol of privatized violence and murky politics. https://alexthurston.substack.com/p/on-the-death-of-libyas-saif-al-islam
The report shows Germany’s inflation-adjusted output remains stuck at 2019 levels, while real wages are slightly below where they were before the pandemic. Unemployment has climbed above 3mn, the worst January reading since 2014, according to official data.
Berlin’s recovery efforts are also being undermined by falling business confidence and retreating private investment. Reiche acknowledged that private investment has shrunk 11% since 2019, highlighting the depth of the slowdown in Germany’s industrial base.
Tarik Cyril Amar, writing on his Substack, said the report was “written by whole ministries” and reflected a government that “has no idea how to turn things around”.
Much of the limited growth projected for 2026 is expected to be driven not by the private sector but by state expenditure. The report indicates that roughly two-thirds of next year’s expansion will come from public spending, largely linked to increased defence investment. https://www.intellinews.com/germany-continues-to-sink-424049/?source=baltic-states
Berlin’s recovery efforts are also being undermined by falling business confidence and retreating private investment. Reiche acknowledged that private investment has shrunk 11% since 2019, highlighting the depth of the slowdown in Germany’s industrial base.
Tarik Cyril Amar, writing on his Substack, said the report was “written by whole ministries” and reflected a government that “has no idea how to turn things around”.
Much of the limited growth projected for 2026 is expected to be driven not by the private sector but by state expenditure. The report indicates that roughly two-thirds of next year’s expansion will come from public spending, largely linked to increased defence investment. https://www.intellinews.com/germany-continues-to-sink-424049/?source=baltic-states
The proposed censorship laws are aimed at Elon Musk, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said https://web.archive.org/web/20260203182148/https://www.rt.com/news/631923-spain-sanchez-social-media-ban/
Rescue helicopter locates boy’s mother and two siblings clinging to a paddleboard roughly 14km offshore
“The waves are massive and I have no life jacket on. I just kept thinking 'just keep swimming, just keep swimming’,” Austin said on Tuesday. “And then I finally made it to shore and I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed.”
Ms Appelbee told reporters on Tuesday she sent her oldest child for help because she could not leave the three children.
“One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: 'Try and get to shore and get some help. This could get really serious really quickly’,” https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/australasia/australia-geographe-bay-rescue-austin-appelbee-b2912952.html?test_group=lighteradlayout
Ms Appelbee told reporters on Tuesday she sent her oldest child for help because she could not leave the three children.
“One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin: 'Try and get to shore and get some help. This could get really serious really quickly’,” https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/australasia/australia-geographe-bay-rescue-austin-appelbee-b2912952.html?test_group=lighteradlayout
Epstein fallout: Labour MPs say Starmer’s days as PM are numbered amid fury over Mandelson
MPs say release of papers on Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador could trigger leadership challenge https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/04/labour-mps-say-starmer-days-as-pm-are-numbered-amid-fury-over-mandelsonEscalating cost structure over time got it over the starting line. Why Skyrocketing Premiums Were Inevitable With Obamacare's Design https://www.zerohedge.com/political/why-skyrocketing-premiums-were-inevitable-obamacares-design
A house of cards built on denial, delay and Wall Street expectations just lost $80 billion in a single day. https://healthcareuncovered.substack.com/p/the-2008-housing-crash-was-a-warning
New data proves vaccine mRNA, plasmid DNA, and spike protein can remain in the human body—and keep shedding—for more than 3.5 years after a COVID-19 injection. https://www.vigilantfox.com/p/exclusive-mrna-stays-and-sheds-for
The American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons move to defer irreversible gender surgeries in minors days after $2 million malpractice verdict for teen detransitioner. https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/major-medical-organizations-retreat
This looks like the test case the Texas Laeislature has been waiting for. Texas Dad Sues California Abortion Pill Supplier For Death Of His Unborn Babies
..Coeytaux, an affiliate of abortion drug dealer Aid Access, was one of several mifepristone providers named in cease and desist orders from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in August 2025. Paxton not only demanded the parties “immediately cease” their illegal abortion drug trafficking scheme, but threatened “further legal action, lawsuits seeking injunctive relief, and civil penalties of no less than $100,000 per violation under Texas law.” https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/03/texas-dad-sues-california-abortion-pill-supplier-for-death-of-his-unborn-babies/
Ultra-processed foods 'engineered' like cigarettes: study
A new study has drawn parallels between the addictive qualities of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and tobacco products and called for similar levels of regulation. https://www.dw.com/en/ultra-processed-foods-engineered-like-cigarettes-study/a-75783689
..The long-term – and in some cases permanent – damage caused to aquifers pales in comparison to the disruption of the small water cycle. The small water cycle depends on vegetation recycling moisture through evapotranspiration, which generates over 50% of precipitation in most river basins. This "green water" accounts for 4-5x more agricultural water use than the "blue water" drawn from aquifers and rivers.
When soil is disturbed and left bare, this pump fails. Further disrupting this cycle, bare agricultural soil reaches surface temperatures up to 24°C higher than vegetated areas, creating heat islands that repel rainfall while eliminating evaporative cooling entirely.
US agricultural soils have lost 50% of original organic matter over that last century. Each 1% increase in organic matter allows soil to hold 20,000 additional gallons of water per acre. https://x.com/samdknowlton/status/2018753813973496231
Backyard Agronomist (pictured with tomatoes picked before the freeze)
