End Times Headline News. April 18 2025

Deadly shooting at US university. Trump: Powell "Playing Politics" Over Rate-Cuts. China replacing US oil. Iran proposes three-stage deal. Hamas rejects Israeli proposal. The First LIVING AI Is Here

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Deadly shooting erupts at US university

Two people have been killed and several others injured after a gunman opened fire on the Florida State University campus

A shooting at Florida State University (FSU) has left two people dead and several injured, including the suspected gunman, who is now in custody, police said. According to FSU Police Chief Jason Trumbower, the two people who died were not students at the university, but the shooter is believed to be a student, the AP reports. Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil identified the suspect as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a local sheriff’s deputy. “Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons,” McNeil said.

Trump calls deadly FSU shooting "terrible," suggests he won't back new gun laws

President Trump said Thursday a shooting at Florida State University that killed two people was "terrible" and a "shame," but suggested he's unlikely to back any new gun control measures — saying he's a "big advocate of the Second Amendment."

Asked by reporters if he planned on looking at stricter gun laws in the wake of the shooting, Mr. Trump said, "These things are terrible. But the gun doesn't do the shooting, the people do." "As far as legislation is concerned, this has been going on for a long time," Mr. Trump added. "I have an obligation to protect the Second Amendment. I ran on the Second Amendment, among many other things, and I will always protect the Second Amendment."

Trump Administration Requests Emergency Relief to Counter Boasberg’s Contempt Threat

On Wednesday, the Trump administration sought an appellate court’s review of a recent decision by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who threatened to hold administration officials in contempt over the handling of deportation flights that occurred on March 15.

Earlier in the day, Judge Boasberg indicated there was probable cause to believe that administration officials had not adhered to a court directive requiring the return of deportation flights carrying illegal aliens to El Salvador. In his ruling, Boasberg warned of possible criminal contempt charges if the administration did not provide additional declarations by April 23.

Dem Senator Accused of Logan Act Violation After Attempt to Free Deportee in El Salvador

Senator Chris Van Hollen’s recent trip to El Salvador has sparked controversy in Washington, as the Maryland Democrat lobbied for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an MS-13-linked illegal alien and national of El Salvador.

Van Hollen’s efforts have resulted in accusations of violating the Logan Act, a U.S. law from 1799 aimed at preventing unauthorized foreign negotiations. Garcia previously resided in Maryland with his family. Prior to his deportation, courts ruled the authorities had provided “sufficient” evidence he was linked to MS-13. Democrats have attempted to claim Garcia is an innocent Maryland father of three, while neglecting his illegal alien status and dubious past, which includes domestic violence allegations.

Democrat Shri Thanedar Calls to Impeach Trump for Sending El Salvadoran Illegal Immigrant to Prison in El Salvador

A Democrat House member called on Wednesday to impeach President Donald Trump over his administration’s handling of a Supreme Court decision from earlier this month ordering the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man in the United States illegally but who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador.

“Despite this ruling, the Supreme Court has no enforcement power, meaning the Trump administration can choose to ignore that demand,” WGME reported. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg subsequently ruled this week that the court has probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt for “overstepping the ruling,” the report states. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) posted to X after the ruling saying he thinks the administration’s actions warrant Trump’s impeachment.

ICE just ordered $30 million worth of new technology from Palantir to track immigrants

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has signed a $30 million deal with Palantir for software add-ons to track self-deportations and immigrants who have overstayed their visas, government records show.

A contract reviewed by Business Insider said the Immigration Lifecycle Operating System — or ImmigrationOS — will minimize "time and resource expenditure" for selecting and apprehending immigrants based on ICE enforcement priorities. Along with "violent criminals" and "affiliates of known transnational criminal organizations," the contract also cited visa overstays as a deportation priority.

"If I Want Him Out, He'll Be Out Real Fast!" - Trump Says Powell "Playing Politics" Over Rate-Cuts

Update (1600ET): The White House vs Eccles Building battle has been stewing all day with President Trump expressing confidence from The Oval Office that he had the authority to oust Powell.

“If I want him out, he’ll be out of there real fast, believe me.” The president added that he is “not happy” with Powell and accused him of “playing politics” with interest rates. "We have a Federal Reserve chairman that is playing politics. Somebody that I've never been very fond of. ... Interest rates should be down now."

Declassified Biden-Era Domestic Terror Strategy Reveals Broad Surveillance, Tech Partnerships, and Global Speech Regulation Agenda

The real battlefield isn’t the street; it’s your screen, your feed, and your inbox.

A once-classified federal strategy paper has surfaced, pulling back the curtain on how the Biden administration planned to address domestic terrorism. Released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after legal pressure from America First Legal (AFL), the document shows a government effort that stretches far beyond traditional national security work. We obtained a copy of the documents for you here. The 15-page plan, dated June 2021, outlines a series of objectives aimed at curbing domestic extremism. What’s caught critics’ attention, however, is how broadly the strategy defines the threat. Violence is only part of the concern. The rest seems focused on speech, ideology, and the online flow of information.

China replacing US oil with Canadian – Bloomberg

Beijing has reportedly slashed purchases of American crude by 90% amid the tariff war

China has been importing record amounts of crude oil from Canada and drastically reducing supplies from the US in light of the trade war with Washington, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Washington and Beijing have implemented a series of reciprocal tariff hikes over the past two months in light of which the latter has slashed purchases of US oil by roughly 90%, according to the outlet. China previously indicated that it would not implement more tariff hikes against US goods but would rather employ alternative ways to retaliate.

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni Says She and Trump Will Together ‘Make the West Great Again’ (VIDEO)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that together she and President Trump can “make the west great again.”

Meloni met with Trump at the White House on Thursday, where the two held a bilateral lunch followed by private talks. Addressing reporters in the Oval Office afterward, Meloni expressed her ambition to help revive the strength and legacy of Western civilization. “I know that when I speak about [the] West mainly, I don’t speak about a geographical space,” she explained. “I speak about the civilization, and I want to make that civilization stronger.”

Russia Issues Dire Warning: Germany Will Be ‘Active Combatant’ If Taurus Missiles Hit Russian Targets

As global tensions climb and Europe’s leadership continues to drift away from the interests of its people, Russia is sounding the alarm over Germany’s latest flirtation with war.

The Kremlin issued a clear warning on Thursday: if Berlin green-lights the transfer of Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, it will mark Germany’s full-blown entry into the conflict, bringing with it severe consequences, Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported. Maria Zakharova, the outspoken spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, pulled no punches, per usual. Speaking at a press conference Thursday, she stated bluntly that if Taurus missiles—capable of hitting targets 300 miles away—are used on Russian infrastructure, like the Crimean bridge, it will be considered a direct act of war by Germany against Russia.

Rubio, Trump Envoy Witkoff Fly to Paris for Ukraine Talks With European Leaders

PARIS (AP) – Paris is hosting a series of talks Thursday about Ukraine and its security, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, French President Emmanuel Macron and top Ukrainian and European officials.

Rubio and Witkoff were having lunch discussions with Macron and “talks with European counterparts to advance President Trump´s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop the bloodshed,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. The meetings come as concerns grow about U.S. President Donald Trump´s readiness to draw closer to Russia, and after weeks of U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine. There is also frustration over the Trump administration’s other moves, from tariffs on some of its closest partners to rhetoric about NATO and Greenland.

Lavrov and Rubio hold phone call

The US’ and Russia’s top diplomats have discussed efforts to settle the Ukrainian conflict, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has said

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on Thursday. The two top diplomats focused on the Ukrainian conflict and ongoing multilateral contacts on a potential settlement, the Russian Foreign Ministry has stated. Rubio briefed Lavrov on the meetings between the American delegation and representatives of Ukraine, France, and several other European nations held earlier in the day in Paris, the ministry said.

Trump envoy repeating Russian ‘nonsense’ – Zelensky

The Ukrainian leader has claimed that Steve Witkoff’s rhetoric is dangerous

US President Donald Trump’s key negotiator, Steve Witkoff, has been spreading “nonsense” about Ukraine’s territories, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said. Although Witkoff is Trump’s Middle East envoy, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin three times this year in an effort to help broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Moscow. The diplomat mentioned that he had discussed Russian territorial demands, which angered Zelensky.

Ukraine, US sign memorandum on minerals deal, top Ukrainian official says

Ukraine and the United States on Thursday signed a memorandum as an initial step towards the clinching of an agreement on developing minerals in Ukraine, Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine's first deputy prime minister and economy minister, said.

"We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine," Svyrydenko wrote on the social media platform X.

Russia’s top court lifts terror group designation on Afghanistan’s Taliban

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday lifted a ban on Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, a group that was designated as a terrorist organization more than two decades ago.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of withdrawing from the country after two decades of war. The Russian court’s move was a diplomatic victory for the Taliban, who were put on Moscow’s list of terrorist organizations in 2003, making any contact with them punishable under Russian law. At the same time, Taliban delegations have attended various forums hosted by Russia as Moscow has sought to position itself as a regional power broker.

‘The West as We Knew it No Longer Exists’ Says EU Boss in Dig at Trump’s Bid to Remake the World

The “end of history” is over and Europe is experiencing a “transatlantic crisis”, says Ursula von der Leyen, former Angela Merkel acolyte turned European Commission supremo.

“Another, new European Union” is needed to shape the “new world order” emerging out of power struggles between the United States, China, and Russia the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told a German newspaper. Speaking to Die Zeit, the top Eurocrat expressed her interpretation of events that “The West as we knew it no longer exists”, stating that beyond the old understanding of what countries were Western and which not, the European Union is now in talks on working “together with us on the new order” with countries like New Zealand, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and South America.

Trump’s Tariffs Could Blow a $1.25 Trillion Hole in EU Economy, German Study Warns

The European Union could be staring down the barrel of a massive economic hit—up to $1.25 trillion—if President Trump follows through on proposed tariffs, according to a new report by Germany’s top economic think tank.

The study, released by the German Economic Institute (IW), sounds the alarm over what could happen if the EU refuses to level the playing field. Trump’s America First trade strategy, which includes a 20% blanket tariff on EU goods and a 25% tariff specifically aimed at car imports, is designed to claw back advantages handed to Brussels in past one-sided deals.

Nearly Half of Criminal Suspects in This European Country Are Foreigners

Despite representing around 20 percent of the overall population, foreigners accounted for nearly 50 percent of the criminal suspects in Austria last year. Of the over 335,000 criminal suspects investigated by police in the European Union (EU) member state in 2024, 46.8 percent were foreign nationals.

The top sources of foreign criminals are Romania, Germany, and Syria, with Syrians seeing a 30 percent increase in crimes compared to the prior year. The data, presented by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, also reveals a surge in youth crime across the country. Crimes attributed to children aged 10 to 14 increased by nearly 100 percent, with around half being foreigners.

Muslims Threaten to Sue Spain in Strasbourg Over Holy Week Processions, Claim They “Offend Islam”

A group of British Muslims of Iranian origin, led by Anjem Choudary, is threatening to file a lawsuit before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

They allege that Spain's traditional Holy Week processions are an “offense to Islam” and to the Prophet Muhammad, demanding their immediate ban. The Muslim group intends to sue Spain in Strasbourg over these Catholic processions, with Choudary arguing that these religious events, rooted in Catholic tradition since 1978, are a “provocation” against Muslims.

The mayor of Toronto, wearing a hijab, met with the city’s Muslim community leaders to discuss what they consider the biggest national problem in Canada: Islamophobia

Mark Carney runs from Rebel News' questions in Montreal!

Rebel News journalists Drea Humphrey and David Menzies attempt to question Liberal leader Mark Carney ahead of Thursday's leaders' debate in Montreal.

Trump: I wouldn’t say I waved off Israeli plan to attack Iran, but I’m not in a rush

PM touts ‘countless’ actions against nuke program, but doesn’t deny US president blocked strike; security officials fume at leak of IDF’s plans; US still supplying bunker-buster bombs

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was in no rush to greenlight strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the day after a New York Times story revealed he had quashed an Israeli proposal for a joint attack next month. Trump’s partial confirmation of the Times report came as Iranian and allied officials prepared for a second round of talks with the US on Saturday aimed at reaching a diplomatic agreement surrounding the Iranian nuclear program. Oman confirmed on Thursday that the talks would take place in Rome, putting to bed earlier Iranian claims that the talks would again be held in Muscat.

Iran proposes three-stage deal to cap enrichment if US lifts sanctions

Iran proposed a three-stage plan to the US delegation during talks in Oman on Saturday envisioning a cap on their uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions, three diplomatic sources in Tehran told Iran International.

The plan was presented by Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in writing to US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff during the three-hour talks. Tehran proposed that in the first stage, it would temporarily reduce its uranium enrichment level to 3.67% in exchange for access to financial assets frozen by the United States and permission to export its oil, the diplomatic sources told Iran International.

Iran's conservative media warn against overreliance on US talks

Tehran media outlets controlled by hardliners warned the government on Thursday not to place hope in the outcome of renewed talks with the United States, set to resume in Rome on Saturday.

The commentaries follow five days of speculation over the venue for the second round of talks, along with a considerable degree of public negotiations in which both sides voiced at times contradictory positions. Kayhan, a daily overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office, warned that portraying negotiations as the solution to Iran’s economic problems is both misleading and dangerous.

Leak on Iran attack to NYT 'one of most dangerous leaks in Israel's history,' source tells 'Post'

Several Israeli politicians criticized Netanyahu for potentially leaking the information to protect himself from backlash.

The leak and the subsequent report by The New York Times on Israeli plans to strike Iran’s nuclear program is “one of the most dangerous leaks in Israel’s history,” a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. The NYT reported that Israel had seriously considered launching an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities with direct US support. Several Israeli politicians went on to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the leak. They implied that he had leaked the story in order to protect himself from criticism for not acting harshly enough against Iran.

Saudi defense minister arrives in Tehran ahead of Iran-US talks

Saudi Arabia welcomed Iran's nuclear talks with the US, saying it supported efforts to resolve regional and international disputes.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived in Tehran on Thursday for meetings with officials in a visit ahead of weekend talks between Iran and the United States over the Iranian nuclear program. The defense minister delivered a message from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, Iran's state media reported without giving further details about the content of the message.

Hamas rejects Israeli hostage deal proposal, dismisses Netanyahu’s ‘partial deals’

Terror group’s chief negotiator says Hamas open to releasing all hostages as part of deal that ends war; White House: Hamas ‘not interested in peace but perpetual violence’

Hamas on Thursday publicly rejected an Israeli proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, reiterating it opposes any truce deal that does not lead to an to the war sparked the terror group’s October 2023 attack and the withdrawal of Israel’s forces from the enclave. A Hamas source told AFP that the terrorist organization sent a written response Thursday to mediators on Israel’s latest proposal for a 45-day ceasefire. Israel had wanted the release of 10 living hostages held by the terror group, according to Hamas. It also called for the freeing of 1,231 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

US withdrawing hundreds of troops from Syria, NYT reports

The United States has started drawing down hundreds of troops from northeastern Syria, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

The military is shuttering three of its eight small operating bases, reducing troop levels to about 1,400 from 2,000, the Times reported, citing two senior US officials.

US says China-linked satellite firm is aiding Houthi attacks on US naval forces

US officials say a Chinese satellite company tied to Beijing’s military is providing targeting intelligence to Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, despite repeated diplomatic warnings to China.

A satellite technology company in China with links to the country's military establishment is reportedly assisting Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen by supplying them with satellite imagery used to target American and foreign vessels in the Red Sea, according to senior US officials quoted by the Financial Times. The firm in question, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co Ltd (CGSTL), has been at the center of repeated US diplomatic complaints to Beijing. American officials assert that despite repeated efforts to raise the alarm, China has not taken steps to address the matter.

W.H.O. Announces Global Pandemic Treaty Draft Is Complete

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) announced on Wednesday that its negotiators had completed a final draft of a proposed international legal document to govern pandemic response, to be voted on at the World Health Assembly in May.

Negotiations on drafting the pandemic agreement took years of often heated debate as W.H.O. negotiators pressured countries to agree to provisions to share medical technology with poor countries at discounted prices and accept international authority on public health policies. The drafters have not yet apparently agreed on what kind of international legal document the agreement will be — a covenant, treaty, or other format — at press time.

EU Ready To Let WHO Dictate Pandemic Policies

World Health Organization (WHO) officials celebrated agreeing on a draft pandemic treaty on Wednesday morning. But it is unclear whether serious concerns about handing the almost 200-member state body unprecedented powers to dictate public health policies around the world have yet been properly seen to.

WHO members agreed on the draft after more than three years of negotiations. Reports say these have most recently dealt with rules on drug and vaccine sharing between wealthy and poor nations, as well as on the establishment of national policies setting conditions in research and development agreements. It will now be subject to adoption by the World Health Assembly in May and ratification by member states.

Drugged Into Oblivion: More Than 60 Percent Of U.S. Adults Admit That They Are Taking Pharmaceutical Drugs

Americans watch more television than anyone else in the world, and as we watch television we are constantly being bombarded by commercials from pharmaceutical companies.

As I discussed in a previous article, pharmaceutical companies spend more than 15 billion dollars on television advertising each year. The reason they do this is because it works. We are the most drugged nation in the history of the world, and the pharmaceutical companies are absolutely swimming in cash. According to polling that was conducted by KFF, a whopping 61 percent of all U.S. adults admit that they are currently taking at least one pharmaceutical drug.

Stocks Rebound Fizzles as Trump Goes on Offensive: Markets Wrap

(Bloomberg) -- A rebound in US stocks evaporated this week after Chair Jerome Powell pushed back on the idea of the Federal Reserve stepping in to bolster markets, rankling President Donald Trump who touted a smattering of deals Thursday.

The S&P 500 slumped 1.5% over the four-day span, briefly trimming losses after Trump said there would be a trade deal with the European Union, without giving details or a timeline on when an agreement would be reached. He was more decisive on a critical US-Ukraine minerals accord, saying that a deal would be signed next week. The gains eventually melted away and choppy trading ahead of Friday’s holiday left the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 with a 2.3% weekly loss.

(THE US IS INSOLVENT). CURRENCIES ARE CRACKING AND THE DOLLAR IS LEADING THE WAY DOWN. Mannarino

JAPAN’S STOCK ACCOUNTS HACKED—BROKERAGES GET PHISHED, INVESTORS GET FRIED

Judge finds Google holds illegal online ad tech monopolies

Alphabet’s Google illegally dominates two markets for online advertising technology, a judge ruled on Thursday, dealing another blow to the tech giant and paving the way for U.S. antitrust prosecutors to seek a breakup of its ad products.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, found Google liable for “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in markets for publisher ad servers and the market for ad exchanges which sit between buyers and sellers. The decision clears the way for another hearing to determine what Google must do to restore competition in those markets, such as sell off parts of its business at another trial that has yet to be scheduled. It is the second court ruling that Google holds an illegal monopoly, following a similar judgement in a case over online search.

Exploiting Texas Donors: Islamic Leaders Framed a Schoolyard Fight as a ‘Hate Crime’ to Deflect From EPIC City and Raise $175K

Islamic leaders, including CAIR, Yasir Qadhi, and the newly minted Patoli Law Firm, have exploited a schoolyard altercation to launch a misleading hate crime narrative—one that stirred public outrage, raised over $175,000 in donations, and shifted attention away from EPIC City, a Sharia-based development now under state investigation.

Islamic activists and a freshly-licensed attorney have concocted a scheme to deceive their supporters into donating money, exploit a schoolyard fight for their twisted purposes, and divert attention from a state investigation into the Texas-based Sharia-governed compound EPIC City.

Philly Mosque Caught on video teaching children to sing songs about chopping, the heads off of infidels

Palisades, Malibu Residents Sue L.A. over Fire, Empty Reservoir

A group of a dozen residents of Pacific Palisades and Malibu are suing Los Angeles, and specifically the L.A. Department of Water and Power (LADWP), for negligence in the recent wildfires that destroyed their homes.

As Breitbart News and others have reported, the Santa Ynez Reservoir atop the Palisades, which is managed by LADWP and which holds up to 117 million gallons, was nearly empty at the start of the wildfire season. That, the residents say, caused their homes to be lost from a fire that could have been mitigated if hydrants had not lost water pressure and if city authorities had prepared properly in advance of a known fire risk.

1.4 million people plunged into darkness as solar storm causes terrifying blackouts across swath of US

More than 1.4 million people in Puerto Rico were plunged into darkness Wednesday after power went out across the entire island.

Local power authorities reported a system failure around 12:40pm —the same time a powerful geomagnetic storm was striking Earth. A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disruption of Earth's magnetic field caused by a large burst of solar plasma, typically from a coronal mass ejection on the sun. Dr Tamitha Skov, an independent space weather physicist, told DailyMail.com that the blackout occurred nearly simultaneously with the intensification of the geomagnetic storm to G4 levels.

Area 51-linked Navy sailor who saw latest tic-tac UFOs rise from Pacific reveals chilling details about them

A Navy sailor, whose family has ties to Area 51, has revealed eerie details about when he encountered four mysterious UFOs rising from the Pacific Ocean.

Senior Chief Operations Specialist Alexandro Wiggins, a Navy veteran of 23 years, was onboard the USS Jackson during the incident on February 15, 2023. Wiggins had watched the mysterious four objects emerging from the ocean and taking off in a 'synchronized' flight off the coast of southern California. Speaking with 8newsnow, the radar specialist contended that he still remains dubious and wonders if the truth about it will ever be revealed about what he saw. He said: 'To my surprise, which is something I've never witnessed, was a light I noticed on the horizon, it looked as if it were surfacing out of the water and going up.'

The First LIVING AI Is Here… And It’s More Demonic Than You Think

They've officially crossed the line. The CL1 is the world's first biological computer powered by living human brain cells, kept alive in a box on life support... and it learns faster than anything we've ever seen. This isn't sci-fi. This is Revelation-level prophecy unfolding before our eyes. Could this be the Image of the Beast? Are demons ready to inhabit machines?