End Times Headline News. February 17 2025

Trump wants Ukraine ceasefire by Easter. Germany’s ‘Slow-Motion Suicide’. Hamas ready to hand Gaza to PA. Is the U.S. About to Revalue Gold? Another plane has crashed! All Goats

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Russian media announces date of Ukraine talks

US Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East are to participate in negotiations, Kommersant has said

Ukraine talks including US—Russia delegations are to take place in in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, next Tuesday Kommersant newspaper wrote Sunday. The Washington Post has previously reported senior US officials are scheduled to meet with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh next week. According to Kommersant, the American side is expected to include Secretary of State Mark Rubio, US National Security Advisor Mike Walz, and US President's Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

Trump wants Ukraine ceasefire by Easter – Bloomberg

The US president’s envoy on the conflict, Keith Kellogg, has spoken of getting a peace deal within weeks

The administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing for a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict by April 20, Bloomberg wrote on Sunday, citing anonymous sources. A US peace plan could be forthcoming within weeks or even days, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy on Russia and Ukraine, said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. ”The Trump administration has told European officials that it wants to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine by Easter,” Bloomberg said, citing sources briefed on the talks. According to the outlet, some European officials felt the pace of the negotiations was ambitious and possibly unrealistic. Talks are reportedly set to kick off with a meeting of Russian and US representatives in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.

US Special Envoy: Trust-Building Key to Ending Ukraine Conflict in Saudi Talks

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A US delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for talks with Russian officials and there is hope for good progress in the negotiations, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said.

"I am going [to Saudi Arabia] tonight, I'll be traveling there with the National Security Advisor [Michael Waltz] and we'll be having meetings at the direction of the President [Donald Trump], and hopefully we'll make some really good progress with regard to Russia, Ukraine," Witkoff told Fox News. Witkoff added that he did not agree with the concerns of some US allies that Ukraine would not be part of the negotiations, even though Kiev's representatives would not be in Saudi Arabia.

Zelensky says he has not been invited to the US-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia next week

Trump wants US troops to guard Ukraine’s minerals – NBC

Washington reportedly indicated it wants to control 50% of the country’s rare earths wealth as reimbursement for aid

The US could send troops to Ukraine to “guard” the country’s rare earth minerals that Washington wants as repayment for aid, NBC reported on Saturday, citing unnamed officials. The report follows US President Donald Trump's demand of the “equivalent of $500 billion worth of rare earths” from Ukraine in exchange for what he estimated to be “more than $300 billion” Washington has provided to Kiev since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022. Trump’s demand was presented to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kiev earlier this week. According to multiple reports, under the deal, the US is to be granted 50% ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as reimbursement for continued military aid.

UK ‘ready’ to deploy troops in Ukraine – PM

Keir Starmer has emphasized “deep responsibility” in potentially putting British personnel at risk

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK is ready to play a “leading role” in providing security guarantees to Kiev and deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission, should a ceasefire agreement with Russia be reached. In an article for The Telegraph on Sunday, Starmer described the Ukraine conflict as a “once-in-a-generation moment” and an “existential” issue for Europe, justifying the potential deployment of British personnel. “The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine… But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary,” the Prime Minister wrote.

Macron calls emergency summit amid Ukraine peace talks - Warsaw

The EU “needs to respond” to Trump’s negotiation style, the Polish foreign minister has said

French President Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency summit of European leaders after Moscow and Washington agreed to hold Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia, sidelining the EU. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Wednesday, marking their first known direct conversation since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. On Saturday, the countries’ top diplomats followed up with a call to discuss “preparations for a potential high-level Russian-American summit.” Later that day, US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg stated that the EU nations would not be included in the negotiations.

Victor Davis Hanson: Germany’s ‘Slow-Motion Suicide’

At the height of World War II, Henry Morgenthau, treasury secretary under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, proposed a plan to deliberately deindustrialization, depopulate, and disarm postwar Germany. The Morgenthau Plan, as it was known, would transition Germany back to an agrarian society, making the prospect of future war unimaginable. Although Morgenthau’s ideas would never see the light of day, now, more than 80 years later, Europe’s powerhouse is poised to embrace this grim reality…

Mark Carney: I’m an “elitist and a globalist” but “that’s exactly what we need”

Liberal Leadership hopeful Mark Carney admitted to being a globalist and elitist on Saturday, but added that that is exactly what Canada needs.

Mark Carney: I’m an “elitist and a globalist” but “that’s exactly what we need”

Carbon Tax Carney will PUNISH Canadians for the 'sin of staying alive'

Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney wants to "change" the policy rather than scrap the tax altogether.

Life will get more expensive for Canadians this April 1, courtesy of Justin Trudeau's dreaded carbon tax. "Carbon taxes on refineries make gas more expensive, carbon taxes on utilities make home heating more expensive and carbon taxes on fertilizer plants increase costs for farmers and that makes groceries more expensive," according to Kris Sims, Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). "We're kind of in an emergency right now," she claimed. "This federal government is punishing all of us with the carbon tax for the sin of staying alive."

Hungarian Leader Orbán Reveals How Soros and US Taxpayers Are Funding Organizations Around the World to Promote Radical Liberal Ideology

Tucker Carlson interviewed Hungarian President Victor Orbán this weekend in the Middle East.

During their conversation, Victor Orbán explained how the liberal globalist elites are using US taxpayers’ money to spread their ideology around the world. This includes the financing of more than 60 NGOs, paid politicians, and media outlets in Hungary. The Gateway Pundit has reported on these dirty Soros-funded NGOs for years now. At the time, we did not know that it was US taxpayers’ dollars that were funding these far-left organizations.

Argentinian Leftists Want to Impeach Javier Milei For Promoting a Crypto Coin That Tanked in Value — He Brands Them ‘Filthy Rats’

The leftist opposition in Argentina want to impeach President Javier Milei for promoting a cryptocurrency that tanked in value.

He posted on the X platform on Friday evening promoting a little-known crypto coin $LIBRA, causing its value to rise to $5 apiece. In his initial post, Milei said the coin “incentivize the growth of the Argentine economy, funding small companies and Argentine ventures.” “Liberal Argentina is growing,” he wrote. “The world wants to invest in Argentina.” However, its value soon collapsed, losing 80 percent in a matter of hours. Milei has since deleted his post and said he was not involved in the project.

Islamic Knife Attack in Austria: 23-Year-Old Syrian Shouting 'Allahu Akbar' Stabs 5, Kills 14-Year-Old, Laughs at Police, Gives ISIS Salute

With the blood of an innocent child still fresh on his hands, the jihadi laughed in the faces of Austrian police, defiantly raising the one-finger ISIS salute—a grotesque display of contempt for his victims, his hosts, and a nation too paralyzed by political correctness to stop the relentless tide of Islamic terror. *RAIR will provide updates as new information becomes available. Stay tuned!

Villach, Austria – A picturesque Alpine town has been turned into the latest backdrop for the horrors of mass Islamic immigration. A 14-year-old boy is dead, four others are injured, and an entire nation is reeling from yet another brutal act of violence that could have been prevented. The culprit? A 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, Ahmad G., who went on a stabbing spree in Villach’s city center on Saturday afternoon. The perpetrator is a Syrian with a residence permit.

Ahmed al-Sharaa on a historic visit to the city of Latakia,

the stronghold of the Alawites and the former Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Hezbollah leader Qassem threatens Israel, demands Lebanese gov’t ensure complete Israeli withdrawal by Feb 18

IDF kills Hezbollah commander, strikes Hezbollah sites in Lebanon

With the deadline for the final withdrawal of Israeli troops only two days away, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Sunday demanded that the Lebanese government ensure the IDF will pull its forces completely out of southern Lebanon. In a televised speech on the occasion of the terror group’s “Annual Commemoration of the Martyred Commanders,” Qassem responded to claims made by Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who said the U.S. would approve the IDF to “remain in five strategic points” along the border. “The Lebanese state’s sole and fundamental responsibility at this time is to invest all efforts to make Israel withdraw on February 18 and not allow it to remain in certain positions, or in one position,” Qassem said.

In Jerusalem, State Sec Rubio affirms US-Israeli ‘common strategy’ as PM Netanyahu threatens Hamas with ‘Gates of Hell’

Rubio calls President Trump ‘a man that speaks clearly and unambiguously’

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in separate meetings today in Jerusalem. The newly installed secretary affirmed the close partnership between the U.S. and Israel, affirming a “common strategy.” Netanyahu welcomed Rubio to Israel, calling him “my dear friend Marco.” He reiterated Israel’s commitment to freeing all the hostages, eliminating Hamas' military and governing capabilities, and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel.

Trump on ultimatum to Hamas: Up to Israel what to do next, in consultation with me

US President comments on the ultimatum he gave to Hamas that it must release all the hostages. "I told Bibi, you do whatever you want...the next step is up to Israel, in consultation with me."

US President Donald Trump on Sunday commented on the ultimatum he gave to Hamas last week regarding the release of the hostages and said that ultimately it is up to Israel what to do next, in consultation with him. “I told Bibi, you do whatever you want because, you know, my statement was they've got to come back,” Trump told reporters. “Now, the reason I made that statement was because [Hamas] said they weren't going to deliver, they were not going to deliver the people that they said they were going to deliver, that they agreed to deliver…When I made the statement, they delivered everybody plus an American.”

Hamas ready to hand Gaza to Palestinian Authority, sources say - report

The sources said in the report that Hamas's alleged decision comes "after significant Egyptian pressure on the Hamas delegation that visited Cairo."

Hamas expressed that they would be ready to hand the Gaza Strip over to the Palestinian Authority, sources told Sky News Arabic in a Sunday night report. The sources reportedly explained that Hamas said that any of their government employees would be "re-absorbed into the new administration. Or that they would retire, with a guarantee that their salaries be paid." Further, the sources said in the report that Hamas's alleged decision comes "after significant Egyptian pressure on the Hamas delegation that visited Cairo."

Riyadh seeks to mediate between Trump and Tehran on nuclear deal – CNN

Saudi Arabia is open to mediating between the Trump administration and Iran in pursuit of a new agreement to limit Tehran’s nuclear program, CNN reported on Sunday.

The report said that Riyadh is concerned that Iran may be more inclined to pursue nuclear weapons after the weakening of its allied forces in the Middle East, which had long been seen as a deterrent against Israeli attacks. Saudi Arabia hopes to leverage its ties with US President Donald Trump to provide Iran with a diplomatic channel to the White House, according to the report.

Trump open to Iran talks only if it abandons nuclear program, says US official

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Sunday said President Donald Trump is willing to engage in talks with Iran only on condition that Tehran fully abandon its nuclear program.

"The President has also expressed a willingness to take whatever action is necessary. All options are on the table," Waltz told Fox News on Sunday, leaving the option of diplomatic channels open. "They [Iran] are an irrational actor that we cannot allow to have their finger on the button," he added. He explained that Trump is willing "to talk to Iran" only on condition of giving up

Sen. Rand Paul Calls for First Fort Knox Gold Audit in 50 Years, Taps Elon Musk’s DOGE for Verification — FOIA Requests Show 7 Out of 13 Previous Audits Reportedly Missing

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has called for a long-overdue audit of the U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox—something that hasn’t happened in nearly 50 years.

The demand comes as concerns grow over whether the 4,580 tons of U.S. gold supposedly stored in Fort Knox still exist or if bureaucrats and the Federal Reserve have been engaging in financial sleight-of-hand behind closed doors. The call for transparency gained momentum when conservative news outlet Zero Hedge sparked debate on X, posting: “It would be great if elonmusk could take a look inside Fort Knox just to make sure the 4,580 tons of US gold is there. Last time anyone looked was 50 years ago in 1974.”

Is the U.S. About to Revalue Gold? What It Means for You!

Could the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve be preparing to revalue gold and monetize America’s reserves? If so, what would it mean for the global financial system, the U.S. dollar, and YOUR investments?

House Republicans Drafting Impeachment Articles Against Activist Judges Blocking DOGE

"District court judges in liberal districts across the country are abusing their power..."

House Republicans are drafting articles of impeachment against Democrat judges that have blocked various actions by the Trump administration, including those who have halted efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to The Hill: Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said he is drafting articles of impeachment against Judge Paul Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York, who in a ruling last weekend temporarily restricted Musk and DOGE aides from accessing a Treasury Department payment system. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) is working on an impeachment resolution against Rhode Island District Judge John McConnell Jr. over his ruling halting the Trump administration’s freeze on federal funding…

Trump’s U.S. Department of Education Orders All 50 States to Eliminate DEI Programs Within 14 Days… or Lose Federal Funding

The U.S. Department of Education under President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to all federally funded educational institutions: eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within 14 days, or face the complete withdrawal of federal funding.

The directive, outlined in a letter from the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), comes in response to “pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences” that have turned America’s schools into indoctrination camps. The letter explicitly warns schools, universities, and state education agencies that their reliance on DEI initiatives—which serve as racial discrimination—violates federal civil rights law.

Ebola ruled out in NYC urgent care hazmat scare — may be norovirus instead

A suspected Ebola exposure at a Manhattan urgent-care facility had two patients rushed to the hospital by emergency workers in hazmat suits Sunday – but the disease was ruled out.

The patients were transported from a City MD on East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue by first responders wearing hazmat suits, law enforcement sources said but officials later said it was likely norovirus and not Ebola. Officials feared Ebola infections because the patients may have had contact with an individual or individuals who traveled from Uganda and had symptoms consistent with the disease but no tests had confirmed its presence, the sources added. Early emergency notifications were that the patients may have traveled directly, the sources said.

Another plane has crashed! 2 killed in small plane crash at metro Atlanta airport

Another airplane has crashed! The latest tragic aviation accident occurred late Saturday night near Covington Municipal Airport, approximately 35 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia.

A single-engine Rockwell Commander aircraft, carrying two individuals, crashed shortly after takeoff around 11:40 p.m. According to WSB-TV, The victims have been identified as James Hardee, 62, and Janet Hardee, 59, both residents of Covington. According to the Covington Police Department, there was no further communication from the aircraft after takeoff. Responding officers discovered the wreckage and the victims in a wooded area just north of the runway.

Now Everyone Can See It: The Economy Is Terrible

....the last five years has convinced me and multitudes of others that official claims and numbers simply cannot be trusted.

For years, I’ve waited for some honesty about economic data. The official numbers have not made sense. The labor numbers were all over the map with growing disparities between data-collecting methods. The output numbers did not fit with on-the-ground realities. The price numbers from government did not reflect sources from private industry. Putting it all together, we have been surrounded for years by an unannounced inflationary recession with awful jobs numbers.

Joann Fabrics will close 500 stores across the US amid bankruptcy

Another one bites the dust! Joann, the prominent fabric and crafts retailer, has announced plans to shutter approximately 500 of its 800 stores across the United States.

This decision comes in the wake of the company’s second Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing within a year, attributed to declining consumer demand and inventory challenges. The closures will impact all 50 states, with California facing the most significant reduction of 61 stores, followed by Florida with 36 closures, and Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania each seeing 33 stores shut down. Specific dates for these closures and details regarding the number of employees affected have not been disclosed.

The Bubble Indicator: Is the Stock Market Overheating?

Today, the S&P 500’s cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (CAPE) is nearing historic highs, signaling market valuations may be in overheated territory.

In December 2024, the S&P 500 CAPE ratio stood at 37.9—well above its long-term average of 17.6. Notably, it has only exceeded this level during the Dot-Com bubble and in 2021. This graphic from Picton Mahoney Asset Management shows the S&P 500 CAPE ratio since 1920.

Report: Fact Checker Group Received $2.4M in US Government Funds Amid Fact-Checking Controversy

The US government has funneled millions to the Poynter Institute, raising concerns over taxpayer-funded influence on fact-checking and online speech moderation.

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is one of the organizations that received US taxpayer money over the last 12 years – most of it during the Biden administration and during about six months leading up to the former president’s election. The Media Research Center (MRC) said it discovered this by searching the USASpending.gov site, which showed Poynter received the majority of funds from the Small Business Administration ($1.67 million), followed by the US Agency for Global Media and the State Department with $423,781, and $367,435.

‘AI may become judge, jury and executioner’ – global risks expert to RT

Artificial intelligence is being weaponized across all facets of life, and Google’s recent change of principles is a sign of things to come

Last week, Google revised its artificial intelligence principles, removing the company’s stance against using AI to develop weapons or technologies or directly facilitate injury to people, or for surveillance that violates internationally accepted norms. Google’s AI head Demis Hassabis said the guidelines were being overhauled in a changing world and that AI should protect “national security”. RT has interviewed Dr. Mathew Maavak, a senior consultant for Malaysia’s National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021-2025 (AI-Rmap), scholar on global risks, geopolitics, strategic foresight, governance and AI, on the potential consequences of Google’s new policies.

USAID spent millions of dollars on Cloud Seeding. I thought that was a conspiracy theory?

At Least 9 Killed In Kentucky And Georgia As Floods, Severe Weather Slam South

At least nine people died as a massive storm system pounded the South with flooding and severe weather Saturday and Sunday, while snow and ice moved into the Northeast.

Most of those deaths occurred in Kentucky, where eight people died. In a news conference Sunday afternoon, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he expected the death toll there to rise. Many of the deadly incidents involved drivers and vehicle passengers swept away by floodwaters. A child was among those killed. In Atlanta, Georgia, a man was killed when a tree fell on a home early Sunday. Severe storms erupted amid ongoing flash flood emergencies in places like Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia Saturday. More than 67 million people remained under winter weather alerts Sunday as the storms pushed into Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Catastrophic levee failure leads to severe flooding in Rives, Tennessee

A catastrophic levee failure along the Obion River has led to severe flooding in Rives, Tennessee.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Flash Flood Emergency for the area, urging residents to evacuate immediately and seek higher ground. According to Fox 9, The levee breach resulted from a powerful storm system that brought heavy rainfall to the region, causing rivers and tributaries to swell beyond their capacities. The rapid onset of flooding caught many residents off guard, leading to emergency evacuations and rescue operations. Local authorities reported that hundreds of people were trapped in their homes due to the sudden inundation.

Earthquake swarm continues in Southern California

The Inland Empire region of Southern California has experienced a series of three earthquakes, the most recent being a magnitude 3.6 tremor at 9:58 p.m.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the epicenter of this earthquake was approximately 3.1 miles northeast of San Bernardino, at a depth of about 5.1 miles. Earlier that day, two additional earthquakes struck the same area. The first, a magnitude 3.5 quake, occurred at 9:44 a.m., followed by a magnitude 3.0 tremor at 9:48 a.m. Both were centered near San Bernardino. Despite the frequency of these events, there were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries resulting from any of the three earthquakes.

All Goats