End Times Headline News. February 14 2025

Rubio’s plane suffers ‘mechanical issue’. Trump imposes reciprocal tariffs. Trump: BRICS is dead. Russia,US to hold ‘high-level’ meeting. Musk’s Dad: Michelle Obama ‘Obviously’ a Man

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Marco Rubio’s plane suffers ‘mechanical issue’

The US Secretary of State was en route to the Munich Security Conference when his plane abruptly turned back

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was en route to Germany on Thursday when his plane was forced to turn back toward Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington. “The plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, as cited by AFP. “The plane has turned around and is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft,” she added.

FULL: Trump holds news conference after signing order on reciprocal tariffs

President Donald Trump released a plan to increase U.S. tariffs to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports on Thursday afternoon.

"I’ve decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff," Trump said. Trump has said that such tariffs will help to create domestic factory jobs, but most economists tell the AP there would effectively be a tax increase on U.S. consumers that would add to inflationary pressures. The Trump administration contends that charging the same import taxes as other countries do would improve the fairness of trade, possibly raising revenues for the U.S. government while also creating negotiations that may improve trade. The president has already put an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports due to that country's role in the production of the opioid fentanyl. Meanwhile, tariffs on Canada and Mexico could take effect in March after being suspended for 30 days.

DOGE Staff Begins Audit of the IRS, Trump Confirms

A top staffer with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by technology mogul Elon Musk, arrived at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Thursday to begin a review of the tax-collecting agency’s operations.

Gavin Kliger, a senior adviser at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) who is working with DOGE, is leading the IRS review and has already initiated meetings with the agency’s senior staff. “The Internal Revenue Service will be looked at like everybody else. Just about everybody is going to be looked at,” President Donald J. Trump said during an Oval Office press conference on Thursday, confirming the DOGE review. He continued: “They’re doing a helluva job. It’s an amazing job they’re doing… I call it the force of super-geniuses.”

"BRICS is dead": Donald Trump reiterates 100 pc tariff threat on BRICS nations

He said that BRICS is dead and reiterated his threat to BRICS nations, saying he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on the bloc if they try to replace US dollar with any other currency.

Washington, DC [US], February 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump has said that BRICS was created for a bad purpose and most people don't want it. He said that BRICS is dead and reiterated his threat to BRICS nations, saying he would impose a 100 per cent tariff on the bloc if they try to replace the US dollar with any other currency. While addressing a press briefing on Thursday (local time), he said that the US will not trade with BRICS nations if they want to "play games" and even if any trading is done, it will be conducted at a 100 per cent tariff.

Benz And Rogan Expose How USAID Pushed 'Blacklists' Of Independent Media While Operating Global Propaganda Network

"This is top down US government policy from the White House..."

Former State Department official-turned-truthsayer Mike Benz sat down with Joe Rogan for three hours this week, where the two went down the USAID rabbit hole. To review - over the past several weeks, Elon Musk's team at DOGE have descended on several key levers of power within the US government - including the US Treasury, the Office of Personnel Management, and of course, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - which was quickly revealed as a rogue, unaccountable 'blob' that used its vast funds not only to spread propaganda worldwide, it paid news organizations and 'disinformation' researchers to collude against outlets such as ZeroHedge, The Federalist, and others in order to strip us of ad revenues and damage our reputation. (Fortunately your subscriptions, and generous support of our new store, are keeping the lights on).

Judge Halts Trump’s Executive Order Restricting Federal Funding of Sex Changes for Minors

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Donald J. Trump’s executive order restricting federal funding of sex change surgeries and other gender transition procedures for those under the age of 19.

U.S. District Court Judge Brendan A. Hurson issued the order late Thursday afternoon at the request of six transgender youths aged 12 to 18, their parents, and advocacy groups who are suing to repeal Trump’s directive. The ruling is a temporary measure and does not represent a conclusive judgment on the legal arguments but it is a hindrance for Trump’s administration. This legal obstacle adds to another earlier this month when a federal judge opposed Trump’s directive to restrict gender-transition treatments for federal prisoners and to house transgender women inmates with men in facilities. Judge Hurson was appointed to the District Court by former President Joe Biden.

14 Democrat State Attorneys General Sue Trump, DOGE, Claim Musk Operating with Unchecked Power – White House Responds

14 Democrat state attorneys general sued Trump and DOGE and claimed Elon Musk is operating with unchecked power since he is not senate confirmed.

Blue states such as Arizona, Michigan, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Massachusetts and others filed a lawsuit arguing President Trump violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution when he created DOGE and gave Elon Musk ‘unchecked power.’ The attorneys general argued that since Elon Musk is not senate confirmed, he should be barred from issuing orders to anyone inside of the executive branch. “We are asking the court to invalidate his directives and actions and to issue a restraining order,” Michigan AG Dana Nessel wrote, according to AP.

RFK Jr. officially sworn in as HHS Secretary

Modi meets Trump amid tariff tensions

The US President announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on trade partners just hours before his meeting with the Indian leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Donald Trump on Thursday for the first time since Trump returned to the White House. The two leaders reaffirmed their strong bond amid concerns over Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans, which could significantly impact India. Hours before the meeting, Trump unveiled a plan to raise US tariffs to match those imposed by other countries, singling out India as one of the highest tariff-charging nations. “They charge more tariffs than any other country,” he stated on Thursday.

Russia and US to hold ‘high-level’ meeting in Munich – Trump

Ukrainian representatives are “also invited,” the US leader added

President Donald Trump has announced that “high-level” US representatives will meet their Russian counterparts at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart spoke for nearly 90 minutes by phone on Wednesday, marking the first known direct interaction between the Russian and US heads of state since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. On Thursday, Trump said the phone call paved the way for further direct contacts between American and Russian officials.

Biden’s NATO promise to Ukraine provoked conflict – Trump

US President Donald Trump has blamed the conflict on his predecessor Joe Biden’s support for Ukraine’s bid to join the bloc

US President Donald Trump has blamed the Russia-Ukraine conflict on his predecessor Joe Biden, reiterating his previous claim that the hostilities would never have broken out under his leadership. “I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them, just in their position, could allow them to join NATO. I don’t see that happening,” the US president said on Thursday.

Biden policies brought world to brink of apocalypse – Medvedev

The previous US administration’s actions were “a grave mistake,” former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said

The recent phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was “important in itself,” as the world has been “balancing on the brink of Apocalypse” due to the actions of former US President Joe Biden’s administration, according to Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. In a social media post on Thursday, the former Russian president said Washington must recognize the value of dialogue with Moscow rather than pursuing strategic defeat against it.

Exclusive — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: Nuclear Weapons for Ukraine Is Up to President Donald Trump

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News said he is not ruling out nuclear weapons for Ukraine, and that ultimately it is up to President Donald Trump.

“I’m not here to declare anything on or off the table. That’s not my job. That’s the president’s job. He’s the leader, he’s the master negotiator and dealmaker,” he said. He added, “Some of us are out there to help set certain types of conditions that could make a deal more likely and that’s what I’ve tried to do here in the context of NATO.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week Ukraine should be given NATO membership or nuclear weapons as a security guarantee against a future Russian invasion as part of a peace deal.

Trump, Putin discuss Iran’s nuclear program

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed Iran's nuclear program in a phone call between the two leaders on Wednesday.

“The issues of Middle East settlement, Iran's nuclear program, and bilateral economic relations between Russia and the United States were also brought up during the conversation,” said the Kremlin in a statement. The conversation also touched on the Ukraine crisis and a prisoner exchange agreement between the Washington and Moscow.

Iran, China and Russia aim for Tehran's dominance of Mideast, senator says

The leaders of US adversaries Iran, Russia and China are working together to dominate their respective regions and undermines US security and values, Senator John Kennedy said on Thursday.

"I am convinced, based on classified classified information, that President Xi in China is working with President Putin in Russia and is working with the Ayatollah in Iran against the United States of America and western values, including, but not limited to freedom," the Louisiana Republican said in congress. Russia plays a pivotal role in Iran's nuclear infrastructure, leading initiatives such as the expansion of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Iranian drones have aided Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to stricter US-led sanctions.

Lebanon bars Iran airlines after Israel alleges Hezbollah cash smuggling

Iranian airlines Mahan Air and Iran Air, the country’s flagship carrier, will not be allowed to fly to Beirut, Lebanese TV network LBCI reported, citing Lebanon’s aviation authorities.

The decision follows allegations by Israel's military that Iran’s IRGC Quds Force uses civilian flights to smuggle money to Hezbollah via Beirut airport. “The Iranian Quds Force and the terrorist group Hezbollah have been exploiting Beirut International Airport international flights over the past few weeks in an attempt to smuggle funds allocated to arm Hezbollah with the aim of carrying out attacks against the State of Israel,” Israel's military spokesman in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, wrote on X.

Israel's military presence in Lebanon dependent on Beirut's actions, official tells 'Post'

The official further said that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to lead Lebanon away from Hezbollah and Iran's stranglehold.

Israeli military presence in five points across southern Lebanon is directly dependant on the actions of the Lebanese government, an official in the Trump administration told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. "Israeli presence in the five points directly bears on whether the government of Lebanon ultimately does what it has promised to do, and unlike the Biden administration, we will not be grading on a curve." The official further said that the US thinks Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to lead Lebanon away from Hezbollah and Iran's stranglehold.

UAE ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba Sees No Alternative to Trump's Gaza Plan

President Donald Trump's plan to have the United States rebuild Gaza and relocate its population is the only viable option, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the United States said.

"I don't see an alternative to what's being proposed. I really don't," Yousef Al Otaiba said Wednesday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. "So if someone has one, we're happy to discuss it, we're happy to explore it, but it hasn't surfaced yet."

The National Conference For Palestine – A Qatari Initiative For Integrating The Hamas Terror Organization Into The PLO

On February 17, 2025, the National Conference for Palestine will convene in Doha, the capital of Qatar, with the aim of integrating Hamas into the PLO, against the backdrop of preparations for the day after in Gaza and the attempts to remove Hamas from power there.

The conference is convening as part of an initiative that has been advanced in the past year by a group of prominent Palestinians for reform in the PLO institutions that will allow the designated Palestinian terror organizations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) to join it and to become a partner in a united Palestinian leadership. This leadership is meant to control all areas of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Gaza, and to thwart Israel's security and political moves in advance of the day after the Israel-Hamas war ends.

Israel expects Hamas to free three hostages Saturday, asks for more living captives

Hamas confirms it will release three hostages on Saturday as Israel pushes for all remaining living captives to be freed.

Israel expects Hamas on Friday to deliver a list of three hostages to be released on Saturday, an Israeli official familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is expected to send the list to Mossad chief David Barnea. The expected release this weekend would settle a crisis threatening to unravel an already fragile ceasefire and follows Hamas’s threat earlier this week to withhold the hostages unless Israel fulfills its humanitarian obligations.

US Aircraft Carrier Dam ged After Colliding With Huge Merchant Ship Off Egypt

In a highly unusual and embarrassing incident, a US Navy aircraft carrier has collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea, a US Sixth Fleet spokesman revealed Thursday.

The collision involved the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and the merchant vessel Besiktas-M at around noon local time on Wednesday. The vessels collided near Port Said, but there were no injuries reported on either ship. No injuries or flooding on the aircraft carrier were reported, and its propulsion plants “are unaffected and in a safe and stable condition,” the Navy's 6th Fleet said.

First US Navy ships sail through Taiwan Strait since Trump inauguration

BEIJING/TAIPEI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Two U.S. Navy ships sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait this week in the first such mission since President Donald Trump took office last month, drawing an angry reaction from China, which said the mission increased security risks.

The U.S. Navy, occasionally accompanied by ships from allied countries, transits the strait about once a month. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, says the strategic waterway belongs to it. The U.S. Navy said the vessels were the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson and Pathfinder-class survey ship, USNS Bowditch. The ships carried out a north-to-south transit February 10-12, it said.

NATO is in disarray after the US announces that its security priorities lie elsewhere

BRUSSELS (AP) — In just one speech by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, the most powerful member of NATO has thrown the world’s biggest military alliance into disarray, raising troubling questions about America’s commitment to European security.

Hegseth told almost 50 of Ukraine ’s Western backers on Wednesday that he had joined their meeting “to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.” “The United States faces consequential threats to our homeland. We must — and we are — focusing on security of our own borders,” he said.

(UPDATE) Islamic Terror in Germany: ‘Allahu Akbar’-Shouting Afghan, Denied Asylum but Allowed to Stay, Runs Down Over 28 in Munich

Germany’s open-border betrayal: A rejected Afghan asylum seeker, shielded by leftist policies, mowed down innocent men, women, and children in Munich—while politicians wring their hands and refuse to stop the migrant bloodbath.

The number of injured has risen to 30 people, some seriously. A two-year-old child is in critical condition. Authorities have “indications of an extremist background,” and terror experts are investigating the case. Investigators are considering the “sleeper theory”—that Noori may have been radicalized over time or was a long-term sleeper agent.

German Mainstream ‘Conservative’ and USAID-Media Darling Friedrich Merz Plays Tough to His Globalist Audience, Threatens Musk for Supporting AfD on February 23rd Election

With 10 days to go until the new German elections, the supposed leader in the polls, the ‘mainstream conservative’, ‘center-right’ Friedrich Merz, is looking quite nervous.

In his campaign to succeed the disastrous Chancellorship of Olaf Scholz, Merz made a right move that was wrong for a Globalist like him – he decided to submit tough migration reform to the Bundestag, the German Parliament. In a sane world, all props to him – but the fact is that a common-sense motion he presented was only approved thanks to the votes from the Alternative for Germany party (AfD). Merz took a beating in the press and in social media: ‘he broke the firewall against AfD’.

Tens of thousands in Belgium protest over pension reforms, halting air traffic

BRUSSELS, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Thursday in protest over the new government's planned pension reforms, during the first day of a multi-day strike that halted all air traffic in the country.

Local police reported on social media platform X that 60,000 people had joined the strike in Brussels. Protesters clashed with police outside the headquarters of liberal center-right party MR, part of the governing coalition, with police using tear gas and a water cannon. Local media described similar clashes at the headquarters of another coalition member Les Engages, a Christian democrat party.

France can no longer afford to put off belt-tightening, public auditor says

PARIS, Feb 13 (Reuters) - France can no longer afford to put off belt-tightening efforts as debt payments snowball in the coming years, the independent public audit office said on Thursday.

France's public finances spiralled out of control last year as a political crisis left four successive governments paralysed and incapable of tackling an unexpected drop in tax income and surge in spending for a second year. "We can no longer repeat the same errors, and always putting off efforts to rein in the public finances is simply no longer an option," audit office head Pierre Moscovici told journalists. "If we don't do it, we will be forced to do it."

ArriveCan scandal a reminder of how badly Canada needs its own DOGE

Independent estimates pegged the cost of development of the COVID-era app at around $80,000 — only for the government to spend $54 million and dish out lavish bonuses on the project. David Menzies looks at how this scandal is a stern reminder of how badly Canada needs its own government efficiency department.

Egg rationing madness: How bird flu fears are fueling food scarcity and inflation

In a move that has left many Americans scratching their heads, major grocery chains like Costco, Kroger and Whole Foods are now rationing eggs, citing a supposed shortage caused by bird flu.

This decision, which limits customers to as few as one or two dozen eggs per purchase, has sparked outrage and confusion among shoppers already grappling with rising food prices. But is this egg rationing truly necessary, or is it an overreaction designed to induce panic and justify skyrocketing prices? Critics argue that the mass slaughter of chickens—over 148 million birds since 2022—has less to do with bird flu and more to do with creating artificial scarcity and driving inflation.

US tariffs will weaken dollar if nations strike back, Bank of America says

(Bloomberg) — US President Donald Trump tariff policies will eventually be a drag on the dollar dxy (DX-Y.NYB, DX=F) despite providing an initial boost, according to Bank of America Corp.

So far, US tariffs have lifted the world’s reserve currency thanks to its haven appeal as levies risk upending global trade flows and increase inflationary risks in the US. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index advanced about 7% since its lowest point late September, supported by robust US economic expansion and promises of new tariffs on allies and adversaries.

Major US Banks have closed more than 100 branches in three weeks

In the first quarter of 2025, the banking industry has witnessed a significant reduction in physical branches, with over 100 closures occurring within a three-week span.

This trend reflects the ongoing shift towards digital banking, as more customers opt for online services over traditional in-person transactions. Lloyds Banking Group, encompassing Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, has been at the forefront of these closures. The group announced plans to shut down 136 branches across the UK between May 2025 and March 2026.

12 Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will Blow Your Mind

The United States is rapidly becoming a “post-industrial” nation.

All great economic empires eventually become fat and lazy and squander the great wealth that their forefathers left them, but the pace at which America is doing this is absolutely breathtaking. Nobody can deny that our economy is a complete and utter mess right now, and we only have ourselves to blame. It was America that was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. It was America that showed the world how to mass produce everything from automobiles to televisions to airplanes. It was the great American manufacturing base that crushed Germany and Japan in World War II. In fact, the primary reason why we won World War II is because we simply outproduced our enemies.

JCPenney set to close stores nationwide as the retail apocalypse continues

Multiple sources have reported that JCPenney has announced the impending closure of several stores across the United States. The company plans to implement these changes by the middle of the year.

A formal statement released to Today attributed these store closures to a combination of factors, including expiring lease agreements, shifting market conditions, and other strategic business considerations. “The decision to close a store is never taken lightly,” the company noted in its statement. “However, isolated closures do occur from time to time due to the expiration of leases, changes in the retail landscape, or various other factors.

Teen girl arrested for plotting Valentine’s Day massacre at Indiana school

A teen girl has been accused of plotting a Valentine’s Day mass shooting at her school.

Trinity Shockley, 18, was arrested on Tuesday in Mooresville, Indiana, and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and threatening to commit terrorism, among other offenses. She was allegedly planning a shooting at Mooresville High School on Friday. Local police and the FBI conducted a search warrant in her home the same night. They reportedly found evidence that she was planning a mass shooting before taking her into custody. She is being held in the in the Morgan County Jail without bond.

Snowblivion is coming: ANOTHER winter storm to unleash up to six feet of snow in 30 US states

The fifth winter storm in just a week is set to sweep across the US, prompting travel warnings as it spreads snow and ice from California to Maine.

Winter storm Jett is expected to barrel across a wide swath of the US from Thursday to Sunday. The West Coast will receive its first snowfall today, with up to six feet in high-elevation areas, before the storm moves eastward over the weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued various winter weather alerts for snow, ice, wind and extreme cold today in parts of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana.

California rocked by SIX earthquakes in 12 hours

The California coast has been rocked by six earthquakes in less than a day.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has detected three new earthquakes Thursday afternoon near Hayward and Petrolia, California, less than 12 hours after three quakes rocked those areas early Thursday morning. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Hayward at 2:52 pm ET, followed by a 3.2 magnitude quake just two minutes later. At 2:40 pm ET, a 2.9 magnitude earthquake was reported just off the California coast near Petrolia. This new seismic activity comes just hours after the USGS detected a 2.7 magnitude quake at 8:03 am ET Thursday in nearly the exact same part of Hayward.

Watch: Musk’s Dad Says Michelle Obama ‘Obviously’ a Man

Errol Musk, tech titan Elon Musk’s estranged dad, says it’s “obvious” ex-president Barack Obama’s wife Michelle is a man.

The father of the DOGE task force leader made the remarks amid a discussion with the Wide Awake Podcast regarding his support for Trump in 2016, claiming much of South Africa was aware of the Obamas’ gay partnership. “I saw him [Trump] as an independent non-political guy, getting into politics is such a good idea and all that sort of stuff you know,” the elder Musk, 79, told host Joshua Rubin.