Trump Slashes India Tariffs After Modi Agrees To Drop Russian Oil, Go Full 'BUY AMERICAN'

In a huge Monday development, President Trump has announced the US will trim its punitive 25% tariff on Indian imports to 18% after striking what he hailed as a new "trade deal” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Crucially it hinges on New Delhi having reportedly ended its purchases of Russian crude and swapping them for massive US energy and goods buys.

In a Truth Social post, Trump portrayed the agreement as a major geopolitical win, saying that India "agreed to stop buying Russian oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela," and crucially framing the move as helping "END THE WAR in Ukraine."

Under the newly touted deal, according to breaking details.:

The United States will cut its "reciprocal tariff" on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, effective immediately.

India will slash its tariffs and non-tariff barriers on American products to zero.

Modi has pledged a gargantuan "BUY AMERICAN" commitment, including upwards of $500 billion in U.S. energy, technology, farm, coal, and other exports.

Trump cast the concessions as evidence of deep bilateral "friendship and respect," insisting the deal marks a new chapter in US–India trade and energy ties. This will of course also be a blow to Moscow's oil lifeline.

Bloomberg notes:

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on if Trump was lowering the reciprocal tariff and eliminating the extra penalty over Russian oil purchases, or simply reducing one of the rates. India’s benchmark stock index Nifty 50’s futures traded at the Gujarat International Fin-Tec City surged as much as 3.8% in thin trading, while the US-listed iShares MSCI India ETF hit session highs and rose as much as 2.4%. The rupee rallied in ofshore trading, gaining 1% against the dollar.

The shift represents a dramatic retreat from the brash tariff escalation of 2025, when Washington first slapped India with steep levies, including a 25% penalty linked explicitly to Russian energy imports, in a bid to choke Delhi's crude trade with Moscow. The pressure appears to be working, to say the least.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/trump-lowers-india-tariffs-modi-stops-buying-russian-oil-will-cut-tariffs-zero-buy-american

Former British Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson Resigns From Labour Party After Epstein Revelations, Money Transfer and Underwear Photo – Will Be Summoned by Oversight Committee

“The former cabinet minister, who was sacked as US ambassador last year because of his past connections to Epstein, appeared in the latest release of files by the US Department of Justice on Friday.

Documents suggest Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) in payments to Lord Mandelson in three separate $25,000 transactions in 2003 and 2004.

In his letter to Labour’s general secretary on Sunday, Lord Mandelson said: ‘I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furor surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this’.”

He added: "Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.

"While doing this I do not wish to cause further embarrassment to the Labour Party and I am therefore stepping down from membership of the party.

"I want to take this opportunity to repeat my apology to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now.

"I have dedicated my life to the values and success of the Labour Party and in taking my decision, I believe I am acting in its best interests."

Earlier on Sunday, Lord Mandelson had said he did not know whether the newly released documents were authentic.

He reiterated his regret for "ever having known Epstein" and for continuing his association following the disgraced financier's conviction, apologising "unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered".

His former Labour colleagues have said they approve of Lord Mandelson's decision to leave the party.

Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Lord Mandelson should refer himself to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, which investigates alleged breaches of the code of conduct.

Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw, said the whole episode regarding Lord Mandelson and the Epstein files had been "excruciating".

"He's embarrassed the Labour Party, he's embarrassed the prime minister and he's an embarrassment to himself to be honest," White said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8jm2vpve1o

@NICKIMINAJ

As they do their ritual tonight, God almighty will reveal himself to them. The ritual will backfire on them. God will not be mocked. Blessed is the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. Every tongue that rises up against me in judgement shall be condemned & put to shame. Watch 🪄✨

https://x.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/2018182476233846940

At least 177 killed in Pakistan crackdown on insurgents – media

Security forces launched an operation following a coordinated militant attack in Balochistan on Saturday that killed nearly 50 people

At least 177 insurgents have been killed in a security crackdown in Pakistan following coordinated attacks that left more than 50 people dead, the country’s Interior Ministry has said.

The operation was announced on Sunday after attacks by insurgent group the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) at multiple locations across the southwestern province of Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.

The assaults began early on Saturday and killed at least 31 civilians, including five women, as well as 17 members of the security forces, Al Jazeera reported.

The number of militants killed over the past 48 hours in the response by the Pakistani authorities was the highest in decades, according to reports.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2018229890101968954

Epstein pitched ‘many opportunities’ in post-coup Ukraine to Rothschild exec

The Western-backed toppling of the government set the stage for the ongoing conflict with Russia

Convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein discussed potential business opportunities in Ukraine following the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev, newly released documents show. He discussed the matter with Ariane de Rothschild, head of the Swiss private banking firm Edmond de Rothschild Group.

Last week, the US Department of Justice released its additional batch of Epstein-related files. Among them is a March 2014 email exchange in which de Rothschild said she wanted to discuss Ukraine in an upcoming meeting. Epstein’s reply stated: “ukraine upheaval should provide many opportunites , many [sic].”

Earlier document releases highlighted business ties between the two. In 2015, after de Rothschild became CEO of the group, she negotiated a $25 million contract with Epstein for “risk analysis and the application and use of certain algorithms” for the bank. In 2013, he asked for her help in hiring a female personal assistant, whom he said should be “multilingual, organized.”

Epstein also put de Rothschild, who married into the Swiss banking family in 1999, in touch with Kathryn Ruemmler, a Goldman Sachs partner and former White House counsel under President Barack Obama. Ruemmler’s firm was subsequently hired to advise the group on US regulatory matters.

The 2014 Maidan mass protests resulted in a coup that ousted President Viktor Yanukovich. Members of the Obama administration helped fuel the unrest and to select officials for the new Ukrainian government. The toppling of Yanukovich violated a German- and French-mediated de-escalation deal and set Ukraine on a path toward conflict with Russia.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a child for prostitution and received a “sweetheart deal,” which many attribute to his elite connections and possible intelligence ties. However, he was arrested again in 2019 and charged with sex trafficking, and died in a prison cell while awaiting trial in what authorities called a suicide.

https://www.rt.com/news/631852-ukraine-opportunities-epstein-rothschild/

HERE WE GO AGAIN: CIA, Clinton-Linked Trump Impeachment Originator Peddles New ‘Whistleblower’ Intel Complaint.

The lawyer who spearheaded the first failed partisan impeachment effort against President Donald J. Trump is now setting his sights on Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, complaining that his client’s complaint has yet to be sent to Congress due to classification issues.

The classified whistleblower complaint has remained stuck inside Gabbard’s agency for months, prompting an unusual internal standoff and drawing attention to the lawyer representing the whistleblower, Andrew P. Bakaj, known for his role in President Trump’s first impeachment case.

The current complaint was submitted in May 2025 to the intelligence community’s inspector general and was classified at a level that has complicated its handling. According to people familiar with the matter, the document has been stored in a secure safe accessible only under strict protocols.

Bakaj has publicly complained about the situation, saying, “From my experience, it is confounding for [Gabbard’s office] to take weeks—let alone eight months—to transmit a disclosure to Congress.”

Gabbard’s office has pushed back strongly, rejecting claims that it is obstructing the process. Officials have characterized the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated,” arguing that the complaint presents unique classification and jurisdictional challenges that must be resolved before any congressional notification can occur.

Bakaj, the chief legal counsel at the nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, has repeatedly pressed intelligence officials to transmit the complaint to Congress. He previously served as lead attorney for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer whose 2019 whistleblower disclosure helped trigger the first failed impeachment of President Trump during his first term. Later reports revealed the whistleblower had direct ties to the Biden family’s business affairs in Ukraine.

Bakaj’s continued involvement in sensitive national security complaints appears to reinforce perceptions that whistleblower mechanisms are being abused as political weapons. In the current case, intelligence officials say the inspector general determined some of the allegations against Gabbard lacked credibility, while being unable to assess other claims. Bakaj has disputed that characterization, saying he was never informed that any part of the complaint had been deemed not credible.

Lawmakers became aware of the complaint in November, after Bakaj sent a letter to the House and Senate intelligence committees.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/02/02/here-we-go-again-cia-clinton-linked-trump-impeachment-originator-peddles-new-whistleblower-intel-complaint/

New Governor Who Ran On ‘Transparency’ Reportedly Uses Loophole To Host Secret Ritzy Dinner With Donors

Politicians are gonna politician.

During her campaign, Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill vowed to bring “transparency and accountability” to the governor’s office. She even said she wanted to get dark money out of politics. But, of course, she appears to have already reneged on her promise after reportedly using a loophole to host a secret ritzy dinner with her deep-pocketed donors.

Sherrill recently hosted a dinner for executives, lobbyists, unionists, and anyone else who could afford a $100,000 minimum entry donation, Politico reported Sunday. Thanks to a loophole, donors could give well over $250,000, despite a state law that caps inaugural contributions at $500, and the identities of those donors will probably never see the light of day.

That’s because they were reportedly donating to Mission to Deliver NJ, a non-profit, 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organization created by Sherrill’s allies to fund the inaugural parties and other related events for the governor. Those who donated over $250,000, the “Commander” tier, got four tickets to the posh pre-inaugural dinner, a spot on the group’s finance committee, and “quarterly briefings from top officials,” Politico reported

“As a 501(c)4, you’re talking about donations that are unlimited and dark, so nobody’s even aware of who’s potentially buying influence from the new administration,” Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform for Campaign Legal Center, told Politico. “The typical New Jerseyan doesn’t know even who’s part of that select group that has helped fund the inaugural ball, but they’re going to see the potential outcomes of that when a policy favored by special interests gets more support from the governor.”

Jose Lazano, Mission to Deliver’s leader, said the group was only set up to pay for Sherrill’s inaugural ball. They are also planning events for America’s 250th anniversary and possibly the 2026 FIFA World Cup games and the tournament’s final match, which will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“There is zero intention to do anything political at all,” Lozano said in its defense. He claimed the group will not push for Sherrill’s agenda, nor has it shared any donor information with Sherrill herself.

Well, color me extremely skeptical.

Dark money might be one of the worst, if not the worst, factors that have turned American politics, at the state and federal levels, into a corrupt clown show. It has turned the ethos of one man, one vote, into one Ivy League degree and a blank check, one vote.

https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/02/new-jersey-governor-mikie-sherrill-inaugural-parties-dinner-dark-money-loophole/

Search here for specifics

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/search

EFTA01116468.pdf - DataSet 9

This is Satanic debauchery in the name of sex, greed and child sacrifice. Pure EVIL, even worse these people pretend to care about you.

https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01116468.pdf

Elon Musk is a visitor of Jeffery Epstein's Island

https://x.com/RightWingCope/status/2017339565439123888

https://www.antiwar.com/

Chinese gold trading platform freezes withdrawals, investors locked out nationwide

🚨🇨🇳 Meanwhile in China

A large Chinese gold trading business has just frozen over $19 billion in assets ‼️

Thousands of furious Chinese customers are unable to withdraw their physical gold or cash.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2017599525129466338

Epstein paid $25 million by Rothschild Holding

Documents show Rothschild Holding paid Jeffrey Epstein $25 million, with invoices describing risk analysis and algorithm related work. Epstein was not a known expert in finance, software, or risk modeling, yet he received a massive payout anyway. People can dress this up all they want, but normal consultants do not get paid like this.

🚨Update: Rothschild Holding paid Epstein $25 MILLION for 'risk analysis' & 'application and use of certain algorithms,’ but more likely to spy on elites and gather dirt to blackmail them.

https://citizenwatchreport.com/epstein-paid-25-million-by-rothschild-holding/

Lynn Forester de Rothschild, as a Deutsche Bank advisor, managed Epstein's financial ops. The bank's role in Epstein's activities led to a lawsuit before Judge Esther Salas; her son was killed just before the trial by ex-agent from Kroll Associates, called the CIA of Wall Street.

https://x.com/toxictiramisu/status/2002561127604220054

“Markets Are Rigged”: JP Morgan Caught Unloading Massive Silver Shorts at Exact Market Bottom🚨 SILVER DUMP WAS DONE BY JPMORGAN, AND I'VE GOT PROOF.

A COMEX report says JPMorgan closed its silver short around ~$78.

Silver went from ~$121 to ~$74, then settled around ~$78.

That's the EXACT level.

That timing isn't random.

Now connect the dots.

https://citizenwatchreport.com/markets-are-rigged-jp-morgan-caught-unloading-massive-silver-shorts-at-exact-market-bottom/

High-level officials in Biden administration went to work for grant recipients, watchdog finds

The Revolving Door of D.C.: Federal agencies under Biden doled out $600 million to a variety of climate-focused NGOs following Biden's disastrous debate with Trump in 2024. Some individuals who held leadership positions at these agencies later went on to work for the same recipients of the grant money.

The Department of Energy recently announced it’s eliminating more than $83 billion in what it called “Green New Scam” loans and conditional commitments made through the Loans Programs Office during the Biden administration.

The Trump administration has tried to roll back funding the Biden administration rushed out the door in its final months.

Democracy Restored, a nonprofit government watchdog, calculated that following former President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate with now-President Donald Trump on June 27, 2024, the Biden administration began rushing billions out the door to more than a dozen environmental and climate-focused NGOs, including the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, Climate United Fund, the Ocean Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, and Rocky Mountain Institute.

Using data from USASpending.gov, Democracy Resorted found that federal agencies had obligated more than $600 million in taxpayer money to these organizations since July 1, 2024. The obligations began to drop the day after the election. Obligations to these same organizations since Nov. 5, 2024 fell to $246 million.

While various agencies were providing millions in support to these organizations, high-level officials within the agencies either went to work for them after Trump took office, or they had previously worked for them prior to assuming key roles at the agencies under Biden.

Shovels of money after debate debacle

The Department of Energy awarded the World Resources Institute a $1 million grant in August 2024. The funding would go toward training and collaboration in support of school bus fleet electrification. Jigar Shah, who was director of the Loans Programs Office within the DOE, is now a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute.

Jennifer Wilcox, who held the position of principal deputy assistant secretary at the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy, is also a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute. The institute is a global research organization focused on various sustainability and climate action initiatives.

“I think the money being shoveled out after President Biden’s debate and the apparent revolving door of appointees going to recipients of these federal funds raises many questions about the timing of the money, the impact of special interests in the Biden administration and the general ethics surrounding this behavior,” Houston Keene, director of Democracy Restored, told Just the News.

Loan Programs Office under scrutiny

Shah has reportedly had ties to recipients who received loans from the Loans Program Office, which has since been renamed to the Office of Energy Dominancy Financing. Shah’s office, the Washington Beacon reported in May, awarded a loan to New York-based Plug Power in May 2024 to help finance green hydrogen projects.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/high-level-officials-biden-administration-went-work-grant-recipients